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Keep on Track, Issue #018: Simplify your Homeschool Curriculum
August 04, 2010
Hello

The layout of the E-zine is as follows:




Greetings from Marianne

Welcome to all the new Keep-on-Track Subscribers!

I'm glad you've joined and I pray that these issues may benefit you, inspire and encourage you on your homeschooling journey.

Around the globe of homeschooling, we have some who are struggling through the wintry weather, and others who are enjoying a summer holiday break.

Are you keeping on track? How is homeschooling going for you and your family? Are you enjoying the privelege of being with your children day by day and loving the learning experience together? Or are you struggling right now?

Let's find out how NOT to overcomplicate matters and how TO simplify our homeschool curriculum.

If you want to enjoy, move ahead without burning out, you need to read about simplifying.... Read more here...


News - Monthly Giveaway! Journal in June!

I am surprised that only a few young writers joined in and got

Journaling in June and July!

Writing makes so much more sense if you're writing for an audience and this is a wonderful way for your children to be creative online in their own unique 'place' on the web.

The Prize is Book One from the Wilderking Trilogy, by Jonathan Rogers. Congratulations to Ben from Ben's Mini Site.

The Bark of the Bog Owl will soon be coming your way!

I have also received some wonderful and exciting Science Specials to giveaway. You can have free access to this excellent series of science videos just for homeschoolers. It includes a guidebook too. Not sure how long it will be for free, but at least for now you can get it here.

On top of that, another different freebie are these complete start-to-finish activities that include video presentations, step-by-step experiment videos, readings, etc.

It's from Supercharged Science. If you haven't used any of their stuff yet, you just have to try it to understand. But I will tell you that they make some of the best homeschool science programs out there. What they give away for free is better than what lots of companies charge for.

Recently, I have added a number of science projects. Check out these exciting and really cool science experiments here.

Enjoy these freebies! Our family has loved Aurora's Science Experiments. See Micah's hovercraft and Bouncing Marbles.


The Need to Simplify Your Homeschool Curriculum

When you begin to homeschool, you are keen to go to curriculum fairs and search out the perfect homeschool curriculum for your family. When you have been homeschooling for a few years, you may discover that your first choices did not work out that well, and you are on the hunt again. Five or so years later, you may be bored and keen to re-think the homeschool curriculum and cater for your highschool students. Ten years later, you throw out so much of what you have bought and never used and keenly look to simplify your homeschool curriculum.

I am not sure if you subscribe to numerous homeschooling e-newsletters or ezines (perhaps you subscribe to mine!). I subscribe to a few to find out what homeschool curriculum is around and the see what other homeschoolers may be using. At times, I like to read reviews. However, as my email box is continually bombarded with new homeschool products and resources, I wonder if all the new products have helped our desire or vision for homeschooling. Are we more focussed on the task of homeschooling now with the plethora of curriculum that is put before us or did those early veteran homeschoolers with limited resources capture the essence of homeschooling in a better way? Have we lost the vision?

Am I against homeschool curriculum? Absolutely not! I am very thankful to numerous publishers who have put time and thought into a product and are selling it to the homeschool market. Thank you! It has made my task so much easier! However, I am concerned that some publishers are just viewing homeschooling as another market and we are steered into thinking that each child needs to have a textbook for each subject each year! Four children, eight subjects each year means literally 128 textbooks for every year of homeschooling. Most of these will be pricey and consumable.

"What are you doing for Language Arts?" "DS has a Year 3 book for Spelling, Year 4 for grammar, Year 3 book for Literature Studies, Year 3 text for writing and Year 4 Book for Reading Comprehension. Yes, I am so glad that we can cater for his individual abilities!"

Is this the only way? Are you ready to simplify your homeschool curriculum and not fall into the marketing traps? How can that be done?

Ways to Simplify Your Homeschool Curriculum

The first thing that you need to do now is to look at your goals.

  1. Decide on the big picture goals
    Why are you homeschooling? For what purpose and to what end are you preparing and educating your children? Let these answers drive the curriculum you choose to implement in your homeschool. Also, listen to your children and the goals which they have for their lives. As our children grow and mature, it is wonderful to see their strengths, knowledge and interest grow in diverse areas. As homeschooling families we have the unique advantage of tailoring education programs to the individual needs and interests of our children. Do it! Let their interests also be a guide in your decision making. The added benefit of that is that they will 'own' their education! Check out the pages on Delight Directed Learning.

  2. Decide why you want to teach a certain homeschooling subject. Refer to this page.

    Here you should pose questions to yourself which will help you formulate why you want to teach a certain subject. This step can be quite simple. The most obvious answer as to why we want to teach reading, is, so that our children will read widely and understand what they read. True? How do we do that?

    Firstly, we set up an atmosphere that encourages reading. We read widely to them; We give them the tools so that they can read for themselves (phonics instruction when ready); We offer a range of quality reading resources - both fiction and non-fiction living books. Check out my list of classic literature here. We include reading in all subject areas and do not treat it as a separate subject, but instead, a skill to be developed in each subject.

    The most obvious answer as to why we want to teach writing, is, so that our children can write appropriately for different audiences and in different situations. This includes writing notes, letters, essays, descriptive writing, fiction, non-fiction, responses, critical essays, essays of persuasion and more. So, how would we do that? Does it mean we need a consumable textbook for each grade level? Probably not!

    If we want to teach our children to write, they need to write! - all types of forms of writing, across the curriculum. Begin by teaching them correct letter formation, writing words, copying sentences, narrations, copying their own oral narrations, essay writing. Creating your own Writing Curriculum is not that hard to do when you choose to write across the curriculum. Read more about that here.

    I would encourage you to get a book which explains different writing forms. I like the Write Source books and have chosen a few age-appropriate teaching texts. These are non-consumable and are written directly to the child. If you would like to work on writing skills, you could choose an excerpt of literature, discuss the grammar, spelling, sentence structure, word usage and use it as a basis for copywork, and modeling. Read about how to use Literature to develop your own Writing Curriculum - Language Arts Lesson Plans - My 10 Step Outline using Literature. Spelling can flow directly from their own writing and an individual spelling list can be created from their incorrect spelling. Spelling in context is far more effective. However, if you would like a Spelling Program, choose one which spans across the ages and years.

    If your goal for history teaching is that they memorize dates, you would look for a program that just focusses on memorization of facts, but if your goal is that they gain an understanding of the time period and understand it in the context of a Biblical Worldview, you would look for a curriculum that helps you to do that. The answer you give for each subject area, will help you choose appropriate homeschool curriculum which has the same purpose in mind.

    Also, ask your children why they want to study a certain subject. What do they want to learn from it? What skill do they want to gain? How will they go about their study? How will they know they have reached their goal?


  3. Combine subjects and Skill Teaching
    To simplify the curriculum, you need to look for ways to combine subjects.
    If you teach history in an integrated approach, you can teach history, geography, literature, art history, science history, music history and worldview (depending on the curriculum you choose to help you teach). As you integrate these subjects, you use and develop age-appropriate reading and writing skills. Read about Teaching History in an integrated approach.
    Writing can be done in the context of any subject you or your children are researching and studying! During a study on Ancient Egypt, you can read aloud an historical fiction novel such as "Mara, daughter of the Nile", create a salt map of Egypt; Read about the culture; Put the time period into the Biblical timeline; Copy the way the Ancient Egyptians decorated their tombs; Dress like an Egyptian, Hold a feast; Write a story/narration/summary/book report/essay from what was learned.

  4. Combine ages
    To simplify your homeschooling life, combine ages where you can. History can be taught successfully to the whole family at once, but the writing and reading assignments which are set will be different for the different ages. I expect more from my fifteen year old, than from my ten year old. Some families like to begin their day with their 'together' work - such as Bible, Memorization, History/Science Readings, Art, and whatever they combine, and then continue the day in independent studies. Other families like to begin independently, and then finish working on projects together.

  5. Make memorable learning experiences and products
    Textbooks may have a place as educational tools, but the consumable workbooks that some children work in year after year, will not be treasured years after. However, a book which they have created, a scrapbook, a personal diary, an art collection, a poster, a photo journal, a project, notebook or portfolio will have an important place in the lives of your children for years. These will be kept as wonderful memories and as the pages which they have spent energy, heart and soul creating, are turned, the experiences and memories of that year of homeschooling will come back too! My children love looking back at what they have created, but have not had any attachment at all to a consumable workbook, which subsequently has been tossed in the bin.

  6. All of Life is Education
    To simplify your homeschooling, do not confine education to books. All of life is education even chore training, kitchen duties, house cleaning. Do not be anxious if you can not get to the books as much as you would like. Talk to your children, converse with them about all of life, as you sit down, as you get up and as you walk along the road. Remember there are phases of learning and different ages have different things you need to focus on. When a child is ready, they can work quite independently, structure their own days and learn things quickly. How much more effective would it be if we taught our children a difficult concept when they were truly ready, rather than to our timetable or the timetable of our text? Remember that excursions, holidays, visiting the sick, providing a meal are opportunities for training and education. Also, one needs to be reminded that you can not do it all. Be realistic in your own expectations.

  7. Do not compare
    Above all, do not compare yourself with others. Use the homeschooling resources which conform with the goals you have for your children. If it is working for you and your family, there is no need to change.

    8. As you step out to simplify your homeschool curriculum, keep your own goals and the goals of your children in mind and be driven by them, not by the hype and advertising of numerous publishers.

    Thoughts from a Homeschool Dad

    From a Home School Dad

    I want to pick up on a few points that Marianne has brought up. One of the things that homeschool parents can struggle with are feelings of inadequacy. You read about a brand new product or one of your friends is advertising the benefits of a particular course or text book they have and you feel that you ought to get the text book or do the course because if you don't, "Your child might be left behind" or "you are setting them up for failure."

    I can think of one homeschool mum who would get into a discussion with Marianne about a particular book or course she was using and then switch to what Marianne was doing. Of course cross fertilization is important and that is why homeschoolers meet but we have to be very careful changing courses constantly.

    At theological college I had a friend that was always thinking of new methods to study Greek and he used this card system and that memorization method and in the end he didn't even sit the exam because he spent more time in thinking of better methods than actually following them through and learning Greek. The same can be said about those studying different investment methods. Chopping and changing can be costly and time consuming and may not produce the results you were hoping for.

    When we travelled around Europe on our honeymoon we met tourists who would suggest this place or that and even though they all sounded exciting and unmissable, you have to make a choice since your time is limited. Sticking to a basic, well thought out plan, is important.

    Let me suggest that you should only change the way you are doing things for a limited number of reasons. The reason I say that is because God wants us to be good stewards of our time and resources. We also have to heed the bible when it warns us against comparing. Everyone has different gifts and abilities and what works for one won't necessarily work for you.

    1. Firstly, if it isn't working then consider a change. If your child is simply not getting it or you even find it boring then a change is worth considering.

    2. Secondly, concentrate on getting materials that will last all your children. This might not be possible but consider the future and your goals and keep them in mind when looking for material and resources. If your goals are constantly changing then all you will do is walk around in circles.

    3. Thirdly, if your child really likes something allow them to explore it. The internet is a great resource and it is free. Your local libarary is also free and your children can follow up their interests there. Our plans and goals need some flexibility so it is important not to be overly rigid.

    Till next time.

    Gerald

    Organizational Tips

    Are you beginning your Homeschool Planning for 2010-2011?

    You will be interested in the next Homeschool Freebie coming up. I'll send out Quick News! to keep you informed.

    Please let us know your organizational tips here.



    Coming soon...

    Until next time, ... Keep-On-Track.....

    I pray that you have been encouraged through this ezine - and that you may be strengthened and motivated to keep it simple!

    May God bless your journey in home education!
    ...See you next time.... Marianne

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