Top 10 Signs You're Doing a Good Job as a Homeschool Parent
By Heather Idoni
Added Friday, September 14, 2007
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The Homeschooler's Notebook
Encouragement and Advice for Homeschool Families
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Vol. 8 No 71 September 14, 2007
ISSN: 1536-2035
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Copyright (c) 2007 - Heather Idoni, FamilyClassroom.net
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Welcome to the Homeschooler's Notebook!
If you like this newsletter, please recommend it to a friend!
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IN THIS ISSUE:
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Notes from Heather
-- Top 10 Signs of Success
Helpful Tips
-- Playing Ball for Math
Winning Website
-- U.S. Constitution Day
Reader Question
-- Easy Chemistry Ideas?
Additional Notes
-- Searchable Archive
-- Our Email Group
-- Sponsorship Information
-- Reprint Information
-- Subscriber Information
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Notes from Heather
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I came across this fun encouragement and thought I'd share it with
you all! The author, Carolyn Morrison, kindly allowed me to reprint
it and sends her warmest greetings to our readers.
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Top 10 Signs You're Doing a Good Job as a Homeschool Parent
Time is not a factor in homeschooling. Finishing lessons quickly or
working on lessons all day long is not an indicator of quality in
education. Here, however, are some more important signs that can
show that you are doing a great job as a homeschooling parent.
10 -- Your children think "writing" involves more than a text message
on a cell phone.
9 -- Your children know that the first line of the National Anthem
is not "Take me out to the ballgame".
8 -- Your children read without being bribed. Or threatened.
7 -- Your children hear about an interesting science experiment and
insist on trying it for themselves, even though they already
know the outcome.
6 -- Your dictionary never collects dust.
5 -- The TV news mentions a remote country and your children already
know where it is located.
4 -- The TV news mentions a remote country that your children don't
know, and they race each other to the world atlas.
3 -- People notice that your children get along well with each other.
2 -- People ask you questions about homeschooling, and your children
answer for you.
1 -- Your children giggle and elbow each other when people ask,
"What do you do about socialization?"
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Carolyn Morrison lives in central Iowa with her husband, Kevin. After
removing their two children from the public school system in the ele-
mentary grades and homeschooling them through high school graduation,
Carolyn continues to support homeschooling by mentoring and encourag-
ing families through her weblog, Guilt-Free Homeschooling,
http://guiltfreehomeschooling.org
[Do you have your own to add to Carolyn's Top Ten list? Please send
it for our readers to enjoy! Mail to heather@familyclassroom.net]
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Reader Feedback
"Heather - thanks so much for Lynn's article on homeschooling. I
am a much older mom also (facing my 52nd birthday this week) and
I, too, I have many times of discouragement. I am teaching my son
(10 years old, 5th grade) and my niece (12 years old, 7th grade).
Although my son is doing well and seems to be on (or above) grade
level, he is resistant to our 'daily grind' at times, which can
slow our progress.
My niece, on the other hand, has many learning issues... she has
been diagnosed with CAPD (central auditory processing disorder)
and also ADHD. She struggles in many areas, which has caused me
to doubt my capability as her primary teacher.
Recently, I have had to change my perspective. Instead of focus-
ing on the glaring areas where she is struggling, I am forcing
myself instead to look at the baby steps of progress she has
definitely made. Everytime I am tempted to tell her mother, 'I
just can't do it anymore', I take a step back and look for the
positive. It is there; sometimes I just have to keep looking for
it (kind of like those games where you have to find something that
is hidden in plain sight).
Please keep sharing ways to encourage ourselves as homeschooling
moms... we definitely need it! God Bless!" -- Debora B. in GA
[Thanks for the email, Debora! I'm so glad you were blessed by
Lynn's article, too! -- Heather]
---
Do you have comments to share? Please do!
Send your emails to: heather@familyclassroom.net
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Helpful Tip
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"To reinforce our math facts I bought a large beach ball and
wrote (with a Sharpie) all the math facts on the ball without
the answers. Then we toss the ball around and when someone
catches it they look to see what is under their left thumb and
say out loud whatever the problem is (eg: 3 + 4 = ) with the
answer. If nothing is under their thumb, they throw the ball up
in the air and catch it again until they do have something under
their thumb.
I have also done this with music symbols. When we are learning
the notes on the staff I did this as well. I put a bunch of
small staffs on the beach ball with a treble clef (or bass clef)
on each one and put a whole note on the staff. I do check to
make sure they are saying the correct note or symbol."
-- Cindy K. in Michigan
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Do you have an idea, experience, or tip to share? Please write!
Send to: HN-ideas@familyclassroom.net
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Winning Website
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United States readers...
This is a great site for Constitution Day on Sept 18!
http://constitution.jiu.edu/
From the site: "We've assembled several speeches and letters of
figures who were instrumental in shaping this living document we
call the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the subsequent
amendments that comprise the supreme law of the United States.
Performed by actors, these podcasts bring to life the events,
struggles and triumphs that mark the creation and evolution of,
perhaps, our most revered historical document."
---
Winning website courtesy of Jodi at http://www.HomeGrownHearts.com
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Last Issue's Reader Question
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"Do your readers have a suggestion for a chemistry website or two
which could help a learning disabled student learn this subject
with some ease? -- Judy L.
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Our Readers' Responses
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"I am assuming you wanted high school level chemistry websites. I
taught chemistry last year to 3 boys, and these are a couple of
helpful websites that I used quite often for myself as well as for
them.
http://www.gacs.pvt.k12.ga.us/facstaff/agraham/chemistrylessons.htm
http://www.fordhamprep.org/gcurran/sho/sho/index.htm
A book that also offered more explanations, examples, and practice
problems was Schaum's Outline of Beginning Chemistry. You might
check your local library for this. I ended up purchasing the book
after realizing it was going to be a very good tool to have for the
entire year." -- Clare in MD
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A great website is Chem4Kids - www.chem4kids.com
A book for older kids that I like (covers physics, chemistry,
biology, and applied science) – two year program - 'Beginnings House
Rainbow Science (7-9th grade)" -- L.M.
---
[Note from Heather - Our family owns a game called 'Elemento' for
learning and reinforcing the Periodic Table of Elements. It plays
similar to Monopoly. Just Google 'Elemento Game' for more info.]
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Answer our NEW Question
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"My second-born (son, 19) has always struggled with learning issues.
He has been primarily homeschooled, but never attended any public
schools.
The Lord seems to have gifted him with an intuitiveness in automotive
repair. He is working to gain admission to a local Junior college to
pursue training in this area. He needs to pass his GED, and has
passed all sections except in the area of writing. It is this area
where his weaknesses/learning differences are most evident (dysgraphia,
visual processing disorder, etc.). He has NOT taken the test 'with
accommodations' since that request would have to be processed and
approved by the local/state department of education. Also, once he
passes his GED, there are other tests that he will have to pass to
gain full-time student status.
I have been using The Princeton Review GED 2007 to work with him but
wondered if anyone had any other suggestions that might be more speci-
fic to his needs. Any other resources for test-taking skills that we
might consider would be appreciated. Thank you." -- Elise
---
Just the other day I was expressing to my husband how great it would
be if at least ONE of our boys decided to go into automotive repair.
What a blessing that would be to our whole family! Do YOU have a
suggestion to share with Elise for her son?
Please send your email to: HN-answers@familyclassroom.net
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Ask YOUR Question
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Do you have a question you would like our readers to answer?
Send it to HN-questions@familyclassroom.net and we'll see
if we can help you out in a future issue!
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Need Immediate Help?
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Visit our Homeschool Encouragement Center! This is a live 24/7
'chat' area where you can talk live to our homeschool counselors
by typing in a box. When you get there, just introduce yourself
and let them know that Heather sent you!
This ultra-safe chat is supervised by experienced moms who are
there to serve and share their wisdom... or just offer a listening
ear.
Check out our schedule of daily chats and jump right in! :-)
http://www.HomeschoolChat.us
[Note: This ministry is geared toward Christian parents, but all
are welcome. You may need to download a Java program to utilize
this service. Email Luanne@educationforthesoul.com if you have
any technical difficulties.]
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Our Searchable Newsletter Archive
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Access the Homeschool Notebook issues you have missed...
at our archives! http://www.FamilyClassroom.net
...or you can search on a specific word or phrase in issues all
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tags: homeschooling, home education, home school, math games, success in homeschooling, teaching chemistry, united states constitution, Guilt Free Homeschooling, curriculum review
