Homeschooling

Many people are interested in why and how we homeschool so let me briefly cover those questions here.

We homeschool because:
1. Our daughter didn't like the way the school system wanted her to learn.
2. We didn't like the way the school system wanted our daughter to learn.
3. We could not perform food tests during the school year which greatly restricted us getting new foods into her diet.
4. We like having lots of flexibility in our lives.
5. We have grandiose ideas about people being able to choose the courses their lives take

We homeschool by:
1. Adjusting, changing, and correcting course as we need to based on all of our interests and needs.
2. Finding "curriculum" that is interesting and fun.
3. Educating ourselves about how kids and adults learn new information.
4. Pushing ourselves out of the comfort zone of traditional educational styles.
5. Joining other homeschoolers in homeschooling to make our adventure seem more normal and easier.

Okay...Okay...you probably want more details as to how me actually homeschool. Here they are:
1. We do most of our traditional work in the mornings. I do not schedule any activities/playdates/errands before lunch so that we both are in the habit of recognizing that time as school time.

2. We use an eclectic curriculum:
Science: Magic School Bus video, science kits, and books, science museums and fairs, EEME subscription, nature walks, Wild Kratts, Ranger Rick subscription, Lego Mindstorms

Math: Life of Fred, random math workbooks (tearing out pages and crossing out at least half the pages), Khan Academy, white board for practicing, jelly beans, M&Ms, Klutz Kwiz math decks, cooking, etc

Reading: lots and lots of all types of books, magazines, and anything with words (young, old, literature, silly, etc)

Typing: www.typingweb.com; writing emails; typing her creative writing

Handwriting: Zaner-Bloser workbooks (our daughter doesn't like Handwriting Without Tears, but I know it's usually preferred by people); empty lined learning to write tablets that I write in and she copies; writing notes to friends and family

Creative Writing: Jot It Down and Partnership by Bravewriter; Reading Rainbow shows on Vimeo; reading and more reading; Scrivener

Art: Drawing with Children, Art Class at the community center, visiting art galleries, having all sorts of art options available at home and easy to access, teaching art classes

Sign Language: Private Skype sessions with a signer once a week, watching Signing Times on Netflix, practicing together several times a week, trying to find other ASL videos to watch on YouTube, signing lessons with a CODA

History: Liberty's Kids DVD series from PBS (you can often find these at your library or on Ebay); we began reading the American Girl Historical Fiction Novels with Kaya and are working our way through chronologically; we have a US Map and a huge timeline on the wall that we mark as we cover history topics; we make lap books for our American Girl stories; lots of field trips!

Miscellaneous Learning: Badge work, Girl Scout meetings, field trips, documentaries, sewing, knitting, nature walks, volunteer work, hand bell choir, vocal choir, puppet theatre, hand work club, fitness classes at the gym, Legos, ZOOB Challenges, books, books, books, puzzles, pretend play, games, rock climbing team

P.E.: Lots and lots of outdoor playtime; classes at our gym; rock climbing

Piano: Simply Music lessons

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