Homeschooling is a way of life for us and has been from the beginning. We are the Kingdom Covenant Academy, a family of six, living in the beautiful Ozarks of Arkansas. I am Kathy, a stay-at-home mom whose main passions are homeschooling and writing. I help my husband, Mark, with a home business, as do our four sons: Josiah 22, Gideon 20, Benjamin 17, and Jeremiah 14. I’d call us eclectic/relaxed homeschoolers if I had to give it a name.

Besides our learning to trust God on this amazing journey, one of the many important lessons we’ve experienced is that the attainment of knowledge is best gained by a self motivated and delight directed path by each individual. We love learning. My job is really assisting my sons how to learn on their own and helping them develop necessary life skills. We adjust to personalities, learning styles, and individual needs, enjoying flexibility, and creativity. I also consider my needs—yes, me the teacher/motivator!  Learning can be fun, and hands-on methods are particularly useful. Here’s a favorite math program we all enjoyed—Hands-on Equations. It's worth every penny, and fun too. Presently, The Algebra Survival Guide makes the task of learning algebra delightful and understandable (we’ve attempted several other programs in the past, knowing each child is different).

 Learning to read well is high up on our priority list, but learning to be a man of honor and high integrity rates way up there. How delightful it is to know that we have young men in our household that exhibit strong moral character. How did this happen? With lots of time, energy, discussion and example—a family bound together by love. Our sons see through the choices we make that character is important and that our relationship to our Creator, and study of His Instruction Manual is a priority.

We joyfully discovered children's classic books, advancing to some of the great classics. Real, fascinating books, with a special liking of those based on truth and real history, highlight our home education. (You can view a huge list of past books we've read further back on this blog.) With the younger two sons, our studies are based around great, living books (yes we still read aloud together too) using a unit study method. Presently, we are enjoying The Story of the World and using it as a kick-off point and supplementing with other books. In the past I have composed my own unit studies, but for several years I found Learning Adventures to be an excellent, exciting program that I could alter to meet our needs. (I customize everything!) A favorite resource of mine­—Ignite the Fire helped me learn how to do a terrific book study. We also discovered Apologia Science, finding its text very engaging. As I think back, every year has been different. I kind of like it that way.

I am a writer and it’s an important skill I want my sons to have. I must own at least half of all homeschool writing programs in existence, but I really think any good library book on writing would really suffice. But then, The Writer’s Jungle is a fabulous resource! I have taught the boys grammar along with their writing through the years but a good deal (for less than a buck) at the library sale table helps us out—The Least You Should Know About English. Benjamin uses an online GED/College Prep program to supplement his highschool studies, which is great because he can do this independently.

Along with “real” books, we get involved in real life experiences. When the boys were much younger and doing a unit on books, authors, and writing, they made their own hardbound, handmade, illustrated books using Making Books With Children. When Josiah was nine, a computer entered our lives, which led to the production of the Homeschool Gazette, a newsletter and online site, featuring our boys’ writings and drawings, designed to encourage them as well as their friends and neighbors around the world. (Homeschool Gazette) Josiah developed his first computer software about age 14: the Color Selector. His high school years allowed for self directed studies in computer science and programming, and he’s since come a long way.

Gideon studied photography, computer graphics and art on his own. He loved drama in college, and his portrayal as the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland inspired the younger two boys to take drama workshops. Jeremiah landed the role of the Grinch in Seusical the Musical, appearing at our community theater, and is making plans to audition for another play next month. Jeremiah’s other interests are photography, raising guinea pigs and learning to play the electric guitar.

Benjamin recently accompanied Josiah, traveling by car all the way to Seattle, Washington, and enjoyed some interesting sites and museums, as well as visit some old friends. Plays, concerts and church activities too, all count as homeschool! Last year’s involvement in a homeschoolers’ Keeper’s of the Faith Club, history club, and art classes, kept us hopping. This year’s pace is much slower.

Our physical education program consisted of each of the boys receiving black belts in martial arts along with Dad, working out at the gym, and Benjamin shares his dad’s love of bike riding. All assist and learn from their Dad-of-all-trades, things like: painting the house, building additions, remodeling, tiling the bathroom floor, plumbing, and car/home repairs. One of the best ideas I had a year ago, was when Benjamin took over the family’s laundry!

I’ve thought, if I could go back and change things, what would I have altered? I could have been more consistent and organized, seized a few more opportunities (my oldest would have loved Boy Scouts), been more persistent with our learning musical instruments (we are presently working on that again), and maybe had more families over to dinner (I just made that phone call).  But I must say, in looking back, we had a bountiful, homeschool harvest. I know because of who my sons are—delightful, intelligent, young men, who love God, know how to think and learn for themselves, and of whom we are very proud.