Here are some tips I have found are very helpful to running a smooth, happy homeschool. I'm not an expert at them, but when I do them, homeschool life is so much better.
Limit Distractions! Give your kids your full undivided attention. Set school time aside for this purpose. Silence your phone and put it in a different room. The second you get distracted, your kids will get distracted, wander off, and you'll have to fight them to come back (or give up altogether).
Don't Multi-Task! If you're trying to work on something else, you'll get angry and frustrated. Or maybe you just won't be as helpful as you should be. Or maybe you'll pawn them off to the tv. I've done all of these things. And the best way to stay away from this problem is by limiting the distractions in the first place.
Take Care of Yourself! Set time aside every day for yourself. Take a nap, workout, socialize... Do whatever it is that makes you happy and will help you keep your sanity. Maybe it's during nap time, or in the morning, or while your kids are watching tv. If mom isn't happy, no one is happy.
Connect! To others. You need to and your kids need to. Set up park days or beach days with other homeschool families so that you have people to swap ideas and commiserate with.
Let it Slide and Forgive Yourself! One bad day isn't gonna ruin everything. Sleep all day if you need to and let them watch tv. Then recommit to tomorrow.
Enjoy Them! They're only young and sweet and innocent for a short time. Right now they want to be right next to you constantly. Soon they won't want to be with you at all. Right now you are their hero. Soon they'll think you're their jailer.
Simplify! If school is taking too long, if your kids are fighting you over it, if it's ruining your relationship, if you're overwhelmed or losing your sanity... Cut out the stuff that doesn't really matter and focus on what really does! Reading, Writing, Math, and Religion. That's all that really matters. Once you regain your sanity and the health of your relationship, you can add the other things back in. Or they can learn them later.
Prioritize! Can you do it all? Really? Or can you hire a housecleaner, yard guy, or mother's helper? If you don't like to cook how about buying prepared frozen meals? Can your husband take on some of your previous responsibilities? Figure out what you want (and need) to spend your time on, and give up some of the other less-important duties. Don't be afraid to say No to people if you really can't fit that assignment into your life.
Seek Inspiration! Heavenly Father wants you to succeed and is waiting to help you figure out how. Raising, mothering, and schooling children is a holy calling. Have faith in yourself and in your ability to successfully educate the divine spirits that He has entrusted to your care.
Thursday, July 23, 2020
Teach Your Kids Piano
Do you play the piano? Then you can teach your kids how to play the piano. It's actually pretty simple. The trickiest part about it (and the part that makes the most difference) is getting them to practice every day. If they do that, they will progress.
My oldest child fought and fought me every day about piano. So I finally let him switch to guitar and got him a private teacher. He doesn't fight about practicing the guitar. My other three occasionally complain, but they don't fight me about it. One of them is also taking private guitar and voice lessons, so she practices all three things every day (but she's homeschooled, so she has the time to do so!).
So save your money, or use it elsewhere, because you can teach your kids the piano.
What I use:
Faber Piano Adventures Series - each child has a lesson, technique, performance, and popular book. We also use the scale books and my oldest does the theory book.
Religious Songs - One of the best ways to feel the spirit is through music. And the kids can do so on their own while they're learning a church song on the piano. They'll also be able to perform these songs during home-church or at real-church later on (after quarantine). Our Church Website has hymns, children's songs, simplified songs, and so much more.
Piano Chart - I made this chart and use it weekly during their lessons. Ideally they'd refer to it daily. I write the page number or song name in each box, and any additional instructions they need.
My oldest child fought and fought me every day about piano. So I finally let him switch to guitar and got him a private teacher. He doesn't fight about practicing the guitar. My other three occasionally complain, but they don't fight me about it. One of them is also taking private guitar and voice lessons, so she practices all three things every day (but she's homeschooled, so she has the time to do so!).
So save your money, or use it elsewhere, because you can teach your kids the piano.
What I use:
Faber Piano Adventures Series - each child has a lesson, technique, performance, and popular book. We also use the scale books and my oldest does the theory book.
Religious Songs - One of the best ways to feel the spirit is through music. And the kids can do so on their own while they're learning a church song on the piano. They'll also be able to perform these songs during home-church or at real-church later on (after quarantine). Our Church Website has hymns, children's songs, simplified songs, and so much more.
Piano Chart - I made this chart and use it weekly during their lessons. Ideally they'd refer to it daily. I write the page number or song name in each box, and any additional instructions they need.
Summer School
One summer, long ago, we took a regular summer break from school. The next fall, my kids had forgotten everything they had learned in May and June and we had to spend the next two months reviewing all of that information before moving on to new material. Since then, we have never taken a full summer break. Because of this, my kids are far ahead in math (and their brains don't completely turn to mush throughout the summer).
The beginning and end of every math book is review material. If you aren't taking a summer break, you can skip the entire first section of every math book. Get ahead, and skip away. And that is why my 4th grader is in Pre-Algebra (also thanks to his natural math brain).
At the beginning of every summer, I have high expectations and tell my kids that they'll be doing 50-75% of their normal school work. However, that never lasts more than a couple days, because summer is the time for me to get projects done, and to play (thus ignoring my kids and not doing school with them). So here are the minimal requirements for my kids' summer school:
- Math
- Literature (read 1 chapter/day)
- Instruments
- Scriptures/Prayer
- Journal (sometimes)
- Hug Mom (everyone laughs about this, but how often do your teenagers hug you?!)
- Kitchen Job
- Room/Messes
- Spelling (only 1 child needs this)
- Times Tables (only 1 child needs this)
For younger kids, here is a four week summer unit I compiled. I've never done unit studies as my base curriculum, but it's fun to do when there is a certain topic you'd like to explore together. And summer is the perfect time to do so.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DTtcavR3tlJS9HoXcvSjcpp472V1PX7s5ndVe94JLuo/edit?usp=sharing
The beginning and end of every math book is review material. If you aren't taking a summer break, you can skip the entire first section of every math book. Get ahead, and skip away. And that is why my 4th grader is in Pre-Algebra (also thanks to his natural math brain).
At the beginning of every summer, I have high expectations and tell my kids that they'll be doing 50-75% of their normal school work. However, that never lasts more than a couple days, because summer is the time for me to get projects done, and to play (thus ignoring my kids and not doing school with them). So here are the minimal requirements for my kids' summer school:
- Math
- Literature (read 1 chapter/day)
- Instruments
- Scriptures/Prayer
- Journal (sometimes)
- Hug Mom (everyone laughs about this, but how often do your teenagers hug you?!)
- Kitchen Job
- Room/Messes
- Spelling (only 1 child needs this)
- Times Tables (only 1 child needs this)
For younger kids, here is a four week summer unit I compiled. I've never done unit studies as my base curriculum, but it's fun to do when there is a certain topic you'd like to explore together. And summer is the perfect time to do so.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DTtcavR3tlJS9HoXcvSjcpp472V1PX7s5ndVe94JLuo/edit?usp=sharing
Friday, May 22, 2020
Quick Overview for Quarantine Homeschoolers
Hello fellow quarantine homeschoolers,
You can read through the entire blog and find a lot of info about how/what I do. The information overload may overwhelm you. So here's a condensed view of what our homeschool currently looks like (as of May 2020).
Two Middle Schoolers:
They take one class at Palomar College each semester. With lots of help from me.
They independently do all their other work. My biggest difficulty with them is making sure they're doing a quality job on their work, because they'll hide away in their rooms doing school and if I don't check it religiously, they'll do a shortened, poor version of it. Will they be ready for high school? We will soon see. But the college classes have taught them many things about school that I never could - deadlines, tests, following other people's instructions, etc.
Two Elementary Schoolers:
I tend to focus my attention on them and school goes well and is high quality. I would rather teach elementary school kids - I love their wonder and enthusiasm and the fun activities we can do together. It's hard to balance my focus and attention between the two age groups. I need to focus on the older ones because they're going to high school soon, but at the same time, the younger ones will lose their innocence and love of learning and I want to take advantage of that while it lasts.
School Week:
M - school
T - math tutor, piano lessons, guitar lessons, art class
W - school
Th - school
F - school or field trip
School Day:
Timing is flexible. I workout and cook in the morning. When I'm ready, I start school with the littles and get done in a couple hours. Usually from 9-12ish. After that, we all have free time. Once quaratine ends we will have sports every day starting at 4ish.
School Chart:
I use the same one I've used for years. I print a new one off each week. Every kids' is a little different. And I tweak it all the time. Here's one of them:
Curriculum:
Refer to this post which has been recently updated: https://oldfashionedschoolhouse.blogspot.com/2019/07/curriculum-in-nutshell.html
Organization:
Instead of bins and closets, every person now keeps their books and notebooks in a backpack. That way we can do school in other places. My kids focus better and go faster when we are doing school elsewhere (library, institute building, back yard).
Charter School:
We use Inspire Charter School. They give me a lot of flexibility (which I have to have), plus $3000 per child per year. I use the money on things like curriculum and music teachers. I only have to turn in one sample per month per kid (plus other easy stuff like attendance). My kids take 1 or 2 tests through them each year, which is a small price to pay to help keep charter schools open.
College Goal:
I wanted my kids to do college during high school, and count it for both. That way when they graduate from high school they'd have their Associates and would be Transfer Students instead of New Students. However, as of right now, my kids want to go to public high school (to see what they're missing out on), so my college plans may not work. But if you're interested in doing it this way, I know a lot of teenagers who have done so. It works!
You can read through the entire blog and find a lot of info about how/what I do. The information overload may overwhelm you. So here's a condensed view of what our homeschool currently looks like (as of May 2020).
Two Middle Schoolers:
They take one class at Palomar College each semester. With lots of help from me.
They independently do all their other work. My biggest difficulty with them is making sure they're doing a quality job on their work, because they'll hide away in their rooms doing school and if I don't check it religiously, they'll do a shortened, poor version of it. Will they be ready for high school? We will soon see. But the college classes have taught them many things about school that I never could - deadlines, tests, following other people's instructions, etc.
Two Elementary Schoolers:
I tend to focus my attention on them and school goes well and is high quality. I would rather teach elementary school kids - I love their wonder and enthusiasm and the fun activities we can do together. It's hard to balance my focus and attention between the two age groups. I need to focus on the older ones because they're going to high school soon, but at the same time, the younger ones will lose their innocence and love of learning and I want to take advantage of that while it lasts.
School Week:
M - school
T - math tutor, piano lessons, guitar lessons, art class
W - school
Th - school
F - school or field trip
School Day:
Timing is flexible. I workout and cook in the morning. When I'm ready, I start school with the littles and get done in a couple hours. Usually from 9-12ish. After that, we all have free time. Once quaratine ends we will have sports every day starting at 4ish.
School Chart:
I use the same one I've used for years. I print a new one off each week. Every kids' is a little different. And I tweak it all the time. Here's one of them:
Curriculum:
Refer to this post which has been recently updated: https://oldfashionedschoolhouse.blogspot.com/2019/07/curriculum-in-nutshell.html
Organization:
Instead of bins and closets, every person now keeps their books and notebooks in a backpack. That way we can do school in other places. My kids focus better and go faster when we are doing school elsewhere (library, institute building, back yard).
Charter School:
We use Inspire Charter School. They give me a lot of flexibility (which I have to have), plus $3000 per child per year. I use the money on things like curriculum and music teachers. I only have to turn in one sample per month per kid (plus other easy stuff like attendance). My kids take 1 or 2 tests through them each year, which is a small price to pay to help keep charter schools open.
College Goal:
I wanted my kids to do college during high school, and count it for both. That way when they graduate from high school they'd have their Associates and would be Transfer Students instead of New Students. However, as of right now, my kids want to go to public high school (to see what they're missing out on), so my college plans may not work. But if you're interested in doing it this way, I know a lot of teenagers who have done so. It works!
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