Begin Homeschooling

10 Days Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom (but could be). Day 3

September 25, 2016 | Leave a Comment
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Rockin’ on in this series, I’m sharing 10 Days Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom (but could be) Day 3 – Promoting Independent Learners.

Many parents would agree with me when I say that we normally teach children that independence is earned and not something kids are instantly entitled to.

However, promoting independent learners and wanting to be independent of parental authority are not the same.

The difference between a homeschooling family and one that doesn’t is that homeschoolers teach their children to be independent learners, not passive recipients.

I’m not saying that public school children don’t learn this, but I am saying that the whole homeschool environment feeds independent learning.

Is Being an Independent Learner Overrated?

Why does it even matter? It’s important to teach our children that learning is their responsibility. Each child is unique and deserves more than a cookie cutter education.

When a child is an active partner in his education and not a passive standbyer, his whole attitude changes because he realizes he has a huge say and sway in what and how he learns.

Too, here is another fine difference between a homeschooling and non-homeschooling family. A non-homeschooling family can nurture an independent learner, but a homeschooling family not only nurtures, but promotes it.

When a child is not in a class of 30 kids, he learns that he needs to be the one asking questions about what he is learning. His creative thoughts are mustered up from the curriculum or material that he is learning and not from a kid that is his own age.

He realizes that he needs to learn to effectively manage his time. When a child learns for intrinsic value and not because of a grade or for a test or to perform for peers, he is motivated.

The learning environment at home should not mimic the environment at school. They are two completely different environments.

Taking this one step further, think about the environment in college or in a workplace. Both of these environments call for a self-motivated individual and our children are adults in training.

It doesn’t mean that we have to step back and let kids teach themselves because it’s our job to guide them.

However, guiding and force feeding them following a set of standards based for the majority of people are two completely different concepts.

Homeschooling is about appreciating the unique differences of each child and being willing to part with what we have whether it’s curriculum or our view to advance the way each child learns.

Being comfortable in what we are teaching our kids is not always a good thing.

We don’t want to do what is comfortable for us or familiar to us if it’s not working for our child.

Promoting independence starts with home, which is our environment and then it creeps forward to allowing our children to learn in the way that best fits them. Whether that manner is normal to the majority of people is not something we seek acceptance for.

Teaching kids to ask questions, think about what they’re learning, manage their time and to move ahead in their studies gives them a skill set that even adults struggle to have.

How do you teach your kids to be independent learners?

Also, look at my other tips in 10 Days Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom (but could be). Day 1 Patience Is not Instantly Bestowed and 10 Days Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom (but could be). Day 2 Confidence.

Hugs and love ya,

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for more AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.

Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

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Homeschool Co-op: The 5 BIG Questions You Need to Ask (before you join)

September 24, 2016 | 3 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When you find a match for a homeschool co-op that seems like a perfect match, the years fly back quickly and you never want the time spent with other homeschoolers to stop. Believe me, looking back now, our homeschool co-ops are some of our most cherished moments.

However, if you make a decision to join a homeschool co-op with pausing to ask these five questions, you can go from cherished to anguished.

And because there is no on set of rules in how any co-op is suppose to function, confusion can exist.

When Homeschool Co-ops Go from Delight to Drudgery

I encourage homeschoolers to ask these top 5 questions before they commit to a co-op or set one up because they are vital to keeping a homeschool co-op that is, a delight and not drudgery, to attend.

1. What is the purpose of the co-op?

Just because a group of families homeschool, that doesn’t mean they are like-minded when it comes to the reason why you meet together.

And unless you are absolutely clear as to your purpose for a co-op, you may actually bring more stress than satisfaction on your family.

2. What are the types of classes and who teaches? Are they for enrichment, socialization focused, field trip oriented or academic?

I very much honed my vision for our field trip and because my vision was clear,the activities I did to lead it were in line with the purpose. When leaders have knee-jerk reactions and change the direction of an established co-op, it can be disastrous.

You too should be able to articulate with detail as to what you want from it. I knew we were a field trip and socialization co-op and that took front and center.

In other words, for example, we didn’t attract people wanting us to teach their kids Latin. I felt like academic should be taught at home by the parents and our co-op’s focused stayed that way.

Oh sure, we did academics in our co-ops, but the emphasis was on learning with a group.

3. What is the age range and are siblings allowed?

There are many more co-ops doing things for young children like going to the zoo than they are opportunities for middle and high school.

However, they are groups that exist for middle and high school though you may have to drive a bit farther.

Stay flexible and especially if a co-op meets once a week or every other week, the added enrichment to your family can be a great resource.

4. What is the cost?

This is an even bigger question now then it was when I started because “co-ops” have popped up where they are looking to make money off of homeschoolers.

I am all for entrepreneurship, but co-ops have been about support systems instead of a money making system.

Recently, when I was a speaker at the homeschool workshop in Atlanta, GA, I had 4 families walk out on me before I started my workshop about co-ops. They were there to only learn about how to make money.

I was glad and sad at the same time to see them go.

Glad because I will not bend when it comes to explaining how co-ops can add much enrichment to your homeschool journey, but I was sad too because many homeschoolers feel that co-ops are mini private schools and outsiders have ascended as if vultures to rack up on our money.

So when asking about the cost, ask specifically questions like where does my money go and who gets paid.

5. Is the group inclusive?

Just because a group is inclusive doesn’t mean you want to attend.

You need to understand what a group means by inclusive. You may want to be part of a group that limits its members to a certain faith, view or not.

You decide, but it’s good to know before you jump in and find the group doesn’t meet your expectations.

Look at these other tips to help you. Homeschool Co-ops Turned Private Schools, Homeschool Co-ops, Support Groups and Regional Groups. How Does It All Fit and Rules for Homeschool Co-ops. Essential or Excessive.

What questions do you ask before you join a homeschool co-op?

Hugs and love ya,

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for more AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.

Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

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10 Days Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom (but could be). Day 2

August 18, 2016 | 4 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I’m continuing on in my 10 Days Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom (but could be). Day 1 and sharing about a comment that most homeschool moms feel uncomfortable replying to, which is “you must be so confident.”

Most homeschool moms I know are rockin’ it as they homeschool, but are modest which is why it can feel uncomfortable talking about how confident they are.

Why Homeschoolers Should Be Confident?

Confidence, I feel, for us as homeschool educators is akin to courage.

It reminds me of the quote by Nelson Mandela, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

The difference between a homeschool mom and a mom who may choose public school because of fear is that despite fear, a homeschool educator trusts, believes and feels assured of her abilities to move forward to homeschool.

Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom

Let me break this down.

A homeschool mom is not trusting blindly or based on emotion or passion alone, which are both important, but they are not the complete basis for confidence.

A homeschool just doesn’t believe homeschool will be successful, but she can look at the many facts and successful families that have gone ahead of her.

It’s facts like this from NHERI, which discuss how our homeschool graduates are performing.

The SAT 2014 test scores of college-bound homeschool students were higher than the national average of all college-bound seniors that same year. Some 13,549 homeschool seniors had the following mean scores: 567 in critical reading, 521 in mathematics, and 535 in writing (College Board, 2014a). The mean SAT scores for all college-bound seniors in 2014 were 497 in critical reading, 513 in mathematics, and 487 in writing (College Board, 2014b). The homeschool students’ SAT scores were 0.61 standard deviation higher in reading, 0.26 standard deviation higher in mathematics, and 0.42 standard deviation higher in writing than those of all college-bound seniors taking the SAT, and these are notably large differences.

And look at my article, Homeschooling for the Love of Learning – Does It Really Work.

Then, a homeschool educator knows that she did not use a state approved curriculum to teach her child how to potty train or how to teach her native tongue to her child. She knows her home is the center of education and the first place of education.

Her previous successes as a parent spill over and overflow when she starts on the next natural step of parenting, which is educating her child.

Knowing that there will be bumps along the way and plenty of things she does not know, a home school is moved to become the professional her child needs. She doesn’t need to know about ALL the methods of teaching a child or ALL the curriculum, but only what her children need to know.

Confidence is like a weak muscle. The more you use it, the stronger and more defined it becomes.

In the beginning, it’s hard to have confidence because your children may be real young or because you are new.

However, year after year, confidence soars and becomes mighty as you see your children master reading (with happy tears in your eyes) and you see your three-year-old now a successful high school teen or young adult.

That is the difference between a homeschool mom who presses on despite her fears. She doesn’t succumb to public school because of fear.

What have you accomplished with confidence?

Also, look at my articles From Struggling Homeschooler to Empowered Educator, When does homeschooling become “normal”, and Cultivating the Desire to Homeschool.

Hugs and love ya,

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for more AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.

Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

10 Days Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom (but could be). Day 1

August 7, 2016 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Jumping into homeschooling is a scary thing. Just ask any homeschool educator. Whether she is new or not, she vividly remembers the uneasy feeling of beginning.

Looking at homeschooling from the outside in is quite different than looking from the inside out and I want to give you a peek into our days as homeschool moms.

Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom (but could be).

Too, so that you can step into my toes (or is that shoes, sorry couldn’t resist) I will be sharing this series of 10 Days Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom (but could be) starting with day 1 why patience is not instantly bestowed upon us.

Saying that we are going to homeschool doesn’t mean our personality as a mom is immediately going to change.

You would think that choosing curriculum for our children is the only fear, but right up there on our list of top concerns is the idea that we will need to exercise some extraordinary amount of patience.

Though I am in my 18th or 19th year of homeschooling, I admit patience is not the shining trait that bubbles forth from my kids when they describe me.

Does Patience (Calm) Equal Closeness While Homeschooling?

One definition of patience is to wait calmly for something. Normally calm is not a word that synonymous with me.

What I can say is that learning to not rush judgment on my boys while schooling them or judging other homeschoolers for their choices has made me closer to them.

Seeking calm and quite while homeschooling is key though to successfully blocking out the negatives thrown our way.

Though I never achieved perfect homeschooling, I’ve found a perfect calm for whatever situation we faced at the time.

Patience IS Power!

Beginning homeschooling with an overconfident attitude is the difference between a homeschool mom and a wannabe homeschool mom.

The point is as homeschool moms we struggle just as much as a public school mom when it comes to teaching our children patiently or waiting on them to reach a milestone.

Through the years we have learned patience through the many challenges we have met.

Learning that patience is a sign of strength and character that is tested and strengthened while on the job, not at the beginning of it, you have to be willing to learn as a homeschool mom.

If you begin homeschool with an unteachable attitude as a teacher or try to wear your feelings on your sleeve and never accept any suggestions to change, you can set yourself for failure. Who wants that?

Being patient is not about being hesitant or unsure, but it is about taking time to change your personality so that you not only savor the special moments of homeschooling, but so that you become a rock star teacher.

It’s true. The difference between a homeschool mom and a public school mom is that a homeschool mom learns patience on the job and then her enthusiasm for teaching overflows. Her children are affected by the excitement she brings to the learning table.

Today, I do admit that if you were to ask my boys about me being calm while I’m explaining a new point to them, they’ll admit I have that mastered.I still have plenty to work on though.

And don’t get me wrong, patience is never mastered, just cultivated all the time and especially while homeschooling.

I will be sharing 9 more ways why a homeschool mom is not better than a public school mom (but could be).

Do you feel that you have mastered the art of patience?

Also look at these three articles 3 Homeschooling Myths Debunked, Should A Child Have a Choice to Return To Public School and Looking Back To Stretch Forward.

Hugs and love ya,

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for more AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.

Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

3 Reasons to NOT Avoid the Homeschool Middle Ground

August 6, 2016 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Fighting mini battles while we homeschool becomes part of our homeschool lifestyle. And it’s true that for many issues involving education, homeschoolers don’t wade in lukewarm waters nor take the middle of the ground approach. Being firmly decisive is key to surviving the harsh amount of negativity that is thrown our way.

Standing Firm on Homeschool Middle Ground

However, many things in homeschooling are more successful when you can step back and straddle the middle road. Sometimes taking an all or nothing approach can be counter productive, even extreme at times.

Look at these 3 reasons to NOT avoid the homeschool middle ground.

ONE/ When you do a unit study with multiple ages of children.

You can set your homeschool day up for failure when you use a learning resource that is too high above your oldest child’s head or one that is too young below it.

It’s a common mistake; choosing a unit study resource that is the grade level of your oldest child.

The secret to individualizing a delightful unit study topic is to choose the middle grade between the ages of your children.

Seasoned homeschool veterans know that it’s easier to scale down activities for younger grades. Use the example of a plant unit study.

Younger students can color, label and dissect a plant. Older students or high school students can use the same unit study, but expand the activities on it to a high school level.

For example, older students can include plant history, learn about the local plants in your area and even spend some time in an apprenticeship learning from local professionals about herbs or plants. Ideas to use for an older student spring from the middle of the grade resource that you are currently using.

Not all ideas are so easy to round up for an older learner, but they are more useful than a resource used for your youngest learner.

TWO/ When you mix and match homeschool curriculum.

It’s easy to use the same curriculum provider with all of your children. Why would you do that though?

Each child is as unique as each homeschool family or should be.

Take the middle ground, avoid the extreme by choosing just one homeschool curriculum and use pieces and parts of a boxed curriculum, unit study and another curriculum to create a study that is unique for each child.

If you’re using just one type of curriculum, then one or more of your children may not be benefiting from it as much as another child. Mixing and matching homeschool curriculum will ensure a better fit for all of your children.

THREE/ When you begin homeschooling high school.

I did it too when I started homeschooling high school and that is to right away in 9th grade take a sock it to him attitude when planning.

High school is not about controlling your teen through his high school years, but it’s about working alongside each other. It is a give and take.

You give because your teen is a different person than you and your husband and he has goals and inspirations now that he too wants to meet. But it’s a take also because you don’t want to give up all your goals or plans for your teen’s future and some things will be must-haves in high school.

What I’m saying is that you choose the middle ground in high school when you help a teen keep balanced in all subjects until he decides his goals.

Some adults don’t even know what they won’t do, so don’t put a lot of pressure on a teen. Take the middle road by keeping subjects balanced until a mommy track, college track or job track is decided.

Also, grab some other tips from my other articles Homeschool Confession – My Homeschool Mistakes, Go Ahead and Make a Mistake: Homeschool Without Fear and Homeschooling – Beginnings are Usually Scary, Endings are Usually Sad, but It’s What’s In the Middle that Counts!.

Don’t give up the fight in touting the decisive ways we need to take a stand when it comes to homeschooling, but just know that the middle ground can not only be productive, but necessary many times in your journey.

What else do you take the middle ground on while homeschooling?

Hugs and love ya,

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for more AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.

Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

Save

Begin Homeschooling

10 Days Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom (but could be). Day 3

Is Being an Independent Learner Overrated?

Homeschool Co-op: The 5 BIG Questions You Need to Ask (before you join)