I received an email from a Mom who is considering homeschooling her two sons. She, like the rest of us, wants the best for her children in the least expensive way possible!
Hi Jacque,
My husband and I are considering homeschooling our younger two boys. Hunter going into 5th grade and Daniel going into 7th grade. Currently I am looking for any way to do this cheaply. I would have loved to use the A Beka DVD series but we just can’t afford that per month. I have been teaching for 4 years a Christian school and my boys were going there. I taught a combination class of 3rd and 4th graders so I am familiar with A Beka curriculum.
Any tips on how to acquire curriculum cheaply?
If you can give me some great ideas about how you homeschool cheaply, with great resources, let the ideas fly!! If you would prefer to Email Me, that is fine too!
Here are mine:
First of all, if you know the LORD, trust Him to lead you.
Ask Him to guide your decisions and show you ways to homeschool your family. He is concerned with them and you and your relationships - your sanity! - and does want to be a part of these decisions!
Homeschool them in the same subjects you can together.
A lot of times, doing a unit study of a topic, using the same books and movies or crafts is a great way to not have to buy separate textbooks. What can you teach together as unit studies??
Buy non-consumable textbooks.
We use Saxon for some of our children, and then we pass it down as necessary. Some workbooks we have them write in, but some of them they copy out of.
Make up your own worksheets and curriculum.
Honestly, anyone can do a google search and find resources and information on a specific topic. Children can even do their own research on safe sites after a certain age and can certainly read topic-specific books and articles and write reports to learn about them. Here is an example of what I am talking about: Gardening 101 - You *Can* Teach Your Children!!
Teach out of the Bible.
There are many truths and a lot of history in the Bible. The Word is so precious and can sustain you for an entire year if you wish it to.
Teach life skills.
Life will last a lot longer than school days, and it is so important to equip our children to live in the world and with others. Life skills is not really a class, but a mindset. It is ok to stop and take time out of a day to talk about or include your child in your everyday jobs around the home. It is important that they learn a good work ethic and how to care for a home and family.
Buy on EBay.
A lot of times homeschoolers purchase something they loved, only to find it didn’t fit them or they didn’t have time for it. I have built up my homeschool resources library on EBay.
Stick with something you trust and love.
If it works for you, don’t change it. I am saying this because it is easier to use a curriculum you know and love instead of spending time and money looking for something else. We used to use all A Beka. Now we are eclectic in our approach, but I still buy the math workbooks and some grammar for the Littles from A Beka. It works for us.
Look into several different homeschool approaches/methods,
and choose what will fit your family lifestyle and philosophy best. There are many ideas out there and resources online that are free using these approaches. Some that come to mind are:
There are many sites that allow you to use their resources for free. Search the internet and see what fits you. Some of my favorite FREE Resources are from:
Donna Young’s site is so awesome, you can find so much there! She has a lot of organization resources for mom, but also a lot of worksheets for use with textbooks in Math, History, Science, English, Handwriting and Art.
For new homeschoolers, Donna also has:
Homeschool Math has free worksheets and information on free resources and math books.
Google search “free homeschool resources“, and you will find pages and pages.
Become and Affiliate
with online stores you love and trust. You can earn credit and sometimes cash with them by referring people to their sites.
I explained that a bit in my TOS article. Basically, I read and correct and teach them from writing assignments they publish on their blogs, but there is so much more to it. There are also so many ways to work it. I am working on setting up my site to add more information to it. It has opened up doors for graphic design and web design. Amazing! and, we all learned HTML by designing our Homeschoolblogger blog templates. Jocelyn is now proficient enough in CSS to design blogs and just finished upgrading her blog version.
Use your local library.
We use ours for the books as well as videos and DVDs. I do not, however, let my younger children (and I mean 14 and under) go there very often. The books on display in the children’s and youth section alone are mostly inappropriate. Most of the videos are definitely inappropriate. They do not go down those aisles. A couple of great things about the library are their inter-library loans, where you can borrow resources from other libraries through yours, and also access from my own computer to their database. I can search for resources and request them and not spend time searching at the library. We rarely have our children on library computers, and, as I said, never the younger ones. We have been thoroughly disgusted at what adults and children are allowed to view and play online just a few feet from another computer user.
Make up a schedule or a plan.
As with all things in life, homeschooling economicallyworks better with a schedule or a plan. You won’t feel like you are lost and have to buy something - anything - and make an unwise purchase you will later regret.
Buy things at a convention or display with a discount.
A Beka does local homeschool displays where the shipping is free. It saves me at least $50 if I drive to it, and also gives me the opportunity to check out the products and make sure they are in line with where my children are in their studies.
Get on some mailing/email lists.
Don’t get me wrong: I do not like junk mail. However, if you are looking at a product, it is a good thing to know when they are having a sale or there are discounted items you may be able to purchase.
Have a homeschool budget.
Plan to buy. Work it out with your husband/wife how much you can reasonably sock away to use when you find something at a good price. Sometimes our children work through what we planned earlier than expected, and we will want to purchase something at an off-time. A budget ensures that you won’t be taking away from your household budget, and it won’t appear to be a burden (which it isn’t).
Subscribe to reputable a homeschool magazine, like The Old Schoolhouse.
A subscription isn’t exactly free, but for what you get in 4 issues a year is definitely a wise purchase for your homeschool. There are many encouraging articles, tons of homeschooling information, and it is a great way to read up on and “meet” other homeschooling families. There are always free tips and ideas, and many times a free unit study. You can also get their digital version, which is a great deal too!
Subscribe to and read homeschool blogs.
Find like-minded homeschool families - bloggers and familiarize yourself with what works for them. Most homeschool bloggers will readily tell you what they use in their homeschool. A blog is a great tool, in that it allows you to search what they have already written about their favorite curriculum. You will certainly glean a lot of information and find some ideas that will work great for your family. If you find a blog you like, a good way to find like-minded bloggers is to check out what blogs they read. Those are usually listed on their sidebar.
Read homeschool sites
like The Front Porch and Homeschool Blog Awards for tips, contests, resource reviews and homeschool-related articles to find out more about homeschooling and the homeschool community.
Holy cow! Have we been so busy for the past week! We have so many things to do for the trip, and our grass will surely be a jungle when we get back! There is laundry to prepare, food to eat to clean out the fridge, and still potatoes and onions to plant. Ugh…
I can only imagine what people will think when they see all ten of us packed into the van, piling out at gas stations, into stores and just driving along. It is a lot of planning and work, but any trip is.
Here is some planning info to share and log for future reference:
The Fort Wayne Homeschool Expo is this weekend. We weren’t planning to go, but is anyone else?? We can go. We only live about 20m away. Here is a link to the info: Fort Wayne Expo.
Friday, May 16, 2007 starting at 6pm
There is a preview that will be held at First Assembly of God Church from 6- 9 p.m. Workshops are also being planned.
Parents will actually be sharing their own materials, and there will be informations sessions.
Saturday, May 17, 2007 8a-5p
Memorial Coliseum. Curriculum fair with many workshops.
The registration fees for the Expo Preview and Resource Expo are as follows: Adults and Teens - $3.00, Children (ages 3-12) - $1.00, Children two and under -free, maximum charge per family - $10.00. Those who attend the Expo Preview will be given a free pass to Saturday’s Expo. Parking fees at the Memorial Coliseum are $4.00 per vehicle.
They also have a list of vendors on the site.
If you are a seasoned homeschooler or a new one or even thinking about homeschooling, it would be a good way for you to check into it and meet some homeschoolers in our area.
My friend Robin has a blog with other homeschooling information for homeschooling and homeschooling in Indiana.
Anyone else planning to go? I might be persuaded….
blessings~
Join Growing in Grace Magazine for Girls in honoring Moms! GGM is a one of a kind Bible-believing online magazine for girls! It is designed to inspire girls to live a virtuous life. Our team of authors are Christian girls under the leadership of our moderators, some of them being their own mothers. They are zealous in bringing God's Word to the girls of today and each reader has the opportunity to communicate their uplifting thoughts about the articles.
GGM is a unique place where the readers can ask questions about the articles and receive further admonishment from their peers. Finding a good, godly place for girls to study God's Word is very difficult in today's world. Many girls wonder if they are the last girl in the world who still wants to live a pure life, but at GGM they'll find that they're not alone. Their articles cover a wide range of topics applicable to girls today from peer pressure, purity, family life, beauty, health, and much more.
**More Prizes Added**
We have updated our Mother Daughter giveaway and added some prizes for the winner. Please be sure to contact us with your entry by this coming Saturday, April 26th!
ggmphotosubmissions@gmail.com
Growing in Grace Magazine wants to honor Christian mothers and daughters in May for Mother's Day! We'll be planning a special article just for this occasion and here's what we would like to do:
-Send us your best photo of mother with daughter(s).
-Girls: Tell us what makes YOUR mom so special.
-Photos may be of you doing something together, participating in a favorite hobby, or just a still pose. Your choice.
We'll choose one winning article to be featured in May's issue, but all participants photos will be featured in honor of your moms.
Please contact us and we'll send you a permission form to complete for using your photo.
All mothers with daughters 18 or younger may apply. Three/four generation photos are also accepted.
Edited to add: Deadline for submissions is April 26th!!!!
We also have a lovely little goody basket full of stationary (note pad, scrapbooking stickers, shopping list pad, pink note cards, Mary Engelbreit Journal, and garden note cards), a $5 Starbuck's gift card, a Semi-Precious Stone heart charm necklace with additional charms, AND that's not all!
You'll also get a KJV New Testament pocket Bible, and a fun book for mom, 'Death of a Six Foot Teddy Bear'. A fun little book on Girlfriends 'Moments of connection'
A Season's Best Recipe cookbook from Pampered Chef.
Also you'll get a Strawberry and a Cherry Lip Balm from Burt Bee's, as well as their Mini Lotion kit.
Prize Package valued at approx. $100
**If you are a vendor and would like to donate prize(s) for our winner, please contact us.
Contest for US mainland residents only
This is a wonderful way to show your mom and the whole world how much your mother means to you. Please pass this news onto your friends and invite others to join us. Here are two graphics you may use:
BUT WAIT! There's more! If you blog about this on your sites and send us the link to your entries, we'll enter your name FOR EACH BLOG you post this on, into the drawing. So help spread the word for a greater chance to win!
Last year, Jocelyn told me that she had been talking to Heather Sprittibee about the Homeschool Blog Awards site, and all of the exciting things Heather had planned for it. She wanted it to be more than just the blog awards site. Heather had planned to have daily columns like a magazine and was hoping it woud be more of a year-round site, rather than the site that was only busy for the three months of the blog awards.
Heather came up with different ideas to cover different things, like Memo Monday, Tuesday Tour, Winner Wednesday, Thursday Thoughts, and Foto Friday. Her plan was great and would make the site a homeschool resource that many homeschoolers could enjoy and be encouraged by. I can't imagine the time that Heather put into planning and gathering writers to support her in the site. I think it has been almost a year that Amanda, Jocelyn and I joined her and the team at HSBA to write.
A lot of things have happened in the past year on HSBA. We are now working with a new team, but the core team from the end of the '07 Blog Awards is still on board, and I cannot tell you the impact these Godly women have made on me and on my daughters in the past year. They are real friends. Friends I can talk to. Friends who will help and who will pray. They are wonderful wives, moms and homeschoolers.
Dawn, from My Home Sweet Home, owns her own blog design company, Barefoot Blog Designs. She has completely redesigned the site and updated our wordpress, which has been wonderful. We are now hosted by Paul at ShatteringWindows.com, and I know that Dawn worked relentlessly to get the new site in order as soon as possible. Paul was a great help in administrating all of that with her. I know that Amanda and Jocelyn worked with Dawn and some of the other ladies as we made the final changes. The new site is really beautiful. We have something I am going to have when I get my wp blog on my site all done, and that is a template switcher. The new template is warm and cozy and inviting. Dawn did a beautiful job, and I really appreciate all of her hard work.
We have added some new writers in the past month too. Our new team members may not be new to you. I am personally well-acquainted with two of them. They are two of my very good friends. I have known Christina for almost two years. I met her here at HSB, and she has become a very dear friend to not just me but our family. We talk almost every day, even if it is just to see how each other is doing. We have spoken and prayed together many times on IM and on the phone. I love her dearly. SisterLisa is a friend I just met within the past year, and she surprised me one day with an email asking if the girls and I would be interested in creating an online girls magazine dedicated to upholding the standards of God's Word and differentiating it from the world. There is not one like it, and we are glad to she asked us to join her and be a part of it. She is a very sweet Christian wife and mom, and we have become fast friends since we pushed our first GGM issue out in February in just 2 weeks!
De'Etta, Susan, and Marybeth are three others who have joined us, and I look forward to getting to know them better. De'Etta has joined us on our Yahoo Group, and I have been enjoying getting to know her too.
I think you will find that the Authors on HSBA are fulfilling the motto of Encouraging, Informing and Connecting the Homeschool Community! Go on over and check it out!
blessings!
This week I am writing for the Homeschool Blog Awards site. I have compiled a small list of some of the almost 6000 yahoo groups listed under Homeschooling. There is something for everybody. DeEtta left a comment saying that they move often, and online homeschool groups have provided the bulk of support for her. Click on over to
As per Homeschool.com, below is a list of the Top 100 Educational Websites of 2008 from and email I received tonight.
You'll find websites with:
online quizzes,
printable worksheets,
free online books
online Spanish lessons and reading lessons
online games for extra practice with math facts, state capitals, etc.
science lessons you listen to online, and
free online lessons and lesson plans for every subject
After reviewing thousands of websites, the following sites have been selected as Homeschool.com's Top 100 Web Sites for 2008. These websites contain some of the best educational content on the Internet today. Best of all, almost all of these sites are free or have free sections.
Since we have been battling influenza in our home for almost 3 weeks, I have learned that day and night are relative. I take the 3rd shift to watch Caleb and make sure he gets his tylenol and ibuprofen and take him potty. He is at the stage where he needs to be held by Mommy ONLY, so I am here. On the couch with him. And, Jocelyn, who is still recuperating, is also down here. As a matter of fact, I was thinking last night that our living room really is like a mini-recupe center.
Anyway, my midnight shift gives me plenty of time on the computer between rehydrating children, potty breaks and coercing meds(if I can keep my eyes open) to research and make lists or do some planning. I spent time last night perusing The Old schoolhouse Store. I went over to download my EFreebie, which I found on my TOS Enewsletter.The Freebie right now is E-BooK: The Play Book from Art of Eloquence. Afterward, I started looking for math products. Then I went to the A Beka site. We used A Beka with Amanda, Jocelyn and Rachel. I liked the strong base it gave them, and the workbooks are near as extensive as I remember them to be. We have used Saxon, but it is not for everyone, and a lot of times, they skip things they already know anyway.
In searching for math, I remembered Donna Young's site. It is probably something most online-savvy homeschool moms already know about, but I always find these great sites (like DonnaYoung.org), and then I forget shortly thereafter. So, I will be linking her in my sidebar, and hopefully that will help me to get over there for all her great ideas and free worksheets, printables, etc.
I actually went over there after searching the Charlotte Mason Resources at TOSstore. I went over to find the timeline I think I already blogged about. It is very nice, and you can use either a ring-bound book or a 3-ring binder to make it. Amanda and I were talking about it, and I was showing her the pictures of it, and I thought how fun it would be to copy pictures of my grandparents and different events in our families' lives and put them into the timeline, just to see what they lived through.
The timeline is Charmaine Wistad's Timeline Book. If you are interested, here are the Timeline Book Instructions.
Donna's site is so very full of information, I can't do it justice. You will just have to go peruse for your self. You will not be disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to navigate her site. The site has been re-done since I was there last, and it is very nice. Get a cuppa coffee, take a little bit of planning time and find some resources you will surely use in your homeschool! Be sure to look over her blog, Donna Young: Another Blessed Day in the Life.
Another favorite EBook Freebie resource of mine is the Homeschool EStore.
I don't always use every free ebook, but I have found many useful ones, and I have not been disappointed. I am still getting used to using EBooks, but I love the print-ability of having one for each child without purchasing several.
Homeschooling is not the same as a winter break or a public school vacation time, but sometimes we need some creative ideas of what to do when we have to keep our sweet little darlings inside! I would much rather bundle them up and send them outside, rain or shine - and we do that then - but the bone-chilling winter weather we are having is not ok for them to be out in. Besides, it takes as long to get ready as the time you can spend out in the weather, so it is hardly worth it!
While our five oldest do go outside twice a day to take care of our goats, chickens and dogs, playing soldiers and running races is quite out of the question! Yes, some of these may be lame... but you know what they say about desperate times!
Read a novel out loud with your children. Let them read; you read; act it out.
Bake cookies. Warm up the house and your tummy as well with a great time of baking!
Snuggle up on the couch under a giant blanket and watch a favorite movie together.
Take some silly pictures! Print them off, get out some scrapbooking supplies and let them have at it! Who knows what silly memories you will come up with!
Organize your pantry.
Get out the Legos and have a building contest.
Pull all the bedding off the beds and wash them. Talk with your children how nice it is to have clean sheets and teach them how to make the bed.
Go through a closet. See if there are any toys to give away or throw away. Any clothes that can be donated?
Get out a board game.
Play charades.
Hand out paper and pencils and sketch something. You can all sketch the same thing or each choose your own.
Dust. Give everyone a damp cloth and let them have at it! The older children can reach up high, while the Littles will get everything they can get their hands on.
Clay or play-do.
Write a short story. Read them out loud to each other.
Write parts of a short story. Have the next child add on to the story just read.
Sing together.
Clean out the refrigerator.
Play the quiet game. This usually turns into the giggle game, but try it if you like!
Just sit and watch your children sing or play.
Play hangman.
Play I Spy.
Play the alphabet game.
Look up Scripture.
Read Scripture and have everyone guess where it is found.
Sing Father Abraham with the motions.
Get the spices out of your cupboard, clean them off and talk about the spice of life or how We can be a sweet smelling savour or a foul smell in the nostrils of God. Teach them which spices are which, let them smell them, and tell them what they are used in.
Use safe colors and paint faces.
Make some homemade soap.
Write a book of devotionals.
Scrapbook
Make notecards.
Clean up and organize boots and winterwear for when it is nice enough to go outside.
Make popcorn balls.
Churn your own butter.
Do some needlepoint.
Give your children quilt squares and a needle and thread. Even young children can do this with supervision.
Wash the baby toys.
Match socks.
Fold clothes.
Organize your thread or yarn by colors.
If you have any candles, get them out and let them smell them.
Type up blogposts.
Discuss politics.
Watch a debate.
Talk about your favorite Bible characters.
Read the Old Testament
Memorize the Ten Commandments
Have an oral impromptu spelling contest.
See who can fold towels the fastest. Or diapers. Or match the most pairs of socks.
Rearrange the furniture.
Wash the windows.
Make up your own Psalms and Hymns
Memorize math facts.
Talk about their future and what God is doing in their lives.
Make a tent with chairs/tables and blankets
Use blocks and set up a 'dominoes' trail.
Take a nap.
Alphabetize movies or books.
Learn the piano keys.
Read the encyclopedia or dictionary.
Play hide 'n seek.
Clean out behind the washer and dryer.
Vacuum the refrigerator vent.
Learn the Books of the Bible in order
Study the genealogy of Jesus
Make up Unit Studies with your children. Let them pick a topic and resources - books and videos - and make up ideas of things they would like to do for it.
Boil water or turn the humidifier on high and watch windows crystallize and frost.
Draw things on Paint on the computer.
Plan a gourmet meal
Exercise.
Count things. Everything.
Name things that are a particular color.
Legos work well for both of the last two things to do.
Turn on some lamps, get out some lawn chairs or beach towels in the living room, put on the sunglasses, lotion and pretend you are in a warmer climate.
Let your children give you a shoulder rub. Or rub your feet. They love it... and so will you!
Pick an animal character and follow each other around the house, acting like that animal.
Finger paint.
Tie-dye some old t-shirts.
Cut up old sheets into hankies. Let them draw pictures on them with finger paints or markers. Use them as hankies or cowboy kerchiefs...
Make cloth placemats for your table.
Make paper place mats.
Have a tea party.
Make up name plates for each person for dinner.
Give hugs and kisses.
Watch a video and learn a Classical Ball Dance
Learn something in a foreign language.
Dream about the future.
Look at everyone's baby Albums or vacation albums and remember the fun you had.
The scoop on me: Believer for 20 years; married 19 years; 8 children so far, hoping for more; live on a great hobby farm, with 7 goats, 2 dogs and 68 chickens. Oh, and 1 bathroom. That's always fun. :)
The scoop on our homeschool: Bible-first, Living Learning Moments, meaning if it happens, it's a lesson. We learn life! How long have we been homeschooling? Well, our oldest is 18. How much longer do we have to go? Well, our youngest is almost 1. We love it and wouldn't have it any other way.
Jeremiah 6:16
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.
Adam walked in the Garden with God. He talked with him. God was his companion. Yet, that did not complete man. God's plan was different. Even as Adam walked with God, God saw a need in his new creation. God met that need with a woman.
Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Let us turn from the current 'pop-culture-christianity' society we live in and get back to the Word.
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Proverbs 16:9
A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
******************
*
The Bible *
* is NOT *
* a fiction book *
******************
Keep their hearts. If you don't have their hearts, take note and re-capture their hearts!
Don't let the seeds sown by the ideal of today's youth culture ruin the glorious plans God has for your child.
Satan wants him. Your child is a jewel in Christ's crown, and satan wants him. Train him as such.
You want him more. So does the Lord.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Our School 2007-2008: How We Learn:
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Mom
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*Early morning coffee-time to include:
* Bible Reading
* Prayer: for Husband, children
* Planning
*Reading to Littles
*Time to snuggle
*Computer Time
*Time with older children
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Everyone
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*Love God and Family
*Bible Reading
*Self-discipline
*Proper Manners
*Polished Cornerstones or Plants Grown Up
*Art: sketching, coloring, painting
*Cooking
*Caring for animals
*Arithmetic
*scrapbooking, notebooking
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Teaching the Littles
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*Love God and Family
*Self-discipline
*Proper Manners
*Cooking
*Caring for animals
*Arithmetic
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Fun For Littles
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*Playing Cards - War
*Chalk and chalk board
*modeling clay, a cutting board and a plastic knife
*Counting chocolate chips
*folding laundry - towels are easy
*paper and pencil
*helping to make cookies
*rolling out dough (playi
