I know we don't normally HAVE lockers if we're homeschooling, but I liked the decorating ideas of this video so much that I thought maybe homeschoolers might wanna see it all the same. I have a couple teenagers in public high school now, so I know they'd be interested in this one. Enjoy.
Time management for homeschool families
By Jeanne Noorman / Grand Rapids Homeschooling Examiner (CLICK to read more)"If the quote “For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned, ” is true, than homeschoolers would be well advised to spend time organizing their time.
With academics, enrichment classes such as music and PE, and extra-curricular activities to coordinate for each student in the home along with daily and weekly household tasks (cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping), doctor’s appointments, church commitments and more, time management skills and/or a time management system are essential in achieving a balance in your homeschool. Stephen R. Covey, best-selling author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, comments that “the best thinking in the area of time management can be captured in a single phrase: Organize and execute around priorities.”
Priorities in a homeschool will vary according to the ages of the students and the dynamics of the family. A working mother will have to schedule school around her paying job; while a stay-at-home mom can be more flexible with her schedule. Other aspects to be taken into consideration when setting priorities in the homeschool household are learning styles, homeschooling methods and curriculum choices. Active, younger children and those with shorter attention spans will need regular breaks while doing their school work. These short breaks can be utilized by mom to do quick household chores such as changing a load of laundry, unloading the dishwasher or returning a phone call. Older students should be able to work independently for longer stretches of time.
CLICK on the full article link above for a few time management tips offered by experienced homeschoolers."
Homeschoolers hit the gridiron for first time in New Orleans
By Mike Hoss / Eyewitness News wwltv.com (CLICK to read more)"John Burke is a 13-year-old eighth grader who has been homeschooled his entire life. And he loves football, but as a homeschooler, there wasn't a team.
Video: Watch the Story
So his dad made him an offer.
'He said that he would put me into school so I could play high school football,” John Burke said. “I felt it was a strange idea.”
That's not a problem anymore. Now there is the home school Saints, New Orleans' first tackle football team made up entirely of homeschool kids. Thursday was just their second time in action.
“Yeah it’s exciting, I love football in general and the adrenaline rush of being able to go onto the football field after never being able to play,” said player Sam Mauras. “Its just exhilarating to go out and represent New Orleans.”"
Adding homeschool to your traditional school life
By Sarah Wilson / San Jose Homeschooling Examiner (CLICK to read more)"Homeschoolers often incorporate aspects of traditional schooling into their curriculum. Whether it be workbooks, assigned reading, structured study time, or scheduled lessons, homeschoolers take what fits their child’s needs and adapt it accordingly.
So why can’t parents of traditionally schooled children do the same? The answer is, “They can!”
First, parents need to understand what homeschooling is not. It is not a simply explained teaching style. It is not an easily followed lesson plan. It is not something you 'do.'
Instead, it is a way of approaching learning that is impossible in a classroom setting crammed with 20 to 45 students. It is observing your child with the goal of understanding just how he learns. Some good articles can be found at A2Z Homeschooling. The point of this exercise is to figure out how your child needs information presented in order for it to stick. Perhaps she needs to gather it on her own. Or, he may need to experience it. Or, she may need to move around while hearing new information. Or, he may need to teach it to someone else.
Keep in mind that in order to maintain classroom management, children are often taught in one style. If a child doesn’t fit that style, she may create problems in the classroom or act out in other ways. If this is your story, you must look beyond what you’ve been told and really see your child. The schoolteacher is not the parent. The principal is not the parent. The school counselor is not the parent. The thick manila folder people keep slapping under your nose is not the parent. You are. Take some time to really learn what makes your child tick. It will make a world of difference in your lives together, homeschooling or not.
Parents always want how-to books to figure out this homeschooling thing. And there are loads of books out there to read. One good list is at A2Z Homeschooling (this is an excellent site). Another is on the Gifted Homeschoolers Forum site (many resources are not 'gifted specific). As your child is already in school with a curriculum being taught, do not bother with homeschooling curriculum books. The last thing a child who has been in school all day needs is more school."
Back to school shopping for an organized homeschool
By Jeanne Noorman / Grand Rapids Homeschooling ExaminerCLICK to read more
"Plastic crates are inexpensive and portable storage for your homeschool books and curriculum.
We’ve all heard the saying, “A place for everything and everything in its place,” but what do you do when the everything outgrows the places?
Bookshelves and inexpensive plastic crates can become a homeschooler’s best friends, and now is the best time to buy them. With back to school and off to college sales going on, Meijers, Target, Walmart and K-Mart carry a wide assortment of shelves and school storage items, and the prices are reasonable, so if need be you can purchase several.
“The key to good organization is not a one-size-fits-all method,” says Karen Ehman, homeschool mom and author of The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized. While some homeschool families sell their used books each spring, it is common for homeschool families, especially those with children in multiple grades, to accumulate and keep a multitude of books from year to year."
