BookShark

Category: Blog

  • Why Reading Aloud Is the Key for Kids Who Hate Reading

    Why Reading Aloud Is the Key for Kids Who Hate Reading

    To say my son is not a big fan of reading may be an understatement. How frustrating! Didn’t he know I had big plans for the type of reader he would be? You know, the read-by-age-four-voracious-can’t put-the-book-down type of reader.

    I’m a reading teacher after all! Couldn’t I just mold him into the type of read I wanted him to be? Ha! I couldn’t convince him to enjoy reading anymore than I could convince him that peas were his favorite food.

    I could try. I could coerce. Prod. Reward. Punish. But I could not make him enjoy the act of reading. Enjoyment comes from within, and reading a book just isn’t his thing.

    So, I was faced with a choice—force reading and torture us both, throw my hands up and surrender, or read aloud. The only clear choice—to save my relationship with my son and my sanity—was to read aloud. So that’s what we did. And what I learned along the way was beautiful.

    Reading Aloud Builds Connection

    Settling in on the couch with a mug of tea in one hand, a book in the other, my kids plop down around the living room. Some encircle the bin of LEGO bricks. Another sprawls, all arms and legs, into the armchair beside the window. Still another climbs into my lap and pulls her blanket up to her chin. They can’t wait to hear the next chapter in Carry On, Mr. Bowditch.

    Here we are, all six kids and me, gathered round a book. They giggle at my attempts to pronounce some of the ship terms, and beg me to read another chapter when I close the book. These mornings are building connection—connection between us, building our family tapestry of memories, and connection between each of my kids and the love of story.

    Together we are connecting with people of different times and places, learning to walk in their shoes, even just for the span of an hour. Roald Dahl, one of our favorite authors, knew the value of story when, in Matilda, he wrote,

    “The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives. She went on olden-day sailing ships with Joseph Conrad. She went to Africa with Ernest Hemingway and to India with Rudyard Kipling. She travelled all over the world while sitting in her little room in an English village.”

    Notice that he is not saying reading transported her, but books. The stories in the books transported her, not the act of decoding words. This distinction may seem like splitting hairs, but for kids who don’t like to read, it is a vast canyon.

    The act of reading can be cumbersome and get in the way of the enjoyment of the story. Listening to a story read aloud can bring the story to life and create connections that silent reading cannot.

    Just as a writer is still a writer if they have no use of their hands, a reader is still a reader when engaging with the story by listening. Writers connect with the world by sharing their ideas. Readers connect with the story by allowing themselves to connect with the characters and the plot.

    Reading Aloud Builds Language Skills

    We all want our children to build their language skills—vocabulary, comprehension, critical thinking, and discussion. Reading aloud with a book-based curriculum does all of this!

    When reading at their own level, children are exposed to a limited scope of words, as dictated by that reading level. When listening to a read aloud, children (teens and adults, too) have the opportunity to expand their vocabularies in new ways. They hear new words in context, making their meanings purposeful within the story rather than just words to be memorized on a vocabulary worksheet.

    With read alouds, children feel more comfortable to stop and ask, “What does that mean?” When reading silently, the child is more likely just to skip over the word and hope for the best.

    The same principle holds true for comprehension. When the act of decoding words is taken out of the reading equation, children are able to comprehend more sophisticated stories and sentence structures. Both of these lay the path for critical thinking and discussion.

    When we read aloud with our kids, we experience history with them! We are there as they wrestle with big ideas. They see our facial expressions as we read a poignant paragraph, and hear our inflection as we move between lines of dialogue. From these shared experiences come discussion. When reading aloud, we have the opportunity to pause and chat about the characters’ actions, the author’s word choice, and the surprising plot twist. We are there—building language skills with our kids in a most natural and enjoyable way!

    Reading Aloud—What If I’m Too Tired or Don’t Like to Read Aloud?

    I get it! Sometimes sitting down to read aloud makes me yawn. I’m tired from a busy week or just plain tired of reading aloud. My voice needs a break.

    The solution is audiobooks! We love, love, love audiobooks! They have kept our read alouds flowing through illness and busy seasons when we’re on the run. We listen along on our drive to swim practice or on a quiet Monday morning when we all need extra time to wake up.

    I especially like to select read alouds that capture the essence of a historical time period through the added effects of the audiobook. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe wouldn’t sound the same if not read with a British accent. The lilting harmonica notes in Echo draw us deeper into the story, and Bud, Not Buddy deserves the deep, smooth voice of James Avery. Without the subtle nuances added to these audiobooks, our experience of them would have been very different.

    Reading Aloud—What About the Teen Years?

    Just because there are thirteen candles lit on the birthday cake doesn’t mean that your read aloud days are done. The opposite is true! Reading aloud with a teen is an adventure worth taking! The stories that they choose are meatier and almost always beg for discussion—especially when the subject matter tackles sensitive issues. Read alouds in the teen years keep learning alive when textbooks often become the norm, and the connections we made through books in the earlier years can continue to thrive.

    A book-based curriculum is perfect for kids who don’t like to read and for those who do. Human beings thrive on story, and a book-based curriculum is built on just that—story! A book-based curriculum is like a well-crafted booklist, laid out like a feast, and reading aloud brings that feast to everyone. Enjoy!

    About the Author

    Angela Awald is a homeschooling mama to 6, certified teacher, writer, and doula. Her days brim full of learning, loving, and laundry (lots and lots of laundry)!! She believes that nurturing children (and ourselves) means helping them to see that all of life is about learning – from our mistakes, from each other, and from great books! Angela blogs at nurturedroots.net where she shares the ways she is nurturing her family and inspiration for nurturing your own.

  • Is It Too Late to Start Homeschooling? Is My Child Too Old?

    Is It Too Late to Start Homeschooling? Is My Child Too Old?

    Search homeschooling on just about any platform you can think of, and you’ll instantly be flooded with resources. Gorgeous wooden Waldorf toys, nature studies for preschoolers, vintage handwriting tablets, tricks that incorporate LEGO into reading. There are printables, book lists, and math manipulatives galore—so many options. You’ll find books and blogs all devoted to explaining the various homeschool philosophies, from Charlotte Mason to unschooling, classical to literature-based. There are all the checklists and planners and getting-started guides a parent could ever need, just at your fingertips, for when you decide it’s time to start homeschooling your little one.

    But what about when you don’t start homeschooling until your child is a little older? What if you’re looking into homeschooling for the first time with a middle schooler? What if you are wading through preschool crafts and all the books that go to great lengths discussing the importance of a solid educational foundation while searching for upper grade resources?

    If you have an older child and have only just begun to dip your toe into the primary-heavy world of homeschooling resources, is it too late? 

    (Spoiler alert: you’re not too late.)

    Starting to Homeschool Mid-School Year

    I became peripherally aware of homeschooling when my middle child was in second grade. I knew it was potentially on the horizon for us, but for the time being I was keeping it at arm’s length and trying to power through. I’d casually search Pinterest here and there, maybe look on Instagram to see how other families were doing it, but I wasn’t diving into homeschool research or devoting my nights to wording an educational mission statement. Until I was. 

    When the time came to pull my third grader out of public school, I found myself grasping at every resource I could find. I was a woman possessed, spending every waking hour (and far too many bedtime hours) Googling reviews, poring over forums for suggestions, gobbling up book lists and filling up my online carts. I was looking for anything I could find that would make this task seem less daunting. And there was a lot to be found in the lane of encouraging homeschool moms… of preschoolers. 

    It seemed that most websites and blogs and Instagram accounts were operating under the assumption that all homeschoolers started out as homeschoolers, and most of the encouragements and recommendations I was finding were geared towards the parent of the very young child.

    • Pep talks for parents teaching their kids to read.
    • Magical speeches about creating a lifestyle of learning from very young ages.
    • Passionate calls to allow children to learn through play.

    References to foundations and habits were everywhere, but I had a child who had already passed all of these milestones. My child could already read, already do math, already had an idea of what learning was and very much needed to “do school,” not just play. 

    Was I too late? Had a foundation already been laid by someone else’s hands, with someone else’s philosophies? Could I jump in and take over the reins, or was I going to have to break something down in order to build something else entirely up?

    A little of all of it, honestly.  

    Picking Up Where They Left Off

    Yes, my son could read. We didn’t need to spend hours working on phonics together for him to develop a love of language. We just needed to find books we enjoyed reading together. 

    Yes, my son could already do math. We didn’t need to point out patterns in nature or count the legs of a caterpillar for him to appreciate what numbers were. We just needed to find a math curriculum we liked. 

    Yes, my son could write. We didn’t need to create sensory-friendly bins for him to practice letters and penmanship in order for him to communicate well. We just needed to find writing prompts that excited him. 

    Part of transitioning into homeschool from a previous educational setting did involve a bit of a relay, figuring out where the school had left off and running ahead from there. 

    Part of choosing to homeschool after a few years in a traditional institution did require the breaking down of some habits or expectations that had been instilled.

    You’re Not Playing Education Catch-Up

    The transition period allowed me to develop a homeschool philosophy that included both of us. Instead of declaring ourselves to be devout followers of this method or that, I was able to work with my son to discover how and what he wanted to learn.

    Did I miss a window in his development by having someone else teach him for the first few years? Absolutely not! I was still his mother during those years, after all, and my influence was strong back then, too. He wasn’t some totally different child that had been built by strangers that I now needed to re-program, he was my kid all along, and homeschooling was just giving us more time together. 

    Had I been homeschooling him all along, I may have directed us down a path that wasn’t one he would have responded to as well. Had I labored over an educational mission statement when he was four, he may never have had the opportunity to tell me when he was 8 that he loved history and wanted to learn more than he could have in public school. If he didn’t know what he’d been missing, he couldn’t have known what he wanted from home education.

    You’re Getting a Homeschool Head Start

    When you start homeschooling an older child, you’re not scrambling to build a new foundation, you’re given the unique opportunity to work where you know the cracks are. Rather than fretting over choosing a methodology to apply to an unknown future, you have the advantage of molding a method to fit your child as you know them to be. 

    So is it too late to begin homeschooling an older child—a child who can already read, already write, already has habits formed and ideas sprouted?

    Well, mama, you’re still learning. It’s never too late to start, and it’s almost an advantage to have waited.

    So go ahead and take the leap. You may not have use for those beautiful play silks or the vintage school desks, but you’ve got a great kid who you already know, and that is the best tool of all. 

    About the Author

    Jennifer Vail proudly lives in the great state of Texas with her very handsome husband and three very funny children. All three kids are educated in three very different ways according to their very different needs, which is exhausting but fulfilling. Jen’s hobbies include naps, 90’s pop culture, Netflix binges, buying books with the best of intentions to read them all, photography, and extroverting. She holds a degree in counseling but has found her calling by writing for and spending time with families of differently-wired, outlier kids—the square pegs of the round world.

    She stays up way too late and drinks way too much caffeine, but has no intention of changing either. She is the community manager and contributing author at Raising Lifelong Learners where she writes about homeschooling gifted, anxious, and otherwise different kiddos, but also rambles at This Undeserved Life from time to time. She feels compelled to mention that she still very much loves the Backstreet Boys and rarely folds her laundry.

  • Why Elementary Kids Need History & Science Alongside the 3Rs

    Why Elementary Kids Need History & Science Alongside the 3Rs

    On social media or while talking to other homeschool moms, new homeschoolers often ask how much time they should expect their school days to take, or what subjects they should cover. Inevitably, some more experienced parents advise them to simply make sure they cover the basics of language arts and math, or tell them they don’t need to do school more than a few hours a morning during the elementary years. 

    Although there’s nothing wrong with thinking through a schedule—what you will cover each day and how long it might take—there’s a danger when we seek the opinions of others who may not share our view of homeschooling. We can end up with a focus on doing the minimum required instead of nurturing the natural wonder and curiosity of childhood. We begin to view school as the things we have to do instead of the privilege of inspiring a love of learning. 

    Thomas Berry, twentieth century cultural historian said, “Our children should be properly introduced to the world in which they live.” There’s a lot of wisdom in that statement. 

    The Elementary Years Are for Exploration and Discovery

    When we see learning as an adventure, we can inspire our children to view it in the same way. Instead of trying to figure out the minimum of what we can do, we need to ask how we can open up the world for our children.

    “Teaching is not about answering questions but about raising questions—opening doors for them in places that they could not imagine.”—Yawar Baig

    Young children are naturally curious. If you don’t believe that, spend time with them and count the number of times they ask why! Their questions aren’t easy to answer either. Consider one of the most common questions, “Why is the sky blue?” How do you explain the science in a way a young child can understand?

    As homeschoolers, we want to encourage that curiosity, and learning history and science during the elementary years is all about exploration and discovery. 

    The times, people, and places that can only be visited through books open up a world bigger than the one they know. It captures their imaginations and answers so many of those burning why questions. 

    History and Science Strengthen Core Subjects

    Traditional education models often separate subjects into neat little boxes. It’s the way most of us who attended public or private school grew up learning. We went to English and math and science classes—often moving from one classroom to the next. The early elementary years weren’t much different except we may have stayed in the same room. 

    With a literature-based approach like BookShark’s, subjects aren’t taught in isolation from one another but as a connected set of skills and knowledge. 

    Students read about history using living books. They learn language arts skills through copywork and dictation taken from those same books. They write about what they are learning—strengthening their writing skills while assimilating their knowledge of history.

    BookShark Science includes a collection of real books, not textbooks, with hands-on experiments and activities. Students use math skills such as measuring and reading charts and graphs. 

    As students study and practice the skills of core subjects alongside the knowledge they encounter in history and science, they learn and remember. Our brains are designed to make connections.

    “As we learn something new, cells that send and receive information about the task become more and more efficient. It takes less effort for them to signal the next cell about what’s going on. In a sense, the neurons become wired together.” —Alison Stevens, Learning Rewires the Brain

    History and Science Prepare Students for Future Studies

    Studies have shown that children who are read to and have access to books are better equipped to learn to read when they go to school. It makes sense that the same principle applies when it comes to learning history and science. 

    Extensive exposure to science and history will help them understand those subjects in a deeper, more complex way as they mature because they have been exposed to more concepts and scientific vocabulary.

    BookShark History: The Story

    Consider the etymology of the word history: “relation of incidents” (true or false), from Old French estoire, estorie “story; chronicle, history” (12c., Modern French histoire), from Latin historia “narrative of past events, account, tale, story”… 

    History is about story.

    From the beginning of time, people passed down their history through stories. We remember stories better than a list of facts because story connects us and captures our imaginations. That’s why BookShark’s use of historical fiction and biographies fascinates elementary age children.

    BookShark Science: The Spiral Approach

    With BookShark science your children will learn about scientific ideas in a way that engages their curiosity in the elementary years through living books and hands-on experiments. Because BookShark uses a spiral approach, students encounter topics multiple times at more and more complex levels. Students can then build on that foundation in middle and high school years.

    Your Elementary Students Need History and Science 

    Yes, need. Need means we require (something) because it is essential or very important. 

    When we see the elementary years through the lens of only what we have to study, we do a disservice to our children. 

    Although the core subjects of language arts and math lay a foundation of skills students use throughout their studies, history and science study speaks to the essence of who children are—curious individuals who are waiting to explore and discover the world around them. The study of history and science will strengthen core subjects as they are practiced and applied, and students will be well prepared for higher level learning. 

  • Set Your Own Daily Schedule: Homeschool Morning, Afternoon, or Night

    Set Your Own Daily Schedule: Homeschool Morning, Afternoon, or Night

    Setting your own daily schedule is a wonderful luxury homeschooling brings. We’re not scrambling to get kids on the bus at 7:30 in the morning. Breakfast becomes a leisurely meal instead of a frantic race against the clock. The shift into and out of Daylight Savings Time hardly impacts us.

    You have time to welcome the morning, spend time with your children, and enjoy a slow start. You determine the course of your day by setting your own daily schedule regardless of what the school does or what your other homeschool peers are doing.

    Homeschool in the Mornings

    Many of us enjoy homeschooling in the mornings. We can start the days with a brief morning time of poetry recitation, great literature, music, and art. The children tackle math when they’re fresh and able to think carefully about the problems. We get the business of our day—school—taken care of as first priority so we can do more frivolous pursuits later.

    After homeschooling in the mornings we have the afternoons free. We’re able to explore the town and go on field trips. Children can enjoy their favorite activities or play with friends. We can take long nature hikes and see the flowers bloom, leaves bud, and geese return.

    Evenings can be spent watching documentaries, enjoying read-alouds, or simply spending time together as a family.

    Homeschool in the Afternoons

    Just because many homeschoolers sit down to educate children in the mornings doesn’t mean you can’t homeschool in the afternoons instead. Sometimes it works best to spend the mornings sleeping, relaxing, working at home, doing chores, or simply enjoying the day.

    If a slow start suits you best, consider homeschooling in the afternoons instead. That’s the beauty of homeschooling. You set the daily schedule to fit your family’s needs.Enjoy a slow morning together, eat lunch, and then gather your school supplies. Run through math, English, and science. Curl up on the sofa to listen to the latest book you’re reading aloud. Spend the afternoon doing science experiments or history projects.

    Homeschool in the Evenings

    Despite the flexibility homeschooling brings, most people believe you still need to homeschool during daylight hours, and that’s simply not true. Remember, you set your own schedule. This means you can spend the morning on nature hikes, long bike rides, and exploring the town.

    Afternoons can be spent in activities, field trips, or time with friends. You can spend the day exploring the world and using up your children’s energy so they’re ready to sit and study quietly in the evenings.

    Begin your formal homeschool day at dinner time. Engage in long history and science discussions at the dinner table. Teach children to read in the living room after dinner. Work on math together.

    Each parent can take a child to run through schoolwork together. Discuss math, teach phonics, and write during the quiet evening hours.

    As you think about your ideal schedule, remember that homeschooling is flexible, and there is no right or wrong time to homeschool. Consider carefully your family’s routines and lifestyle before setting a daily schedule for your homeschool. Non-traditional homeschool hours may be best for your family.

    And you may find that one season of life fits morning learning while another season of life is better suited for evening homeschooling. Younger children tend to rise earlier, and teens love to sleep in, so adapt with their preferences by adjusting your daily schedule too. Or use a hodgepodge of times for your children. No one says that all your children have to study at the same time either!  

  • How to Teach Language Arts to a Reluctant Learner

    How to Teach Language Arts to a Reluctant Learner

    If your son tends to dawdle instead of completing a page of grammar exercises…

    If your daughter draws pictures instead of working on writing assignments…

    If you’ve seen your child’s shoulders slump when asked to read…

    Then you might have a reluctant learner when it comes to language arts. From making excuses to complaining to avoiding the work, these behaviors point to a problem. But there’s good news! Your children can learn the skills they need and even enjoy the process, too! 

    Find Out Why Your Students Are Reluctant

    First, find out why your students are reluctant to learn language arts. It’s important not to assume that it’s a character issue. 

    How will you know the difference? Character issues are often seen in other areas of life, not only when it comes to completing their language arts assignments. If your children are trying to get out of all work, including chores or anything that requires effort, it may be because they need consistency and discipline. 

    But if you see these behaviors only when working on homeschool language arts, there may be underlying issues that aren’t related to character. Some possible reasons include:

    • Learning disabilities or processing disorders. Talk to your doctor or a specialist. Research options for getting a diagnosis so you can make a plan. The good news is that early intervention can help kids learn to cope and even flourish despite their challenges. 
    • Vision issues. A simple appointment with an optometrist or opthamologist will tell you what they need.
    • Maturity. Sometimes children are not developmentally ready, so the best thing to do is wait. But waiting doesn’t have to be passive! Read aloud to them. Tell stories together. Write down things they have to say. You’ll be developing the skills without expecting more than they are ready for. 
    • A lack of foundational skills. There are building blocks to learning language arts. If children struggle with the physical act of writing, then it will be hard for them to do creative writing. Be sure to focus on the foundation and find ways to build upon that foundation until they are ready to take the next step. Look for a language arts curriculum that is developmentally appropriate.

    3 Ways to Teach Language Arts to a Reluctant Learner

    1. Optimize the Learning Environment 

    Create a better learning environment, conducive to focused work time. 

    Often people define themselves as early birds or a night owls. Generally these are the times they are most productive. When do your children seem most focused?

    • Is it first thing in the morning?
    • Right after lunch?
    • Or even in the evenings?

    Use those times to your advantage.

    Children can also be very sensitive to the atmosphere around them.

    • Do they need a calm, organized area?
    • Is the temperature comfortable?
    • Is a chair better for this activity or does sitting at a desk help them concentrate?

    You may have to try a few different things to find what works best, but it will be worth the time

    2. Use a Natural Approach

    A natural approach to teaching language arts capitalizes on how children have been learning since the day they were born. You probably didn’t approach teaching your kids how to talk by putting an alphabet chart on the wall or giving them a board book titled The Syntax of the English Language. And you probably didn’t make them say a sentence correctly ten times so they would remember proper usage and structure. 

    Instead you immersed them in language by talking to them. They naturally absorbed the rules of language. Sure, they made mistakes, but you actually thought those mistakes were cute. You knew that over time they would learn not just what to say but how to say it. 

    A natural approach to learning language arts, like the one BookShark uses, continues to trust that process.

    Kids learn to write by writing, read by reading, speak by listening. They copy and dictate from books by real writers. They narrate what they have been reading. And in this process, sometimes riddled with cute mistakes along the way, students become proficient at writing and reading and speaking.  

    3. Get Creative

    Use a timer. Students can feel overwhelmed if they can’t see the end in sight so they don’t even want to try. Help them to get past this roadblock.

    Set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, give them a quick physical break like jumping on an indoor trampoline or riding a scooter down the street and back. Or allow them to follow the timed lesson with a subject they enjoy more. 

    Build their language arts muscles by starting slow. Shorten a copywork or dictation passage or break it up over a couple of days. Let them experience success before increasing the difficulty. 

    Focus on just one skill at a time. If they are doing copywork and struggle to write neatly, have them focus only on how they are forming the letters. Don’t worry about a spelling mistake made when trying to get a letter just right.  

    Partner with your child. Take turns. They read a page, then you read a page. They write a paragraph, then you write a paragraph that they dictate to you. 

    Allow them to do some work orally. Language arts skills are built even when the physical act of writing isn’t happening. Good communicators know how to organize their thoughts. Therefore, any time your kids can express themselves clearly, they are practicing an important skill that will translate to writing later. 

    Let them do something with their hands. When you’re reading aloud, allow them to build with LEGO, create with playdough, or draw a picture.

    Make narration a normal part of life. Simply say something like,  “Hey, why don’t you tell Mr. Jimenez about the story we were reading!”

    You Can Teach Language Arts to a Reluctant Learner

    Creative avoiders can exhaust, frustrate, and even anger their parents at times. You don’t have to dread teaching your kids, though. Look for the signs to see if you have a reluctant learner. 

    By evaluating why, optimizing their learning environment, using a natural approach like BookShark’s, and getting a little creative, you can help your children succeed while keeping your sanity in the process. 

  • Why Homeschooling Is the Best: Kids Go at Their Own Pace

    Why Homeschooling Is the Best: Kids Go at Their Own Pace

    It seems that parenting and education have become all about reaching milestones and getting grades. This focus on achievement is fine for some families. But if your child does not fit into the typical pattern of success, it’s easy to feel as if there is something wrong with them and that you’re a bad parent.

    But you can opt out of this cycle thanks to homeschooling. It’s is the perfect way to educate kids who need a bit of extra time or even those who need less time to do something.

    Homeschooling is the best because it allows kids to move at their own pace.

    Working at Their Own Pace Encourages Delight

    If you allow kids to go at their own speed, they can take time with what delights them. We’ve all experienced the joy of learning something we’re really interested in. By foregoing a strict outside-imposed structure on your homeschool, you will be amazed by what your children are capable of doing. And you will be pleasantly surprised by how much genuine learning comes from a child fully engaged in what they’re doing.

    Don’t worry about state standards or what kids are supposed to know at certain stages. When you let your kids choose the pace, they can savor learning.

    Going at Their Own Speed Allows for Mastery

    Sometimes kids need extra time to master a new skill or concept. For example, without a strong foundation, math can become increasingly difficult and ultimately traumatic.

    I know that my kids need extra time to understand math. And they weren’t given this opportunity when they attended public school. As homeschoolers, we moved them back a year to make sure they had space to catch up and feel confident. I have noticed how quickly they’re ploughing through the work now. So by going back, we have actually sped up. And most importantly, math is a subject that they’re actually enjoying! 

    When my kids were in public school, they were pushed through a system that had definite outcomes and didn’t leave much space for deviation. But by allowing them to spend some extra time on reading, for example, they have mastered this important skill without any stress. They are now avid readers.

    Kids Can Speed Ahead and Avoid Busy Work

    As much as homeschool is fantastic for kids who need extra time, it’s just as beneficial for kids who are gifted. Schools typically cannot provide the additional support for kids who don’t naturally fit into their age-assigned grade. But homeschooling is the perfect environment for children to speed ahead.

    And another fantastic benefit is that children can work across grades. They might excel at one subject but need extra help in others. (This is called asynchrony when a child’s levels don’t match across subjects.)

    If using traditional grades as a measure, my twins are ahead in English but behind in math. Luckily, we have the flexibility to allow them to work at their ability as homeschoolers.

    The Family Has Time for Breaks

    Sometimes we all need to take a break. The public school system’s breaks don’t account for your family rhythm or your child’s needs. When you homeschool, you can take breaks when motivation and engagement are lacking regardless of the dates on the calendar. I have found that by taking a few days or even a few weeks off throughout the year, we are still actually doing more learning. I have found that by taking a few days or even a few weeks off throughout the year, we are still actually doing more learning. It’s because the pace is dictated by my kids.

    So if you feel that your child doesn’t fit into the system, but you know that they’re capable and have a love of learning, then homeschooling could be just the solution you’re looking for! Allow them to continue a love for learning by going at their own pace, whether slowing down or speeding ahead.  

    About the 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.  

  • Bilingual Homeschooling: How I Got Started

    Bilingual Homeschooling: How I Got Started

    The thought of bilingual homeschooling first entered my mind twelve years ago when my daughter was in kindergarten. We started homeschooling because at that time we lived in a failed school district where the state closed one school and then taken over the other. As I learned more about homeschooling in general, I realized that I could personalize our learning experience as so many families educating their children at home often do.

    That’s when I realized that I wanted to pass on my own heritage to my children and make it a part of our lessons. I’m Spanish Mexican American. My dad and his whole side of the family live in Spain. And my mother was Mexican American. I grew up with both feet and a hand in each culture.

    This mishmash of traditions and two languages are all part of what makes me the person that I am. And I treasure my culture-filled childhood so much that I wanted the same for my own children. But it was very difficult because my husband and I lived far away from our families. So I began scratching away at our monolingual, monocultural lifestyle using our homeschool as a way to help my children learn about and appreciate the richness of their Hispanic heritage. And language learning was a small part of it.

    When I started, though, there were absolutely no resources available for bilingual homeschooling. Zero. I looked online for materials, and it was a slow, difficult process. Most were Spanish-learning programs, not curricula for teaching in Spanish. I even looked for Hispanic homeschool support groups, but there were none.

    So I started my own blog to chronicle our journey and share any resources that I found in the hopes of encouraging more Hispanic parents to consider homeschooling their own children.

    Over the last decade or so, I’ve seen bilingual homeschooling slowly but steadily increase. Most of these homeschoolers are made up of bilingual or multilingual families who see the benefits of raising bilingual children. Like me, nurturing their children’s bilingualism and biliteracy is a way for them to pass on their family’s heritage and culture. It’s a way to instill pride and foster confidence. And it allows parents to prepare their children for personal and professional opportunities in the future.

    Some are worldschooling families who have the ability to travel for work or pleasure. This allows parents to take advantage of the opportunity to immerse their children in the target language developing not only complete bilingualism, but biculturalism, too.

    But since the start of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, the number of bilingual homeschoolers has exploded. Why? Because now both monolingual and bilingual parents who had their children enrolled in dual-language or immersion schools have found themselves homeschooling their young language learners.

    What Is Bilingual Homeschooling?

    By definition, bilingual homeschoolers devote equal time and energy to studying in two languages. The emphasis is placed on fluency in both languages. Seems simple, right? 

    Unfortunately, most families who decide to homeschool bilingually don’t have much guidance or support. Just as I was left to sort things out on my own, they must blindly figure out their way through the process because there is no bilingual curriculum available for homeschoolers. 

    The lack of resources and support has made things difficult in the past, but things are changing these days as more and more products and services are hitting the market to support bilingual learners. This is due mainly to the growing number of dual language schools across the country.

    So most families end up choosing an approach to teaching and then search for the resources that will support it.

    The Approaches to Bilingual Homeschooling

    My experience is mainly with Spanish/English homeschooling, and I will use that combination as an example in this article. However, the approaches listed here may be applied to any language combination. Here are some of the ways families are homeschooling bilingually:

    1. Complete Immersion

    Complete immersion families teach their children all subjects in the minority language (Spanish) only and rely on their child’s interaction with relatives, friends, and other influences to teach them the majority language (English).

    Unfortunately, this can be a difficult situation if your state requires yearly testing in English. In order for children to achieve academic success later on and qualify for college admission, they must be able to effectively communicate and learn in English, which may or may not be advanced depending on how much they actually learn from others.

    The complete immersion approach also becomes more difficult as the child enters higher grades where very limited teaching resources are available. Thus very few families (if any) successfully homeschool K-12 in Spanish only.

    2. Partial Immersion

    I consider partial immersion the ideal method for bilingual homeschooling. Gaining in popularity, this approach teaches a combination of subjects in both English and Spanish. Generally, the minority language is nurtured and developed in the early grades with introduction to English by 2nd grade, or vice versa.

    Partial immersion is becoming easier with the development and access to new Spanish-language resources for bilingual homeschoolers.

    3. Second Language Learning

    Second language learning is probably the most common type of bilingual homeschooling. In this approach, language learners are English-dominant and learn a second language at an early age for greatest success, for example, kindergarten or first grade.

    However, students can begin learning a second language at any point in their K-12 education. The myth that learning another language must begin prior to age 7 is slowly disappearing, and more and more families are waiting until high school to begin their student’s bilingual journey.

    4. Bicultural Learning

    Bicultural learning is different from bilingual learning. It takes a multicultural approach by emphasizing foreign cultures and traditions for a more global learning experience.

    This form of learning often goes together with worldschooling. In fact, the two frequently overlap as it is impossible to travel the world and not learn about the cultures in which you are living. Homeschoolers may begin learning a foreign language in later years. 

    Can Monolingual Parents Raise Bilingual Children?

    Is it possible for English-only households to homeschool bilingually? Yes, but the challenge is real. Most successful families use native speaking tutors or mother’s helpers to interact with, or teach, their children on a weekly basis. Playdates with bilingual families and even family vacations in Spanish-speaking (or your target language) countries are also valuable teaching tools. And now, with the pandemic, a lot of native speakers are teaching classes online, giving anyone with internet access to routine conversation.

    In a perfect world, bilingual homeschoolers would fall under the partial immersion category, but the reality is that most land somewhere between partial immersion and language learning. Wherever your homeschooling journey takes you, the key is to remember that the intentions of your heart and the effort you put into raising a bilingual child are what define your experience.

    About the Author

    Monica Olivera is a homeschooling mother of two, author, and a freelance education writer. Her site, MommyMaestra.com, helps Hispanic parents get more involved in their children’s education by providing resources, tips, and opportunities.

    She is also the author of The Latino Family’s Guide to Homeschooling and the Heritage Journal Series. Her education articles have appeared in numerous online sites such as NBCNews, Woo! Jr., and PBS SoCal. 

  • Why a Spiral Approach Works for Teaching Science

    Why a Spiral Approach Works for Teaching Science

    As a child, you probably found yourself twisting the spiral that bound your notebook together, watching it circle through the holes down the side of the paper. It looped through a hole then through the next, over and over again all the way up the page. The spiral is a bit mesmerizing to both the eye and the touch. In education, we use the analogy of a spiral to describe a type of teaching. 

    A spiral approach to teaching means students circle back to learn about topics multiple times throughout their education, allowing them to remember more at a greater depth as they advance through their studies. BookShark Science uses this spiral technique. 

    The Spiral Approach to Teaching

    Think about how students learn addition in their first years of school. They begin by adding one digit to one digit. Then they add multiple digits together. As they grow older, they continue to add larger numbers and progress to multiplication—which is a way to add numbers more quickly. 

    Each time they learn a new skill, the original skill is still used, but at a higher and more complex level. This is spiral learning.

    Cognitive theorist Jerome Bruner wrote, “We begin with the hypothesis that any subject can be taught in some intellectually honest form to any child at any stage of development.” 

    With a spiral approach, students encounter various topics and concepts multiple times with increasing complexity as they mature. As a result, they will review what they’ve already learned as well as adding new information and understanding as they progress through their studies. 

    Why a Spiral Approach Works

    Spiral teaching capitalizes on the natural way we learn. We begin with basic knowledge and add to that knowledge over time. We’re able to handle more difficult and complex knowledge because we already have experience with the subject and know the basics. We still need to access what we learned in the beginning, though we may not even be aware we are doing it since it’s now second nature. 

    Think through the process of learning to cook. You probably didn’t begin with Juia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon! 

    Instead you learned how to measure ingredients, maybe even as a child. You started out with simple recipes like scrambled eggs and grilled cheese and learned more techniques and tricks over time. Then one day, years later, you were ready to tackle much more time consuming and difficult recipes—homemade yeast bread and marinated, grilled meats.   

    And yet, you still need to measure most of the time. At this point, though, the measuring is like second nature and doesn’t take much thought on your part. You may even know instinctively how much a teaspoon or tablespoon is without even getting out the measuring spoons.

    That’s because you learned to cook using a spiral approach. 

    The Spiral Approach in BookShark Science

    Science study should build upon the natural curiosity of children, helping them to discover and explore the world around them. With a spiral approach, students won’t simply study one science subject in a year. They’ll encounter a variety of science topics, keeping their interest high while taking advantage of the benefits of coming back again to a subject. 

    With BookShark Science, students from Kindergarten through middle school will encounter Earth, space, life, health, physical, and technological sciences multiple times through their years of study using great literature and hands-on activities.

    Introduces Topics in a Simple Form

    With a literature-based approach, even a kindergartner will begin to grasp basic concepts of science. Children’s authors are incredible at taking complex scientific concepts and explaining them in an understandable way. 

    Teaching tip: If you want to introduce a difficult topic even to older students, start with a children’s book on the topic!

    Builds on What Students Already Know

    Because students see the same topics multiple times over the years, they won’t have to start at the beginning each time. That’s why young children often start by learning math facts: as they move on to more difficult problems, they aren’t struggling to add two digits together. A solid foundation provides a place to build future learning.

    Reinforces Previous Learning

    Each time a student encounters the various science subjects, they will need to draw upon the concepts they’ve already learned. Their understanding increases over time as they see it applied in a variety of contexts. 

    Helps Students Store Information in Long Term Memory 

    When you were in school, did you ever cram for a test the next day, only to find you didn’t remember much of the information a few weeks later? Or maybe you took several years of a  foreign language class, yet only recall a few words today? When we don’t use what we know by doing it repeatedly, we won’t remember it over time. With a spiral approach, children revisit and use what they are learning multiple times over the years, so they really learn it.

    Keeps Learning Interesting and Engaging

    • When children stay at a basic level and are never challenged, they eventually lose interest.
    • When children only study one thing, they eventually lose interest.
    • When children encounter the information in only one way, they eventually lose interest.

    You get the idea. To keep learning fascinating, children need increased depth and complexity, variety, and multiple experiences. The spiral approach of BookShark Science addresses all of these needs.

    Try BookShark Science Today

    BookShark provides you with everything you need to teach science with a spiral approach including:

    • Instructor’s Guides that lay out exactly what you need to do each day with a flexible, four-day schedule.
    • Activity sheets for students with hundreds of activities, illustrations, charts, and pictures to solidify your student’s understanding of scientific topics.
    • Hands-on activities and experiments that are easy to do with our Science Supplies Kit. You aren’t caught not having what you need.

    If you want your students to understand science and enjoy it, have a solid foundation for their high school science studies, and truly learn science—not just memorize facts only to forget them quickly—use a spiral approach. BookShark gives parents and students everything they need to build a strong foundation.

  • 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.