When It Is This Good, You Have to Share

          

  I, and several other families that I know, attend the FPEA homeschool convention in Orlando every Memorial Day weekend (I actually missed 2013 so I could be in NC for the birth of my second grandchild, but you get the idea). I have been homeschooling for 23 years. I have graduated 3 students who have all gone on to successfully attend college. Some people wonder why in the world I would take the time and pay the money to attend the convention. I will tell you why I do and why you should too.

          I think that one of the greatest needs in the homeschool community is for moms to connect with one another. We need to know that we are not out there all alone. We need to realize that there are actually an awful lot of us around who are eager to get together and support one another. There are a lot of moms out there who can encourage us to press on toward the goal. One of the best places to go to see that community is the FPEA convention. This convention was the largest homeschool convention in the world, ever. There were thousands of us there meeting together, building relationships, offering advice and encouragement. Don’t you want that?

          It is a great place to actually look through materials that you are considering using for your children. When I read through catalogs, I see that every company offers a third grade math book that teaches addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It is only when I can look through the books that I can really get an idea about how it will fit our family. Even better, I can often talk with the authors or moms that have actually used the curriculum. I can ask questions about how to put certain things into practice. The advice that I get standing in front of a vendor booth is golden.

          The convention is a great place to find answers to the specific challenges my children and I face. Do I have a struggling reader? Are fractions eluding us? How am I going to handle dissection with my squeamish one? How in the world can I teach high school algebra, beginning reading and care for a toddler at once? What can I do to get my home organized and my budget under control? What about college? I have gotten answers to all of those questions and more at the FPEA convention. There are two full days of workshops offered every year on a variety of topics from people who have been there and done that. What? Experts offering advice on just what I need all in one place? How can I pass that up?

          It seems that every new homeschooler that I talk to starts out with a boxed curriculum. You know, the one where the publisher provides all of the books for each subject in the grade you are teaching. It also seems that after a year or two most of those people are ready to move out of that box and find some things that will fit their child a little better. Maybe they just want to add a little extra or maybe they want to piece together a whole curriculum on their own. Either way, the convention offers the opportunity to explore all kinds of options. I am always amazed at the new offerings each year for homeschoolers. As I walk through the exhibit hall, I realize that the only limits to what my child can learn are their interests and my budget.

          The last reason that I love to go to the convention is that I get recharged when I am there. We end our school year at the end of April, and I am ready for a break. I feel drained and wonder how I am going to get the energy and enthusiasm to start again in June (the beginning of our year). I worry that my youngest will end up skating by because I am out of energy or ideas. Yet, every year without fail, I come home from the convention on fire. I am ready to put new things into practice. I have ideas for how to handle the problems we faced the previous year. I am encouraged to finish well by the graduates I have met.

           Obviously, I love the FPEA convention. To me, the minimal registration amount is a bargain considering the number of benefits I receive. I have already started saving to attend again next year and have talked with three newbies who plan to join in the fun. I hope that many more of you will come to the convention. I know that this means the pool will be even more packed, but it will be worth it to share the time together with you. 

Take Heart and Be Courageous

                Once again I had the amazing opportunity to serve at the FPEA convention in the Mentoring Moms booth. This is my very favorite part of the whole weekend. I love, love, love getting to speak with homeschooling moms who have questions and discussing options with them. I have to admit, though, that the second reason I volunteer for this is that I get to meet some incredible women who are so wise and gracious. It is a joy to sit and listen as they share and encourage other homeschoolers to move forward in their journey.

          This year I was fortunate enough to serve both days with Michelle. She and I could be great friends if only she lived a little closer; Dunedin is just too far for us to get together for morning coffee. Michelle has a lot of experience in areas that are foreign to me. She loves math (who knew those people really existed), is a certified teacher, and works from home. She has made different education and curriculum choices than I have and was able to share those with some of our seeking moms. She is a wise woman with the single greatest piece of advice that we can give to other homeschoolers or parents in general.

               Every mom went away from that booth hearing that, “we are a sinfully arrogant people to believe for one moment that we, by choosing one curriculum over another; deciding to delay teaching reading; picking chemistry over physics; or any other homeschooling choice, have the power to mess up God’s plan for our children.” God has known our children from before the foundations of the world. He has known their path and how to best prepare them to become the adults that He intends them to be. We cannot foil His plan. We are tools that He uses in order to mold those human beings. He has graciously allowed us to be a part of the process, but does not rest the burden on our shoulders.

          Moms (and dads) take a deep breath. Relax. Enjoy your children and continually point them to God. Teach them to enjoy Him and glorify Him. He will take care of the rest. Our Almighty God has a plan, and you CANNOT mess it up. Stop listening to the whispers of Satan and enjoy your freedom. 

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

286, 33, 12, 87, 8. These are the numbers from just a few of the homeschool graduations in Central Florida in the past couple of weeks. For those of you who are in the public school system, this may not seem like such a big deal. For those of you who are new homeschoolers, this may not seem like a big deal. Those of you who have been around the homeschooling block just might realize how great this is. For a frame of reference, you should know that the very first FPEA graduation in 1997 (a mere 17 years ago) had 8 graduates.

Why are these numbers such a big deal to me? I find them an encouragement. It is encouraging to see how homeschooling has grown in number over the years. When we started and my kids were questioned about what school they went to, no one knew what homeschooling was. Today, when we mention homeschooling, everyone knows someone who homeschools. Our students are part of drama groups, high school sports teams, science fairs, band, dance and more. Opportunities abound for homeschooled students.

These numbers are encouraging because it means that it is possible to homeschool all the way through high school. Sometimes we get discouraged when our child doesn’t seem to “get it”. We feel we have failed. We reconsider our choice, and we are ready to give up. These numbers tell us that we can make it through those difficult times. We can find ways to educate our children all the way through high school. BTW, although I don’t have the numbers, I am pretty sure that most of these students are already taking college level classes. I know of several who graduated high school after graduating college with their AA. You can do it.

I find these numbers encouraging because it means we are not in this alone. There are others out there just like us. They are not really looking to be radicals who buck the system as much as they are looking to do the best job they can raising their children. When little Susie is refusing to do her fractions workbook, know that there is another mom out there (actually a 100 or so) who have gone through the same thing. If you haven’t joined a support group, stop reading right now and find one. Join it. Start meeting together with those women who will help you. 

Blessed by Brenda

I just finished year number 23 of homeschooling. As I look back, I am amazed at the changes I have seen in homeschooling over the years. Our first years included keeping careful track of hours and days. Students had to have four hours of education each day for 180 days. Do you know how MUCH your child can learn with one on one education for 720 hours a year? Several times the police stopped by the local park where our children were playing to question why they were not in school. Our teens ran into roadblocks when they tried to get a driver’s license, and high school sports were out of the question.

          Today, I marvel at all that is available to homeschoolers, especially those who are fortunate enough to live in Florida. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of a few (Senator Webster and Craig and Brenda Dickinson especially), Florida is a very easy place for us to homeschool. We not only have little intrusion from the government, we also enjoy many exciting opportunities.

          There are support groups and co-ops all over the state to aid and encourage homeschool parents. Students are able to take part in science fairs, spelling and geography bees and more. They are playing sports for their local high school or as a part of teams made up of homeschoolers exclusively. High school students are eligible for Bright Futures scholarships and can participate in dual enrollment, letting them earn both high school and college credit at the same time.

          Homeschoolers are no longer being harassed for truancy. They are able to get their driver’s license at 16. They are not excluded from the opportunity to earn sports, music or arts scholarships. Many of these advancements are thanks to the work of the Home Education Foundation and our homeschool lobbyist in Tallahassee, Brenda Dickinson. If we want to keep homeschooling in peace and comfort, we need to give our support to HEF and Brenda. If our budget doesn’t allow for financial support, we should be on our knees daily.

          Homeschooling is not an easy task, but it could be much, much harder than it is. God has provided for us in a very special way. Don’t ignore His provision. Check out , www.flhef.org and see what you can do to help keep Florida a wonderful place for homeschoolers in the future.

          

His Eye Is On The Sparrow

     As the school year comes to an end, I hear from a lot of homeschool moms who are beginning to feel the stress. This is the time of evaluations, testing and portfolio review. It is the time when so many rush to “get it all in” and not fall behind. I hate this time of year for that very reason. Women who were enjoying time with their children, learning together, and reaping the rewards of working at their child’s pace and interests suddenly begin to doubt themselves and their methods as they see the year closing and they realize that their children have not accomplished what the Jones kids did.

     I love this time of year, too, because this is when I am often able to remind these women of the things they already know about their God. The Scriptures are full of wonderful verses reminding us of His omniscience (He knows just what we and our children need) “For your Father knows what you need before you ask him”, and His omnipotence (He has the power to provide for all our needs: physical, spiritual and educational) “Great is the Lord and mighty in power”. Some of the great old hymns are filled with reminders to us that God cares about even the smallest and seemingly inconsequential things. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.” I am sure the Bible and the hymns are full of these reminders because we are a forgetful people. So let me add my reminder here.

      God is a good father who loves perfectly. He wants our children to succeed, but His plan for their success may look different than that of this world. He has called you to be the teacher, to lead your children in His way. It is your primary job to focus them on reflecting the glory of the One who created them. If they need to learn Latin in third grade or advanced biology in fourth, God will provide an incredibly obvious open door to that path. I know. I have been there. I have had acquaintances offer to share knowledge with my children out of the blue. I wasn’t looking for teachers. I hadn’t even considered that the kids might want or need the information, but God knows and He provides. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the end of the school year. There is no need to worry. “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

Convention Workshops: What Should I Choose?

The FPEA homeschool convention is coming soon, and I am so excited. I received my convention catalog earlier this week and have been pouring over the workshop descriptions. These workshops can be invaluable whether you are a brand new homeschooler or have been doing this for decades. I have been talking with several families that are planning to start homeschooling this fall. As you look over the workshops offered, you may wonder how in the world you go about choosing which to listen to each hour. Here are my general recommendations. Some of you don't have preschoolers, so skip those. Most hours I was able to limit it to one, but sometimes there were two that I would recommend. If you are able to attend with your husband, you can split up and attend both. If not, you are going to have a tough decision.
FRIDAY:
Session 1
Attend #10 FPEA Orientation to Homeschooling - What you need to know to get started.
Get on CD #1 Bible as Foundation for Every Subject
#4 Homeschooling Methods that Win and that Wipe Out
Session 2
Attend #17 Improve Your Skills As An Educator
Get on CD #13 Practical Guide to Making Scripture Central
#23 Proverbs: God's Character Curriculum
#24 Twenty Five Books You Can't Homeschool Without!
Session 3
Attend #28 Seven E's for Choosing Curriculum
Get on CD #35 The Creation Interpretation
Session 4
Attend #45 How to Teach Elementary Science at Home
Get on CD #37 Keys to a Strong Homeschool Curriculum
Session 5
Attend #54 Couponing Made Simple
Get on CD #50 Ministering to the Heart of a Child
#51 Attention.....CHILL OUT
Session 6
Attend #68 Cutting Your Budget Without Cutting Costs
#70 The Well Planned Day
Get on CD #64 Fun, Easy Ways to Increase Your Child's Attention
#66 Blending the Many Facets of Homeschooling
#71 Defining Your Journey= Hitting Your Target
SATURDAY:
Session 1
Attend #77 The Fun Factor: How Active Enjoyment Impacts Learning
#79 Curriculum for Hands-on, Creative and Gifted Learners
#80 Understanding Your Child's Learning Style
Session 2
Attend #90 Occupying Preschoolers While Teaching Older Children
Get on CD #87 Notebooking: Creativity With a Purpose
#88 Getting It All Done
Session 3
Attend #102 Handwriting Without Tears
Get on CD #97 Finishing Well: Life After Homeschooling
#106 Where is the Joy
#108 Why I'm Glad I Homeschooled Through High School
Session 4
Attend #114 Teaching Biblical Worldview to Ages 6-14
Get on CD #109 Cultivating a Love for Learning
#110 Teaching Precious Preschoolers and Little Learners
#120 A Homeschool Vision of Victory
Session 5
Attend #127 Making Science Fundamental
Get on CD #122 Time Management Priorities for Home Educators
#128 Joining the Generations
#129 What is Critical Thinking

As you can see, it is a busy two days, but so very worth your time investment. If you are going to be homeschooling next year, you need to consider spending this weekend in Orlando. You won't regret it, I'm sure.

A Homeschool Education

Homeschooling is a great way to educate. I am not talking about your children here; I am talking about you. When I started this job 21 years ago, I thought I was doing it because it was the best thing for our children. I wanted them to have an education that fit their needs and developed
a desire to learn more. What I didn’t realize then was that God was going to use this process to teach me so much.
1. I learned about my kids. I have five children and each of them is a very interesting individual with their own gifts and talents. Having them at home everyday has given me time to really get to know (and enjoy) them. I have been able to spend time with them as they discover the wonder of nature, how radio parts (and later car parts) go back together, the joy of different art mediums,
and so many more experiences. It has been such a pleasure to see the expressions on their faces as they learn new things for themselves.
2. I have learned about myself. Like most homeschool moms, I have realized how little I retained from my education. I have learned right alongside my children and have enjoyed it. I have learned that I am more resilient than I realized. My brain cells have not all died off, and I can still learn new things even after my kids are grown and gone.
3. I have learned about God. I think that God must chuckle when another new family decides to homeschool. We all start with the greatest of expectations and quickly see that nothing goes according to plan. God teaches us patience, compassion, mercy, perseverance, and grace. Most of all, God has taught me to turn to Him daily. I make mistakes with my kids each and every day, but God is good and faithful to cover those mistakes and use them to accomplish His purposes. Homeschooling has strengthened my relationship with my Lord and Savior. There is so much more that I have learned. I know that no one will die if the bathrooms aren’t spotless, true friends ignore the clutter in the living room, everyone has their own gifts (so find a friend who enjoys dissection and invite your kids to her science lesson), dinners can be made in advance and frozen, living on a budget builds character, people are a greater investment than anything else, and I REALLY LIKE MY KIDS (especially as teens). Homeschooling has blessed me in
countless ways. I know the experience will bless the rest of you too.

What Do You Do...

When you don’t want to do what you do anymore?
The excitement of starting a new school year is over. The holidays have passed. And now a long stretch of the same old, same olds looms before you. That does it. The whining, complaining,
griping and grumbling begin in earnest, and that is just you. The kids are no better. You can hardly drag yourself out of bed in the morning and begin to wonder if it is too late to enroll your precious charges in the local school. Buck up. Now is the time to introduce the unexpected and finish strong. You can do it.
When I plan my school year, I will often plan to change things up in the second semester. I
switch curriculum, not because the first one wasn’t working, but because I know that we can become complacent. I might switch up the method. We may go from hands on to online learning, or to a literature based program.
If you are suffering from the second semester doldrums, maybe you could try a few tricks
to shake things up a bit. Try schooling four days a week and taking an extra day a week for fun family times. You can have class a few extra weeks to make up for time lost if you wish. Take a few days to concentrate on all those messy science experiments that you have skipped all year. Go to the zoo, the beach, the museum, or the science center. Take some time to start a new hobby. Pick one country and study all about it. Make a flag, maps, and travel brochures. Plan a traditional meal and invite your neighbors. I bet they’ll be impressed by your homeschoolers. Check out geocacheing or letterboxing. It will get you out of the house with a purpose. Spend a morning drawing pictures and deliver them to the local nursing home in the afternoon.
Pretty soon you will have a whole list of fun activities to look forward
to. Those days of boredom will soon disappear as you plan and prepare for a new
adventure each week. I bet the second half of your school year becomes the best
half.

A Day In The Life

I have struggled to write to you about what a day in the life of our homeschool family
looks like. That is because so much varies from day to day and from year to
year. I am also concerned that there are those of you who will read about our
family, decide that this is the way homeschooling should be, and adopt our
lifestyle for your own when that is not what would work best for you. I
understand the desire to find the “right” way to do this so you don’t mess up
your kids’ lives, I’ve been there, but with homeschooling the only right way is
the way that works best for your family at this time.
When we started homeschooling, my husband and I talked about what we wanted to
accomplish. We were pulling our child out of public school for two reasons. She
was ahead of much of the class in reading and math and the schools had just
implemented a sex ed program that would start in Kindergarten and not include
abstinence. Our goals for the year were to meet her needs in providing a more
difficult reading and math curriculum and to teach her what the Bible says
about being a godly woman. This was accomplished easily with traditional
Christian textbooks and daily family devotionals. I would sit down on Saturday
and assign her work for the week that she was free to finish early if she
desired. Most weeks she did so that she could have a friend over to play and
spend the night. We joined a support group that met weekly and things worked
out well this way for many years.
Princess is now grown and gone, but four more have taken her place in our homeschool.
What worked well for her wasn’t right for Dude and Sir. They rebelled when it
came to learning to read and Dude couldn’t seem to sit still for a full 10
minutes. Changes had to be made in our schedule. We spent more time doing hands
on activities. We built things, observed, experimented. We went to every story
time that I could find and I read to them faithfully hoping to spark that
desire to read. Little time was spent pouring over textbooks and worksheets.
Now Mo and Squishy have joined our ranks and they are all middle school and above. We
are back to incorporating traditional textbooks, but also use online classes
and dual enrollment to round out our school day. This means that we are more
structured because Dude and Sir must be at the college at certain times. Most
of our academic school day happens in the mornings. Three of them are up early
for track practice anyway so it is easier for them to start right after showers
and breakfast. The other has baseball practice in the afternoons, so he needs
to be done by then. Dude and Sir also have outside jobs that they need to work
around. They are all pretty independent learners at this point so my job is
more to be available for guidance, answer questions, and review papers before
they are submitted to college professors.
Every family, every child is different. That means that every homeschool is
different. You may be very structured or you may be a go with the flow kind of
teacher. You might be the kind of person who wonders what God was thinking when
he created 8AM or you might be one who loses steam by 3PM. The most important
thing to remember is that God gave these children to you, not to anyone else.
He did that because you were the one who was best equipped to help them become
the people He intends for them to be. I can’t tell you what your day should
look like only that you should find what works best for you right now, but be
willing to change it when it doesn’t fit later. Happy Homeschooling

If I Could Do It Over Again

I was talking with a sweet lady that I have been homeschooling with for over 15 years the other day, and we discussed the advice that we would give to new homeschoolers. Our
number one? Take those early elementary years to do all the fun things that homeschooling is all about. Need some examples?
1. Make puppets and let your kids perform a skit or fairy tale at the family Thanksgiving dinner.
2. Head to the park once a week to learn or practice some new skills (skipping, throwing a football, jump rope, kicking a soccer ball, hitting a baseball)
3. Science experiments. Any and all. There are so many books around with good, easy science experiments. I like Jan VanCleave and Backyard Science
4. Write books. Let your child dictate the story to you, then let him illustrate it. Then, let him practice reading it to a little brother or grandparent.
5. Plant a vegetable garden. Even if you don't get much food, you will learn a lot and it will be worth the time and effort.
6. Try geocacheing or letterboxing.
7. Play Yahtzee to practice adding.
8. Learn to sew, knit, woodwork, or any other hands on craft
9. Cook together.
10.Make and use homemade play dough, paints, glitter and other art items.
11. Visit historical reenactments.
12. Take field trips to anyplace and everyplace that will let you in.
13. Visit nursing homes to share your homemade cards and pictures.
14. Read aloud every day. ( The Chronicles of Narnia, Children’s Pilgrim Progress, and the Kingdom series by Chuck Black are our favorites)

Now is the time to do all of these things. Let up a bit on the bookwork. You will be giving your children an invaluable gift that will last their whole life. They will realize that learning can be fun, and they can learn from everything they do. You will also get to know your kids. This is going to help you as you move into more structured teaching. You will know their gifts and how they learn best. Take the time now to do these things. You will be so glad you did. If I could go back and do it all again, this is what I would do.

Sufficient Grace

One of the things that I really love about homeschooling is how much God teaches me while I am busy teaching. We have been doing this homeschool thing for 21 years now. There have been some great days. I enjoy the days when the kids seem to "get it", things go smoothly, and everyone gets along. Those days are icing on the cake. They are the fun days, the days you want those who are considering homeschooling to see. Those are not the common days.

That is okay, though. The common days are the ones where the regular flow of life happens. The school work gets done, sometimes not until after dinner. Chores are finished, not always joyfully, and we all bump along together.

It is the rough days, however, that can be the best ( only in retrospect, of course). Those days where there is crying over school work, frustration over the lack of cooperation around the house, and a general selfishness that fills the air are the ones that God uses to grow me the most. Those are the days where He increases my patience, my reliance on Him, and my realization of His amazing love for me. Those are the days that show me just who I really am and how very undeserving I am of a Savior who died for me. On the good days, I begin to think that I have it all under control and I am doing okay. It is the hard days that get me on my knees begging God for grace to make it through. And He always supplies my needs.

One of the greatest benefits of teaching my children at home is how much I have grown in my understanding of who God is and who I am. My advice? Embrace those difficult days, thank the Lord for the tears and tantrums, and remember that He is your Heavenly Father, willing and able to bless you with every good gift, including the grace to wake up the next day ready to do it all again.

Why You Shouldn't Homeschool

I've been doing this homeschool thing for the past 21 years, and I have heard a lot of reasons as to why moms couldn't possibly homeschool their kids. I must agree with these women. There are some very valid reasons to not homeschool your children. Here are a few of the things I have heard over the years.

1. I am not a teacher. You are probably right. The federal, state, or local government has probably not recognized you as an "official" teacher. That doesn't mean you are not a teacher. Do your children know their names? Who do you suppose taught them that? When Sally tells daddy about what she did during the day, does she say " I am playing in the sandbox," or does she tell him that she played there? Congratulations! Without even working at it you have taught your child to conjugate verbs. Does your child know the difference between a pet and a tree? Good, basic scientific concepts of discerning between living and non-living things has been passed along. You see, you ARE a teacher. You teach 24/7/365 like it or not. You have taught your children an incredible amount before you even pass them off to the "real" teachers. What on earth makes you think you are not a teacher?

2. I don't have enough patience. This is one of the best reasons to not homeschool. I know because I don't have enough patience either. The amazing thing about homeschooling ( or marriage, or parenting, or living on a planet with other people) is that you develop patience as you go. My husband is one of the most patient people I have ever met, and yet, God gave him me for a wife to help develop patience in him. I know when you started this parenting thing you were not as patient as you are now. I also know there is room to grow. Ask any homeschooler around, and they will tell you that they did not start this because they were patient enough. Homeschooling, like all of life, gives you an opportunity to develop the patience that you need.

3. I don't know enough. If this is your reason for not homeschooling, then you are probably not a good candidate for the job. If you do not know enough to know how to learn, then you should not be learning alongside your child. Maybe you could ask him to homeschool you. Who has ever started something new and known all about it? When you began school did you know all the answers? How about when you got married, started a new job, had children, or began a new hobby? Every, and I repeat, every homeschool mom I have ever met has marveled at how much they have learned while homeschooling their children. This could be really good news for some of you. Did you know that studies show that keeping your brain active by learning new things could lessen the onset or effects of dementia and Alzheimer's? Homeschooling can keep you healthy.

Those are just a few of the most common reasons to not homeschool your children. There are tons more. It is easy to find an excuse to not do something that might be difficult or make you stand out from the crowd. I hope that some of you who have been using these excuses will seriously consider rethinking things and give homeschooling a try. You just might surprise yourself. If it doesn't work out for you, you can always send your kid back to the professionals. I don't think you will.