Showing posts with label 5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials. Show all posts

Friday 24 January 2014

Mother Culture - Time Out {Homeschooling Essentials}

Welcome to day five of this weeks 5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials posts brought to you by the Homeschool Review Crew.  We have 89 homeschool Mom's like you sharing their top homeschool essential lists with you.  Today I would like to share about the most important ingredient in successfully home educating long term: time out for Mom.  In some homeschooling circles it is called Mother Culture which is a term brought back into our modern vocabulary thanks to Karen Andreola and her book A Charlotte Mason Companion.

This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart.  Why ? Because over the years I have experienced burn out, exhaustion, feelings of being overwhelmed and discouraged and each and every time the source was the same.  A lack of Mother Culture.  Karen Andreola paints this picture and I agree with her wholeheartedly.   "Is it a wonder she feels overspent? She wears herself out. In her efforts to be dietitian, laundress, nurse, hostess, teacher, taxi driver, wife, mother, and mistress, she forgets that she needs a little time for herself. And it is then that she stops growing spiritually and mentally, Physically she feels ragged and drags through the day until without being able to mark the hour it befan, she lives with depression. Her mind is in a drifting fog when she wants it to think clearly and efficiently. With the distractions of her multi-faceted duties she is unable to follow a train of thought. She considers herself hopelessly behind in everything. Her feet are in the quagmire. It takes an incredible amount of effort to keep up appearances, to wear a winsome countenance. The last straw is the guilt she feels that she is "lukewarm" in the Lord. If I hadn't experienced these symptoms myself I wouldn't be writing this chapter. Therefore I can validate the need for Mother Culture." - Karen Andreola.

Homeschool Burnout is a very real companion of many mothers and the sad thing is that many keep it a secret because they feel as though they are failing. Home schooling is no small undertaking and in order to keep at it for the long haul you need to take care of yourself. Without you there is no home or home school. You are the most important ingredient on this journey and you are the one that is responsible to keep yourself properly cared for or it won't be long and you will be burned out. I have come to realize that many mothers feel guilty taking a few minutes a day to recharge. For these mothers I point to scriptures and how Jesus often withdrew to lonely places (Luke 5:16) If HE needed time on His own then how much more do we ? 

Self care or Me Time out of balance can be a bad thing too. It can become a self serving, self worship time which is not edifying to you or your family. Today I read a great article that helps to put Me Time in perspective over at Raising Arrows called: Caring for Yourself {The Me Time Myth Revisited.} Please know that I am not advocating a self centered form of self where we actively seek time to be away from our family at all costs.  What I am talking about is finding time to grow and become all that you can be in order to care for your family well.


Think seasonally. One interest per season, coupled with thirty minutes of reading a day, may be all that is needed to keep up the Mother Culture and regain any lost enthusiasm for living - Karen Andreola



Read more
Each of these posts is full of links to other posts on Mother Culture.
What do you do to indulge in Mother Culture ?

Blessings
Chareen

Charlotte Mason advised the teacher to replenish her soul with a continual supply of ideas. ...stimulates your educational thought in many directions and keeps you from drifting into mere routine... Do not think this is a selfish thing to do, because the advantage does not end with yourself."
 
5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials
Don't forget to check out and see what my fellow Homeschool Review Crew mates are sharing this week. Here are some to get you started. Some of these links will not be live until tomorrow due to time zone differences as these bloggers are from across the globe.  Here are some from the crew to get you started

Thursday 23 January 2014

Support Network {Homeschooling Essentials}

Welcome to day four of this weeks 5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials posts brought to you by the Homeschool Review Crew.  We have 89 homeschool Mom's like you sharing their top homeschool essential lists with you.

Today I would like to share about my second most essential homeschool item: your Support Network.

Home school support groups are not about education they are about mentoring relationships. This sort of group is not a  home school Co-op. This is about you the mom to access a supportive environment and for your children to know that there are other children out there being home educated. Renee Gotcher from Next Generation Homeschool  explains it this way: "When you think about it, homeschool support group is a bit of an oxymoron: We choose to homeschool so that we can independently make decisions about our children’s education, and yet we inherently desire the support of others to inform, encourage and assist us."

Mentoring A mentor facilitates personal and professional growth in an individual by sharing the knowledge and insights that have been learned through the years. - USC Mentor Program


Mentoring is a developmental partnership through which one person shares knowledge, skills, information and perspective to foster the personal and professional growth of someone else. We all have a need for insight that is outside of our normal life and educational experience. The power of mentoring is that it creates a one-of-a-kind opportunity for collaboration, goal achievement and problem-solving. “Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.” John C. Crosby (Mentor program)

Remember a mentor does not need to be someone older in chronological age just someone older on the journey with more experience and most importantly someone who is still willing to learn and grow and accept you and your family for who you are.

A word of Caution While home school support groups offer a huge amount of encouragement and support on your home education journey they can also become a noose around your neck.  For years and years I was a part of two particular support groups and loved learning and growing with these families. I still miss them. What I did not do however was evaluate some of the choices that slowly seeped into the group.  It was not until years later when I moved away and was confronted with asking myself why I was doing some things (dress code, curriculum choices, etc) that I realized that I had taken on an unwritten 'law' from the group that was not healthy for my family.  Now I am part of several groups but I do so with caution and I constantly re-evaluate what I'm doing with who my family is. So when you are part of a network be sure to take a regular time of de-cluttering your mind and spirit and be sure that you remain true to who you are or you might find that who you are becomes lost in trying to fit in.  If you need to work at fitting in you are definitely a part of the wrong group. 

Benefits

Two Sisters by Renoir
There are many benefits in a joining a support group and I encourage you to find a group of like minded mothers. A good support network will be a place you can take a break, enjoy a relaxing cup of tea to recharge, ask questions and have access to real life help.
  • Seasoned Homeschoolers to receive encouragement from.
  • Encouragement
  • Social opportunity for Mom with like minded people
  • Help
  • Advice
  • Supportive environment
  • Care
  • Networking (knowing who to go to when you need assistance)
  • Contacts
  • Assistance
  • Solutions
  • Access to Information
  • Guidance
  • A place to connect with like minded Mom's
On Line Support
I appreciate that in today's culture we have limited time to invest in meeting together face to face and for many of us the only support we have access to is on the www. Here is a list of place to seek support on line.
On the WWW

Blessings
Chareen

5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials Don't forget to check out and see what my fellow Homeschool Review Crew mates are sharing this week. Here are some to get you started. Some of these links will not be live until tomorrow due to time zone differences as these bloggers are from across the globe. Here are some from the crew to get you started


Note: This article is part of a reprint from my post in May 2013

Wednesday 22 January 2014

Homeschool 4 FREE Resource Lists {Homeschool Essentials}

Welcome to day three of this weeks 5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials posts brought to you by the Homeschool Review Crew.  We have 89 homeschool Mom's like you sharing their top homeschool essential lists with you.

Today I would like to share about my third essential homeschool item: the Homeschool for FREE resource list.


This list is Updated and Expanded

**ALL graphics below are links and will take you to the resources shared. **


Charlotte Mason Method

Teaching Blog Addict
If you've got the time then this is a one-stop shop for you to browse. With over 6000 blog hop links to browse.


Print-a-Palooza
This blog hop was hosted last year and has some wonderful resources for you to choose from.


Homeschool Share
This site has many topics, unit studies, printables and ideas.
How to Homeschool for FREE!

Home Learning Family

Has the most amazing list of FREE resources 100+ links divided into the following topics
  • Arts
  • Music
  • Current Events
  • Writing/Grammar
  • Reading
  • Foreign Language
  • Math
  • Technology
  • Science
    General Science
    Biology
    Earth Science
    Physics Environmental Science 
    Astronomy
    Weather
    Inventions/Inventors
  • Social Science
    Geography / Cultures
    World History
    Us History
    Economics
    Government
  • Typing
  • Unit Studies
  • Testing
  • Multi - Subject Resources
  • Home Education Info and Resources
Happy Homeschool
This is a new one for me.  I am stunned at the number of links on this site.  It is amazing
Only Passionate Curiosity

This blog has a comprehensive list of FREE links which are updated often

  • Fine Arts
  • Foreign Language
  • Health
  • History
  • Kindergarten
  • Language Arts
  • Mathematics
  • Multiple Subjects (curriculum)
  • Preschool
  • Science
  • Social Science
  • Supplemental Resources


Homeschool Mosaics
The list on the Homeschooling for Free post is long and well set out into the following categories
  • Whole Curriculum
  • Whole Curriculum Guides/Schedules
  • Preschool Curriculum and Resources
  • Phonics and Beginning Reading
  • Math
  • Literature/Reading Guides and Units
  • Free Books
  • Audiobooks / Stories
  • Spelling /Vocabulary
  • Grammar
  • Writing
  • Penmanship
  • Copy Work
  • Memory Work / Flash Cards
  • History and Government
  • Timelines and Figures
  • Geography
  • Current Events
  • Science
  • Nature Study
  • Computer Science
  • Art
  • Music
  • Typing
  • Foreign Language
  • Home Economics
  • Educational Video's
  • Virtual Field Trips and Webcams
  • High School and College
  • Unit Studies / Notebooking / Lapbooking
  • Planning / Forms / Papers / Worksheets
  • Freebie Sites
  • Blogs with Freebies and Helps

Homeschool Resource List
This is an ever growing list of links. Please be aware it uses Google Ad Choices.
Cheap Homeschooling over at Squidoo.com
  1. Homeschooling by Grade
    1st Grade
    2nd Grade
    3rd Grade
    4th Grade
    5th Grade
    6th Grade
    Jr. High
    High School
  2. Lapbook, Notebooking, Scrapbooking And Project Resources
  3. Language Arts Resources
  4. Math Resources
  5. History Resources
  6. History Lapbooks
  7. Geography Resources
  8. Science/ Nature Resources
  9. Science/ Nature Lapbooks
  10. Animal Resources
  11. Animal Lapbooks
  12. Art Resources
  13. Literature Resources
  14. Lapbooks- General
  15. Lapooks- Seasonal
  16. Lapbooks- Holiday
  17. Getting Your Homeschool Organized
Some blogs sharing Freebies
These ladies regularly share some great finds on line.

The Notebooking Fairy -- printables and how-tos with a pinch of pixie dust

This is an amazing resource for any and all home schoolers as long as it does not paralyze you into doing nothing. Pop on over and explore Every Bed of Roses currently has over 200 boards arranged in alphabetical order. Here are some of the categories to whet your appetite.

Every Bed of Roses
Homeschoolers on Pinterest
Homeschool for FREE boards on Pinterest


The internet is full of information and can sometimes be a frustrating resources but I would encourage you to hang in there until you find a homeschooler you can connect with and whose resources you enjoy. Here are a few I've used in the past.


What is on your must have on your homeschool for FREE list ? If you have a list or use a homeschool FREE resource not listed here please leave a link in the comments to be added.

Blessings
Chareen

5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials Don't forget to check out and see what my fellow Homeschool Review Crew mates are sharing this week. Here are some to get you started. Some of these links will not be live until tomorrow due to time zone differences as these bloggers are from across the globe. Here are some from the crew to get you started

Note: This article is part of a reprint from my post in April 2013 and has been  
updated and expanded.

Linking with
Hip Homeschool Moms Hearts for Home Blog Hop Hip Homeschool Moms

Tuesday 21 January 2014

Magnetic Book Marks {Homeschooling Essentials}

Welcome to day two of this weeks 5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials posts brought to you by the Homeschool Review Crew.  We have 89 homeschool Mom's like you sharing their top homeschool essential lists with you.

Today I would like to share about my second most essential homeschool item: the magnetic book mark.  I have owned and lost so many book marks over the years that I have lost count of them.  I have been using these for the last couple of years and I am impressed with their performance and price.  They are a great investment in any home that has books.  

Details:

Each clip measures 57 mm from tip to tip when open, 18 mm wide and 28 mm from edge to tip when closed.

Because they are magnetic they do not fall out of the book.



Meaning you can use either side to mark the exact spot on the page you stopped reading.


They are 2 mm thick when closed and do not damage the book you are reading.

They are available as 

They are fairly popular and sell out fast but be persistent till you get the ones you want.  I buy mine from Book Depository.  They come in a pack of eight and Sir N loves choosing the one we use for each new read aloud.

Blessings
Chareen

5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials Don't forget to check out and see what my fellow Homeschool Review Crew mates are sharing this week. Here are some to get you started. Some of these links will not be live until tomorrow due to time zone differences as these bloggers are from across the globe. Here are some from the crew to get you started


Note: This articile is part of a reprint from my post in 2011

Monday 20 January 2014

Stationery {Homeschooling Essentials}

Welcome to day one of this weeks 5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials posts brought to you by the Homeschool Review Crew.  We have 89 homeschool Mom's like you sharing their top homeschool essential lists with you.  Today I would like to share about my essential stationery list for homeschooling.  For me they are Pencils, eraser, scissors and glue.

Pencils
One of my pet hates is sharpening a pencil and the lead is broken inside.  Grrrr it frustrates me endlessly.  When my teens were younger this drove me to Warehouse Stationery NZ where I spent a while reading the backs of all the coloured pencil boxes in an effort to find a better pencil that I did not need to sharpen and sharpen and sharpen again!

I discovered that Faber-Castell had a new type of pencil on the market and were advertising SV bonding.

Faber-Castell Tri Grip Colour Pencils
What is SV Bonding ?
SV stands for the German word "Sekuralverfahren" meaning secural bonding or (secure-all bonding). The SV Bonding is a process of gluing the lead to the wood on both sides and the full length of the pencil. This results in strengthening the lead to prevent breakage, provides for better sharpening, which produces a fine point. All Faber-Castell pencils are SV Bonded. SV Bonding is a Faber-Castell trademark.

Faber-Castell Jumbo Colour Pencils


I ended up buying a set of Faber-Castell Jumbo Colour Pencils and have never looked back.  They have lasted for over 10 years of almost daily use in our house.  I highly recommend these pencils.

This is what three of my daughters pencils look like after 12 years of use.  Miss used to colour in every day!


They hardly ever need sharpening and when they are dropped the leads do NOT break inside. They are more expensive to purchase than other brands but well worth the price as you do not sharpen them very often and the leads do not break.  In fact I have had a set for Sir N which he uses often and I sharpened them for the first time yesterday.

Links for more information:
Eraser
Although the children like fancy erasers and the ones that come on the backs of pencils I find it frustrating when I use them and they leave a dirty great big smear across the page!  I finally bit the bullet and purchased a couple of good erasers.  My two favourites are the Faber-Castell PVC free eraser and the Staedtler Plastic Eraser Holder.


Scissors
Cheap scissors are a waste of time and your finances.  They don't cut the paper well and end of being a frustration to you and your student.  Go to the store and try out the types they have their.  See if fingers fit the grips and whether they are comfortable.  Next check the blades. Are they sharp ? Straight ? Even ? Well made ?  Spend more than 99 cents and you will get years of happy tidy cutting from your students.

Glue
Years ago I was introduced to the UHU line of glues by a friend and I have never looked back.  We had tried all sorts of glue sticks and were getting really frustrated.  Some would dry before you even had a chance to adhere it to the page and others would simply peel off a couple of weeks later.  This is no longer a problem since we now use UHU Stic Glue.  I look for this and stock up when it's on special.  We use UHU glue sticks for most of our notebooking and timeline glue needs.



What is on your must have homeschool stationary list ?

Blessings
Chareen

5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials Don't forget to check out and see what my fellow Homeschool Review Crew mates are sharing this week. Here are some to get you started. Some of these links will not be live until tomorrow due to time zone differences as these bloggers are from across the globe.  Here are some from the crew to get you started


Note: The pencil part of this articile is part of a reprint from my post in 2011