BookShark

Tag: homeschool encouragement

  • 10 Quick-witted Comebacks About Homeschool Socialization

    10 Quick-witted Comebacks About Homeschool Socialization

    I admit it, verbal sparring is my knee-jerk reaction when I’m asked about homeschool socialization. Even as a seasoned homeschool mom, this topic still puts my emotions into overdrive. To prevent knee-jerk sarcasm or snarky one-liners, I have prepared 10 quick-witted comebacks. Maybe you can use one or two when you get the dreaded socialization question.

    1. “Though my son had good teachers, none of them can provide the love, time, patience, or energy that I can.”

    This answer takes the attention away from socialization and puts it on why I really homeschool, which is the superior one-on-one tutoring.  I emphasize the flexibility and adaptability of homeschooling.

    Homeschooling is all about change. As the child’s needs change, so do the curriculum, teaching methods, and schedules. Most reasonable people will admit that level of flexibility is almost impossible for a public school to achieve.

    2. “Schooling at home builds self-esteem which is the foundation of healthy social skills.”

    Everyone knows the reality of bullying and how it can impact children even well into adulthood. Homeschooling minimizes those negative interactions so that children have a chance to build their own self-worth.

    3. “Public school is a very recent happening. Before public school, everyone, including the founding fathers, was homeschooled or used private teachers.”

    Not every reply has to be short. A well-researched reply explaining the history of public education can help a person appreciate that you’re using a time-tested method of instruction.

    4. “I want my kids educated not entertained.”

    To elaborate, I may explain my exasperation with the notion that every moment of a child’s life has to be planned. Being constantly entertained leaves little room for imagination and intuition.

    5. “The only way my homeschooled kids won’t make friends is if we don’t get out.”

    6. “I prefer that my children socialize with others of different ages because I want my kids to accept people of varying backgrounds and ages.”

    7. “We homeschool because if a schedule or curriculum is not working, I don’t have to get the principal’s approval to change it.”

    8. “Homeschooling is the best option for our family.”

    This is another one where it’s hard for people to pick an argument with you when you state that your family benefits best from this type of teaching.

    9. “This year I will need to cut back on our socialization activities because we need to stay home to school.”

    Why do people think we lock away our kids at home? Sometimes the situation is quite the opposite and homeschool families find themselves out and about far too much of the time.

    10.  “Standardized tests are flawed and don’t really measure how well children learn. However, I have some stats here for you if you would like to know how homeschooled kids perform.”

    Stats and facts help naysayers to understand a situation in a way they process information.You can either print out articles from National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) or direct them to that website for their own research.

    Being prepared is part of my nature, but finding humor and being good-natured when asked about homeschooling is something I like doing too. Sometimes you can find humor in a statement and other times you have to give an explanation. 

  • Why We Love BookShark’s Read-Alouds

    Why We Love BookShark’s Read-Alouds

    My son is in fifth grade this year. He’s at that age where he’s growing up fast but he still loves to snuggle on the couch with his mom occasionally. One of the things he loves the most is reading together.

    We have a long-standing tradition of reading a book together each night, usually one that has a movie coming out that we’d like to see.

    This year with BookShark as our curriculum, that nighttime reading tradition has become part of our homeschool day, too! Since he’s an independent reader, we haven’t included Read-Alouds in our homeschool for several years. I admit that it’s something we let slide while we were using other curriculums. But now that we’re on the BookShark bandwagon, I’m realizing how wonderful it is to use reading aloud with a middle schooler! 

    I’m Reading What He’s Reading

    I make an effort to read almost everything my son reads, but it gets difficult especially during busy times in our lives. With Read-Alouds, we are reading together, and that means I’m sharing the story with him.

    We had an awesome experience this year with our first Read-Aloud, Pablo’s Journey (from Level 3), a story about a young boy aboard Columbus’ ship. What we learned in the novel was made even clearer when we toured replicas of the Nina and the Pinta. Our field trip took on so much more meaning because we were able to discuss aspects of the book and relate it to what we were seeing!

    If we hadn’t shared the experience of Pablo’s Journey, our field trip would have not been as rich of an experience.

    It’s a Soothing Part of Our Homeschool Day

    Between math problems and writing activities, it is great to have part of the day when we savor a little quiet and connection.

    During Read-Aloud time, my son can enjoy a snack, and the dog joins us on the couch. It is a reminder of why we homeschool in the first place—to nurture and enjoy our family relationships!

    Reading aloud is a part of our day that my son looks forward to the most. He asks when we’ll be reading together and will happily sit to hear more than what the lesson plan calls for that day! It is great to have at least one thing each day that I can count on to be enjoyable for everyone.  

    BookShark Has Chosen Great Books

    BookShark has curated such an awesome collection of books for reading aloud that it makes it pleasant as a parent to share in the adventure with your child. These living books bring history to life in a way that is enjoyable and fun. They open up conversations about the time periods and spark interest in aspects of history that may not have interested your child before. The books you read make all the difference in an successful lesson, and so far we have loved all of our books this year.

    There comes a point in homeschooling when your child is older and capable of reading silently. That’s when you may ditch the Read-Alouds. But that might not be the best choice! BookShark has reminded me why Read-Alouds are such a great part of learning. I’m thankful for how the books have helped me connect us with my son this year! 

    About the Author

    Krista is the homeschooling mom of 3 boys. After 13 years she has learned the value of chilling out, going with the flow and keeping homeschooling fun! She is the blogger behind Far From Normal where she hopes to encourage parents and homeschoolers, and inspire a life lived happily outside the box! 

  • 4 Ways to Develop a Growth Mindset in Your Homeschool

    4 Ways to Develop a Growth Mindset in Your Homeschool

    When I was in graduate school, one of my literature professors assigned a text called The Elements (and Pleasures) of Difficulty (2004). It arrived from Amazon in a tiny box, a thin volume with an 80s-inspired cover. Irritated, I flipped through the pages and tossed it aside. I had weighty selections from the Victorian canon awaiting my time and attention. Why did I have to wade through fluff?

    Probably that attitude, for starters. With the exception of the aforementioned book, the reading list for this course was challenging. I had begun to rue the day I decided to pursue this path and was contemplating withdrawing from the program.

    Fortunately for me and my graduate career, I finally picked up the little book on difficulty. What a change it made in my attitude! The book not only taught me how to conquer the challenge of a difficult text, but how to recognize and appreciate the beauty of that challenge as well. The more I viewed difficulty as opportunity, the more successful I became in my academic endeavors. Challenge had become a stepping stone, not a stumbling block, and it showed.

    The Growth Mindset Philosophy

    Several years later, I stumbled upon the research of psychologist Carol Dweck. Her work with thousands of elementary students reflected what I discovered in graduate school: certain behaviors and habits of mind can support or suppress intellectual growth. Dweck called these habits mindsets, noting the crucial role of a positive attitude in rebounding from setback and failure.

    In 2007, Dweck compiled her research and analysis into Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. In it, Dweck outlines how students learn and succeed when they move from a fixed mindset (“I’ll never be good at that.”) to a growth mindset (“I’m struggling with this topic. What do I do next?”). According to Dweck,

    “When students believe they can get smarter, they understand that effort makes them stronger. Therefore they put in extra time and effort, and that leads to higher achievement.”

    Dweck’s title received immediate acclaim. Educators and parents sought to implement the ideology in their classrooms and homes. Students and teachers who exhibited a growth mindset saw an increase in achievement across the board, regardless of age or ability level.

    Cultivating a Growth Mindset in Your Homeschool

    As parents, we are the primary influence on our children’s mindsets. Children can’t challenge negative internal dialogue or attitudes effectively until external forces are neutralized. Take some of the fixed mindset phrases we often say without thinking:

    • “It’s okay, honey. Math is hard.”
    • “Don’t worry. I’m not much of a reader, either.”
    • “Don’t compare yourself to your sister. Not everyone’s an expert in the arts.”

    There may well be truth to these sentiments. Math is hard, not everyone enjoys reading, and we all have our own talents and interests. But if we want our children to change the way they look at challenge and difficulty, we must change the way we see it as well. It isn’t easy, but putting the next four tips into practice will put you well on your way.

    Growth Mindset Tip #1: Practice Purposeful Effort

    Doing your best is commendable. Doing your best with the intent to move mountains is admirable and more helpful in the long run.

    Growth Mindset Tip #2: Find Joy in the Process

    Great minds are curious, not ambitious. Embrace learning for the sake of learning and let go of the desire for accolades.

    Growth Mindset Tip #3: Encourage Reflection

    Take time to evaluate the progress you have made. Ask these questions:How have we grown?What have we conquered?What lessons have we learned that we can apply going forward?

    Growth Mindset Tip #4: See Weakness as an Area for Growth

    Remember: Challenges are stepping stones, not stumbling blocks. We all have weaknesses, but they neither define us nor dictate our actions.

    Preparing for the Future

    Looking back on my own academic career, I’m struck by the number of opportunities I let slip by because I was afraid of the challenge. I don’t want that for my own children. We’re working on developing a growth mindset in our own homeschool, and we’re closing in on the day when all of us view challenges as stepping stones. There’s great pleasure to be found in difficulty, as long as you know where to look.

    About the Author

    Ginny Kochis is a former high school English teacher and adjunct professor of English turned homeschooling mom and business owner. She writes about faith, motherhood, homeschooling and family literacy at Not So Formulaic