The day after Labor Day is kind of like a second New Year’s Day for me. I try to get my life reorganized for this big day. The schedule is reset. Chore lists are up on the wall, goal and curriculum lists in a binder. The Mason jar is filled with new colored pencils. It … more
One of the principles that we attempt to run our homeschool on is that of mastery. Mastery learning is a simple concept that is not common in our fast-paced society. Put simply, it is staying with a concept until mastery is achieved. You don’t move on if your understanding is below an A level. Obviously, this … more
In the plans for the coming year: Dusty/10th Grade Jacobs Geometry – After many months of researching geometry, we have settled on the second edition of this popular-among-homeschoolers textbook. I like to use older math books in general, but was finding difficult or impossible to locate teacher’s manuals for the older geometries. This 80’s-era text was recommended to me by … more
Planning the School Year What Subjects? Student Planners
This post is for those who want to start homeschooling for the first time! Where do you begin? What do you need to know? A simple Google search will lead you into an overwhelming flood of information. When I am venturing into a new world I like to have one place that I trust for information until … more
So how do those Charlotte Mason methods work out for a simpler schoolday? Here is a peek into the days of my K-er and 3rd-grader. Kindergarten: Pearl listens in on Duncan’s read-aloud time (this is at her wish, I do not require it) and then has her own. Her read-alouds contain a Bible story, … more
What would you think if I were to tell you that you could effectively cover all of language arts, from kindergarten to jr. high, without curriculum; just books, pens, and paper? After trying many different curricula with my firstborn, I have left them all behind and traded them for Charlotte Mason’s methods for my younger … more
The arts or skills of language are one of the things that set human beings apart from the rest of creation. It is one of the ways that we are made in the image of God. It is the vehicle which allows knowledge to be passed on. As a result we have fellowship, progress, beauty, and a … more
Here is what we are using this year. Dusty – 9th Grade Systematic Mathematics Algebra 2 – His last year with Mr. Ziegler! We have been very happy with this video-based program. Dusty’s progress and solid grasp of concepts continually impresses us. Wilson Hill Academy Honors Composition class – Last year’s online writing class was a rousing success … more
(Part 3 in a 3-part Planning series) Student planners are an integral part of organizing our school at home. I mentioned in an earlier post that I do not make lesson plans. The reason is that my students do! Student planners accomplish several things for us. They give some autonomy to our students (which increases … more