When I started home schooling I was such a Nervous Nelly about getting everything right. I wanted the perfect formula and the exact instructions to do this thing to the max. I ordered my boxed curriculum and followed it to the "T". After 2 years and oodles of confidence later, I felt there was a better way for my kid's learning style. I noticed they were reading and filling out workbooks but were not retaining the information long term.
I eventually decided to continue a curriculum for math and language arts, but everything else needed a complete overhaul. There are awesome websites and companies that offer unit studies on every subject that you can think of. This of course comes at a price. If you have several children with different passions and learning styles, that is a lot of money to invest. It is my goal to give you simple steps at creating your own easy and thorough unit studies that will open up a world of learning on an array of subjects for your kids.
1 Be a collector of information
I am constantly picking up brochures, books, magazines, workbooks, on-line articles, websites and more. As you collect information on different subjects organize them by subject in one notebook, box or anything that works for you. Know your children's passions and gifts and you can collect things that they love and can become experts on. These can be topics or people that have made a big difference in history.
For Example: I have an entire box of brochures, coloring books, fact books, puzzles, games and more all centered around Space and Astronauts. I have handed this box to my 8 year old and for 2 days he worked on a list of 25 facts on Space and Astronauts.
2 Creating an Outline
Create a list of questions that will exhaust every aspect of the topic. Questions should include the historical information, scientific background, important people involved and how our world has been affected by this topic. You can also create art projects to go with the topic.
3 Age Appropriate Changes
Depending on the age of your child, you will need to create a different outline to help them through the assignment. For example: A 2nd grader can use the same collection of information on the topic of trains that an 11th grader uses. The outcome will be more elaborate based on the level of understanding.
4 Get Started
Present your child with the collection of information and explain your expectations. Take your child to the library for additional research as well as giving them monitored time on the internet to investigate information.
5 For younger children (3rd grade and under), I generally assign the unit study in the form of a list of facts regarding the topic or person they are studying. For example: 25 Facts About the Civil War. 4th grade and above can do the study in paragraph/report form answering all of the questions you prepared.
Unit Studies give your child the chance to study things they are passionate about and they allow them to see the history, science and art behind every topic. It makes learning fun and it teaches your children how to be investigative learners and problem solvers .
Have Fun!
www.familybydesignadoption.com Family by Design Home School Adventures is a fun-filled, idea generating, humorous and family friendly place to share our family home schooling journey with you! We hope that you enjoy our posts, ideas and strategies! We would also like to hear yours!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Why I don't fit the Home School MOLD!
When I decided to home school, I got a lot of raised eye brows. I assume it is because of the odd families that have been highlighted on TV specials or things they have heard about over the years. For the last 3 years I have attended a great home school conference where I have gotten a lot of great materials, inspiration and direction. This year was a little different.
I called my husband on the way home from my 3 days away at the conference. "I will not be coming back", I said. He responded with an interested ear, "What happened?" I had the hardest time getting out my thoughts and why I had such an odd feeling. This does not mean I will never attend another, but I will not be put in that situation again.
Why I will not be going back:
Reason #1
I was made to feel like dressing up, wearing make-up and jewelry that I enjoy is less holy than the ladies walking around me with floor length skirts and tennis shoes. To each her own, but I enjoy fashion as well as homeschooling my children. This has nothing to do with whether I am a real Christian or home schooler.
Reason #2
I am not taking a vow of poverty just because I am a homeschooler. I serve a God that supplies my needs and desires. Deciding to barely get by is not the gospel I subscribe to. Am I a wealthy, big spender? No. I also am not a penny pincher. I enjoy nice things and I enjoy blessing my children with them as well. I will not be made to feel guilty for that. I teach and model godly principles for my children and I home school them for many reasons that include my religious beliefs.
Reason #3
I am black. You may say, "So What?" In the world of home schooling, black stay- at-home mom's are not common. Of those that do stay home, home schooling your children is even more uncommon in the African American Culture. Although, the numbers are on the rise in recent years. When I join home school groups, classes, etc, my family is always the only black family involved. I teach my children to be confident in who they are so that we don't deal with too many issues. In these circles, we are usually treated well, but there is always a level of curiosity that we get from others that can feel a bit uncomfortable. In Black circles we are considered weird, religious, helicopter parents. It is what it is! It does not bother me enough to change what we are doing.
Reason #4
I refuse to treat people who send their kids to public or private school like they are negligent parents. The theme with a lot of the circles I have explored is that home schooling is the only way and that if you don't, you don't care as much about your kids as I do. That is simply not true! I am a supporter of any parent that gets involved in their child's education and advocates for the very best whether it is homeschooling, private or public schooling. Home schooling was our choice. It works for OUR family very well and we love it. That does not mean it is for everyone.
So, in many ways I do not fit into the "homeschool mold". I am still very passionate about my convictions, my God and homeschooling my children. The next time you run into a homeschooler that does not fit "the mold", be nice. After all, we all want the same things for our children right? To raise God fearing, God serving, well-rounded and educated children who accomplish God's perfect plan for their life. Right?
I called my husband on the way home from my 3 days away at the conference. "I will not be coming back", I said. He responded with an interested ear, "What happened?" I had the hardest time getting out my thoughts and why I had such an odd feeling. This does not mean I will never attend another, but I will not be put in that situation again.
Why I will not be going back:
Reason #1
I was made to feel like dressing up, wearing make-up and jewelry that I enjoy is less holy than the ladies walking around me with floor length skirts and tennis shoes. To each her own, but I enjoy fashion as well as homeschooling my children. This has nothing to do with whether I am a real Christian or home schooler.
Reason #2
I am not taking a vow of poverty just because I am a homeschooler. I serve a God that supplies my needs and desires. Deciding to barely get by is not the gospel I subscribe to. Am I a wealthy, big spender? No. I also am not a penny pincher. I enjoy nice things and I enjoy blessing my children with them as well. I will not be made to feel guilty for that. I teach and model godly principles for my children and I home school them for many reasons that include my religious beliefs.
Reason #3
I am black. You may say, "So What?" In the world of home schooling, black stay- at-home mom's are not common. Of those that do stay home, home schooling your children is even more uncommon in the African American Culture. Although, the numbers are on the rise in recent years. When I join home school groups, classes, etc, my family is always the only black family involved. I teach my children to be confident in who they are so that we don't deal with too many issues. In these circles, we are usually treated well, but there is always a level of curiosity that we get from others that can feel a bit uncomfortable. In Black circles we are considered weird, religious, helicopter parents. It is what it is! It does not bother me enough to change what we are doing.
Reason #4
I refuse to treat people who send their kids to public or private school like they are negligent parents. The theme with a lot of the circles I have explored is that home schooling is the only way and that if you don't, you don't care as much about your kids as I do. That is simply not true! I am a supporter of any parent that gets involved in their child's education and advocates for the very best whether it is homeschooling, private or public schooling. Home schooling was our choice. It works for OUR family very well and we love it. That does not mean it is for everyone.
So, in many ways I do not fit into the "homeschool mold". I am still very passionate about my convictions, my God and homeschooling my children. The next time you run into a homeschooler that does not fit "the mold", be nice. After all, we all want the same things for our children right? To raise God fearing, God serving, well-rounded and educated children who accomplish God's perfect plan for their life. Right?
The Busy Home School Mom's Guide to Romance- Interview on Family by Design Radio
Listen to this awesome podcast as I interview Heidi St. John. She is one of the most prolific voices for homeschoolers today and the author of two great books, "The Busy Homeschool Mom's Guide to Romance" & " The Busy Homeschool Mom's Guide to Daylight".
http://toginet.com/podcasts/familybydesign/FamilyByDesignLIVE_2012-06-19.mp3?type=podpage
http://toginet.com/podcasts/familybydesign/FamilyByDesignLIVE_2012-06-19.mp3?type=podpage
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