I started a blog that will center on book reviews and homeschooling.  I would like to run a segment where I take actual questions that people have about homeschooling and then I give my answer to those questions.  So if you could pm or post here your questions, or questions you've been asked - then I'll address them in my blog - thank you!

Janna

www.cornhuskeracademy.blogspot.com

Hi Janna,

Well, here is a big one that all homeschoolers get asked at some point..."What about socialization?"   I wish you the best on your endeavor.  I'm going to check out your blog right now.

Jenny

The thing that I was hung up on when we were first starting is that I felt the need to choose a method: Montessori, Charlotte Mason, unschooling, Classical, school at home, etc. Maybe you could do a basic rundown of the options, including building your own curriculum. :D

Also, maybe links to homeschool laws would be nice... Umbrella school options, too.

Not really questions I get asked, but rather statements:

• I could never homeschool. I don't have the patience for it.
• I don't have a college degree / Not comfortable teaching ____ (fill in the blank)
• I am afraid I will forget to teach something / gaps in education
• My child will miss his or her friends at school

Thank you Ladies,

    This is exactly what I was needing.  Heaven knows I get asked questions like this all the time, but I figured it would be easiest for me if I could start with an actual list and work off of it...

Keep em coming :-)

In today's blog I answered Jenny's question about socialization...check it out!

Michelle - one of your questions will be up tomorrow :-)

Michelle had a great point about curriculum.  People like to ask "What curriculum do you use?" and that is hard to answer for those who don't really use one, or are "unschoolers".  I sort of am using something more curriculum-ish now, but up until this year I just kind of made my own, taking ideas from a lot of different places.

I would also like to know how people answer the statement, I could never homeschool.  I have people saying that to me all the time, and because they are usually not Christians, I never know what to say. 

Off now to read your answer to socialization...

I just did a series on the reasons why I home school. It's pretty foundational, but it helps to know your reasons especially on the bad days, and when your family asks you, yet again, "Why don't you put the kids in school?"

Your blog looks nice. Best wishes on your endeavor.

Janna, how about the different learning styles.  I personally drool over a new workbook, but my ds10 is an auditory learner and would do everything orally if I would let him.  We just started our 4th year of homeschooling, but it took almost a year to figure out ds and my dh were very similar in style. 

That kind of falls in the curriculum choice realm.  I've learned to pick what is a good balance for ds and I. 

Love your blog!  If you like Bill Johnson's books have you read When Heaven invades Earth.  We did a study of that a few years ago, it's awesome.

Yes, When Heaven Invades Earth is fantastic!  Have you read Supernatural Ways of Royalty yet?  He co-wrote that one and I love it.  One of his newer ones is Dreaming With God, it is up on my TBR pile soon :-)

Michelle,

    Last night I posted using some of your questions/comments - check it out :-)

Keep the questions coming guys!

Here's a couple commonly asked...

"When do you have time for yourself?" ---never quite understood that question

"What do you do with the little ones, when your busy schooling the older ones?" 

So if I were to answer the curriculum question this week - How exactly would you phrase the curriculum question?

I love it...keep them  coming!

For high school I have heard-  "How do you handle labs?" and "What about a diploma?'

Here's a few I've heard recently:

I want my kids to have access to sports and extracurricular activities. Won't homeschool kids miss out on this?  (We practically live in our van some days because we have so many extracurriculars LOL!)

Do you get money from the state or something to buy school books?

Don't you ever want a break from your kids???!!! I'd go nuts being with them all day. (how sad) 

Oh, thanks Megan and Ann - those are great questions!  With Ann's question about money from the state for curriculum - how does it work for you guys (I think it depends on the state you are in - here in Nebraska I know how it works - what about your states?)

How about..... what if I don't understand the subject myself, that I'm trying to teach my kids?  this would probably especially come into play with subjects like Math and Science.

Ange

www.homeschoolblogger.com/scotschooler

I live in NY and there is no provision of money for books. 

The regulations state that you can obtain books from your local school district if you wish, but every  school district I have heard of, refuse to give you any books!  They also tell you that you can participate in extra-curricular sports, etc through the school, but again, mine has refused to allow homeschoolers to participate in anything. 

So there you go!   We're on our own. :)

Jenny

Hey everybody, check out my blog.  Not only am I still answering your questions... but you can win free books.  Check out my author interview and then leave a comment and you might win!~

Ok. One question I have (as I have just started homeschooling this year and I guess we are kind of a mixture of this and that on how I actually do it.).  My son is like all over the place as far as curriculum goes.  Before he went to school, the way I did things was just whatever he was interested in, that is what we learned.  I never paid much attention to the grade level, because I figured if he was interested in it, why not give it a try.  Now, I am trying to get back into that mode to a certain extent.  I have read a few things here and there and please understand I don't want to miss something critical in his education that he may need at this point and I don't give, then later on he needed it and didn't get it...that sort of thing.  He is all over the board as far as curriculum goes.  I tried two different standard based curriculum sets, but neither worked for him.  Right now, if he were in public school, he would be in second grade.  However, at home, I have ran assessments on him with reading, spelling, and math and discovered this.........We are on a 6th grade reading level, almost a 5th grade spelling level, and 2nd grade in math.  Now, from there, I understand and kinda get the gist that all the "fine arts", computer classes, science, history, those are pretty much just extras to use at my own discretion and teach in my own way.  He is big time into science, but mostly the chemistry and physics aspects I think, as he LOVES to mix anything to see what it does, and is all the time coming up with this little invention or that one.....(one that I particuarly loved was this:  Before he ever went to kindergarten, we were snowed in one day and he wanted a car that would "run on its own" really bad.  Instead of begging and pleading for me to go get him one, he came and asked me for a rubber band.  I gave it to him, and off he went to his playroom.  In a few minutes he was back in the living room with his toy tractor, which he had transformed into a "go car" by tying the rubberband to the front and back axles.  Then when he would drag it backwards, the rubber band would make it go forward on its own.  Now he came up with this all by himself, with no help at all from me.  I thought it was great that a 4-year-old could do something like this.  My husband and I started out buying all kinds of toys for him when he was little, but he would go play with the boxes time after time and leave the toys behind.  He still loves to play with anything that he can take apart and use his imagination on.  My second is the same, even though he is 18 months old.  NOw,......since I have rattled on and on about me.....some questions I have.  I want to get a good library going for him, where he can have instant access to books on subjects we are studying at the time, but am not quite sure how to go about doing it.  I have to order everything I get from the internet, as there is not much access to anything around here, and we tried going to the library, but that just wasn't his cup of tea at the time.  Currently in Science,we are studying earth and space.  Next I plan on getting physics.  My thinking is that instead of stressing over trying to get a lot of books in here right now for the subject we are currently studying, that I try instead to get more books on physics, then try to stay one book ahead like that.   I want to use the Story of the World for history, and thought about doing it pretty much the same way, but guess I just get lost on all that.  As far as computers go, I have just been letting him tell me what he wants to learn on it, and currently we are working on getting a web page up and running and he wants to make his own video games to go on it.  In music,we were working on piano lessons, as I can play the piano, but had never been able to teach it much.  He has kinda dropped that right now.  For phys ed, we have just been starting trying to get into some sort of exercise routine, but its not generally structured.  Mostly we just move around and make up our own moves as we go along, I just try to keep him moving right now for 15 minutes in a row, to move on up a little at a time to build up to about an hour or possibly 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening.  I guess I am just trying to get away from the "structured" school, as it does not work well with a Mom who works from home and has a 19-month-old in addition to her 7-year-old.  I stayed to stressed that way and my stress made them stressed.  Just a little advice anywhere, encouragement, etc. would help lots at this point!

Thanks!

Cindy

Cindy,

I think you are doing wonderfully with your son.  Keep up the good work.  I wish I could be so relaxed.  Even though we are trying to go that direction, I keep slipping back into the school mode.  So once again we are dragging ourselves back out of it!  I wouldn't worry too much about missing things.  Later on if he needs to know something, he will be able to learn it as fast as he needs to.

As far as books go, you are in the right place here.  Just keep looking for the books you want on the swap.  When I first started homeschooling I started a small loose leaf notebook with books I want to look for, books I already own (so I don't get doubles) and books in series, etc.  I went on the library catalog and looked for books on science topics, history by time period, literature I wanted to read, etc.  I just kept making lists and I still use them.  That is one way for you to build up your library.

Another thing we did was become Usborne consultants.  We did some parties and accumulated all the free books that we could.  Now, 5 years later, I am able to get rid of the ones that are too young for us.  That is another idea if you are so inclined.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that you are on the right track, and so soon into your homeschooling.  It took me years to get to this point, so take heart.  :)

Jenny

I have two teenage sons, 15 and 18.  For years I have been asked, "How will they ever get accepted into a college if you home school them?"  I do wish I knew three or four years ago what I know now, but the older one has been accepted by his top 3 choices.   I think the second son will have a better balanced transcript after I've gained the experience.  Hope the college issue is one you can blog.

Adrianne the Opal Lady