Apples of Gold Home School News

Managing schedules becomes even more cumbersome if you have to work a job and homeschool, or if your student works a part-time job while homeschooling. Juggling studies within the time constraints of job schedules is something more and more of us face, either because economically we have to take in extra income to meet family needs, or because our children are reaching ages when they, too, are entering the workforce and testing their skills and interests.

Five years ago I was compelled to pick up extra income by taking on an outside job, and at about the same time some of my children were beginning to take on part-time jobs as well. Juggling both our schedules made for hectic days and some pretty frantic homeschooling experiences. But eventually we figured out what worked for us, and you can too, if you find yourself at this place in life. Here are some tips to help you muddle through what is doable, but not easy.

*Realize that the order of of your day will change, and accept that.

If you've been used to starting school at 8 am, but now your 16 year old is needed to stack your elderly neighbor's firewood at that time, then be willing to adjust your schedules accordingly. There are no rules about when you must do school. School after lunch can be just as productive as morning school, if that's what it needs to be. Reading literature before bed or in bed can be more enjoyable than seated around the table at 10 a.m while trying to rush through to get done before an afternoon activity.

*Decide what is most important, because sometimes you can't do it all.

Some days will slide by with little done in the way of "school work". Maybe you'll have to do math 3 days a week, and double up on biology on Fridays. Then decide if you can let the creative writing slide for a few days or weeks, or if you absolutely must do that science experiment, or instead watch a good youtube video of the same thing in place of it. Some things just have to go or be moved around if you or your child is holding a job. Try to find the educational value in the job if it makes you feel better.

*Don't beat yourself up.

If you as the parent is the one that has to leave home to work, the hardest thing to deal with can be the guilt. I'm not doing all I should. I'm not there for them. I'm torn in too many directions. Hopefully you've addressed these issues before you made the plunge to work, but there are some things you can never foresee. You CAN homeschool while you work. There WILL be sacrifices. You CAN raise a successful, well-educated child despite them. It takes dedication, committment, and no limit of energy. But with focus and determination, you can see it through. You can only do so much. You are one person, or a single small family team of people. Make of it what you can, and leave the outcome in God's hands. He's more than capable of filling in your gaps.

*Do what works for YOUR FAMILY, not someone else's.

The Bible tells us that comparing ourselves among ourselves is not wise. Yet it's sometimes difficult not to look at what someone else is doing and feel that we are woefully lacking. Don't do that! Especially if your circumstances are different. God put your child in your family because he wanted you to make the decisions for that child. You have to follow your instincts sometimes, and sometimes you just have to do what you can, especially if you're juggling jobs and school.

Take your days as they come, one at a time. What's that saying? Write your plans in pencil and let God have the eraser. Trust and prayer and patience are the key to homeschooling while job-juggling. Handled that way, it can all be accomplished.

     Homeschoolers are often asked a myriad of questions by non-homeschoolers. Some are asked merely out of curiosity. Some because they are considering homeschooling themselves. Whatever the reason, here are some of those questions as they were recently posed to me. Following are the answers I gave.

     1) When a parent homeschools their child, do they need a teaching degree or have to take any classes?

     2) When a homeschooled child graduates, do they need a diploma? How do they get it?

     3) Is there a cost for homeschooling? Do they have to buy books from companies?

     4) Do parents get paid for homeschooling their children? If so, do you think there will be an increase in the number of parents homeschooling their children because of the economy?

     5) Do you think there is a difference between homeschooled children and children who attend public schools regarding social issues and behaviors?

     6) When a homeschooled child applies for college, do they need to send in an ACT score or transcipt? How do these get sent to the colleges?

     #1. Each state has their own homeschooling laws, so what is true for one state is not necessarily true for all. In Wisconsin, parents are not required to hold any special degree or have particular qualifications to teach their children. Grass roots homeschooling and parenting organizations such as the Wisconsin Parents Organization have worked very hard to see to it that Wisconsin's laws are not intrusive on families. They, and most homeschoolers, believe that parents are innately qualified to teach their own children and know what's best for them.

     #2. Again, as my answers only apply to homeschoolers in Wisconsin, a diploma is not issued by a public school system to a homeschooler unless they are enrolled at home under a public school umbrella system like the virtual schools that are cropping up. However, most homeschoolers don't consider that to be true homeschooling, but rather public school at home.

Therefore, whether or not a student recieves a physical diploma depends entirely on the family. I have had 4 of my 5 kids graduate at home (one more coming in 2012!), and my husband and I have issued each of them a diploma except for the oldest who recieved her HSED through the local technical school. We actually think that a homeschool diploma is more valid than the HSED and GED -- just our personal opinion.

     We purchased our diplomas through a company that designs diplomas, caps & gowns, announcements, tassels, etc. strictly for homeschoolers. They are very elegant. However, I've had friends create their own diplomas on their computers, or simply have a graduation day without the formality of issuing one. I recieved my high school diploma from a large central Wisconsin public high school in 1980. It's been in a trunk ever since. No one has ever asked to see it.

Each of my children has picked different "school colors" for their tassels. Blue/silver, camoflage, pink/black, green/black. During their graduation party, we issue their diplomas so they have an audience.

     #3. Homeschooling can be costly or inexpensive, depending on what you think you need or want. Some homeschoolers purchase full lines of curriculum from curriculum vendors for many hundreds of dollars per child. Some families put together their own curriculum from many sources, new and used and free. Some families depend largely on libraries and field trips and hands-on learning experiences through internships, jobs, projects and so on. The beauty of homeschooling is in being able to plan your own course, pursue your own dreams, and direct your own learning according to your learning style and your family budget.

     #4. Homeschooling is a labor of love. No one is ever paid for it. In Wisconsin we do not recieve vouchers or tax benefits or anything else to help us offset the costs. We do it because we think it's best for our children. Homeschooling usually takes one parent out of the work force entirely or at least in part. Therefore, economics is not a factor in deciding to homeschool. It's more often a factor in deciding not to homeschool. Folks who choose homeschooling are usually frugal types who are willing to tighten the belt even more to make it work. However, homeschooling is much less expensive than private schooling. Small, private schools have taken a bit of a hit as people turn to homeschooling. Also, for every child pulled out of public school to homeschool, the school district loses state and federal dollars, so they try to woo them back.

     #5. Social behaviors . . . the one-hundred-million-dollar-question. Whether you grow up in a homeschool, public school, or private school environment, you are who you are based on your values -- what you learn and believe largely at home. You have good and bad behavior everywhere.

     However; one of the foremost popular reasons families often choose to homeschool is to regulate the types of socialization their children are frequently exposed to. They are looking for POSITIVE social experiences, in order to promote positive behaviors rather than negative ones. Yet, homeschoolers are not sheltered. They understand what the "real world" is like. Most often, though, the school environment is not a picture of the real world. So to use school as the model of what it's like to live and work in the "real world" is not an accurate model. To get to know the real world, homeschoolers participate in it. They go to town meetings, attend church, work part time jobs, hang out with old people as well as young people, and so on.

     Homeschoolers are, for the most part, very socialized. It's a MYTH that they lack social opportunities. Most homeschoolers are involved in sports; in clubs like 4-H; in music lessons; in group activities with other homeschoolers like gym days, field trips, play productions; church activities, community projects, and so on. Most homeschoolers have just as many social opportunities as your average public schooler.      

     What they don't do is sit on a school bus for 1-2 hours a day, hang out wasting time in the school cafeteria or in "study" halls, stand in lines in the hall while they wait for someone to get disciplined, get involved in cliques and gossip circles, and all that. And they still hang out with friends, go to the mall, mosh at concerts, attend parties, and all that fun stuff.

     Here are some examples of social things my kids were involved in as homeschoolers:

     • 4-H, which included trips to Washington D.C, the state capital, winter camp, the fair, and they also used it as a resource to perform plays, give speeches, promote their art and music, and so on

     • Church camp and youth group

     • Prom

     • Played on volleyball teams

     • Played on basketball teams

     • Played on Ultimate teams

     • Played in a band and produced a CD

     • Homeschool ski days

     • Homeschool bowling days

     • Homeschool gym days

     • Homeschool rollerskating days

     • History fairs, art fairs, science fairs, spelling bees

     • Campouts, hunting trips, swimming, canoe trips, and so on with friends

     • Visited nursing homes

     • and yes, they even dated (yikes!)

     One of the things my family loved about homeschooling, is that, having the freedom to choose our schedule, we could get together for adventures with our homeschooling friends or other folk whenever we wished. We even had a friend who never did school during September, October, and November, because that's when he hunted and trapped with his dad and brother and had outdoor adventures with his friends. He wasn't a huge summer fan, so he did his school then. Did it hurt him? Well, he's a geologist now, and has tons of friends, so I think he's doing pretty well.

     #6. Every college is different on what they require to get in. If a homeschooler is going to a traditional college in the UW system, he or she will likely need to take the ACTs or SATs. Homeschoolers often do that too. However, I've seen them take alternative routes as well. Here are some examples: One young man I know went to a two-year community college. All he had to do was take placement tests and round up a rough transcript of his homeschooling experience. After he graduated, he was able to continue his education at Michigan Tech for four more years to recieve a degree in surveying.

     My son went to an avionics school in Denver. He was admitted without tests or transcripts, though we did submit a transcript later once he actually started school, just for their records. He was admitted purely on a telephone interview.

     Some homeschoolers go the route of internships, some prefer private colleges which have been extremely accepting of homeschoolers because of their tendency to be self-guided, self-motivated, and well rounded. In fact, more private universities court homeschoolers because of these factors. They will often require either a transcript of home studies, a portfolio, or some other testing for admission instead of the ACTs or SATs.

     Some students decide not to go to college right away. When they do decide to go, they are sometimes admitted without having taken the ACTs, because they are older. This happened with my daughter who was out of high school for 4 years. She took placement tests in various areas and was admitted. She's now going on for her master's degree.

     Some homeschoolers take CLEP tests to get ahead. Some take college correspondence courses while in high school, like one of my son's who studied his passion -- birds -- through Cornell University's Ornithology correspondence course.

     Some homeschoolers continue homeschooling even when they get to college, preferring to do their college course work online or by correspondence. My nephew will graduate with honors this spring with such a degree from a well-known eastern university. He's planning to travel there to walk the aisle.

     Some homeschoolers, just like other kids, decide to go straight into the work force or marry and start a family. It's all good. One benefit that these homeschoolers have is that they probably had more opportunity to work part time jobs while in school and those experiences help their resumes to stand out. Because of their flexible schedules, they could usually work at odd times when other-schoolers couldn't. My youngest son began working for a landscaping company learning some terrific skills when he was 14. He'll probably continue working for them as he goes through tech school and fits in time to promote his band. (3 of those guys were homeschooled, too.)

     My 2007 graduate will be going to trade school next fall. He's only 20, but he's worked as a logger, a ship yard security patroller, a carpenter (roofing), and a flooring laborer (he layed floor in a home featured on Extreme Makeover Home Edition). He's had some great work experiences for a young guy. Some of these things couldn't have happened if he had first been getting home from school at 4:00 every day.

     Homeschoolers are just average kids. Even those that go on to do amazing things aren't usually overly brainy, just fortunate to be able to put their goals into motion.

     A common default for not homeschooling is the feeling that it can't be managed with all the other demands of life. Some parents feel too overwhelmed with work schedules, church involvement, housework, caregiving, or many of life's other pulls to add homeschooling into the mix.

     Others (and we who homeschool probably all find ourselves in this category at one time or another) have decided to plunge ahead, but we still can't figure out quite how to juggle everything we have to do. Here are some of the questions that we struggle with. Maybe you'll find your situation among them.

• How do we manage teaching several different ages while still trying to put supper on the table?
• How do we manage teaching a level of math we don't feel comfortable with, or something completely unknown to us such as a foreign language?
• How do we manage handling the aspects involved with our special needs child while giving enough attention to our other children?
• How do we keep the house in some semblance of order and also keep our homeschooling supplies organized in a way where we can quickly get our hands on what we need?
• How do we manage teaching one child alone so that they will remain motivated and not become bored?
• How do we manage bills on one income?
• How do we manage our daily school schedules and find time to do everything that we think we should along with trips to the grocery store, doctor appointments, impromptu visits from family or neighbors and so forth?
• How do we manage providing opportunities for our children's unique interests such as sports, drama, band, or other things that aren't so easily done at home?
• How do we manage putting together a high school transcript or preparing for the ACTs?

     This list could go on and on. I'm interested in opening up a forum for discussion here, sharing ways in which each of us have dealt with the issue of MANAGEMENT. If you have particular questions, or if you have encouraging ideas or can share things that have worked for you, PLEASE POST A COMMENT. 

IT'S A BIG WORLD OUTSIDE THE BOX

     I'm looking out the window, admiring the beautiful gladioli which are finally beginning to bloom. What an array of colors! Deep lavenders, sweet pinks and hot ones too, brilliant oranges that look good enough to eat; God knows how I love the vivacious expression of His creation in such vivid hues! I see the same thing when I look beyond nature into the make-up of people.

     No two of us our exactly alike. We may share similar coloring, styles, ideas, tastes, body shape, and feelings, but not all exactly the same way, or in the same combination. The world is fond of telling us that we need to celebrate diversity. Unfortunately, in some circles that has come to mean we should celebrate and accept one anothers' sin preferences. That's not what pleases God; and yet, the idea that we should step outside our own little box of what we think is beautiful, or good, or interesting, to explore and rejoice in the diversity God has created and instilled in others, is not only a delightful experience, but one which, I believe, pleases God as well.

     Generally, I'm not fond of purple (except as it colors flowers). Yet, for some reason, God created a LOT of people, especially young people, to be  enamored by purple as a favorite color. Because teenagers especially seem to like purple, whether Christian or not, does that then make purple a worldly color? (Hang with me here.) Of course not. But that's a simplistic take on a much bigger picture, the point of which is that we are extremely diverse, and the diversity of our tastes and talents that define us, sometimes reach deeply into what we believe spiritually.

     Some people believe that boys should keep their hair cut above their ears. Some believe that hair style is simply an artistic expression. Some people don't believe that people should pierce their ears, because if God meant for us to have holes there, He'd have put them there (hey, don't laugh; I didn't pierce my ears until age 45!). Other people think that a belly button is the perfect such hole.

DOES GOD DO UGLY?

     Whether or not we agree or disagree with the choices of others, especially our Christian brothers and sisters, we have to remember one thing: that God is a VERY ECLECTIC Being. He didn't limit Himself in His creation of the universe. He made beautiful things like my gladioli, but he also made frightening things, like Volcanoes and Boa Constrictors and Sea Monsters. Have you taken a close look at some spiders lately? No, probably not. The bulk of civilization thinks they're creepy, and if we'd been gods, we probably wouldn't have made them. Yet, they are beautiful by design, and another expression of God's creativity. I get the feeling that God thinks spiders and eels are just as beautiful as gladioli.

     Do you know kids who go to church, and walk the Walk, but for some reason have pierced tongues and green hair? They might seem like spiders to some folk, but they're gladioli to God.

HIS ATTRIBUTES IN US

     The cool thing about all of us, is that we were created in His image; meaning, we have been given tiny measures of His attributes. That's why we are creative. I'm creative in telling stories. My husband is creative in designing mailbox shields. You may be creative in decorating cakes, your kids may be creative in decorating their journals (with art, words, music). Your uncle may be creative in filling an aquarium, your aunt may be creative in planting a garden. Creativity, that attribute that was given by our Father, is expressed in zillions of different ways in us. Every single one of us is creative in some way. And if I may be so bold, I think God smiles when He sees us expressing the gift!

EXPRESSION OR BUST

     That means we shouldn't be surprised, or worse yet, dismayed, by the creativity of others. (Please don't swing the pendulum here. I'm not talking about a cross in a jar of urine or other sacrileges we've had thrust upon us.) But we all have to express our creativity or we'll burst.

     So what's my ultimate point? It's two-fold. First, let's accept the creative expression, the styles, the personalities of others, especially of those who are of the household of faith. Second, let's honor the creative bents that God planted in our children, even the ones that make us cock our heads and wonder, "Where did that come from?"  Maybe you never had a wanderlust to travel, but they do. Maybe you'd rather go back to horse and buggy days, but they want to drive race cars. Maybe you're an ultra-conservative, and they want to put purple kool-aid in their hair. What's the trouble? Did anyone hold God back when He said, "And now I'm going to make a crazy little thing called an Armadillo"?

     Enjoy your "gladioli" today, whatever color they express.

     One of my adult children recently made the realization that you have to put in the time to get your education one way or another. While some kids may balk at going on to school for 4, 6, or even 8 years and more after high school, and prefer to join the work force rather than invest that time in further schooling, others are quick to head off to college the moment they graduate from high school. Either way, they'll both likely find themselves heading into an educational experience. Anyone who joins the work force usually starts out at the bottom and spends a length of time climbing the company ladder, or going from job to job, enhancing skills along the way until they are finally qualified for some higher level in the employment structure. This can take months or years. In the same way, someone who goes to college to gain a degree must put in the years and work. So, there's a price to pay, either through on the job training, in the school, online, or through life experience.

     Helping our teens understand this truth is one thing that we, as parents, can do to encourage them as they seek out the best path before them.

     The second thing we can do to encourage them, is to help them realize that none of the time spent is likely to be wasted. For example, my young adult has already gotten a two-year certificate in a chosen field and has gone on to work for over three years in that field. Now, however, he's reached a point that he's considering a career change. Whether he decides to do that or not, none of the past five years have been wasted. He will be able to apply not only his past education, but his life experience well into whatever he chooses to do. He's gained valuable experience, knowledge, insight, and skill which will continue to serve him well. He can look at the previous years as part of the journey to whatever future God has planned for him.

     I, myself, chose to discontinue college when my husband and I began to raise a family. Learning didn't cease, however. My education has become a life-long adventure, as has yours, simply by pursuing dreams, goals, part time jobs, and being involved in church roles, in community action, and with family. And especially through homeschooling.

     It's been unfortunate that society has taken so long to begin recognizing the various means in which people are educated and can qualify for jobs. For generations, it seems that the only measurement of qualification has been the brick and mortar college degree. I think that now, however, that is beginning to change. While attending college is still the important and right choice for many, acheivements via other avenues are beginning to become more recognized. Through a resurgence in apprenticeship (thank you, very much, homeschoolers!), to online courses, community classes, documenting life experience, on the job training, military experience, and so on, education happens. And sometimes the more diverse that education is, the more interesting the resume grows.

    Students or parents: here's a cool resource to help you pursue higher education. This site offers FREE online classes in a wide number of disciplines. Most courses are taught at college level. http://www.free-ed.net   Also: keep on eye on Apples of Gold News for future updates on a new site which plans to offer FREE courses and encouragements for the homeschooled student who loves (or maybe doesn't love) to write. This new site is still in the works, but will be hosted by 8 writers from around the United States who also happen to be home school advocates.

     As home teachers, we often worry about educational gaps. Do they exist? Absolutely; but that's true in every schooling situation, whether at home or otherwise. College professor and homeschooling veteran Greg Landry addresses these gaps and what we can do about them in the following article. He also points out the many areas in which homeschoolers traditionally excell.

College Professor Critiques Homeschoolers

   copyright 2009 by Greg Landry, M.S.

     I teach sophomore through senior level college students - most of them are "pre-professional" students. They are preparing to go to medical school, dental school, physical therapy school, etc.

     As a generalization, I've noticed certain characteristics common in my students who were homeschooled. Some of these are desirable, some not.

     Desirable characteristics:

     1. They are independent learners and do a great job of taking initiative and being responsible for learning. They don't have to be "spoon fed" as many students do. This gives them an advantage at two specific points in their education; early in college and in graduate education.

     2. They handle classroom social situations (interactions with their piers and professors) very well. In general, my homeschooled students are a pleasure to have in class. They greet me when the enter the class, initiate conversations when appropriate, and they don't hesitate to ask good questions. Most of my students do none of these.

     3. They are serious about their education and that's very obvious in their attitude, preparedness, and grades.

     Areas where homeschooled students can improve:

     1. They come to college less prepared in the sciences than their schooled counterparts - sometimes far less prepared. This can be especially troublesome for pre-professional students who need to maintain a high grade point average from the very beginning.

     2. They come to college without sufficient test-taking experience, particularly with timed tests. Many homeschooled students have a high level of anxiety when it comes to taking timed tests.

     My advice to homeschooling parents:

     1. If your child is even possibly college bound and interested in the sciences, make sure that they have a solid foundation of science in the high school years.

     2. Begin giving timed tests by 7th or 8th grade. I think it is a disservice to not give students timed tests. They tend to focus better and score higher on timed tests, and, they are far better prepared for college and graduate education if they've taken timed tests throughout the high school age years.

In the earlier years the timed tests should allow ample time to complete the test as long as the student is working steadily. The objective is for them to know it's timed yet not to feel a time pressure. This helps students to be comfortable taking timed tests and develops confidence in their test-taking abilities.

Greg Landry is a 14 year veteran homeschool dad

and college professor. He also teaches one and

two semester online science classes, and offers

free 45 minute online seminars..

http://www.HomeschoolScienceAcademy.com

_____________________________________

Greg Landry, M.S.

Director, Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab

office: 828-265-4101

Greg@homeschoolscienceacademy.com

http://www.HomeschoolScienceAcademy.com

Being a writer, has in ways, made it difficult for me to teach writing to my kids. I have to admit that I obsess about teaching them to write. I actually back off of it a little because I don't want them to think I expect them to become writers. Kinda weird. But, that confession made,  I'm going to share my experience with you and maybe it'll spark some ideas for teaching writing in your homeschool -- maybe not.

For me, the best thing is that I've been able to easily assess my kids' strengths and weaknesses. That's the writer advantage. If writing isn't one of your strengths or you don't necessarily enjoy writing, you might struggle with that. But that doesn't mean you can't teach them to write. When you read what they've written, learn to read it with an eye to the basics. --Should I be pausing here (punctuation)? Does this thought tie in with everything around it (unnecessary information)? Is it interesting to read (strong nouns, lively verbs)?-- My daughter, for instance, has a terrible time with run-on sentences and sentence fragments. That's what we're going to mostly work to cure next year.

When my kids were young, we stuck to grammar curriculums and writing simple book reports and stories. My kids were also frequently asked to give oral reports of what they'd learned in science, history, etc., or to give speeches. That helped them learn to organize thoughts and information. Yes, I do believe in learning how to diagram sentences! I never learned to understand diagramming well until my kids started Rod and Staff's English program. (They called it Rot & Stuff. LOL!) But I saw my own writing improve by learning all that diagramming vicariously as I taught them. It will help them to become better writers, too.

As for other writing, the adage of "write what you know" has really been the best piece of advice for me with teaching (and occasionally prodding) my kids to write. I could add to that by saying "write what you enjoy!"

My boys, of course, loved adventure. So I tried to give them prompts that were fraught with something adventurous or something outdoorsy that they could relate to, like a canoe trip gone frantically wrong (10 year old boys surviving alone in the wilderness, and all that). Sometimes I'd have them write their real life hunting and fishing tales which we'd put into a booklet with photographs. One of them has loved ornithology since he was 5, so much of his writing was done in a bird-watching journal. Strangely, he claims he never liked writing, but he's become a very succinct orator, has a strong vocabulary, and when he had job which required him to submit a report each day, he was complimented on his thoroughness!

My recent graduate is a fantasy/Lord of the Rings/dragons and warriors kind of guy. He, I have to admit, was easiest to get to write because he has an unceasing imagination. He never balked at any writing assignments because they came easy to him. At 14 he set out to write a fantasy adventure which became a novella over the course of the school year. With him I worked on editing and re-writes. We learned to proof read to make his writing tighter and stronger, as well as correcting spelling and punctuation errors. I think that if you have a child who likes to write at all, then do yourself a favor and turn him or her loose on a project that means something to them -- a novel, short story, collection of poems, a scientific paper -- something that they'll cherish, and doesn't signify more busy-work.

I tried to get my kids to do "research papers", but other than learning how to find information (which is so easy and natural to them with the internet) and then organizing it, we haven't spent a lot of time on these. If kids don't enjoy their subject matter, then it's questionable that they'll really care about learning the writing process.

I also had them occasionally write position/argument papers. I've seldom required great length from these papers. I just ask for them to be thorough. If it takes 1 page or 10, that's up to them as long as they're not being lazy about it. My goal is for them to become good communicators -- which, of course, doesn't necessarily equal wordiness (note the Gettysburg Address). If your child is planning to take the ACT Writing Assessment or some similar test, then you might check out the sample papers in the study guides you can acquire for these tests. These can be good guides for writing this type of essay, and they will give you some sort of notion of the types of questions asked on these tests (which are occasionally not the type of questions that homeschoolers would ever worry about -- "should schools require the wearing of uniforms by students...?":dry

Lastly, I think it's important for my high-schoolers, especially those close to graduation, to know how to write a resume. This becomes a senior project. They might also help write their transcripts and write real or sample letters of application to colleges.

Think of how writing relates to real life. Consider where life might be taking them. These days, nearly every job requires a level of ability to communicate well. People have to know how to get their ideas and opinions across to others. Develop a plan for your child that best accomplishes this.

You probably have so many plans for summer that you don't even want to think about anything school related. So don't.  Relax. Have fun. Look at some old activities in a new way. It's all education anyway.

Here are some ideas:

1.) Throw stuff out. Have the kids help you sort out the books you no longer need. Clean the shelves. Empty the bins. Downsize on "stuff". Feel refreshed.

2.) Garden. Go to farmers' markets. Visit nurseries. Buy flowers, or better yet, make a regular occasion of going out to pick fresh, wild bouquets.

3.) Hunt for treasures at flea markets and rummage sales. I love sales, but after the first couple, the summer begins to implode and I don't get to as many as I'd like. If you can manage it, allow your kids the fun of finding hidden and inexpensive treasures at garage sales. 

4.) Enjoy church activities that you don't always have time to be involved with during the school year. Get together with friends. Enjoy small group studies. Find a ministry that suits your family.

5.) Find a book that you'll read together ONLY when it storms and the power goes out. Something funny, maybe, or whatever appeals. Strongly. (Okay, if you have to, create a forced power outage

6.) Go camping, even if it's in the back yard. Roast things on sticks (preferably not frogs or anything weird like that -- haha!) Learn a new outdoor skill like orienteering or outdoor photography.  Post your experience online for your family and friends to share.

7.) Send your kids on a scavenger hunt while you enjoy a good book or some other relaxing activity.  Plan ahead enough to be able to keep them at it for a while. Offer a reward at the end to spur them on. Then let 'em go!

8.) Have lots of picnics! I'm bad at this because I'm disorganized. If you're like me and feel grilling impaired, develop a system. Organize your stuff so you can enjoy more outdoor meals.

9.) Watch movies with the express purpose of having your kids give an oral review of them afterward. Or better yet, ask them what favorite movie they want to watch, and have them persuade you why the family should choose theirs. (Good persuasive speech skills!) If they win, maybe they can hand out movie tickets, and choose the snack.

10.) Spend time drawing and painting, preferably outdoors in good light. Whether it's fingerpainting, painting on mats, chalk drawing on the sidewalk, or making silly or serious sketches in a notebook, encourage an artistic flair. If you take a road trip, you could encourage a drawing from each place you visit, or one from each state you cross, or whatever else you think of.

I hope this gives you some ideas for adding a twist to regular summertime activities. Mostly I hope it helps you have fun in the sun and a great summertime!

     Tis that time again. I'm a little nostalgic as I scan through my book shelves and notice that there are now more books we've already read than those whose stories we have yet to discover, and that there are quite a few we simply will never get to.

     Ah, for a few more chances to "re-do" here, or "add-one" there. I have to start giving away or selling some of those old, friendly tomes that are taking up valuable space. It's hard to let go. I stopped at a rummage sale today at the home of a homeschooling friend. She had a table full of books like that for sale. I remembered when she first bought a few of them. Great tales of courage and wisdom. Champions. Heroines. So good.

     There are stories that stick in my memory from my youth. The ones that refuse to be forgotten because they were adventurous or epic or real. I wonder which stories will stay with my kids?

     Some of you have small children and are just beginning to set out on your own discoveries. Some of you have middle-graders, children who are developing their own personal reading tastes. Some, like me, have older children, those who know what they like and don't like to read, and whom we have only a short time left (school-wise) to influence. I wonder what books we should choose for next year? By what tales or biographies should we allow ourselves to be enchanted or provoked as we close out this final leg of the school year? 

     Part of the reason I ask myself this is not simply for the nostalgic or entertainment value which, frankly, I love. It's not just to learn about the life of another important person in history. The main reason that I think it's important that we read wonderful books is because it has the power to create a hunger for reading down the road, when kids become adults and no one is telling them they have to read something.

     It's an unfortunate, statistical fact that college graduates spend less time reading for pleasure than those who haven't emerged from those hallowed halls. I believe it's because they are purely worn out from reading mountains of dreck that's forced upon them in the name of "liberal arts". I want my children to hunger for story, information, knowledge, and all that comes from a life-long love of reading. PLEASE, GOD, DON'T LET ME FEED THEM DRECK!  

     I say that in seriousness! It's very easy to convince ourselves that our kids must read certain works in order to be well rounded. I don't believe it. There are a tens of thousands of books published every year, and there are mountains of oldie-but-goodie ones in libraries, used books stores, and online that you may never have heard of, but are filled with character, wisdom, and delight. You simply have to ferret them out. That's all part of the discovery process, the adventure, and the joy when you love to read.

     Do you like to read? Why or why not? I think there's a good reason, either way, and that we have it within our own power in our homeschools to either open up the joy that is reading to our children, or to steer them down the road of disenchantment by either ignoring the possibilities or by offering them dreck.

     Life is adventurous and full of wonder. Stories magnify the fact. Let's get our kids in on that.

What explorer ever starts out on a voyage without careful forethought and planning? What dieter successfully loses weight without sticking to a course of action? What building is constructed without committment to precise measurements and exacting detail?

So it is with homeschooling. In order to achieve continued success, and at the very least to stick to the task, we must plan a course with goals in mind and establish the means to reach results. In order to do that, we have to take inventory of ourselves. We have to take a realistic look at our shortcomings as well as our strengths.

Therefore, there are two questions that we should ask ourselves.

1.) What's one thing am I good at? (What are my strengths?) 

2.) What's one area where I lack? (Where am I weak?)

Don't go beyond these. Don't deride yourself by saying, "Well, I lack in a lot more areas than one, thank-you-very-much!" You know the old saying, "How do you eat an elephant?--One bite at a time." That's how you deal with those areas in which you don't feel proficient?one small chunk at a time, as you can handle it. And be honest with yourself. Are these areas where your spouse or your children might agree?  

Knowing the answers to these two questions and beginning there, it's easy to establishing both short term and long term goals.

In  those areas where you feel confident, forge ahead. For instance, if you feel that history is your strength, while you know nothing about chemistry, then by all means, go with that. Don't stop to berate yourself over what you don't know. Then, in those areas where improvement is called for, go ahead and set a steady course of learning for yourself that might or might not include your children. In the long run, modeling how to learn is probably much more important than what to learn, anyway.

As you reach each new level of skill or accomplishment, or simply feel adequate to muddling through with the training, then it's time to bite off another small chunk. Go ahead and ask yourself the questions again. With each little bite you chew, set your new long-term goals.