Weekly Homeschool Roundup - 2/1/20

We made it to February!

Are you still feeling that beginning of the calendar year slump?

If you ask my 15-year-old, he will tell you he has A LOT of schoolwork, basketball season is almost over, and he is trying to complete all of his TeenPact homework! I know he is overwhelmed, and to be honest, so am I.

One thing I have learned, however, is that all things are temporary, and pushing through during these months of struggle produces great fruit. And, because we are homeschoolers, we always have the opportunity to STOP what we are doing or to adjust our schedules if we need a break.

We came across this quote in a book we’re reading aloud right now; I found it so appropriate to how we’re feeling.

Sometimes, to become an expert we have to be faithful in the small things - being faithful in the small things requires steady, focused effort. We don’t see the rewards right away, but eventually, the hard work will pay off. This is an important lesson for our children and one I am thankful we can learn through homeschooling.

My son is working on expertise in languages (he studies Latin & Spanish), piano, and basketball.

If we “consign ourselves to a life of mediocrity”, how can we affect change in our world?

(stepping off my soapbox now to bring you the weekly good things…)

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Five Good Homeschool Things:

• Kindred Homeschool Conference

  Registration is now open for the Kindred Homeschool Conference! This one-day (Feb. 22), online conference is full of encouragement and practicality. The speakers are four homeschool moms who are right in the trenches with you - with children of ALL ages. I wish we would have had conferences like this when I was a young homeschool mom!

• Inventor & Invention Themed Morning Basket

  February 11th is National Inventors’ Day, and I love this themed morning basket that Jessica, from the Waldock Way, has put together. It is just these types of resources that will add variety and inspiration for your children. While you’re looking at this basket, check out the other morning time baskets Jessica has put together!

• How To Remember More of What You Read

  “The ultimate goal of reading shouldn’t just be memorization, but reflection and insight.”

  Right? But sometimes it seems that my high schooler (and if I’m being honest - me, too!) doesn’t remember a lot of what he has read. This article contains good strategies. I agree 100% that more ACTIVE reading (taking notes, discussing what you read, marking up the text) helps tremendously with memory.

• Watergate Salad

  My son and I finished reading Born Again, by Chuck Colson. There have been many discussions about Watergate and the Nixon era in our home.

  When the kids were little I would try to incorporate food from our studies into our meals. Maybe it’s a stretch, but I made Watergate Salad as part of our dinner last night. Actually, I served it in a vintage Corning Ware bowl that was my mother’s, and we learned that the recipe came from the Watergate Hotel and was very popular in the Midwest because of the popularity of JellO.

• The Dearly Beloved

  This book wrecked me - in a very good way. It has come so highly recommended, and now I understand why. I don’t want to give too much away, but it is a moving read for mothers (especially mothers of special needs children), wives, friends, and people who have experienced doubt at any in their walk with God.

  If you don’t have much time to read, I would put this one at the top of your list this year - it is well worth your time.

As always, if you feel led, leave me a comment.

Do you have a “good thing” to share?

Weekly Homeschool Roundup - 1/24/20

One of the biggest benefits of homeschooling (for everyone in our family) has been the opportunity to embrace HUMILITY.

My husband tells our children that nearly every problem (of our own creation) can be traced back to humility and pride. Think about that for a minute.

(One of my favorite books is Humility, by Andrew Murray - read it for free here.)

This week, my son had to exercise humility as he admitted a plan he had made for a BIG project might not have been the best idea. I advised him about this early on in the planning of the project, but he forged ahead in his very self confident manner. (Your kids NEVER do that, right??)

As the reality of the situation hit him, he had to back-track, admit his failing, and devise a new plan. Initially, he was upset with me (because I pointed out the reality and forced him to make a change), but later he came to me, apologized, and was able to articulate he was upset with himself and not me.

These moments are GOLDEN, aren’t they? When our children admit a wrong, apologize, and receive grace and guidance from us - there is no better teaching or character-building moment. This isn’t about homeschool, it is about LIFE.

Our culture doesn’t value humility - we value PRIDE. We take pride in our accomplishments. We exalt our children for their accomplishments. We show off our houses, cars, and clothes. We value being “right” and always have an answer for everything.

It is not our natural inclination to be humble. Especially with this generation of children, “it’s all about me” - we are fighting an uphill battle to raise humble men and women, and I believe homeschooling is one of our best weapons.

OK — off my soapbox and on to the weekly roundup!

Yes, we accomplished Latin, math, debate, piano, Shakespeare, science, and a million other things this week. But those weren’t the most important things. The most important thing this week was that one lesson in humility.

Homeschooling allows us to focus on the HEART, the CHARACTER, and the SOUL of our child.

Aren’t you thankful for that? I sure am.

I hope you enjoy this week’s roundup — I’ve included a fun activity for your kids as #5 - enjoy!!!

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• Career vs. Calling

  I just LOVE this post from young Andy, at Family Style Schooling. I shared it with my college freshman and she enjoyed it, too. There is something for all of us in this!

  “What does God want to do with my life? I always assumed this question meant what job does God want me to get, but what if it means so much more? In my first semester of college, several professors challenged my ideas of career and introduced me to the idea of calling. The implications of understanding my calling have made all the difference in my life.”

• How to Reach Your Teen Homeschooler’s Heart

  This one is from my own archives, and it’s good to revisit my own advice every few months. Am I doing what I can to reach my teen’s heart?

• The Importance of Reading at Whim and Developing Your Own Taste

  This podcast spoke to my heart. The main interview is great, but the advice Sarah gives at the beginning to a mom about reading levels is GOLDEN. Listening to this episode is a great investment for any parent!

• Casey At the Bat

  Funny thing - we are revisiting this classic poem right now in our homeschool. When my son was young and baseball-obsessed we listened to the Maestro Classics production of Casey at the Bat, as well as read this wonderful book. This occurred during the years where I went as fast as I could to keep up with my son’s interests - and we actually stopped for quite a while on Casey at the Bat!

  Now, as a 15-year-old, my son is memorizing the poem as part of his Challenge I work. We are focusing on the last two canons of rhetoric, memory and delivery. It’s been a walk down memory lane to pull out the CD and book as he prepares to present the poem on his own.

• If You’re Happy and You Know It

  February in SQUILT LIVE! we are Jumping into Jazz. This arrangement of such a popular kid’s song is done by Christian Sands. My husband and I saw him in concert a couple of months ago and were quite honestly floored by this young Jazz musician’s talent.

  This song is included in the February listening calendar, and a little birdie told me there just might be a fun member bonus lesson this month centering around it, too. Try this with your kids as a listening activity.

  • Listening Activity

    IMPROVISATION is composing, executing, or arranging anything without previous preparation. What does Christian Sands do musically to change this song? (examples including changing the speed, adding/subtracting notes, etc…) Make a list, draw a picture; can they sing the song and make their own improvisation? Have fun with this!

A Note: A lot of you also ask about what I’m reading. Follow me at Homegrown Book Picks on Instagram, where I keep a visual log of books read! You don’t have to have the Instagram app or even have an account - my profile is public so you can just click the link I gave you and explore the pictures.

Thanks for being on this homeschool journey with me!