Never let your schooling interrupt your education.
, please take time to do so!) “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.” ~ Albert Einstein
The following is a guest post, written by Lora Lynn Fanning of Vita Familiae.
The thought of filling a lesson plan book full of notes that I may or may not ever refer back to has always seemed to be a daunting and unexciting task.
But when the idea of using a shareable online calendar for lesson planning came to me, it seemed ideal for my computer-reliant personality and our family.
Here are some of the advantages I’ve found from using Google Calendar in our homeschool. [Read more...]
Like it or not, homeschooling can be a lonely existence. Your children don’t have the instant friends that going to school offers and forget the social events — no school plays to be a part of, no teams to try out for, no year-end parties.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Most of us make a conscious effort to get out and meet people, through local homeschool days or extracurricular activities — just to avoid the dreaded socialization issue.
Yes, there is the argument that the world is your friend and there is no need to remain in one peer group. But kids generally do want to play with other children their own age. They are likely to have similar interests and laugh at the same silly jokes.
One good way to meet socialization needs is through co-ops, a core group of like-minded folk who get together and learn.
Not only will it give your kids a chance to burn energy with others who can keep up, it’s also a chance for the parents to indulge in adult conversation. Whether that be a discussion of the latest vaccines, the state of the laundry, or homeschooling concerns, it’s nice to have someone who understands.
In the beginning, it’s good to just get out and meet people. Like any good relationship, a co-op doesn’t happen instantly. You may love the mom, but don’t like the kids–or vice versa. Give it time and you will find that core group of families who you love hanging out with and growing with.
There are no hard and fast rules as to how to get a co-op going, but here are a few guidelines to get you started: [Read more...]
Thanks for the overwhelming response to my call for guest posts! I’m so glad many of you are interested and I look forward to sharing your work with our readers in the coming months.
Have a lovely weekend and take a little time to check out these helpful links: [Read more...]
Written by Simple Homeschool contributor Stefani Austin of Blue Yonder
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Men love to wonder, and that is the seed of science.” I would argue that the seed of science got its start not in men, but rather in curious little boys and girls.
Children are the purest, truest form of scientist. They are fascinated by rocks. They thrill to taking apart and recreating all over again. They are not afraid to get messy, to ask a question, or to postulate a wild and unexpected theory.
Science–that place where curiosity, diligence and imagination meet–is the natural home of a child’s mind.
Imparting the great ideas and discoveries of science to our students can, however, seem such a daunting task. In fact one of the questions that most worries new homeschoolers is something akin to, “How will we recreate a high school chemistry lab at home?”
Take heart, and take a good look at the humble beginnings of many great discoveries. For Newton it began with an ordinary apple. Archimedes made one of his greatest discoveries in the bathtub. Benjamin Franklin changed the world with a kite.
Our children need little more than a few modest tools and bit of training in the ways of observation and record keeping to gain a powerful understanding of science.
Here are a few simple tools for meaningful scientific discovery: [Read more...]
Written by Heidi Scovel of Mt. Hope Chronicles.
Summer. There is something delicious about that word, especially for a mother of three young boys after an even-rainier-than-normal Pacific Northwest spring.
Children need to stretch their lungs, their legs, and their imaginations. The great outdoors are calling.
We may be inclined to set down our formal spelling and grammar programs, but summer is a great opportunity to sneak in some of the fun extras we might have trouble finding time to share with our children during a traditional school year.
Time spent outdoors lends itself to creativity and an appreciation for the art of nature. Many famous artists have been inspired by nature, and it is a joy to learn from the masters.
“Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more.” ~ Vincent Van Gogh
Here are a few ideas to spark a summer study of art and nature.
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