Tag Archives: homeschool

Typeracer: A Fun Way to Improve Your Typing Skills for Free

In my household, pretty much any chore gets turned into a game. Whether it is putting toys away or seeing how fast the dishes can be done, the competitive aspect of a game seems to give us all motivation for doing those things that aren’t fun on their own. That is why when I cam across Typeracer, I knew I just had to try it. Typeracer is a fun and free online program that helps you improve your typing skills. This is something that I desperately need. While many years of writing on a word processor has gotten me over … Continue reading →

Biking from Alaska to Argentina: A Homeschooling Road Trip

If it wasn’t for a comment Nancy Sathre-Vogel left on one of my Pets articles I never would have known about the extraordinary undertaking she and her husband plan to make with their two boys and dog: a bicycle trip from Alaska to Argentina. (I for sure had to interview her about that!) Along the way she and her husband will be homeschooling their boys. I thought it would make an intriguing interview to post here. Courtney Mroch: On your website, you have a box encouraging teachers and homeschoolers to contact you for a “unique, dynamic way to help [their] … Continue reading →

You Call That Homeschooling? Part Two

About six months ago, Valorie wrote a blog called You Call That Homeschooling. It’s excellent. Go read it. Well some messages from the last couple of days have me in a place where I am defending my mode of homeschooling. While it is a bit odd to turn someone else’s post into a series, this discussion was only fitting to put under the same category. If you read my post from this morning, Homeschool Resource Review: The Masters Academy of Fine Arts, then you know that someone has challenged the way I homeschool my kids as not really counting as … Continue reading →

Learning Through Song

Some one recently explained to me that her 4-year-old child who she is homeschooling learns best through song. This method of learning is so effective for him that he has learned his times tables. (I know for a fact that his method is very effective as my Jamaican husband and siblings learned to memorize multiplication facts in the same way at a very early age.) She asked for more ideas for educational music. Here are my recommendations. My favorite education music/cd’s is School House Rock. I purchased the 30th Anniversary issue that includes every School House Rock song ever created. … Continue reading →

Time to Plan for Next Year’s Homeschool Program

Most Homeschoolers I speak to are quickly nearing the time when they take a break for the summer, or at least call the academic year complete. For some that might mean meeting all of the requirements of their online or virtual school for the year and receiving their final grades. For others it may mean finishing a set of books or curriculum. For others (I included) local homeschool classes are nearing an end. I realized our year was almost over when my kids’ math teacher gave me their 3rd semester grades. It is time to plan for next year’s homeschool … Continue reading →

Effect of Calfornia Ruling Felt in Nebraska

According to former teacher and Nebraska Senator. DiAnna Schimek, It’s been almost 25 years since the current (homeschool) law passed and it’s time to look at it again. I’ve been hearing stories over the years about students not being in school, about people wondering whether they were being properly educated or not. I wanted to explore the issue. Nebraska Education bill LB 1141 was introduced to hold schools not accredited by the state accountable, according to Sen. Schimek, but it also threatens to restrict parental rights. It also affects homeschools. The bill would require: Homeschoolers to submit annually attendance records … Continue reading →

Meet a Families.com Blogger – Andrea Hermitt!

I’m a homeschooler, and I bop over to the homeschooling blog quite a bit. I find the encouragement I need to keep going from the fun and informative blogs there, and Andrea Hermitt is largely responsible for that wealth of knowledge. Andrea, thanks for taking the time to join me today! How long have you blogged for Families.com? I first began blogging for Families.com in December of 2006. In July 2007, I left to pursue other opportunities, but I could not keep my distance. I returned to Families.com about a week ago. I’m not surprised you couldn’t stay away – … Continue reading →

Things Your Preschooler Learns While Playing Part 2

Are you concerned that your preschooler is too busy playing to learn anything? It seems to be a constant theme for homeschooling moms who want to see some measurable progress in their child. Well, do not worry, your child really is learning. In part 1 of things your preschooler learns while playing. I wrote about the importance of playing with Lego’s and driving toy cars, among other things. Here is Part 2 of things your preschooler learns while playing. Playing with dolls: Roll playing with dolls can teach preschoolers many important life skills. The natural lesson for many children is … Continue reading →

Homeschool Questions: Keeping Preschool Fun

“Q: A lot of people are anti – schooling for preschool age, but by 4yr. old is asking to play school, and wants to do “home work” like his cousins. A friend was generous enough to give me a preschool activity book. I’ve tried to stay away from “instructing” him by counting cars and sorting colors of marbles, but when he’s playing, he gets frustrated with me when I suggest counting or sorting in the situation. But then later he’ll say, “I want to have school” and pull out that activity book and work/play in it for quite a while. … Continue reading →

Homeschool Question: Can My Child Take Art Classes at Community College?

My renewed call for homeschooling questions resulted in a very good inquiry about homeschool high-school students taking summer classes at the local community college. The question is paraphrased below: DeeDee asks: My oldest daughter is 15 years old and will be finishing 9th grade in the next month or so. She is a very talented artist self taught artist with than 2 dozen sketchbooks full of good drawings, and now she has begun to paint as well. A homeschooled young lady in our neighborhood who told my daughter that she had taken some summer classes at the local Community College … Continue reading →