Weekly Homeschool Roundup 10/26/19

Life must be lived as we homeschool, and oftentimes life is complicated and emotional.

Over the years I have become increasingly thankful for the flexibility homeschooling provides. In our first couple of homeschooling years, I was stuck to the idea of a “school” schedule, and when the events of life got in the way of our studies I would try my hardest to carry on with school.

I learned my lesson.

Sometimes, real-life IS school.

Attending to the matters of life with grace and diligence teaches our children to do the same. Putting some things on hold to take care of others teaches our children about priorities.

This week I’ve been caring for my elderly father in Florida. He had surgery Monday and is home and doing well. I am treasuring the time to just be with him.

I have been gone all week. My husband is home and supervising school, and I have been helping via text and phone as I am able.

To be very honest, I have put my thoughts of homeschooling on the back burner so I could be fully present with my dad.

Actually, while I have been sitting with my dad I have had a chance to peruse Pinterest for fall homeschool ideas. I am doing things I would never do at home in the midst of our busy schedule. So, that’s been fun.

And, of course, I have been planning, writing, and mulling over music appreciation lessons in my head. this

Don’t you love this beautiful tree? It is a Banyan Tree - found in a garden of hope and happiness at the hospital where my father had his surgery. These trees amaze me.

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5 Good Homeschool Finds

• We’ve Mathified The Squares Game

  This is a fun printable - my son always loved math games that involved puzzles, pencil & paper. I help a 4th grader each week with his Essentials grammar and math games and I am planning to use this game.

• Painted Pumpkin Rocks

  These just look like FUN. I wish I had more time for activities like this when my children were young. Simple, memorable, and whimsical.

• How to Choose the Best Memory Work For Your Homeschool

  I really like Amy’s suggestions in this post. I get her email newsletter and always learn so much from it - good stuff.

• Does Your Family Criticize Your Decision to Homeschool?

  I remember this being a BIG DEAL for me when we first started homeschooling. Some people have the fortitude to not care what their family thinks. Others value their opinions deeply. I hope this post I wrote can be of encouragement to you.

• The First Left-Handed President Was Ambidextrous and Multilingual

  It was interesting to read about James Garfield and his affinity for languages. My son is a lefty and has a talent for languages - and this article shed some light on things for me. And - here are 5 tips for lefties. I’ve learned a few tricks being the mother of a lefty.

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Did you have a good homeschool find this week?

Share it with me in the comments below!

You might also like:

High School Math with Mr. D

You’re a Homeschool Mom? You Are Building Something Amazing!

Weekly Homeschool Roundup: 10/19/19

Some homeschool weeks go by in the blink of an eye. (Actually, most do, right?)

I enjoyed having my daughter home for her fall break. We spent lots of time together - and finally got to see the Downton Abbey movie! It didn’t disappoint. I love all things Downton Abbey, but I think I love the soundtrack the most.

A lot of time has been spent on the basketball court. My son plays for a local private school and the practice schedule is INTENSE. He really enjoys it and I can see that it is SO good for him. Therefore - it is off to the 5:45 a.m. practices we go! (yawn)

I hope you didn’t miss the post about math success earlier this week.

I field a lot of questions about different math programs and did a little explaining in the post. I also talked about some other keys to math success - and this is coming from a non-math person. The important thing is, however, that I can facilitate a successful math education for my children by seeking out the appropriate resources and opportunities.

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I'm excited to share 5 good things with you.

It seems like math games, audio content, and fine arts pervade the recommendations.

• The World & Everything In It

  This is a trusted news source for our family. I consider it part of Grant’s homeschool to listen to this on a regular basis. Watching mainstream media isn’t an option for me (too much stress, polarization, and I’m not sure what information I can trust). This daily podcast presents news from a Christian Worldview and in a very calm, dignified manner. I appreciate the emphasis on Supreme Court cases and the short segments of information that keep a teen’s attention.

• Number Jugglers - The Number Ladder Game

  This is a FABULOUS math game for children of ALL ages. I played it this week with a 4th-grade friend of mine. Basically, it involves using numbers to make equations. It allows children to play with numbers and come up with different possible solutions. It can also be taken to the extreme by our older children (my son was saying something about the power of zero?). You can buy the game used on Amazon (the book includes a lot of variations on the game, too) or you can see the instructions here and create your own number cards.

• To Your Brain, Audiobooks are Not Cheating

  If you have a child for whom reading is a chore, don’t feel one bit guilty about using audiobooks. This article just confirmed what I already know: audiobooks are awesome! I listen A LOT and I’m trying to convince my son of the joys of audiobooks. I have been listening to a lot of the books for Challenge 1 on audio (To Kill a Mockingbird was amazing!)

• The Homeschool Sisters Podcast - Gameschooling by Subject

  Do you include games in your homeschool? I really love all of the ideas presented in this podcast. If you’re going to take the time to listen to a podcast, you might as well get a bunch of good ideas from it - and that is exactly what this episode provides.

Music & Nature Study

In November my friend Cindy West (Our Journey Westward & No Sweat Nature Studies) and I are teaming up to give my SQUILT LIVE! members a treat. We will be learning about Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring in our music lessons and Cindy will be presenting a nature study lesson about the Appalachian Mountains. Aaron Copland is my favorite composer and I’m so excited to share about him with the students. If you’d like to give your children some quality music appreciation and nature study combined in November, please join us!

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I will be traveling to South Florida next week to be with my dad. He is having surgery Monday morning.

Please keep us in your prayers.

It’s a good thing my husband works from home because Grant won’t have to miss a homeschool beat while I’m away. And, through the miracle of FaceTime, I’m sure I can keep up with his schoolwork while I am away.

It is also at times like this that I am reminded of one of the biggest benefits of homeschooling: community. Our homeschool community supports and lifts each other up during times like this. I already have a meal from a friend in the freezer. I have offers of rides for Grant. I’m pretty sure my family will be taken care of while I am away.

As always, let me know if there was a good thing you’d like to share with the Homegrown Learners community.

Leave it in the comments below!