Teaching in ABC order!

So, when my boys started public school....I was the room Mom! I helped out in Kindergarten BIG TIME.
I was really surprised when they started teaching letters.
We learn the alphabet by singing A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y and Z. Therefore you would think that once they started teaching them....it would be in the order that was drilled into us from the time we were born.
WRONG!
Schools like to teach them out of order and while I understood their reasoning, I did not agree with it.
We tell kids one thing and teach them another, making it 10x harder to get it through to kids!
I believe in the ABC order activities!
Start learning with A, work your way down to Z.
I teach the daycare kids this way and I think it works.
You wouldn't teach the kids a simple machine lesson by showing them the completed project and then jumping around from Step 1 to Step 4 to Step 7 and then back to Step 3. You would teach them in order.
Order makes sense, bouncing around does not.
Who agrees with me? How do you teach your kids?
Happy Homeschooling!

So you are homeschooling a middle schooler?

I started out by with homeschool middle school!
My boys were just finishing 5th grade and just starting 6th grade when we decided to pull them!
The public school wasn't working for us anymore and we really didn't know what else to do BUT homeschool! I was thrilled as this was something I wanted to do since they were little and now I got my chance!
Little did we know then, how different it would change our lives...for the better!!!
My boys are now doing high school level! I cannot believe it! What a wild ride it has been!
Overall, our least favorite subject is a tie between Math and Writing.... they each fuss about it at different times. Our favorite is learning about science, any kind of science!!
We have had our ups and downs, though more ups than downs!
Are you thinking of homeschooling? Are you thinking that it can't work? Your kids are at THAT age of being close to teens? Guess what, YOU CAN!!!
If I can do it, ANYONE can! I do this while running a childcare! Yep, tiny tots and teenagers! Try that combo!!LOL

Hang in there and Happy Homeschooling!!!

And we let them play preschool games!!!

Ok, IMHO hands down....letting kids PLAY is one of the best ways to learn!
There are many parents that think that playing is just that....play.
How is my child learning while they play? Ummmm, sharing, coloring matching, caring for stuff, organizing, etc.
If you want to get really into it, playing preschool games makes it even more so! Great family time, playing a game which teaches patience, listening, following rules and then whatever the game is about. Candy Land is about matching colors and counting. Chutes and Ladders is about rules and listening. Memory Match is about remembering and placement plus patterns!

Playing tea party teaching children about heat energy with the tea, sharing by passing plates of goodies and table manners if you do it right!

Playing cars teaches about driving skills, taking turns(stop lights) and sharing with friends.

Reading to your child is ALWAYS good! Instills a love of books plus learning sight words, letter recognition and then whatever the story is about!!

Play is LEARNING! My childcare motto is Playing to Learn and Learning to Play!

So, next time someone thinks your child is JUST playing....let them know that they are learning as well!!!

Happy Homeschooling!

Happy New Year!

New year, new school resolutions!
How many of your are making some new resolutions in your homeschool for 2014?
WE ARE!
Homeschooling high school is always a challenge.
Are they learning enough? Are they keeping up with their peers? Will they be ready for college? Am I challenging them? UGH! The choices a homeschooling parent has to make!!

So, we are changing up our MATH....as most of my readers know that MATH is our issue here and finding something that works and we understand is ALWAYS a challenge.

We are adding Home Ec to our weekly routine as well. Trying to get these boys ready for the real world. They will learn how to do laundry, sew buttons and hems, cook a few simple meals and clean and iron. Plus balance their checkbook, pay bills and anything else I can come up with!!!

I figure a lot of the Home Ec stuff can also be crossed over with science! Cooking is a lesson on change in matter! So is doing laundry.

And I will be enforcing the time limit on video game playing vs. doing our schoolwork!! Hate being the mean Mom but I am tired of lessons being ignored while video games are played!!!

So, what are you changing in your homeschool for 2014?

Happy Homeschooling!