Results tagged “Homeschooling”

When the talking and giggling won't stop!

Miss Jocelyn at A Pondering Heart has set up a lovely homeschooling carnival this week and it centers around the theme of gardening. Perfect timing and homeschooling fits right in! Go check it out!

I met the Bach family about 14 years ago. We were attending the same church and frankly I thought they were a bit odd. After all, they had many children and they did something called homeschooling. They had home births and didn't do vaccinations. How kooky is that? But they were very nice people and very committed to serving the Lord. As I got to know them, I began to think they weren't so kooky and I credit them for the fact that I homeschool today.

Over the years I have been impressed by the kindness of the children, the way the family reaches out and serves others and their faith and trust in God. The family has a business called Many Blessings Farms and with that business they provide hippotherapy to people who suffer from disabilities such as Autism, Down's Syndrome, and Cerebral Palsy. The children grew up being homeschooled and learning how to serve others. Now the fruit of that upbringing is really showing.

Renee, the second oldest daughter, is 19 and has already spent several months in Uganda doing missions work. In fact while she was there, she didn't just do what she had been sent to do, but came up with a new idea of a way to serve the people there. She started a program for feeding the children. Her idea has grown and now, this 19 year old young lady is heading back for a prolonged stay in Uganda and she has started her own nonprofit organization which will focus on feeding and caring for children. Serving His Children now has a website that will tell you way better than I can about what they plan to do and hope to accomplish. The organization website is brand new and still under construction. But there is also a blog Be Hands and Feet that you can check out.

I know there are a lot of worthy organizations out there, but this one has touched my heart and as I have watched Renee grow up, I know that it is an organization being run for the right reasons. Please take some time to go visit the website. If you can help in anyway, I guarantee you will be blessed as much, if not more, than you are blessing others. I know economically times are tough, but we know nothing of hard times compared to these children.

We don't have this game yet, but it is on our list of games to get! Who thought Physics could be so much fun???? Check it out!

Daniel sent me this link yesterday and I had to share it. These look like some fun and very interesting experiments to try!

It's amazing how we can trick our brains!

Over the last two months during my lack of writing, something that occured is something I wanted to post about and now I have the time.

I am in an online homeschool group of close to 200 families. The way our group works is when someone wants to set up something they just do it. Then people who are interested join in. One problem with this system, is that few want to step up to the plate and make the effort to host the field trips or other classes. It never ceases to amaze me how people complain, but they never want to do the front end work, but that is another post.

So, being an organizer, I put together two field trips for this fall. The first was to an apple orchard. I asked if people wanted to go on a tour or if they just wanted to meet and pick apples. Most wanted a tour, I set it up. 7 families signed up. I was surprised it was only 7, but we went with it. The day of the tour, lovely though it was, only 4 of the 7 familes showed up.

The second field trip I organized was to a historic Cemetery, the week before Halloween. Again I asked if people wanted a tour or just wanted to visit and the answer was a tour. So I set it up. For the Old City Cemetery, it is necessary to pay 30.00 up front, but only 2.00 a person for anyone over 15 people. I had about 15 families show interest. When it came time to sign up, only 7 actually signed up.

Today, families from my homeschool group went on a field trip to the Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg. My kids and I have visited this site many times and learned a lot at the variety of tours we have signed up for. Today we were very excited about the opportunity to picnic in the autumn weather, swing on the swing that hangs from the pecan tree and learn more about the cemetery.

In years past, we have learned about composting, pond life, the railroad station, the pestilence house, bats, tombstone rubbings, the Confederate Cemetery, and some of the historical markers. Today we were supposed to learn about the trees in the cemetery and some African American history.

The kids and I packed lunches, packed up for the afternoon (the children had group piano lessons after the field trip). It was overcast and cool, but we were expecting the temperatures to reach 55 and for it to be sunny without precipitation.

On Wednesday, we visited Liberty Lake Park in Bedford. We have been trying to get there once a week as a homeschool function, but we have had a hard time getting others to come. Not sure if it is the day or if everyone just has so much to do, they just don't need or want to do a 'park day'. Anyway...this past Wednesday, we met a new family. The oldest daughter, Melinda, had been exploring with her magnifying glass and the sun. Pretty soon, Melinda, Rebecca, Jack and Katrina were busy setting small fires.

They were not content though just to try to burn leaves and nuts, they got creative too and now I have some fun Halloween decorations!

I always enjoy hosting the Carnival of Homeschooling. It gives me an opportunity to pick a topic that is near and dear to my heart and intersperse information and pictures about it with interesting homeschool posts. A big thanks to Janine and Henry Cate at Why Homeschool for starting The Carnival of Homeschooling way back when! If you have never visited their site, be sure to check it out for great articles and information how you can submit to future Homeschool Carnivals.

Now on with the show...today, the topic is going to be something which is currently near and dear to our hearts...puppies! Well, dogs, not just puppies. We have recently adopted a sweet little Irish Setter and we will be adopting a companion for her in just a few weeks...a cute Goldendoodle. I hope you will enjoy learning about these breeds and others! So grab a cup of coffee, because there is lots of great information here!

Some posts don't fit into your categories no matter what theme you cover, but this post touched me, so I wanted to put it top of the pack. Beverly at Beverly's Homeschool Blog shares a sad moment and an idea that we should all consider in her post When A Homeschool Mom Dies....

Irish Setters are energetic, intelligent, affectionate, high-spirited, and full of energy. They have no guarding instincts, get along with other animals, and are good with children. Irish Setters are responsive yet sensitive. Train this breed firmly at an early age to prevent development of bad habits, as this breed tends to pick up bad habits quickly. Sounds a lot like children doesn't it? It can often be a challenge to keep children busy as the colder days move in, but never fear, here are some ideas for you to try!

Shannon at Song of My Heart has a wonderful project she and her children did as part of an ocean study. Check out this ocean art project. Your kids are sure to love it!

Melitsa at Play-Activities.com shares some wonderful ideas about keeping those little boys occupied with some riveting reads.

Don't want your children to spend their days in front of a video game? Well, hold up a minute, because Silvia over at Po Moyemu--In My Opinion has a different take on gaming and how your child can benefit from it in her article Some Game Making Software and Benefits of Gaming

Just like we want to avoid teaching our children bad habits, we want to teach them good habits. And one habit that will last them a life time is the habit of reading. Whether it is reading for fun or reading to learn, reading is something we all want our children to master and enjoy. But before they can read words, they have to recognize letters and they have to understand the sounds letters make. Amy from Kids Love Learning shares a couple of different ways she has taught these concepts to her children who have very different learning styles in her post Learning Letter Sounds .

Annette at Craft Stew shares how your children can make a Birdhouse Bookmark.

SoCalVal at Homeschooling With Encouragement - Homeschool Blogger shares a recent homeschool study in his post: If You Give An Eclectic A Textbook...

Kris at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers shares an annual tradition in her post Around the World Day 2008 . This is a fantastic idea and I would like to try something like this with our homeschool group!

Well, Ginger's night time sleeping continues to improve and we are getting into a bit of a routine with her. She is actually fitting into a routine much faster than either of my children did (hee hee). Right now, she is sleeping next to me on the sofa and I am trying to get caught up on email, and working on next weeks Homeschool Carnival post! Yep, that's right, I am hosting next week and you'll never guess what the topic for the Carnival is!!!

Hey...how did you know the topic was dogs? Have you been peeking in my computer again? Anyway, I am having fun with putting the Carnival together and have already received several awesome posts! Be sure to come back next Tuesday and check them out. Also, feel free to send me anything you would like to add to the Homeschool Carnival. You have until 6 pm Monday to get your submission in (of course, I appreciate it when you don't wait til the last minute;). Just go to Why Homeschool and follow the directions there to send in your submission! I look forward to hearing from you.

BTW, I got back my second test last night...I scored 103! My average is now 100.5 for the class. But the test next week is going to be a doozy! Tons of information I have to learn.

Sorry, I have been away, but life is busy with homeschool, home activities, social activities, class, church, fundraisers, field trips and visitors. I think that about covers it!

Let's see...Homeschooling is going pretty well. We have gotten through about 6 chapters of Story of the World. Jack is learning about the Human Genome and Katrina is studying about classifying living and non-living things. We are learning grammar, spelling, and of course, lovely math. Piano is going well and they are getting back in the groove of things after not having practiced as much as they should over the summer.

We are busy doing some odds and ends around the house. As you saw in photos last week. This week, the appliance repair man came. Parts are on order to fix the freezer. The cost of the dryer repairs was almost as much as a new dryer, so we got a new dryer. Our old one had a computer 'board' on it and I wanted to get away from that. It was 14 years old and for the extra 26 dollars we paid for the brand new dryer, I am happy. I also purchased a small outside storage shed (but I can't tell you why just yet). We are also expecting a lot of packages coming in the mail in the near future. But again, can't share about that just yet. All of those calls and ordering and researching take up time.

Yesterday was a busy day and I didn't get to blog any. I have several things to report and share with you, but first and foremost, I want to encourage you to go visit the Labor Day edition of the Homeschool Carnival over at Homeschool CPA.

This post celebrates the Labors that we complete in our daily lives as Homeschoolers. I haven't had time to read the posts yet, but I love the way she set up the carnival. Succinct and easy to find what interests you most.

Enjoy!

Last week, I reviewed Barbara Frank's book, The Imperfect Homeschooler's Guide to Homeschooling. This week, I have the honor of reviewing another of her books, Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers.

The first thing I have to say about this book is that I think it needs a new title. I think it should be called Life Prep for Teenagers as I believe it is a book that would be valuable for all teenagers, those in public school, private school or home school. I wish I had had access to this book when I was in high school and I am looking forward to reading the books from the book list that Barbara provides and working through the projects with my children when they are older. Not only that, but I am going to go through the college bound section with my 16 year old next door neighbor and babysitter. We are great friends with her mom and Ashley has become like family to us.

Renae at Life Nurturing Education is hosting the 139th edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling today.

Go join Renae and the state of Texas in remembering the dedication and sacrifice made to advance the liberty of women. Renae has done an excellent job of surrounding the posts with interesting information and pictures.

Well, today we are getting back in the school work groove. We have some changes this year and Jack has doen very well with them so far. Katrina...well, she was a bit resistant.

I decided that before we start school each day, I want their piano practicing to be done and for them to each have exercises for 30 minutes and showered. This way, I am not having to intrude on their play time at the end of the day, when we are all a bit tired and cranky.

So last night, the three of us set down and said the order we would like to do things this morning. Then, I made sure that we could all three get showers and exercise in before 9. The kids wanted to have time to 'play' in the morning too, so they both decided they wanted to get up at 5. Jack is like me, he wants to do something for a bit to wake up before he goes to exercise. Katrina said she wanted to exercise from 5-5:30 and bathe from 5:30-6. Well, that fit the schedule just great, though I had my concerns about her being able to get right up and start exercising right away. Well, not only did it take her until 6 to wake up, once she woke up, she didn't want to exercise. But, all in all, it has turned out okay. She still needs a shower, but other than that, she has accomplished her pre-school tasks.

Janice Campbell is hosting this week's Carnival of Homeschooling at Taking Time for Things that Matter.

Many of us are getting geared up for a new year of homeschooling. Be sure to check out the many posts and enjoy the reminder that learning isn't just about books.

Momanna98 at Homeschooling in Illinois sent me an email with this song in it today. I love it! And think you will get a kick out of it two...whether you homeschool or not.

Sing to the tune of “I Will Survive-Made famous by Gloria Gaynor

First I was afraid
I was petrified.
Kept thinking I could never teach
´Cause I´m not certified.
But we spent so many nights
Reteaching homework that was wrong.
I grew strong,
so now I teach my kids at home!
We study math
and outer space.
I just kept on despite the fear
with a big smile across my face.
I bought a set of Base Ten blocks.
I bought books with answer keys.
My parents think we´re nuts,
but they don´t even bother me

Come on, let´s go walk out the door.
We´re on the road now,
'cause we´re not home much anymore
My friends would laugh and say we´d be unsocialized.
I heard one mumble
that I´d give up by July.
Oh no, not I!
I will survive!
As long as I know how to read
I know we´ll be alright.
I've got all my life to learn.
I've got energy to burn.
and I'll survive.
I will survive.

It took all the strength I had
not to fall apart.
Decided to attend
a play date at the local park,
and I met oh so many moms
who offered eagerly to help.
They used to cry.
Now they hold their heads up high,
and so do we!
My kids are cool!
They´re not those chained up little people
stuck inside at school.
So if you feel like dropping by
and just expect us to be free
you´d better call ahead first
´cause we´re probably busy!

I haven't just been sitting by the pool and lounging on the beach during this trip...I have been busy reading, watching movies and playing video games, but I have also been thinking about returning to the work force. I want to continue homeschooling my children, but I also want to pursue more education for myself with the plan of going back to work, not only to add to our financial solvency, but to broaden my horizons. The kids aren't going to be home forever.

So I have been reading books and perusing websites and talking to people about job possibilities. The tests I have taken point to the following types of careers for me:

Editing (this is a top choice for me, but all indications are that the job market in this area is shrinking)

Nursing (I used to want to be a nurse, but I am not sure I could handle the bodily fluids aspect and I was not very good with remembering things like anatomy when I was in school).

Wow! It is amazing to me that over two years ago, Janine and Henry at Why Homeschool had the idea to create a Carnival of Homeschooling. And here it is, still going strong! Each week, there are wonderful articles by homeschoolers from around the globe sharing what works for them. That is one of the great strengths of the homeschooling community...we all are more than happy to share our experiences and knowledge with other homeschoolers!

Many homeschools are run by moms. Dads participate as they can, but usually they are the ones working to support the family so the children can be homeschooled. Since Mother's Day is just around the corner, the theme for this week's carnival will center around that.

So grab a cup of coffee, send the kids out to play, sit back and enjoy!

History

Anna began to lobby prominent businessmen like John Wannamaker, and politicians including Presidents Taft and Roosevelt to support her campaign to create a special day to honor mothers. At one of the first services organized to celebrate Anna's mother in 1908, at her church in West Virginia, Anna handed out her mother's favorite flower, the white carnation. Five years later, the House of Representatives adopted a resolution calling for officials of the federal government to wear white carnations on Mother's Day. In 1914 Anna's hard work paid off when Woodrow Wilson signed a bill recognizing Mother's Day as a national holiday.

I will be hosting next week's Carnival of Homeschooling! Be sure to submit your posts to be included before Monday, May 5th at 6 p.m.

If you are not sure what the Carnival of Homeschooling is, you can peruse these past carnivals.

If you want to submit, but aren't sure how, then visit this link.

And be sure to come back on Tuesday. I have already received several great posts and I am sure there will be more to come!