Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Activity, Change, Progress

Welcome

Homeschool Organization Where Do You Easily Begin?

| 20 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Homeschool organization is flat out hard work. On top of that tons of organization books and blogs stand ready to take up our precious time. 

The problem with most organizational books is that the tips are normally based on the fact you have all day to organize.

If you already struggle with a starting point on organization then sorting out beneficial tips from hype is not easy.

Homeschool organization is flat out hard work. On top of that tons of organization books and blogs stand ready to take up our precious time. The problem with most organizational books is that the tips are normally based on the fact you have all day to organize. If you already struggle with a starting point on organization then sorting out beneficial tips from hype is not easy. CLICK here to read about homeschool organization tips for beginners!

Doling out or scheduling the time to give to each thing in our life can be flat out stressful.

Surviving and succeeding in the homeschool world depends on organization. 

So instead of overwhelming you with all the areas of your home and school to organize, I want to help you identify your starting point.

Homeschool Organization

1. Determine YOUR trouble spot, it’s not always the learning area. Sometimes it’s the heart of the home, the kitchen.

Those naturally organized know a simple truth that may seem like a secret always eluding people who struggle with organization and that is organization is not a system, but it is about finding a solution. 

That’s it!  Simmer on that a minute and you will see why I always tell you to take from me what works for your family and discard the rest.

That is why it never serves you well to abandon your present method willy-nilly without first determining what is not working for you right now.

Identify with precision what the problem is. Do not group it ALL together. 

For example, if you are struggling with curriculum, then ask: What is not working – SPECIFICALLY?

Is it the order of the subjects, the content matter or the book?

If it is your learning area, then what exactly is causing the stress? Lack of shelves? Too many books?

Identifying precise problems equals not jumping to buying things that don’t work for you.

For example, as tempting as they are, the first step is not buying beautiful bins and baskets to begin any project.

Have you done that before?

Declutter First Then Create a System

Determined that you are going to be organized you run to the store to fill up with beautiful baskets which do not fit your shelves once you bring them home. Don’t do that as tempting as it is.

Identify and sizing up the project is the first step to organizing. 

Sizing up can be measured in time if you need to declutter or it could be measured by how many bookshelves, or baskets you need.

Look at the list below of all the things weighing on our homeschool organization to be organized list.

What is on your mind of things that need to be done and are causing chaos?

  • kitchen clutter
  • craft supplies
  • master bedroom clutter
  • garage/yard clutter
  • record keeping
  • self-care time
  • time with significant other
  • bill paying
  • field trips
  • a toddler on the rampage
  • volunteer time
  • education time for mom to engage with other educators
  • schoolbooks
  • devices, cords, chargers
  • closet clutter
  • menu planning help
  • which subjects to cover first, second, and next
  • making one-to-one time with each child
  • working from home or an outside job
  • house chores
  • lesson planning prep
  • general rejuvenation and/or nature time

2. Divide-Conquer Approach. Create an EASY to do list. One or two things.

The hardest part to an organizational project whether it takes time to declutter or you actually need to measure for a drawer for your books, is overcoming the feeling of defeat in the beginning. 

I have been there too and I don’t like dwelling there. 

It is that feeling that we have so much to do that we are not sure of even where to start.

It is important at this point to divide what is most important to you now and what can be conquered later.

Hear my heart on this one and that is sometimes it is not curriculum that we need to begin with when we make our priority list.

When we ignore that murmuring voice inside which tells us we can’t school each day because we have no groceries, or a menu or clean clothes, we set up our school for stress. 

There is no denying that because we have shared learning and living spaces, we have to address whatever thing is causing our chaos.

Begin with identifying one or two things on your list to conquer and no more.

The Organization Plan. A Flop or Followed?

3. Create a SIMPLE easy plan to be done in minutes, not hours.

This part is the part I seriously get giddy about because organization is fun.

So unless I have projects which can take hours, I begin with the ones which takes minutes.

In addition, when you start with easy projects, you have more room whether it’s physical space or mentally your mind is freed up of the stress.

 No, I don’t like to think about sorting through the piles, but I focus on how the area will be clean and clutter free. 

If it’s an organizing form I need, I am energized to make it specific with details and not just generalizations.

Pssssst..that is how my 7 step diy homeschool planner was born. Out of my need, came a plan.

If it’s a physical area in my home that needs to be decluttered, I get excited thinking about the possibilities of a fresh look for my space.

It’s a win win all the way around.

By taking my list and identifying one or two things I want to change, I have made it a project that I can handle and homeschool too.

Renew your spirit to organize because simple baby steps or changes can bring huge results.

Homeschool organization is flat out hard work. On top of that tons of organization books and blogs stand ready to take up our precious time. The problem with most organizational books is that the tips are normally based on the fact you have all day to organize. If you already struggle with a starting point on organization then sorting out beneficial tips from hype is not easy. CLICK here to read about homeschool organization tips for beginners!

You know I love ya and I am excited to be bring more posts this year on organizing how-tos.

Do you see an easy starting point?

Here are some more tips for homeschool organization:

Hugs and love ya,

Homeschool Organization Where Do You Begin

Save

Save

Save

Homeschool Planner Cover

| Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have it bad! I have been pining over organizational projects that I can’t do right now.   Tackling them this time of the year, I normally get my injection of organizing how-tos.  But, we are shooting for a February 1 date to put our house on the market.

Focusing now on what I can do like update the curriculum planner gives me a small fix on my need to keep it all organized.  Too,  I don’t know what my spring months will look like with the move and because I don’t want to hold you up when it’s time to print your curriculum planner again, I have started to already update the curriculum planner.

You know you always get all my printables first.   Let’s start with some new fresh updated covers.

Today, I have one I named Melting Bubble Gum.  I hope you don’t think I have lost it when I name these printables, but I am always inspired by something when I create.  I can’t just make printables, I have to be inspired because I love them and use them too.

Melting Bubble Gum Homeschool Planner @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

This new cover reminds me of fond memories I had as a little girl when I put apple bubble gum and plain bubble gum in my mouth at the same time.

Do they still make apple bubble gum?

Download Melting Bubble Gum cover here.

I have a few more covers coming!

Hugs and love ya,

2012Tinasignature The Dos and Don’ts When You Hit A Learning Plateau in Homeschooling

Linking up @ these fabulous places

Hearts for Home Blog Hop | From House to Home  | Frugal Homeschool Friday | Finishing Strong Middle & High School |

Here is the MAIN 7 Step Homeschool Planner Page

Check out the other pages I have created so far this year:


40 Reasons I Homeschool (And Growing Each Year)

| 7 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a secret to tell you and that is I thrive at this time of the year. Call me one of those weird homeschoolers, I don’t mind, but I love cold weather.  My brain goes full throttle ahead.

It might sound like a contradiction, but I also take time to muse about my homeschooling journey.

I am ever so grateful to have the privilege of homeschooling my children. Don’t get me wrong, I am human and go through certain days where I feel it is more like a burden.40 Reasons I Homeschool (And Growing Each Year)When I feel that way, I normally write down something to remind me of the privilege. It is easier as you homeschool longer because each year gives you more positive things to simmer on.

40 Reasons I Homeschool

By sharing publicly a few of the reasons I homeschool not only sears this in my mind, but I hope it lifts you up too.  Homeschooling should be contagious and I want you to keep having a bad case of it.

Listed in no particular order.

1. I want my sons to have a spiritual relationship and that is my privilege to do.

2.  My sons can focus on their own education, which is their responsibility and to not be responsible for other kids in public school which are their parents’ responsibility.

3. I realized soon after homeschooling that my son is not the only gifted and talented kid. Plenty of gifted children exist in the homeschool world and their interests can be fed in a way that is good for them without giving up their childhood.

4. My sons can exercise first in the morning like they enjoy doing. Now only if I can do that.

5. My sons don’t have to read poorly copied papers from one book as a reader, but I can have as many living books as I can stuff into my home.

6. I never have to kiss them good bye in the morning.

7. If a curriculum or schedule is not working, I don’t need the principal’s approval to change it.  Just do it and move on.

8. We can buy better made school supplies and not have to break them in half to share with other kids. This actually happened to us when Mr. Senior 2013 went to part of Kindergarten public school.  Of course the teacher explained to me that this was to help with fine motor control by having to grasp a smaller crayon.  If that was the case, why didn’t I break them at home and they keep them separate at school?

9. We never collected enough soup labels to help out with the playground at school or library either one.

10. We love peanuts and because we have no allergies here, we can roll around in them at my house if we want to.

11. I can count my all day house cleaning day as a Home Economics 101 course.

12. Because the world IS our classroom, my sons have a no holes barred attitude toward education.

13. Because the Bible is our best copywork source, history and science resource, I won’t give this up in favor of education for the masses.

14. Because my kids are square pegs, I won’t force them to fit in round holes.

15. Because I would never give up our all day reading days, or all day history days, or all day science days, or all day geography days.

16. Our lunches are more healthier, not to mention taste great.  Even peanut butter and jelly tastes better at home.

17. I don’t have to schedule conferences with the teacher.

18. Because the on-site campus policemen don’t have to escort my sons to the bathroom for fear they may be beat up or bullied. Yes, this happened to a friends of ours and it has taken their son quite a few years to recover, but the emotional damage is deep.  We all hug them each time we see them.

19. Because any day can be declared a school holiday.

20. I want my children to learn to be community minded, and avoid learning mindless acts like standing in line. Too, do you ever raise your hand when having conversations with other adults?

21. How does that quote go? “I homeschool because I have seen the village”.

22. Because I wanted my kitchen filled with growing crystals, and can grow mold on purpose, and want my refrigerator filled with all kinds of future science projects.

23. We don’t have to wait on the rest of the class to catch up with us and because we don’t care what the other kids are doing if we don’t want to move on.

24. Because I want my kids socialized in the truest sense of the word and not adopt what the world tries to burden us with.

25. Because I want my children to love reading and I can change our schedule on a whim to feed that habit.

26. Because my husband wants time to influence my sons to grow up to be capable, responsible, loving, hardworking, and spiritual men.  Its hard to do that when they are apart for 8 or more hours each day.

27. Because teaching about not using drugs and reserving (yes I am going there) *sex* for when you are married is our responsibility as parents.  I won’t leave that up to a person whose life may or may not model Bible based thinking.

28. Because regardless of a person’s belief system, I want my sons to respect and love other people. It is our job as parents to live that every day and not just say it.

29. Because once I teach a skill to my older sons, they can model and teach to my younger son. This equals more time spent together as a family.

30. To teach subjects that I am not well versed in, I can hire as many excellent and caring private tutors as I want to. I consult only my budget and not have to wait weeks or years to change my educational budget and get approval for supplemental activities.

31. Because I cannot even begin to imagine what our day would look like if we could not spend as much time on hands-on as we like to.

32. Because learning is not about sitting at the computer all day with a virtual school, but it is about getting outdoors and learning about the creation around us.

33. Because our homeschool has gone way beyond academics and we have made life-long friends who cannot ever be replaced.  We are overflowing with the blessings of their loyal friendship.

34. Because it is easier to teach children to read than the public school would have you think. Ten to fifteen minutes each day wrapped up in a blanket on the couch with living books and you will have a life-long reader that you have to command to put down his book to finish his math. Oh and a few cheetos and some chocolate milk doesn’t hurt either.

35. Because my goal in high school was to not simply have my sons graduate but to have an introduction to college level courses. And, you want to ask about testing to see what they know?

36. Because as a teacher, my obligation is not to learn how 30 other kids learn best, but just how my children learn best. This equals a hidden, but gratifying joy because I can learn right alongside my children. It is hard to infuse this feeling in a new homeschool teacher until she is actually teaching her children.  It is just surface talk until she is infected with the art of teaching.

37.  It my sons’ privilege, responsibility, and delight to learn. I am not raising passive sit back and let the teacher tell me what to do kids. They are learning independence and not dependence from an early age.

38. Because when it comes to studying our favorite subjects like history and geography, we can arrive at at history destinations via a family vacation.  We can eat, drink and dress the culture and come away with an appreciation of the true value of any culture and not accept what a few pages in a textbook tells us.

39. Too, if you want to know what my sons know about a subject, I can show you our stack of 20 or 30 books on one subject for our unit study and compare with your few pages in a textbook. So testing fear is conquered because I realize standardized testing is a tool that if not wielded right by the holder can be abused.  It’s true when those signs read “To avoid personal injury, select the right tool for the job.”

40. And, lastly because it works!

40 Reasons I Homeschool (And Growing Each Year). I am ever so grateful to have the privilege of homeschooling my children. Don’t get me wrong, I am human and go through certain days where I feel it is more like a burden.When I feel that way, I normally write down something to remind me of the privilege. It is easier as you homeschool longer because each year gives you more positive things to simmer on. Click here to be rejuvenated!!

I shared a few things that rolled off the top of my head and I will be printing this to go in my planner.Also, you’ll love grabbing some go juice from these articles!

What about you? What reasons keep you getting up in the morning with a can do spirit?

Reasons Why I Homeschool

Hugs and love ya

Beethoven & The French Revolution Minibook (Music Unit Study)

| Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

French Revolution & Beethoven Collage

So you know we have been trying to get one more unit study in before we have to think about moving. {I think we can, I think we can.}

Zeezok Publishing Review

But, one thing I have not told you about yet that we love, is that I have been reviewing The Music Appreciation Collection by Zeezok Publishing.

Before I say anything else, let me just pause and say “Wow”!  I had no idea that we would love it so much and that it would be so extensive with background information on the life of each music composer and not just music CDs.

Zeezok Publishing Review Beethoven Lapbook and Reader

Though I do say it from time to time, I want you to know too that I do not accept every offer made to me for free curriculum to review.  But, when I do accept I am thinking it would make a great fit for our family and this curriculum is no exception. 

It tops the favorites list too and we are not finished with it yet.   One thing that appealed to me right away are the lapbooks on each composer as well as the beautiful readers.

Zeezok Publishing Review Activity Book

(activity book with a variety of extensive activities)

I won’t be posting the review until next month, but just wanted you to get a sneak peek.

Because we have been learning so much from it, I wanted to share a connection to our French Revolution unit study and that is about Beethoven. 

We were delighted to know that our composer study lined up with our unit study.  I had no way of knowing that of course when I accepted the offer.  So this was a nice surprise.

Though I recalled the time period that Beethoven lived in, I knew he was not from France.  But, after using Zeezok’s Music Appreciation activity book we realized that the French Revolution did affect Beethoven. 

Sure he knew about the French Revolution because it was a significant event of that time period, but I didn’t really know any details.  The activity for the lesson pointed out that he could not travel to Vienna because the city was not safe because of the uprising.

Too, he very much was affected by the bombing of Napoleon Bonaparte.  Though technically, Austria was bombed when Napoleon Bonaparte was emperor, it had its roots in the French Revolution.

French Revolution & Beethoven @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Because we are doing a full lapbook from Zeezok on Beethoven coming up next month, I created this free minibook to go with our current unit study about the French Revolution. 

We are using it to note a few facts about Beethoven so that Tiny remembers he lived during this time period.

Download the free minibook on Beethoven here.

I love it when we discover an unplanned music tie in to our unit study.  Do you seize those moments too?

Grab these other fun things

Hugs and love ya,

Dynamic Reader Question–How To Get All those Homeschool Science Experiments Done?

| 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Dynamic Reader Question Homeschool Science How To Get it All Done

Affiliate Link Elements

Whatever I am doing on my blog, your questions are always at the top of my list.

I only had answered part of Laura’s question and now want to answer the second part of her question.

Hi there Tina!!
Laura here (a most grateful “follower” who thinks your site is awesome).  I have two questions.
1.  There are so many neat things to do and neat curriculum with science, how is one to get them all done.  I’ve even thought about doing 2 along side each other.

Sharing with you first on how to pick a science curriculum helps you to see if it will fit in with what you want to get done for the day.

The most important thing I have learned about how to do science is to not ever do a bait and switch and give up hands-on projects.  And, I did this to myself and have nobody to blame.  I started off good when teaching science, but then lost my way.

My oldest son was a bit precocious when it came to learning and I fed his science love through hands-on experiments.

Simply doing something hands-on two or three times a week was the best start to science.  We used several books. Two of them are below.

   


When they were young, it is more important for them to delight in learning.  Understanding all the science and why’s behind an experiment comes later.

Then, I made the big science goof and gave up hands-on activities when they got a bit older in elementary grades.  I fell victim to the thinking they had to only now write papers, do vocabulary and keep science journals.  Instead of adding that AND keeping the hands-on, I got unbalanced and let the hands-on activities fall by the side.  All along all I needed to do was to revamp my schedule to allow more time for science.  I finally did that, but not before I lost a few precious years with my oldest son.

Hands-On Science or Picky Choosers?

So one hallmark of a well rounded out science program is plenty of hands-on projects.   And, it should stay that way all the way to high school.

Science is about doing, not just reading or watching somebody else do it.

After that there are other things you want to determine about a program before you buy.  For example, if you are short on time already, then you may want to purchase premade kits.

List at this list of questions:

  • Is it secular or Christian? Which do you want?
  • Can it be used for multiple ages?
  • Do you want to learn by subject matter (unit studies) or by mixing and matching topics similar to a textbook?
  • As the kids get older, supplies like microscopes cost a bit more.  How many supplies do you need?
  • Are science kits available? Or, do you have to gather your own supplies?
  • Do the children learn at the computer part of the time? Is it all computer reading or part book and part computer or all book?
  • If you don’t have a science background, then you may want a more helpful teacher guide.  How helpful is the teacher guide? Does it have thorough explanations or is it an answer sheet only?

Superb Science Schedules

After you decide what is important to you in a science curriculum, then you have to make time to do all of those wonderful hands-on science activities.

Don’t do the same thing I did and try to make a middle school budding scientist work on a toddler approved schedule.

Increase the time for science as they get older so that they know how to both research and note their findings AND have time to test those ideas, i.e. hands-on activities.

Too, along the 6th grade or so, you can start off your day with science which is a content subject instead of the skill subjects.  Hopefully, this is past the time your children struggle with the skill subjects.

You know I am a firm believe in writing it all out and that means a schedule too.  Write it all so that you not only see it, but that you as the teacher stick to it. This will help your children have well-rounded out days.  Too, seeing it keeps these ideas from being “pie in the sky” dreams, but makes them reality.

Look at these options.

Schedule. Science Here.
Mon. – Fri. until noon ALL the skill subjects are to be done. Mon. – Fri.
Science every afternoon for an hour.
Mon. – Fri. until noon ALL the skill subjects are to be done. Mon. Wed. Fri. Alternating days to switch with another content subject like history or geography.
Mon. – Fri. until noon ALL the skill subjects are to be done. Mon. Tue.
Two back to back afternoons of science or visa versa make it W,T,F.
Mon. – Fri. start off with science and then start your skill subjects.

The two main keys to being sure you cover science is to 1) not push the skill subjects past the time they are suppose to be done.  I have heard of drill sergeants moms who feel that all lesson plans have to be done before you move on to the other fun subjects.  Skill subjects need to stay to the time scheduled by you.

Remember, it is the *time* for learning that needs to be scheduled, not necessarily the lesson plan.  As long as they are doing it, they are learning.   And, the next 2) thing to do is schedule it.   Just do it.

Though I have used parts of two science curricula, I have never used all of any one curriculum.  I simply used what I needed from each one.

What about you? How does your schedule look for science? Do you have any more tips for Laura?

Too, if you don’t remember the difference between the skill and content subjects, look at my post below:

How to Use Homeschooling Multiple Children Secret Planning Sheet Tinas Dynamic Homeschool Plus 5 Days Of The Benefits & Challenges of Teaching Mixed Ages Together – Day 4: Embrace Homeschooling Multiple Grades

5 Days Of The Benefits & Challenges of Teaching Mixed Ages Together – Day 4: Embrace Homeschooling Multiple Grades

Hugs and love ya,

2012Tinasignature 5 Days Of The Benefits & Challenges of Teaching Mixed Ages Together – Day 4: Embrace Homeschooling Multiple Grades

Linking to

3 Boys and a Dog: Homemaking & Parenting Tips for Busy Folks