It's that time of year again when most of us parents start browsing around at the smorgasbord of homeschooling materials.
Its okay, admit it, if you're one too: We all get itchy about this time of year and start wandering around the internet looking for the next best thing for our children. After all, we "certainly don't want to fail them." All those what if this and what if that start creeping in. And never mind if you've had a great year, it still happens to the best of us. But instead of fighting the urge to look around this year, I am going to do the unthinkable: I am going to give you permission to do just that.
But wait, before you go, can I give you a little guidance?
Thanks.
Instead of blindly wandering around the internet this year while wondering what you may be missing, why don't you start off first by making a list of what IS working.
This is an area that you can even enlist your student's opinions: Maybe you could even make it a fun assignment: Have them write an argument paper about what stays and what goes next year (with the understanding that you make the ultimate choice of course).
I say this, because often, we think that the children aren't happy with something they used the year before, when in fact what really happened is a few bad days. So please be sure to have them list what they loved and why. Then let them pick one thing that they wish would go away: Yes, you guessed it: that one thing they want gone will be your starting point.
Now you have a plan. Don't get seduced into new changes just because you like a review, or because you unwittingly misunderstood a bad day for a hated subject. Instead, wait for a really good day in the homeschool and then sit down and find out more.
Another thing I caution is the constant bouncing around. Children thrive on consistency (and so do we, by the way)
Maybe what you need is a spring break -a camping trip or something- not a change of homeschool patterns.
Don't let burnout snowball into changing things that work! Take a break, get out of the house for a few days, then regroup. Trust me on this. That Smorgasbord isn't quite as captivating when you are well rested and everyone has had a break.
This year, we are going back to our first homeschool love: Ambleside Online
We just love the literature based homeschooling and their booklist is the best I have ever seen! My children also begged to go back.
We decided that this year we would start our Book Of Centuries. So I browsed around looking for one to download or buy. But they all had notebook lines in them or were over complicated. So, I made my own. I wanted a cultural study for the current events of different countries too. And, why not add a book log?
I knew I could not be alone in this issue, so I decided to share it by putting it on Amazon. ( Hint: If you want one too: There is a coupon code in the Buy my Books tab).
Click on the book to take a peek inside:
Its okay, admit it, if you're one too: We all get itchy about this time of year and start wandering around the internet looking for the next best thing for our children. After all, we "certainly don't want to fail them." All those what if this and what if that start creeping in. And never mind if you've had a great year, it still happens to the best of us. But instead of fighting the urge to look around this year, I am going to do the unthinkable: I am going to give you permission to do just that.
But wait, before you go, can I give you a little guidance?
Thanks.
Instead of blindly wandering around the internet this year while wondering what you may be missing, why don't you start off first by making a list of what IS working.
This is an area that you can even enlist your student's opinions: Maybe you could even make it a fun assignment: Have them write an argument paper about what stays and what goes next year (with the understanding that you make the ultimate choice of course).
I say this, because often, we think that the children aren't happy with something they used the year before, when in fact what really happened is a few bad days. So please be sure to have them list what they loved and why. Then let them pick one thing that they wish would go away: Yes, you guessed it: that one thing they want gone will be your starting point.
Now you have a plan. Don't get seduced into new changes just because you like a review, or because you unwittingly misunderstood a bad day for a hated subject. Instead, wait for a really good day in the homeschool and then sit down and find out more.
Another thing I caution is the constant bouncing around. Children thrive on consistency (and so do we, by the way)
Maybe what you need is a spring break -a camping trip or something- not a change of homeschool patterns.
Don't let burnout snowball into changing things that work! Take a break, get out of the house for a few days, then regroup. Trust me on this. That Smorgasbord isn't quite as captivating when you are well rested and everyone has had a break.
This year, we are going back to our first homeschool love: Ambleside Online
We just love the literature based homeschooling and their booklist is the best I have ever seen! My children also begged to go back.
We decided that this year we would start our Book Of Centuries. So I browsed around looking for one to download or buy. But they all had notebook lines in them or were over complicated. So, I made my own. I wanted a cultural study for the current events of different countries too. And, why not add a book log?
I knew I could not be alone in this issue, so I decided to share it by putting it on Amazon. ( Hint: If you want one too: There is a coupon code in the Buy my Books tab).
Click on the book to take a peek inside: