[twinzplus3]

Welcome to our new members and hello again to those of you who are familiar. I am the homeschooling blogger (as most of you know) And in October I thought I'd focus on the homeschooling day, fitting everything in, things that you add to your routine to make it special etc.

I am looking for blog ideas (even if they're not related to your daily schedule) so if there's something you'd like to see. . .let me know!!!

Valorie

[clarkestep]

You know, I'm a new HSer and I'm having difficulty transitioning from PSing. I used to substitute teach and know the ropes for PSing and now I'm trying to get into a mindset that I can relax a little bit. Instead of HSing we've been schooling at home.

Yesterday was the first day of our co-op classes. My boys are doing Science and GA history. They loved it. It seemed so fun, and relaxing. I told them this would be for fun and that they won't be graded on anything. My 9yo asked why we couldn't do it everyday. I just explained to him that I don't know how to yet. But that I would be trying to figure out how to go about it.

I'm having a hard time adjusting to a different lifestyle/educationstyle change. Maybe once this year is over I will relax a little more, once I know this is something we know we'll do every year from here out. I don't know.

Anyway, this is where I'm at at the moment. I'm not overwhelmed with what we're doing, as I've been enjoying my boys here at home, I just want a different mindset.

[twinzplus3]

Clarkestep--

I'm not ignoring your post but I have always homeschooled my children so I have to honestly say I cannot entirely relate. BUT--I'm researching and looking into it. I have some ladies in my homeschool group that I'd like to interview who have pulled their kids out so I'm going to interview them. Keep looking for the article--it'll be there eventually!

Valorie

[Brandie]

How about describing the differences between different kinds of homeschoolers - classical, eclectic, unschooling, etc ...
why not ask a few parents in each category to submit their daily routine (or non-routine) and post it as examples of ways to find what works best for each individual families lifestyle!

[twinzplus3]

Hi Clarkestep--
It took me forever to start writing these--I'm so sorry. But I hope you find help in this series and I welcome discussion here at the forum:

Deschooling: The Fallacy of Schools

[imaginif]

I'd like to see some creative lesson plan type things associated with particular outings. For example, how do you redefine and report qualify a visit to the pet store as a learning experience. What do you write up, what language should be used, etc. Examples of what other's are doing moreorless.
I'm really happy to send people info on my home town - Cairns on the Great Barrier Reef - as a way of stimulating interest in life in the tropics. Is it possible for me to perhaps do a guest blog on the Great Barrier Reef , or even Australian Aboriginal kids,Valorie??? Would home schoolers even be interested?
Somebody here posted a linked map of the United States and the game plan was to correctly match the names of the States to the boardered areas, within a set period of time. We loved it and have played it several times. Although I lived in the States for a very short time (4 months) I am ignorant about the geographic position and location in relation to all of the different states. This posted game was hugely educational for us.
There's a rich vein of diversity on families.com. I'd like my son to learn from it. He's hugely fasinated in other countries and therefore how easy would it be to fit families.com member sharing into curricula areas of language, social studies, geography, history, LOTE, etc.
What do you all think of sharing lesson plans and info on each other's towns/states/countries?
Oh...and just one more thing - I did a blog on the sad childhood of the author of Mary Poppins. My son loved the information and hasn't stopped talking about it since (he's Aspergers and OBSESSIVE). As a result we're trying to track down the original book to read. Great learning that happened accidently - both from a literary and child protection focus. Gotta love this natural learning.
Mxx

[imaginif]

Originally Posted by Brandie

How about describing the differences between different kinds of homeschoolers - classical, eclectic, unschooling, etc ...
why not ask a few parents in each category to submit their daily routine (or non-routine) and post it as examples of ways to find what works best for each individual families lifestyle!

Yes, this is exactly what I need at the moment too. It will assist my confidence to know that I am on the right track by seeing how other parents set their day plan out.
Sorry Brandie. I got so carried away in my previous answer I forgot to mention that your idea was brilliant and that I support it.
Mxx

[twinzplus3]

Yes, Meghan a guest blog (or a few) would be great!

These are the ongoing series that I'm currently working on:

1. Homeschooling Days (creative ideas, teaching methods etc. to teach different subjects.)
2. State laws
3. Deschooling--different things that we buy into that lead us to believe that our homeschools need to look like schools and how to get over it
4. Learning standards and checklists. I am working on a series of learning standards and checklists (a what your 1st grader should know type thing) that will have links to lessons and such.
5. The week in review.

--I'm very slow bc I have been homeschooling! But I'm working on it. I want to include more things about homeschooling kids with special needs but haven't quite gotten to it yet. (I likely will once I'm finished with the states unless someone else comes to do it.)

[imaginif]

Thanks Valorie, you really are a tremendous help to me. I'll get to and do some Australian lesson plan stuff (stuff that you won't always find in the books) to post. Would a list of Aussie sland for languages be something of interest????? You know - the Steve Irwing, "Crikey Mate, she's a little beauty," type of thing?
I grew up in Papua New Guinea and I was fasinated with the way kids in other schools had to dress - shoes and socks -errrrkkkkkkkkk. I used to look at pics of other kids and feel sorry for them. Then when we moved back to Australia, we experienced a winter and had to wear blazers, stockings, singlets, the works to school. What an experience!!!!! I thought it was child abuse sending kids out in the freezing weather (yes, I was melodramatic). The world of children in different countries is hugely rich with simple learning opportunities of maximum potential. My son asks many questions about school in America when he sees news footage of security guards trawling the corridors. Blah, blah, getting off track here!!!!
Great thread. Keep it going everyone. I'm hungry to learn all I can about homeschooling, and I want to learn from other parents, not just from books.
Mxx

[twinzplus3]

Imaginif and anyone else interested in geography, culture etc.:
This is one thing that we do: Flat Traveling: We Love Stanley

I started because my kids have no concept of what it's like to live outside of the city.