NEW BEGINNINGS

 Hi Tina, I really enjoy reading your emails. This is my first year home schooling and you've really helped a lot. My son is 9 & is now enjoying learning. He loves being home schooled also. I do have a question tho and hope you can help me. When doing projects with my son. He has a lot of ideas. Or when he learns something & it gets his interest sparked. We have really great discussions. But when asked to put those ideas on paper and summarize a paragraph, that's where he has trouble. I'm finding that he knows the curriculum, but just can't compute getting his thoughts down on paper. What can I do to help?? Any suggestions??

Thanks for sending in your questions and I sure try to get to all of them. This one really struck at my heart because part of my homeschooling journey has always been about helping others and it is part of who I am.

Writing can be a subject that strikes fear and makes a young writer's hand go limp. As parents too we may have been taught that writing can be subjective so that adds to the mystery of this subject. However, there are basics to writing and it does not have to be subjective to each person's view.

Some helpful background information to remember is that writing is about many skills being used at the same time.  There are two basic types of writers. One type is creative and the other type writes about facts. I think if you excel at one, you tend to struggle slightly with the other.

Knowing just that key fact can unravel a lot of the mystery with writing because you can help your child identify his writing self.  For example, does he like to write a lot of stories drawing on his imagination or does he prefer to write about things he already knows about? Identifying his strong points helps you to hone in on his weaknesses.

Creative writers crave to write and sometimes can't wait to get other things out of the way so they can use the rest of the day to write. Writing is an art to them and rightly so because they are talented. It has been my experience that talented writers emerge at an early age. Factual writers are strong writers too because they can use direct and meaningful words to explain and teach points that can impact people's lives. A creative writer may struggle to get to the point he is attempting to make. Giving our children both skill sets equips them for a lifelong love of writing and it does not have to be a woeful experience.

After identifying your child's strong points, the next point to realize is that the physical act of writing can be painful too. Not only is writing about using mental skills but it also is about the physical act of the process. Looking at this from a new writer's point of view, he has to use tools like grammar and spelling that you have been teaching him in addition to the physical act.

All of this is enough to bring any writer to tears. What is the solution?

• Break down the process and do not hold him to all of these standards at one time. The writing process of draft, edit and publish is a long and tedious process for a new writer to understand. Let him lounge in his thoughts and YOU do the actual writing of brainstorming ideas. This breaks the writing process down into smaller pieces. Boys especially can lag behind girls in the physical process. Give love and praise for any effort that is put forth, but do a little each day. Working a little each day on the process is key.

• Do not work on all of these skills at the same time at this age. When he is writing, do not have a mini spelling lesson with him as well. Give him the correct spelling of the word and go on instead of quizzing him on that too. Thoughts have to be put to paper while they have been ignited. Don't make him suffer learning to spell right then. As he gets older, your standards will get higher as you expect him to know how to spell as well. The same rule of thumb applies to grammar. Give him an adverb without explaining that one ends in a -ly so that his focus remains on his noble and beautiful ideas.

• Be sure he understands that writing is not a one day event. This will go a long way in him accepting this as a process. Unlike completing a math worksheet for the day, writing needs to be spread out over several days and even weeks. Make your expectations clear so he does not have a different standard for himself.

• If the struggle is with the actual physical process of writing, then introduce typing at an early age. Also, cut back the number of sentences to do for the day. Writing is about consistency and quality over quantity. One or two well written sentences are worth more than five sentences where you have not a clue what he is expressing.

• Some children and writers are visual learners and we live in a visual world. Visual graphics are sometimes key to helping children understand the process. This age is not too young to delight in fun graphic organizers. Houghton Mifflin have some graphics here.  Keep the writing varied by sometimes using just a fun graphic organizer like a sandwhich organizer instead of always making paragraphs. Even high school writers need graphic organizers to get a picture of the process, so keep using them.
  

• Realize that sometimes everything doesn't have to be reduced to writing. You are teaching a child not a curriculum so move away from the instructions of the curriculum when you need to. For example, I have used a lot of Charlotte Mason tips on narration. When a child can explain back what you are teaching, it is not always necessary to reduce that to writing. The most grueling part of the writing process can be recalling information and brainstorming. If your child is doing this well, then as time goes on he will learn to put those thoughts on paper. Praise the effort and progress so far and employ the Charlotte Mason tips on narration. Click here to read about narration and use some of these ideas.

• Though many teachers praise children that are creative writers, a lot of children are factual writers. If your child is a factual writer than change the topic of the assignment. For example if the topic of writing is about something abstract like emotions or personality flaws or strengths of a character change it to something concrete like how to ride a bike. Riding a bike is something most boys can explain in multiple steps. Look at topics that are how-to for him to write about. How to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, how to play a sport, how to take care of a goldfish, and how to play a game.

• If your child is a creative writer, get him to start using a key word outline. This helps him to express his thoughts or words in a few key words. This is hard to do for a word connoisseur and one who loves to write stories. All words and details are important to them but it is critical to bring those thoughts from broad to narrow so their art is recognized.

• Materials matter for any writer. Many fancy things come and go in the writing world but there are two basic items that are keepers for me. One is a mechanical pencil and the other is a two toned notepad.  I find using a mechanical pencil where the lead is .9mm limits and almost erases {no pun intended} pencil sharpening time. There is always a fine point on the pencil and it helps the print to be more neat. Erasing should be omitted all together from a draft copy. Mark out and keep going. This is hard to do for first time perfection seeking writer but it emphasizes the point that writing is a process. 
  

The second keeper throughout the years have been Tops Stinger Notepads.

They have altermating colored lines that makes skipping lines easier. From the beginning, teach your child to skip a line. Errors and spelling can be corrected on the line below the writing and it helps them to visually see that writers take multiple steps before they show their final product.  My kids write on the white lines and save the colored line for rewriting and grammar mark ups. On regular white paper, you can have them put an X on the next line so they know to skip it, but I find we prefer the notepad for our drafts. The alternating color pad helps a child who struggles with being neat to stay in one area when writing as well. I have used them for final copies also when the older two boys were younger. So the pads have many uses and are keepers.

Writing is an art and should be taught as an art. Finding the gem in their writing, expression emotions or not and writing about topics that fire up our children are all ways to avoid tears but to help an aspiring writer.  Help them find their writing voice and the trickle of ideas will flow into a waterfall of graceful words.

I have to share this quote that I heart today since I got all giddy about sharing with you about how to teach writing.

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.”

~Mark Twain~

Hugs and you know I love ya,

Nobody wants to read about a boring co-op much less attend one. A this point in the co-op process, you need to coordinate it so that all your hard work pays off. Attention needs to be given to the details and I have some tidbits to help you.

I created this acronym above to help you remember some of the basics to ask about a co-op. Things to cover like finding a place to have it, what activities to include and how to get members of the homeschooling community to your co-op, determining if your group will be inclusive or not to the homeschooling community, and how expenses will be handled gets the basics out of the way.

The type of co-op that I will share about from here on has to do with enrichment and an emphasis on socialization and fun.  Again, there are many co-ops that are created for academic purposes only but I happen to not be interested in them because I prefer to teach my kids the basic subjects. That is not to say we won't take advantage of a class here or there for something that is unique, but as a general rule I don't go to co-ops that teach my kids how to write, do math or teach them to read. In my humble opinion academic co-ops can border on private school status and it takes some finesse to keep them from being set up like a mini public school day.

My focus is how to coordinate a co-op that is for enrichment, has plenty of fellowship, and is hands-on for all ages.

Here are a few key tips.

• Subject matters.

The best co-ops focus on science or history topics. Those topics seem to lend themselves to finding a lot of hands-on activities that can be done by multiple ages of children.

Too, I learned along the way that this is a good time to consider a time period in history that is more expansive if you have not had time to cover it or to even consider a narrow topic. It doesn't really matter if the topic is narrow or general, it just matters that you find enough games and projects to do. When we did the Westward Ho Co-op, it covered a longer time period and we covered many topics from Mountain Men to the Oregon Trail and the Gold Rush. Any one of those topics could be a whole unit itself. Then, when we covered  Reptiles/Amphibians and it was a much more narrow subject. Either way, try to vary your topics throughout the year.

• Prep the learning environment.

Appearance matters at our co-ops. When members arrive, we always try to do some visual presentations about what the kids will be learning or decorations so they understand the theme.

If you have highschool kids, preparing boards is a great  project for them to do. If your group has all small kids when starting out like ours did then have your moms in the group do the presentation and learning boards. You will learn right alongside the kids and the kids will appreciate having the information boards to learn from during the day or weeks you use it.

Too, I am not surprised anymore by what a bunch of hard working parents that ban together can do. I never did any of these co-ops by myself. For the rainforest co-op, one mom made "trees" complete with leaves that she stood behind the table. We used green netting to show the forest canopy and draped animals inside the canopy for the younger kids. She even made a bridge you can see between the trees and put animals on pieces of "steps" or cardboard. I used banana leaves that I ordered to drape the table in and we also used the banana leaves as "plates" to eat off. One family made food that came from the rainforest. In addition I made fruit skewers that had fruits from the rainforest. We ordered a chocolate fountain and scattered bubblegum throughout the table and used bromeliads as decorations. It was a joint effort but when time is taken to coordinate a co-op, all benefit from not only the fun but the rich learning environment.

• Plenty of hands-on activities is the key.

Contrary to popular belief, learning is about doing and not always telling. Even things that may be boring to learn about, like an ecosystem, can come alive when it's done with others. The key to a successful co-op is choosing hands-on activities and having those activities ready to go when the members arrive. The leaders do not have to shoulder all the work. For example, if there is a lot of cutting involved because you will be making crafts, then an experienced leader will have some of the prep work done ahead of time. She will not use the time at the co-op when together to do something boring like cutting. Doing small things ahead of time so the hands-on projects move along and don't get bogged down by tedious things adds to being more productive.

Try to determine how much work can be done ahead of time, but don't rush the hands-on projects at the co-op either. I have learned that projects that I planned on doing, we did not get to do because we had so much fun doing the few we had done. I always plan for more activities than we have time to do because it is good to have a "fall back" plan if one or two activities don't go over so well.

Let the children lead and dictate and they will. We were surprised at some of the things they found satisfaction in doing. As long as they are together, most of the time they will savor the time and learning.

• An end they will remember and cherish.
  

Whether you meet one day or several, we try to do something the whole group can do that not only signals the end of the event but is something they will remember and cherish.

Whether you choose to play games, learn a new dance, sing a time period song, perform a Shakespeare Play, or have a Renaissance group perform for your group, make a memorable and lasting ending to your co-op.

There is no need to do this by yourself but you could if you don't choose the right leaders. Next post I will share what I feel are qualities to look for in a fearless leader.

Hugs and love ya,

If you missed the other posts in this series, here they are for you.

5 Days of A #Homeschooling Co-op Convert - Day 1:Who needs one anyway?

5 Days of A #Homeschooling Co-op Convert - Day 2:What are the basics?

Co-ops vary in style from place to place and even in the same city. There are no set guidelines and the very basic meaning is that more than one family meets together for a set period.  That's it. However, that is not all there is to a functioning happy co-op that meets the needs of all the members. There are several things you should know before you decide to join one or if you want to start one.

The most fundamental idea to any co-op is the purpose of it. What you may think of as a co-op and what some of your closest homeschooling friends think of as a co-op can be completely different. Communication is the lifeblood of any healthy co-op and at the core is the very purpose of why you will be meeting together. There are basically two types of co-ops. One is an academic co-op which functions more like a mini-private school. The other kind of co-op is more like a social or enrichment gathering. If your leaders and members are not on the same page so to speak about the purpose of the co-op there may be disappointment and frustration. The nature or type of co-op will guide the leaders in determining what activities are appropriate for their group or not. For example, if the group is set up for the purpose of socialization and camaraderie then would an all day science workshop with a lecture be the kind of activity that would interest the group? Probably not. However, if the day was planned to include only 30 minutes of a science lecture and the balance of the time was spent with each other while you do an activity like watch marine life then no doubt the group would enjoy that.

I prefer and am part of a group that meets regularly for social outings. The emphasis in our group is on the teens, young children and moms being able to spend time together while we enjoy some activity.  When looking for members, the purpose of your group needs to be clear so that the expectation for the group is the same with each member. That will go a long way in getting your co-op off the ground.

Using acronyms helps me to remember key points and so I put one together to help you address other significant issues at the start up of your co-op or to ask about prior to joining. PACE helps you ask or address these issues in your co-op.

A place to meet when you first start is key. Most fledgling co-ops start off in homes and if the members wish that the co-op grow they will need to look for other facilities. Our co-op started off with 2 other moms, Kelley and myself. At the time, we had only 7 kids between us so it was pretty doable. My sister provided her home since her home was the most centrally located.

As the co-op gets larger then you need to look for other places. Personally, I like meeting at places like community centers that had a play area and nice kitchen. Too, a lot of places that normally rent on the weekend for special occasions like weddings and anniversary parties, I called to ask if we could use it during the week. Since the building is normally empty during the week because nobody wants those days for special occasions, the owner and manager I find are agreeable most of the time for a significant discount in the fee. When I tell them it's for education, most managers gladly negotiate with me. Like I mentioned, the building would be empty otherwise and I make that point in my negotiations. This is a way for them to make a little extra money. Libraries, community centers, parks and even local camp grounds have facilities that they will rent. I find it's all negotiable on the price because I won't pay full price since we are not meeting on Friday nights or Saturday nights but during the week.

The next thing to think about is the ages of the children that will be attending and activities that are appropriate for them. Since our co-op started off with most of our kids young like 9 years old or younger, we focused on that age. Our co-op is an enrichment co-op and our topics are history or science related. I find those topics suited for things to do that are fun and hands-on for a group. Some of the co-op themes we have had are Native Americans (our first one), Amazon Rain Forest, Westward Ho, Bible Characters, Early American History, Renaissance and  Amphibians/Reptiles.

We found it was very helpful to meet in the summer for one day or so at a park and write out the plans for the years. As long as we had a topic and who was in charge, then we could work out the rest of the details emailing each other.

Another concern is how to attract others in the homeschooling community. I think our group was real fortunate that way because we grew by word of mouth. But I have also posted flyers at the library, books stores and craft stores. Any place that homeschoolers hang out, you want to post a flyer to contact them. If your area is big enough to have a local yahoo group that is a plus too so you can make some contacts online.

At the beginning when our co-op was small, it was easier to manage expenses. As the co-op grew to well over 100 families, we had expenses obviously. The best way for us was to charge a small annual fee like $10.00. This basically guaranteed a spot in the co-op and helped cover expenses like paper towels and trash bags when we rented rooms.

Charging for each event during the year at it came up was better for us because our group was not hit with such high costs at one time. The expense is spread out throughout the year and that is good for larger families. We cover the cost of the building by dividing it by the members for each event. If we needed a deposit for a facility, then we could cover that with the $10.00 annual fee we had collected at the first of the year from all the members. For each event we would have somebody different in charge of money and by collecting money prior to the event instead of at the event saved us a LOT of time. We were able to get started promptly.

However, all of this can be futile if you don't get it all coordinated. Next post I will share with you how we bring all of this together to make a happy harmonious co-op.

Hugs and love ya,

If you missed the first post in this series, click below.

5 Days of A #Homeschooling Co-op Convert - Day 1:Who needs one anyway?

Socialization, curriculum, record keeping, homeschooling high school and preschool preparedness are some of our secret homeschool fears.  Trying to only satisfy requirements and produce proof instead of allowing learning to take place naturally at home can be a pitfall.

We live in a world where our culture dictates that we have proof to show anything that we are doing.  For example, I think back to the day we got our marriage license. To give any more thought to the marriage license than just to fulfill the legal requirement is ludicrous to even ponder.

 At home is where we practiced years on our marriage that I cherish deeply.

Though important, meeting homeschool legal requirements is just a process too, but to homeschool to only meet legal requirements can impede learning. We don't intentionally homeschool to only meet legal requirements, but we are victims of our upbringing and the influence of the present educational world. 

A fresh start homeschooling mid-year and to thrive at it requires that we first be at home to practice our new cherished relationships. It does not mean that we barricade the door to our home, but it means we stand ready to open up the door to new opportunities to experience learning. In today's homeschool world that is called deschooling.

I have heard many definitions of deschooling, but I want to give you mine. Deschooling means to get off the public school treadmill which encompasses everything about the way the public system views schedules, socialization, discipline, labeling of children, teacher background, record keeping, college readiness, preparation for reading and education in general and determine what education means for your family. Many homeschoolers start  with a textbook in hand and with no more forethought to the process of education at home than just to complete worksheets, assign a test and move on.

This definition by Noah Webster that I share in one of my workshops beckons you to define your meaning of education too.

EDUCATION. The bringing up, as of a child, instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.

Bring your children home, but define your meaning of education also. Step back, breathe and brace yourself up for a lifestyle that will fit your family for a lifetime.

Deschooling also means substituting other activities now in your life that are family centered instead of self-centered on one member of the family. It can mean taking numerous field trips in one month, taking a family vacation and even getting caught up on much needed rest. It may mean adjusting the eating habits of your family. The definition by Noah Webster broadens our term of educating a family beyond the academics.

The length of the deschooling process is different for everyone, but it should be examined at various points during our homeschool journey.  When a schedule is jammed packed full of outside activities because we fear that our children may not be socialized, then our focus has shifted from the needs of our family to the world's idea of socialization. Maybe we forced one child in tears to finish an assignment because the world told us that teaches accountability.  Deep down in our heart though our mommy voice may be calling out that our child is suffocating and his self confidence is diminishing.  Time is needed to examine and heal those emotions.  At home homeschooling means that we have had enough time at home pondering our definition of education, applying it to our children and celebrating the calming effects on our family. For some families it has meant several months of being home together so that sibling relationships are nurtured and so that parents become the teen's greatest friend. Some families find that it takes a whole year before they feel that they have embraced the homeschooling lifestyle. It does not mean that you do not school but it means that you now determine how the knowledge you are teaching will fit into your definition of education.

 Outside intervening pressure to conform to a norm that does not work for our family has now been kept to a minimum. Our culture upbringing still looms close by when fear sets in or when we fail.  Pressure to conform to the norm that we left behind will always be here. 

At home teaching our children everyday will give us the courage to keep trying when we succumb to pressures.  Shedding educational-ese and accepting a new mind-set only happens when we have had sufficient time at home to contemplate all our ideas on education.

No one sets out on their journey to live a double life style. It happens easily when we try to keep one foot in the public school by keeping pace with the scope and sequence and one foot at home. Courage is a necessity for all at home homeschoolers so you are not alone. Detox from public school by deschooling and rediscover how easy learning can take place at home without limits or confinements by embracing your definition of education.

Hugs and you know I love ya,

If you missed the other posts in this series. Click below on each day.

5 Day Series: A Fresh Start - Homeschooling Mid Year & Thriving - Day 1 - Mind-set Matters

A Fresh Start - Homeschooling Mid-Year & Thriving Day 2: Mission Accomplished + Free Planner Forms

5 Day Series: A Fresh Start - Homeschooling Mid-Year & Thriving: Day 3 - Forward Looking-Homeschool Planning

Planning is nothing more than forward-looking and then penning those thoughts to paper. Planning can be painless and pleasant. It can also become painful or a burden when we don't know the basics or lose the simplicity of how to do it. In our determination to be conscientious homeschoolers, we may clutter up our day with multiple subjects. Stress sets in because we may feel all subjects are equally important. Then the hours don't equal to the number of subjects we determine that needs to be covered.

Getting started planning or taking time to review your present lesson planning method mid-year can be broken down into simple steps.

1. Know Your Subject and Subjects. It is an easy mistake to make. Take your children out of the grade they are in at public/private school and put them in the next grade up in homeschool. Grade matters very little in homeschooling because it does not correspond to mastery. Knowing your child or subject takes time. But because you may want to have curriculum in hand to start school, you have to take other steps. If you live in a state or country where you are not held to burdensome laws then take your time using very basic workbook style pages to see which subjects your child is struggling in and which ones he is bored with. Many curriculum providers provide free on line testing and this will help you to make a better fit grade wise regardless of your child's age.

Click here to read The A, B, C's of Picking Curriculum, Part 1 under E for Evaluate to find some free testing resources.

Take time to know your subject or child before you spend dollars on curriculum for a whole year.

Another mistake made by many homeschoolers is to pile subject on top of subject to our children's day. If one is good, then surely ten subjects would be enrichment or so we may think.

How do you determine what the essentials are so that your subject load stays streamlined? You may not be a seasoned educator but you know more than you realize. Take a lesson from the past. One room schoolhouses focused on the 3 R's. That is the secret. It is not very glamorous sounding but reading, writing and arithmetic are the solid mainstays of a well educated child.

If you are struggling on when and how long these subjects are to be covered, I get more specific in a 3 part series I covered named: What Subjects to Teach and When to Teach Them.

What Subjects to Teach and When to Teach Them.

Click here to read Part 1.

Click here to read Part 2.

Click here to read Part 3.

Click here to see a visual table or checklist for each grade.

The other subjects are enrichment and make learning a delight. However, if a child is struggling with any of the 3 R's, then all of the subjects can become contemptible to say the least. For example, your child may love to learn about the animals of the rainforest. However, when it's time to write a few sentences about them, he shrieks in terror and almost passes out at the thought of it. Tears normally follow because children don't know how to articulate that something is not right. Maybe he is struggling with fine motor skills and your expectations are too high. You may want to work on composition but he may not have the basics of penmanship down yet. If you are a creative writer and your child is not, does he live with the fear of disappointing you? Children can have black and white standards. They are either all on board or not at all when it comes to homeschooling. If they are not on board, then all subjects can be considered wearisome, boring and mundane.

2. Determine an approach. There are 5 basic approaches to homeschooling. Traditional, Charlotte Mason, Classical, Unit Studies and Relaxed or Unschoolers. Avoid painful planning by sticking to the approach that works best for your family at the moment. It doesn't mean you don't investigate the others as you have time. It does mean that you focus on learning all you can about the approach that works best for your family.

I hear all the time that some homeschoolers are so overwhelmed by curriculum choices. But if you will remember to categorize them by these approaches and investigate only the curriculum that works fits the approach you are using now, you only have 1/5 of the curriculum to review.

Why try to educate yourself on what is working for everybody's children? You will be a much better teacher if you just focus on the 3,4,5, 6 or 8 children you have.

3. Assign a time. Pen it. Now that you are more acquainted with your subject or your children and the subjects to consider in school, you have to "assign it all a place". By penning the subjects, which children you will be working with and how long you will be doing this, it becomes realistic. We avoid having more subjects in our day than we have hours to school. Pretty looking subject lists with no time slots in our day are stress inducers and turn ugly looking quickly.

Whether you use a phone, iPad, computer or printed curriculum planner to organize your lesson plans, you need to assign it all a place.

I have always said that lesson planning for me is better done the old fashion way with paper and pen.

Taking time to pen and assign hours in my day to the subjects helps it to stick in my mind. It also creates balance in my day because one subject is not covered more than another or completely overlooked. If the schedule is not working, it allows me to go back and see where I need to adjust time slots. Over-planning and no planning brings pain. I provide free forms to help you keep it real and get it all done.

Click here to go to STEP 2. Form 13 named Class Schedule/Teacher Schedule.

These three basic steps have to be reviewed each year, whether you are a new or seasoned educator. Planning can be rewarding because it rejuvenates our love for learning and creates homeschool harmony and balance.

 Hugs and love ya,

If you missed the first two days in this series. Click below

Click here to read Mind-set Matters: Day 1.

Click here to read Mission Accomplished: Day 2.

My homeschool journey has felt like a revolving door at certain times. One point that I kept circling back around to was the need to be part of a co-op. Now before you think I am a social butterfly, most of my close friends know that I love being at home and working on projects. However, because I am fully aware of my need for constant order in my life, I know I can get lop-sided if that part of my personality was left unchecked. Yes, we can grow stagnant when we are not around others.  That is not something I wanted to pass on to my kids.

Before I started a co-op what I did appreciate was that other people can enrich your life and make your homeschool journey incomparable. Yes, they can make it stink it too. But hey now I am focusing on the positives about being around other people on a regular basis.

Starting a homeschool co-op was the furthest thing from my mind. I looked around to join one, not start one. Not me. Seven or eight years later  our co-op is still strong, flourishing and not growing. (I will let you wait just a minute or so for my explanation on that.)

I'm certainly not going to talk you into joining one either because I want you to picky, very picky. All co-ops are not created equal. I do hope by the time you finish reading this series, you will be armed with a Co-op 101 Guide and then maybe decide to look for one.

Indulge the new bee teacher side of me for just a moment too as I give a definition for a co-op so that I don't lose a new homeschooler who may be getting the glazed look in her eye about now.

Definition: Co-op - One or more families meeting together on a regular basis to enrich their children collectively about any topic. Everything is negotiable. Meeting places, costs and expenses, topics, how to run it, ages involved, whether a parent teaches or not, if the kids are dropped off or not and discipline issues, everything is determined by those who lead or are the founders. They can spring up as quickly as they fold and it all depends on the need in your area. Anybody can form one, but not all succeed.

Control freak Organized person that I am, I determined that it would be best that I be part of leadership. I started a co-op and Kelley joined, then we added one more mom to our group to balance us out. Adding Cynthia to our group, we became the dynamic trio.{She is the mom standing behind me in the first picture above. I chose that picture of us because we all look tattered, complete with painted faces after we had the BEST co-op that year.}

Now comes the honest assessment of your qualities for being part of a co-op. I knew already that I was perfectly content to be at home but realized that other educators possessed strengths that would only enrich and benefit my children. Things I do enjoy are warm conversations, hand-waving as I am speaking {yes I am rather dramatic as I talk} and I don't have a problem getting up in a huge crowd. Yes I really do like people that are engaging and warm just like everybody else. Think about what contribution you can make to a co-op and focus on that for a start.

Sharing the benefits to my family, I hope you will see that the benefits far outweigh the drama, discipline problems and anything else negative you might think of from fees or cost to possibly driving longer than 15 minutes to get there.

• By creating a large "family atmosphere", my children have a sense of extended family. This is not so important when your children are 4 or 5 years old but when they are 14 and 15 years old having friends other than their siblings, stimulates their social development.
• If some of the local educators and other parents had not taught at our co-op, my sons' passion for certain subjects like history and geography might not be what it is today.
• By sticking with the co-op, my sons have had a sense of "class". They have seen others graduate and leave the co-op and will be graduating at the same time with others who started with them. This builds lifetime friendships. I cannot put a grade in my planner for life time friends.
• The friends I too have connected with who are caring and selfless leaders year after year like Kelley and Cynthia is unmatched. I only imagined I could have such treasured and dear friends.
  
• Let me not forget that my sons won't fall short in the crafts department of homeschooling because there are plenty of other women who not only love it, but have a gift for it and share it willingly with my children.
• Because of our attendance in a co-op, we have enjoyed perks by attending educational places that only will allow "school groups" and by our sheer numbers we have received significant discounts that we otherwise would not have received.

Our co-op swelled to over 100 families and we had to split. Now that our co-op is at the size we want and because our members tend to not leave, we have closed the co-op. Our kids will grow, but our co-op will not because we like the size of it now.

I have remembered one saying and I know I have used it before, but it really expresses my sentiment as a homeschooling co-op convert with all the years of hard work I have put into our local co-op. It is only matched with those that share this task with me.

In a full heart there is room for everything, and in an empty heart there is room for nothing.

~Antonio Porchia~

Can you share your heart in a co-op?

Hugs and love ya,

I remember reading a Swahili proverb from the book Discover Your Child's Learning Style:Children Learn in Unique Ways - Here's the Key to Every Child's Learning Success that said "The greatest good we can do for others is not just to share our riches with them, but to reveal their riches to themselves."

From that time forwarded I started not just educating myself on the value of learning styles but helping others and my children also to understand their learning style.

Recognizing the need, helps to identify a way to succeed. Learning styles are very similar. It simply refers to a personality, the way a person likes to learn and the subjects he likes to learn.

Cathy Duffy is queen when it comes to helping us to understand learning styles. Up until the time she coined the terms Perfect Paul, Sociable Sue, Wiggly Willy and Competent Carla, only trained professionals could understand a concrete sequential learner versus an abstract thinking learner. Uh? Sometimes they couldn't understand either. That's just between us though.

I have a printable or a chart to help you identify your learning style and your child's. First, I want to share 3 things that makes it easier to understand learning styles.

{ 1. Learning styles are like a default setting. } This means that instead of jumping out there and selecting curriculum based only on our learning style, we want to consider our child's style too. Sometimes we may feel our teaching style is so clear, easy to follow and the problem is with the child. In truth, our teaching style may be causing the problems because we chose curriculum based on it.

We may feel our way is how "school" is suppose to be done and are not willing to bend from that method. Understanding that like a machine we have an inborn default setting for our personality and come prewired to make choices. Often times choices in curriculum are based on our prewired settings.

Unlike a machine, we can appreciate that choices do not always have to be comfortable for us. Our focus is on teaching other unique individuals which are our children, not mini versions of ourselves.

{Yes I know not glamorous. We can't all be toasters...but}

Unlike a machine, we can appreciate that choices do not always have to be comfortable for us. Our focus is on teaching other unique individuals which are our children, not mini versions of ourselves.

{2. Put the teacher hat on.} For the most part children want to please us. As moms, we tend to think first that a child is acting up instead of something being wrong with the material or {clear throat here} our way of teaching.

 Thinking like a teacher means that we try to understand what our child cannot articulate but expresses only through tears or resentment.

 If a  child is a Competent Carl, we ask questions like: Is the material below their level or do we really need to repeat it over and over? Is the material too overwhelming with details for a Wiggly Willy or does it not have enough details for a Perfect Paul?

{3. Appreciate differences.} Instead of deciding that one curriculum by one provider meets the needs of all our children, we appreciate that right brained and left brained children can learn together under one roof and that both sides of the brain work together.  Embracing differences motivates us to choose three different math programs, if necessary, and if it meets the needs of each child. It makes us move out of our comfort zone as a teacher and appreciate the strength and gifts of each child.

{Drawings Copyright Eden @ geeden blogspot}

Learning styles are not exact sciences. Being conscientious about not putting labels on our children is important. However balance is also needed.  Helping our child to understand why he is strong in some subjects and perhaps weaker in other areas equips him to embrace ways of tackling tough subjects. It helps us, as educators, to discover the uniqueness of each child and nurture it.

Have you helped your child to discover his riches?

Download the chart here to help you determine your learning style and your child's too.

Want some more help on this? I shared a few educationalese in some of the articles below along with understanding the struggle of each personality, tips on how to teach them, and some of the subjects they prefer to learn.

Click here to read more about identifying each one using the Otter, Lion, Beaver and Golden Retriever names and tips on understanding a Wiggly Willy learning style.

{Cathy Duffy's names are so much more easier to understand than the names of animals. Thank you Cathy!}

Click here to read about Competent Carla learning style.

Click here to read about Sociable Sue and Perfect Paula Learning Style.

Hugs and you know I love ya,

Recently, I changed part of the wording on our new bee website to read "Not Just for New Homeschoolers" because some of the emails to me asking questions start off by saying they are not new homeschoolers.  New or seasoned homeschooler, we are affected when our child tells us they don't really want to learn anything.

What really can affect us more though is when we hear other people say how excited their child is about a new unit study, a new curriculum or the new school year.  Do you have a child that is only thinking about what his required so he can spend the rest of the day playing or on the computer?

Maybe, you feel that homeschooling is like choosing  the lesser of two evils. You are in good company and not alone.

When I started homeschooling I had conjured up a vision that because my education lacked in many areas that my sons would be bright-eyed and eager to learn every day.  I was excited to learn about all of the things I never did in school. Back to reality, I have had many times when the only thought on their mind was when is school going to be done so they can get on the computer, turn on the game or eat the left over pizza in the refrigerator.

Guess what? That is why they are not in charge. Let me share a few of my coping techniques.

1.)  Create a boundary line. Early on I made it clear to my sons that it is their job to learn even if I am the most boring teacher. Teaching them that what they can control is to show up with a positive attitude, I feel, is of way more benefit.

That is better than trying to make them think everything in life is going to be about eating their favorite leftover -  cold pizza.  My granny use to say want in one hand, do in the other hand and see which one gets filled first. I understand now that a lot in life is just about doing things that we find boring and mundane but we will show up.

2.) I am not an entertainment act. We carry a lot of guilt as moms and negative thinking can make inroads in our hearts. It is hard to carry around guilt that our day doesn't look as exciting as another family's day. That clear cut line, in that your child knows your expectations, allows them to work on their positive attitude while you decide where you can make improvement.

While I am sharing secrets, did I tell you that the site Dynamic 2 Moms was born out of my desire to be a better teacher?  I use to think lapbooks where for only young children.  I set a bar for myself, like I do for my sons and want my teaching and activities to be something that draws them.

Sharing my unit studies and lapbooks allowed me to share that standard with you. I have learned to let go of the fact that it's not my fault that some days are just well - routine. Life and school are very similar because more of it is about routine than life altering moments.

3.)  Establish a routine.  We all have interruptions in our school.  It can be hard to break the habit of letting things that are nonessential take over our day and break our routine. I feel, all homeschoolers crave routine. Following our body's natural rhythm to sleep, eat and move around, we have that same desire to learn and be educated. When my sons know what to expect each day, and don't wander around aimlessly asking what we are going to do each day, it makes for calm in my home.

I still find everything fascinating about learning but more importantly I find happiness in being passionate about teaching my sons.   I have also  learned that it is my job to try to make each day a little better than the next day.

Because I can't sing, dance or draw my sons will have to accept I will do my best to teach and I will accept that they will do their best to show up for days that are just ordinary.

Want to read some more? Glance at these articles and hang in there.

Endearing Mommy or Tyrannical Mommy

From Struggling Homeschooler to Empowered Educator

Deschool - Get Off the Public School Treadmill

Have you Learned the Secret to Homeschool Joy?

Can you guess now what I have been working on for months and months and have been keeping a secret? I hosted a surprise 25th anniversary party for one of my dearest girlfriends. What a milestone. I want to share all of the *crafty* things I have been doing. It is suffice to say my blog will never be about my passion for the glue gun. I save that for all of my crafty girlfriends. I have to really love ya to bring out the glue gun. I will be sharing some photos next of the beautiful night and a few survival tips when life does comes up while homeschooling.

Also, I am ready to re-organize the Home Management Binder. If you want to update yours, grab a binder that is at least 3 inches. That is the size mine is and it is just about perfect for what I need. The printables are just about ready.

I find this quote inspiring today because, like all of us, our children too will find what they are passionate about. It just takes longer for some than others.

"Cease to inquire what the future has in store, and take as a gift whatever the day brings forth."

~ Horace ~

Hugs and you know I love ya,

When I leave my house with a silver long earring in one ear and a small gold earring in the other because my mind is on curriculum choices, I know it's time to go ahead and purchase it. I think part of the reason I have put it off is because it is my last time to sit down with Mr. Senior 2013.  The words of the poem Babies Don't Keep keep haunting me. I share it often in my new bee workshops to remind them of fleeting time but the words have come true for me this year. {sniffle}

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,

                                    Empty the dust pan, poison the moth,

                                    Hang out the washing, make up the bed,

                                    Sew on a button and butter the bread.

                                    Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?

                                    She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

                                    Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,

                                    Lullaby, rockabye, lullaby loo.

                                    Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

                                    Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peek a boo

                                    The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew

                                    And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo

                                    But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo

                                    Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?

                                    Lullaby, rockabye lullaby loo.

                                    The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow

                                    But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.

                                    So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!

                                    I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

Back to reality,  math and grammar are really the only two subjects we try not to skip around on. The rest of the subjects we work in alongside our unit studies. Basically, I like to refer to our curriculum as resources that we pull from.

Too, part of this year, Mr. Senior 2013 will be with us and part of it he will be getting credit at the community college. So he does not need much. Knowing this year that my schedule will be ever changing and adding in the fact Mr. Awesome is next up to learn driving, I want a few more laid out resources this year. There is a graduation party to start planning too.

Composition/Grammar/Spelling.

Mr. Senior 2013

Composition - He prefers to read and use a good teacher's manual like WriteShop. Since he prefers to read about his writing lesson, then brainstorm, he chose WriteShop.

Grammar - He likes so many, but we both think Bob Jones will finish his training nicely this year.

Mr. Awesome

Composition - So different than my first son, he prefers the video interaction with Andrew Pudewa so he chose Institute for Excellence in Writing {IEW}.

Grammar - Bob Jones

Tiny

Composition - IEW

Grammar - Bob Jones

Spelling - I use two spelling programs so I can determine how fast we move. All About Spelling and Calvert.

I have never viewed myself as a writer. {Aspiring or otherwise. How can you be aspiring? You either are a writer or not.} However, I feel both Write Shop and IEW give solid step by step guidance to any style of writing. Listing writing topics is also a must in any solid writing program. Both programs weave nicely into unit studies because the boys can apply each step to any unit study topic. If we are in between unit studies, they choose a topic of their own choice or from one provided. Nice.

Reading/History/Composition Topics.

All of this comes from our resources we choose for our unit studies. So I bit the bullet and purchased all 4 years of Tapestry of Grace {TOG}, the digital edition. Last year, I purchased two years and it was such a relief in helping me to plan some of my unit study topics. So I purchased the other two years this year. I have a few resources I may use from Story of the World for Tiny but Tapestry of Grace is for multiple ages and I can use it for a longer time.

Beautiful Feet history literature choices makes it easy to narrow down to a realistic amount of reading we can do for the year. It will always remain one of my favorites as a guide to what I feel is some of the better quality literature.

Mr. Senior 2013 needs to focus on U.S. History and World History so Beautiful Feet gives him that help. I have some resources from TOG for this same time period, so we are set.

Science/Reading.

I have so many books on science and try to include living books for part of their reading as well. It does get harder the older they get but I am determined to keep them reading living books. But to get in our experiments for the year, I have always liked A Reason For Science because you can purchase the kits that gives you all the science supplies you need to do an experiment. You may need one or two things from your house like some salt, or a plant but even the straws, string and cups are included for each experiment.

It is pricey but I had to weigh that against my time this year of having to list, round up and purchase the supplies.

Mr. Awesome and Mr. Senior 2013 have to focus on chemistry and physical science too.

Fine Arts.

I also purchased some fine arts packages from Barb at Harmony Fine Arts. Barb is a friend of mine but more than that she inspires me to take time to learn about art.  We have had a good amount of music exposure but the younger two boys I feel need more art exposure. You know how I feel about products that come from talented home school moms who are blessed in an area. They are gifts and I want to use their gifts in an area to inspire and educate my children. They understand the demands on our time but also the fact that we need freedom and flexibility from anything we purchase.

Barb just won an award this past Saturday from Practical Homeschooling for First Place in Music Appreciation and Art and Second Place in Art Appreciation. Congratulations Barb!

{Mmm, I hear give away coming up!}

Math

Math U See works for Mr. Senior 2013 and I like Horizons for Tiny to finish up. I still need to check for Mr. Awesome if Math U See is a good fit for him this year.

Doing our unit studies we choose as we go along and any outside classes, we already have a full schedule.

If we have to change anything this year, we can on a moment's notice.

Also, switching subjects here {no pun intended}, we just changed our Facebook page. We have been trying to move away from our old name New Beginnings to our new name New Bee Homeschooler. We share freebies for both Dynamic 2 Moms and New Bee Homeschooler on our Facebook page. Be sure to click LIKE on our new page to get those freebies there too.You can follow us on Google + but both of those pages we share other freebies.

Here is the link to the new Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Bee-Homeschooler/152877401517180

I have a couple of giveaways coming up. Also the last half of the month, I will focus on organizing the kitchen and recipes. Too, I try to satisfy *special requests* for specific curriculum planning pages and I have a form to share for that coming up.

I couldn't finish setting up our school area until we finished making curriculum choices, so I will share pictures soon on that. I have a topic on "Faves" to share on some things I feel makes my day easier, organized and well just fun.

Also, we are still on our Meso-America unit study so that lapbook is coming up. Because there are many new followers {you know how I feel about that word, don't like it. Subscribers? uggggg worse yet. Friends? better} that have come over from Homeschool Freebie of the Day, I wanted to catch them up on what you may already have on my Meso-America Unit Study as I mosey along.  I can't have any lost followers, subscribers, friends. {ok ok}

Grab the notebooking pages and game cards.

Here is the link to the blog post for the notebooking pages.

Here is the link to the blog post for the game cards.

There, not lost anymore.

Don't forget to click LIKE on our brand new facebook page .

I was inspired by this quote today as I ponder it in helping Mr. Senior 2013 make his final curriculum selections. Oh sappy moments I am telling you will come and go, mostly come lately. I hope I have not changed him but empowered him in his last year.

"If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be."

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe~

Hugs today, you know I love ya!

Want to know a secret about me? Ask me if I like to write and I will give you a definite no answer. Ask me to write about a subject like curriculum that makes me skirt twirl, I become plain giddy and chatty.

Curriculum is one of those topics that I have to dig through my font size to see if a smaller one exists. Then maybe my post does not look as long. It is a disease I am telling you to love collecting using, buying, reviewing and giving advice on curriculum.

I shared Part 1 of the A, B, C's of Picking Curriculum last month or A through the letter M. Today I finish up with my A, B, C's. Won't you sing along with me now? okay...okay..

N is for Narration. Don't pay for endless textbooks and worksheets when a simple and effective tool like narration is of more benefit. Listening to our children tell back what they have learned about any topic is a way to nurture and stimulate intellectual skills.

O is for Objectives. Objectives are clear steps to reach a goal. Whether you make your own or follow a scope and sequence, having even a simple objective like "learn the ABC's",  helps you to make forward progress as you meet each tiny objective. Don't wander aimlessly from year to year, focus on an objective.

P is for Pinterest. I can't believe I said this. True, if you do not limit yourself on Pinterest you could spend endless wasted hours and maybe come away with unrealistic plans. Why recommend this then?  There are too many visual learners for you to not take advantage of free lesson and curriculum found on Pinterest. It's free to sign up and you do not need to have facebook to sign up. Be sure you are following us on Pinterest.

Q is for Quiz. A much overlooked tool, a quiz is something that is brief and can be done orally. If you went to public school, like I did,then you remember the groans and heavy sighs as the teacher announced an unplanned pop quiz. What if, instead of a written quiz, you just orally discussed the subject? Oh yes! Talking and a question/answer style, give me that any day and I can tell you back what I learned. A quiz each day makes headway.

R is for Read Aloud. Reading aloud should become a lifelong habit. Read to your children ALL the way to high school. Each year as your children grow they should associate reading with warmth, security and pleasure. How can I possibly list all the benefits associated with reading? Success in life, at work, with others and especially to have a spiritual relationship with God are of lasting value.

S is for Spice. Spice used in the right amount added to any bland food can give it a kick. Instead of throwing out what you may think is a bad curriculum purchase, add spice to it. Look at this free download where I share a page of ideas on how to breathe life into curriculum. Also, look at this book Homeschool Spice, Help for Hum Drum School Days. It just came out this past March and is a great read, full of tips.

T is for Types of Curriculum. Textbooks, Unit Studies, Classical, Charlotte Mason and Relaxed/Unschooling are types of curriculum. Most of your purchases will fall into one of these categories. If you prefer one over the other, then do not waste your time at conventions, on the internet or otherwise trying to understand ALL of the other types of curriculum. Focus on the curriculum that fits your family instead of being overwhelmed with choices.

U is for Used Curriculum. There is an abundance of used curriculum websites on line. They have literally sprung up everywhere. It use to not be that way. One site I have a soft place in my heart and that has been around for years and years is Vegsource. Crazy name uh?  I started following it sometime after Mr. Senior 2013 was born. I couldn't make the connection between a website that promoted a plant-based diet and homeschooling. I figured out along the way they homeschooled and they put a small spot on their website for selling used curriculum. Not so small now, it still is a happening place for all things homeschool and to sell/buy used curriculum. Side note of interest: If you get a chance, read about the background of Mr. Nelson's family on the site. His great-great grandfather started the Armour Meat Company and now Mr.Nelson is a vegan. Talk about being removed from his roots.

V is for reVISIT. Curriculum is about change.  A lot of homeschoolers that we help to get on the road to homeschooling feel they will stay the whole course with what they initially purchased. They have if it works now, why change it mentality. This thinking works for some projects but not for homeschooling.  Change happens not necessarily because the curriculum changes but because the needs of your children do. A routine and curriculum can become boring and dull, then you have created a rut. A wise teacher will revisit her initial approach whether it is Charlotte Mason, Classical or Textbook to see if it still fits the needs of your children now. Find your groove at that moment and move forward.

W is for WORLD. As veteran homeschoolers we take for granted the saying; "The World is Our Classroom". However, even seasoned veterans grasp for a full and rich meaning of this well known verse in the homeschool community. For me, it means that once we abandon the mindset that we learn in one room, with one set of curriculum, at one designated time and be tested by it, we look to everyday living and the world around us for lessons. Get out of the house. Attend a ballet, an art show, a historical reenactment or cultural event.

{learn in tents,........}

{learn at the library,......}

{learn at the park. Get out, get out}

 By observing the things God has made, we let Him be the Grand Instructor. Then our teaching truly becomes elevated, supreme and worthy.

{A new calf at our place was a cause for pause.}

X is for 'XPLORE.  If there is anything that causes burnout, it is not being able to expand and explore new options.  Choosing curriculum is more about taking what works "good enough" for our family and expanding it. Explore options to round it out. It does not mean we have to complete the course, but we finish it. Huge difference. Finishing it means we have used the parts that filled our needs for the year. It may or may not mean completing the whole curriculum.

Y is for YAHOO groups. Homeschoolers stay connected many ways. Blogs, pinterest, weekly newsletters, facebook, twitter and on line groups such as yahoo are necessary parts of our journey. Make time to interact with other homeschoolers. Encouragement received from "online"friends as to what worked and didn't work for them in choosing curriculum can save you making the same costly mistakes.

Z is for ZEAL.  Zeal means to boil over. Enthusiasm and zeal for learning is contagious. It is more important that as the teacher, you have a zeal for learning. No amount of curriculum can impart a thirst for learning. The example set by the parent is what becomes the curriculum. It's not easy every day to boil over with excitement but it should be true a lot of the time.

Hugs today, love ya,

P.S. How is my font size?