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New Homeschooler – Mustering the Courage to Face THE 4 Homeschool Biggies – Part 1.

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Key to conquering all the topics you will be faced with in your first few years of homeschooling is identifying what they are.

Today, I want to infuse you by sharing some tips on facing THE 4 homeschool biggies.

When you are new to homeschooling, sometimes you just don’t know all the questions to ask and it can be hard to pinpoint exactly what is bothering you.

No need to stress about it because I will help you to round up what I call homeschool giants to slay.

When the homeschooling biggies are clearly identified, then your energy and time can be well-placed.

1. Curriculum Colossus.

As new homeschoolers, we are proud to show off to all naysayers or even to the Mr. that we have now made curriculum choices.

However, what can be daunting just a few short weeks into the year is that the curriculum choices we made may not be working.

Excitement turns to anxiety for both mother and child and curriculum seems like it becomes an almost insurmountable hurdle.

Facing the Homeschool Giants

Look at a few of my tips that can help you to analyze how to make choices for curriculum.

1. Did you pick the textbook approach just because that is the only one you know about and feel comfortable with?

I know it’s hard right now with so many things being thrown at you, but try to take time to educate yourself about learning styles.

Look at my post Homeschooling:Learning Styles – What’s the Difference Anyway to start down the road in pairing curriculum with your child’s learning style.

2. Also, don’t fall victim to public school mentality which is that just because your child is in a grade level that equates to the same grade level curriculum.

Guess what? You are not alone if you are already having curriculum problems if you chose your curriculum this way. New Homeschooler - Mustering the Courage to Face the 4 Homeschool Biggies Part 1 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool PlusThough the grade level your child is in when he attended public school can be a starting point, you will want to use free online tests, read the scope and sequence of a curriculum and look at free samples to make a more informed choice.

In addition, if your child has been in public school before then you probably have an idea of which subjects he struggles in.

For example, does it make sense to push him on to the next grade if he struggles and suffers terribly in math?

When a new homeschool teacher does this, it can have detrimental effects on a child.

Instead of getting the help he needs by you choosing a lower level to promote mastery, both your child and you may now blame the stress on homeschooling.

Don’t push through concepts in a curriculum that your child is not familiar with.

Learning overlaps and he wants to be somewhat familiar with some of the basic concepts so he can build on them this year whether the subject is math, writing or reading.

Encourage a love of your new homeschool routine and curriculum by allowing your child to feel like he has some mastery over what you are introducing.

When he connects with something he knows, he then knows he can go on and tackle the rest of it.

2. Socialization Hype.

I never get tired of touting about how well connected homeschoolers are. But year after year, we still have to defend against the same mind-set.

Somewhere, someplace, somebody is thinking that our children are poor lost souls, wandering aimlessly and without friends.

Never mind the fact that a doubter of homeschooling has not truly sat down with a well rounded out youth to only discover the idiosyncrasies he has, but that we all have.

Sure, if you look hard enough you can find the weird in me too.

So unless you plan to not ever be around other homeschoolers which I know is probably not the case, then your children will turn out “normal” like everybody else’s children.

New Homeschooler Empowered

Look at my post Socialization – A Homeschool Hallucination to grab some gracious ways to respond to those that think you are going to lock your kids up in a closet to only emerge at graduation.

Also, look at my post here Homeschool Hangouts & Socialization Situations on creative ways to find other homeschoolers in your area.

Believe me, homeschoolers are oozing everywhere and you can’t live in a city small enough that does not have homeschoolers. Okay, okay, you may have to drive a bit, but we are everywhere.

If you and your kids want friends, true, lifetime homeschooling friends, then a little bit of effort is needed.

And just a few more words of wisdom to help you muster up the courage to be around all those weird homeschoolers, look at my blog post Homeschool Field Trips – An Important Piece of the Educational Puzzle Part 1 and Homeschool Field Trips – An Important Piece of the Educational Puzzle Part 2.

Of course, you know my wordiness love for words, so I will share Part 2 of Mustering the Courage to Face THE 4 Homeschool Biggies next.

Can you guess what the other two biggies are?

Have you hit a wall yet with curriculum and socialization?

Hugs and love ya,

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Homeschool Confession – My Homeschool Mistakes

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Homeschool confession my homeschool mistakes. Besides mistakes are part of learning how to homeschool. Do you want to hear about some of my blunders?

Homeschool mistakes are part of learning not what to do when homeschooling. However, in the beginning it’s hard to view it that way.

Too, nobody wants to do the trial and error method with their kids.

We have a few short years to homeschool our kids and we want to maximize our efforts.

Homeschool Confession - My Homeschool Mistakes

If I share just three of my mistakes maybe they can save you some grief.

Not leaving the public school mentality.

Isn’t that hard to do? Especially because I was the product of public school.

For example, I never questioned why I needed to test, I just blindly followed the masses.

I realized that leaving the public school mentality didn’t mean not using some of the practical tips that did work in public school at home. 

It just meant to leave behind what I didn’t need because I was not teaching my kids, not a classroom.

New Homeschooler

Because we live in this world, it’s hard to not be affected by the pressure of test, perform and out do.

My sons are just normal boys who have been privately tutored by me. That’s all.

I left public school because I didn’t want to model it at home, not just change geography.

Comparison to other homeschool moms, dad and oh yes their children.

I am guilty. It seemed like some other mom had this whole homeschool thing figured out.

Then I find out later her beginnings were as humble as mine.

I thought other dads did more of the teaching until I realized that statistics show that about 85% or more of the teaching is shouldered by the mother.

I guess it just sounded good when dad did a science experiment with their sons. My science experiments were not that exciting in the beginning. Can you say boring teacher?

Boring and now a show off. Yes, I thought I had to “show off” my progress to my mother-in-law who was not supportive of our decision to homeschool in the beginning.

I had to prove her wrong and was humbled in a lesson I won’t forget.

Trying to show off my teaching skills to her, I asked Mr. Senior 2013 who I was then teaching to read to show us the long i sound. Yes he did.

He promptly went and got the longest piece of white butcher paper he could tear off the roll.

Laying the paper down on the floor, which was twice as long as grandma, my poor baby proceeded to draw the longest i I had ever seen.  I shuffled off in shame.

What to Expect from the Homeschool Kickstarter

From my struggle, I created a curriculum for new homeschool educators. And taught this course in person to new homeschoolers. I’ve now put my course online for all new homeschoolers

More shamed at the fact that I was trying to show off instead of what really was funny at the time though I didn’t feel that way.

Humble me for I needed it for the road ahead.

With the 6 modules and 29 workshops, I walk you step-by-step through beginning homeschooling, understanding the homeschool lifestyle, choosing curriculum, and understanding how to fit it all in a day.

Look at what you’ll learn.

  • Learn how to identify what is and what is not homeschooling. It can mean the difference in succeeding or succumbing to the mindset you want to leave behind.
  • Choose curriculum wisely instead of using the oh it looks good method.
  • Organize the areas of life that collide when you begin to homeschool.
  • Identify and create the right schedule for your family’s rhythm.
  • Understand what is important to teach from K to High School. (Oh, did I tell you I have kids well past 10 years old?)
Not investing more time in my education as a teacher.

Like many new homeschoolers, I too focused solely on my children and their need for a support group, curriculum, socialization and field trip.

It took me a few years before I realized that the best way to help my children was to become the best teacher I could be.

A public school teacher is required to take continuing education classes. Why shouldn’t I?

If I didn’t take time to read blogs, join support groups, buy teacher helps and attend homeschool conventions I couldn’t say I was schooling for my children.

Feelings of guilt that I had associated with longing to interact with other homeschool moms had to be left behind.

Association has to be a vital part of my everyday teaching. Online forum groups were not a waste of time but needed for refreshment and encouragement.

New to Homeschool

Like all things, the time I took for educating myself and camaraderie had to have a place in my life to be balanced.

Your turn: Do you have a story we can learn from? I hope you can learn from my mistakes.

Homeschool Confession - My Homeschool Mistakes

I thought about this quote today because after many repeated failures, pursuit can turn to passion for homeschooling.

“Life is filled with so many exciting twists and turns. Hop off the straight and narrow whenever you can and take the winding paths.

Experience the exhilaration of the view from the edge. Because the moments spent there, that take your breath away, are what make you feel truly alive.”

~ Stacey Charter ~

You’ll also love these reads for New Homeschoolers:

Homeschool Confession - My Homeschool Mistakes @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Deschool – Get off the Public School Treadmill!

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Deschool get off the public school treadmill is about freedom. Also, you’ll love more tips on my page The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter.

When teaching my new homeschooler workshops in person, I tried to use the term deschool right away so that new homeschoolers or those that are thinking about homeschooling have time to wrap their mind around the concept.

Though there are many facets about deschooling that you will want to embrace over the course of your journey, I want to put it down in layman’s terms for the new homeschoolers.

Deschool - Get Off the Public School Treadmill @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Running and burning energy but not really traveling anywhere is what it is like to be on a treadmill.

Are Deschooling and Unschooling Two Very Different Terms

Deschooling is about getting off that public school treadmill and transitioning to a new life.

For some homeschoolers it may include some rest time.

For others it may be defining what their family educational goals are.

Each family will have different goals during their deschooling period.

Have you ever done a toxin cleanse?  I love the feeling afterwards because I have a new pep in my step.

Deschooling is a period of time to shove back from rigid thinking and adjust the pep in your step to a new way of life.

That is how some homeschoolers define this time period.

More Resources for Why My Kids Are Homeschooled

This time period allows you to re-train your mind and body and to make drastic life changes.

You want to make changes that will be permanent and to start fresh and motivated.

Letting go of preconceived ideas and notions of what education is suppose to look like and defining what you want your children to learn is what deschooling is about too.

It is a time to adopt your definition of education, to discover that you may want to be more self-educated than to be handed curricula, to join home school support groups, to meet and incorporate new homeschooling friends into your lives and the ability and power to say no to labels.

Say NO to Uniform Standards Set for the Masses

Furthermore, it could include saying no to standards by the state.

Why spend so much time trying to figure out where your child is SUPPOSE to be and what other children his age are doing? 

Forget what everybody else is doing.

Spend your time and energy focusing on where your child is NOW and move forward!

Deschooling is knowing that we have homeschool freedom but it’s also utilizing that freedom to suit our family.

Some think deschooling means doing nothing. It might for some. 

And we don’t want to be critical of those families who may need physical rest now.

The rigors of getting up early to catch a bus, having long school days complicated with an enormous amount of homework is physically draining. 

The truth of it is that we really don’t know what another homeschool family has been through.

For all of us it does mean transitioning to a new lifestyle.

Think about huge transitions in your life up until this point. 

When we transition to a different lifestyle whether that significant change was having a baby or switching careers, our schedules changed.

We allowed ourselves time to adjust to a new schedule and we let go of ideas and goals that at the time seem realistic.

We now see that some of our ideas may have been idealistic.

It is quite common for even seasoned veterans to not have taken a period of deschooling and they may be headed down burnout road.

The Power of REST

Deschooling can be a period of few week to a few months depending on the level of stress your family experienced.

Take time to deschool and get off the public school treadmill.

One of the very best books to bring reality back to our lives, renew your passion for homeschooling or just to propel you forward on the road to homeschooling is Deschooling Gently.

Not only is it a great read, but the encouragement you receive from it will last years.

Have you let go? How is your deschooling coming? What activities and goals are you including to deschool?

The Great Homeschool Hoax – Public School At Home?

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

Like a lot of new homeschoolers, I too just copied the public school system in everything from keeping a similar schedule, to curriculum selection, and even testing my first child, Mr. Senior 2013.

Public School at Home

You see, I was doing public school at home.

I hadn’t embraced the freedom that homeschooling offered. I was afraid.

I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to lesson plan, to teach all of my children at one time, that my children were going to be behind, that I needed testing for grade placement, that my kids need other children their age and that I would totally fail them as an educator.

The Great Homeschool Hoax – Public School At Home. Understanding the two COMPLETELY different approaches is key by Tina Robertson

Did I mention I even had feelings of guilt questioning myself if I was a good mother?

Why do we do that as moms?

I agree that today is so much more easier to homeschool because of all the resources available to us.

However, in one particular way homeschooling was easier way back when because homeschoolers then grasped the full meaning of homeschooling.

About 10 years or so ago, public school at home providers popped up and became popular.

The meaning of homeschooling has become obscured because these companies tout that they support homeschooling. They may or may not.

Can You Really Have One Foot in Homeschool and One in Public School?

Until you let go of the public school at home mentality which models everything after the public school and where you are only assisting your children at home while somebody else teaches them, you will never embrace the freedom homeschooling offers.

Public School at Home Characteristics

  • biggest difference – government controlled
  • normally offered online
  • have testing required
  • have parent and teacher conferences
  • maintain a public school schedule
  • curriculum is put together by educational consultants even though public school at home touts that you as the parent choose readers or have some choice. You may or may not.
  • can be accredited
  • tout they are free because they are public school and public school is free
  • have a teacher assigned to your child
  • a curriculum is one grade level straight across the board a/k/a boxed curriculum or one size fits all.
  • mostly uses textbooks. Some online school use only textbooks while others throw in a few classical readers.
  • schedule is set up to complete on their timetable. Though many programs offer flexibility because they are government controlled, schedules have to be maintained.

If this sounds like the arrangement you just left, then why would you want to repeat it at home?

Homeschool Characteristics

  • biggest difference – parent controlled
  • you can choose all online curriculum, part physical books or mix and match
  • testing becomes the right of the parent who knows the child best and understands that a test is nothing more than a tool
  • conferences are not needed because as the tutor of your children you know what they’re learning. Even if you just begin to homeschool, it doesn’t take long for you to know exactly which subjects your child excels in and which subjects he will need support for.
  • your schedule is adopted based on your family’s needs and not based on an outdated school schedule, which was set up based on a society that was much more agricultural than our society is today.  If schooling year round suits your family, you simply begin and don’t need approval by a governmental agency.
  • curriculum is put together by a parent because she knows the child the best. If the curriculum is not working, it can be changed on a dime. Being in control doesn’t mean you can’t use something laid out by another company, but then that is your choice.
  • accreditation is no longer a term which homeschoolers fear because they know it doesn’t have anything to do with the value of an education. Be sure to read my article, Accreditation – Removing the Shroud of Mystery.
  • homeschoolers know that public school at home is not free. It may be cost-free, but given up freedom like control, having stressful deadlines for testing and parent teacher conferences cost.  Many homeschool educuators give up well-paying jobs because their desire to stay home with their kids is greater than their desire to pursue a career they may even be passionate about.  They know that homeschooling for excellence doesn’t always mean having the most expensive curriculum though they are willing to sacrifice other things if a pricier curriculum is better. Be sure to read my article, Is Homeschooling Expensive? Check out this Essential Guide in How to Homeschool Well on a Budget.
  • children are tutored one-to-one by their parents. Reports show that parents play a major role in their child having above normal intelligence when tutored.
  • the parent stays in control of whether they should purchase a grade level in a box or mix and match grade levels adjusted to the child’s natural abilities.
  • homeschool families don’t have to settle for a few well placed classical or living books placed into a curriculum, but can choose living books consistently.
  • the homeschool schedule is completely flexible to adjust to the needs of the family each year.

There is not anything that the public school at home approaches offers that an informed and hardworking educator at home can’t overcome.

If it’s structure you crave, then choose a laid out program where you are not having constant interference from an outside source.

If you need a more budget friendly curriculum be sure to check out my post Digital Homeschool Curriculum – Big Ol’ List.

Pursuing sports, music, art or any other extra curricular involvement is done easier when you set up your schedule to fit your children’s passion.

Being in control of my children’s education is one of the most satisfying and fulfilling jobs as a mother and parent I ever could have.

We were never promised it would be easy in raising our children, but they are blessings.

What we are assured of is that we will be provided with what we need to aim our children at their targets.

I have been blessed over and over many times, but not without some tears shed, lots of elbow grease, lots of prayers and a dogged determination to stick to what is best for my family. You can too!

Don’t forget so easily what many homeschoolers who homeschooled in the past knew, which is that homeschooling is a precious and extraordinary way of education that doesn’t mix with any other approach.

Look at some of these other resources that will help you to stick to the homeschooling approach.

Hugs and love ya,

The Great Homeschool Hoax - Public School at Home @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Top 10 Tips For New Homeschoolers – When You Don’t Know Where to Begin . . . Part 2

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

As if expressing your fears is not enough to make you want to turn and run from homeschooling, feelings of being overwhelmed can dominate each day.

In Top 10 Tips For New Homeschoolers – Curriculum, curriculum, curriculum – Isn’t that how to begin homeschooling? Part 1, I shared 5 homeschool tips and tools for the panic stricken.

Top 10 Tips for New Homeschoolers Part 2 @ Tinas Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Today I will be sharing 5 more tips.

From Panic Stricken to Empowered Educator

6. Long & Short Term Goals Equals Grounded Homeschooling.

Not just visualizing in your mind, but writing down what your goals are or what brought you to homeschooling jolts you back to reality not IF, but when homeschooling gets tough.

It is easy to forget what is so vivid now in your mind about what you want to change when you start to experience problems in your homeschool.

The very foundation of your homeschool journey will be determined by clear goals.

Keeping the end goal in mind by writing them down now will ensure you that you will not swerve.

Sure, you will make mistakes, but that is part of the adventure. However, you will always come back to your goals to stay grounded in homeschooling.

Pen your goals, draw your goals, record your goals – Goals are the foundation of our journey!

7. Your Family’s Rhythm is Unique.

I have seen and shared lots of homeschool schedules over the years.

The problem with following other people’s schedule, even seasoned veterans is that you don’t lead their life.

You need to determine your family’s rhythm first.

This takes some time because homeschooling is new. You may have a young household and 10:00 a.m. may be a more realistic time to start school when the baby is down for his first nap time.

You may have an older household where the children are somewhat independent, then you need to get started earlier like 9:00 a.m.

Every homeschool household is at different stages in homeschooling and has different ages, but don’t get me wrong there are some across the board tips for finding your family’s rhythm and turning that into a schedule.

Here are just two basic tips.

  • Homeschool has to be the first in your day.

A simple research on this subject will show that a majority of children learn better when school is first in their day.

You notice I didn’t mention the time for what is “first” in your day.

Each of us will have to determine that, but it is safe to say that it is not after they are exhausted from a full day of activity.

  • Consistency Over Abrupt Stop/Start.

Key to making the homeschool lifestyle and schedule feel part of our everyday is consistency.

Planning too much, answering the phone in the middle of teaching a lesson (not an important one anyway) and willy-nilly scheduling can create a resistant learner faster than us understanding what that means.

Taking time to understand the natural flow of your family now will help you to minimize any potential scheduling distress.

8. Understand what is NOT Homeschooling.

Many times you will hear seasoned veterans talk about the difference between homeschooling and schooling at home.

I too wondered when I started homeschooling if such a choice of words was enough to be concerned about.

I can tell you now that fully grasping the meaning behind them would have saved me some tears shed in my first year.

Schooling at home means that you have only changed the geography of where your children are learning at now.

You have duplicated the public school method of teaching at home. Your home may look like a mini version of public school. I agree it is probably cuter, but have you taken time to learn about delight-directed learning?

Read What is REAL Homeschooling? Homebound, Co-op or Public School at Home .

Homeschooling is about choosing a method of instruction that works for our family. When the only method we know is what is taught in the public school and we haven’t take time to research other homeschool methods we could be setting our self up for a homeschool crash and burn.

There are reasons prestigious colleges actively pursue homeschoolers and there are reasons why homeschoolers are in the news for being high achievers.

It certainly is not for staying in sync with the public school curriculum and schedule built for the masses.

9. Curriculum is a Tool – It won’t Love You Back.

I get plain giddy when I talk about the subject of curriculum because I absolutely loving poring over the catalogs or putting my hands on it at a homeschool convention.

After I buy it, I sit over in the corner someplace out of my sons’ view so they can’t see as I inhale all the fresh smelling pages. It is a sickness I tell you, but you too will be joining us soon.

Though choosing curriculum each year end ups being more entertaining now, it certainly is quite overwhelming for any new homeschooler.

Choosing curriculum is an equal opportunity offender. Whether you have a public school teacher background or if you are like me with no prior teaching experience, having a few pointers will help you to be selective when first choosing it.

  • Curriculum does not teach anything.

You are the teacher now and that means you decide whether it is working for your children or not.

  • Your children are each different so that means you could possibly be using a different program for each of your children.

This is not meant to over whelm you, but it is about making smarter choices.

  • There is a difference between completing a curriculum and finishing it by using it to fit your purposes.

Completing a curriculum means having your child do every lesson plan and the other way you do every lesson plan that fits your child regardless if you finish the curriculum or not.

Simply put, curriculum does not hold some curative value.

Though using the right curriculum can help you to heal a child’s prior distaste about education and create a yearning for learning, your love and your finesse in wielding curriculum to help your children is of way more value. This too takes time to learn.

10. Relax – Easier said than Done.

As organized and prepared as I thought I was when I came to homeschooling, I wish I would have listened more when the few seasoned veteran homeschoolers I knew told me to relax and savor some of the journey.

The poor first born child seems to take the brunt of our over achieving learning because we feel that we have to prove to our family and of course to our self that we are doing this right.

Relax, find humor in all the things you will mess up and take comfort from the fact that unlike public school, you can change on a moment’s notice anything that is not working. You ARE the teacher now.

Adjusting expectations to survival mode the first year is much more realistic. Forgive yourself for what you cannot accomplish the first year while experiencing on the job training.

Just like parenting, homeschooling is accepting what you can accomplish to a point and then that progress and experience inspires you to work on being the best parent you can be to your child.

You can do it!

Also, be sure to go through my 31 Day Free Homeschool Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers and Homeschool Boot Camp Resources.

Hugs and love ya,

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