Parental Tech

How I am spending my Summer vacation-hunting up new Math programs-what FUN? NOT!

2012-06-01T10:50:00.000-04:00

And yet another blog from ME about Math! Are you tired of my whining yet? Honestly, it is our bone of contention in this house.....I would love to toss it out the window! And I am apparently on the hunt for a new Math program for my older son for Fall 2012, because the one he is using...he has issues with. Of course he waits until May to tell me this....been using it since last August...but apparently NOW is the time to complain. He says that learning the math facts is an issue because they are talking in VERY mathematical terms instead of in terms he can understand and he is not getting it. So guess what my Summer will be spent doing? Finding a Math program that is reasonably priced or free that will work for a high schooler who has Math issues. Not to mention is seemed like his 9th grade year was a little light on subjects and since my younger son is moving into 9th grade and older son will be 10th grade....I need to make sure they have more to do vs. playing online games! Mom has been a little lax in that department! So....my Summer is planned checking out Math and finding out if the Math facts are good and easy to learn! What are YOUR Summer plans?!LOL

What is unschooling?

2012-06-01T10:43:00.000-04:00

When we first started homeschooling we were bombarded with advice! LOTS of advice! The one that sticks in my mind was someone said unschooling! I was like WHAT? Her version was that for every year my child had been in public school, we were to take a month off. You are to remove the issues that public school instilled by doing this! I was never for this...I knew my son. I knew that the longer we goofed off away from lessons, the harder it would be to reel him back into it later! So, instead we took 2 weeks off! He had a hard blow, he felt defeated and so did I. Plus I needed to get my act together and figure out how I was going to homeschool a middle schooler! There are many versions of unschooling, I have since found out! It is like anything else, you can google it and read 100 different opinions and versions! You take what you like and toss the rest! We are hardcore schoolers during the school year but our Summer break, for what it is....we are unschoolers! School is NOT thought about....it doesn't exist! So.....if you want to be a homeschooler, be sure to check out unschooling and see if it is for you! Happy Homeschooling!

Hunt, peck, hunt, peck....how are those typing skills?

2012-05-17T12:05:00.000-04:00

This quote on my friend's Pinterest page last night got me thinking about typing or keyboarding!

My boys are computer experts.....at playing video games! They can hunt and peck to converse with their friends or send an email to Grandma but they are not typers per say. So....we will be adding typing/keyboarding games as part of our weekly lessons in for our Fall 2012-2013 school year! I want them to be able to type a letter proficiently with little mistakes and if they do make a mistake, the auto correct doesn’t catch it before they do! They need to be able to spot their issues. They are going to be in 9th and 10th grade. They will be writing papers in College before I know it and while I had to do mine the old fashioned way, on paper with a pen and then transfer to a typewriter or word processor.....they need to be able to use the keyboard on their computer! Which leads me to ask, how proficient are YOU on the keyboard? If not, maybe you should consider adding a typing game to your homeschool for your kids!

Where in the world is ----------? Adding Geography to your Lesson Plans!

2012-05-17T11:56:00.000-04:00

As the 2011-2012 homeschool year is winding down....I am already looking ahead to our 2012-2013 school year! I will have 2 in high school! SHOCK! I cannot believe it! It seems like just yesterday I was at their Kindergarten orientation.... And as I sit down and make out the list of courses for them for next year, I realize that we need to bump up our geography lessons! To me, geography is VERY important! Think of the news, this happened in Somalia, that in Iraq, weapons in North Korea, tornados in Texas....each one of those talks about an area of the world and I want my boys to be able to know generally where they are! So.....I am going through different geography programs to find one that works for their age level. This is the challenge as there are lots of great programs out there but they are 14 and 15, 9th and 10th grade starting in the Fall. They are beyond what they consider "baby" programs. English, Math, History, Geography, Science are all on our lesson plans for the Fall.... thinking of adding a foreign language and ???? Whatever Mom comes up with!!!! Insert evil laugh!!! So, have you started you lesson plans for Fall yet? What is on your agenda?

You are never to old to ask for help!!! Honest!

2012-05-03T18:53:00.001-04:00

Have you ever been at that point in your homeschool that you, the parent are at a loss! This subject was either your worst in school, you have no clue how they got that answer, what the heck is a conjunction, and who really was Napoleon? Your kids are sitting there staring at you like, "What? YOU do not know?" And you know, they are thinking that this lady is my teacher....and SHE doesn’t know.....OMG! I have been there, SO been there! I have been there more than I want to admit in the past 4 years! I was a decent student with exception of Math. I have a good memory but I tell you......they shove a lot of crap into our heads in school that there is no reason to know 20+ years later! And most of us didn't sit in grades K-12 planning to homeschool our child(ren) in the future....so we paid attention enough to pass the darn test and get us through that class..... Well, guess what.... we are homeschooling parents now.... we do have to know things OR at least be able to pull it off like we think we do!LOL That is where finding great places for online homework help comes into play! I tell every new to homeschooling parent to find great sites for each subject! They will be lifesavers! They will be your go-to when you are stuck, you are at your wits end and you cannot remember what a conjunction is! I have a folder FULL of them! I share them with anyone that asks! And I after 4 years, am not to embarrassed to admit that I do not know it all and never will! Thank goodness for the internet, the library and encyclopedias! Happy Homeschooling!

Life is a Puzzle!

2012-05-03T18:46:00.000-04:00

I love puzzles! I love games! My kids love both! I am a firm believer that puzzles are great to stimulate the mind and I love to make sure my grandmother(who also loves puzzles) has a variety to keep her 82 year old mind active! My boys have a stack of books that are visual puzzles, mind benders, word searches, etc. as well as a bunch of websites that we can check out for a change of pace! Sometimes on really bad days my high schooler can take a break, expand his mind and relax while working on a puzzle and it clears his head so he can come back to the work at hand and concentrate.....and things tend to go smoother! Amazing as most people would think that it would work the opposite. But, it channels a different part of your brain and makes it work differently. Therefore you have a different mindset once you get back to the task at hand. Puzzles in one form or another will always be a part of our household and when my kids grow up, I hope to involve their kids in puzzles! Life is a brainteaser in itself, so why not get with the program and check out how puzzle games would work in your homeschool! Happy Homeschooling!

Investing in Preschool Flashcards!

2012-04-22T23:26:00.000-04:00

Well....we are winding up our preschool year in my childcare! The older boys are almost done with their preschool lessons! But..... we will continue our Kindergarten prep throughout the Summer with preschool flashcards! I love flashcards! We can use them in SO many way in a childcare setting!! Take them outside and ask the kids as they are playing, minds are more open and you can even make a game out of it! Red light, green light with flashcards! He/She who answers gets to advance 2 steps! Use them on rainy days! We are stuck inside, waiting for sunshine and good weather.....so why not cram in a quick lesson where we can! Use them when kids are wild and crazy and we need to sit and calm down! Use them as a game and lesson in one!!! They are universal and easy to us and CHEAP! You can print them out online for free at lots of places! You can go to your Dollar Store and get them for CHEAP! You can get them at Walmart for really in expensive! And if you are really good...you can get sets at your local thrift store! I have ABC flashcards, Shapes, flashcards, Number flashcards, Colors flashcards, Phonics flashcards and even Animals flashcards! I love FLASHCARDS! So, if you have preschoolers...and are still unsure about homeschooling or are looking for something to tuck in your purse for Dr. visits, trips to grocery store or stuck in traffic...invest in a set of 2 or 3 of flashcards!!!

Alphabetical Order!! Life, Homeschool...childcare!

2012-04-22T23:16:00.000-04:00

As a organizational freak Mom, who has slight OCD(or CDO if it were to pertain to this article!LOL)...I am into things being in alphabetical order! My boys books are in alphabetical order, my bookshelves are in alphabetical order, the daycare bookshelves are in alphabetical order, our homeschool files are in alphabetical order and the daycare/preschool files are in alphabetical order! I like things in order, especially when you can make them alphabetical order! That is the coupe de gras! Though sometimes I get a little crazy and try to organize things even more like the pantry, the pets, the laundry....!LOL Small house, equals limited space and therefore I have had to be creative in how I organize so not only does it work for homeschool but my business of childcare in my home AND natural everyday living!! Love this, it becomes a challenge to me! So....are you an alphabetical person, an organizational person or both?!! Happy Homeschooling!

Learning ability not learning disorder!

2012-04-15T10:56:00.001-04:00

My son has a learning disorder(what society calls it) or a learning ability....at least I call it that. It is also a life disorder, he has ADHD.
It has been an experience for all of us on how best to deal with it. He is now a high schooler and is able to see the signs of things that set him off.
Homeschooling has really helped him with this! He was fine through elementary school but middle school, the time crunch, the changing of classes, the busier day really set him off. So it was a blessing when we decided to homeschool him!
He has blossomed!
He gets little junk food, we fix fresh as much as possible. He takes natural Omega-3 brain vitamins to help him stay focused. He gets to get up and move when needed, he can walk away if something is really frustrating him.
Now, these are not the answers for every child with ADHD or a learning disorder. I think every family needs to see what works for them and their child!
In this day and age of the internet, forums, etc. you can learn all you need to about whatever your child needs!
So, whether your child has autism, ADHD, PDD, dyslexia, ADD, or another type of learning disorder....there is a schooling that will work for them. Whether public school, homeschool, both, a tutor......
Your child can bloom and grow, to become the person they want and need to be! I do not like to call it a learning disorder, but a learning ability! It is their special strength!

Do you have a reluctant reader? Make the a fluent reader by finding their niche!

2012-04-05T11:03:00.001-04:00

My boys are both readers-NOW!
That was not always the case!
My oldest son was a reluctant reader. He struggled and really didn’t read well until 3rd grade.
Public School programs helped him but I do not think it was until after we started homeschooling that he really learned to read well and read fluently.
Yes, I can credit myself for this but I also think it had a lot to do with the program we used....Time 4 Learning!
Not only was it fun and games BUT....they had to read in the Science and Social Studies sections but it was broken down into small sections so it was not overwhelming. It was written well so it was not boring. He enjoyed learning and enjoyed reading for the first time in his life!
He started to develop an interest in books! He ASKED, yes ASKED for books! He spent the family camping vacation of 2010 READING! He read the whole Percy Jackson series and if he wasn't obligated to do family activities....his nose was in a book! It was AWESOME!
And still is!
Not all kids are easy readers! Some are reluctant and you as the parent need to find that niche that makes them fluent readers!
This means being in tune with your child, their interests and what would get them there!
Good luck, Happy Reading!!!

Art is not scary!

2012-03-25T19:03:00.000-04:00

What is art?
How do you teach art?
Recently I submitted a poll on my forum asking what is the hardest subject to teach...thinking that many people would be like me and claim Math! As you know from reading past posts, Math is my arch nemisis. I hate teaching it, I hate it period!
But imagine my surprise that ART was the most dreaded subject to teach and anything in the Arts related, to include Music. I was and still am shocked!
Gosh, I WISH I could just teach Art!
Arts, Crafts and Music are my favorite curriculums!
But, I know now there are parents out there that are struggling with teaching this subject!
And there are many ways to get help!
You can hire out! Which many do, esp. with music lessons. You can do this as well with Art! There are lots of great classes offered at community centers, community colleges, after school programs, etc. that gear towards kids OR can help you learn so you can teach your kids.
You can get workbooks and textbooks!
You can search online for some great programs!
It depends on you and your ability!
For me, I have an Art History background and am very artistic so I buy anything I find that appeals to me and/or my kids!
And now that they are in middle school and high school, I can really up the program! Starting next year when they are BOTH in high school, we will be taking field trips to Art Museums, etc. to appreciate art in person and learn up close about the different types of art!
So...do not be afraid of art! It might seem scary but really it isnt!
Tap into your artistic side!

A Fun and Educational Day @ Hatfield Marine and Science Center!

2012-03-18T20:13:00.002-04:00

Well.....we just got back from a Homeschooling Adventure!
The Hatfield Marine and Science Center in Newport, Or. holds a Homeschool Day twice a year!
We have good intentions of signing up for this every year, but so far something has happened.
November 2010 my husband took the boy on a last minute trip to see his parents and sister. March 2011 we were scheduled to go but my son was down with the flu. November 2011 we had horrid weather and decided not to chance it. FINALLY, March 2012 we were signed up!!! WAHOOO
They were in the upper class of 8th-12th grade!
And it was AWESOME!
Parents basically drop-off, especially at their age! We signed up at 10am, had an orientation at 10:15am and they started classes at 10:30am. This went on until 4pm~
They got to dissect a fish and for my boys this was the best. Guts being pulled out, eyes plucked, skin peeled, BLECH! Needless to say, Mom stopped them from telling me much more!LOL
Then they learned about new deep sea creatures and how to classify them. This was extremely cool as my younger son was talking non-stop about a fish that has a bubble over his eyes for protection! COOL!
Then it was an estuary walk, where they dug for ghost shrimp to count and classify!
My 8th and 9th grade sons were in heaven with these "animal games"! For them it was fun and learning and GROSS all rolled into one!
And my younger son had found a creature on our Family Vacation 2010 and we had yet been able to figure out what it was! He had great pics of it, which we took along! FINALLY we had an answer!
It was a Gumboot Chiton! The largest of the chitons AND we were privileged that we saw one because they are rare to see!!
A family walk on the beach after we picked them up and then dinner at a local seafood restaurant was the perfect ending to a great day!
And the talk all the way home(3 hour drive) and tucking them in bed and even most of Saturday was about their day at Hatfield!!!
I love that my boys LOVE stuff like this! Fun and Education all wrapped up in one!!!

Pros and Cons of Homeschooling?!!

2012-03-12T22:48:00.001-04:00

I get asked most often, the pros and cons of homeschooling!
These can change on a daily basis... let me tell you!!
Give me a great day when my kids are sailing through school, are happy and content and I know that everything is going GREAT...I can list all pros and no cons.
Give me a day where my oldest son has a meltdown, both the boys are fighting and my daycare kids are invading THEIR space....calgon...take me AWAY! I can totally list all cons and very little pros.
I imagine if you asked every homeschooling parent, they would say the same thing!
Just like a job, we have bad days and good days!
So...let's get the bad stuff out of the way first!

My personal cons:
No alone time anymore
No downtime
Never a clean house
REALLY bad days with middle school meltdowns just about do you in

My personal pros:
Great education for your kids
Personalized education for your kids
Lots of 1 on 1 time with your kids
Watching your kids grow and getting to see EVERYTHING
Quality family time
Having a teen who WANTS to grocery shop with you
Having kids who like you
Having kids who are able to count back change
No hours of homework AFTER school
Short school days
Getting to school in your pj's
Getting to school in your backyard
Getting to go to a museum on a Friday when the other kids are in school
Getting to drive by the school ON a school day and hear your kids say SUCKERS!LOL
Just having my kids be kids
and I could go on and on and on....I could add to this list daily because homeschooling my kids is AWESOME!

So, what are your homeschooling pros and cons?

Do you have a homeschooling portfolio?

2012-03-12T21:47:00.000-04:00

Do you have a homeschooling portfolio for your kids?
Some States require you to have one!
It is basically proof of what you are doing! That you are being a great parent and educating your child....not letting them veg out in front of the TV playing video games every day!LOL
And even if your State does NOT require it, it is a good thing to have and update regularly!
In Oregon, where I live...it is not required but in case the laws change, I am questioned or I need proof for college...I keep one for each of my boys. It takes up little room but could really save my butt if needed!
So....every few months I print out the boys records on Time 4 Learning. It keeps track of their test scores, quizzes, etc.
I add to that any State Testing results that are required. Here it is needed year 3, 5, 8, and 10. And since we started homeschooling when my older son was in 6th, his 8th grade test was our first...but it IS in his portfolio.
I make them all fancy, print out a nice label and pick a different folder color for each year and do a separate one for each boy. Then I invested in a nice office box with a lid and it has a special spot out in the garage. At the end of each school year, I tidy up our homeschooling info, file the documents in each folder and put them in the box.
Will I ever need them? I hope not, BUT...if I do....I am ready to go!
So....do you have a homeschool portfolio? I would LOVE to hear how you prepare yours!

Teaching Analogies using the Internet Highway!

2012-02-22T12:14:00.001-05:00

The easiest way to teach your kids analogies is with some games!
You can sit and explain how a heart is like a bike pump, with blood instead of air.
Or how a birds wings and an airplane wings are similar for a reason.
But...that doesn’t mean your explanation was a good one OR that your kids will get you?!
They may just think you have gone off the homeschooling Mom deep end!LOL

Plus there are different versions of an analogy! There is the analogy comparison where this is like that and why.
There is also the biological analogy as to why things that are similar like a butterfly, moth and fly all have wings but have evolved differently. They are similar, yet different!
Confused yet?!
This means that finding some good analogy games online is probably your best bet.
And while you are at it...you get some good research done AND might just stumble upon other great homeschooling sites along the way! WIN-WIN!

So, if an analogy or how to present an analogy confuses you.... don't sweat it! Hop online the internet highway and google analogy games and/or analogy definitions and see where it takes you!
Hey....I just compared the internet to a highway....guess what....THAT is also an analogy!LOL

I'm a poet and didn't even know it!

Evolving with Evolution!

2012-02-22T12:00:00.001-05:00

I am a firm believer in evolution! I believe we came from amoebas, and evolved to fish, then to reptiles, and to mammals, etc.
I think that dinosaurs and birds are cousins, there are too many factors to say not, IMHO.
I believe in strata layers showing that the earth was once covered in water, lakes were in the middle of the USA, that Pangaea existed and that we are kissing cousins of apes!
And as the Mom of 2 teens, 8th and 9th grade...we are at the age where explaining evolution to my homeschoolers is understandable!
My youngest son has ALWAYS been into dinosaurs and both of them are rockhounds like me...so they already have a good base for this!
Now...how do we go about it?
My favorite version is the shirt that Sheldon on Big Bang Theory wears! LOL
But....just showing them a shirt isn't really teaching! LOL Though it would make my life easier!
So...that being said....
There are LOTS of different versions out there...depending on how you see it!
Deciphering WHICH version is right for you is 100% up to you!
Research it! Go online, chat with other homeschooling parents!
Then see if you have helpful online assistance or hit the internet looking for books to help you out!
Which version or combo of them works for you...is up to you!
Just remember, studying evolution will help you EVOLVE as a homeschooler!

Looking for a New Writing Curriculum....

2012-02-12T23:22:00.001-05:00

Well, we are mid-year and I know one thing that is DEFINITELY going to change for next school year!
WRITING!
Why....because the program my Mom is using for their writing program, just isn't cutting it anymore! The boys at 8th and 9th grade are beyond worksheets, beyond cursive practice, beyond dictionary work! Not bashing the wonderful writing program my Mom came up with for them! It has worked the past 3 years! Love you MOM!!!
But....they are tired of it! I am tired of fighting them on it! They get bored easily and are doing sloppy work. Therefore, Grandma is tired of fighting with them on it. And since she lives 6 hours away...it isn't exactly easy for her to pop over to deal with it.
So, together....she and I are on a mission to find something that works and works well!
For EVERYONE!
Right now we are checking into a homeschool online writing curriculum! We have several things in mind! These would be tied in with physical writing as well! Never want them to forget pen and paper!
So....guess what I am saying is....my faithful readers.... do you have a writing program for your older kids that you like? One you dislike and warn people from?
I am looking for input!

Homeschooling Middle School and Beyond....

2012-02-12T23:03:00.001-05:00

In this house....I am constantly busy! Not only are we homeschooling but as some of you may or may not know...I run a childcare, I write for a living and am basically a SAHM as well! Constant chaos, constantly busy but content!
The time we spend on learning is almost 24/7 and it never is dull! Why you ask? Well....because I homeschool my 2 boys....1 in middle school and 1 in high school. Plus I run a preschool program for the daycare kids. 2 different programs in use at the same time! Time 4 Learning is what we use for Preschool and Middle School homeschooling because it covers PreK-8th grade and incorporates EVERYTHING! We love, love, love it!
Our High School program this year is a new one for us called eLearning and we are just getting used to it.
We are on our 4th year homeschooling and we started homeschooling Fall 2008 when my oldest son was in public middle school and we ended up with many issues and decided it wasn't worth the stress and aggravation and to give homeschooling a try!
We love it! We are homeschoolers for life!
Was I scared to start homeschooling in middle school! Yep! Not gonna lie! The first month was misery! For both my son and I as I basically relearned a lot of MY schooling!LOL But, once we worked out the kinks and got on the right track...it was GOLDEN!
Would I do it over again, given the choice! YEP! Except this time around we would start them homeschooling from the very beginning!
What do I tell people when they ask me about homeschooling?
Well, it isn't right for everyone! Try it out! You may be surprised how well it fits you, your child and your family!
Happy Homeschooling!!

Being a Secular Homeschooler...

2012-02-05T12:49:00.001-05:00

Who is a secular homeschooler....WE ARE!
What is a secular homeschooler? It is someone who homeschools but NOT for religious reasons, nor do they want or need religious content IN their studies!
That is us!
Finding strictly secular curriculum online is not as easy as it sounds!
I do mind the word "God" in something, I am not as STRICT for the secular as some people but I do not want my boys to have religion or religion based in their learning.
Luckily, we have found a great Secular Homeschool Forum as well as AWESOME online schooling that is Secular with Time 4 Learning!
We have a wonderful group of people that help us find places to go, things to do, answer questions we have, make suggestions to curriculum, create awesome and funny blogs about their secular adventure, etc.
I am not bashing a religious homeschooler, that is their preference and their thing. Good for them, not for us.
So....if you are a secular homeschooler and willing to spend a little bit of time weeding through the amass of online curriculum, you will find that there is actually a lot of secular learning!

Prefix means preparing the wall for repair and painting right? WRONG!

2012-01-26T13:20:00.002-05:00

When you hear the word prefix....you think of getting prepared to FIX something like getting your tool bag, wall prep, paint brush out.....right?....not language arts!LOL At least in my book! While I am excellent at language arts...if you ask me to break down things like prefix, adverb, adjectives, etc. forget it!
We whizz through our daily language art activity or what we called English in my day.....until we get to one of these pages....and then we come to a screeching halt! Until I get one of the handy dandy webpages pulled up that explains the whatnot of who is who!LOL Thank goodness for the internet! Google is a staple in this house! If you do not know, GOOGLE it!!!
And you would think we would retain this info for future use...no. We use prefixes in our daily talking, writing, reading but to remember what is actually a prefix means something else in this Mom brain has to be lost.....because I don't know about you...but my Mom brain only holds so much so if something NEW has to be retained...it means something OLD falls out!
This is where things like prefix games come into play! There are some really great online games for your child to get a good background as to what prefix, adverb, adjectives are! And the fact that it is a game means they are learning while playing! So.....stop that panic moment(love the Sylvan commercial where the kids asks Mom for Math help and she takes off running because I feel like that some days!) and find a way for both you and your child to learn that prefix doesn’t mean getting prepared to paint!LOL

Can we live without Math? The answer is NO...unfortunately!LOL

2012-01-12T14:05:00.002-05:00

Can we just live in a world without MATH! Honestly....I hate it! I hate teaching it, I hated it in school, I hate that my son is struggling with it just like I did! I hate that even as a grownup, I feel stupid when we are working on it! I thought teaching math in homeschool, with the programs I found would be SO SIMPLE! It is and it isn't.....some days we want to rip out our hair and others we whizz right through high school math!
It doesn’t help that my younger son is brilliant at math! He gets it! But, due to his age....he can't explain how he gets it...AND his older brother definitely does NOT want help from his younger brother...the HORROR! Jeez, younger brothers carry cooties and germs ya know!LOL
It has become a daily challenge to make it through the math lessons for my older son! We both stress as we are opening the computer file... I assume we must look like we are opening an explosive, that turn away slightly and cringe as you push the button....will it blow up and consume us, or is it a simple cut the red wire and we are saved!LOL
We have turned more to working on life skills with math, rather than algebra for things that he will never use! Balancing the checkbook, keeping your savings intact, how much paint will you need for a room, etc.
I know then, that if nothing else gets through his skull about Math....he will have the skills it takes to go through daily life!
So....in reality....we cannot live in a world without Math... use it daily BUT we can simplify HOW we use or need it!
That is my theory!LOL

How we became accidental homeschoolers....

2012-01-12T13:41:00.000-05:00

So.....if you are a reader of my blog... you know we are accidental homeschoolers! Though it seems so long ago that I forget we haven't always been homeschoolers.
What is an accidental homeschooler....well, if your child is attending private or public school on a normal basis and you suddenly either have an issue and decide to pull them and homeschool OR they have been kicked/removed from the school and you are forced to homeschool them to continue their schooling...that is considered an accidental homeschooler!
Ours was a combo of both! My oldest son was 5 weeks into 6th grade, his first year at middle school when it came to blows-literally! My son was over 6 ft. tall at 12! He was taller than most of the teachers and all but one other kid. We had already had issues with his Math teacher over lessons and her non-communication and/or help....so the day that my son was jumped in the school by 2 kids was the final straw. HE was punished for defending himself. HE was sent home and suspended for 3 days because HE was walking down the hall and attacked by 2 students and in defense, he punched one. The other 2 kids were NOT punished, the school did NOT call us to inform us of the fact that our son was in an altercation OR that they were suspending him, they claimed that they DID call us and number was disconnected when in fact all numbers they had on file for us were correct and working and I am a SAHM so there was someone here. We never got an official notice, they just sent him home on the bus and he told us. At this point....I am sure FLAMES were shooting out my eyes! I was LIVID, my husband was livid!! This tops off the week where he had turned in some REALLY stupid word problem to Math teacher, they had 2 weeks to work on it and it was this CRAZY problem that ended up in pages of written work to show how we came up with answer. It took all 3 of us to attempt to figure it out. He brought it home with a D. No explanation, no telling how she came about the correct answer, nothing. He was crushed. We sent her an email asking for help. She replied that she doesn’t help. WHAT? You are a TEACHER....that is your JOB! We said apparently he is not getting the Math you are teaching, is there a way to get assistance from you on this matter. She replied that she doesn’t help but suggested that he get a tutor and spend 3 hours a day after school in the library with the tutor, the front office had a list. WHAT! Really, that is your answer..... OMG!
So....we were already hot under the collar about that when the fight and suspension came about!
My husband took the day following the suspension off to confront the school. He left here with the words that if something was NOT fixed, he was bringing my son home to be homeschooled!
2 hours later, they were home with the contents of my son's locker and a refund check for his lunch account!
We were officially homechoolers....
And I am here to tell you, while it was the start of a crazy, wild adventure and there are days I want to pull out my hair and scream....it is also the best darn decision we ever made!!

Picking an Elementary Online Curriculum, so many choices...so little time!

2012-01-01T21:01:00.002-05:00

Hard to believe that we are on our 4th homeschooling year, in fact we are about midway through it! It seems like we just started and yet that was Fall 2008! WOW! We were accidental homeschoolers then, now we are lifelong homeschoolers! But, I can still remember the panic feeling of WHAT DID I DO?! I was a childcare provider and a SAHM, not a teacher! I was luckily adept at finding things on the internet so the day after we pulled my oldest son from public school....I was online looking for a elementary level online curriculum. I knew that there was no way that I could piece together bits of this and that and create a whole for my son. No way! I was not that together, not that confident and not enough spare time! I had to find something that had ALL he needed to get a basic education as we waded into this thing called homeschooling! I am still thankful to this day, for finding Time 4 Learning! I tell anyone I know who is thinking of homeschooling to check them out! They were and still are my lifesaver! We are on our 4th year using T4L and I love it every bit today as I did Fall 2008!
They taught my son to become a better reader, learn Math and get up to speed for his grade level, learn that science can be fun or history silly! They taught ME to relearn all that I had forgotten about elementary education! It was amazing how quickly I picked back up on things! They taught him how to spell with their sister site, Spelling City. They taught both of my children that they can do things, they can be confident and they can learn at a pace that works for them!
So, I am telling you....if you are stumbling upon this blog as a newbie to homeschooling or as an old timer that is needing something new....check out Time 4 Learning, Time 4 Writing and/or their sister site Spelling City....you will not be sorry you did!!!

Rolling down the highway...learning about America.....ROADSCHOOL TRIP!

2011-12-26T09:45:00.002-05:00

Since we became accidental homeschoolers, I have wished we could roadschool. I think that concept is the bomb! Hope in the car, go hit the open road and learn along the way. You get to travel the places we live, stopping at your whim, learning what America is about. What better way to learn history than actually being at Custer's Last Stand, Battle of Bunker Hill or heck, even where Elvis lived because let's face it...he is The King! LOL
Unfortunately, with Hubby's job and mine....this is not a reality. But, we do take every opportunity to roadschool when we hit the road to Grandma's, take our family vacations or just travel around Portland while we run errands. We leave a little earlier so we have time to stop at our whim, or we plan stops into our schedule IF we know about them.
So..... as I sit at home with my 8th and 9th grade sons....working on yet another complex math issue....I dream of hitting it big on the Lottery and becoming a roadschooler.
I would love to hear from other homeschoolers who DO roadschool, whether like us...when you can OR all the time. I can live vicariously through you!LOL
Happy Homeschooling!

Becoming a book lover.....

2011-12-15T18:30:00.001-05:00

Growing up, reading was second nature to me. I learned to read by 4, I was reading college level by 2nd grade and reading anything I could get my hands on for the rest of my life.
I worked and volunteered in the school libraries at any school I attended. In fact, my 9th grade year I worked as extra curricular the whole year and made a goal for myself to read at least 1 book per day. I ended up reading 380 books during those 9 months of school. Part of that was traveling on a school bus for an hour+ each way 5 days a week, the rest was I was a teenager and could stay up late and read until 1 am, get 4 hours sleep and function at school the next day! LOL
Before I even had my first child, I had a collection of children's books for them. By the time my oldest son was born....I had a huge bookshelf full and read to him daily. By the time my second son came along, that had doubled. When the military moved us for the last time, we had 10 boxes of just children's books... needless to say, I hoped my boys would LOVE reading.
Neither of my boys learned to read as early as I did but they did know by the time they finished Kindergarten. I worked with them at home and they had a really good reading program at their school. One of the few things that was good about that school....but that is another story. My oldest son was not a strong reader, he was not into reading and it was a chore for him. I felt bad, I really hoped that my boys would be like their father and myself....book devourers. I tried every trick in the book, I bought books that would appeal to his interests, I bought books that were companions to movies that he liked, I even bought comic books and cartoon books in hope that it would spark his interest more....nope. I hoped that his brother being a reader and sharing a room with him would help, nope.
I thought it was a lost cause with him......
Now that he is homeschooled and we have learned how poor of a reader he was and his lack of spelling knowledge....I am thinking that a lot of that was the issue. Over the past 3+ years of being homeschooled, he has not only become a better speller and reader but he has learned to read and LOVE IT! We have a hard time telling the boys to turn off the lights at bedtime because they are reading. They never go out of the house without a book now, just like their Dad. Because you never know when you will have to sit somewhere and a book will keep you busy.
I get requests from both of them for new books, companion books to the series they found at the thrift store, wanting to go to the library to look for new books..... it just makes both of us proud that they are now book lovers!
My motto is you can never have enough books. Every Christmas and Birthday, every one of our nieces and nephews receive a new book from us. My boys get multiples, especially if I find a new series I would think they like. I cannot wait until this Christmas because of the books I bought them! I love giving them, especially when it is to book lovers!
Have you read a good book lately?