Category Archives: Homeschoooling

education, frugal homeschooling, Homeschoooling

Continuing Ed Anyone?

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Apparently there are some free online courses in nanotech. Who says I need to put my kids in school to have them taught by some of the best and the brightest? With today’s internet there are more and more free courses being made available. So I can teach my kids all I know and then go to those bigger and brighter to teach them more. Stanford and MIT also have all kinds of courses for free. That more is more than they can get in any public school! Heck, when I can find the time I want to take the many courses offered. Maybe even a paid college degree will soon be outdated? What do you all think?

frugal homeschooling, Homeschoooling

A Great Homeschooling Benefit: A More Creative Halloween!

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I made a discovery about a month ago. I realized that my kids were already making cool projects for history that could be used to go with Halloween costumes. I gently suggested that we not buy costumes this year but make ones from our history readings. The boys have decided to become Roman Soldiers and NerdPie is going to be a Celtic Queen with NerdPud as one of her daughters. The kids got all excited but then I started feeling guilty. These costumes will look so hand made, because they are. You are looking at some of the pieces to one of my kids’ Roman Standard project for history so obviously this won’t be professional craftmenship. But since my kids are in this exclusive school no on else will have their costume at the church event. Not only that but I get to save major money and I get to have my kids involved in creating something and isn’t that more value than just walking around and getting candy. I think so.

Now a disclaimer, these are going to look so made by kids and that really includes all the parts I am doing and came up with. I sewed a dress for my oldest daughter to wear under her cloak she is helping make and it is obvious that it is my first dress I have ever made. But oh well, it is one night and the kids won’t know any better as long as all of you don’t tell them;).

education, frugal homeschooling, Homeschoooling

Homeschool Myth: Manipulatives

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An argument I have heard against homeschooling is lack of materials/manipulatives. I was told that it would cost an arm and a leg to get all the hands on teaching tools I would need to teach preschool and the first few years of elementary school and that is why they needed to go to a school enviroment. I say, “Bologna!”. Yes, you might need a few things but many of the big things will be just cheap things you have around the house. For counters you can use beans or M&M’s(great reward system too;). For those nifty little fraction models…An apple or orange and a knife. You can even get a kid safe knife (or a pumpkin knife) and have the kiddo cut it themselves. Be creative and cheap!

Now there will be times when, depending on the kid, you might need a real mainpulative. Take for example those lovely unit blocks in my picture. All kids may not need those but the NerdBug’s math progress came to a screeching halt when we got to borrowing and carrying so we went and got a little help. Something you need to keep in mind is the local teacher store isn’t your only option, and sometime that is a costly option. I went into our local teacher store (GW Supply) and found some unit blocks but not all that I wanted. They had the tens and the ones but not the hundreds and they were about $9 a bag. So I went on line and found these interlocking ones at a fraction of the price and they lock together (the ones at GW didn’t). All I did was go to the website on the bag. After shipping and handling I still paid less (less than $18 for all 3 sets plus a couple of clearance items;). So remember to look around. The Internet is your oyster!

One last thing, if you are going to invest in something try to make it do double duty. It can teach basic addition and subtraction, carrying, borrowing and fractions.

This is the first manipulative I needed to buy so that myth is officially debunked!

Homeschoooling

Things I Learned Homeschooling

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No one will deny that homeschooling is a learning experience. What I think that many people don’t realize is that no one really learns more that the homeschooling parent. Now I was very prepared to what homeschooling was and some of the lessons I would learn. I would gain knowledge that was left out of my conventional education. I would learn to have patience and how to schedule better. Already I see those lesson taking form in me. But there are some lessons I didn’t foresee and I am sure that there are more to come.

The big lesson I didn’t foresee was sometimes you need to leave them the heck alone. It started when I was trying to teach my oldest how to use scissors. I couldn’t figure out how to communicate to him on how to make the scissors work and cut on the line. So I went to a woman at church who works in our children’s department and asked for advice. She said hand him the scissors and paper, then leave him alone. Well, she was right.

Same child a couple of years later we are working on first grade math. Now I tutored math for years so I felt like I had a handle on this situation. Well, I may have been wrong;). The fact that I was making sure that he had a handle on the concepts before I gave him the work to do was really exasperating him. I found that he worked so much better if I gave him his workbook and when he stumbled (more than once or twice) then I would pull out the textbook and go over the lesson.

Now this isn’t always the approach for all my children but it was something I wasn’t prepared for. I just wonder what unexpected lesson I will be learning next;).

Homeschoooling, politics

Yet Another Reason We Homeschool

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Recently my inbox has been flooded with pieces talking about how something needs to be done about the proposed Harvey Milk Day in California public schools.

I have to say that I am a bit ambivalent because it seems to fall in line with the purpose of socialized education. Which is to inhibit the development of Judeo-Christian values. This is what is called a “Dog Bites Man Story”. If a man bites a dog, that is news. But is a dog bites a man, not so much because that is what dogs do. Homosexuality has become mainstream within the school system. So what makes you think that they wouldn’t be looking for pioneers to celebrate? Just like when school became integrated we then began celebrating heroes of the integration (such as Martin Luther King Jr.). I am not saying that these people are equal in achievement. Harvey Milk is famous for being an openly gay politician who was killed for it. So he is the perfect martyr.

What worries me more is the situation that arose recently in Dos Palos where a kid was punished for wearing a shirt that depicted the US flag. And why?

The assistant principal initially thought Shelly’s T-shirt violated a clause of the school dress code that does not allow “shirts/blouses that promote specific races, cultures, or ethnicities.”

As NerdDad said when he heard about it, we have to be careful to not offend anyone who doesn’t like America like the teachers. While I understand that the schools don’t support my values but now they are blatant about their dislike for America. I think at this point, these type of situations are more dangerous than Harvey Milk Day.

But the overriding issue? I don’t know what to say to parents who have their kids in school who are angry about Harvey Milk and say,”Call the Governor”. My gut says, “You already handed you kids over to the school system. What did you expect? And do you really think a phone call will fix it all?” I know it is harsh but unfortunately true. If you don’t like the influence of the system on your child (Harvey Milk Day, etc) the only thing you can really do to stop it is to remove the child from the situation.

Now do I just abandon the school system? No, I vote for change (and not Obama;) and do try to change things but not at the cost of my kids.

There is my rant for the day.

carnivals, Homeschoooling

Carnival of Homeschooling

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Welcome to the Nerd Family House, why don’t you come on in to see the great carnival we have going on inside.

Why don’t we stop by the playroom so the kids who are done with their work can play. While we are here, let’s check out Guilt Free Homeschooling and their post, Preschoolers’ Educational School-Time Activities. If you are frustrated with keeping a preschooler occupied while you work with your older students, this list of activities is just what you need! These are simple activities that will teach valuable skills to your preschoolers, while keeping them engaged in their own FUN school-time projects using many materials you may already have available.

Here is the table where the kids are doing their seat work. Speaking of seat work and classes. The Daily Planet talks about Miss Amanda’s new Spanish class in Homeschool Memoirs: Something New! Learning at His feet has a great post on Instructions in Teaching Drawing. I know here at the Nerdfamily I can totally use this because I can’t draw a straight line much less anything else;). Laura Frantz gives us The Two Shall Meet: An Unschooler Charlotte Mason Narration.

No Fighting, No Biting! shows us how homeschoolers can learn science in the country in Real Life Biology 101. A Ten O’Clock shares lesson plans to accompany Classical Conversations Science memory work for Cycle 3.

Countdown to College shares about the National History Day projects in Making History (and BTW colleges and scholarship committees love these kind of things). Then over at Ms. Julie’s Place, she has 2 posts that outline a simple science experiment/demonstration that can become the center of a unit study encompassing science concepts with biology, physics, and ecology, literature, math, theology, and more in An Eggs-traordinary Experiement Part I and Part II.

Greg Laden’s Blog talks about a pre-algebra book in X+Y= WHAT??? SmallWorld offer us On the Trail with Lewis and Clark. She offers a review of the resources they used during their study of Lewis and Clark. Successful Homeschooling gives us Homeschool Physical Education. Mrs. Happy Housewife writes Carolus Linnaeus and Taxonomy in which she shares her taxonomy puzzle. Happy to be at Home offers us help in Teaching “d” and “b” differentiation including downloads!

Come sit down for a moment and have a cup of coffee. We can talk about the joys and challenges of our journey (and that includes the political side) and get a little support. Delighting in His Richness has a great post of encouragement, The Wheat Seed. It really can put life in perspective.

The Thinking Mother struggles with different ways to make a ‘to do’ list of homeschooling assignments for her children in Torn About Homeschool Scheduling. Welcome to My Brain offers what they do in Our School Day. Then Ordinary Time offers us The Art of the Schedule.

Tomorrow is Another Day offers her initial thoughts of homeschooling high school as she starts week 3 in her son’s high school career in High School- So Far, So Good. The Family Revised has a great piece on The Expanse of Goals. She reminds us of the fact we are looking at the whole child and what all that entails. Simple Pleasures share her First Day of School. Cage Free Monkeys tells us about their Rainy Days.

Missy ponders the reasons of her decision to homeschool in Life Without School’s offering that Sometimes It’s Just a Shirt. Save Money Homeschooling reminds us that Homeschooling Has So Many Options. Practical Homeschooling offers us another installment of 101 Reasons to Homeschool Series with #5 Youthful Optomism. Barbara Frank Online talks about homeschooling freedom in The School Buses are Out Again.

A Family Runs Through It offers on man’s Unfinished Opinion on homeschooling. Beverly’s Homeschooling Blog asks, “Does your family support homeschooling?“. She talks about how well meaning family members often share their concerns with us when they hear about our homeschooling and sometimes it’s hard to know what to say. Bending the Twigs tells us to submit your comments in the debate about the merits of homeschooling between the Homeschool Association of California and the California Teachers’ Association in And In This Corner. Alasandra’s Homeschool Blog Awards is discussing how Scholastic Blames Homeschoolers for Measles Outbreak.

Principled Discovery has a hilarious piece with What’s the matter with kids today? Learning at Home will give you a chuckle with her New Get Rich Quick Scheme. We have the kids at home all day, we might as well make a buck or two;). Life Nurturing Education gives us a quirky look at You Know You’re a Homeschooler When….


Did you see my new piano (well new to me;)? Well, that is another story. But music is a great thing! But alas, I have no talent. Or do I? Thomas West Music has a great piece called Pitch Development: Exercising Your “Inner Ear”. West says, “”I can’t carry a tune in a bucket” is a common expression of those who consider themselves unmusical. Having a “tin ear” is another common description. It is certainly true that individuals possess varying levels of aptitude in regards to their musical intelligence, however, just like mathematic or linguistic intelligence, every person can take their aptitude level as a starting point and work to build stronger skills in that area.” So maybe there is hope for me yet!

Let us go check out the group on the couches. They are handing out much needed advice on children and teaching. Henry, at Why Homeschool, reminds us that it is important to teach our children correct principles from the start in “Why is it so important to teach, correctly, the first time“. Because if they accept a wrong idea, it can be very hard to unlearn it. Then Concerning Kids has an enlightening piece on Child Obesity.

Chrysalis offers up an insightful Family Life: Secrets of Raising Girls. I have 2 girls and I need this kind of information! Sharp Brain offers a piece on brain health and cognitive fitness in Your Brain at Work. OLIN e-Book e-Publishing Blog offers us the first chapter of an e-book that asks the question, “Just What Does ‘Christ First’ Mean with Homeschooling?“.

Janice Campbell offers an academically-oriented four-year high school plan, with an emphasis on looking forward and preparing for life after high school. The plan is suitable for use whether or not your student plans to go to college.

Stop the Ride! is offering some great Free Educational Downloads. While The Sojourner offers her Favorite Homeschooling Curriculum for Free by download.

I am closing out with a contest from Mom is Teaching, but enter quickly because the deadline is Wednesday.

Thank you for coming by our “home”. I hope you have enjoyed yourself, maybe even enough to participate next time. To find out all about that you can go to Why Homeschool to get all the details on how to participate. Next week we will all get together for move carnival fun at A Pondering Heart on Tuesday September 23rd.

Now go and read all these wonderful posts. Also be gracious to all the many article writers and let them know how much they are appreciated by commenting!

Homeschoooling, science

Homeschooler Powers Activate: Name the Bug

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My friends over at The Weave were taking pictures at the park on Saturday and found this bug. While you can’t really see the wings, it was flying. As The Weave describes it, it is a cross between a spider and a June Bug but they don’t know what it is.

Well, I have faith in all you homeschooling families and I think it is a great time to show off your science knowledge. What is this bug? Let’s knock the socks off this public school teacher(Who is a great guy, even though;). Leave your guesses or narrowing knowledge in the comments.

education, Homeschoooling, politics

Adam Smith on Public School

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On a recent family trip to the library (what else do you expect from a group called the NerdFamily? 😉 NerdDad found a great book. It is P. J. O’Rourke’s On The Wealth of Nations (Books That Changed the World). Now we here in the Nerd Family are huge P.J. O’Rourke fans, and we can speak of his greatness further in the future, so NerdDad checked it out and found that Adam Smith had his opinions on school and how it should work.

This piece got NerdDad’s attention and then he had to share with me;):

Adam Smith was only a tepid fan of public education. As he went on to explain in book 5 of Wealth, he thought that some government subsidy of education was needed so that “even the common labourer may afford it.” Teachers, however, should be “partly, but not wholly paid” by the state. “In modern times the diligence of public teachers is more or less corrupted by the circumstances, which render them more or less independent of their success and reputation,” wrote Smith, making his modern times sound like ours. And Smith believed that certain very prestigious institutions of higher learning were teaching “a mere useless and pedantic heap of sophistry and nonsense.” Was UC Berkeley even around back then?

O’Rourke then goes on to further expand on Smith’s views. About how there was value in an ability and not just being a highly (or overpaid) specialist. This is all tied into how our economy works and what should be valued.

To me this further proves that merit of the public school educational experience isn’t the education because the public education system can be skewed by itself, its beliefs and its own social agenda. The public education system is not at all driven by what would be considered useful knowledge or what is good and productive. Just as God created man in His image, the public education system is trying to create a society of its own ideals and creation rather than concentrating on the knowledge it is getting paid to pass on.