Tag Archives: home equipment

Coloring Outside the Lines

I have to warn you: I am on the war path. My child got in trouble today during school. We went down the block to play in our friend’s back yard and they have a sand box. You know, because we have to socialize. So we played at the sandbox for a while with another family and my daughter decided it would be more interesting to take the sand out of the box than to keep it in. She had made a nice hill before anyone noticed. Since it is not polite to spread sand all over someone else’s back … Continue reading →

The Unschooling Dilemma

At the core of the unschooling philosophy is a fundamental belief that children will learn everything they need to know by being left unto themselves. Unschoolers would focus on the process more than the outcome, and would say that it is more important to fill a child’s environment with rich learning tools, rather than to purchase a good curriculum. True unschoolers would say that it’s about trusting their child’s innate ability to know what they need to learn and to learn it in the best way for them. For us, unschooling presents a variety of dilemmas the least of which … Continue reading →

The Mystery of Learning

The Mystery of Learning Florida is my “adopted” state, and the only state in which I have home schooled. I began homeschooling under the supervision of the county, and then graduated to using an umbrella or private school covering. I desired more flexibility, had began to use a more “unschooling” approach and seasoned our day with many unit studies and hands on learning projects. Therefore, I desired more freedom than what I felt the county superintendent would offer. I am a strong believer in finding your child’s core strengths and natural interests and developing them into your child’s curriculum. I … Continue reading →

I Like to Work Out at Home

I like working out at home. Gyms are okay, but frankly I like the freedom that working out at home gives me. But before you go out and invest in exercise equipment (which frankly, can be pretty pricey) it’s important to judge whether or not the investment is good for you. But how do you judge the investment for yourself? First, make sure the equipment will help you with your fitness goals. Don’t invest in some over-priced gimmick. Exercise is neither effortless nor easy and there is no such thing as a spot reducing piece of equipment. If you’ve got … Continue reading →

Eclectic Schooling, Unschooling, and Deschooling – New Age or Long Overdue?

In my last few blogs I have discussed many options for you and your homeschoolers regarding curriculum. There are a few more that I would like to mention that seem to be growing in popularity and that you may want to consider. The first one is Eclectic Schooling. This means that homeschooling families use parts of preplanned curriculum along with supplemental workbooks purchased from local educational vendors. This also means using educational games on the internet, maybe using a virtual school or a co-op for more supplemental classes. It could also mean that you may use Alpha Omega for English … Continue reading →

What Is Deschooling?

If you are considering Homeschooling your child and begin to look into Homeschooling options, it won’t be long before you run into the term “deschooling”. Understanding the deschooling process can save everyone frustration and will definitely increase the likelihood of a successful Homeschooling experience for your child and yourself. What is Deschooling? Deschooling is the process of disengaging from the expectations and learning style that children (and parents) come to expect from a public or private school setting. In order to Homeschooling to be successful, children will need to recapture that natural-born love of learning. This is the passion that … Continue reading →