Home Schooling & Public Schooling

When it comes to how your child will be educated, there are pros and cons of homeschooling as well as public schooling. However, depending on the person you ask, the answers they may give could vary.

Many parents want a structured environment for their children. Some parents want to be able to pick and choose what their child will learn.

Socialization is another area that is debatable.There are parents that feel that a public school setting, will provide their child with many opportunity's to create friendships. Where some parents may feel like the potential for bulling, peer pressure and children made to be around the same age group, could negatively impact their child.  These parents may feel that they can provide better, more postive opportunity's through Church, sports, co-ops, etc.




 Public school are often thought to prepare children better academically because of access to Teachers, etc.  However, many homeschooling parents are prepared to seek out private tutoring, co-op classes, friends and family to help in areas that are needed for their chidren.
Another advantage to homeschooling, that many parents feel is a pro, is that it  allows for more one on one attention for their children.








Cost is another bump in the road for many parents. Homeschooling can vary, this will depend on you. Curriculum's range in price and many our very affordable. Some parents have even managed to homeschool for almost nothing.


Supplies like paper, glue, pencils, etc. do not cost anymore either route you go ( I always take advantage of my states Tax free Weekend to get most of what I will need for the years ). Clothing can also cost less if you homeschool. (Again this depends on you.) Since you are at home more, the need for as many outfits for your children maybe less. ( This is true for my own family ) Another reason I have heard many times is that parents want their "Me" time. They enjoy that time they get alone when their child is in school. I have also heard the opposite as well. Many parents choose to homeschool because they do not want to be away from their children.


In the end, the pros and cons of ether choice, depends on the person. What I may think is a pro, some one else may feel is a con, and vise versa.

So, if you are considering if you should Homeschool or not. Don't make a decision because I think its the best route. Do it because you feel Homeschooling has more pros than cons for you and your children!

Until Next Time...

In the Learning Mood?

So, you wake up to another day of Homeschooling and you and/or your kids are not in the learning mood. What to do?









1. Take a Hooky day! Sometimes you just need to have day to recharge your batteries. Relax, go to the park, Beach, or have a play date.

2. Watch Educational TV programs or just go and watch a movie.

3. Let your kids play on the computer. There are tons of educational websites out there.

4. Play games! Scrabble, Monopoly, Uno, Go Fish, ABC games, hangman game, etc.

5. Have a reading day. Either have your kids pick from your personal library, take a trip to the library, or order off of Kindle.


Until Next Time...

Milestones come when it's the "write" time...

 

So, is it living or nonliving? That was the question. When kids are growing up, there is a time where they have yet developed the understanding of what is really alive and what is not.

 I remember once, when my son was younger, him asking me if he could go see SpongeBob's pineapple house. Cute, I know :) Then not too long ago he started asking me whether or not certain things were real or not. I knew at that moment that he had reached another level in how his brain thinks. This opened up a whole new way I could teach him and so many things he could now grasp. This has been one of our most recent learning milestones in our home.


My daughter is the oldest and as I have mentioned before, she loves reading. Which warms my heart because she struggled for so long to learn. Of course now she is at the library weekly, checking out hundred paged books and zipping through them like nothing ;)
So, to keep her in the right direction, she is starting an elementary online writing program! Even though she is such an Amazing reader, her writing could be improved.I am sure I will see her flourish in that area as well, very soon!

Until next Time...

"Home" School Shopping Time!

With July almost over, and the new school year just beginning for most, you may be scrambling to finalize you Curriculum Choices and figure out what other tools you may need to buy. If your anything like me, you also tend to want to over buy.
 So, what I have learned to do, is to first figure out what I know I can comfortably afford to spend. Then I look over the items I am wanting and decide which ones are a must and which ones I can manage with out.
For example, if I am running low on funds, then buying a Spelling Curriculum would be considered something I can manage without, Since I can use free resources like Spelling City. Of course, there will always be things you know you must have. This coming year we are really going to focus on Science, so Science tools are at the top of our shopping list this year.


Now, when it come to paper, glue, etc. I always take an inventory of what I still have. Then I figure out approx. what I will need for the next year, and I ALWAYS wait for our local States
 Tax free Shopping Days. Not only do you save money on the tax, but usually most stores have great discounts.
I hope these tips help with your annual Homeschooling preparation's ;)

Until Next time...

Lions and Tigers and Bears, O' My!

They are a BIG part of the world we live in. Not only are they important for the cycle of life and for nourishing our bodies, but they are interesting to learn about, captivating to observe, and some are friend to man, woman and/or child.








So, during this week's lesson's, we are going to start are Animal Unit Study off with animal lessons, animal games, animal crafts, etc.

My kids are already Super Excited about this week's lesson's because at the end, we are planning to finish it by taking a Day trip, to our Local Zoo ;)

Until Next Time...