Aug 5 2016

My 500th Post

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This is the 500th blog post on HomeschoolWays.com. Yesterday was my three-year anniversary since starting this blog, too. A bit of math: 500 posts in three years means I have published three posts per week. In my very first post, No Dress Rehearsal, I promised two posts a week and, occasionally, more. But even I was not sure I could keep this promise.

500th blog post on HomeschoolWays.com

Thank you to those who have taken the time to drop me a line in private or on the website. We bloggers love comments, so keep them coming. Thank you for reading. Even those who do not comment share with me occasionally that they read it so I know you are out there.  Continue reading »

Aug 4 2016

7 Tips On Being A Better Homeschool Mentor

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What does a parent need to properly homeschool their children? Besides a great lesson plan, first and foremost it all starts with being a great parent. The professional certifications and degrees we believe as being mandatory to education are not exactly required when talking about effective homeschool teaching.

It’s often the relationship the child has with their parents which can help motivate and inspire them. This leads to areas of development and pursuits which are custom-tailored to the blossoming student.  Continue reading »

Aug 3 2016

Queen Anne of Romania Has Died

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Queen Anne of Romania passed away on August 1 and I feel very sorry. Although she was a very unusual queen, in that she never really reigned properly over Romania, she represented the monarchy in a very real way. The Communists removed her fiance, King Michael, from the throne in 1947, so she never really set foot in Romania until almost 50 years later.

Peles Castle - mom and children visiting

The kids and I in front of Peles Castle, one of the residences of the Romanian Royal Family.

Next Tuesday, I will publish a post about this book on Romanian history I just finished. The best part was the modern era, because I finally learned the real facts about the time just before Communism set in. And the royal family were a big part of that history.  Continue reading »

Aug 2 2016

Tuesday Tome Week 31 – Nurtured By Love

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Nurtured by Love was written by Shinichi Suzuki when he was in his 80s. His wife, Waltraud, translated it into English. The subtitle is “The Classic Approach to Talent Education.” If your child is taking music lessons from a Suzuki-certified teacher, you will probably be required to read this book as a Suzuki parent.

Nurtured by Love Review

Suzuki’s idea about learning an instrument has to do with fluency in one’s native language. Just as Japanese children become fluent in Japanese and master complicated dialects by the age of four or five, American children become fluent in English, their native language, and master the accent of the area in which they were raised. It works the same way for an instrument. Continue reading »

Aug 1 2016

Science Camp

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This week, Monday-Friday, 9am-12noon, at the Lutheran Church on Pullen Road in Sevierville, our children are attending a science camp. Several science teachers from the local community college and from the public school system put this program together for free, in order to revive the old way of teaching science: through experiments.

Children looking into a microscope

Looking at rocks up close

The camp director said she has been a lifelong educator and has noticed that over the years the school system has transitioned to worksheets and away from hands-on experiences. For children, science is fun if you show them experiments and let them handle substances. That’s how they develop an inquisitive mind and they learn to think outside the box.

Continue reading »

Jul 31 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 42

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Chapter 42 is the last chapter. It feels rather sad to be done with the Middle Ages. My son said he would like to do it all over again. I told him he was welcome to read the book to himself when he has a moment. He realized he could not talk me into reading it aloud all over again.

Spanish Armada coloring page

Spanish Armada coloring page

By the way, we got our new printer and I was able to print all the necessary coloring pages and maps. What an adventure! We have had the old printer for a decade or so and my husband was ready to upgrade a long time ago. I was not. I am the kind of person who will use a tool until it shreds to pieces or does not function anymore.  Continue reading »

Jul 30 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 41

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Chapter 41 deals with more explorations in North America. We learned where the name Canada comes from (kanata, an Iroquoian word) and what it means (village or settlement or land). There were two stories: one about John Cabot and the other about Jacques Cartier. In all honesty, all this was new to me. I love learning alongside my children.

Jacques Cartier coloring page

Jacques Cartier coloring page

Newfoundland or Terre Neuve sounds like a great place to visit one day. I imagine the climate is similar to Sweden, where I lived for three years, so summer would be the best time to plan a trip up there.  Continue reading »

Jul 29 2016

I Can, Therefore I Am

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I took a break from canning for the past two years. Now and then, I regretted not canning, but life moved on at a fast speed and I understood myself and gave myself a pass for not doing this. My husband actually promised me the healthiest applesauce money can buy – organic, no sugar added, with the highest possible nutrition score on the label – just so I skip canning.

Peaches in light syrup

Peaches cooking in a light syrup, almost ready to go into jars.

He does not like see me “slaving” in the kitchen. Isn’t he a darling? He wanted me to give myself a break from canning, too.  Continue reading »

Jul 28 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 40

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Chapter 40 deals with other New World explorations – those ordered and supported by Queen Elizabeth I. Sir Walter Raleigh is featured in the first story, the Lost Colony in the second. As I read to the kids, I teared up at the notion of the first English baby born in the New World – Virginia Dare.

The Lost Colony coloring page

The Lost Colony coloring page

It’s just really touching to know there was a first baby born in the colonies. And what a fitting last name: Dare! What’s even more touching is that we don’t know what happened to her. Don’t you look forward to the day when finally we can solve all these mysteries of times past?  Continue reading »

Jul 27 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 39

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Chapter 39 deals with England’s Best Playwright – William Shakespeare. For the first time in two years, I chose not to read something from our main book of history (Story of the World). The first story which explains entertainment during Elizabeth’s reign and the details of Shakespeare’s life and career was fine. I read that to them. But the second story was a summary of Macbeth.

William Shakespeare Coloring Page

William Shakespeare Coloring Page

Especially because of my youngest being only six years old, I chose to skip that part. Assassinations and too much revenge, too much description of the bad guy’s feelings of envy, jealousy, greed etc. While I can appreciate Shakespeare genius at capturing the transition from good to evil intents in somebody’s heart, I don’t think children can focus on that. They just get the shock of the violence described.  Continue reading »