Homeschool Thread (Educator)

[Parson's Wife]

I'm curious as to your storage solutions. What is your storage like? Cubby's? Bookshelves? Built-In's? How do you organize your homeschool?

 

[Parson's Wife]

We are using a 'new' homeschool method for my oldest, 6th grade. It's called k12 OLS. It's public school online, she likes, fairly well.
Today is the first parent/teacher conf. curious about this...lol

Anyone else use K12?

 

[SC-ChickMom]

I am homeschooling my 6th grader. He spent K-3 in Public School and 4-last month in Connections Academy (which is like K-12) Neither option was challenging enough. So homeschool it is. About a month into homeschooling and things are going well.

Our favorite websites are:
Khan Academy.com
BrainPop

Favorite book series are:
Horrible Histories
Horrible Science
We found these on Amazon. They are written to give a lot of info in comics, bullet points and short paragraph. I am amazed all the factoids my son has gotten from those books. Did you know: that during WWII ashes were mixed with ground pepper to make it last longer for some?

 

[Parson's Wife]

Great! Thank you for sharing!

 

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

Parson's Wife :

I'm curious as to your storage solutions. What is your storage like? Cubby's? Bookshelves? Built-In's? How do you organize your homeschool?

I'm pregnant with my first child and my husband and I are discussing schools currently, we're in California and with all the crud they're mandating in public school and the high cost of having multiple children in private school... we're thinking homeschooling could be a possability. We have limited space at our house and would like to have 4 kids or so, So I am really curious as to how you all manage having a work space separate from family space. I don't know if I can have a separate space that the kids can get away from when they aren't "in" school.​

 

[Stephanie739]

I so miss my full days of homeschooling! My high school aged child is still homeschooled, but I had to put the little ones back in public school. I'm single and have a business to run. I also attend school...yaa way too much (my chickens are helping me with stress overload

) Anyway, I must share. We used this for years: http://www.time4learning.com/ and it is fantastic! It is inexpensive too. I'm poor so if you sign up, please tell them I referred you because they will send me $25

I highly recommend the program anyway; the monetary incentive is just an extra benefit. I love to tell people all about this great program and how it made the homeschooling life so fun, easy, and organized - so ask me if you want more info! (no I don't work for them

)

 

[SC-ChickMom]

Quote:
Good for you for planning ahead.

I would suggest: know the laws in your state. Look on the Homeschool Legal Defense Website. It will give you the overview of your laws. Read up on homeschool curriculum. My favorite in The Well Trained Mind. You do not need to follow every suggestion but it does give you an idea of the options.

For my 6th grade son: I found that Hillsdale College in Michigan has its own private K-12 school. They list their entire curriculum and schedule on their website. We are following most of their curriculum.

I have a separate room that was intended to be my husband's office. It is now the school room. In the closet I added shelves from floor to ceiling to store everything. I do have friends who don't have a separate space. I have seen tupperware divided into subjects or by child. The great thing about homeschool is that you can do it anywhere: Kitchen table, blanket on the lawn, or in bed. I also have a friend that chooses to give her kids a standardized test (not required here) every year. She rents out a room at the library for a change of location for the test.

 

[Parson's Wife]

Hello! Yes, homeschool has been a plus for us...all the way around.
Always check with your state to see requirements for the homeschool option. Then the hunt for the curriculums! Let it be fun, not a hassle, don't get burned out just in the hunt.
BE Flexible!! Life gets busy, we are very strict with our time, however, in our household...things come up. Be prepared. Don't panic. Enjoy.

Our new parsonage does not have space to spare...we turned the majority of our laundry/pantry room into the 'computer room'...school takes place there and in the kitchen. I keep the supplies there, a bookcase in the hall, and it is working so far.....

One thing I had to learn, purge. Don't hang onto old workbooks, etc... I keep little artwork from each year, special things....then the rest must go. You may need to ck to see if your state requires old forms...other than that. Be realistic with your storage options.

I would love to have a schoolroom...but I've made the best with what I have...the children like it, and I do too.
You need good lighting wherever you choose. It's a must.

One thing I had to learn...it's NOT public school...don't make it LIKE public school. Teaching your children is a blessing. For whatever reasons you choose to homeschool.

I will add a picture of their computer room. Give me a minute.

Love the great sites!!

***DON'T FORGET TO ADD YOUR SPACE PICTURES!! There may be something in them that helps someone else!

 

[Parson's Wife]

Here you go, here is one view of the computer room.

The wall items tend to change out as the year progresses...right now we are working with maps.

 

[Capvin]

When my three kids were growing up and in school I would not have considered homeschooling even if it were a practical alternative for us. It was my strong desire that, if they could, they would get into and graudate from the best college or university, i.e. Stanford, MIT and Ivy League. Back when my kids would have been graduating from High School the best schools were not home school friendly. So, I spent a fortune of money and sent them all to the best private schools and they all did get into the best colleges and universities. Fortunately, things have changed radically for the homeschooler. In fact, it is now the very best schools, Stanford, Harvard, etc. that are the most homeschool friendly and do not care at all about transcripts. Today a successfully homeschooled child has as good a chance, if not even a better chance, of getting into the best colleges as someone graduating from an elite prep school. If my kids were just starting school today I would think that the very best alternative for schooling would be good homeschool. Certainly better then almost every public school in the country and as good as the best of the elite prep schools. I guess, like in everything, the real trick is to do it right and I do not think that it is as easy as it may sound at first glance. I would suspect that if you were not comitted to spending the time and effort in homeschool that it would just be a dud, but at its best it compares to the best education that could be gotten anywhere.