BookShark

Category: Homeschool Tips

  • 5 Benefits of Homeschooling for Introverts

    5 Benefits of Homeschooling for Introverts

    I need some alone time, mommy. I’m an introvert.

    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:

    1. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
    2. 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 Our 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!

  • The Importance of Real-Life Skills in Homeschooling

    The Importance of Real-Life Skills in Homeschooling

    As a current public school teacher and homeschool mom, I’ve had the unique experience of seeing the strengths and limitations of both educational systems. One of the biggest distinctions I’ve noticed is the ability to seamlessly incorporate real-life skills into my children’s education through homeschooling—something that is often difficult to achieve in a traditional school setting.

    In public schools, there’s a necessary emphasis on academic subjects like math, reading, and science. These are, of course, crucial for academic success, but they often leave little room for the practical skills that children will need as adults—skills like financial literacy, entrepreneurship, time management, and character development. Homeschooling gives me the freedom to cover these life skills in a way that’s not just an add-on but a fundamental part of our daily learning. Here’s why that makes all the difference for our family.

    Incorporating Real-Life Skills

    One of the great benefits of homeschooling is the ability to emphasize life skills that are often overlooked in traditional schooling. As a teacher, I’ve seen firsthand how limited the time and resources can be to teach students about practical, everyday subjects such as managing money, understanding taxes, or even basic home maintenance. In a traditional classroom, these topics are either briefly touched upon or, in many cases, not covered at all due to the demands of a packed curriculum.

    With homeschooling, I can make real-life skills a priority. Financial literacy is something we start teaching early on. My kids learn about budgeting, saving, investing, and even understanding the importance of taxes. These are skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives but are rarely taught in schools. Similarly, we delve into entrepreneurship. My children are encouraged to think creatively about how they can turn their passions and hobbies into future business ventures. Whether it’s learning how to market a product or understand the basics of supply and demand, these are the types of lessons that go beyond traditional textbooks.

    Time management is another crucial skill that’s woven into our daily routine. My children learn how to structure their day, set goals, and manage their workload—all while balancing the flexibility homeschooling allows. These are essential skills that prepare them for real-world responsibilities in adulthood.

    Homeschooling allows us to nurture our children’s interests, equip them with essential life skills, and create an educational environment where learning is not just academic but practical, character-driven, and connected to the real world.

    Fostering a Love of Learning

    One of the most significant differences between homeschooling and traditional schooling is the ability to foster a genuine love of learning. In a public school setting, children often have to follow a rigid schedule that doesn’t allow them the freedom to dive deeply into subjects that interest them. As a teacher, I’ve seen how this can sometimes make learning feel like a chore for students, and it’s frustrating when I know that there’s so much more potential if we just had the time and freedom to explore.

    With homeschooling, we have the flexibility to focus on subjects that ignite my children’s passions. If one of my children becomes fascinated with space, we can spend extra time studying the stars, exploring NASA’s latest missions, and even building our own model rockets. If another child is interested in art, we can dedicate time to understanding different techniques, studying famous artists, and creating our own gallery-worthy pieces at home. This ability to let curiosity lead the way helps my kids develop a genuine love of learning, something that I know will extend far beyond their “school years.”

    This passion-driven approach simply isn’t something that traditional schools can offer due to time constraints, standardized testing, and the need to cover a set curriculum. Homeschooling, on the other hand, allows for this individualized, interest-based learning that makes education more engaging and meaningful.

    Focus on Character Development

    Another area where homeschooling shines is the focus on character development. In a public school setting, the focus is naturally on academic achievement and following school rules, but there’s often not enough time to teach the deeper values that help shape children into compassionate, responsible adults.

    Homeschooling gives me the opportunity to emphasize character development as part of our everyday learning. We integrate lessons on kindness, empathy, responsibility, and resilience into everything we do. Whether it’s through discussing how historical figures demonstrated these traits or practicing these values in real-life situations, character-building is at the core of our homeschool approach.

    For example, when we study history, we don’t just focus on dates and events. We have discussions about the moral and ethical decisions made by people in the past. We explore how acts of courage, integrity, and compassion have shaped the world and how these same values are important in their own lives. This approach helps my children grow not only academically but also emotionally and socially, preparing them to be thoughtful, engaged members of society.

    Connecting with the Natural World

    Homeschooling also provides us with the freedom to incorporate outdoor and nature-based learning, something that’s difficult to do consistently in a traditional school setting. As a family living in beautiful California, we have access to incredible landscapes that serve as our outdoor classroom. 

    Public schools, while offering recess and occasional field trips, often don’t have the flexibility to immerse children in nature as a regular part of their education. With homeschooling, we can step outside whenever we need a break or want to explore a new topic. We’ve spent mornings hiking, identifying local plants, and observing wildlife. My children have learned not just from books but by experiencing the natural world firsthand.

    These outdoor experiences not only enrich their understanding of subjects like biology and environmental science but also reinforce the importance of stewardship, conservation, and respect for nature. These are lessons that I hope will stay with them for life.

    Why Real-Life Skills Matter

    Incorporating real-life skills into homeschooling is about more than just preparing children for adulthood—it’s about giving them a holistic education that reflects the realities of the world they’ll live in. In a traditional public school setting, there are many constraints: curriculum requirements, time limitations, and large class sizes that make it difficult to focus on individualized life skills. As a public school teacher, I know how much teachers would love to do more, but it simply isn’t always possible.

    Homeschooling bridges that gap. It allows us to nurture our children’s interests, equip them with essential life skills, and create an educational environment where learning is not just academic but practical, character-driven, and connected to the real world.

    As a public school teacher and a homeschool mom, I see firsthand how homeschooling offers opportunities that simply aren’t available in traditional education. The ability to incorporate real-life skills like financial literacy, time management, entrepreneurship, and character development into our daily lessons has made all the difference for our family. This holistic approach to learning is what I believe truly prepares children for life beyond the classroom, equipping them with not just academic knowledge but the practical skills and values they’ll need to thrive in the real world.

  • Why Homeschooling Is the Best: Flexible Routines and Schedules

    Why Homeschooling Is the Best: Flexible Routines and Schedules

    With our flexible homeschool schedule, we’ve had the space and control to achieve a perfect rhythm for our days. This schedule has not been imposed on us by public school, and we’re reaping the rewards! Life is much more relaxed, and the kids are learning more, too. Flexible routines and schedules are another reason why I say homeschooling is best.

    The Science of Routines

    Science backs the importance of routines for children. Psychology Today speaks about the comfort that children get from having a predictable routine. When they know what is happening, they feel safe. 

    A study found that a fixed family schedule actually helps children with behavioural issues such as oppositional defiant disorder and hyperactivity/impulsivity. I can attest to this! Our son has elements of both of these disorders and benefits from knowing what is going to happen during his day. When he is in a routine, he has far fewer meltdowns and is much more willing to learn and to engage.

    Based on the data, it would be easy to think that a rigid public school routine is the ultimate comfort. But I have found the opposite to be true. And I’m not the only one!

    Rigid Public School Routines Are Old School

    In his TED Talk from 2010, Bring on the Learning Revolution, the late Sir Ken Robinson explained that the current public school system is based on an old model from the 19th century, “We have to go from what is essentially an industrial model of education, a manufacturing model, which is based on linearity and conformity and batching people.”

    The public school schedule is an example of this conformity. Children do thrive on predictability, but they are often forced into a learning routine that does not work for them mainly so they can be batched and managed.

    My kids did not thrive with the one-size-fits-all timetable of public education. In fact, the early, rushed starts caused them a huge amount of anxiety.

    Some kids are better later in the morning or in the afternoon. An article in TIME says that teenagers are actually better suited to staying up late and sleeping late, so a more flexible school schedule could lead to more motivated teens. I know that my 9-year-old twins, who do like a set routine, benefit from a later start. 

    The Beauty of a Flexible Homeschool Routine

    Schedules and routines are great, but I don’t think the public school ones should be forced on everybody. And this is where the beauty of the homeschool schedule comes into play. There are so many ways that you can mold your daily schedule to best suit your child. Here are some of the freedoms we’ve discovered in our years of homeschooling:

    • Kids can get enough sleep and are rested and ready for the day. They can then start the day when they feel ready to learn.
    • Kids can have a peaceful morning routine rather than feeling stressed and rushed.
    • You can decide if you want to follow year-round homeschooling, take breaks periodically or use a 4-day schedule. You have the flexibility to decide what works best for your family and to change your mind whenever you like.
    • You can homeschool on the road and take holidays when you want to. Kids can experience the world, without having to wait for designated periods in the year to go on vacation. 
    • Kids can have a break if they’re sick or even just having a bad day. We do this a lot! It’s difficult to expect concentration and engagement from kids when they don’t feel their best. 
    • You can dive deeply into child-led learning, letting children focus on what delights and engages them. A flexible schedule means that subjects can easily be moved around to accommodate these interests.

    The world is changing, and education needs to change too. Even though public schools are constantly improving, they are not doing so quickly enough. The old way of managing kids is still prevalent in most schools, yet this way of teaching is not going to prepare all of them adequately for the future. And that’s why homeschool is the best! 

    When you school at home, you can adapt learning, content, and schedules to give your children the best education possible. And then they can be ready to face a changing world that needs people flexible enough to navigate its complexities. 

    About Our Author

    Charlotte Jones is a multi-tasking mom who works from home. She spends her days blogging at My Little Home School, homeschooling her twins, and teaching English online. Her home is a small house in a quaint little town on the coast of South Africa. You can often find her swimming in the lagoon or hiking in the forest with her husband, special needs twins, and furbaby. She loves her family, spending time in nature, running, red lipstick, and drinking too much coffee.  

  • Why It’s Okay to Homeschool in the Afternoon

    Why It’s Okay to Homeschool in the Afternoon

    Our mornings go a lot like this:

    • I wake up about the same time as the children. We have coffee and breakfast.
    • We do a few chores, and I do some work
    • Suddenly, it’s lunchtime.
    • After lunch, my youngest goes down for a nap, and we get down to the business of school.

    Although some families swear by starting your homeschool day early, morning school is impractical for our family. I’m here to tell you that homeschooling is okay at any time of day!

    I grew up in the homeschool world, and in those days, homeschooling moms spent a lot of time trying to copy each other or the homeschool celebrity they heard at a conference that year.

    My mom spent hours creating schedules that we ultimately never used because they were not right for us. She often felt guilty for not following someone else’s schedule rather than feeling awesome about what she was able to accomplish (a lot).  

    For our family, afternoon homeschooling works best. We would not do well on a homeschool schedule that starts at 8 a.m. or even at 9 a.m.

    My children and I are not morning people. The thought of getting up and immediately taxing our brains with school sounds exhausting. Morning school would cause needless frustration and tears in our home. Why should I adhere to the schedule of traditional school if I don’t have to?

    In the mornings, Bo (age 3) is up early, and she is such a busy little bee that it is nearly impossible to focus on school while she is awake. Monkey (age 9) likes following a schedule she puts together includes starting school at 1 p.m.

    The Benefits of Afternoon Homeschool

    Homeschooling is just what it says—HOME schooling. Your homeschool should reflect the needs of your home. It doesn’t matter if you start school at 8 a.m. or even 8 p.m. if that is what works best for your family.

    There are hundreds of reasons I can think of that make afternoon school ideal:

    • Extracurricular activities or doctor’s appointments in the morning
    • Work
    • Kids or mom are not morning people
    • Dad goes into work late
    • Baby naps in the afternoon
    • Not feeling rushed in the morning
    • Health challenges
    • Grandparents or extended visitors in the home

    The Challenge of Afternoon School

    The only drawback with afternoon schooling is that you cannot skip it. If you procrastinate, it could easily get to be evening without any lessons having been completed. While this is okay occasionally or in short bursts, this could get you off track if it happens long-term. Even if you start school in the afternoon, it still requires discipline to sit down and teach the lessons each day.

    We have defeated this challenge by creating a semi-structured afternoon schedule that helps keep us on track for school.

    Learning Can Happen Any Time

    Homeschooling is an amazing journey that provides flexibility and tailored learning in an environment unlike any other. Many top private schools work hard to create a home-like environment for their students that is precisely what we have in homeschooling. Your school does not, and should not, look like everyone else’s.

    You chose to homeschool because it is best for your family. And if starting school in the afternoon is best for your family, then by all means skip morning school. We can enjoy our morning coffee guilt-free together!

    About the Author

    Brenda is a professional writer and homeschooling mother to two girls in Dallas, TX, with a passion for books, DIY, and creative education. Her blog, Schooling a Monkey, is all about homeschooling, crafts, green living, and fun.

  • Homeschool Science for Multiple Children: How I Failed But Finally Won

    Homeschool Science for Multiple Children: How I Failed But Finally Won

    With seven years of homeschooling I’ve racked up more than a few successes and failures, but nothing has been so black and white as our science journey. I’m sorry we wasted so much time but grateful we’ve finally found our perfect science fit. Here are six tips that would have gotten us learning and loving science much sooner.

    #1 FAIL: Keep Using Science Curriculum No One Likes

    We started out doing science with a grade-specific textbook for our oldest daughter. As time marched on and we added another student, we discovered that juggling two science programs was possible. I would sit down with each girl separately to read the assigned pages and ask the coordinating comprehension questions. But there wasn’t ever any additional discussion. They didn’t talk to each other about what they were learning, and they weren’t ever waiting at the door when their dad got home, bubbling with excitement over the new information they had learned.

    Our time doing science didn’t cause any sparks; it was clear that we were just serving our time in order to check science off the daily to-do list.
    Unfortunately, there seemed to be a disconnect between my kids’ innate interest in all things animal, weather, or nature-related and how disinterested they were during our science time. It didn’t make sense, but we kept plodding on.

    #2 FAIL: Stop Doing Science Altogether

    The walk from the couch to the school bookshelf took approximately seven steps when it was time to start art or literature. Oddly enough when it was time to grab a science or handwriting book, the floor expanded to approximately seven hundred foot-draggy steps, complete with moaning.
    Ultimately, we threw in the towel when our third child, accurately dubbed The Tornado, skipped walking and graduated right to running at one. I didn’t have the time or energy to keep multiple science plates spinning, especially with the song and dance required to keep my kids motivated. To be honest, I wasn’t all that excited about those science textbooks either, and I couldn’t fabricate enough curiosity for all of us while chasing The Tornado.
    We took a break from the textbooks, which meant stepping back from science, too.

    #3 FAIL: Attempt to Design a Whole Curriculum from Scratch

    Our break didn’t last very long since I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was letting my kids down by leaving big gaps in their education without science.
    I tried following several book lists and checking out science-themed books from the library, but that required lots of free mom-time I didn’t have. I spent too many precious hours trying to figure out charts of topics, wondering if I was missing a major -ology.
    The books we did bring home, however, were devoured without any pushing on my part. We were getting closer to a solution. I sensed that winning was just around the corner.

    #1 WIN: Trust a Solid Curriculum Plan

     Reading about another family’s success with BookShark this past spring got my curriculum-investigating wheels turning. It didn’t take long to see that it might offer a solution for our science-loving, but textbook-hating, multi-level family.
    We settled on one science program that we’d all do together BookShark’s Science D. My kids clock in at ages 10, 9, 6, 4, and 1 1/2. It’s already a zoo, even before baby number six arrives this winter. The option of doing science as a family with a single science program is ideal.

    Spiral Science Homeschool Program

    Based on our experience, I knew that a literature-based, hands-on program would work well for our family. What I didn’t realize was how BookShark’s spiral approach is perfect for multi-level families like ours.
    With the spiral approach, students explore a wide range of content with the understanding that they will cover those same topics in greater depth several times in the future. My school-age children who can’t read can still listen and help us complete the experiments without being shamed for not being able to answer all the same questions as their older siblings.
    The best part? I don’t have to organize that master plan. I don’t have to remember when or how to cover topics. Experts have already thought through exactly when to cover and re-cover every topic. It’s one less thing (more like one hundred fewer things) for me to worry about.

    #2 WIN: Go Beyond the Textbook

    In my past homeschool science teacher life, I wanted to figure out appropriate experiments or find the perfect coordinating videos online. But it just took too much time. I half-heartedly checked out some hands-on science books from the library, flipped through them, and quietly slipped them into the return box without showing the kids, feeling like a failure for not doing more.
    By blending hands-on activities and experiments, high quality literature, and videos, all my kids can get something out of what we’re doing this year with BookShark. Obviously my preschooler and my middle schooler won’t finish the year with all the same factoids floating around in their minds, but they will have memories of completing experiments together.
    They each glean what they can from the books we read, and I know that they’re internalizing so much more than they would otherwise.

    #3 WIN: Have Fun

    We spent far too long dreading science in our homeschool. I reached that sorry conclusion when I was unpacking all our BookShark science supplies for this year while my kids looked on. They weren’t drooling -because that would be weird -but they were pretty much drooling. They were so excited to see how the materials in the little supply box were going to get put to use, and I had to squirrel away the included books so they wouldn’t be read secretly under covers in the dead of night with a flashlight ahead of time. They flipped out at the thought that sometime this year we would be growing our own popcorn. Popcorn! When my husband came home that night, he could barely squeeze inside due to four little people at the door, bursting to tell him about all that science holds for us this year.

    The moral of our story is that we can win at science whether we have one child or ten, if only we just give them the right tools to enjoy it.

    About the Author

    Alicia Schonhardt lives in Iowa with her husband and five homeschooled kids. She loves reading aloud with all the right voices and pretending to be crafty. She is not-so-great at planning and organization but dabbles in minimalism, so it isn’t quite so tricky.
    With two medically needy kids, Alicia strives to choose happiness even when things are hard. She blogs at Sweeping Up Joy, about finding beauty and humor in life right now, even when it’s hidden behind piles of laundry and chewed up books.