In this series of posts, I’ve been sharing what curricula I plan on using to homeschool my three kids in the school year ahead. To see what we’ve used for other ages and grades, check out the first post which has links to all the posts in the series.
(The following article was originally published by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC in the Summer 2020 print edition of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. It can also be viewed online here.)
Some teens love math and know they’ll need it for their profession. Others, pursuing a college degree, have reluctantly accepted the fact that many colleges require algebra, geometry, trigonometry, or even calculus for admission. Then there are the students who can’t imagine ever using, and certainly not enjoying, any kind of higher math, and they aren’t afraid to let you know it!
Our science experiments have usually been one of the highlights of our homeschool weeks. But recently, on one already disagreeable day, our physics lesson was the last straw.
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I could never homeschool because…
- I can’t spend 24/7 with my kids.
- I can’t teach every subject and every grade.
- It takes too much time.
- I’m not a teacher.
- I don’t remember calculus.
- I don’t know how to find curricula.
- We can’t afford it.
- I want my kids to socialize and have friends.
- I don’t have enough patience.
- I want my kids to have all the opportunities schools provide.
These are all concerns I had when our family first considered homeschooling and I hear non-homeschooling parents say things like this all the time.
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We all have 24 hours in a day.
You can work hard to earn more money, you can study to gain more knowledge, and you can always buy more stuff. But time is one commodity we can’t get more of, no matter how hard we try.
You can’t earn it. You can’t buy it. You can only spend it more carefully.
Spending your time wisely and intentionally is the closest any of us can get to gaining more time. One of the best ways – in fact, the best way – that my family has found to take back time in our lives has been by homeschooling.
When we first started homeschooling, I set out to find the perfect curriculum for each subject.
You know, that magical product that would be a great fit for all of my kids, no matter what their personality. The one that I could reuse over the years to maximize my investment. The one that’s customizable but also requires zero teacher prep. Is that too much to ask?
Well, it’s been almost a decade since I started my search. I can now say there’s only one subject where I found a magic bullet that achieved all those goals.
That subject is… spelling.
I’m not sure why this simple, homemade game has been such a hit with all of my kids. Maybe it’s the shaking. Maybe it’s the dumping. Whatever the reason, they’ve all loved it!
I wish I could recall where I heard about this game first. I’ve seen variations of it floating around, but I’m not sure who came up with the original idea for Phonogram Sound Shake. Whoever you are, thank you!
I love seeing how homeschool families do life! It’s been over a year since I’ve done a “Day in the Life” post of our own – it’s definitely time to give you another glimpse!
(Click here to check out the previous one.)
My kids are another year older (so am I, of course, but we don’t need to dwell on that). And each school year brings new changes and challenges. So here’s a peek into our world these days.
(There may be affiliate links in this post – click here to learn more. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
I’ve been thinking about how to word my end-of-year greeting…
I’d like to say “Let’s pretend this year never happened and try again in January.” But I won’t.
I’d like to shout “Good Riddance, 2020!” But I won’t.
