Community Question is a category inspired by you. Here and there readers write in with questions that are better served by the varied, experiential knowledge of those who read and contribute in the comments.

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The following question is from Kanecia S.

“My name is Kanecia. I have 4 children (ages 13, 7 and twins who are 4) that I want to homeschool this upcoming year. My question is what are good programs for me to use? I am stressed trying to make this decision. Any information you can share would be greatly appreciated. This will be my first year and I’m afraid I might fail them. Please help.”

Many of us have been in Kanecia’s shoes and many are currently walking her same path. What programs or curriculum would you recommend for her children’s ages? Why? Please offer any specific help or experiential guidance. I’m sure a bit of encouragement wouldn’t hurt either.

With our oldest daughter in high school Jeff and I have given considerable thought about how we can best prepare her for the world outside our door. While we feel it is our responsibility as parents to help her carve out a college plan, we also have vocalized that college is not her only post-graduation option, nor may it be the best choice for her.

This is about the time our friends and family will adamantly disagree or even worse, put on their most convincing tone and declare, with undeterred certainty, that without a formal college education Emelie will be relegated to flipping burgers.

Here’s the thing – we disagree.

While Jeff and I were on the tail end of Generation X, all three of our kids are part of Generation Z (Gen Z), a common name assigned to those born from 1995 to present day.

According to Penelope Trunk’s March 2011 article, Generation Z will revolutionize education, the “huge wave of homeschooling will create a more self-directed workforce” which she asserts will change the face of the workplace.

Trunk goes on to say that “…homeschooling among Gen X parents is becoming mainstream…This means we will have a generation of kids who grew up with largely a self-learning, self-directed model. They are more accustomed to figuring out what they like to do, and doing it on their own. The crisis to figure out what to do with one’s life will not last so long because Gen X will raise more independent and self-directed kids.”

In other words, should they choose the traditional route, the Gen Z homeschoolers will make excellent college students. However, because of their propensity toward self-learning and their ability to quickly synthesize information, they may find it a wiser investment of time and money to skip college altogether.

According to Trunk, “The homechooling movement will prepare Generation Y to skip college, and Gen X is out-of-the-box enough in their parenting to support that.” This certainly makes mine and Jeff’s willingness to encourage our children to consider all possible routes somewhat predictable.

Still, if the result of on-the-job learning is a smarter workforce, with less debt, less stress, more job satisfaction and an increased tendency toward entrepreneurship, it sounds more revolutionary than risky.

Is college an option or a “must” for your children? Do you think the things we see in our homeschooled kids now may give us some clue of what to expect from them in the workplace later on?

OMSH/Heather L. Sanders is “Momma” to three kids, Emelie, Meredith and Kenny. When not homeschooling, or writing about homeschooling, Heather is busy designing websites.

By Kristen Chase.

Most of my homeschooling challenges don’t necessarily arise with the child I’m formally homeschooling, but rather, my younger three kids who need to be occupied while I’m teaching her.

Even though my 5-year old son has several workbooks, he’s done the few pages in each pretty quickly, leaving him, my 3-year old and my 15-month old to their own devices. And while they can be occupied pretty well with a few coloring books and Kumon “Let’s Cut Paper!” books (my saving grace), those only last so long.

And that’s when I turn to Readeez!

Like most of the resources I’ve written about here, I first discovered these dad-created songs and videos through my other site Cool Mom Picks, though only recently have I started using them on a regular basis with my kids. And not only do my kids love them, I actually love them too.

Here’s why:

1. As a former music therapist, I’m a firm believer that music really does help us learn. And I’m not talking about playing Mozart in the background of a classroom. I’m talking more about how pretty much all of us learned the ABCs. Readeez uses that same concept by putting words to original songs; it just so happens that those words are also everything from math concepts to modes of transportation. Considering I can still sing the 12 Cranial Nerves to the tune of My Favorite Things, I know this technique really works.

2. Along with putting words to original music, Readeez also employ a visual component, Syllablesync, which is where kids both see and hear the the syllable of each word simultaneously. This is extra wonderful for kids who might be more visual and audio learners, and helps to reinforce the concepts by having two senses stimulated.

3. Perhaps most importantly of all, the songs and videos are entertaining without being overstimulating. They’re friendly, inviting, and very clever without being overly cutesy or goofy. And while the words are clearly represented on the screen, you’ll notice that they are balanced well with the graphics. Plus, I appreciate that while the concepts are presented and then reinforced, they’re not hammered down on the kids, which means they’ll actually want to watch (and listen) to the videos and songs over and over again.

You can purchase the DVDs individually or in sets, or you can do what I did and buy the downloads for your portable gadgets. I’m especially partial to the Math Money Folderfuls, which offers a set of songs and videos based on that single concept. They’re really quite brilliant.

The best part of using Readeez, aside from keeping my littles busy while I finish up school with my older child, is that I’ve already seen a translation from the knowledge learned in the song to real life. Just ask my son how many pennies equal a dime. He won’t sing the song (which is one of my favorites, by the way); he’ll just tell you “10!”

You can learn more about Readeez and see all sorts of samplings of the songs and videos on the Readeez website. And I was not paid to write this review. I just love Readeez!

Kristen Chase is a mom of 4, writer, and co-publisher of Cool Mom Picks and Cool Mom Tech, a popular shopping and trendspotting blog for moms, as well as 4 Kids or More, an online resource for the modern larger family. She’s a 2nd generation homeschooler, having been taught middle and high school by her own mother back when people were still using quills and ink wells, and is now a very well-adjusted and socialized homeschool mom herself.

By Heather Sanders.

On a daily basis our children are exposed to, and influenced by, today’s pop culture. It stands to reason that when my kids mimic or recall things they have picked up from media outlets like movies, music, television, video games, internet, books, or magazines, I may find myself occasionally on the slightly confused side (especially the random references to Adventure Time).

As a teenager I never anticipated a time when I would stand on this side of the generation gap. At that time I was still rolling my eyes at my Dad as I explained (for the 5th, 6th or perhaps 80th time) that “going with” a boy did not mean we were actually traveling somewhere together, but rather, that we were together in the boyfriend/girlfriend sense.

These days my 11 year old will tell me someone is “dating” and I receive the same eye roll I performed for my Dad when I question the probability of two non-driving preteens dating.

That said, you can imagine my delight when Emelie and Meredith sat across from me in the living room last night and began clapping their hands to a very familiar hand-game and singing the all-too-familiar lyrics, “I went to a Chinese restaurant…”

Remember this one?

I went to a chinese restaurant
to buy a loaf of bread, bread, bread.
He asked me what my name was
And this is what I said, said, said said:

FREEZE!

The “Freeze” portion is the test of how long you can hold your final position without starting to laugh deliriously.

While Emelie always makes sure to “freeze” in as animated a pose as possible, Meredith never laughs first. She’s a mental fortress – everyone in the family knows never to challenge Meredith in a stare game.

I CAN relate to hand games.
I KNOW hand games.
Hand games and I go waaaaay back.

Anyone else remember “Bo Bo Ski Watten Totten?”

Exactly.

Bo-bo ski watten totten,
Eh-eh, eh-eh, boom boom boom
Itty bitty wotten totten
Bo-bo ski watten tatten
Bo-bo ski wotten tatte – BOOM!
Go Chiefs!

Now that I think about it, hand game lyrics were far from politically correct.

They also made little to no sense.

It would be a lie to say the only reason my friends and I engaged in these hand games and chants was to sate our boredom as we sat or stood in the various lines that made up a public school day.

There were lines for everything then. We stood in lines before heading to the cafeteria, library or bus. We sat in lines across the gym floor waiting for classmates to dress-out for P.E. class. We even sat in lines waiting for nurses to comb through our hair checking for lice or coaches to run their hands across our backs checking for scoliosis.

But even without the lines, we would have learned, shared, revised and chanted our way through these games. We loved them. We thrived on them. They are a part of being a preteen and teen girl.

And amazingly (and facetiously), my incredibly unsocialized preteen and teen children sat across from me singing the same, albeit slightly modified, hand games that I did as a public school student of the 80′s.

The girls did have a few chants I wasn’t familiar with. Or some with a new twist, like:

B-I-N-G-O
Butterfinger, Tootsie Roll
Ice-ice-ice cream cone
And B-I-N-G-O was his name-O!

Next up? I teach them jump rope games.

Cinderella, dressed in yellow,
Went upstairs to kiss a fella.
Made a mistake and kissed a snake.
How many doctors did it take?

1-2-3-4-5…

On and on we will jump until someone falters. And then? We will laugh until we can’t breathe and start all over again.

Why?

Because it is so much fun.

Because it is what we do.

Because we are ridiculous, unsocialized homeschoolers?

No, of course not.

Because it has been done throughout generations and will be done for generations to come.

What were your favorite chants, hand games, jump rope games from your childhood? Any of these sound familiar or slightly altered? Record yours in the comments below!

OMSH/Heather L. Sanders is “Momma” to three kids, Emelie, Meredith and Kenny. When not homeschooling, or writing about homeschooling, Heather is busy designing websites.

Community Question is a category inspired by you. Here and there readers write in with questions that are better served by the varied, experiential knowledge of those who read and contribute in the comments.

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The following question is from Sandee H:

“I have both a granddaughter and grandson, ages 7 and 8. They are learning math facts. Are there different ways of teaching? They both would rather not work on them, and I know it is because it doesn’t come easy. Two different families. Boys are wiggling, not seeming to pay attention. Girls are daydreaming and distracted. Have any hints for help?”

Does this sound familiar? How are you teaching math facts in your household?

We’ve reached that point in the school year where the same old books on the same old schedule just aren’t cutting it. Granted, it could be the dreary weather that makes us all just want to cuddle up and watch a movie rather than pull out the math book, but I’m finding it tough to muster up the creativity that I need to turn these worksheets into cool learning experiences.

The kids are bored. I am bored. And I’m desperately trying to find the motivation I need to cheer them on.

As much as I prefer to reach into the craft closet, or head outside to bring our lessons to life, I think I need a little break to get my head back in the game. So I’ve been relying on the Internet and technology in our daily homeschool routine more than I generally would.

Like many parents, I struggle with knowing how much is too much, and tend to err on the side of “less is more,” so I really try to keep activities that involve a computer screen to a minimum.

However, I need a little time to find my motivation and creativity, and in the mean time, my kids can really benefit from the lessons, activities, and educational videos that I’ve found with these three sites and apps. They certainly won’t replace what we do on an everyday basis, but they’re a superb supplement to our curriculum. And a nice guilt-free break for mom when she needs it most.

1. BrainPop Jr.

I was introduced to BrainPOP Jr. over at Cool Mom Tech (our official review is here), whose free videos are a wonderful resource for explaining holidays to kids. However, I decided to take the plunge and purchase a subscription (available for all sorts of entities, whether you’re a homeschool family, library, or school, to name a few) so that my kids can have access to all the videos, games, and activities.

I really love how the information is presented, and the broad range of topics that are available. You’re bound to find a video and activity to fit your existing curriculum, or you can use their resources as inspiration. And best of all, I’m learning as much as my kids are.

The Brain Pop Jr site is aimed at kids K-3, so if your kids are older, check out the BrainPOP site instead.

2. Khan Academy

I had the privilege of giving a TEDx talk a few months ago and one of the videos that was played during our event was Salman Khan’s TED talk, which if you haven’t seen, I highly recommend.

After watching the video and becoming completely inspired, I put 2 + 2 together (get it?) and realized that we had featured his site Khan Academy on Cool Mom Tech as well. I hadn’t actually explored it much since most of the content seemed geared to older kids, however, my oldest (now 7) is really into art history and is doing Singapore Math, both of which you’ll now find on the site, which originally was aimed at teaching math.

The videos are entertaining and educational, and are especially good if you’ve got a visual learner. Plus, the sheer number of them (all of which are free) is like stumbling upon a homeschooling gold mine. They’re continually adding more, so if your kids aren’t old enough, make sure to bookmark the site so you’ll have it when they are.

And as a true testament to the effectiveness of these videos, my daughter kept asking me to play more.

3. iTunes U

Now while my kids aren’t yet old enough to reap the benefits of iTunes U, I’m passing this along to all my homeschool friends, co-op teachers, and everyone else I know that is in the educational field because I think it’s simply amazing. As a former college professor myself, and someone who has kept her eye on the influx of iPads into the classroom, I truly believe this is the future.

Aside from being able to house all your resources for your own classes and courses all in one place so students can access them easily, you can also take classes for free — whether you’re a parent looking to expand your own horizons or if you have a student who wants to learn a specific subject. And best of all, you gain access to courses from some of the most prestigious educational institutions across the country.

So, what are your favorite online educational resources when you need a little inspiration or respite?

Kristen Chase is a mom of 4, writer, and co-publisher of Cool Mom Picks and Cool Mom Tech, a popular shopping and trendspotting blog for moms, as well as 4 Kids or More, an online resource for the modern larger family. She’s a 2nd generation homeschooler, having been taught middle and high school by her own mother back when people were still using quills and ink wells, and is now a very well-adjusted and socialized homeschool mom herself.

By Heather Sanders.

The first time I realized that different people learn information in different ways was my Junior year in college. This epiphany happened on the 2nd floor of our university’s library where my husband Jeff and I would often meet to study together. On this particular day we were both studying for an Intro to Anthropology course we took together. While he sat back and slowly read through the textbook, I read, highlighted and outlined the text. As he continued to read, taking breaks to digest it all, I made color-coded flash cards to review. And finally, as he wrapped-up his reading and wanted to talk over some of his thoughts in response to the reading, I vehemently “shhhhhhh-ed” him so I could hear myself think while I studied my newly made flash cards.

Needless to say we did not make good study partners.

Later, I learned that I am a strong visual (spacial) learner and Jeff is most certainly an auditory learner.

When I began homeschooling Emelie things moved along rather easily. I did not know then, but would later learn, that this was because we have somewhat similar learning styles. I taught, she learned, and we would move on. However, when Meredith was added to the equation I quickly realized I was missing the mark somewhere.

Pulling from knowledge I gained in a course I took with Jeff on children’s love languages, I began to think there was a correlation between personalities and learning. In that day we “yahoo-ed” more than we “googled”, so I “yahoo-ed” several search terms related to temperaments, personalities and learning.

I quickly found the information I needed to help understand Meredith was more of a kinesthetic learner, which meant she needed to “do” and “experience” learning – and most specifically, that she retained information more easily in short blocks, followed by bursts of activity.

By the time Kenny was born I had read several books on the subject and felt better equipped to watch for clues of his learning style (auditory).

Along the way it became clear that my children tended to have strong leanings toward one particular learning style, but often borrowed traits from other learning styles. In other words, I needed to be careful not to box them in.

Sequential Spelling as a Concept

(Above are Sequential Spelling books 2 and 5. I believe books 3 and 4 are “archived” in the attic. The books do not advance according to school-grade, but instead students are encouraged to progress through them starting at book 1.)

I was first introduced to Sequential Spelling through curriculum purchased from Sonlight. Emelie was in 2nd grade and had excelled at Spelling both in the public school system and at home using the traditional method (one list of spelling words per week with a test on Friday), but for whatever reason I thought it would be good to try something new.

Sequential Spelling builds on “bases” or “word families” that use the same letter endings. The idea is get children to see patterns of spelling that exist in many words, from the very simple to the more complicated. For example, by introducing the word “at” a child should be able to spell “bat”, “cat” or “scat”, but will also quickly be able to draw on this knowledge to spell “rattle” and “batteries”.

However, what distinguishes Sequential Spelling the most to me is that children are given a “test” every day, as opposed to every week. The test isn’t a “real” test in the traditional sense. Instead, tests are viewed as learning devices, not methods, for evaluation. If a child makes a mistake writing a word, they immediately correct their mistake right when they make it, not hours, days, or weeks later.

Sequential Spelling Played Out

What I noticed was that Sequential Spelling, while impressive in its approach, did not play-out exactly as I anticipated.

Emelie
Emelie, who had previously enjoyed spelling, did not like Sequential Spelling at all. For one, she disliked making errors – not because she made a mistake, but because it made a visual mess on her paper. She has always preferred using pen over pencil, so she would have to mark through her very neatly written word to make a correction. Even if she used pencil and erased, she would have to write over the “smudge” of the erased word.

It was her preference to study word lists by writing them over and over in fancy cursive or print, sometimes on pretty paper or not, within the parameters of graph paper or in the un-lined printer paper. The visual cues promoted by Sequential Spelling were more of a frustration to her than they were a benefit in learning.

Meredith
Meredith has done fine with Sequential Spelling. She almost always gets irritated when she misspells a word, but it is not because it makes a mess on her paper (she could care less about that), it is only because she wants to be done and get on with other things. I am not entirely certain she is doing any better or worse in her spelling, but I’m working off the philosophy, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Because she is so highly relational, likes to do things in active, short blocks of time, and likes learning with me by her side, it seems to satisfy her learning style pretty well. However, as I mentioned in a previous post, she would probably be just as successful if we practiced her spelling words using the trampoline, outside/inside relays, or even flash cards.

Kenny
Kenny is probably best suited for the Sequential Spelling model. He has no hang-ups with whether or not something is nice and neat, so he does not care if he needs to mark through or erase a word to correct it. Once he sees the word correctly written he will rarely miss it again, and will pick up on the patterns for other words.

It irritates him to waste time on repetition, so he wouldn’t like the traditional model of studying the same group of words all week. When a new word is presented that has the same “base” he will often tell me the correct spelling before actually writing it down. He also likes to discuss what other words had the same or similar spelling as if he is verbally reminding himself.

Two out of three of my kids have done well with Sequential Spelling. On that basis, I do recommend it to friends because it is a solid spelling program for most children.

What are your children’s learning styles and how does that impact the spelling curriculum or methods you teach?

OMSH/Heather L. Sanders is “Momma” to three kids, Emelie, Meredith and Kenny. When not homeschooling, or writing about homeschooling, Heather is busy designing websites.

Marlboro Man walks in from feeding
He and Beth talk about football
Our older daughter listens in while wearing holey socks
My son is lying on the floor while coloring a small intestine
My niece is lying on the floor while coloring a kidney
My baby is not wearing pants
I think he’s wearing shorts
Gosh, I sure hope he’s wearing shorts
My floor is not overly clean
My floor pretty much isn’t clean at all
My daughter is coloring a pancreas while not wearing shoes

 
 
Moments later, Charlie shows up and my daughter stops what she’s doing and gives him a kiss.

Then his lunch kicks in and he clears out the entire room with his gas.

I would have taken a photo of the cleared-out room, but it cleared me out too.

I just thought I’d provide a little boost to those of you who needed to feel a little better about your homeschool operation on this Monday morning.

I’m happy to provide this service at any time. Just say the word!

Love,
Pioneer Woman

By Heather Sanders.

Before we moved into the home we live in now our family lived for two years in a cozy, but small, 1200-ish square foot home. Jeff and I joked the square footage must have included the front and back porches, and perhaps half of the garage.

Our family learned a few powerful lessons while in that home. First, with very little storage, and even less space, we became very adept at determining the difference between want and need. For instance, we learned to think through purchases because when we brought something into the home, something else had to leave to make room for that object.

Another unexpected lesson was that smaller homes are NOT easier to keep clean than larger homes. Because school played-out across the same table as meals, crafts, and folding clothes, everything was in constant motion. Books were moved to the floor, sticky spots were wiped (or avoided) on the table and chairs, booster seats were moved from one place to another, and supplies seemed to be everywhere but where they should be.

Perhaps the best lesson was a clear understanding that my kids had to move to learn. Too many hours sitting in a chair, without a break, wreaked havoc on their productivity and retention, not to mention all of our attitudes. I cannot take any credit for this discovery as my goal was simply to promote a love of learning and make it through the day joyfully (as opposed to simply “surviving” it). However, when I realized that breaking for 15 minutes to jump on the trampoline, ride around the block on bikes, and/or run relays or obstacle courses in the front yard, was the fastest way to turn a fidgety kid into a content and focused one, I never looked back.

After a while we moved more and more “sedentary” learning opportunities into “active” learning moments.

Math Facts were memorized on the trampoline, with a designated amount of jumps allowed between my yelling out the problem and the child yelling back the answer. In fact, the trampoline ended up being one of our best educational investments, making up for the fact that it consumed the entire backyard. History dates and events, number and letter recognition, poetry memorization, and AWANA verses were also practiced while bouncing, bouncing, bouncing.

Other days recess was just a time to break from reading. Out they ran to stretch their legs, feel the sun’s warmth on their skin and the freedom of the wind at their back.

When I noticed Meredith getting whiney, Kenny getting fidgety, or Emelie getting cross, I would yell “RECESS!” and out we would ALL go. Yes, even me. Moms need breaks too. Nothing felt better than laying flat on the driveway, feeling the heat of the concrete against my back while watching the kids, clouds, birds, or whatever else passed by. Other times I’d kick around the soccer ball, hit or toss a softball, or run through an obstacle course Meredith created for us.

In a time when Recess is no longer deemed a crucial part of learning by many school administrations, I learned otherwise.

The kids need the break.
The teachers need the break.
Getting outside is an irreplaceable educational tool.

While I’m not an Occupational Therapist, or trained in any field close to it, Loren Shlaes’ post, Inside Moves, Part One, was an incredible affirmation to something I already experienced watching my children.

Shlaes writes:

“I can’t urge parents strongly enough to make sure that their children get outside to play every single day. It’s critical to their health and to their neurological development. A body that is not strong, stable, and healthy does not adequately support the work of the child’s brain, eyes, and hands, and can’t be counted on to keep him effortlessly upright against gravity. A weak, unstable body makes it difficult for the child to sit, to be present and alert and able to pay attention, and to learn.

If a child can’t sit still, it’s because he needs to move”

Now that we have been running as a family there are even more opportunities to see how positively physical movement impacts our school day. The kids are older now, but the effects are much the same.

Physical activity makes for calmer and more focused school days. Once in from running, we clean up and have a family breakfast. Then, the kids have the choice of starting their schoolwork early, which they usually decide to do, allowing them the benefit of finishing earlier and getting out for “Adventure Walks” and other such activities. They are more enjoyable to be around without all the negative, restless energy. And to top it off, at the day’s end the kids rest deeply, preparing them for a better start to the next day.

What are your thoughts on recess? Have you noticed a positive correlation between the amount of time your children move their bodies and their levels of productivity and focus?

OMSH/Heather L. Sanders is “Momma” to three kids, Emelie, Meredith and Kenny. When not homeschooling, or writing about homeschooling, Heather is busy designing websites.

Community Question is a category inspired by you. Here and there readers write in with questions that are better served by the varied, experiential knowledge of those who read and contribute in the comments.

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The following question is from Shelley B:

“Does anyone have a recommendation for interactive distance education for home schoolers? Science or foreign language specifically? I am not interested in an entire online curriculum, just want to supplement.”

If you have used an interactive science or foreign language program/service that utilizes Skype or other service, please tell us about it in the comments.