Sep. 18, 2008 - So far
Thank you so much to everyone who is commenting and helping me. This is exactly what I need. I need to know what websites out there offer free ideas. I need to figure out how to be creative even though I don't believe I was created with that gift!! So keep it coming!
I have at the least managed to complete school every day. Really that is an amazing feat for me. I am not organized or disciplined so consistancy has always been an issue for me. Right now I feel like I am "doing school at home" I don't think this is the best way . My heart is to "home educate" but my only ideas about school come from school. I can thank God for revealing this to me now and not wasting years and regretting. So that is my question this week. How do I move from doing school like the schools to educating my children in a unique way?
Oh yeah another question. My 5.5 year old is a high energy boy. Diagnosed with adhd, I know that I will have to do thing differently with him. He will not sit long enough for seat work right now, but I want to work with him. What ideas are out there for those of us with "special needs kids?" He really needs to learn letter and number recognition along with at the very least writing his name. I am at a loss with this one particularly.
Comments
Sep. 18, 2008 - WELCOME!
Posted by SchoolinRhome
Hello! I found you through your friend Michelle. I just wanted to encourage you that as with anything new- it will get easier as you fall into a schedule. No matter how you feel (often feel like we aren't getting everything done), your children are learning much more than they would in a public school setting. THe one on one time is priceless and they are learning important life lessons as they work with, struggle and enjoy their family members!
Homeschoolblogger will give you so many great ideas you will have to choose which ones you really like the most because there won't be time for them all. Check out my blog when you can. I have 5 children and try to post ideas and our projects. Lapbooking is a wonderful learning tool for kids that need review and reinforcement and like to be a bit creative. Homeschool Share . com has many free lapbooks that you just print and do (using file folders.) I like making lapbooks on a theme- one for each of my 4 students and they each just add what is appropriate for their age. Then we can read together MANY books on the theme throughout the unit!
Have a wonderful year homeschooling and most of all enjot those kiddos! We all have crazy days so that is normal but just take a moment to relax and pray more those days and the Lord will help you through and give you peace and remind you how blessed we each are to have a family and to be able to homeschool!
Have a super fun day!
SchoolinRhome
www.homeschoolblogger.com/SchoolinRhome
Sep. 18, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by momanna98
I struggle with the same things. I am not organized, creative, or structured... and whatever else you said you weren't. :-) I like Amblesideonline.org. I very loosely follow it because it is to, um, organized and structured for me. But they do have very good suggestions. It is Charlotte Mason style. They have a list of things a child should know by age 5 (maybe 6?) and it is all things that are fun. Like sing songs and know nature stuff. Charlotte Mason style is pretty relaxed.
I have no experience with ADHD and I don't know how much he knows, but maybe if you focus on a letter a week? Michelle was once doing some program with crafts and books going through the alphabet. Maybe he would like that? It would probably be a good idea to work one on one with him and for only a very short amount of time. As he gets older you can stretch the time into longer segments, but he is still young, so don't stress over it. I hope this helped a little.
Sep. 19, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by duckygirl
Hi and welcome to homeschooling!!! I to have a very 'high energy' 5 1/2 year old boy. We are in the process of learning to read and my suggestion is to do things somewhat out of the box. I like games that incorporate letters (like alphabet bingo), alphabet puzzles and flash cards. These are things that can keep his attention more than sitting down with a workbook. He can stand on his head and still do flash cards :) He also loves writing things on a big white board. I'll write H-A-T and ask him to sound it out...then erase it and write S-A-T, etc. He really likes that big visual.
Hope that helps,
Laura
www.recipesforhappiness.blogspot.com
Sep. 19, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by EEEEMommy
I'm attempting to send you an e-mail, but wanted to list a couple of links here.
http://weblinkeducation.com/ This is a great website with lots of links divided by categories.
http://heartofthematteronline.com/ This is a fabulous blog with numerous authors. It's a great resource!
Sep. 21, 2008 - welcome friend
Posted by kkzemadamson
Welcome to the blog community. I'm so happy to hear your home schooling. It's been a great blessing for our family. I'm also new to blogging, and i'm on my 3rd yr. of schooling. Best advice, Have fun!!
Sep. 24, 2008 - try teachable moments
Posted by Laura
Hi Candi- I have faith in you! I know you, and you are attempting to do it all right now, and that makes it very overwhelming! You've got the big picture, but now you need to start at the botttom to get there. You need to focus on one thing at a time, even if it's a very small thing. Accomplish that, feel comfortable with that, and then move on to another thing. Before you know it, you will be doing more things, and doing them well and with great confidence. There is no shame in starting out slowly and finding your way. I've been hs-ing for 11 years and still have to figure out what will work for us each year. It is a step-by-step process for each of us, whether we're just beginning or have been at it for what seems like forever. My suggestion is to concentrate on getting the older ones settled and comfortable first. Make them your first priority. Don't even try and work with your 5.5 year old just yet.Your goal should be to get the older ones able to do as much work independently as possible. Remember, this is somewhat new to them, too! Work with them on having the discipline to work alone as much as possible. (Don't fall into the trap of believing that just because you homeschool them, you have to be with them every minute of their school day. Will their bosses do that when they are working?) Once they are able to work alone on certain subjects, you'll have time freed up to work with your younger one. Once you've reached that point, try setting a goal of a few "teachable moments" every day. You never know when a teachable moment will occur, but find something tiny you can teach him, even if it's just that he can write the letter A in the dirt that he just tracked into the house. He may not even know the letter A, but he may be willing to try it in the dirt, and you've got to start somewhere! Teachable moments are all around us, and they can take only a few seconds to get the concept across, or they can be the beginning of an entire days learning. Just keep an eye out for any moment that you can adapt to your advantage and teach him something. Before you know it, he may start picking things up. Each day that goes by he is getting one day closer to focusing better. Just remember that the older ones can't get shortchanged, so make sure they are comfortable and prepared first! Don't look at it as playing favorites either, that's not the idea. The idea is to accomplish as much as possible in the long run. When you're running a marathon, you start out at a slow jog and pace yourself. When you're feeling strong, you pick it up a bit, more and more until you finally cross the finish line. You don't have to come in first, you just have to finish! Don't worry about what others are doing, just do your best. Every hs-ing mother has doubts about whether their child knows enough. We all think we are dropping the ball. What amazed me is how much mine picked up on their own as they got older. I spent years struggling with spelling and grammar, only to have it finally "click". It took until 10th grade, but it did finally click! All those years of beating myself up for nothing. You have an advantage going in- you have a deep relationship with the Lord. He will not forsake you. He knows the desires of your heart. He knows your motives for homeschooling. He will honor those. It will be in His time, but it will happen. Keep trusting in Him. If he wants you doing this, you'll see the fruit. Actually, other people may see the fruit (sometimes we're just too close to see anything but our own inadequacy) so trust the people around you. You've got a great church family, trust them to be honest with you if you ask them. You can do this!
Oct. 28, 2008 - Come What May!
Posted by SchoolinRhome
I thought you might like this awesome new movie! It is called Come What May! It supports the fight for life, inspires the Godly marriage and encourages purity. You can even veiw it free today and tomorrow yet! It is so worth the time. I am trying to get the word out before everyone goes to vote, too!
It was made by over 40 homeschoolers! Way to go homeschoolers! A+
Check out my post here:
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SchoolinRhome/611224/
Please leave me a comment if you were inspired and plan to pass it on to others. I'd love to hear that!
In Christ's love,
SchoolinRHome
Nov. 8, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by SeekingJESUSnTeachingKIDS
you need to blog again:)
