Styles of Home Education: Unschooling Method

The information in these posts are taken for my sister-in-law Rhonda's notes.  Rhonda is a veteran home educator of over 20 years.  You can visit her blog here.

Unschooling Method

John Holt and the Moores made this style of learning famous.  Here, the child is given the resources and environment for learning and then allowed to choose what he or she wants to learn based upon their interests.  A child is not forced to learn certain subjects in certain grades and later schooling is emphasized.  John Holt argued that a child will teach himself as ha becomes interested in various subjects with a minimal amount of help from the teacher.  Many great men down through the ages were self-taught.

Advantages:

• A very relaxing style of learning, takes pressure off of performance.
• A child will think it to be heaven, of course!
• The student is basically unaware that schooling is taking place.

Disadvantages:

• Gaps in learning might frustrate child and teacher.
• Undesirable subject matter may be chosen.
• Child may lack self-discipline and motivation.

Lori's 2 cents:  Evidently, I am have failed to set my home up as a learning environment such as this because if I let my kids choose that would watch TV and play video games all day long.  Despite the fact that I LOVE to read, it has failed to rub off on my children.  I suspect that the great men who self-educated were those with strong personalities and natural God-given motivation.  I pray to have a child like this one day!  :)

Styles of Home Education: Unit Studies Method

The posts in this series are taken from the notes of my sister-in-law Rhonda's notes.  Rhonda is a veteran home educator of over 20 years.  You can visit her blog here. 

Unit Studies Method

Konos was one of the first curriculum to offer this style of learning.  Using a theme as a springboard, the teacher pulls lessons from that main theme to teach many subjects such as geography, history, art, vocabulary, etc.  There are many hands-on types of activities and creativity seeps from the seams of this method of learning.  Lessons are retained by seeing, hearing, and acting out, rather than just reading it from a book.  One lesson on telephones can lead to a biography of Alexander Graham Bell, the inner workings of the ear, and the history of the telegraph.

Advantages:

• Creative learning is, by far, the most fun type of learning for the student.
• Lends itself well to field trips.
• The whole family becomes involved in the learning process. 

Disadvantages:

• Requires more preparation time on the part of the teacher.  
• Additional textbooks are needed for math and phonics instruction.
• Can seem overwhelming to complete so many activities.

Lori's 2 cents:  While we think until studies are a great idea, they do not lend well to a busy lifestyle.  If you are like me and you have a part-time job outside of the home, you might not even consider the amount of prep time that this method takes.  However, I have a few friends who have children with Autism and it seems to be a favored method among those parents.  This is probably because the child is able to focus on the things that he or she already loves and incorporates it into every subject.

Styles of Home Education: Whole Child Method

The information in this series of posts are taken from my sister-in-law Rhonda's notes.  Rhonda is a veteran home school mom with over 20 years of experience.  You can visit her blog here. 

Whole Child Method

This style of learning is synonymous with the name Charlotte Mason.  There are three main goals to this approach to schooling:

1. Give the child something or someone to love.
2. Give the child something to do.
3. Give the child something to think about. 

Charlotte mason believed in using real life experiences and bringing them into the classroom.  The home as the setting, teaching using "real" books (not textbooks) and emphasizing nature study.  Learning is integrated throughout the course of the day seizing the opportunities to teach.  LIFE IS LEARNING!   Narration (telling the information back to the teacher) is also used on a daily basis.  Lessons are kept short.  Homework and grades are almost nonexistent.  A sketchbook is recommended for the student, useful in the nature studies and art.  Music training is also a vital part of this method.

Advantages:

• A very enjoyable style of learning for the student.
• Creative learning at it's best.
• Works great with multi-grade levels. 

Disadvantages:

• Requires the teacher to watch for teaching moments throughout the day.
• Doesn't adapt well to a more structured type of school day.
• Academic progress may be harder to chart.

Lori's 2 cents:  I know a few families who use this method of learning and their kids are very bright and eager to learn.  To some extent, I think most home educators have a hand in this style as we walk along side of our children and use life to teach lessons. 

Styles of Home Education: Classical Method

The notes in these posts are taken from my sister-in-law Rhonda who is a veteran home school mom with over 20 years of experience.  You can check our her blog here. 

The Classical Method

While also being more structured, this method is not as rigid as the traditional method.  The classical style of teaching basically involves 3 stages.  In the elementary years, the focus is on learning facts, thus the traditional method can be used in this stage.  In the middle school years, the student will learn critical thinking skills, logic, higher math, along with a strong emphasis on history.  The high school years are used to develop writing methods as well as speaking skills.  Art, travel, and apprenticeship are all a valued part of this style of teaching.  Classical literature is used heavily throughout to form character and worldview.

Advantages:

• Child has exposure to wonderful pieces of art and literature.
• Gives a well-rounded education.
• Enables the student to develop and world view and think critically.

Disadvantages:

• Struggling readers and non-readers might not like the heavy use of literature.
• Involved more extra-curricular activities such as travel, art exposure, etc.

Lori's 2 cents:  I love this method!  While we don't rigidly stick to it (we have yet to study Latin:)  we love the heavy use of history as we believe that it is critical for shaping a world-view.  It seems that this method, more than any other, encourages world history as heavy as American History.  We also have enjoyed reading children's versions of classics like the Odyssey, and Beowulf.  I believe that the best resource to get you started on this route is Susan Wise Bauer's The Well-Trained mind, available through Peace Hill Press.

Styles of Home Education: Traditional Method

I am dong a series of posts on different styles of home education.  In this series I will use notes written by my sister-in-law Rhonda who is a home school veteran!  You can check out her blog here.http://www.walkingwithsarah.com/

Traditional Method of Education


This style of teaching resembles the classroom setting.  There is a set time for schooling to take place with a set curriculum.  A Beka and Bob Jones are some of the main textbook companies that encourage this methodology.  The course will involve teaching rote facts and a large amount of seat work.  Learning is built systematically over a period of years and includes repetition to enforce ideas learned.  Extracurricular activities and few with the main emphasis on mastering the basics.

Advantages:

• No gaps in learning as education is "line upon Line" and enforced by repetition.  
• Does not require teacher to be overly creative.
• Security in teaching the curriculum as it is laid out for the teacher.

Disadvantages:

• Multi-grade teaching is more difficult.
• May stifle creativity and kill the joy of learning.
• Contributes to burnout.

Lori's 2 cents:  While we have only been home educating for 6 years now, I have to say that we have found bits and pieces of these programs to be wonderfully complete and useful.  We love Bob Jones English and science.  We are "eclectic schoolers" with our hands in many of the methods, but not fully devoted to one single method.  

The traditional method is a method that we try to stay away from.  I prefer my home to not resemble a classroom in any way, but I have friends who do it and do it very well. 

A Historical Thanksgiving Meal: More History Resources

Once again, we love The Story of the World!  Right now, we are in early modern times, hanging out in the early 1600's with some explorers, adventurers, pilgrims, and Native Americans.  What an awesome time in history!  Tonight we had some traditional Thanksgiving foods for dinner, not a feast really because there was no deer or turkey, but some basics.  We started off with traditional cornbread.  This was probably my kids' favorite part.

Then we ate stewed pompion (squash) and succotash.  (resist the urge to say suffering succotash please.....)

Drama queen

During our meal we read the story of Squanto.  In this age of revisionist history, it is a great thing to know that there are well told stories out there.  I recommend:

Squanto and The Miracle of Thanksgiving

A beautiful story of God's Divine Providence in the lives of the Pilgrims and Squanto.

For other stories about God's providence, I recommend a series called:

The Light and the Glory for Children

As always, you can get The Story of the World at http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/

The Story of the World: Japanese Wind Poems

I wrote a post previously about how we love the Story of  The World.   The activity guides have some fun projects.  Right now, we are in early modern times and studying Japan's history.  Shoguns, Samaurai's, and Daimyos.  oh my!  We did this fun project this morning:

This is a Japanese wind poem.  You can write a poem or wishes on the strips of paper and then hang them outside.  They believed that the wind would carry your poems or wishes away.  It's fun and pretty, and gives you a chance to discuss superstition with your kids.

Emma's

My funny little monkey hanging her's in a tree.

Little man's 

He wants a bazooka and a new light saber!

You can order The Story of the World here:

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/the-story-of-the-world-vol-3-early-modern-times-paperback.html

Am I Qualified to Teach my Child?

In short...yes.  Although you might live in a state that doesn't think you are.

Parents are blessed with the job of teaching their kids from the time they are born.  We teach them to talk, walk, say please and thank you, to clean their rooms, care for their bodies...the list goes on and on.  We tend to stumble though, when we think of teaching them reading, writing, and math.  Fortunately, home school curriculum has come a long way over the past 25 years!

If you decide to home educate your child, you will run across the criticism that you are not certified nor qualified.  You might even fall for that yourself.  However, this statement is simply misinformation and assumption that certification is better. It doesn't take the statistics into account.  Many home schooling families are middle to upper class, and a percentage have only a high school education, yet they still continue to score high on standardized tests.  The proof is never in assumptions nor criticism, it is in the results-and the results continually speak for themselves.  The best teacher a child can ever have is one who cares deeply for them and desires to see them succeed with confidence.  In most cases, parents fit this profile more than anyone else.

This is a great article discussing the myth that you need to be certified to teach your child:

http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000002/00000214.asp

Teaching Creation and Evolution to High School Students--Resources!

I love science.  I always have.  I am particularly drawn to the ongoing debate of creation vs. evolution.  Conversations with many people who do not hold the beliefs that I do have done so much to help me dig deeper into resources on the topic.  Recently, a friend of mine asked for some resources for a friend who wanted to be able to counter evolutionary thinking in a friend.  My advice to her was a warning:  this is a complex and tricky topic.  If you want to jump in green, you will get burned a few times before you emerge ready for battle again.  You might find yourself-at some point-even doubting your beliefs.  We are human.  It happens.  So before you take on the pros, immerse yourself in knowledge.  Here are a few places to start.

The important thing to realize is that evolution is not "operational" science.  In other words, it cannot be recreated in a lab.   The big bang is a theory that has never been recreated or proven.  Molecules-to-man evolution has never been observed without the help of an intelligent designer.  One other thing that might surprise you is that many high-profile gospel-preaching preachers, while believing in intelligent design, hold to the "old earth" creationism that reinforces the idea of millions of years.  While I personally do not share this view, it is important to do the research for yourself and form your own opinions.  When your kids reach college age, they will be bombarded with this stuff.  Get them ready now.

1.  Answers in Genesis.  Even though this organization has been on the front lines and headlines of the debate--they are not actually my favorite resource!  I find their printed materials and curriculum very simplistic.  There isn't much depth.  That being said, they are staffed with some incredible minds, and their website and blog is top notch.

http://www.answersingenesis.org/

2.  Dr. Dino.  I love that name.  This is a great website.  I highly recommend going to the watch videos tabs and watching the debate videos as a class project.  Here you will see level-headed debates between experts.  You can see right off the bat that it is a complex topic.

www.drdino.com

3.  Institute for Creation Research.  This is one of my favorites.  Search their site and read the various articles.  They keep up with the latest news, and go into detail about arguments that creation scientist should NOT use and why.

www.icr.org

4.  Creation Ministries International.  Another great site.  Very similar to ICR.

www.creation.com

5.  Creation Conversations.  This website requires a membership.  It is a forum that is like social networking for creation scientists.  Every month it features an "Ask The Expert" discussion thread that utilizes top scientist in the field.  Really, really helpful!

www.creationconversations.com

The Struggling Learner-Resources

There are many people who have struggling learners, whether they are special needs, or simply having difficulty with a certain subject.  I came across a great resource page today to inspire home school parents of these children.  The first is a link to the website of Kathy Kuhl, an author and home educator. 

http://www.learndifferently.com/

The second is a link found on the page which I found very well done!  It exposes many of the myths that keep us from the idea of home education, and not just in special needs situations:

http://www.heav.org/basicinfo/specialneeds/myths.html

I hope these links inspired you!

Phases of the Moon

Last year, I taught a science class in our home school co-op.  We spent a lot of time studying the solar system.  It was a fun and fascinating time!  We just happened to begin just as Messenger was reaching Mercury.  I hope to eventually put my notes on each planet up here for my students to use when   teaching on the solar system!

Today I found a resource that I wish I had known about when we did our unit.  I was simply searching for the weather forecast and wound up investigating a site called Weather Underground.  I don't think it is a new site, but it was new to me.  Along with the weather, this site also give you the phases of the moon!  If you are doing a project about the moon and have a cloudy night this is the perfect site for you.  On the bottom of each page is an astronomy link.  It give you sky charts and shows you which moon phase you are in--along with the percentages of illumination!

I will be recommending this site for my upcoming class.  Just thought I would share!

http://www.wunderground.com/sky/ShowSky.asp?TheLat=41.45754242&TheLon=-87.28719330&TimeZoneName=America/Chicago

Note that these charts are for the Chicago area.  Put your zip code in and personalize it for you!

Home Schooling the Child with Autism

I have heard many a mother express frustration over their child with autism falling behind in school, or getting lost in the system.  Bringing a child with autism home for school can be a great way to allow them to work at their own pace, and work one-on-one with their individual needs.  I have two wonderful friends, Karen and Tina, who have experience in the topic.  They were both willing to give their words of encouragement for what can seem like a daunting task.

Both  of these moms said that the greatest challenge that they faces with their sons was keeping them focused.  Tina shared that her son's "level of intensity and frustration when things are hard for him to understand or when he doesn't want to do something, it can get very tiring.  Knowing how much harder going to school would be for him in lots of different ways, it keeps me going....that, and a lot of prayer."  


I asked my friends if there was any type of curriculum that worked best for them when it comes to keeping their kids focused.  Tina relates that unit studies work very well for her family.  She says if a child has obsessive interests, she can tailor each subject around what he loves the most.  She says that you can take almost any topic and incorporate it into any subject easily.  Karen likes using Math-U-See with her son because she says it incorporates a hands-on approach.   Tina's son enjoys doing work on the computer and she has been using Teaching Textbooks for her son.    (We use Teaching Textbooks too, you can read more about it here.)   Tina also mentioned that handwriting tends to be a great challenge for her son.  She has had success with the program Draw Write Now. 


In encouraging moms home school, Tina says:  " It is a lot fun doing so much with your children, and learning right along with them!  I have learned so much in the years we've been homeschooling that I never learned in my own school experience!   Yes, it can be very hard, at times, to be on your own for hours a day, day in and day out, teaching your special needs child  but the routine and predictability and the feeling of acceptance your child has is worth every minute."
Karen says:  "I would encourage a mom of a special needs child by telling her that she CAN do it, for her to take every detail that she is concerned about for her child and bring it to the Lord in prayer on a consistent basis.  Also, teach her child at their own pace – don’t become distracted by what other children are doing or what some book says a child is “supposed to be doing at a certain age or learning level.”  Most importantly, seek out a support group, even one on-line.  Make time for yourself and to be in God’s Word.  Proverbs 3:5-6!"

 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;  In all  your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.

I hope this has been an encouragement to you!  

Tina is the mother of three children is in her seventh year of home schooling.  


Karen has two wonderful boys and is in her second year.

Bible and Charcter Training

I wrote a post on some of the materials that have helped us in this area on my other blog.  Both of these areas can be a quite intimidating thing to get started on.  But when you take that first step, you will realize that discipling your children will undoubtedly bless your life too.  Check out these resources:

http://lori-alifetimeoflearning.blogspot.com/2011/07/keeping-your-sanity-while-home.html

Teaching History to Multiple Children

Yes, you can resort to a pre-packaged curriculum with a history text that is "fun" to read.  Maybe I am biased because I hated history so much in high school that I wanted to burn my book!  Looking back now, I do see why I found it boring, yet I am acutely aware that history is anything but boring.  I am eating this up now!

We have discovered a nifty little program called The Story of the World.  It is intended for early elementary grades.  There are four volumes each covering a years worth of history for grades 1-4.  They are presented chronologically- which makes a lot of sense.  The intent of the program is to build a framework of knowledge that your child can build on later. 

We do history together 2-3 days per week.  We start by mom reading a chapter of TSOTW out loud to all of the kids, and then complete a geography map and review questions of what we read.  For the maps, you will need the activity books too.  They are priceless when it comes to making history fun and lively for your child!

Even though this program is meant for younger children, you are still encouraged to use the framework of it for older kids.  Use the outlines and topics and have them review then dig deeper.  It can be repeated 3 times, or you can use it once, or use it twice. 

Our first year, we mummified a chicken!  You can find the full instructions in the activity guide for book one, or I have some pics and a shortened version here:

http://lori-alifetimeoflearning.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-meets-science-making-chicken.html

We also made mosaics out of food when we studied Rome and Julius Caesar.  Romans love mosaics, but they made theirs of stone...of course! 

http://lori-alifetimeoflearning.blogspot.com/2010/10/making-mosaics.html

Not every activity is as labor-intensive.  When we studied ancient China we learned Chinese calligraphy with watercolor:
http://lori-alifetimeoflearning.blogspot.com/2010/10/looking-for-living-water.html

The activity guides also contain literature suggestions.  We read many a library book last year!  We even read a children's version of The Odyssey!  My kids rolled on the flooor laughing at the blind cyclops! 


All of these projects are ideas found within the pages of The Story of the World.  We have loved it immensely.  It is probably what I look forward to most each week!  You can get it here:

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/

Or...you can do what I do and get it on Ebay!  Happy shopping!

Contact Information

Ideas?  Questions?  Don't see it yet?  Contact me:

loridevine@att.net

About Me

I am a mother of 3 wonderful children.  I am still in the grade school phase of my home schooling journey with a pre-schooler, 2nd grader, and 4th grader.  I plan to educate my children at home throughout high school if God allows.  I love God.  He is my all-consuming fire. 

I have a long list of reasons why I home school.  I wrote about my reasons in depth on my first blog site and I invite you to read them here  .http://lori-alifetimeoflearning.blogspot.com/ 

As this site grows, I plan to have some wonderful contributors.  When they are added, I will tell you about them too!  I can't wait!  

What do I Have to do to Comply with State Laws?

This is the place to start!  Indiana is one of the greatest states to home school in because we are not burdened with the restrictions that some states have. Of course, it is different from state to state, and you will need to know what you need to do to stay legal.

The absolute best resource for this is The Home School Legal Defense Association.  Not only will they provide you with the laws, breaking news on legislation, and home school news from around the world, but they will also defend you if those pesky DCFS people show up at your door and accuse you of truancy or breaking the law. 

Here is a link to their website. 

Teaching Math Without Losing your Mind!

I spent the first 3 years of school teaching math to a child who has decided that she hates math.  I really didn't look forward to the portion of the day that I would spend teaching this subject!

Still, we survived.

For our first years of math (K5, and 1st grade) we used Bob Jones workbooks.  I liked them because I could just buy the workbook-you don't need a teacher's guide!  The workbooks are around $21 a piece and that's pretty cheap considering what is out there!

Starting in 2nd grade we used Saxon Math.  Saxon is a scripted program, so if you have the teacher's guide you are never at a loss for what to say or how to teach.  It is, however, repetitive and time consuming!  Many of the public school systems use Saxon.

Starting in 3rd grade, God sent a beautiful blessing down from heaven called Teaching Textbooks.  I can't rave about this program enough!  If you are teaching more than one child, you need this program!!! :)  Teaching Textbooks will run you $120 per year in the earlier grades, the prices go up as the child gets into harder math.  But the beauty of the program is that it can be used for every child in your home.  So with my 3 kids, I am basically only paying $40 per kid for math!  The other great thing about the program is that it is done completely on computer with a smart math tutor.  The computer teaches the lesson, gives practice problems, then gives around 22 problems per unit for them to work on.  It also gives quizzes and tests and keeps your grades for you!   My daughter likes the fun graphics too.   Check out their website and try a practice round, or download a placement test.

www.teachingtextbooks.com

Have you used any other programs?  Please feel free to share your experience in the comment section.

Welcome!

Over the past year I have had several people contact me for help in starting home schooling.  I love to help people on this path because I love home education.  It is a way of life that I find incredibly enjoyable!  I won't lie....we have our hard days, but I can't imagine doing it any other way! 

I hope to put some of the information that I have shared with my friends here on this blog so that I can refer people here.  That way, you can share it too.  I still love chatting with people one on one too, so feel free to contact me at any time!

loridevine@att.net

If you wish to contribute and idea or article to this blog, please contact me!

Star Wars Science for Kids-Learning About Friction

This one is on my other blog!  Read it here.