5 Ways to Take the Stress Out of Homeschooling

Classroom Help, Informative, Organization

Taken from http://www.hsclassroom.net/5-ways-to-take-the-stress-out-of-homeschooling/

hs stress

 

The following is a post from contributing writer Tanya from Finding the Teachable Moments.

Don’t make school a chore.

Last year I made the rule that there would be no TV or video games until school was finished.  Being our first year of homeschooling, I thought my children would come to accept it and it would become part of our daily routine. Instead, school time became the “bad guy” that kept my kiddos from enjoying their favorite pastimes.  Learning together became a chore rather than a journey.

So now we have an overall daily limit on screen time that can be used anytime from morning until bedtime.  If they choose to take a break from school related activities to watch an episode of Curious George, that’s fine.  Sometimes a break is needed.  Having the freedom to make independent choices within limits is important too.   As an added bonus, it is also teaching them to budget their time. My oldest son intentionally saves his TV time for evening.  Now it’s his choice not to watch TV during school, not mine.  I’m not saying whining and complaining over limitations goes away, but it becomes a protest against a household rule and takes the heat off of school.

Is there a way you can make school less of a chore in your home? (more…)

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Eight Online Math Activity Sites

Classroom Help, Informative, Just For Fun, Technology

Taken from http://www.hsclassroom.net/

The following post is from contributing writer Demetria Zinga of Christian Homeschool Moms.

hsclassroom math activities

If you have struggling math learners who need a little jolt of fun included in the school day, you might want to locate low-cost or free resources that will assist your child in learning to love math.  After doing a search in Pinterest, I was astounded by the amount of free online math games available that I haven’t been taking advantage of! This school year, I now know that I’ll be sprucing up our math programs- making it a much more fun learning experience for my kids.

If you’re looking for some online resources that will help your kids enjoy math, try these resources. (more…)

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Contemplating Grammar

Classes, Classroom Help, Informative, Preparing for College

Published with Permission
Written by Andrew Pudewa
www.TOSMagazine.com

 

It seems that the pattern of the Trinity permeates creation: body, mind, soul; harmony, melody, rhythm; truth, goodness, beauty; ethos, pathos, logos. The illustrations could continue. Therefore it should not surprise us that the thing called “grammar” can also be understood in three parts—integrated and organically connected but in three aspects, which when understood individually, strengthen our understanding of the whole.

I first began thinking about the question of grammar more than ten years ago, when I met a professional author—a man who had for decades earned his daily bread by writing. We were working together on a project, and he mentioned to me, somewhat casually, “I don’t know any grammar.” Though he was being candid, I was surprised and even confused. How was it that a professional writer didn’t know much grammar? And the obvious extrapolation was this: if it’s not necessary to know grammar to write well, why do we pile year after year of grammar workbooks on our children? Are we missing something here? (more…)

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