When Feeling Stressed

I admit it, I get stressed about homeschooling. I worry if my kids are learning enough. Am I covering enough material. Are they at a level on par with other kids their age? Are they falling behind?

And actually sometimes I just get plain tired of coming up with interesting learning ideas. Maybe that's not something we homeschoolers admit very often, but it happens to me.

When I start feeling overwhelmed, stressed and just plain tired, I turn to our local library. Granted, we use our library for a lot of our curriculum anyway. But, when I start to get cranky and frustrated I just check out some textbooks and give myself a break. The kids work out of the textbooks for a week or so and I take a break from performing the homeschool supplement shuffle.

I really don't think they are losing anything and sometimes it gives us an idea of other areas we need to concentrate on.

So, when you're feeling flustered just pick up a couple of textbooks and take a break. The kids are still learning and you can take some time to recharge.

Free Classes from University of Washington

Check out the free online classes offered by the UW. Hamlet, Gullivers Travels, Html..... Lots of interesting classses to investigate, all FREE.

OpenUW Free Courses

Free Homeschool Worksheets

As homeschooling parents we're always looking for free worksheets and other printables. School Express offers free worksheets in every subject. This is a member site but you can freely print one activity set a week without being a member. It's worth checking out, they have some fun stuff.

Phonics Games and Printables

I'm back from vacation, refreshed and ready to teach. While getting some things ready for my boys this week I ran across a great site for phonics. Words and Pictures A site out of the UK that uses fun games and printables to teach phonics. You can have your young ones make up fun poems and silly sentences to post in the gallery.

I'm Going To Disney World!

I'll be on vacation for the next week. So, I won't be posting. I'll return on the 24th of September hopefully recharged and ready to go.

Very Handy Algebra Help

You know I love to find sites with Algebra help. Well, this one is a dandy. It has step by step lessons. Categorized by subject. Even worksheets for practice that you can click at the end to check your answers. This is a very handy site.

Algebra Help

Did You Know?

Did you know that we have President Martin Van Buren to thank for the expression "OK"? Lots of very interesting little known facts about US States, Presidents and other important people in history at Americas Library.

Measuring Homeschool Success

Homeschool success, those two words can have many different meanings for different people. How do you measure that success? Is it when your children are healthy, happy, well adjusted and learning? Or do your measure your homeschooling success by the academic level your children have acheived? I guess it depends on what your goals are. Of course I want my children to acheive academic success but, their morals and character are much more important to me.

Do they have to master calculus to be moral upstanding citizens? Must they solve quadratic equations with ease to be a good husband and/or father? If my boys grow to be respectful, law-abiding, God-fearing, moral men, I will classify our homeschool journey as a great success.(Even if they don't master calculus!)

Technorati Profile

Easy and Fun Science Experiments

Reeko's Science Lab has easy and fun science experiments to try with your kids. The site is a lot of fun. It has a monthly science puzzle that you find the answers to on other parts of the site. Also a search for hidden pots of gold that is kind of like finding a needle in a haystack. Find a hidden pot of gold and get your name added to the hall of fame. A neat site for younger kids.

Prayers for the Irwin Family

Just a personal note.

Steve was my youngest son's hero. Our family spent many great hours marveling over the passion and dedication of the Irwin family.

Steve Irwin has taught us so many wonderful things over the years and he will be missed very much by this family.

Our prayers go out to the Irwin family and the entire Australia Zoo staff.

What Are You Learning?

Yes, your children are learning history, literature, math and science. What are you learning from your homeschooling adventure?

Are you learning to pick your battles? Sometimes things are not wirth fighting over. So you do history today and put math off for tomorrow, big deal, if it all gets done who cares?

Are you learning who your children are? Watching your children grow and develop into individuals is a humbling gift of homeschooling.

Are you learning patience? This one I'm sure everyone can chuckle at. Patience, are you kidding? Of course I'm learning patience. Do you know anyone besides homeschoolers who can disect a snake, complete a unit study on Ancient Egypt, explain Algebra to a hormonal teenager all while doing laundry, running errands and getting dinner ready without a meltdown?

What are you learning from your homeschool journey?

Carnival of Homeschooling

The 36th Carnival of Homeschooling is up at whyhomeschool blog. Labor Day edition. Take a couple of minutes to browse some other great homeschooling blogs.

Lots of Printables

A lot of homeschoolers use Donna Young's site for planners. If you haven't taken a look around it's definitely worth your time. Donna Young has organizers, planners, assignment sheets and lots more. Everyone can find something useful.

Challenging your Homeschooled Child

When we first began our homeschool journey my children had been in the public school system. They both struggled with different areas.

My oldest was put in Special Education classes because it was determined that he had a learning disability. We were never told exactly what this disability was, only that he was reading below grade level.

I have come to the conclusion that my son was never challenged to read in the public school system. Granted, I think a lot of it had to do with his attitude.

When we started homeschooling I was determined to get him reading at his grade level. We started when he was in the middle of seventh grade. His literature selections at first were from the fourth grade curriculum. It was easy reading for him and helped build his confidence, but he was still reading very slowly. We decided to use a speed reading course to help him with his reading speed.

When we started using the speed reading for kids course he was amazed at how easy it was and it realy boosted his confidence. He was so excited by his speed reading ability that he started devouring all the books(at fourth grade level) that we could find. Gradually I started increasing the level of difficulty of his reading material. The keyword here is gradually. He would read at least five books at each grade level before I increased the difficulty. I'm proud to say that now my son in in eigth grade and reading at a ninth grade level.

The whole point to this rambling post is that I don't feel the public school system was challenging my son to increase his readiing ability. They were enabling him to stay at the same reading level with all the "special" treatment he recieved. Tests were read aloud to him and more time was allowed for testing. They never expected him to read anything for himself.

Challenge your children to progress. You'll be suprised by what they can accomplish. If excellence is expected it will be pursued.