Homeschool curriculum shopping can be challenging when searching for a secular curriculum. Curriculum providers tend to market to the conservative Christian homeschooler, so there are a lot of options of that flavor while secular and faith-neutral choices are fewer.
Many Christian families want to use materials that are not religious because their goal is to teach religion separately from academics. Many Christian publishers weave scripture and theology throughout their curriculum. For those who choose to keep academics and faith separate, this integration is not welcome.
Others may want to dive deeper into a certain part of the Bible or study their faith according to their own plan and not based on a timeline set in a curriculum.
Their Beliefs Are Different from Mainstream Christianity
Christians don’t fit one mold. Under the Christian umbrella, there are myriad different denominations, beliefs, values, and doctrines. There are Christians who are young earth and Christians who are old earth. Some Christians agree with the belief that America was founded on Christianity. Others question parts of that story while some believe none of it. This means a traditional Christian textbook may not line up with every Christian’s beliefs. Those whose views are different than mainstream Christianity may have a difficult time with traditional Christian publishers.
They Believe Christian Materials are Too Biased
A popular argument I have heard from some who have used Christian materials and switched to secular was that the material was too biased. While they may want to teach God’s word and a worldview that goes with that, they want to do it in a respectful way, while exposing their children to other beliefs and traditions.
Many Christian homeschool curriculums make this difficult. They may bring up an opposing view and bluntly say it’s wrong, without explaining why or without using a tolerant approach. Other Christian curriculums do not mention opposing views at all, totally shielding kids from anything that doesn’t fit the publisher’s particular worldview.
Parents who prefer to teach they whys behind other beliefs and want to study them more in depth may want a secular curriculum with a more neutral perspective.
They Use State Funds for Curriculum Purchases
In some areas, homeschoolers can use state monies to purchase homeschool curriculum. But that money can’t be used on materials with religious perspectives. So those families need to find a quality, secular homeschool program even though they may have strong religious convictions or even choose to homeschool because of those beliefs.
Because homeschoolers (both Christian and not) do not fit a mold, more and more secular curriculums are being published. This means that Christians who want to use a secular curriculum will have more options than ever before.
Regardless of which curriculum you use, you will want to be aware of what it teaches and how it relates to you and your family’s beliefs. Not all Christian curriculums will include Bible integration. Not all secular curriculums include solely evolutionary content. Study the material, and find what works best for you and your family regardless of your religion.
About the Author
Misty Bailey is a homeschool mom of three and has been homeschooling for over 5 years. You can read about her homeschool journey and more on her blog, Joy in the Journey.
As homeschooling parents, our time is at a premium. Many of us are homeschooling several kids. In addition, we need to cook meals, grocery shop, clean the house, take kids to activities, and perhaps also work a part-time job.
Life is busy.
To carve out more time in their schedule, parents frequently ask these two questions about reading the books in BookShark homeschool curriculum.
1. When Can I Stop Reading Aloud to My Child?
BookShark recommends that you read aloud to your child through the middle school level. There are many reasons to read aloud to your child, but the primary reason is that children can comprehend a story at a higher level when it’s read aloud to them versus when they read it on their own.
The more challenging books in the BookShark levels are assigned as Read-Alouds. As Jim Trelease, author of the Read Aloud Handbook, states,
“A child’s reading level doesn’t catch up to his listening level until eighth grade. You can and should be reading seventh grade books to fifth grade kids. . .A fifth grader can enjoy a more complicated plot than she can read herself, and reading aloud is really going to hook her, because when you get to chapter books, you’re getting into the real meat of print—there is really complicated, serious stuff going on that kids are ready to hear and understand, even if they can’t read at that level yet.”
In addition, some of the Read-Alouds in a BookShark Reading with History package tackle difficult topics. If you’re reading them aloud together, you can discuss the issues as they’re happening in the story. You can talk about the choices characters make and the situations they face.
2. Do I Have to Read the Books My Child Reads Independently?
In short, no, you don’t. The BookShark Instructor’s Guide contains the questions you should ask your child about the Readers as well as the answers, so you’re covered. However, I still recommend reading the readers on your own, especially once your child reaches Level 3 and above. There are some real treasures in the books that are chosen as readers. I’m guessing that most parents did not read many of the books in their own childhood.
Second, if you have a child who gets excited by reading and learning about history, you can share his enthusiasm when you read the Reader, too. You can discuss the story and facts that you learned. Finally, as your child progresses up the higher levels, you will get to read excellent literature that is just as appropriate for older middle school aged children as it is for adults.
BookShark will give your children a quality education, and if you continue to read aloud and read your children’s readers, you will more fully share in that education with your child.
If you have more questions about how BookShark works, reach out to customer service for help! Email [email protected] or call 1-866-668-0179.
About the Author
Melissa is a homeschool mom to three kids. BookShark is her primary curriculum, and she and her kids love it! When she’s not homeschooling, she’s either shuttling kids from one activity to another or working from home as a freelance writer. You can read more about Melissa’s homeschool journey at her blog Moms Plans.
As a former teacher turned unschooling mom, one of the many things I love about BookShark is the variety of resources which spark interest in topics that might otherwise seem a bit dense for young children.
For example, I recently had the idea to introduce my six-year-old to the wonderful world of ancient Greek and Roman history. I was struggling to come up with a way to make it fun for her and something she’d want to explore for more than just one day. I wasn’t positive I could pull this off, but I wanted her to explore this important and downright cool period in ancient history. So I decided to go for it. My starting point was to look at my BookShark resources and then embellish them with our unique unschooling flair.
The first thing I did was pull out the catapult kit from the Hands-On History kit by BookShark. While the catapult is grouped with the Medieval period in the curriculum, I decided to put it with the Greeks, who invented it. Again this is the beauty of homeschooling and having a number of amazing resources on hand: we can make each learning day whatever we want.
I also knew I wanted to use the novel, Detectives in Togas from BookShark Level B, but I still wanted several fun projects to bring all of it to life for my daughter, who tends to learn more toward creative projects.
What did the ancient Greeks and Roman eat? Lay out a lunch of olives, grapes, cheese, apples or pomegranates, smoked salmon, lentil soup, and fresh baked bread.
What did the ancient Greeks and/or Roman wear? Style a toga and an olive branch headband or a shield and Roman soldier helmet.
What did the Greeks believe in their mythology? We studied the story of Orion and used the telescope to find the constellation in the night sky. Then using a large cardboard box, we fashioned a night sky using holiday lights that we poked through holes. My daughter crawled inside to look up at her own starry night.
How did Greeks fight battles? Build the wooden model from the Hands-On History kit, then measure and compare the distance that various items flew when launched from the working catapult.
How did children write in school? Make a wax tablet using a baking sheet, wax paper, melted wax, and a small dowel or small stick.
How did Romans notate numbers? Finger paint Roman Numerals
Who were important characters from Greek and Roman mythology? Let your child research Greek or Roman gods and goddesses. Then create a costume to represent the mythological deity they choose to dress up as.
Access to Great Literature Spurs Interest
Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfield from Level B
Time Traveler covering the Roman World from Level B
I love having the books and resources available at all times for my daughter to explore, even when we’re not using them formally for homeschool lessons. When I first started homeschooling, I closed up our school books in the cabinet when we were finished and pulled them out only for school time. This habit really diminished her interest. By keeping the resources available to her, my daughter voluntarily pulled materials out in the evenings to show her dad, or she looked through books while I made dinner.
Letting her have the freedom to explore on her own really increased her interest.
What made this ancient Greece and Rome study work so well for us was taking it slow, having fun, and following her lead. I alternated between reading time and hands-on activities to keep the energy flowing and, most importantly, I offered these activities simply as possibilities and encouraged my daughter to pick the ones that sounded the most interesting to her.
This learning adventure has been amazing fun for my daughter, who loved catapulting various items across the room. She also enjoyed using the telescope to find Orion in the sky, reading about Caius, and dressing up as Gaia for a day. It is such a treat to me to have a secular homeschool curriculum that provides resources for teaching ancient Greek and Roman history to young children.
About the Author
Resa Brandenburg is a former teacher who is now passionate about unschooling her daughter. She lives with her husband in an old farmhouse by the river in Kentucky. Her favorite thing to do is spend the afternoon with her family, including her grown sons and two grandchildren. Her hobbies include traveling, reading, and quilting.
Ask any veteran homeschool mom whose kids have already graduated from high school, and she will reassure you:
She had the same fears you have now.
She realizes now how pointless most of those fears were.
What a difference 10-15 years of hindsight makes! But you don’t have to wait that long. Let’s look right now at ten of the biggest and most common homeschool fears so you can face—and more importantly, conquer—them.
1. What if I fail to prepare my child for the real world?
Whether a family homeschools or not, parents may still fail to prepare their children for adult life. (The good news is that young adults can learn those adulting skills when they are required!)
Choosing to homeschool doesn’t make parenting any easier. However, having unhurried time at home to model good habits, to correct thinking, and to guide each child individually gives a homeschool family an enormous advantage in this arena.
The valuable, real-life experiences homeschoolers have can prepare them well for adult life if we maximize every opportunity:
community volunteer service projects
public speaking
competitive music
collaborating in co-op projects
ballroom dancing
2. What if I don’t have what it takes to inspire my children every day?
It’s unrealistic to think you’ll keep the same enthusiasm for homeschooling every day. What you can do is plan for those days when you can’t muster the inner drive to motivate your kids. Use plan B days and couch days when the learning is more low-key or stealthy.
Here’s more good news. It’s not solely your responsibility to inspire your kids. When you build upon your child’s natural curiosity with great living books and by following rabbit trails of interest, your child’s own motivation to learn will blossom. Then the two of you can work together to keep the enthusiasm high.
Like us, kids want choices; they want autonomy to move through the day, choosing the times when they prefer to learn, exercise, and relax. When our tweens and teens learn to be independent managers of their time and their education, they continue to learn even when we aren’t feeling so perky.
3. What if I get angry?
Homeschooling is a humbling process. Patience is a skill learned while on the job. You probably are going to blow your top as a homeschool parent. Make allowances for bad days and recognize that some days you will lose it—momentarily. You’re building rigorous academic habits and life skills for the long run; mistakes are part of the process.
4. What if I get ill?
Homeschool parents face the same sicknesses and accidents other families do:
bedrest for pregnancy
caring for a relative who is in the hospital or recuperating at home
When these situations happen, assess how best to homeschool based on the circumstances as they are (not what we wish they were). Focus on what you can accomplish with the limitations of an illness instead of what you can’t.
You may need to cut back academics to only the basics of math and language arts. School may take place in waiting rooms or at the hospital. If you are using a boxed curriculum, you will be able to rely on the laid-out lesson plans that require no intensive planning on your part. And at other stressful times, you need to simply take a break from school altogether until life becomes more normal.
Teaching your children about the fragility of life and the priority of family are important lessons, too.
5. What if my child doesn’t measure up?
Becoming a seasoned homeschool teacher means you know that learning is an ebb and flow. Your child will leap ahead at times and lag behind at others. The great thing about homeschooling is that we don’t have to evaluate our kids according to arbitrary scales determined by school boards. As long as our children are moving forward, it doesn’t matter that they don’t know the value of coins when other school kids learn it or don’t yet know how to write in cursive even though other kids their age do.
Trust that the learning is happening—different facts and skills—possibly on a different timetable, but happening nevertheless.
6. I’m too unorganized to do this well.
While organizing is an essential component of homeschooling, that doesn’t mean a homeschool mom has to mimic a public school setting with a fancy schoolroom and elaborate record keeping. As long as you can research curriculum, make a choice, consistently teach your children, and submit any paperwork your state requires, you can do this!
Then accept the fact that you will not cover everything. And neither do public schools. How did we ever come to adopt an impossible standard of covering everything? (And who defines everything, anyway?)
Instead of being scared that you won’t teach them everything, overcome fear by giving your children the tools and skills to learn anything. Research skills, reading for meaning, and technical ability set your children up for success in this modern age.
8. Will my kids be socialized?
Creating opportunities for socialization is a responsibility of a homeschool parent. Resolve to meet the needs of your children in this area, whatever it takes. It may mean joining or starting a co-op. It will certainly mean driving across town or hosting playdates.
But don’t go to the extreme of over scheduling your children out of fear of being weird, unsocialized homeschoolers. Talk to your kids about their needs for socialization. Introverts will want less time than extroverts. Watch their behavior, and work on any social skills that you see are deficient. But rest assured that there are plenty of awkward kids in every educational sphere. Homeschooling doesn’t necessitate that your kids will become reclusive freaks.
9. I’m afraid my worst school subjects will become my kids’ worst subjects.
Yes, your worst subjects could be your kids’ weaknesses, but the inverse is equally as likely. Your strengths could become your kids’ strong suits.
It is possible not to negatively influence your child about subjects you don’t like. For example, your children can become math lovers as long as you don’t pass your math anxiety to them.
Using a boxed curriculum, hiring a tutor, using a DVD supplement, joining a homeschool co-op, or trading out teaching time with another homeschool mom are just a few options to compensate for your own personal academic soft spots.
10. I’m not cut out to be with my kids all day long.
Sometimes, being with the kids all day is no picnic. Homeschooling is a selfless act not for the faint of heart. But that does not mean we have to offer up our sanity and health on the altar of homeschooling. It’s okay to take breaks. In fact, you need to have time away from your kids—guilt free.
How do you refresh? Do you like to head out alone and browse the yarn shop or meet a friend for dinner out? Or do you prefer for dad to take the kids out so you can stay home alone in peace and quiet? Whatever it is, make it a priority.
Being successful in homeschooling means coming face to face with your biggest fears. Second-guessing is normal, but don’t allow fear to dominate your thinking. When feeling weak, I remember what Nelson Mandela said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
I’ve known my son is an introvert for a long time. Of all my children, he is the only one who intentionally goes into his room and plays for hours by himself. He gets easily overwhelmed by multiple people talking at the same time. He also gets extremely frustrated and exhausted when he’s interrupted.
He’s your classic introvert: quiet, reserved, and soft-spoken. He’s quite the opposite of his outspoken older siblings.
I didn’t set out to homeschool specifically because of personality. However, I’m convinced that homeschooling offers so many benefits to introverted children that traditional schools can’t provide.
1. Extra Processing Time
Introverts need time to process information and experiences far more time than extroverts. They gather information constantly and can ponder it for days.
It’s not uncommon for teachers to move on from a subject, thinking it’s done. Then to their surprise, an introverted child will share some deep thought or conclusion about it days later. They’re just now ready to talk and engage more with that subject.
And all that time in between?
They were thinking, processing, and making connections. All this happened in the quietness of their own minds.
Extroverts may easily jump from subject to subject. Introverts need more time to dwell on a particular subject. They also crave the flexibility to return to topics they’ve pondered for a few days. Homeschooling allows introverted children to take as much time as they need.
2. Reduced Risk
Not every extrovert is a risk-taker. Yet, research shows that the majority are far more apt to take risks than their introverted counterparts.
Think about how much risk it takes to ask a question in a classroom full of peers. Just the thought keeps many introverted children’s hands right by their sides.
The ones that risk and fail? They are even less likely to risk in the future.
Asking and answering questions is rewarded in a traditional classroom. Even if a student does well in other areas, he might be penalized for lack of class participation.
In addition, introverts think deeply about problems. They might not be ready to answer questions as rapidly as teachers ask them. Homeschooling provides a safe place to both ask and answer questions. They don’t have to fear failure or ridicule. It gives them time to think before answering.
Therefore, introverted children can grow in confidence in this secure place. They’ll need it to engage and succeed in a culture that favors extroverted character traits.
3. More Alone Time
While it’s a myth that all introverts steer clear of people, most do need time alone to recharge. That quiet time is not just a nice thought or bonus.
They need it.
Introverted children who attend school all day can become overloaded by the excess stimulation. Because of this, they come home withdrawn at best, and a hot mess of pent-up emotion at worst. Homeschooling provides time for introverts to be alone and get the quiet time they desperately need. As a result, they can give their best emotional energy to the people closest to them their family.
4. Fewer Interruptions
As an introvert myself, having four children made me realize that interruptions drive me crazy. Not only that, they literally sap the energy out of me. When I’m reading aloud during our homeschool day, the more I am interrupted, the less energy I have to finish a chapter. When I’m interrupted in the middle of a task, I can completely forget what I was doing.
I’m starting to see more of this in my son. He struggles with speech, so when his siblings interrupt him repeatedly, he forgets what he was going to say. This adds to his frustration.
Also, interrupted subjects in school settings frustrate introverts. When the clock says time’s up, the teacher moves on to the next subject. So, telling an introverted child to save a math sheet for homework or to finish the book later can be extremely frustrating.
Depending on your family dynamics, homeschooling can be an ideal way to avoid interruptions. You can spend as long as you need on a particular subject.
5. A Chance to Develop Leadership Skills
Leaders who demonstrate extroverted qualities flourish in western cultures. Assertiveness, quick thinking, teamwork, charisma, confidence, and multitasking are all traits of the extroverted leader.
It’s easy to overlook introverted leaders in a school setting. The culture values and praises extroverted leadership traits. Because of this, introverts can start to believe that they aren’t really leaders at all. But introverts make good leaders, too. Schools just struggle to recognize and develop them.
Introverted leaders tend to have better focus, better listening skills, and more creativity. They are also cautious. They like to think carefully about a problem. Then they act. This can be essential for certain leadership positions.
Homeschool parents have the opportunity to help their introverted children become strong leaders in three simple ways:
Provide a safe space to be themselves
Praise introverted leadership qualities
Provide opportunities to practice leadership
The Homeschool Advantage
While introverts can succeed in a traditional school setting, homeschooling gives them a distinct advantage that they may not get anywhere else. If you need more information about raising introverts, I highly recommend these two titles:
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Nurture by Nature: Understanding Your Child’s Personality Type by Paul D. Tieger
And consider homeschooling. If your introverted children are not flourishing in traditional school, homeschooling might be the best gift you can give them.
About the Author
June loves deep discussions about homeschooling, parenting, and minimalism. When she’s not homeschooling, decluttering, or blogging at This Simple Balance, she loves to enjoy perfect silence while sipping a hot cup of coffee and thinking uninterrupted thoughts—which, of course, with four kids ages eight and under doesn’t happen very often!
I’m not a growth mindset mom, at least not by default.
I’ve read all about the importance of developing one, and I’ve written about its benefits. But as many a homeschool parent can attest, being aware of a practice and its real life application isn’t the same thing as actually doingit.
My kids know to put their dirty clothes in the hamper. Want to guess how many pajamas I find shoved behind the bathroom door?
The situation’s pretty similar when it comes to me and a growth mindset. I know what it means to have one, and I know when I need to use such an approach. But the minute a perceived failure or challenge shows up at my doorstep, my first instinct is to give up with a cry of “I just can’tdo this! I’m not good at it. I never have been.” The fatalistic, fixed mindset tends to be my default instead of applying what I know about growth mindset.
Sadly, my fixed mindset affects my children. As we all know, parental attitudes toward failure have a major impact on the behaviors of our children.
Father-daughter psychologists Robert and Lisa Firestone have coined this the Self-System: a phenomenon in which a parent’s self-concept serves as a tool to shape the child’s. When parents shut down or give up in the face of difficulty, a child observes and internalizes the behavior as an appropriate response to struggle. Watching a parent work through a challenge, on the other hand, internalizes a message of hope: if mom and dad persevere through a problem, the child discovers that she can, too.
It’s not that parents who present a fixed mindset are lazy or lack a desire to succeed. It’s more that our patterns of behavior become habit: once we walk down the path of least resistance, it’s easiest to keep walking along that well-worn rut.
Fortunately, though, our habits are flexible, and there are steps we can take to foster growth in ourselves. Once we exhibit these characteristics to our children, they’ll begin to develop the behaviors as well. They’ll view challenge as an opportunity, not as failure or as a reason to turn tail and run.
Say This, Not That: 10 Perfect Phrases to Develop a Growth Mindset
Habits take time to develop, and with mindset, it’s a matter of positive self-talk. Changing the way we speak to ourselves and our children will go a long way toward reducing the desire to surrender.
To build a growth mindset within yourself learn to replace familiar mental phrases with new ones:
Instead of “I’m not doing this right,” say, “I need to revisit my options.”
Instead of “This isn’t something I’m good at,” say, “I’m still working on this skill.”
Instead of “My house is always a disaster,” say, “Good things happen in my home. I’ll teach the kids to help out.”
Instead of “There’s no way I can do it all,” say, “I know when to ask for help.”
Instead of “I’m not qualified to teach this,” say, “This is a great time for me to learn alongside the kids.”
To build a growth mindset within your kids, learn these new ways of communicating:
Instead of “Math [reading, writing, etc.] comes really easily for you,” say, “Let’s find a challenging problem [book, topic, etc.] to tackle.
Instead of “You’re a strong writer (reader, artist, etc.),” say, “Let’s try writing in a different genre (reading a different author; creating in a different medium) to stretch your learning muscles.”
Instead of “This is so good!” say, “I love the colors (ideas, examples) you’ve used here. How will you approach it next time?”
Instead of “Maybe this activity just isn’t your thing,” say, “How can we conquer this next time?”
Instead of “You worked hard. Aren’t you glad it’s over?” say, “That took a lot of effort. What path will you follow next time?”
While positive phrases are immensely helpful, they’re definitely not a golden ticket. Changing the way we think about challenge takes concrete reminders of the triumphs of our past. Try keeping evidence of family accomplishments posted in a conspicuous, well-trafficked place so you can celebrate these small victories every day. You’ll develop a growth mindset together as a family, and find new ways to turn daily challenge to success.
About the Author
Ginny Kochis is a former high school English teacher and adjunct professor of English turned homeschooling mom and business owner. She writes about faith, motherhood, homeschooling and family literacy at Not So Formulaic.
Are you one of those homeschoolers who watches dolphins at the zoo and calls it school? Here’s a secret: Sometimes we all are.
Do field trips have a place on your homeschool calendar year? Are you on the fence about taking the time away from your books? Here are facts to get you off that fence and on that field trip.
Getting out of the house to see history and touch science not only adds to your studies, but it also checks that pesky socialization box.
Field trips are not an intrusion if they are part of your curriculum.
How do you make that outside-of-the-books field trip time really count? Although the term field trip has become a euphemism for a day off from learning, I don’t find that true at all. My adult children still talk about the connections they made between seeing history on our various homeschool field trips and then later reading about it in their curriculum.
There are two ways to get around feeling guilty about taking a day off from your books. I’m giving you permission from the high council of homeschoolers to adopt either method of making your homeschool field trips count.
Two Ways To Plan Homeschool Field Trips
1. The Wing It Method
The first is easiest. Just decide that the schedule and programs are not going to be the boss of you. In other words, wing it.
Be impulsive! Wake up one day and surprise everyone with a day out.
Be comfortable knowing you may do Tuesday’s work on Wednesday.
Don’t worry about fitting anything that you are reading or studying. Just choose a topic or location that seems fun.
Even your youngest students will be thrilled about making a connection to a book they’ve read.
If you encounter something from a different point in history, you’ll get that pay off in years to come when they look up from reading and tell you how they saw that in the museum last year. As Susan Wise Bauer says,” Your goal is to supply mental pegs on which later information can be hung.”
2. The Curriculum Supplement Method
The second way to plan homeschool field trips is more suited to the Type A personalities. If you are a box checker this is for you!
Open up a few browser tabs with websites of local museums and zoos.
Take a look at both the temporary and permanent exhibits for topics in your syllabus.
No matter what level you are studying, you are almost guaranteed to find something applicable to your homeschool.
Pencil the locations into your IG, and when you get to that week, you’ve already got a relevant field trip idea on tap!
No matter what kind of planner you are, my point is just this: Don’t let the Instructor’s Guide rule the year. Any kind of home education is a full-time job. You are already a hero for taking it on. The guide is just that; it’s not your boss.
Before the Visit: What to Bring for a Happy Homeschool Field Trip
Bring the essentials. We even have a dedicated field trip backpack.
The outside pocket contains pens, pencils, and a couple of small notebooks for drawing, notes, or games.
Kleenex and wet wipes are always handy to have on hand.
I carry snacks that do not melt— gum and granola bars for example.
Keep a stash of dollar bills for souvenirs and the Mold-A-Rama machine if you are lucky enough to find one!
Back in the day, I had four kids all under the age of ten. I can tell you from experience that any field trip will require an entire day off from school. It doesn’t matter if you drive or take public transportation. It still takes all day and most of your patience.
Try not to wake or leave the house any earlier than you normally would. If that means you leave mid-morning, that is okay. The last thing you want is to begin the day stressed as you rush out the door.
During the Visit: Know When to Stop
The old adage “always leave them wanting more” is true. Dont’ try to do it all, and leave before the day goes sideways.
Each kid gets a map and chooses one “must see” item.
Take turns navigating through the place.
Don’t be afraid to let your kids ask questions (or not). Museum and zoo folks love eager vistors. They don’t work there only for the money!
Bringing schoolwork? No. Just don’t. There is no point in bringing teens with you if they sit on a bench, reading literature or doing algebra problems.
Keep the visit short—less than four hours unless you have all teens. If anyone seems overtired, unengaged, or is almost crying, it is absolutely time to go.
After the Visit: Reflect and Investigate
Sit down and regroup before you leave. Ask
what they did and didn’t like
what would they like to see next time
what they saw that they want to learn more about
Encourage them to think about how they can find the answers to their questions. That ends the visit on a high note, and before you know it, you’ll be motivated to plan the next day of field trip learning!
About the Author
Jenny Naughton lives in Chicagoland with her husband where they have been homeschooling their four sons and one daughter since the dark ages of 2001. Her nose is always in a book, and if you come over, she will send you home with one so that she has the shelf space to get more. Her favorite social media platform is Instagram where she overshares her books, coffee, pets, and more books.
There are a lot of different reasons that people choose to homeschool. At the core of them all is that we feel it is the best thing for our child. No one chooses this path to torture their kids!
Most homeschooled kids love learning at home and realize how awesome it is to be homeschooled.
But what if your child asks to go to public school? Maybe they went to school before and want to go back, or maybe they just want to see what it is like since they’ve heard other kids talk about it. What do you do when you want to homeschool but your child wants to attend school? Here are my six suggestions.
1. Pinpoint What They Miss
If your child has previously been to school, there might be something about it that they miss. Maybe they liked having a teacher or seeing their friends daily. Maybe they liked the independence or structure. Open the lines of communication and figure out what they feel is missing. Then try to figure out a solution that somehow meets that need.
2. Look Into Private Schools or Co-ops
Some private schools have daily or weekly classes open to homeschoolers. This arrangement can give your children the opportunity to be in a classroom setting for a certain subject but be homeschooled the rest of the time. There are also a lot of homeschool co-ops that are structured like school. If your child misses being in a class and interacting with a teacher, this option may be the fix you need.
3. Keep a Public School Schedule for a Few Days
I don’t know about your homeschool schedule, but ours looks nothing like a regular school day. Most kids don’t realize going to school means getting up and moving bright and early and spending 6+ hours in classes and then completing homework at home! Oh, and no pajamas allowed! Sometimes giving them a small taste of what real school would be like can help them appreciate how wonderful homeschooling actually is!
4. Change Your Approach or Curriculum
Is your child interested in going to school because what you’re doing isn’t working? Maybe they hate the curriculum you’re using, or maybe your approach is too structured or too casual. It may be that with a few tweaks your child is happier in your homeschool environment and will no longer dream about going to public school.
5. Put Them in Lessons, Classes, or Clubs
If your child is missing interaction with their peers or having a teacher, enrolling them in something like tae kwon do or getting them involved in scouts might be the answer! You can even check out your local library for kids activities or clubs—even homeschool specific activities. Having a weekly or bi-weekly activity can fill that desire for seeing friends and having fun.
6. Make Sure They Have Friends Who are Homeschooled
If your homeschooled child wants to go to public school, there is likely a variety of forces causing that feeling. Don’t take it as a rejection of you as a parent. Instead, take the time to address their concerns, talk things through, and come up with solutions that everyone can agree on!
About the Author
Krista is the homeschooling mom of 3 boys. After 13 years she has learned the value of chilling out, going with the flow and keeping homeschooling fun! She is the blogger behind Far From Normal where she hopes to encourage parents and homeschoolers, and inspire a life lived happily outside the box!
Teaching reading was my greatest fear as I contemplated homeschooling. Could I do it? What if I messed it up? What if I turned my kids off of reading forever?
Of course, teaching a child to read is not nearly as difficult as you may expect. And all of my children are proficient readers! What I’ve found over my years of interacting with my readers is that there is really only one element that is key to helping someone find success in reading—quality time with a mentor.
I grew up in the DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) era. We dropped everything and read all the way through my middle school days. This practice seemed effective for me, but I was already an avid reader. DEAR time merely fed that existing passion.
Now that I’m helping cultivate young readers of my own, I question the principle of DEAR. It’s not that I don’t love to read or that I don’t encourage my kids to read. Far from it! But unsupportedindependent reading is not something I find valuable.
Resisting the Temptation to DEAR
Let’s be honest. DEAR time is a wonderful thing for a mom who needs to prep dinner, to start the laundry, or to get the next kid moving along in their math. It can be a quick go-to activity that can make you as a teacher feel like you’re doing something great for your budding readers. Doesn’t mastery come from lots of practice?
The reality is that I can practice playing baseball for hours and hours, but if I don’t really know how to play, I’ll never improve. The same goes for reading. If I only leave my new reader or my veteran reader to practice good reading habits on their own, they will never be able to get beyond their own limitations. They need a mentor to support them in their independent reading.
The good news is that doesn’t mean you have to give up that valuable quiet reading time. With a few simple support techniques, you can take your independent reader to the next level.
Supporting Your Readers
Young readers need support from a mentor that can help them find success in their lifelong pursuit. Selecting appropriate books and understanding the author’s intent are not intuitive tasks. They need to be modeled, assessed, and cultivated. Here are some excellent ways to support your readers:
Curate a Home Library
It stands to reason that a home library will offer greater opportunities for reading. Leslie Morrow conducted a study indicating that children read 50 to 60 percent more in classrooms with libraries than without. You don’t have to own all of the books in your home library. Visit your local library frequently and always have a selection of quality books available for your budding reader.
Ensure that you have a variety of types books to choose from. You want your students to be reading realistic fiction, informational books, fantasy, instructional books, biographies, poetry, graphic novels, online articles, and journals. If you have a variety of books in your home library to offer your readers, you’ll have more opportunities to mentor your readers.
Model Book Selection
Reading success does not come from just having countless volumes to choose from. This can be overwhelming to a new reader. Show them how to select a book that is just right for their reading level. Encourage them to read in a variety of different genres. This will help those readers who always choose comic books learn to appreciate and enjoy different types of books.
How do you know if a book is worth reading?
Can they read it? Have them read aloud for a couple of minutes to see if the vocabulary is too challenging. If they seem to understand what they’re reading, you’re good to go.
Is it a topic that interests them? If it is, their interest might push them through a book that contains more complex language usage.
Does it offer something to think or talk about? We read to discuss ideas with one another. If a book doesn’t offer much to discuss, model how to be selective in what you choose to read.
Does it help in practicing what they’re learning? If you’re working on a specific reading technique, there are some books that are better than others to draw out that understanding.
Discuss Their Reading
When you ask them to read, a simple way to follow up on their reading is discussing what they read. You can model what this looks like when you read books aloud together. This doesn’t have to be another line item in the planner. It can be incorporated into your life in simple ways:
Ask them about their reading while you’re in the car.
Share about what they’re reading at the dinner table.
Use narration to have them relate what they just read.
It’s so easy to let instruction slip away in favor of independence. While it is important to allow time for your students to practice their reading, they still need you to check in on them.
About the Author
Betsy Strauss is a wife to a deep thinker and a homeschooling mom of three kids. When she stumbled into homeschooling, she thought it would just look like public school at home. Thankfully, she quickly learned that using a one-room schoolhouse model of teaching was a great way to unify the family, and enrich family life without going crazy! She shares her encouragement on Family Style Schooling Blog.
Although homeschoolers usually have a healthy home library, they are typically very faithful library patrons as well. They visit regularly, participate in programs, and check out stacks of books at a time. Even if they use a literature-based program, homeschoolers can’t seem to get enough books to supplement their science and history lessons or for recreational reading.
Tips for Keeping Track of Checked Out Library Books
Libraries can be huge money savers for homeschoolers but only if you don’t lose track of your borrowed books. Fines, no matter how small, can add up quickly when you’re checking out 20+ books at a time (as many homeschoolers do).
While they’re young, teach your children that being a good library patron is about respect. It’s important to take care of the books as if they belong to a friend. That includes knowing where borrowed books are at all times and returning them when they are due.
Designate a Central Location
Find a place in your home that can be used only for library books. Make sure all family members know where it is and what it’s for. Elicit everyone’s help keeping it available for this purpose and not letting it get cluttered with other items or books.
When you come home from a library visit, have your children place the books into this spot right away. Teach your children that after books are read, they are to be put back into the library spot.
Sign up for Email Alerts
Most libraries have the ability to send you a courtesy notice via email (or maybe text or robocall) a couple of days before books are due back. Ask your librarian if they offer this and if they do, give them your email address and make sure they attach it to all library cards your family uses.
Use One Library Card
If your library allows you unlimited checkouts per library card, use the same library card each time you borrow books. This way, when you go online to renew books or see when certain books are due back, you have to check only one card.
Does your library place a limit on the number of books you can take out per card? Then try to limit the number of cards you use. When you’re checking out large numbers of books at a time, it can be challenging enough to remember what titles you have at home. You don’t need the added pressure of remembering what card they’re on.
Check your List Before Heading Out
Before you head back to the library, make sure you have all of the books that need to go back. Pull up your account online or use the paper receipt and call out the titles as your children pull the books off the shelves and put them into your library bag. If there are titles that aren’t ready to go back, set them aside so you can renew them online after you pack up the rest of the books.
Keeping track of your library books isn’t hard if you have a system in place that everyone knows and follows.
