Jul 9 2015

Thoughtful Thursday Week 28 – Teach Me, Mom!

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A homeschooling mom’s dream come true: “Mom, we have not done school in there – pointing to the office we use as school room – in a long time. Tomorrow, I want you to teach me in that room, OK? I want to do math and spelling, OK?” This is one time when I don’t request my children say “please” at the end of their plea. By the way, said plea came from my son who is enjoying a great summer break with swimming on a swim team, youth camp, Summer Reading Program workshops at our local library, nature study, Little Bits experiments and violin and piano practice.

Thoughtful Thursday

Yes, we are learning a lot through the summer. Just not in “that room.”

So what happened? Why the plea for math and spelling?  Continue reading »

Jul 7 2015

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 1

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We started the second volume of Story of the World during what is officially our summer break because (1) my children asked for history and (2) the textbook has 42 chapters while the school year only has 36 weeks. It is recommended that we cover one chapter per week, so we need to cover six chapters before we start our new school year in August. Of course, nothing bad happens if we get behind or if we finish the textbook after we close our 180 days of school next year…

But when my five-year-old says, “Mommy, we have not done history in a long time. We need to do history!” and when my son says, “When do we start studying about the Middle Ages, mom?” I know it is time to start photocopying the activity pages and order extra reading material from the library.

Magic carpet craft activity

I printed out a picture of them so we can glue their faces onto the page provided.

Just to clarify, the Activity Book gives parents permission to photocopy activity pages (maps, coloring, craft patterns, paper dolls etc) for the needs of their family. Also in the Activity Book one can find lists of corresponding literature, fiction and non fiction, which one can purchase or borrow from the library, to enhance the study of each chapter.  Continue reading »

Jul 2 2015

Workshop Slides

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As of this week, Homeschool Ways added another tab to the main menu: Workshops.

This tab will offer my readers the slides I use during my workshops, in PDF form.

Feel free to use them, but please mention your source, HomeschoolWays.com, and my name, Adriana Zoder.

If you have any questions about some of the concepts listed, please feel free to email me – blog at homeschoolways dot com.

Check back often, as I will develop new seminars and upload the slides there.

Jul 2 2015

25 Best Homeschooling Books

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According to my umbrella school coordinator, homeschooling moms should keep themselves fresh by reading at least one or two books – an in-service for homeschool moms per year. Take 30 minutes in the morning, before your household wakes up, and read these books to strengthen your outlook on homeschooling. At some point, you will want to start reading the classic books of Western Civilization, if you have not read them before children (see #1 and #4 below).

Please note that I am an Amazon affiliate. Here’s a link to my aStore with all the books listed below.

Bookshelf filled with books

One of my bookshelves, in dire need of organization.

1. Well-Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer

2. Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer

3. The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling by Debra Bell

4. How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading by Mortimer Adler

5. The Original Homeschooling Series by Charlotte Mason  Continue reading »

Jul 2 2015

Thoughtful Thursday Week 27 – Homeschool Conferences

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I have said it before, and I will say it again: homeschooling parents should attend a homeschool conference at least once a year. Sorry for should-ing all over you, but you should. I am not saying you should spend money on transportation, hotels and restaurants to get to one. But if you have a local event, by all means change your schedule, get a second job to pay for the fee, volunteer at the conference for discounts, do whatever it takes and attend.

Adriana Zoder and Susan Wise Bauer at the Appalachian Home Educators Conference in Knoxville, June 2015

With Susan Wise Bauer at the Appalachian Home Educators Conference in Knoxville, June 2015

The reason people don’t attend homeschool conferences is that they don’t think they will get enough value out of them. I know, I know, some of you are saying, “That’s not true. Some actually can’t afford a conference.” I can agree with that only for the extremely poor, but even they make an effort to earn some extra money for something they deem valuable.

Ultimately, it is human nature to choose activity A over activity B because activity B does not offer as much satisfaction or perceived value as activity A. Sure, I understand schedule conflicts. I also understand lack of resources. I even understand the fact that homeschooling parents are afraid of being made to feel inadequate in their efforts by so-called homeschooling experts.  Continue reading »

Jun 30 2015

Story of the World, Vol. 1, Chapter 42

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Chapter 42 is the last chapter in the Story of the World volume 1. It deals with the end of Rome.

The map gives the children a chance to identify continents and countries.

We made a Roman emperor scepter for our craft or activity. I knew we had all the materials around the house, so I did not need to improvise or buy anything new.

Scepter Craft

Recycled dowel and old tennis ball, getting ready to find new life together as a scepter

I can’t believe we’ve done it! We have finally finished it… I don’t know if it would have taken me less time had I not been blogging about it. Sometimes blogging about each chapter slowed me down, but other times it motivated me to work with them through some of the activities (besides coloring and map work).  Continue reading »

Jun 29 2015

Story of the World, Vol. 1, Chapter 41

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Chapter 41 talks about the attacking barbarians: Attila the Hun, Stilicho, and the Visigoths.

My son decided to draw a picture of Attila the Hun based on the description by Edward Gibbon, who is quoted in the Story of the World.

Attila the Hun sketched by a boy

My son sketched Attila based on the description in the activity book

The kids were really disgusted by the Huns’ habit of eating raw meat which had been spiced up between their saddles and their horse. Continue reading »

Jun 28 2015

Story of the World, Vol. 1, Chapter 40

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By the time we reach the end of the school year and the end of the history book, Rome begins to weaken and this is also the title of Chapter 40. The Celts and Boadicea captured our imagination.

The kids colored the queen of the Celts in pretty pink and green colors. Then, we had a Celtic feast as suggested in the Activity Book: berries, grape juice, bread, and (vegetarian) chicken.

Celtic Feast

Grape juice instead of wine, berries, bread and vegetarian chicken patties

We ate with our hands, as no silverware was allowed. Continue reading »

Jun 25 2015

Thoughtful Thursday Week 26 – Summer Camp

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Our son attended Cohutta Springs Youth Camp in Crandall, GA for five days (and five nights). It was very difficult to be without him for me. I missed him a lot, especially the first day. Deciding to send him there was a God thing back in May, so now that it was all done and settled, I prayed harder for peace. Peace finally came, along with confirmations that he was having a wonderful time. One of the counselors happens to be our sitter and she texted me by the second day that he was doing well and enjoying his time there.

He really enjoyed himself there. Every day, each cabin experienced four activities from a list which included: archery, swimming, BMX, the blob (giant air-filled pillow floating on their lake), banana boat rides (two boats shaped like bananas, connected in the middle, three kids per side), creative arts (they painted ceramic turtles), canoeing, indoor sports in the gym on rainy days, and more. Each cabin had their own worship time in the morning and then, as a whole, the campers assembled for morning and evening worship.

They put pictures on their secure site for parents to look at and it was fun to look for our son’s lovely face every day. He did not appear in the slide shows every day, as they could not get all the kids in there. When we did spot him, it was such a strange feeling: our son, so far away, having fun and living life away from us for almost a week.

Children and counselor at Cohutta Springs Youth Camp

My son (Superman shirt) with friends plus their counselor

It is not exactly a good feeling, but I decided I was going to be brave and accept the cycle of life. Children grow up. Continue reading »

Jun 18 2015

Thoughtful Thursday Week 25 – Continuing Education

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Last month, my sister graduated from a Romanian university with a master’s in education. I am so proud of her. She has been working on this degree for years, a bit at a time, as time and circumstances allowed. In addition to being a mom and an author, my sister has been working for a Christian radio station for more than two decades. She is not really planning on being a teacher, but she felt this master degree would give her the knowledge to continue to write and produce children’s radio programs.

The AL Abacus from Right Start Mathematics

The AL Abacus we use from Right Start Mathematics has two sides, for different operations.

As homeschooling moms, we also ought to invest in ourselves through continuing education. It is not only traditional classroom teachers who need in-service days. Home educators should read at least one book a year about how to teach. Summer time is the best time for this, of course, because many of us take at least a month off from teaching actively. Continue reading »