2012 is proving to be an exciting year for America! We’ve cheered for our Summer Olympians, and now, we’re gearing up for a Presidential Election season. What better time than now for those of us who homeschool to teach our kids—regardless of age—about their civic responsibility and privilege. Even if our kids are too young to grasp the concept of the Electoral College, we can still teach them about democracy, representative democracy, the responsibility of our elected offices and even how to vote.

While we may take it for granted that our kids will be active, involved citizens, the statistics say otherwise. The July 2012 issue of Parents magazine ran an article entitled “Raise a Good Citizen” by Leslie Garisto Pfaff that shows just how uninformed and complacent American young people are about the workings of our government. Just look at these statistics:

• Less than half (49%) of 18- to 24-year-olds voted in the last presidential election
• As little as 60% of teenagers have very limited knowledge of current events[1]

If we want to change those statistics, then we should all consider spending time teaching civics in our homeschools. As I’ve looked around for ways to teach this subject to my preschool and elementary students, I’ve found a few resources that I wanted to share.

Curriculum

American Heritage Educational Foundation

This is a free curriculum (on CD) with lesson plans for K-12^th grade students that covers topics like social studies, US History, US government, political science, economics, geography, speed and more. According to the site, the various levels—elementary, intermediate and high school—comply with national standards.

Lapbooks

Currclick.com has several election-themed lapbooks from which to choose—and they are all on sale. Lapbooks are a great way for students to learn a subject in a hands-on way. Each lapbook curriculum that you receive will include a page or two of copy on an aspect of the topic you are studying. After reading that section, students create “minibooks” about what they’ve learned. The minibooks will be folded different ways. Once your students complete all the minibooks, they paste them into a manila folder. The end result is that students have a wonderful, creative memory book of the subject they’ve learned. My kids love to return to their lapbooks and look through them. It’s fun, effective (kids remember what they’ve created) and a great record of their educational journeys. And on top of all that, they are inexpensive. You buy the lapbook curriculum (like one of the examples below) and then make copies of the minibooks for each of your children. Here are two companies that I’ve used before.

Presidential Election Process Lapbook K-5^th
By Knowledge Box Central
Sale $3.00

Presidential Election Process Lapbook 6^th – 12^th grade
By Knowledge Box Central
Sale $3.00

American Government and the Election Process Lapbook with Study Guide
by A Journey Through Learning, grades 2-7
Sale $7.80

Unit Materials

ABCTeach.com has a selection of free printouts to complement an Elections unit. For example, there are writing prompts, suggestions for having a mock election and ideas for a current events project.

TeacherVision.com has several suggestions for helping your students learn about the 2012 electoral season, including writing exercises, lesson plans and history articles about past elections.

BusyTeachersCafe.com has a page dedicated to the election, complete with vocabulary words and lesson ideas. It also gives a list of additional links.

Books      

Here are some great books to check out at your local library or order online. I’ve tried to include several books for various elementary ages. If you know of others, please let me know.

The Story of America’s Birthday 

by Patricia A. Pingry, ages 2+

$6.95

The Election Activity Book

By Karen Baicker, ages 6+

$11.95

Everyone Counts: A Citizen’s Number Book

By Elissa Grodin, ages 6+

$15.34

If I Ran for President

by Catherin Stier, grades 1-3  

$6.99

Presidential Elections and Other Cool Facts

by Syl Sobel J.D.,  2^ndgrade and up

$6.99

If you’ve found other resources, be sure to share them here. Happy Homeschooling, Everyone!

But talking to my friend, I was intrigued. She’s new to Classical Conversations and eager to get started. For her, CC is going to provide some welcomed structure. She sent me home with the 2012 CC catalog and an older version of the Foundations curriculum guide. The catalog was interesting, but I still wasn’t ready to convert.

On my friend’s suggestion, I ordered The Core: Teaching Your Child the Foundations of Classical Education by CC founder and CEO Leigh A. Bortins from the library. I was pleasantly surprised.

Bortins is the first writer to explain the classical model of education in a way that I understood. She takes readers through the three levels of the trivium. (Yes, I now know what that means.) She explains why each level—grammar, logic (or dialectic) and rhetoric—coincides with a child’s development. She also lists why she believes many of America’s public education problems stem from our country abandoning this model of education.

The last half of the book is devoted to different academic subjects—reading, writing, math, geography, history, science and fine arts. Bortins gives parents suggestions for implementing a classical model of education in each subject of their homeschool. She then ends the books with recommended resources.

If you are interested in classical education, I highly recommend The Core. It does break down the classical method in a clear and concise way, taking it from theory to practical application. But be warned, Bortins is hard core. Those are the words that kept coming to my mind as I read this book. The classical method is not for the faint hearted. On page 49, she writes:

While rote memorization is currently considered unnecessary by many educators (as exemplified by the allowance of calculators before college math), classical educators consider it advantageous for two main reasons:1. It strengthens the student’s brain by straining it a little more each day, and 2. The student takes in quality content that informs and educated person.

 

These differ greatly from the “edutainment” offered to encourage elementary student to ‘enjoy’ school. Classical educators prefer to prepare children to work hard at learning until the skills become enjoyable. Consider this important difference: classical teachers prefer to teach children to like memorizing quality content (such as a rhyme or sonnet) so that one day they can enjoy difficult assignments. We want their self-esteem to be based on actual accomplishments.

This sentiment is repeated throughout the book. For Bortins, education is not about enjoyment; it is about the function of learning how to think and the end result of becoming an educated person. Call me a wimp, but I believe children can enjoy the journey. Yes, they need to learn. Yes, that requires discipline, but to discount the enjoyment of learning as much as Bortins does seems like we’re jumping from one ditch into the other—from passivity into drudgery.  Surely, there is a happy medium.

In the end, though, I took some of Bortins’ words to heart. I found myself reevaluating the standards I had set for my children. In the past, I have been moved by my daughter’s pleas for mercy from mathematics problems but no more. The other day, my daughter leaned back in her chair, math book in hand, and wailed, “But mom, it’s so long.”

I held up The Core and said, “This book tells me I should push you even more and make you do even more problems.”

Her eyes widened in horror. “Don’t read that book, mom.”

While I won’t abandon the path my husband and I have chosen for our homeschool, I do appreciate Bortins’ perspective. I will take another look at the list of great books, keep our academic standards high and even look at implementing CC’s map skills into our curriculum. I may not end up a true classical educator, but my children will benefit from my time spent with The Core.

If you are unfamiliar with KONOS, it is considered the grand-daddy of unit studies for K-8th grade. There are three volumes and each volume covers 2-1/2 years of teaching, quite a bargain since each book only runs about $100 brand new. Each semester is based on a character trait like obedience, resourcefulness and truthfulness.

One of the great things about KONOS – and there are many – is that it gives lots of options and flexibility so parents are able to tailor each lesson specifically for their children. It’s also great for active kids who need to keep moving. The biggest challenge with KONOS is that it requires quite a bit of planning and preparation. You have to pull all those hands-on activities together.

Even if you aren’t ready to commit to KONOS for the bulk of your child’s homeschooling needs, it’s still a wonderful resource to have on your shelves as a supplement to your other curriculum because of all of its rich hands-on activities like hosting a medieval feast (complete with costumes and recipes), outlining geographic regions using string in your backyard, building models and more. While KONOS was created for the Christian homeschooler, and definitely supports a Biblical worldview, secular homeschoolers would be able to use it by simply skipping the Biblical teaching.

If you’ve had experience using KONOS, I welcome your comments! I’d love to hear what you liked and didn’t like and how you implemented it. Happy Homeschooling, Everyone!

In my last post, I talked about planning for a Homeschol Convention. Today, I’m going to give you some tips for making the most of your time at the convention.

1.       Bring your spouse.

Homeschool conventions are a great chance for both parents to make informed, united decisions about their children’s education. It’s also a great chance for the non-teaching parent to have a voice in the homeschool, and two heads are better than one when it comes to making final selections.

2.       Bring cash for parking.

3.       Bring a large bag or backpack for your purchases.

Some conventions don’t allow rolling cases, so suitcases may not be a good idea. Conventions do usually have a storage room where you can check your purchases, but you can also wait to the end of the day and buy everything on your way out.

4.       Leave early.

If you plan to attend the first workshop, leave early enough to register beforehand. Remember, there will be some line, not as long as if you hadn’t preregistered, but leave yourself time anyway.

5.       Look through your welcome materials.

At registration, you will receive a bag of goodies. Look through this. Vendors sometimes include coupons in these.

6.       Make one pass of the sales floor before buying anything.

Visit all the vendors and products on your must-see list first. Make notes of what you want to buy and how much it cost. Take into account all of the sales and convention deals. You may even want to talk about your buying plans over lunch with your spouse. This will help you stick to your budget and prevent a lot of impulse purchases.

7.       Once you’ve visited all of your must-sees, take time to roam and talk to vendors.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and look through the products. Think about how you would use the product and how it would fit into your homeschool. Some products are really inventive and fun, but they may not be practical for you.

8.       Start buying.

On your final pass through the convention hall, buy your materials.

I hope this series has been helpful. If you have any other tips, please send them to me. Happy Homeschooling, Everyone!

A friend of mine once admitted that the first time she visited a homeschool convention, she sat down and cried. She looked around at all the products being offered and felt completely overwhelmed. I understood her reaction. Homeschool conventions are full of fun, compelling and competing products. For someone new to homeschooling or new to homeschool conventions, it can be a bit much. But with a little planning you can go to your next convention confident and clear about what you want and what you have to spend.

Over the next two posts, I’m going to share how I prepare for a homeschool convention. I’m a bit of researcher, so for me, I find this part fun. I know, I need to get a better hobby, but hey, that’s why I keep this website. It’s a way to give purpose to my research-mania—I can say I’m doing it for you! But seriously, it also helps me avoid being overwhelmed on the day of the convention.

The basic approach I take is to start big and systematically reduce the information to just what I really need. Then I leave myself time to roam and dream and think.

1.       Preregister

Often by preregistering far enough in advance, you will save as much as 50% off of the door price and avoid standing in long lines on opening morning. And if you are up for volunteering, you can sometimes get in for free.

Homeschooling families often want to keep their children with them, but a homeschool convention may not be the best place for that. Let me explain. You need to concentrate. There is so much to look at and so many booths and workshops to visit that having children with you can make that difficult. That being said, if it is unavoidable, set you and your children up to succeed:

• If you plan to bring your infant with you, check to see if strollers are allowed on the convention floor. If they aren’t, then plan to take frequent breaks and pack a sling or other carrier. Often conventions have nursing mothers’ rooms, too, so make sure to locate that for nursing or changing your baby.
• Bring activities, like books, coloring books or quiet electronics, to keep children occupied during workshops.
• Bring snacks. While most venues won’t allow coolers in the doors, you can prepare some small snack packs to carry in your purse or backpack. This will save you money and keep your children occupied.
• Bring a water bottle. Even if you have to store it in your purse or backpack while you are on the sales floor, it will help you keep from feeding the hungry vending machines.

2.       Make a List of Your Goals

Decide what you really need—a language arts curriculum, foreign language program, art supplies or something else. This sounds simple enough, but homeschool conventions are full of goodies. If you aren’t prepared going in, you can easily get caught up in buying fun, would-like-to-haves before you ever buy your must-haves. Make this distinction in your mind before you ever arrive at the convention.

3.       Know Your Budget

If you aren’t careful, you can spend hundreds of dollars without even thinking about it. Decide what you really need first (see #2), then research the realistic cost of those items and leave yourself some play money, even if it is just $20. Then when you go into the convention, you won’t be surprised by the costs or overspend.

Keep a couple of things in mind as you prepare your budget:

• Some vendors offer convention specials.
  This is another benefit to knowing what you need to buy before you arrive at the convention center. I have passed up on convention specials because I didn’t realize how good they were until I comparison shopped at home. I was kicking myself.
• Some vendors offer free shipping for convention orders.
  If you are placing a large order with a large curriculum supplier (like Abeka), the free shipping makes a difference.
• Some vendors (like Sonlight) offer coupons and then direct you to their websites. They don’t actually take orders at the convention; they just allow you to handle the product before buying.

4.       Review the List of Workshops

There are two types of workshops—the keynote speakers and the vendor speakers. Keynote speakers will speak on a variety of topics, not necessarily associated with their products. Obviously, they will speak about what they know, but they may also offer seminars on subjects like avoiding burnout, homeschooling through high school or teaching non-teaching spouses to be supportive.

The vendor speakers will usually offer an introduction into their products. Go into these sessions understanding that they are trying to sell you their products, and that’s ok. These sessions are great for getting details about a curriculum before you buy it as well as the research behind its preparation.

5.       Review the Vendor List

Print out the vendor list and highlight the vendors you want to visit. Place this list in your convention folder (see #8).

6.       Visit the Websites

If you don’t know a vendor, visit its website to get a better idea about what it offers. Then you can eliminate or add it to your must-visit list. Visiting vendor sites before has helped me find some great products, so when I get to the convention, I can look at them up-close. I already know a little about the product and maybe even have some questions that I can ask the vendors. Again, it’s less overwhelming to show up at the vendor’s booth knowing a little about its product.

7.       Print Out the Sales Floor Map

Mark the vendors that you want to visit and a get mental picture of where the booths you want to visit are located. Realize that these may or may not be on the large sales floor. Some vendors, especially service groups, may be located elsewhere. Place this map in your folder (see #8).

8.       Put Everything in One Place

Place all your papers in a folder and then place that folder in your bag, so you don’t forget it on the big day.

In my next post, I’ll give tips for the day of the convention. Be sure to check back.

If you have thought about adding an iPad to your homeschool but wonder just where to start, you’ll be happy to see this article by Charlie Osborne. In the article, Osborne offers 50 Resources for iPad Use in the Classroom with links. And while the article focuses on traditional classrooms, many of the the apps are still good for home educators. Like you, I will enjoy looking through all the goodies.

There are apps for creating lesson plans, math games, phonics games, foreign language and more. The suggestions cover all grades – from elementary to high school, so there’s something for every homeschooler, regardless of education philosophy or age. Enjoy!

I just came across this research article by the Barna Group, Godless Hollywood? Bible Belt? New Research Exploring Faith in America’s Largest Markets Produces Surprises,  and I just had to share it. It doesn’t have to do with homeschooling per se, but since homeschoolers are often a devout group, I thought you’d enjoy reading it. It covers topics like:

• Where do the most (or least) evangelicals live?
• In which city do more Americans attend Sunday School?
• In which city do more people attend large churches?
• In which city do more people attend churches with fewer than 100 people?

The article is from 2005, but the research should still be relevant. Enjoy!

Do you ever worry that your children are spending too much time in front of an electronic screen? I’m not just talking about vegging out in front of the TV. I’m talking about all of the screens that have infiltrated our homes — TV, gaming systems, iPads, computers, even phones. Now, there are even screens for books. Who doesn’t love the ease and convenience of the Kindle or Nook? And if you’ve ever had to wait with a busy child in a doctor’s office, you know the games on your phone can make the whole visit easier.

And not all of these screens are mindless. In our homeschool, I regularly implement PBS’ shows (i.e. Electric Company, Wild Kratts and Sid the Science Kid). They’re easy and kids learn a lot from them, often more than they would from a worksheet or textbook. And video games? Well, some spark creativity and encourage teamwork. But where is the balance?

I recently came across an interesting article entitled Screen Time, How Much is Too Much for Your Kids? by Jeana Lee Tahnk. In it, Tahnk cites several studies and even gives the following guideline:

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests kids ages two years old and younger be completely screen-free. All other children should get no more than two hours a day

Maybe you’ll find it as interesting as I did. With the new school year right around the corner, using these screens purposefully will be another consideration in our homeschool. I’d love to hear from other homeschoolers: How do you regulate screen time? How do you use media in your homeschool? What effects have you seen? Let me know!

Happy Homeschooling, Everyone!

It’s July. The summer has heated up, and all across the country home educators are waking up to the realization that the new school year is right around the corner. If you’re like me, you’re considering what to keep the same, what to change and what to add or delete in your homeschool in the coming school year.

One of the areas I’d like to add to our homeschool, is creative writing and journaling. My children are still young so I’m looking for a creative and fun way to introduce creative writing. I wanted to share some of the resources I’ve found.

First, I’ve heard lots of great reports about the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IFEW). I was about to purchase an MP3 of one of Andrew Pudewa’s lectures when I decided to visit the IFEW website. I was pleased to find that IFEW offers several free webinars (past recordings and future sign ups). Topics include: Experience Excellence in Writing, Presenting Primary Arts of Language and Writing from Pictures. Of course, the purpose of these webinars is to sell IFEW products, but there should still be information to glean.

I then wondered about finding story starters for daily writing. Surely, I shouldn’t have to buy another book in order to come up with fun and interesting story starters for my kids. Then I found The Story Starter, a website dedicated to providing fun first sentences to get kids writing creative stories.

Now, if you have a creative student, like me, you may want to add an art element to the beginning of your school year by letting your student make their own journal. Here are a few instructions that I found: How to Make a Journal and How to Decorate a Composition Journal.

I’ll keep you posted on future findings. Happy Homeschooling, Everyone!

If you know someone who is getting started in homeschooling, this would be an excellent gift. And because it’s available in a downloadable format, it won’t take up valuable shelf space. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I have.

Happy Homeschooling, Everyone!