How I am spending my Summer vacation-hunting up new Math programs-what FUN? NOT!

And yet another blog from ME about Math! Are you tired of my whining yet? Honestly, it is our bone of contention in this house.....I would love to toss it out the window! And I am apparently on the hunt for a new Math program for my older son for Fall 2012, because the one he is using...he has issues with. Of course he waits until May to tell me this....been using it since last August...but apparently NOW is the time to complain. He says that learning the math facts is an issue because they are talking in VERY mathematical terms instead of in terms he can understand and he is not getting it. So guess what my Summer will be spent doing? Finding a Math program that is reasonably priced or free that will work for a high schooler who has Math issues. Not to mention is seemed like his 9th grade year was a little light on subjects and since my younger son is moving into 9th grade and older son will be 10th grade....I need to make sure they have more to do vs. playing online games! Mom has been a little lax in that department! So....my Summer is planned checking out Math and finding out if the Math facts are good and easy to learn! What are YOUR Summer plans?!LOL

What is unschooling?

When we first started homeschooling we were bombarded with advice! LOTS of advice! The one that sticks in my mind was someone said unschooling! I was like WHAT? Her version was that for every year my child had been in public school, we were to take a month off. You are to remove the issues that public school instilled by doing this! I was never for this...I knew my son. I knew that the longer we goofed off away from lessons, the harder it would be to reel him back into it later! So, instead we took 2 weeks off! He had a hard blow, he felt defeated and so did I. Plus I needed to get my act together and figure out how I was going to homeschool a middle schooler! There are many versions of unschooling, I have since found out! It is like anything else, you can google it and read 100 different opinions and versions! You take what you like and toss the rest! We are hardcore schoolers during the school year but our Summer break, for what it is....we are unschoolers! School is NOT thought about....it doesn't exist! So.....if you want to be a homeschooler, be sure to check out unschooling and see if it is for you! Happy Homeschooling!

Hunt, peck, hunt, peck....how are those typing skills?

This quote on my friend's Pinterest page last night got me thinking about typing or keyboarding!

My boys are computer experts.....at playing video games! They can hunt and peck to converse with their friends or send an email to Grandma but they are not typers per say. So....we will be adding typing/keyboarding games as part of our weekly lessons in for our Fall 2012-2013 school year! I want them to be able to type a letter proficiently with little mistakes and if they do make a mistake, the auto correct doesn’t catch it before they do! They need to be able to spot their issues. They are going to be in 9th and 10th grade. They will be writing papers in College before I know it and while I had to do mine the old fashioned way, on paper with a pen and then transfer to a typewriter or word processor.....they need to be able to use the keyboard on their computer! Which leads me to ask, how proficient are YOU on the keyboard? If not, maybe you should consider adding a typing game to your homeschool for your kids!

Where in the world is ----------? Adding Geography to your Lesson Plans!

As the 2011-2012 homeschool year is winding down....I am already looking ahead to our 2012-2013 school year! I will have 2 in high school! SHOCK! I cannot believe it! It seems like just yesterday I was at their Kindergarten orientation.... And as I sit down and make out the list of courses for them for next year, I realize that we need to bump up our geography lessons! To me, geography is VERY important! Think of the news, this happened in Somalia, that in Iraq, weapons in North Korea, tornados in Texas....each one of those talks about an area of the world and I want my boys to be able to know generally where they are! So.....I am going through different geography programs to find one that works for their age level. This is the challenge as there are lots of great programs out there but they are 14 and 15, 9th and 10th grade starting in the Fall. They are beyond what they consider "baby" programs. English, Math, History, Geography, Science are all on our lesson plans for the Fall.... thinking of adding a foreign language and ???? Whatever Mom comes up with!!!! Insert evil laugh!!! So, have you started you lesson plans for Fall yet? What is on your agenda?

You are never to old to ask for help!!! Honest!

Have you ever been at that point in your homeschool that you, the parent are at a loss! This subject was either your worst in school, you have no clue how they got that answer, what the heck is a conjunction, and who really was Napoleon? Your kids are sitting there staring at you like, "What? YOU do not know?" And you know, they are thinking that this lady is my teacher....and SHE doesn’t know.....OMG! I have been there, SO been there! I have been there more than I want to admit in the past 4 years! I was a decent student with exception of Math. I have a good memory but I tell you......they shove a lot of crap into our heads in school that there is no reason to know 20+ years later! And most of us didn't sit in grades K-12 planning to homeschool our child(ren) in the future....so we paid attention enough to pass the darn test and get us through that class..... Well, guess what.... we are homeschooling parents now.... we do have to know things OR at least be able to pull it off like we think we do!LOL That is where finding great places for online homework help comes into play! I tell every new to homeschooling parent to find great sites for each subject! They will be lifesavers! They will be your go-to when you are stuck, you are at your wits end and you cannot remember what a conjunction is! I have a folder FULL of them! I share them with anyone that asks! And I after 4 years, am not to embarrassed to admit that I do not know it all and never will! Thank goodness for the internet, the library and encyclopedias! Happy Homeschooling!

Life is a Puzzle!

I love puzzles! I love games! My kids love both! I am a firm believer that puzzles are great to stimulate the mind and I love to make sure my grandmother(who also loves puzzles) has a variety to keep her 82 year old mind active! My boys have a stack of books that are visual puzzles, mind benders, word searches, etc. as well as a bunch of websites that we can check out for a change of pace! Sometimes on really bad days my high schooler can take a break, expand his mind and relax while working on a puzzle and it clears his head so he can come back to the work at hand and concentrate.....and things tend to go smoother! Amazing as most people would think that it would work the opposite. But, it channels a different part of your brain and makes it work differently. Therefore you have a different mindset once you get back to the task at hand. Puzzles in one form or another will always be a part of our household and when my kids grow up, I hope to involve their kids in puzzles! Life is a brainteaser in itself, so why not get with the program and check out how puzzle games would work in your homeschool! Happy Homeschooling!

Investing in Preschool Flashcards!

Well....we are winding up our preschool year in my childcare! The older boys are almost done with their preschool lessons! But..... we will continue our Kindergarten prep throughout the Summer with preschool flashcards! I love flashcards! We can use them in SO many way in a childcare setting!! Take them outside and ask the kids as they are playing, minds are more open and you can even make a game out of it! Red light, green light with flashcards! He/She who answers gets to advance 2 steps! Use them on rainy days! We are stuck inside, waiting for sunshine and good weather.....so why not cram in a quick lesson where we can! Use them when kids are wild and crazy and we need to sit and calm down! Use them as a game and lesson in one!!! They are universal and easy to us and CHEAP! You can print them out online for free at lots of places! You can go to your Dollar Store and get them for CHEAP! You can get them at Walmart for really in expensive! And if you are really good...you can get sets at your local thrift store! I have ABC flashcards, Shapes, flashcards, Number flashcards, Colors flashcards, Phonics flashcards and even Animals flashcards! I love FLASHCARDS! So, if you have preschoolers...and are still unsure about homeschooling or are looking for something to tuck in your purse for Dr. visits, trips to grocery store or stuck in traffic...invest in a set of 2 or 3 of flashcards!!!