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Homeschool Blogging Basics – Day 1. Purpose

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

Purpose, Plan, Performance, Persistence and Payoff.

5 Days of Homeschool Blogging Basics.

Day 1 Purpose.

Homeschool Blogging Basics. Purpose, Plan, Perfomance, Persistence, Payoff @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool PlusHomeschool and blog. Who’d do that?

I use to think that too, but I didn’t realize that I already was homeschooling and blogging before I jumped ship to the WordPress platform.

Let me back up though because in my 5 days of beginner how tos about homeschool blogging basics, I want to share not only how stoked I am about blogging, but also share tidbits of experience that I’ve learned as I finish up my second year.

Some of you have loyally “followed” (saying this loosely and you’ll see why) since I had articles over at my New Bee site and Dynamic 2 Moms site (not WordPress platforms).

I was sharing tidbits, but my purpose was not growing my audience.

I wasn’t focused on building my blog audience because I was conducting live homeschooling workshops then.

Yes, I know it sounds insane that I didn’t have a place for folks to sign up, but again my purpose was different then. I was mentoring to a local group of homeschool moms in person.

Mission to Mechanics of Blogging

What I am trying to say in all this background information is that the step to building a blog successfully is to zero in on a purpose for your blog. That is the starting point.

See, when I had a purpose, then I could formulate a plan.

Too, I knew that I had to have a platform and host that spoke seo (search engine optimization, which I will explain on Day 3. Performance), but that also gave me credibility as a blogger. And no, I don’t like techie things.

Pageviews Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus First Few Months

A mission though along with understanding some of the basic mechanics of all those technical things are what spurred my blog to reach close to 75K page views within four months of starting.

No, I didn’t know it then that reaching page views like that wasn’t normal within the first few months of blogging.

I am grateful too that an elite group of homeschool bloggers, iHomeschool Network invited me to part of their group early on and no doubt has contributed some to my growth.

It takes quality content to grow fast and of course being part of a top-notch blogging group with camaraderie like iHN only spurred me on to learning faster.

Okay, I told you I ran from technical things (still do), but I had to stop and face the technical guru in me because start up choices made a difference in my blog growing faster.

The bottom line is you have to answer what is the purpose of your blog and what is the best way to get there.

At this point too, I want you to know that I had a purpose other than just having a place to track my homeschool journey.

Writing this series is about me wanting more than just a place to share my homeschool journey when I started my blog.

I am not sharing tips about using any blogging platform and just using my blog as a diary. I wanted more.

When I decided to step back from conducting workshops in person, I still wanted a voice in the homeschooling community. That is one of my purposes for blogging.

Too, I knew that my personal experience was far beyond helping just new homeschool moms.

There are many blogs of homeschooling journeys starting out, but I had one graduating son and the second son behind him.

What good does keeping this experience to myself do? The seasoned veteran homeschool moms can seem to be far and few between.

Also, one of my greatest loves for planners and how uniquely I organized it was something I couldn’t wait to share with a larger audience.

Purpose to Passion to Profits

I sharpened my vision because sticking to my purpose is what holds me day to day blogging.

What about profits? Oh sure I am all for them!

A genuine blogger would tell you that in the course of being passionate about their purpose that if they could make some blogging dollars, it would be a sweet payoff. (pun intended, okay, okay)

However, profits simply cannot be the first purpose. From passion comes profits.

Let me say that again. From what you are most passionate about comes profit. I’ll explain why in a minute.

Percolating Blog Purpose

I love coffee any oh way you serve it up and like coffee, my purpose started percolating. It has to percolate for a while to get the right brew.

Look at these points to answer about your purpose.

  • Do I want my blog to be a place to share just about my journey? If so, then many of these thing I am saying won’t apply. I wanted more so I approached it professionally.
  • Do I want to go from passion to profit? If so, start with the right order. Give first.
  • How will I give back to the homeschooling community? When you are generous, people know that and flock to your blog because you have been gracious and generous in giving of your time, tidbits and experience. It’s important to me that my blogging voice express just who I am because I do care about people other than just profits. Don’t just blog about general things that everybody knows. You are not giving away all your experience when you hone in and give the specifics about how to solve a problem whether it’s homeschool related or not. Think about giving first.
  • What will my blogging topics be about? There is a WHOLE array of things that fall under homeschooling, from how-tos, to crafts, to special needs, to curriculum to homeschooling overseas to homeschooling an only child.
  • What is your purpose regarding topics?
  • What is your passion that you could write endless topics about? I will expand on this in Day 2. Plan.

You know my fond love for quotes because they are like tiny bullets of dynamite and I fill my mind with inspirational quotes daily.

So this is one quote I have shared in one of my workshops and it really applies here to Day 1. Purpose.

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.
Lewis Carroll

Or in this case, if you don’t know where you are going any old platform, host, or theme will do. Think about it!

First comes your purpose, then passion by giving back. I will be talking more about profits on Day 5. Payoff.

And grab this free Mission Statement for your blog planner.

It comes from my Forever Blog Planner set. Of course,  I love my Forever Blog Planner.

Collage Forever Blog Planner @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus store

Homeschool Blogging Mission Statement @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Download the Free Homeschool Blogging Mission Statement

Stick around, I am just getting stoked and have so much more to tell you!

Hugs and love ya,

Tina Signature 2015c

Also, check out iBlog Pro, Proud to be a Co-Author

Take your blog to the next level. Grab iBlog Pro and start blogging like a Pro today!

This blog hop is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of outstanding homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutual beneficial projects.

Visit us on Pinterest, Twitter and Google Plus. And of course, click the image below to visit all the other blog articles from the homeschool moms of the iHomeschool Network.

Hopcotch2015 350

Are You Qualified to Teach Your Homeschooled Children? Part 1.

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

The new year reminds me of the haunting question that echoes time and time again and that is,“What qualifies you to teach your children?”

Even after homeschooling for many years, I find it hard to hide my eagerness and enthusiasm when it comes to answering those who question not just my decision, but my qualifications to homeschool.

Just so that it is absolutely clear, I am not a former public school educator.

I do not have a degree conferred upon me in education and never went to college to learn about how to educate children.

But I do have the approval of the Highest Person in the universe to homeschool my children.

I am not a state certified teacher, but I have graduated one son who is now working on his college degree. Oh, wait, the second son just recently graduated too.

Another son is doing middle school/high school level work.

Having taught all of my sons to read and write well, I have homeschooled many years with my standard set to excellence.

By helping former public school teachers get on the road to homeschooling, I have learned that a state certified teacher does not love my children more than my husband and I do.

Are You Qualified to Teach Your Homeschooled Children Part 1. This is fantastic stuff. @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool PlusNo, I am not asking naysayers to only believe the “love-my-kids-more-than-a-professional-teacher” mantra.

On the other hand, what has held me to my course to the end with two of my sons is my deep and abiding love for my sons. It has been an enormous motivating force which propels me beyond the basics how-tos of homeschooling.

Not everybody questions your motives for negative reasons.

A lot of times questions arise out of pure curiosity. I find too that some parents are flat out scared and they think that somebody else is more patient, organized, loving or smarter than they are. I am still working on all those things.

We know the difference between people who are really interested in how we are going to teach our children versus people who are asking with a critical stare.

Arming you with a few things that jolt through my mind and heart when I think about my qualifications to homeschool, I am hoping you remember these as you start your homeschool year.

Grab some of these and put them down on your homeschool mission statement.

Unspoken Assumptions

Remember as I share these tips that though you may be the only one in your small community to homeschool, you are not alone. Thousands have gone before you successfully.

The key to keep learning is to not seclude yourself and to obtain continual education. Look at my points below with those thoughts in mind. Empower yourself.

  • Whose standard?

Like you, I left the public school system because it was not working for me. Not everybody has a terrible, horrible, bad experience with public school. I didn’t.

But what I did know was that deep down I knew I had different standards for everything and that included academics, emotional, physical and spiritual development.

So I am not interested in meeting the public school standards, but in exceeding them.

That is why you have to come at us homeschoolers with more than just, “What about testing?”

My reply is always the same, “Do you have any idea of why to test?”

It is hard to defend something when a person starts off on untruths and preconceived ideas.

In other words don’t bring the public school’s way of determining whether something is working or not to homeschool and expect them to work at our home. Some homeschoolers test, some don’t. But if and when we do, we have very specific reasons to test. I will be discussing this in a future post.

How does that qualify me to teach my children then?

Because my system or standard works for my family!

I can and do provide a richer environment because it is more practical, useful and tailored to my children.

You are taking control back of not just educating your children, but making the everyday decisions for your family in the other areas I mentioned above.

Did you get that?

My standard has changed because I am not just interested in filling my children’s brain to the full, but hearts are involved.

The bottom line is that your family is the only one you have to worry about as far as standards. The new standard is now meeting and exceeding your family’s needs and not the needs of 100 other families that you do not know.

Tell me, what certified teacher or accredited school will go to that length to create such a unique, diversified, distinctive and one of a kind education for your children?

Too, do you know why a majority of homeschool children outdo their peers?

It certainly is not because we step to the same pace or standard.

Look at my post What is NOT Homeschooling.

  • We give up cookie cutter education for the masses and adopt a learning without limits attitude.

For some folks, they may not appreciate their new found freedom so that mind-set just doesn’t settle right with them. But for a lot of others it does.

How does this qualify you as an educator? You no longer step in sync with the masses, but are intent on creating an extraordinary educational program.

Show me a teacher with a degree who does not know the child she teaches and I will show you a mom cradling her child, which has adopted a firm and dogged-determination to understand how to educate her child.

  • Any guesses who is in it for the long haul?
  • Any guesses who will work overtime with no pay?
  • Any guesses who will drive hours upon top of hours so that her children will have friends?
  • Any guesses who will jump in the college waters not knowing anything to help her child navigate them?
  • Any guesses who will spring into action teaching a child to read as terrified as a mom might be?

This is not about bashing the public school system or public school teachers because I have a few friends that are teachers. But it is about keeping the focus on what is best for your children.

Not settling for mediocrity when it comes to filling your mind with the how tos of homeschooling, I do feel that you can eventually be a force to be reckoned with and that your children receive an exceptional education.

I still do not know a lot about how to manage more than 20 children at one time, but I do know how to choose curriculum with a discerning eye, how to fill a learning gap if any in our year, how to adjust my teaching to fit each sons’ learning style and how to train my sons for college level work.

More importantly somewhere along the way too, my husband and I also nurtured in our sons a desire for spiritual things.

I only shared two things today. What about you? Have you adopted either one or both of those ideas?

In Part 2 Are You Qualified to Teach Your Homeschooled Children, I will share a few more ideas that I hope you embrace.

Also, look at the helpful tips:

Hugs and love ya,

2016 Physical Year Calendar –2 Pages Per Month At A Glance. Dreaming Option

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

2016 Physical Year Calendar Dreaming 2 Pages at a Glance @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool PlusToday, I am sharing the 2016 Physical Year Calendar –2 Pages Per Month At A Glance with you. It is the dreaming option.

You know how sometimes you do something and then you realize it is a keeper?

After many of you have emailed me asking where is the 2016 option for this dreaming color combination, I decided to bring it back for 2016.

What I am so passionate about in my 7 Step Homeschool Planner is to keep it ever changing with color options and functions.

That is part of the reason I luv using it each year.  But some things, like this color combination makes my heart go pitter patter too.

So I brought it back as an option for you for 2016.

Curriculum Pages for Planner

Each month has a different color for the month name and on the note section, I kept the background white and bright.

It has a top right section, which is a task list.

Separating that from the bottom section which is more of a to do list for the month, it helps to divide priorities.

I tend to keep a running lists for tasks whether they are due that month or not.  And my to do for the month at the bottom is just that, things that need to get done by that particular month.  I think the reason I put that list at the bottom is that I am hoping it will go away too. {ha ha}

Whether you want to add an academic school year that runs from July to June {find them here on STEP 2. Option 2} or this physical year calendar for 2016 or you’re obsessed and using both like me, you decide what works for your unique planner.

Guess what? You can get it now for .99 cents!

TOS

Important: READ THIS FIRST.
Before you email me asking where your download link is or tell me that it is not working, read this to ensure that you get your pretties timely and that you don’t pay for something and not get it.
• All my products are digital. You will not receive a physical product for anything in my store. A digital physical year calendar does not mean a physical product or calendar.
• Downloads are INSTANT. When you pay, you will receive an email with a download link INSTANTLY. Depending on your internet connection, the email could be just 30 seconds or so, or a bit longer. The point is it will be soon, not a week later,etc.
• The email with the download link will go to the email you used for paypal. If you used your husband’s paypal, your downloads will go to that email. Please check that email and your spam before emailing me telling me you can’t find it.
• Please put my email tina @ tinasdynamichomeschoolplus dot com in your address/contact list so that your product does not go to spam.
MY GUARANTEE: To treat you like I want to be treated which means I know at times technical problems may cause glitches, so I will do everything possible to make your experience here pleasant. I value your business and value you as a follower. I stand behind my products because they are actual products I use and benefit from too. Though I cannot refund purchases after you have been given access to them, I will do what I can to be sure you are a pleased customer.


Hugs and love ya,

Tina Signature 2015c

7 Easy Steps – “Tons of Options & Pretty Color”

Step 1. Choose a Pretty Front/Back Cover

Step. 2. Choose Calendars/Appointment Keepers

Step 3. Choose Goals/Objectives

Step 4. Choose Lesson Planning Pages Right For You!

Step 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You!

Step 5b. Choose MORE Unique Forms JUST for You!

Step 5c. Choose MORE MORE Unique Forms Just for You!

Step 6. Personalize It

Step 7. Bind it! Love it!

Linking up @ these awesome places:
A Little Bird Told Me|Works for Me|Pin Worthy Wednesday|Mom’s Library|Wise Woman|Mommy Solutions|Thoughtful Spot|Mom 2 Mom|Good Morning Mondays|Making Your Home Sing Monday|Mommy Monday|Mama Moments|Good Tips Tuesday|Hip Homeschool Hop|Tuesday Talk|Tell It To Me Tuesdays|Laugh & Learn|Turn It Up Tuesday|Titus 2 Tuesday|Family Fun Friday|Freedom Fridays|Friday Flash|Tuesday Talk|Hearts for Home|

A Tisket, A Tasket a Back to Homeschool Organization Basket Giveaway – Swoon! Now CLOSED.

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

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. I HOPE YOU STICK AROUND AND FOLLOW ME. I LOVE MY FOLLOWERS AND DO GIVEAWAYS OFTEN.

Homeschool Organization A Back to School Basket Worth Swooning Over @ Tinas Dynamic Homeschool Plus

A tisket, a tasket a back to homeschool basket.

I just love that nursery rhyme and I especially love hosting this giveaway for the third year in a roll.

This year I have a homeschool organization basket giveaway filled with some of my favorite things that I swoon over.

Homeschool Organization Giveaway @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

I have all kinds of fun organizing tools in it.

From bins to a basket, from pins to pens, from zippers to hanging storage, I had fun picking out all kinds of fun things to help you get inspired.

It’s just overflowing with “organizational-ness”.

But that is not all!

I am also including my new Glam It Up package homeschool planner. {Note if you bought this already, I will refund you your money.}

Glam It Up Homeschool Planner @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool PlannerThen I love when my sponsors go the extra mile and love homeschoolers too.

Plus I think geography goes hand in hand with being organized.

Like Maggie Hogan says of Bright Ideas Press, “Geography—you’d be lost without it!”.

Something for the Big Kids

So one item they are including in my giveaway is the geography program, North Star Geography, (the digital download so the boys can read on their devices.)

I love using it for the boys because it emphasizes hands-on learning even at the junior high and high school level.

I am a stickler about keeping learning hands-on at the upper grades when most curriculum providers move into an all textbook approach.

So Bright Ideas Press is giving away a digital download of North Star Geography.

North Star Geography and WonderMaps Bundle

Oh, but that is not all.

Something for the Little Kids

They are also giving away in this basket the Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide. (Paperback, 352 pages K-12).

Note: Since this is a physical book, it will be shipped to you.
From their website: This one source book will provide you with everything you need to competently teach geography from kindergarten through graduation. Part lesson-plans, part idea book, part unit study and part inspiration!

Are you ready?

 Easy Rules – They always are!

Begins: Monday, August 17, 2015.  Ends: Friday August 21, 2015 @ 8:00 a.m. CST

Just comment here on my blog. {Go to the bottom of this page where it says LEAVE A REPLY after you finish reading all the sweet details.} The winner will be selected using random org and will be notified afterwards.

Also, because you can’t be a once a month email reader, if my winner does not respond to my email within 24 hours, I will choose another  winner.

  • 1. Open to US residents only. (I know, but I have some more giveaways coming up opened any resident.)
  • 2. You can comment twice. Comment 1 x time letting me know how long you have been following (best you can remember or if you are a new follower) and comment the second time about what you want to organize this year or something along that lines. You can keep it easy. I am about not fuss but love reading about you if you want to share.
  • 3. You have to be a blog follower. If you are not, I would love for you to follow. You can join by signing up in the box below and then be sure to confirm the automatic email that you get in your inbox. (It takes just a minute or so and then come back here to comment.)

    I wish ALL of you could have won, but I drew the winner.

    Congratulations to Lisa! Comment Number 362.

    Giveaway Winner Winner

    Let’s get this party started!!

    But this is a blog hop too.  This Back to Homeschool blog hop is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of outstanding homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutual beneficial projects. Visit us on  Pinterest, Google Plus and Twitter .

    34 homeschool bloggers have joined together to provide one massive back-to-homeschool blog hop with each blog having a different giveaway! Take a peek at the 34 sites and enter to win as many baskets as you like.

    Click the image below to visit all the other giveaways from the homeschool moms of the iHomeschool Network.

    Gift-Basket-Collage-2015

    Linking up @ these awesome places:

    Mom 2 Mom|Good Morning Mondays|Modest Monday|Tell It To Me Tuesdays|Turn It Up Tuesday|

Objectives at a Glance – Free Homeschool Planning Form

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

I had a problem. I didn’t like any of the objectives at a glance that I had on my 7 step homeschool planner because they were all too comprehensive.

I can’t believe I am saying that because I have spent years refining them, using them and benefiting from them.

This year, I knew it was going to be different homeschooling just one kid now.  And I needed a form that would allow me to jot down objectives generally instead of so specific.

Curriculum Pages for Planner

Too, I loved the layout of the free Year at a Glance form I shared earlier because it allowed me to plan with wider strokes and not so detailed.

It was the exact same thing I was wanting to put in my new Glam It Up planner package.

So guess what? I made another Objectives at a Glance to match my free Year at a Glance form that is basic but practical.

Free Objectives at a Glance Form @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Of course, I loved the fact that it blended nicely with my glam it up package.

Objectives at a Glance in Broad Strokes

Not only listing objectives by month will be easier to look at, but I am finding out managing one child is going to bring on some whole new forms as I plod along.

Whether you have one child or homeschooling multiple children this year and are wanting to plan less detailed and more basic, this two page spread will be perfect for you.

It has a box for each month to allow you to track objectives by month and the best part is you can see them at a glance.

You know I love ya and have held this form back for you, my loyal follower. I am ever so grateful that you loyally follow and I will always have a special place for you to download it.

I luv my followers and make it special for them here when I can.

This freebie is a subscriber only freebie!

I would love for you to follow me and give me the opportunity to help you along in your homeschool journey.

Important: IF you are already an email reader, please read this below instead of emailing me right away.

Though I love your emails, it can take a while for me to answer you.

Please find the link to the current follower only freebies at the BOTTOM of the most current newsletter to get this freebie.

Hugs and you know I luv ya,

Start building your free homeschool planner by following step by step as I take you through the process. Many options per step so that you can have a perfect AND awesome planner. Not another one like this one.

7 Easy Steps – “Tons of Options & Pretty Color and FREE too”

Step 1. Choose a Pretty Front/Back Cover

Step. 2. Choose Calendars/Appointment Keepers

Step 3. Choose Goals/Objectives

Step 4. Choose Lesson Planning Pages Right For You!

Step 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You!

Step 5b. Choose MORE Unique Forms JUST for You!

Step 5c. Choose MORE MORE Unique Forms Just for You!

Step 6. Personalize It

Step 7. Bind it! Love it!

Save