classroom resources Archives - Page 2 of 17

May 15 2017

Want to Create the Best Homeschool? Start with your WHY.

I’m often asked the best way to homeschool. If you’ve been homeschooling a while, I’ll bet you get asked this question, too.

After being in this industry for 20 years, I’ve seen lots of different products and studied lots of different methods and theories. Yet, despite my experience, when someone asks me the best way to homeschool, I never start by recommending products, methods and theories. What I do instead, is start exploring their WHY.

Knowing your WHY is important for creating the best homeschool

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Some families know their WHY and can articulate it easily. For others, it takes some discussion before getting to the real reason they’re homeschooling, or the underlying circumstances prompting them to make the choice. Armed with the information they share, I can make recommendations to fit the situation. It helps me help them, since I can customize suggestions to their experiences and present goals.

Do You Know Your WHY?

In my experience, not every family stops to think about their WHY. At least not at first. In a world of social media and Pinterest, it’s become so easy to copy what other people are doing and assume it’ll work for us. With homeschooling growing so rapidly, families can be quick to jump on board without taking the time to sort out all the details first.

What is a WHY?

A WHY is the reason for doing something. In the case of homeschooling, there can be many WHYs, and they may even be different for different children in the family.

For homeschoolers of the past, WHY(s) might’ve looked something like:

religion
geography
autonomy

For modern homeschoolers, WHY(s) often include things like:

failing schools
failing kids
drugs and violence
cliques and bullying
excessive testing or homework
lack of resources, loss of crucial programs
highly sexualized school culture
little recognition of children who learn “differently”

Thanks to an awareness of different schooling options, the modern WHY also includes a lot of things like:

wanting to create a more relaxed pace lifestyle
allowing students to focus on talents and interests
shoring up skills in some areas while skipping ahead in others
creating time during the day to pursue other things
removing children from the classroom to explore the world around them

I devote an entire chapter in Suddenly Homeschooling to explaining the modern WHY, if you’re interested in learning more about this.

Then what?

Once you’ve identified your WHY is when the real progress begins. You’ll stop thinking about what you should be doing or what everybody else is doing. Instead, your choices become clear, since you’re focused on your WHYs.

If, for example, catching up a student in certain skill areas where they’ve been lagging is one of your WHYs, choosing resources for that will become an important part of your homeschool design.

If frequent travel is one of your WHYs, designing a flexible school year using adaptable products and experiences might become your design.

If your WHY is to include time for your child to practice a skill all morning, completing schoolwork in the afternoons or weekends will start to dictate your overall plan.

You get the idea.

Here’s how knowing your WHY can help you plan a better homeschool

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What to do now

If you’re still reading, and still looking for the best way to homeschool, it’s probably time to make a list of WHYs. Take some time to look deep into reasons you want to homeschool (or are continuing) and what you truly hope to accomplish by doing it. (And if you’re homeschooling multiple kids, have a list of WHYs for every child, too.)

After doing this exercise, I guarantee choices will start to rise to the surface. You might even want to carry the list around as you shop for products, register for classes, and plan a schedule for your family this year.

The optimal education is different in every family and for every child. Knowing your WHY is the key to finding the best solution all around.

To your success,

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. A homeschooling pioneer and the founder of many groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the public school system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, with no teaching background whatsoever. A writer, a homeschool leader, and a women’s life coach, Marie-Claire mentors in a variety of areas that impact health, education and lifestyle. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, The Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool Network, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on Holistic Parenting, CONNECT,Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of sites and blogs nationwide. Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.

Mar 01 2017

Heads Up, Florida! A homeschooling book just for you!

I’m proud to announce the release of my latest book, “The Ultimate Guide to Florida Homeschooling“. It’s a book that has been years in the making, and I’m honored to be able to bring this kind of information to my Florida audience.

In this book, I share everything Florida home ed families need to know, plus a whole bunch of uniquely-Florida goodies — ones that make homeschooling here so special. I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside families in the Sunshine State for over 20 years. Through this book, I’m able to give something back to families today, and those coming up in the future.

New homeschooling book for Florida families! Available now:

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I’d love for you to SHARE this new book with your friends and contacts. It’s the first and only book by a Florida homeschooler for Florida homeschoolers, and I think everyone will find something of value within its pages.

You’re also invited to ‘Like’ my Facebook page, and/or subscribe to my newsletter, because I’ll be sharing Florida-specific updates, homeschooling videos, giveaways and doing live events for my Florida homeschool friends!

Here are some sneak peeks of the inside (you can also “Search Inside This Book” on Amazon):

It contains up-to-date legal information to help you understand the Statutes and always remain in compliance.

Portions of the book have been reviewed by HSLDA, so you’ll know it’s completely accurate and can be trusted for your family’s educational needs.

Why not grab one for every member of your support group?

If I can answer any questions about it, don’t hesitate to contact me. And, as always, I appreciate our connection and your support.

Hope to meet you at the next Florida event!

Check it out now.

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. A homeschooling pioneer and the founder of many groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the public school system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, with no teaching background whatsoever. A writer, homeschool leader, and women’s life coach, Marie-Claire mentors in a variety of areas that impact health, education and lifestyle. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, The Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool Network, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on Holistic Parenting, CONNECT,Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of sites and blogs nationwide. Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.

Nov 11 2016

How to use textbooks for homeschooling

I recently met with a couple who’d just received a large donation of textbooks. Among the things we chatted about were ways they could incorporate some of the books into the learning program they were developing for their kids.

Since textbooks sometimes get a bad rap in the homeschooling world, I wanted you to know there is nothing wrong with using textbooks if they fill a need in your family. The textbook stigma is really about not trying to duplicate public school at home, but leveraging the power of homeschooling instead. There are plenty of ways to use textbooks and still reap the rewards of a customized home education. Let me share some of the advice I gave them, in case these ideas could help you too.

First, a rule about textbooks and homeschooling:

There is no rule about textbooks and homeschooling.

Remember, when homeschooling, you can do whatever you want.

Next, some rules of thumb to help you decide which textbooks to keep, and which to donate somewhere else:

Publication date doesn’t always matter. Unless the subject is something likely to change every couple of years, an older textbook is just as good as a newer one. If you like it, and the information hasn’t changed since it was written, keep it. You might want to watch out for older “modern history” books and world geography books, for instance. You’ll probably also want to steer away from older computer books, too (unless studying the history of computing). It’s really up to you.

Whether the textbook is a “teacher’s copy” or a “student version” doesn’t always matter. Unless it bothers you when teacher’s notes are written in the margins, or answers to the test questions are in plain sight, a teacher’s copy has all the same text as the student edition. You can block out the answers with sticky notes if you like, or by folding (even cutting up) the pages if you want. But, probably, you’ll allow your student to read it for what it’s worth, no matter the format.

Even if you don’t have all the supplements that go with the textbook (like the test bank, some of the exercises, or the answer key) it still might be okay. Again, the value of the textbook is in your eyes only. If it’s something you’d like your children to read, maybe it won’t matter if you’re missing all the pieces that traditional classroom teachers use. You’re not a traditional classroom teacher, so there’s that.

The level or audience for the book doesn’t matter. I don’t care if the book was meant for 6th graders, 11th graders, or college students. If your kids can read it, it’s probably a keeper. Homeschoolers don’t always talk grade levels anyway, so if a textbook can be understood by your unique learners, what the author/publisher intended when they released the book doesn’t matter.

How to use textbooks in your homeschool:

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Now, here are some different ways to use textbooks when homeschooling. Remember, there is no right or wrong here, so feel free to use these ideas or any others you come up with on your own:

Using the Whole Book & Taking a School-Like Approach

If you like a certain textbook, and you think your child could learn from it, too, consider using it to teach an entire class. The class could last for a semester, a year, or any length of time, depending on how long the book is. Think of this like traditional school, where you assign chapters and pages, ask the student take notes or highlight important ideas, assign him questions to answer, and so on. Make up tests, assign papers, or other ways to assess learning. Think of completing the entire textbook (or a significant portion of) as finishing the class. When your student finishes the textbook, assign a grade or credit. Textbooks are perfect for this use, since they often contain enough “material” for an entire class in a single subject.

Hopping In and Out of a Textbook

If the trademark of American home education is freedom, that also includes the freedom to use as much or as little of any curriculum resource as we see fit. The notion that students need to “finish the book” is about as silly as forcing a child to eat everything on a dinner plate when he’s already full. Sure, your students may finish the textbook, if it’s best for the education and also best for the child. But there’s nothing wrong with taking a break from the book, using only selected parts of it, coming back to it over and over for several years, or abandoning it when it stops working. Actually, I highly recommend hopping in and out of textbooks as needed.

Using the Table of Contents & Designing Your Own Class

Probably the most valuable part of any textbook is the table of contents. The table of contents is a ready-made list of related topics, already arranged in some logical order, just waiting for you to follow. If you want to teach a class in something, but feeling intimidated trying to figure out what to teach, following the table of contents from a textbook is the perfect solution. The learning itself doesn’t need to come from the chapters of the book itself (though it could). Instead, what you’ll do is follow the table of contents, but fill in the learning in other ways, like with other books, with taking field trips, by using web resources, with workbooks, and so on. In this case, the table of contents is just providing the framework, but you’re in control of the activities you use to teach the actual lessons.

Using Textbooks for Reference

Finally, textbooks can make excellent reference books. They’re even better together, too, as the impact tends to multiply if you own several textbooks about the same thing. There’s nothing better for looking up the rules of grammar or punctuation than a collection of English textbooks on the shelf. Math books are excellent for seeing how different authors explain the same concepts, especially for struggling students who may need to hear it several different ways. History textbooks, in particular the index at the back of the book, are fantastic tools for learning about people or events.

The bottom line is that there are plenty of ways to control textbook use, instead of allowing them to control you. I hope this has given you a new understanding of how textbooks can be used in freedom, for whatever they’re worth in your unique homeschool program.

To your success,

Sep 06 2016

Gooze, Gak, Slime & More: Recipes for fun & learning

Whipping stuff up in the kitchen is one of the fun parts of learning at home. Did you realize you can make a lot of gooey, slimy, doughy things using ingredients from the pantry? Not to mention knowing exactly what’s in the toys your kids are playing with. Let’s not forget saving a ton of money, too.

We’ve been homeschooling a long time, so our family has tested lots of recipes over the years. Some were really successful, but others were a huge waste of time. Though I tried to turn the failures into lessons, it was definitely more fun when recipes turned out right! I saved all the recipes we loved, so now I’m going to share them all with you.

Here’s a list of our family’s favorite recipes for sticky, icky, moldable, mashable concoctions. These recipes have all been tested in my kitchen, so I know all of them actually work. With a few exceptions, you’ll probably have most of these ingredients on hand already, plus they’re mostly non-toxic, too (but please check before giving them to your kids).

DIY recipes for play dough, colored rice, scented sand, and more:

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Recipes for Fun & Learning

Cloud Dough

This dough is white and powdery, yet smooth and glossy too. It can be molded into balls and other shapes using your hands. You can also use small containers or plastic molds to make fun shapes.

In a large bowl, mix together:

4-6 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup olive oil (optional: use scented or unscented baby oil instead)
Store in airtight container. Lasts up to several months.

Snow Dough

This resembles artificial snow. It’s fun to play with, plus it can be used to create snow scenes for winter crafts.

In a bowl, mix together:

4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup olive oil
Store in an airtight container. Lasts up to several months.

Sparkly Cloud Dough or Sparkly Snow Dough

Follow base recipes above, but add a generous amount of your favorite color glitter. Use up to an entire container of glitter per recipe.

Watercolor Paints

Fill several small glass jars (with lids) with about 1″ of water, then set aside (wide mouth jars work best for this). Locate old or dried markers your kids no longer use. Uncover the markers (discard tops) and sort them according to color (blues, reds, greens, etc.) Aim for at least 4 markers per color group. Insert markers into jars by color group, tip down, so that marker tips are under water. Let jars sit several hours until the water in each jar turns a deep color. Remove markers and discard. Cover jars and shake lightly. Dip brushes directly into jars and use paint as desired.

Play Dough (similar to the one you can buy in the stores)

In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup salt
2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable or other oil
Several drops food coloring
Cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until a ball forms. Remove from heat and turn dough onto a floured surface. Allow to cool before kneading into a soft dough. Dough can be molded and left to dry. It can also be reused again and again. Refrigerate unused portions in zip bags.

Scented Play Dough

Follow base recipe, above, adding any of the following scents and colors:

Small amounts of dry drink mixes ( like Kool Aid or Crystal Light)
Scented tea leaves
Dry spices, like ginger, cinnamon or allspice
Essential oils
Food extracts, like vanilla, mint or almond
Crunched up bits of candy, such as peppermint sticks
Use several drops of food coloring to “match” each scent.

Sparkly Snow Play Dough

This is a cross between snow dough and play dough.

In a large bowl or plastic container, mix together:

1 cup salt
2 cups flour
2 Tablespoons cream of tartar
2 cups water
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
an entire container of white glitter (silver works well, too)

Green Slime or Flubber

In one bowl, mix:

1.5 cups clear glue thinned with 2-3 tablespoons of water

In another bowl, mix:

green food coloring for slime / blue for Flubber
2 cups water
4 Tablespoons borax
Slowly drizzle borax mixture into glue bowl. Mix as you go. Once it has reached the desired consistency (a gooey, green ball) stop! Use only as much of the borax mixture needed to obtain the kind of slime you like.

Store in airtight container.

Make your own fun dough! Tons of different recipes here:

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Oobleck or Gak

In a large bowl or a shallow pan with sides (you choose — the experience is different), mix together:

1 part water
1.5 – 2 parts corn starch
Several drops food coloring (optional)
The proportions on this one are flexible. Make a little, or make a lot. Mix it as you go. Enjoy the mixing process — ask your students to mix with their hands. Is this a water or a solid? Try to pick it up!

Store in airtight container. This mixture doesn’t last very long — enjoy it while you can.

Soap Overflow

Place an unwrapped bar of Ivory soap in a dish. Heat in a microwave on full power for up to several minutes. Watch it carefully! It will begin to soften, then puff up, grow tremendously in size, and then overflow out of the bowl. Check the inside temperature before giving it to children. This mixture can be molded and played with for hours before you’ll end up throwing it away Or, you can dilute it and wash your car (dishes, pets, or floors?) with the solution!

Finger Paints

Non-toxic finger paints can be made either (1) by mixing corn syrup with powder paints or (2) by mixing corn syrup with drops of food coloring. Use muffin tins, empty yogurt cups or small jars for each color paint. Children can paint with their fingers or use brushes. This paint never really dries – it remains shiny and sticky for a long time. I recommend hanging art work rather than trying to frame it or saving it with other papers.

Salt Dough

Mix together in a large bowl:

2 cups of flour
1/2 cup salt
3/4 cup hot tap water
This dough will form a ball, which can be rolled out and cut using cookie-cutters, or molded into any shape you like. Before drying, make a hole for hanging using a plastic straw or by wiggling a toothpick and making a hole. Takes up to a week to air dry. {Tip: When making Christmas ornaments or other flat cut-outs, flip the dough over each day so it stays flat and won’t curl up as it dries.}

Cinnamon Dough

Mix together with hands:

1 cup ground cinnamon
1 cup applesauce
1/4 white school glue
This mixture will form a slightly sticky, clay-like dough. It can be molded by hand. It can also be rolled out, then kids can use cookie cutters to make ornaments or other hanging decorations. Try using plastic flatware for cutting and creating special effects. Use a straw to make a hole before the ornaments dry. (See tip about drying under “Salt Dough”.)

This dough can also be made with just cinnamon and glue, or with just cinnamon and applesauce. Experiment to see which one you like best.

Colored Sand

In a zip bag, mix 1/2 cup salt and several drops of food coloring. Shake the bag until completely mixed. Spread on wax paper or parchment paper to dry. Ordinary table salt versus coarse salt yields different effects — figure out which one you like best!

Foamy Lava

In a small bowl, mix 2 Tablespoons warm water and 1 teaspoon active dry yeast.

In a clean, empty water bottle or soda bottle, mix 1/2 cup 6% hydrogen peroxide (found on Amazon), several drops food coloring, and a squirt of liquid dish soap.

Place water bottle outside or in a plastic basin to catch spills. Using a funnel, slowly pour yeast mixture into soda bottle and be amazed!

Home Made Sand or Coffee Sand

In a large container, mix together:

4 cups dried, used, coffee grounds
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
Store in airtight container or zip bags.

Colored Rice

Pour plain, uncooked, white rice into a large bowl. While stirring, use liquid watercolor paints to color it to desired hue. Stir until dry, even letting it sit out on a cookie sheet, and coming back to stir it now and then until completely dry. Place in sensory tubs or containers for playing, scooping and pouring.

Muffin Tin Crayons

Gather pieces of broken crayons, or break apart the colors your children don’t like any more. Remove papers from the crayons and arrange broken pieces into muffin tins. Heat in 350 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until all crayons melt. Once cooled, pop them out for new, round crayons to play with.

Do you know another fun recipe like this? Post it as a COMMENT, and let’s keep this list growing!

Make your own slime, gak or gooze…recipes here!

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Apr 15 2016

How to Easily Choose Your Curriculum

Is the thought of purchasing curriculum for your homeschool making you nervous? Are you worried you might not find the right products, make the best choices, or get the lowest prices?

Believe me when I say this — you’re not alone. Every one of us struggles with curriculum choices at first. Sometimes, even for years at a time. This stuff takes time, my friend. We can’t know everything about our kids — at least not until we’ve worked with them for a while.

That’s why, today, I’m going to guide you through the process of making curriculum selections. I’m going to do it by having you ask yourself some really important questions. Your answers are going to help you filter out curriculum products that probably won’t work for your family. With any luck, they’ll also help you find the ones that will.

Easily choose a homeschool curriculum that works!

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Right now, you’re thinking, “Isn’t there a lot more to buying homeschool curriculum than this?” Sure, probably, of course there is. But, I’ve gathered some of my best tips, and I know they’ll really help get the ball rolling.

Check this out, and see what I mean:

How do you feel now? Do you want to print this out and take it to the next curriculum fair or convention? Maybe you should place a copy on your desk for the next time you shop online?

How about your friends? Do they need this information, too?

I want you to SHARE this information with others.

I know it will really help them, too.

How to choose your homeschool curriculum – very cool infographic:

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To your success,

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. A homeschooling pioneer and the founder of many groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the public school system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, with no teaching background whatsoever. A liaison for regional school-to-home organizations, a homeschool leader, and a women’s life coach, Marie-Claire mentors in a variety of areas that impact health, education and lifestyle. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on Holistic Parenting, CONNECT, Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of sites and blogs nationwide. Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.