Comments on: How to Start Homeschooling: 5 Simple Ideas to Start the Year Strong

By: Klaus

Klaus

One of the best things about homeschooling is that you can do things a little differently. Sure you still need to learn your math facts, sight words, and history lessons, but you can do it your way. Textbooks are useful, and quizzes have their place. However, sometimes you need to think outside the box and just let the learning happen. A perfect way to do this is through BINGO games and hands-on fun. Other idea and, in my opinion, the cheapest one – you can even make it for free and this might be a topic of diy lessons, also the most universal game is chess. Math, history, mentioned diy and many, many more things where sky is a limit. The book by Maksim Aksanov (- net-bossorg/chess-puzzles-for-kids-by-maksim-aksanov.) is very helpful in this matter, because on one station ,they have to solve a chess diagram with one, specific move etc.

By: Cait Curley

Cait Curley

In reply to Alexa. I'm so glad you found it helpful, Alexa. I love your son's "coffee"- so sweet!

By: Alexa

Alexa

Hi, Caitlin! I love (love, love) your “books and coffee” mornings. Reading out loud is one of my favorite things to do with my son, and I’ve been looking for more ways to wrap reading into our daily rhythm. When he was younger he used to like to drink “coffee” (warmed milk with a little sugar and cinnamon) with me in the afternoons; this sounds like an easy way to turn that into a more common part of our day. Thanks for the inspiration!

By: Cait Curley

Cait Curley

In reply to Tara. I hope it's a wonderful year of exploration for you all, Tara. City Schooling sounds like so much fun!

By: Tara

Tara

Great list – thank you! We are also new to Homeschooling unexpectedly this year due to COVID-19 and postponing our US move to Spain … We are going to focus a lot on number 4 I hope. I am calling it City Schooling! I’m leaving public education after 11 years … so all three of us (9 and 7 year old) will definitely have some “work” to do to try to break some molds that we are use to.

-Tara of Four Take Flight (www.fourtakeflight.com)

By: Cait Curley

Cait Curley

In reply to Elisa.

Hi, Elisa!

You need to shake that public school mindset and think of your homeschool as a one room school house versus single grade levels. My kids are 12, 10, and 8 and the only subjects we have entirely separate are math and piano. Other than that, we learn the same things but scale to meet levels. The spine of our homeschool is our morning read-aloud routine, which we refer to as “Coffee and Books” (you can read more in the above article and the links to my site). That fuels much of our learning. And then we layer on creative educational resources to make “Lazy” (read: EASY) Unit Studies. Plus, oodles of gameschooling. It does not need to feel hard or complicated. Often, the very best ideas are the simplest ones and your kids will learn despite you 🙂 You’ve got this!

By: Elisa

Elisa

I have kids of multiple ages- 7, 9 and 3. How do I homeschool each one appropriately? Mom guilt got the best of me more than once during our virtual learning and I just felt like I couldn’t do enough for anyone…. ever!

By: Cait Curley

Cait Curley

In reply to Toni. Yes!! Science and math are everywhere and learning happens all the time when we relax and let it :) Thanks, Toni!

By: Cait Curley

Cait Curley

In reply to Carolyn Donovan. Way to go, Carolyn! It's so hard to move from teacher to homeschooler because that public school mindset is tough to shake. I *love* Coffee and Books. It's so simple that it feels like cheating, but all these years later it's still the spine of our homeschool. It fuels SO MUCH learning! So glad it's working for your kids!

By: Carolyn Donovan

Carolyn Donovan

I’m definitely one of those unexpected homeschoolers! We’ve withdrawn our 7 and 4yos and will homeschool until we feel it’s safe to return to classrooms. I’m a special education teacher and left full time teaching when my oldest was born. I’ve been DEVOURING your podcast and I’m happy to report we’ve have three successful homeschool days in a row, largely thanks to Coffee and Books. (We decided to “start” July 1 to give ourselves some flexibility.) It’s amazing! That tidbit has saved my tail and I bow down to you!!! Y’all speak so much truth about this crazy journey. I’d always planned to go back to the classroom when my youngest started school full time, so this is just a little earlier and in my dining room!