| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| brighteyesk9 |
Posted - Aug 18 2007 : 07:28:30 AM
I am new to homeschooling. I am also new to motherhood. Our boys are 9, 12 and 13. Our 12 year old is very defiant and sassy, he hates school and school work. I have bought the Lifepac to start them off because I know nothing about any of it. I have read and read and saved links to help the boys. We also just joined a local homeschool group. I am just desperate for some ideas and advise.
Visit my blog at http://lovecountryliving.blogspot.com |
| 10 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Garden_artist |
Posted - Aug 21 2007 : 1:12:25 PM
It's so nice to see so many parents making their children a priority in their lives.
The last bit of advice I can give you is have your child read to you. I love to have my daughter read to me. I get to hear a great story and we can work through any hard words and their meanings together.
When I feel spring coming I have to plant or I’ll go crazy! |
| Michelle Marie |
Posted - Aug 21 2007 : 12:28:13 PM
Hi, I let my 14 year old make her own schedule this year, it has helped. My little one(9), I try not to get to complicated but we do have a Math curriculum that is kind of low pressure... Math U See ( they go through high school). And then we started on Easy Grammar. I was doing way to much before and driving us both crazy. I really like these books and it is low pressure like I said. I just thought I would let you know something I have tried and makes our life a little less stressful.She is one who is very bright but needs stuff not to be drawn out, or I will lose her totally!! My older daughter is trying the History LifePac this year and she seems to like it fine but thats the only subject she is using from them. I was new to homeschooling at the beginning and used ABEKA and I worked us into the ground, I was totally stressed. Finally 6 years later I feel like I found a plan that works for us. It is trial and error, but if something isn't working don't be afraid to try something else. Thats a little advice a few good friends have given me and it has helped. Good luck in your homeschooling journey!!! |
| sleepless reader |
Posted - Aug 20 2007 : 1:33:04 PM
Such good advice from everybody! One thing that helped with my oldest (he homeschooled the last two years of HS only) was to give him the assignments and let him pace himself. Some weeks he'd finish all his work in two days and then have freedom, other weeks it would take until Saturday to get it done.This allowed him to have some control over his choices; control was very important to him. My "rule" was that everything had to be to me by Saturday night when he went to bed. Hope this helps.
As a side note, we homeschool through a charter school. I chose to go this route because I felt I needed the accountability to "someone". It has worked well for us because we have an exceptional "facilator" who is familiar with styles from unschooling to school-at-home. If it weren't for this, we'd be on our own.
Good luck with the schooling and congratulations on the adoptions!
Sharon
Life is messy. Wear your apron! |
| abbasgurl |
Posted - Aug 18 2007 : 8:15:06 PM
Hi Alta,
Yeah, what they said... 
When I first started out on this homeschool adventure, a wise friend gave me similar advice. Relax, have fun, and enjoy your family. The beauty of homeschool is that you are free to make your own schedule and do things your own way. You can teach math in your pj's, have discussions instead of lectures, sit on the sofa instead of at a desk/table... in other words, YOU decide how your school looks. Remember, you don't have to try to duplicate school at home. School can be FUN.
I am also an "unschooler". Even in homeschool circles that can be a somewhat dirty word. It was years before I even knew there was a name for what we were doing! LOL You can find lots of books and websites devoted to this way of teaching. Some of my best inspiration comes from Charlotte Mason & later Karen Andreola.
In our home unschooling means surrounding my kids with great books, art supplies, games, videos, pets, gardens, musical instruments etc. They are never bored because they have always had lots of interesting things to choose from. We pile into chairs in the family room & read aloud together. We do Bible study at the kitchen table with hot cocoa & lots of discussion. We take field trips, walks, garden & enjoy pets & nature. We keep nature journals & art sketchbooks (even Mom). Learning happens in every corner of our home.
Things will happen that can disrupt your day. After all, you are in your home. There will always be laundry or a sick dog. Don't let this get you flustered. There is always tomorrow! Everyday is a new opportunity to learn. By being at home your kids will learn much more than math, or spelling. They will learn good character and how to function in a healthy family. I personally think homeschool has bonded our family like nothing else could have.
Yes, there are challenges exclusive to homeschool. But we would just have a different set of challenges if they attended classes elsewhere. Homeschooling doesn't take more patience, or a degree. It is just a matter of making a commitment and plugging away day by day. I am SO grateful to have had the opportunity to teach my guys!
By the way, I have three boys too (ages 21, 17, and 14). They have never been to "real" school. They are all bright, articulate, creative, and motivated. They are all leaders in their peer groups. Allow me to "brag" on them for a moment...
Our oldest is a professional musician (has been traveling with his band since he was 17!) He is an eagle scout, writes, records and produces music. He is a deep thinker, a writer, a poet. He is also one of the best people I know.
Our 17 year old is a film maker. He will study film making in college next year. He is just shy of being an Eagle Scout. He is currently working on a film for a homeless shelter to be used in their fundraising efforts. He plays bass guitar, writes & sings hilarious parody songs, and is the funniest person I know! He too is a good man.
Our youngest (14), is still a work in progress. He's off to good start though! He is an amazing drummer (esp. for his age), loves animals, and designs his own graphics & cartoons. He is very soft hearted & gentle. He is agreeable & makes friends really easy. I have great hope that he will, like his brothers, turn out to be a pretty amazing young man.
I really believe that having the boys here at home with us has made a HUGE difference in who they are. They have been under Mom's watchful eye to let them know when they strayed off the right path. They also have had the benefit of being able to devote themselves to projects & subjects they enjoy. I believe homeschool gave them a head start in many ways.
I'm really excited that you have the opportunity to be at home with your boys Alta! Take some time to enjoy them, show them that school can be painless (and even fun) , and I think you will have great success!
There are many here who will be happy to help & encourage you, so don't hesitate to ask!
Blessings,
Rhonda
I'm a one girl revolution. |
| brighteyesk9 |
Posted - Aug 18 2007 : 7:48:59 PM
At this point with all the replies, all I can say is "WOW". Everyone has encouraged and inspired me even more. I kinda thought that I would be like a drill sergant, but I can see that I probably won't accomplish anything like that. Ok - well I will accomplish more defiance, at least from my 12 year old.
Our adoption was final the 25th of July. That is why I am new to motherhood. And of course to homeschool.
TV - we don't subscribe to any programing and we don't get any local channels. We rent movies and the boys have 1 video game. They are allowed 30 minutes a day for video games and that time has to be earned. We are a very simple family that loves to laugh and have fun. We are also structured and disiplined (spelling?).
I love the idea of relaxing and taking it easy. I know from working with animals - if I relax - they will relax.
Thank you all for the advise and the caring that I feel from all of you.
Visit my blog at http://lovecountryliving.blogspot.com |
| babysmama |
Posted - Aug 18 2007 : 4:55:50 PM
My suggestion is to take it slow and let your children "detox" from school. It may take a month, six months, or a whole year for you to set a routine that you are all comfortable with. And every year your routine may change. Remember, homeschooling is not the same as public school so don't expect your children to sit down from 8 to 3 and do school. Schools have a lot of busy work and your child at home can finish his lessons in as little as an hour. Some parents freak out if their children aren't busy all day doing school work and think that their child isn't learning anything but that isn't the case. You might want to read some books about unschooling which shows that children learn lessons from everything - whether it is a trip to the grocery store where they compare prices or try to decide which can of vegetables is the best price based on ounces or price or whether it is going for a hike and identifying flowers and plants. There are lessons in everyday life and some days it could seem like your child is doing nothing all day yet he will be learning!! My best advice is to change your way of thinking and realize that homeschooling is not an 8 hour day but rather a 24 hour life lesson. It is good to set boundries though, such as no tv or video games until evening, etc. Good luck! I am a homeschool graduate and loved every minute of my education!!!!
-Elizabeth |
| Garden_artist |
Posted - Aug 18 2007 : 4:42:42 PM
Alta I third the suggestion...Relax. Enjoy your time with your kids. I home schooled my daughter through her "critical" high school years. Mostly to keep her out of the trouble I got into at that age. Trying so hard to fit in and loosing who I truly was. Besides the fact, the girls in high school “to much pressure and to much DRAMA”!
The first year we went with the 8th grade program, because I wasn't sure if she was ready for the 9th. I started out like a drill sergeant but I loosened up. I let her play with the 8th grade program for a year and half and then decided to enroll her in college on-line. Just one class at first. Plus a 1 day a week GED class, plus the 13 week master gardener program. Well she took her GED and passed with flying colors, she is a master gardener and starts college next month for Turf and landscape (1 year earlier that her classmates).
My point is...I always doubted if I was structured enough, but I worked hard to keep her interested in the subject of horticulture because she excelled at it. I found that horticulture brought Math, Science, History, Reading and so much more to her daily educational life.
My suggestion is to see what each of your boys like (what interests them) and then find the Math, Science, History, Reading and such in it so they will excel and it won't even seem like work.
Tammy
When I feel spring coming I have to plant or I’ll go crazy! |
| DeepsouthMamma |
Posted - Aug 18 2007 : 3:52:58 PM
Alta
This year is my24 th year home-schooling- which either makes me VEEEERY SLOOOOOOW
very old
very repetitive
or all of the above!!!
Actually my kids are just spread out alot-
31-13 five of them.
What Heather(?) said was worth repeating- don't get too wrapped up in what other people say to do- relax and enjoy your children and most of all enjoy watching them learn!
You will be glad you did!
Autumn
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. |
| GaiasRose |
Posted - Aug 18 2007 : 08:35:23 AM
Alta, have you considered the unschooling/child led approach. I have found that my 5 year old has leaped far ahead of her peer group already without setting a curriculum for her. She has been reading for about 6 months or so, is doing math and practices counting daily trying to get higher than she did the day before. She is also very knowledgeable about China and geology and biology. The kid is 5, FIVE! When we tried to do a curriculum based preschool, she shut down and didn't want anything to do with it, now that we let her off on her own free will, she has flourished. Just an option I thought I would throw out there for you!
~*~Brightest Blessings~*~
Tasha-Rose
Blogs: http://gaiarose.wordpress.com
http://womonandsprout.wordpress.com
Homepage:
http://ForestFaeries.etsy.com
Birth is safe, interference is risky; TRUST BIRTH |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Aug 18 2007 : 07:57:52 AM
My best advice is to relax, have fun, and do your best. What doesn't get done today will get done in time. Take it one day at a time. If you are relaxed and happy your kids will be too. If you're not they won't be either.
I think once you are relaxed, and just take it one day at a time, and find the joy in every day (with out worrying how much you are getting done each day and if you are doing this or that correctly) that you will find your 12 year old will relax and start having fun and also out of public school life and into a happy family life (which I am sure you have!) that he will get better and better! :) 12 is a difficult age, looking for acceptance, and finding out who you are. I think the closer to the family one can be at that time the better. So sounds like you're doing a good thing!
Talk to the other mom's about how they do things, but don't get too wrapped up in them, just focus on what's best for your family right now, and like I said relax and have fun with it. They will be fine! :) |
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