It is no secret that parents end up learning alongside their children when they homeschool. For example, I have learned so much this past year on ancient civilizations while teaching my oldest about these civilizations. I enjoyed the readings as much as her. But this post is about educating yourself on homeschooling. Not just the laws for your state though but on the ways you can improve or modify your homeschooling experience if some things are just not working out for your family.
I am going on to my fourth year homeschooling my oldest. Each year, I change things up a bit to see what could make our experience as a family better. Last year, since my oldest wanted to make more friends, I signed us up for a homeschool co-op. We all have come to enjoy it, so we are doing it again this year. There may come a time, when the co-op does not work for our family and we would no longer take part in it but for now, it adds to our experience.
Most of what I have implemented into my homeschooling experience, I have read about in books, blogs, Facebook posts or even on podcasts. One thing I implemented last summer that I read about in The Brave Learner was poetry tea time. Our curriculum already had poetry reading each week but by doing it in a fun activity with drinks and treats, I have made it more enjoyable for my whole family. My oldest is starting to enjoy poetry and enjoys reading it. Something else I started after reading that book was block scheduling. My oldest who is going into third grade, only does two subjects a day and we alternate the subjects. It helps her not get bored and to lose focus by keeping the school day short. It may take us longer to get through our curriculum but since we school year round, that is not a major concern of mine.
With homeschooling more than one and having one under two, I do have to make sure I can adapt at the drop of a hat which is hard since I am a Type A person. My middle child just finished Pre-K so her school work was pretty simple and quick. I wasn't doing her schoolwork everyday as sometimes it took the oldest longer to do her schoolwork. After to listening to a podcast called 10 Minutes to a Better Homeschool, I started having my preschooler do her schoolwork first which usually takes no more than 10 minutes. By doing her work first, she got her work in and I still had plenty of time to do schoolwork with my oldest.
Changes to your homeschooling does not have to be drastic unless or choose them to be. They can be small and simple changes like who does schoolwork first or how you schedule the day. There are a number of books, blogs and podcasts for you to look over to help educate you about different methods and ways that work for others. I suggest doing an online search if you have any questions and I am sure you would find numerous books, blogs and podcasts to check out. Don't forget to check your local library as well. Don't ever stop learning. #educateyourself #homeschooling #thebravelearner #10minutestoabetterhomeschool #libraries
Comments