Home Education ~ Two More Questions

In my last post, I sought to answer the first 
of three questions my friend had asked about home education.

This post addresses questions two and three.

Question Two ~ What Curriculum do you use?

Answer ~ Over the years we have tried many different curricula.

I have *loved* a few, strongly disliked some, 
and never got around to using others.

Interesting how that works, isn't it?
I would caution any parent just beginning down the road 

of home education not to get carried away.

It is SO easy to do!  

My advice?  Don't buy up everything that appeals to you.
Just buy what you need, borrow what you can, and make do with the rest.
Take it one year at a time and enjoy the journey.

Last year, I shared some of my favourite resources on this blog ~
Click here if you wish to view that post.

Initially, the most important thing to do is to read,

and read, and read some more.

Try to get outside and enjoy some fresh air daily ~ exercise together.

Explore God's creation in the great outdoors and then come inside 
(or stay outside) and read about what you've discovered.
It's a great blessing to direct the attention of our children
to our Great God throughout the day. 
Make much of Him and His Word ~ you will never regret it.

Encourage creative play with sand, water, paint, etc.

Life really is one big giant classroom.  It's unlimited in its scope.  
There is so much to glean from just observing the order of it all.

Keep it simple.  In the early days, especially.

It's a wonderful thing to in-still a love of learning and discovery in your child.

There is no need to reproduce the classroom setting.

Learning takes place all the time.  In many ways.  Through many sources.

We maintained the idea that the basics were most important.

Establish in your child a love of reading.

Teach them to spell and write and figure numbers.

It's simple, really.  These are the basics.

Other things stem from that.
There will be a natural progression from the basics into the other subjects.
One thing very often does lead to another and another.
It's a beautiful thing, really.  :)

Science experiments are easily done in the kitchen or back yard.

History is learned about in books and through audio and visual media.
Your child may choose to demonstrate learning by acting it out.
Opportunities for art and music and sport can easily be incorporated into life.
It's not difficult to add things in, but, it can be challenging to remove them.
Build your home school carefully and thoughtfully.  You won't be sorry you did!

If things need to be tweaked, don't despair.
Each year of our home education journey we have changed 
at least one thing.  It's normal.  Even healthy.
But, if something is working well ~ don't change it!
Rejoice that you have found what works for you and enjoy it.

Question Three ~ How do you connect with other home school families?

Answer ~ Oh, the ways and means are so varied!
How wonderful it is that, should you choose to travel this path,
there are many that have gone before, and many will be on the road with you.
There are local homeschool groups that can be joined.
They will have a variety of programs available for both parents and children.
There will be field trips and mom's groups and support for all manner of concerns.
The opportunities are endless...you may avail yourself to all of it or none of it.

We are linked to a school that has many parents who like to do
field trips and outings throughout the school year.
There are times we have opted in or out depending on the season
we found ourselves in as a family.



Another option is to build your own circle of friends through
meeting other moms on outings such as these.  
I have friends who met weekly for a number of years
when their children were small.
It was a wonderful support group for them all.

God is Good.  He supplies our every need.
He will be Faithful to supply the needs of our children as well.
Each year, it seems, those needs will have a way of changing.
One thing to keep in mind as we home educate our children
is to recognise that things will not stay the same.  Life changes.
We must be flexible and go with the flow.
We ought to seek the Lord for wisdom through it all.

Trusting Him each step of the way!

With Love,
Camille