Author: schoolioadmin

Back to Homeschool

There’s an office-supply company locally that uses a parody of the Christmas song “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” to advertise their back-to-school sales every year.  And getting ready for starting your homeschool year can be the most wonderful time of the year! To make sure it’s a great year for you and your kids, here are a few things you can do to start off right.

1.   Before you start your homeschool:

Plan ahead

Before you start your homeschool year, take a moment to grab a calendar. Things will go a lot smoother this year if you do a little bit of planning, especially if you’re a family that thrives with predictability.  So, on your calendar, plan out your school year dates. What day will be the “official first day” of your homeschool year? When is the “last day of school”? And when is your fall vacation break, Christmas break, spring break and any other days off?  Mark them all off on your calendar.

Create space

Next, gather up all the resources — books, curriculum, paper, pencils, etc — and put them where you can find them. You don’t necessarily need a dedicated homeschool room, but a dresser, shelf or cupboard where all the supplies and resources live, will help immensely.  Give your homeschool a home base, so that you can find stuff when you need it.

Get supplies

Finally, it’s time to go shopping. Just because we homeschool doesn’t mean that we can’t take advantage of all those back-to-school sales!  There’s just something about freshly sharpened pencils, brand-new glue sticks and crisp, blank notebooks that excites my kids about getting started. So, take the kids and go back-to-school shopping.

 

2.   Get ready:

Clean out

Now that you have a plan and supplies, it’s time to get ready for school. Start with cleaning out the shelves from last year, if you haven’t already. Get rid of the old worn-out pencil sharpeners, the crinkled and torn papers, and the tiny bits-and-pieces of eraser lying around. Straighten up the books, sweep out the pencil shavings, and tidy up the paints and math manipulatives. Then you can put all those fresh new supplies away, ready for that first day.

Plan ahead

Next, do yourself a favour and plan out your first month of meals, at least. Starting a new school year can be busy, because it’s not just our studies that begin again, but all the extra activities do too! So, if you’ve got kids who will be doing swimming lessons, soccer, and Spanish classes this fall, you’ll probably be busy driving on top of everything else. Who has time to figure out what’s for dinner?  Plan ahead.

Stock up

And stock up on snacks for the new school year, as well. If your kids are anything like mine, they’ve been used to raiding the fridge anytime they like over the summer, while fresh fruit and veggies are in ample supply. Keep up the good habits by stocking up on healthy snacks now, so that they (and you) aren’t tempted by more convenience foods later.

Make a note

Speaking of all those extracurricular activities, pull out your calendar again, and note down when those start dates are. Do you need to get new shoes for soccer? Are fees due for Scouting or piano lessons? Make a note to yourself of the extra costs and supplies you need to get. And you’ll also want to check for potential field trips or special events you want to attend with your homeschool community.

Adjust your routines.

And finally, it’s time to start adjusting your routines to accommodate a less casual day. If you’ve slipped into later bedtimes, less frequent baths (because they’ve been out at the splash pad or pool anyway!) and meals have been more “grazing” and less “sit-down”, you may want to start those habits again with your family. If you have a “school year” routine and a “summer” routine, take the time to adjust yourself and the kids from one to the other.

 

3.   “Not Back to School”

 

In many homeschool support groups and communities, homeschooling families will celebrate with a “Not Back to School” party, potluck or picnic. These are awesome ways to connect with your community and celebrate homeschooling! And because we aren’t sending our kids to school, we have the flexibility to enjoy the last days of summer at parks, playgrounds, splash pads and trails without the same crowds.

 

Check with your local support group for dates and locations!

 

4.   It’s the First Day of homeschool!

 

Homeschooling doesn’t mean you can’t do those cute “first day” traditions that public school parents do.  Make your first day just as memorable and fun!  Maybe you spend the day in pajamas? Or maybe there’s a special “first day” breakfast you make? Grab a fun sign and take pictures with the kids! Create your own special traditions to mark that first day.

 

5.   Keep going.

 

Maybe your first day isn’t as fun as you hoped. Or maybe those first few weeks are a little rough. Homeschooling is all about the flexibility. So, keep going with your homeschooling, even if your first few days and weeks don’t go according to plan.

Don’t rush

There’s no need to rush on getting things done. So, it’s ok to take your time, and let the kids adjust to a new routine. Whether it’s your first year, third year or 18th year of homeschooling, not everything goes well the first time you do something. That’s normal. Take a deep breath, remind yourself why you chose to homeschool, and keep going.

Stay consistent

Follow the kids’ lead here. Sometimes it’s not going well because something isn’t working. But sometimes, it’s just a transition issue! It helps if you can stick to a routine as much as possible, and keep the house rules and expectations as clear as you can. When things change, sometimes kids start testing our patience again, just to see where the boundaries are. Stay consistent, and keep going.

Play with them

Take time out for play too! Public schooled kids get recess, and our kids can have much more. Homeschooling doesn’t have to be an all-day thing. So, go outside, break out the board games, or grab the craft supplies and have fun with your kids too. If the day has been hard, maybe a snuggle and a movie will lighten the mood.

Throw it out and start again

If your first days have a few bumps along the way, that’s ok. It should smooth out soon. But what if it doesn’t?

 

Well… homeschooling is about flexibility! Don’t be afraid to throw it all out, regroup and try again. Reach out to your support group, or favourite blogger, and get encouraged. Keep going!

 

Guest Blog - Sarah Wall

Sarah Wall is a pro at teaching her older kids and homeschooling teens. She also helps homeschool mamas do the same. After leaving an abusive marriage with 5 young children, launching a successful business, and creating a support community with several hundred members, Sarah believes there’s always a way to achieve your goals. It’s just about finding the right support. So, if you’re contemplating homeschooling teens, or middle schoolers, she believes that you can accomplish it.

Click here to learn more about Sarah Wall 

 

 

Curious about how to start homeschooling in Canada? 

Click here to read ‘How do I start Homeschooling in Canada?’

 

How Do I Start Homeschooling In Canada?

How Do I Start Homeschooling in Canada?

Homeschooling has become an extremely popular alternative to traditional education in the last 10 years. There’s no doubt that when homeschooling is done correctly, it can be an incredible experience for homeschoolers.  So, how can you start homeschooling? What legal aspects do you need to be aware of? Is there some way to ensure that you will be successful at homeschooling your kids? We have the answer to your ‘How do I start homeschooling in Canada?’ question!

How Do I Start Homeschooling in Canada and be Successful?

Wanting to homeschool, but feeling overwhelmed is totally normal. Unfortunately, it’s human nature to second guess our decisions. Especially when it comes to our kids, their futures and well-being. Let me assure you, if you want to homeschool, you have excellent resources, and have the ability to make it a successful experience for your family. Then, there’s no reason to worry.

How do I start homeschooling in Canada?

We’ve heard your questions of ‘How do I start homeschooling in Canada?’ and broken it down into 10 simple steps to get you started.

Step 1: Shift your mindset about learning schedules.

Homeschooling doesn’t look like traditional education, because it isn’t traditional education. So often new homeschoolers think that they need to make their homeschool day look exactly like a traditional school day. Thinking that your child needs to be working on school work all day, is false. We forget that in traditional school, kids have recess, lunch, activity time, and spend so much time waiting for the class to settle so the teaching can begin. Your homeschool day doesn’t have to look like that. Most homeschoolers only spend 2-3 hours on workbooks a day. The rest of their education is hands on, life learning. That doesn’t mean that they are missing out. Because, they aren’t! They are getting the same amount of educational learning as children in traditional school. It’s truly mind blowing how one-on-one teaching can take the hours upon hours out of learning.

Find out how to schedule your homeschool by clicking here

Also, it should be noted that homeschooling doesn’t have to happen at the same time as traditional school. Some homeschool families find that their learning vibe is better in the evening, on weekends, or even in the summer. Your schedule, is yours. You and only you know how your children learn, and when the best time of the day is for them and you to reach maximum potential for learning. Don’t be bogged down by this idea that your child must start workbooks at 9am and finish by 3:30pm.

Step 2: Find out the legal aspects of homeschooling in your province/state.

Every province and state have different expectations for homeschooling standards. It’s best to check and make sure you following local guidelines. Don’t let that stress you out though, even following legal standards, you will still have so much flexibility for your child’s curriculum, and learning schedule. We have a few blogs on some different province guidelines.

Click here for Saskatchewan 

Click here for Alberta 

Click here for British Columbia 

Click here for Manitoba 

Click here for Ontario

Step 3: Chat with experienced homeschoolers.

Chances are you already know a homeschool mom. And, you must know that most homeschool moms are eager to share how to be successful with homeschooling. Why? Because it’s working so well for their family, they want everyone to experience the freedom and peace that comes with home-learning. Find a local homeschool group in your area, or search out some awesome homeschool groups online. There are so many incredible sources.

 Step 4: Choose your homeschooling style

When it comes to home education, there are so many different styles. The Classical Method, The Charlotte Mason Method, Montessori Method, Unschooling, School-at-home, Unit Studies, Eclectic Education, and more. What style suits your family best? Do some research and find out. Here’s a list of all the different methods of homeschooling, their benefits and drawbacks. So you can make an educated decision.

Click here to learn about different homeschool styles.

Step 5: Choose your curriculum

There are so many different styles of homeschooling. First, figure out which works best for you and your family. Once you’ve determined your style. Select a curriculum that goes along with your style and also the standards that you want for your children’s education. There are so many options out there, so be sure to do your research and find what is very best for your family.

Click here to learn about how to choose the best curriculum. 

Step 6: Get familiar with excellent homeschool teaching strategies.

There are so many books out there, ask around and find out what some of your homeschool friends are into. Search out homeschooling podcasts for tips, and tricks, to make your homeschool teaching career successful.

Step 7: Set up social opportunities for your children.

The last thing we want is for you to feel overwhelmed or alone. That’s why Step 3 is so important. When you chat with other homeschool parents, you will have the opportunity to set up homeschool playdates, homeschool co-ops, sports, arts, and more. These activities will give your child and you a chance to chat with other like-minded people and help your children make lifelong friendships.

 

Step 8: Set learning goals with your kids.

It’s important for you to know what you want from the homeschool year. But what do your kids want? What do they want to learn? How do they want to learn? Ask them! Let them get involved in homeschool planning for the year. When you get your kids involved in these decisions it will help them gain interest.

 

Step 9: Get Familiar with your curriculum.

Once your curriculum arrives, unbox it. Check it out. Let your kids see the new books, and make a plan for what you will need for the first few units of their workbooks. (If that’s the style you choose). Do you need a ruler? Pencils? Paper? Make sure to have it all on hand for each lesson.

 

Step 10: Begin homeschooling, and have fun!

Please don’t stress yourself out with this idea that you need to be perfect in order for your children to learn. You are doing an amazing job. So, dive into it! And enjoy it! Don’t worry about what your neighbours think or say, or how your parents think it’s crazy that you are keeping them home to learn. Keep your mind on the truth. You are doing an awesome job! And your children are going to be just fine!

 

How Do I Start Homeschooling In Canada?

Homeschooling has become an extremely popular alternative to traditional education in the last 10 years. There’s no doubt that when homeschooling is done correctly, it can be an incredible experience for homeschoolers.  So, how can you start homeschooling? What legal aspects do you need to be aware of? Is there some way to ensure that you will be successful at homeschooling your kids? We have the answer to your ‘How do I homeschool?’ question!

Wanting to homeschool, but feeling overwhelmed is totally normal. Unfortunately, it’s human nature to second guess our decisions. Especially when it comes to our kids, their futures and well-being. Let me assure you, if you want to homeschool, you have excellent resources, and have the ability to make it a successful experience for your family. Then, there’s no reason to worry.

 

We’ve heard your questions of ‘How do I homeschool?’ and broken it down into 10 simple steps to get you started.

 

Step 1: Shift your mindset about learning schedules.

Homeschooling doesn’t look like traditional education, because it isn’t traditional education. So often new homeschoolers think that they need to make their homeschool day look exactly like a traditional school day. Thinking that your child needs to be working on school work all day, is false. We forget that in traditional school, kids have recess, lunch, activity time, and spend so much time waiting for the class to settle so the teaching can begin. Your homeschool day doesn’t have to look like that. Most homeschoolers only spend 2-3 hours on workbooks a day. The rest of their education is hands on, life learning. That doesn’t mean that they are missing out. Because, they aren’t! They are getting the same amount of educational learning as children in traditional school. It’s truly mind blowing how one-on-one teaching can take the hours upon hours out of learning.

Also, it should be noted that homeschooling doesn’t have to happen at the same time as traditional school. Some homeschool families find that their learning vibe is better in the evening, on weekends, or even in the summer. Your schedule, is yours. You and only you know how your children learn, and when the best time of the day is for them and you to reach maximum potential for learning. Don’t be bogged down by this idea that your child must start workbooks at 9am and finish by 3:30pm.

 

Step 2: Find out the legal aspects of homeschooling in your province/state.

Every province and state have different expectations for homeschooling standards. It’s best to check and make sure you following local guidelines. Don’t let that stress you out though, even following legal standards, you will still have so much flexibility for your child’s curriculum, and learning schedule. We have a few blogs on some different province guidelines.

Click here for Saskatchewan 

Click here for Alberta 

Click here for British Columbia 

Click here for Manitoba 

Click here for Ontario

 

Step 3: Chat with experienced homeschoolers.

Chances are you already know a homeschool mom. And, you must know that most homeschool moms are eager to share how to be successful with homeschooling. Why? Because it’s working so well for their family, they want everyone to experience the freedom and peace that comes with home-learning. Find a local homeschool group in your area, or search out some awesome homeschool groups online. There are so many incredible sources.

 Step 4: Choose your homeschooling style

When it comes to home education, there are so many different styles. The Classical Method, The Charlotte Mason Method, Montessori Method, Unschooling, School-at-home, Unit Studies, Eclectic Education, and more. What style suits your family best? Do some research and find out. Here’s a list of all the different methods of homeschooling, their benefits and drawbacks. So you can make an educated decision.

Click here to learn about different homeschool styles.

 

Step 5: Choose your curriculum

There are so many different styles of homeschooling. First, figure out which works best for you and your family. Once you’ve determined your style. Select a curriculum that goes along with your style and also the standards that you want for your children’s education. There are so many options out there, so be sure to do your research and find what is very best for your family.

Click here to learn about how to choose the best curriculum. 

 

Step 6: Get familiar with excellent homeschool teaching strategies.

There are so many books out there, ask around and find out what some of your homeschool friends are into. Search out homeschooling podcasts for tips, and tricks, to make your homeschool teaching career successful.

 

Step 7: Set up social opportunities for your children.

The last thing we want is for you to feel overwhelmed or alone. That’s why Step 3 is so important. When you chat with other homeschool parents, you will have the opportunity to set up homeschool playdates, co-ops, sports, arts, and more. These activities will give your child and you a chance to chat with other like-minded people and help your children make lifelong friendships.

 

Step 8: Set learning goals with your kids.

It’s important for you to know what you want from the homeschool year. But what do your kids want? What do they want to learn? How do they want to learn? Ask them! Let them get involved in homeschool planning for the year. When you get your kids involved in these decisions it will help them gain interest.

 

Step 9: Get Familiar with your curriculum.

Once your curriculum arrives, unbox it. Check it out. Let your kids see the new books, and make a plan for what you will need for the first few units of their workbooks. (If that’s the style you choose). Do you need a ruler? Pencils? Paper? Make sure to have it all on hand for each lesson.

 

Step 10: Begin homeschooling, and have fun!

Please don’t stress yourself out with this idea that you need to be perfect in order for your children to learn. You are doing an amazing job. So, dive into it! And enjoy it! Don’t worry about what your neighbours think or say, or how your parents think it’s crazy that you are keeping them home to learn. Keep your mind on the truth. You are doing an awesome job! And your children are going to be just fine!

 

 

 

One Tree Planted Partners with Schoolio

SCHOOLIO PARTNERS WITH REFORESTATION NONPROFIT ONE TREE PLANTED

A Promise of a more sustainable future for kids around the world

TORONTO, August 9, 2021 – Schoolio, a Canadian education startup. Recently announced a partnership with One Tree Planted in August 2021. In the last year, over ten million trees in more than 28 countries have been planted. All thanks to the nonprofit, One Tree Planted. With this new partnership, Schoolio aims to get closer to its goal of creating a better future for children. As a result, we at Schoolio are doing so by contributing 1% of all sales toward reforestation efforts.

“Partnering with One Tree Planted is an ideal collaboration for Schoolio.” Said Sathish Bala. Sathish Bala is founder, and Chief Executive Officer, at Schoolio. “We started our business with the objective to create a better future for kids. This new alliance with One Tree Planted will expand our aim to a greener and more sustainable future. The reforestation efforts conducted through this partnership will help combat the consequences of climate change. Doing so by reducing the carbon footprint and bolstering struggling ecosystems.”

4 goals of this new partnership:

Supporting global reforestation efforts.

Tackling climate change and reversing nature loss by restoring ecosystems.

Raising awareness about environmental concerns, climate change, and it’s setbacks.

Empowering families to take sustainable actions.

We’re joining hands to combat climate change.

One Tree Planted and Schoolio are joining hands for what is one of the most significant methods. That method is to combat climate change together. Both the two organizations aim to plant trees to effectively improve air and water quality around the globe. “A simple act of planting trees can provide crucial ingredients for 25 percent of all medicines. While also yielding a thriving habitat to over 80 percent of terrestrial biodiversity.” Says Matt Hill. Matt Hill is the founder, and Chief Environmental Evangelist, of One Tree Planted. Social impacts of planting trees consists of creating jobs for over 1.6 billion people. This will empower residents, especially women, in underdeveloped nations. While also supporting communities adversely affected by environmental damage.

“We’re excited for the opportunity to work with Schoolio on such an impactful project.” Adds Hill. “Truly, we admire their commitment to creating a greener and more sustainable future for the present and upcoming generations. Our partnership is a prime example of how a positive change for our planet can begin with one simple decision.”

Allowing customers to be involved.

The partnership between Schoolio and One Tree Planted allows customers to be coherently involved in global reforestation efforts. Schoolio will donate 1% of our revenue to plant trees globally. Then local partner organizations and community volunteers plant trees in areas marred by deforestation.

About One Tree Planted:

One Tree Planted is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. That is on a mission to make it simple for everyone to help the environment. And they are doing so simply by planting trees. Consequently, projects by this amazing nonprofit reach around the globe. These projects are done in partnership with local communities and knowledgeable experts. Firstly, they are creating an impact for nature, people, and wildlife. Secondly, reforestation helps to rebuild forests after fires and floods have occurred. Thirdly, providing jobs for social impact.  Most importantly, restoring biodiversity through reforestation. Understandably, many of their projects have overlapping objectives. However, this creates a combination of benefits. That then contributes to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Do you want to learn more about this amazing nonprofit? Visit: onetreeplanted.org

More about Schoolio:

Schoolio is a Canadian education startup company. We provide parents with a range of customizable in-home learning solutions. One of our main goals is to empower parents to be teachers for their students. As a result, we have created easy-to-follow curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 8. Therefore we have been engaging millions of students with the best learning foundation materials around. Which then brings us to another huge goal of ours. And that is to spark a love of learning for everyone. Our hope is to do so while empowering children to be fully prepared for their futures. Learn more about our exclusive products: https://schoolio.io/shop-grades/

 

Media Contact:

Nirmala Jadoonanan

PR Executive nirmala@schoolio.io

Ways to Make Your Back to Homeschool Fun

10 Ways to Make Your Back-to-Homeschool Fun – Guest Blog by Rebecca Miller

As Fall approaches, many parents are gearing up for their kids to go back to school. I often breathe a sigh of relief that, as a homeschool mom, I dodge the frantic crowds doing their back-to-school shopping. However, as September rolls around and I begin to see all those cute “back-to-school” photos on Instagram. And start to hear about first-day-of-school traditions, I find myself wondering are my kids missing out? Here are 10 ways to make your back-to-homeschool fun.

From my experience:

As a child, I remember my parents always took us out for breakfast to celebrate the first day of school. It was a tradition we followed for most of my public school years. I remember the smell of my new crayons and writing for the first time in a brand new notebook. They are fond memories.

Naturally, I began to lament that my children don’t necessarily have those memories of the first days of a new school year. That ugly mom-guilt started to seep in. But then I started thinking, there’s absolutely no reason they can’t make special start-of-the-year activities! We can make our own traditions as a home learning family!

Even if you homeschool year-round like we do, there is something about Fall that just seems like a fresh beginning. So, whether it’s your first year homeschooling, or your tenth. Here are some ideas for fun ways to celebrate the new school year with your family.

10 Ways to Make your back-to-homeschool fun:

 

1. Make a fun breakfast

As I mentioned, one of my favourite memories was getting dressed up in my new school clothes and going for breakfast with my family on the first day of school. This is something we, as homeschoolers, can also do. Another take on that is to make breakfast together. Does your family love chocolate chip pancakes? What about strawberry waffles? Whatever your favourite breakfast foods are, coming together in the kitchen to create a special breakfast together is a great way to connect, and create memories for the first day of “school.”

2. New school supplies

One of the nice things about homeschooling is that you don’t necessarily have to go to the expense of buying new pens, pencils and crayons each September. We usually use things we have from last year. However, it can also be fun to buy some special extras – maybe some glitter pens, a new colourful notebook or sketchbook, or some new paints. You can set all the new school supplies in a pretty basket on the table for the kids to discover in the morning.

3. New books

I don’t know about you, but I get super excited to get a new book. Do you have a favourite read-aloud or a book your family has been wanting to read? It can be a novel, a book of poetry, a picture book (no matter the age of your kids) or even an audio book. Wrap the book up like a gift and have your learners open it in the morning. Then you can all grab a cup of hot chocolate and sit around and read your new book together.

4. Hit the park

One of the best parts of Fall for homeschoolers is having our parks and playgrounds to ourselves again. During the summer they can be crowded and some kids can become overwhelmed (and adults, too). Its always fun to call up a few homeschool buddies and meet up at the park on the first day of school. Maybe bring a picnic and make a day of it.

5. Hit the road

For some families, the first week of school means a road trip! Remember, homeschool doesn’t have to look like school. The flexibility of educating at home, means homeschooling families have the opportunity to take advantage of trips when other families can’t. Pack up the kids, the dog and the bikes and head to the mountains. You can go camping, hiking, fishing, whatever your heart desires. Remember, it’s about making connections and memories.

6. Visit your favourite museum, science centre or planetarium

Just as the parks empty as kids go back to public school, so do museums and libraries. Which is your favourite “field trip”? Is there a place you haven’t check out yet? Maybe you have a local zoo that you didn’t get a chance to check out, or a botanical garden. Sometimes the cooler weather of the Fall can make the experience even better.

7.  Spirit Week

Do you remember having spirit week at public school? The first week of homeschool can be a great time to have your own Homeschool Spirit Week. Brainstorm with your learners what they think might be fun, or surpise them with a list of what to expect for the week. For example: Monday is wacky hair day, Tuesday is backward day etc.

8. Have a board game day

In our homeschool, we love game-schooling. Gameschooling is where you use board games to teach different skills. Sometimes we learn things without even noticing, because we are having fun. How fun would it be for your kids to come into the family room in the morning and see a variety of games set up to explore? Pick some of your family favourites and maybe grab a new one to try!

9. Go to a matinee

A fun tradition to start (and one that might make your kids feel like their public school friends are missing out!) is to go to a weekday afternoon movie. Look through the movie listings at your local theatre and pick one that your family wants to see. Going to a movie on the first day of school sounds like an awesome tradition to me.

10. Make a vision board

Each year, I set out poster board, glue sticks, magazines, pencil crayons and scissors. I have the kids envision what they want to learn about and get better at this year. What experiences do they want to have this year? What goals do they have? The kids then go through magazines and cut out pictures of things that symbolize their goals for the year and draw pictures and words that describe those things as well. You can hang the posters up or take pictures of them to refer to later in the year.

 

This Blog was written by Rebecca Miller from Heart Based Learning. 

Check her out on Instagram: @heartbasedhomeschoolers

Click here for more information on Heart Based Homeschoolers.

More information from Schoolio before you start homeschool.

Socialization and Homeschooling

What is the number one homeschooling myth that drives homeschool parents crazy?

Does it have to do with Socialization and Homeschooling? You bet!  This whole idea that homeschooled children must be isolated and not able to understand social cues, needs to stop! Because the fact is that homeschooled children do have a social life. Whether you’d like to believe it or not, socialization and homeschooling go hand in hand.

Naturally, you’d think because I was homeschooled and grew up in the country that socialization and homeschooling weren’t a pair for my siblings and I. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. We went to homeschool events (yes, even back in the 90s). We had Christmas plays, and believe it or not I had a healthy social group filled with best friends.

My mom ran a soup kitchen in the city close to us, and she would take us with her every Tuesday to help prep food and serve the homeless. Sometimes when my dad had time off, he would come home and tell us to pack our bags. We’d jump in the truck with him and my mom and go for an adventure. We’d cross the border to the United States and travel up and down the East coast. Meeting tons of people, experiencing different parts of another country, and gaining valuable life experience.

Why the questions about Socialization and Homeschooling drive me crazy.

I started homeschooling my oldest daughter in 2015. I would get so frustrated with the constant questions from family, friends, neighbours and even strangers. A fan favourite was: “How are you going to socialize her?” Obviously, the same way you socialize other kids! It became increasingly difficult for me to restrain my attitude when I’d receive the same questions over and over again. By 2019, I had become a pro at answering these questions. I’d spew off all of the things that my children were participating in. Homeschool gymnastics, co-ops, French lessons, track and field, swimming lessons, park dates, field trips and more. My children have neighbourhood friends, homeschool friends and a long list of others. And, I was determined to prove to all the ‘What about socialization’ people that my kids were doing just fine in that department.

Then the pandemic hit, and with it brought isolation that we had never experienced before.

Now, I felt that I had to defend homeschooling in a whole new way.

Quickly I found that parents were taking to social media to say ‘Homeschooling sucks!’ when they were stuck in the thick of trying to deal with virtual learning. I remember telling people: “Virtual Learning, and pandemic learning are completely different from homeschooling.” But, not too many would agree with me.

Most parents assumed that because homeschooling was the same as virtual learning and isolation. This idea goes hand and hand with the myth that Homeschooled children don’t have a social life. When I chat with friends, acquaintances, my husband’s co-workers, and neighbours, the new question about socialization and homeschooling is: “Your lives wouldn’t have been that different because you already homeschooled before the pandemic.” Cue the eye roll. Yes, our lives were interrupted by the pandemic. Because, no, my children don’t just spend their time in the house reading books and ignoring the world outside. My children have had to go through isolation just like the rest of the children out there. We weren’t able to see friends, go to sports, activities, co-ops, and music lessons.

The issue lies with this idea that children need to go to traditional school in order to have a healthy social life. Is this actually accurate?

Before I answer that, I just want to clear something up first. It’s not Homeschooling against Traditional Education. It’s not a matter of ‘what’s better overall’. The point is, that homeschool parents are doing an excellent job of teaching their children, caring for them, cultivating their interests, and helping them to have a thriving social life. Public School parents are doing an excellent job also. Each family must decide what works best for them, traditional education or homeschool. Neither is wrong, so neither need to be bashed. But, for whatever reason Homeschooled parents are the ones that are constantly bombarded with the questions and the comments. The ones that are forever being asked about socialization and homeschooling. Why is that?

I really don’t know. I’d like to say it’s because it’s not the ‘normal’, and people don’t understand when something is different. But, that’s really not the case. Because since 2012 homeschooling has been on the up and up in both Canada and the United States. More and more families are turning to in-home education. I should point out that the turn towards homeschooling started well before the pandemic.

 

Am I just being defensive because it was our choice to homeschool? So, I feel I must defend their socialization to everyone that asks?

That could be. But I choose to look at facts and research first. Not just at my family and our social lives. But at the many, many homeschooling families around the world. Then looking at how their social lives compare to those of traditional education. According to Evidence for Homeschooling: Constitutional Analysis in Light of Social Science Research, “Studies demonstrate that homeschooled students are well socialized.”

“Several studies found no significant difference in the social skills of homeschooled and non-homeschooled students. Other studies found that homeschooled children score significantly higher on social development rating scales/questionnaires. For instance, one study using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, a well-tested diagnostic tool of measuring communication and daily living skills, found that homeschooled students substantially outperformed traditionally schooled students. The average overall score for the homeschooled children on communication, daily living skills, socialization, and social maturity subscales was at the 84thpercentile compared to the 23rd percentile for the traditional schooled students.”

That’s an interesting find. Isn’t it?

Could it be that Homeschool parents are right to feel frustrated when people ask them the same questions about socialization and homeschooling?

Through direct observations and recording his findings on the standardized measure known as the Child Behavior Checklist, Richard Medlin, PhD, was able to measure students’ social skills. He compared the social behaviour of seventy homeschooled and seventy traditionally schooled eight to ten-year-olds. “These students were matched along demographic and socio-economic lines and found no significant differences between the two groups regarding measures of self-concept and assertiveness.” Read about it here!

Interestingly enough, Dr. Richard Medlin found that, based on the checklist, non-homeschooled students had more behaviour difficulties than homeschooled ones.

Want to know another really cool fact about socialization and homeschooling? When formerly homeschooled college students rated their own characteristics and personality traits. (They did this through a standardized measure called the NEO Five-Factor Inventory- 3. )These students showed to be significantly more agreeable, conscientious, and open minded than the national sample, consisting of mostly traditionally schooled children.

How could this possibly be the case?

Shouldn’t homeschooled children be the ones struggling with socialization? Nope. Why is that? Do traditionally schooled children have a social life because of the classroom setting? The answer is simple, no. When children are in class, they aren’t to talk. Socialization happens on the playground, on class trips, playdates, sports, volunteer work, in music and art classes. And guess what? Homeschooled children have all the same opportunities and often more!

The conclusion is, homeschooled children are not isolated, socially-lacking creatures.

Despite the myths surrounding socialization and homeschooling, homeschooled children do have a healthy social life.  So, next time someone starts to question how your homeschooled child could possibly have a social life. Remember these facts, or point them to this blog! It’s time to break down the stereotype that homeschooled children are destined to be socially awkward.

 

Read more from Schoolio about Socialization and Homeschooling, click here! 

Sources for this blog: 

Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum

Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum

Blog by Schoolio Co-Founder, Lindsey Casselman.

As a homeschool mentor, one of the most common questions people ask me is about choosing a homeschool curriculum. If the pandemic has shown me one thing, it’s that people have a significant misunderstanding of what curriculum is used in public schools and where it comes from.

Let’s clear that up first:

In Canadian public schools, there is no pre-fabricated, standard curriculum that the government provides and teachers use. What the government has, and you can access online via each province’s website, are what is usually called “Learning Outcomes” or “Curriculum Expectations”. These are, exactly as the name states, the outcomes of the curriculum that is taught. The government lists the concepts they expect students to know by the end of their grade year. The level of support for teaching these concepts varies by province. But the commonality is that every teacher creates or sources their own curriculum content to use in order to teach your child.  And help your child reach those outcomes. There are no lessons or units that the government provides to teachers, this is part of their job.

So, the answer to everyone’s first question is no.

No, you cannot get access to the government curriculum, because there is no such thing. You can get access to the government’s expectations of learning outcomes and use them as a list to help aid you in deciding what to teach your own child. That is if it’s important to you to follow those expectations.

This leads us to how to choose a homeschool curriculum out of the many, many options out there. Obviously, having a lot of choices is always great, but it can feel so overwhelming when you’re brand new to the homeschool world.

Whenever I mentor someone on choosing a homeschool curriculum, I start with these four questions to help us narrow it down:

    1. What type of homeschool curriculum do you want? Are you wanting secular (no religious affiliation), or faith-based? If you want secular material your choices will narrow down considerably. Some people want faith-based learning, some don’t really care and will use faith-based material and just “leave out the religious bits”, and others want truly secular programming. The choice is completely yours!

    2. Do you want Canadian, US, or another country-based material? Most parents want material from their home country, especially for the history and geography units, but you can certainly source material from other places as well. I know one homeschool family that only uses old USSR educational learning material. I know many Canadian parents who use US material (as this is the overwhelming majority of products available). There’s no right or wrong answer.

                 The only thing to be aware of is that if you’re a Canadian and you use US material.

You will need to swap out the math parts that use units of measurement and money. Also, you will have to source some Canadian social studies if you want them included in your learning journey. None of that is too difficult, but it’s worth bearing in mind. Especially if you’re paying a hefty price tag for a math curriculum, for example, you will still need to source and purchase or create replacements for some components of the program.

    3. Are you wanting to follow any specific learning outcomes or expectations? Similar to #2, this is about the style and expectations you want to adhere to when choosing a homeschool curriculum. Some parents want to follow their home province/state’s learning outcomes. Regardless of where they live, some people want to follow the guidelines of certain countries. I know Canadians who follow American Common Core guidelines. And families in Dubai who want a Canadian education for their children. There’s no right or wrong, better or worse, it’s whatever you want for your family. You’re also not obligated in most areas to follow any standards. Work on familiarizing yourself with your local provincial/state homeschooling laws to be absolutely certain.

    4. Do you want to get all your subjects from one company? (This is called an all-in-one curriculum) or are you fine with (or prefer) to source different subjects from different companies when choosing a homeschool curriculum? There are pros and cons to both of these options and as with everything in home learning, the choice is yours!

The pros to an all-in-one homeschool curriculum are:

  • Ease of sourcing and use. If you like a company’s product and can get every subject from them, your curriculum hunt just got immensely easier.
  • Similarity across subjects. An all-in-one curriculum is going to mean you have all your content together in one place, it’s all the same “voice”, and it’s all the same instructional style. Every subject follows the same structure. This can be helpful for kids with unique learning needs if the instructional style suits them. And for any child who thrives with sameness and routine.
  • Easy planning. Some all-in-one programs will come with a schedule, or scheduling recommendations, and will often have all subjects laid out to be used in the same time frame. Letting you start and end your year at the same time across subjects.

Not always, but generally speaking in my experience, it has always been more affordable to buy an all-in-one curriculum than to buy subjects separately.

The pros to sourcing material from a variety of providers when choosing a homeschool curriculum:

  • When a company specializes in one subject area, they are more likely to employ experts in that sole area. For typical learners, this isn’t really necessary (for example, a fourth-grade public school teacher is at best an expert in one subject area, but not all). So, having top-of-line expert attention in every subject matter may be overkill for the price you will pay for it. But again that’s entirely up to you. If money isn’t an object and you want the best of the best in every subject, you can 100% achieve this through sourcing each subject area from that subject area’s leading experts.
  • Unique needs learners. There are curriculums out there developed specially for various unique learning needs. You can source a language arts program for dyslexic/dysgraphic children. There are different homeschool curriculum companies that offer math programs for gifted learners. And, you can source a writing program for reluctant writers, the list goes on. By choosing subject-by-subject, you can tailor each subject’s instructional strategy to your unique learner’s needs in each area. This is great for kids who excel in one or more areas while simultaneously struggling in other areas.

Are your children special needs?

This goes along with the last point, in that if your child has any special learning needs, you may be able to find a curriculum designed to meet those needs. If there isn’t a specific curriculum to meet your needs, (for example, there are curriculums for giftedness and dyslexia, but there are not, to my knowledge, curriculums specifically designed for ADHD children). Then your next best option is to consider your child’s needs before you start looking at the curriculum. Do you need something with an audio option for lessons? Do you need screen-free? Do you need a lot of hands-on and movement-based learning vs. seat work? These are all things to consider when you start your hunt for choosing a homeschool curriculum.

Choosing Homeschool Curriculum can be overwhelming.

Maybe you’re feeling more overwhelmed than ever before. I recommend actually sitting with these four questions and making a few notes on paper about each one. Do you have hard and fast requirements in any, all, or none of the above four? What are they? Does this feel daunting? It might, but it will really help you focus your direction when researching the homeschool curriculum.

Once you have a solid direction and wish list, you can start to research. You’ll be able to quickly weed certain programs out when they don’t meet an expectation you set out in your search. This will help you spend more time on the programs that do fit your student’s needs.

Recommendations and Reviews for Choosing Homeschool Curriculum:

Recommendations from people are great and can help you become aware of companies you may not have known existed. Remember though, that for any curriculum out there, you will find folks who LOVED it and folks who HATED it. The reason for this is because the curriculum, and what works for each family, are unique to the family and their needs. It’s going to be very personal for each person, and you’ll often find that people are very passionate about their love for the program they have found works best for them.

Just remember that there is no right or wrong, there is no “best” curriculum. Because families and learners are diverse, so is the homeschool curriculum. Try to find companies that have samples and reviews that actually show you the program materials, either in photo or video. You can take the reviews with a grain of salt while intensely inspecting the sample materials being shown to see if you think the program will work for you and your learner(s).

Is cost an issue when choosing a homeschool curriculum?

If cost is an issue, I recommend not even looking at programs that are out of your budget. Check the price first, if you can’t afford it, don’t torture yourself by falling in love. It’ll just make you inclined to be unhappy with whatever you end up “settling” for. I promise you, you can absolutely 100% provide an amazing education to your child without spending a lot of money or getting that really expensive curriculum package. All your child needs is your love and patience, and you will learn together regardless of your materials! So, please don’t sweat it if you’re on a tight budget for materials!

That about wraps it up.

Hopefully, you’ll find a program that really clicks for you and your child. Keep in mind that you are not married to whatever you choose the first time around. You can always try something new next year, or resell what you have in one of the many homeschools buy/sell groups (search for one local to you). Then switch gears mid-year. Some curriculum companies let you purchase mini units, so you can try out the content. This gives you a really good feel for the program before committing financially to the whole year.

And, if finances are an issue, being able to purchase a few units at a time throughout the year, rather than everything up front may be an important feature when choosing for you. Just remember that what you pick today may not work and that’s ok. There’s no failure in throwing in the towel on something that you tried and didn’t work. What works brilliantly this year, or for two years, or for five, might stop working one year as your children change and grow. Your teaching style, homeschool philosophy, or family structure also changes and grows. Aim for flexibility, patience, and maintaining an open mind.

Enjoy the process and have a great year!

Learn more about Schoolio’s Homeschool Curriculum.

Click Here to Learn More About Schoolio’s All-in-One Homeschool Curriculum

Homeschooling Teens? How to Homeschool Older Kids

How to Homeschool Older Kids by Sarah Wall

When they’re little, it’s easy to plan out homeschooling. The skills are obvious: they need to learn to read, write, add & subtract. They need a basic understanding of the world around them, and it’s fun to explore science and history topics. But then they hit those double-digits, and all of sudden, we feel the pressure to get serious about their education. Middle school and high school homeschooling can often feel scary and overwhelming. How do you homeschool when your kids are older? How can you be successful when homeschooling teens?

 

Here are 5 things to keep in mind when planning your homeschool for middle and high school students.

First, include your older kids in the planning.

After all, it’s their life, not yours. We don’t want to educate our kids for the life we hope and dream they will have — and certainly not for the life we wish we had. We can’t live vicariously through our kids. And it’s really easy to fall into that trap!

The best way to make sure your homeschool plans are for your kids is to include them in the planning.

Start with your homeschooling teens goals.

Sit down with your child and invite them to do some dreaming with you. What do they see themselves doing in the future? What kind of jobs are they interested in? What do they want to explore more?

You and they don’t have to decide right now what they’re going to be when they grow up. Instead, it’s about getting them to think ahead about their future. And if you help them pay attention to the lifestyle choices they enjoy or tend towards; you can help steer them towards career choices that will suit them best.

For example, if your child loves spending hours in outside play, then they probably aren’t going to be suited to an office job or career in accounting.

 

Explore your older kids interests.

Obviously, nothing is set in stone! Who knows? Maybe your outdoorsy child would prefer a career in law, and then spend weekends mountain climbing? But you won’t know that right away, until you’ve given them a chance to explore.

Get your older kids involved in community events and sign them up for lessons, classes, hobby-based activities and as many different things as you can afford and fit in your schedule. Encourage your children to try out widely varying things, even if they don’t think they will like them. Try free trials, short-term sessions and non-competitive versions of things, and see what takes hold.

Not only will your child get to experience a variety of topics and activities, but they’ll make connections that can be extremely valuable in future.

What’s required to achieve their goals?

If your child has stated goals, or has indicated an interest in a certain area, look at the end results for that goal, and reverse engineer it.

For example, if your older kids have an interest in marine animals, what’s the requirement to be a marine biologist?  What college degree do they need? Look at the prerequisites from the top colleges, and then go backwards. Maybe they need an honors high school biology credit? So that would mean you’ll need a beginner biology credit, and you’ll need to explore animals, cells and body systems in middle school. So now you know what kind of science topics you need for your 6th grader this year!

It’s not about narrowing the goals in the middle school years, but about keeping doors open.

As they get older, and their goals get more specific, you can narrow down the study requirements, and then you can look for the tools to fulfill those requirements.

Don’t forget the basics!

There’s more to life than academics. Make sure that your middle and high school kids have the life and career skills they need to be productive, contributing members of society too.  They should have the basics of cooking, cleaning, and finance. Teach them how to apply for a job, a bank account, and file taxes. How do they fill out forms for health care, government services and housing?

 

These are the years to really develop those habits of basic hygiene and personal care as well. Help them create routines for showers, for exercise, for staying in contact with friends. Make sure you leave room in their days for breaks and to just be kids!

Take advantage of this time with your homeschooling teens/ middle schoolers.

Middle school and high school students have so many opportunities. They’re old enough to be independent learners, young enough to learn quickly, and still curious enough to have a ton of interests!  At the same time, they should start to have their own goals and ideas about what they want to do.

As you’re planning for your older kids homeschooling, make sure you include and leave room for their own plans. Encourage and support them to explore! And work backwards from their goals to where they are now, so you can leave as many doors open to them as possible.

The teen and preteen years can be a scary time as parents and homeschoolers. But it can be a lot of fun too. Support their interests, coach and cheer them from the sidelines, and watch them bloom!

Homeschooling Teens - Guest Blog Sarah Wall

This blog about homeschooling teens and older kids was written by Sarah Wall.

Sarah is a pro at teaching her older kids and homeschooling teens. She also helps homeschool mamas do the same. After leaving an abusive marriage with 5 young children, launching a successful business, and creating a support community with several hundred members, Sarah believes there’s always a way to achieve your goals. It’s just about finding the right support. So, if you’re contemplating homeschooling teens, or middle schoolers, she believes that you can accomplish it.

Click Here to Read Sarah’s Blog

 

 

If you’re concerned about your teen or middle schoolers education due to pandemic learning. Sign up for the free High school Readiness Assessment. Click Here to Register

 

Costs of Homeschooling? Is it Affordable?

Thinking about homeschooling but feeling nervous about the budget? You might find yourself researching different curriculums and thinking is homeschooling affordable? Like is it actually affordable? Or are people who homeschool just financially set? Or are they budgeted so tightly there’s just no room for fun? The answer to both those questions is no.What are the costs of Homeschooling? Let’s find out!

Costs of Homeschooling:

Homeschooling is actually so much more affordable than you’d think. You don’t need to be a millionaire to homeschooling. A quick google search of ‘Costs of Homeschooling’, will show you a rough estimate of the average homeschool costs. According to Time4Learning.com the cost of homeschooling ranges from $700 to $1,800 per child, per year. Is that just for the curriculum? Nope. That amount generally includes the cost of curriculum, school supplies, field trips and extra activities that they may want to do.

You might feel like that’s a lot of money, but remember, it’s not all expected at once. Your biggest expense will be for your child’s curriculum. The good news is that’s just a once-a-year purchase. Typically, the cost of curriculum will rage around $250 to $400 per child. See, that’s not so bad!

Can you work and homeschool?

Are you worried that you’ll need to quit your job? Traditionally when a family would decide to homeschool, one parent would likely have to give up their job in order to stay home with the child. Because you can’t work a 9-5 at the office and homeschool your kids. That’s just not doable. So, most families would decide who made the most money and that person would continue working. Then the other parent would take on the ginormous responsibility of educating their children.

However, we’ve all learned since the beginning of the pandemic that parents are able to work from home and educate their children. It’s truly NOT for everyone. And, you’d need to ensure that your job is one that is flexible with hours and work. I’ve been homeschooling my kids since 2015 and have maintained a job the entire time. Why? Well, because my husband and I both earn money to cover the bills. Me not working, just wasn’t going to happen. Conveniently, my job is extremely compatible with a work-at-home schedule.

For years people would ask “How are you working a job and homeschooling your kids? That’s not possible.” I’d assure them that it actually is very possible. And they’d continue on in their unbelief, until the pandemic came steaming in. Suddenly everyone was working from home, and helping their kids with their education. For me, it’s always been about balance. I won’t sugar coat is, because it is a big sacrifice of my time.

What’s it look like to work from home and homeschool?

My kids do best when we accomplish school in the morning. For my family it looks like this:

I wake up earlier than everyone else so that I can get some much needed – me time! I work out, listen to music that fuels my soul, read, get creative. Then, I start on my first work assignment of the day. I continue working on that assignment until I hear the footsteps of my kiddos coming down the hall. Then I put my work away, and make them breakfast. Once breakfast is finished and everyone’s awake, we jump into some learning. It doesn’t take hours upon hours, it’s not typical school. It’s homeschool!! We make our way through the daily work and activities for the day. And soon, we’ve completed all our educational tasks for the day! I make sure to spend time with each child individually to make sure they understand their lesson.

Once we are finished with school for the day, I put on an educational show for them (and sometimes it’s not educational). While that is on, I jump into more work projects. When the shows done, we go to the park, or play in the yard. At this point, it’s usually mid-afternoon, my kids will then enjoy the rest of their afternoon with free play. If they don’t need me, I spend a little more time on work. Then dinner time and bed time. Done and done. If we have out of home activities, like French lessons, or co-op, or gymnastics, or swimming (pre-covid). I plan accordingly to make sure that my work projects are completed before we have these activities so that nothing gets neglected.

I’ve read and heard so many comments from people that don’t think you can work from home and homeschool. But it’s doable! Totally, doable! It really does take practice, balance, and a whole lot of dedication. Thanks to my job we can handle the costs of homeschooling a little better. So, all that to say, if you need to continue working in order to help your family with their finances, it’s possible! If I can do it, anyone can!

What about Extracurriculars?

You might be wondering if you can afford extracurriculars once you’ve paid for their curriculum? Here’s some good news: Field trips don’t need to be super extravagant. They can be simple like going to the zoo, park, aquarium, apple orchard, llama farm, or museum with another homeschool family. There are so many amazing, fun, things to do!

Oh, and I almost forgot the most amazing part of homeschooling and extra activities! Are you ready? OK here is goes! Places like indoor playgrounds, aquariums, zoos, gymnastics clubs, trampoline parks, and museums etc. They will more than likely offer you a discounted rate! WHAT!? I’m so serious. We never pay full price for the extra fun we have. Why? Because these places are sitting empty during the time that kids are in traditional school. Having a group of homeschoolers gives them the opportunity for extra money! Your kids get to go have fun, have new experiences, make and play with friends, learn new things. You get a mini mental break, and the club/zoo/park gets a little money. Everyone wins!

How do these discounts work for Extracurricular and the costs of homeschooling?

Obviously, they won’t just let you get a discount if it’s just your family of 2 or 3. The way to do it is to get a group of homeschooling friends and put all the kids together to make a great enough number that the location will jump at the opportunity to have those kids visit!

Our local homeschool group gets discounted gymnastics classes, swimming classes, art classes and more. Because there is a greater number of students signing up, the different businesses will give a discounted rate. So, we rarely ever pay full price to get our kids into these awesome activities and extracurriculars.

How do I find a homeschool group?

Not sure where to find other homeschoolers? Don’t worry! They’re everywhere! Homeschooling has become increasingly popular in the last few years, and especially since the pandemic. There’s so many excellent homeschool groups out there. Depending on your region, you more than likely have one near you. Still unsure where to find them? Check out different homeschooling groups on Facebook, and the lovely people in there will direct you to your people.

Still worried about the costs of homeschooling?

That’s OK. It’s a big change. But you need to remember that you won’t be paying for things like: Daycare, summer camps, before and after care, extra school activities (at full price), a large amount of school supplies and materials etc. There are so many ways that you’ll actually be saving money by keeping them home with you. It might seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.

Homeschooling isn’t as expensive as most people think it is. Sure, there’s some upfront costs, some sacrifices on your time, dedication, balance, and more. But the reward is the amazing, special time that you get to spend with your kids. When they learn how to read you get to say “I taught him that.” It’s such an incredible experience. Absolutely, without a doubt, there will be some tough days, day where your balance is all off kilter and you are ready to just give up. But, that’s how it is with all things related to life, right? On those tough days you just have to keep moving forward and remember what an amazing job you are doing.

Here’s a graphic of what you can expect when it comes to homeschooling costs per year.

Costs of Homeschooling - Schoolio

*Note: This isn’t a set in stone price. Every homeschool family is different, activities vary, and curriculum varies. Some families homeschool for significantly less than the normal amount and some prefer to pay more. It really just depends on your family, your situation and what you and your children want and need.

If you haven’t already, consider giving Schoolio a chance. Our curriculum is affordable, up-to-date, hands on, and Canadian. We are all about children getting the best education, and parent love. We know money is tight, and that’s why our curriculum is so affordable.

Browse our Curriculum

Here’s an excellent, extra blog about Finances and Homeschooling by Lindsey: Let’s Talk About Finances

Additional resources for costs of homeschooling: 

High School – Is My Teen Prepared?

Is your teen prepared for High School?

The last two years have shown us all a very different way of life and education. For many students, virtual learning became the norm. While the world tried to figure out how to live through a pandemic. Due to that, many students have unfortunately lost precious education time. And now parents and students alike are feeling very underprepared for the road ahead. Especially students heading into high school for the first time.

 

Transitioning from middle school to high school is already a very big change for students. Now throw in the fact that kids going into high school this September haven’t had a normal education experience since March 2020. That likely will make them feel pretty overwhelmed. But don’t worry, that overwhelm is completely normal, and to be expected. Pandemic or not, it’s a big change. Different school, different teachers, different peers, and for some students that are homeschooled and going into high school, it’s a whole new ball park.

You want your teen to be successful.

I have no doubt that you want your child to be super successful with whatever they choose to do with their life. So, it’s normal for parents to feel a twinge of anxiety about how well they do in high school. After-all, it’s the final step before University. So, you might find yourself feeling like there’s a lot of pressure to make sure your teen does the best job possible.

Listen, you don’t have to suddenly become the chill parent, or the super crazy, pushy parent. Finding a balance somewhere in the middle is your best option.  You can accomplish that by simply being there for your teen. By offering them the right tools to help them have a successful high school experience despite these beginning hurdles they are facing.

There are two categories that we will focus on to help your teen have a successful  experience with their secondary school experience.

 

Category 1: Emotional Well-Being.

Kids are struggling with all the trauma that they’ve experienced in the last two years. We often like to assume that they’re doing fine. For some, they are. Even so, there has been a lot of damage done to their social and emotional skills. This being due to the ups and downs, and isolation of the pandemic.

That’s why it’s incredibly important to:

 

  1. Reassure your teen that we are all trying to figure it out. Life is different now, and unfortunately that means that your teen won’t have the same high school experience as generations before. It will be different. Let them know they aren’t alone in this. Other students, teachers, principals, and even you yourself, are all learning this new chapter of our lives together.
  2. Make sure that they know it’s OK to be a little freaked out. It’s totally natural to feel this way, and they are safe to talk to you about it.
  3. Don’t force toxic positivity on your kids. Is your child struggling with the fact that they didn’t get a real ‘Grade 8 graduation’? Could they be upset that they didn’t get to play that final season with the homeschool soccer team? Are they hurting inside because they never got to go to the science fair to show off their amazing experiment? Don’t ignore that. Let them be upset. Let them tell you that it made them sad. Don’t just jump to a silver lining. Teach them that sometimes it’s ok to notice the bad, sit in it and then when they’re ready, get up and move forward.
  4. Never compare how your teen does to the other teens around them. Every kid is different. If your child is struggling with the big change that is high school. Don’t be like “Well, my friends teen is doing just fine.” That will only cause frustration and a spike right down the middle of your relationship. If you notice that your teen is having a much more difficult time adjusting,  continually reassure them that they are going to be OK. That you are always there for them. And that with time, things will work out.

 

Category 2: Academic success.

As stated above, you obviously want your teen to be super successful on their secondary school journey. However, that doesn’t mean you should put unrealistic goals on their shoulders. Let them go on this journey, encourage them, be there for them. And give them the right tools to be successful.

What does that look like?

 

  1. Understand that he/she has their own learning pace. You should know your teen more than anyone else. So, you are the one that knows their learning pace (especially if you’ve homeschooled them). Therefore, you should be able to help them choose the right classes, to be successful on their high school journey.
  2. Help them build good study habits. Every day you can help your student learn good study habits, organization, and time management.
    1. Create a space that is just for study, or reading.
    2. Encourage them to keep a planner, to write down important dates and events.
    3. Show them how to take notes that are effective.
    4. Demonstrate to your child that it’s healthy and safe to ask for help. And reassure them of that when they get worried.
    5. You and your student both need to tone down the distractions. Are you someone that is easily distracted by your phone/T.V.? Limit those distractions when you’re working to help your child also learn to limit distractions when they need to be studying.
  3. Take an in-person or virtual tour of their new school. Depending on what is available to you, based on COVID guidelines. Letting them see where they are going to school can be really beneficial in that it helps them visualize their new digs.
  4. Brush up on pre-high school materials. Does that mean summer school? Nope! Instead, encourage them to spend about 15 minutes every day looking through their old material. This will help them remember so that they aren’t totally side-lined when they get to Secondary School.

 

Still worried about your teen starting high school?

If you are worried that your teen may have lost a lot of precious academic learning throughout the pandemic, there are steps that you can take in order to help them gain knowledge and get back to where they need to be academically.

 

You can sign up for the Schoolio High School Readiness Assessment. It’s free and simple to use. Your student will go through each question and section. After the assessment is finished, it will identify areas that your student may need a little extra support. And areas where they’re doing extremely well.

 

Sign up for The High School Readiness Assessment and we will notify you once it’s ready!

 

CLICK FOR HIGH SCHOOL READINESS SIGN UP

 

 

Check out these additional resources for helping your teen be prepared: 

 

 

Summer Means Creativity

Schoolio Guest Blog by Meredith Blunt.

Do you feel like this too? As if we all hold our collective breath from the end of May until the summer solstice then everyone exhales and hollers (or maybe whispers with glee) ‘SUMMER!!!!’ Summer means permission to sleep in, to somehow end every gardening session in a water fight. It means watching movies too late and looking for the wonderful signs of nature in the bright blossoms everywhere. We know we’re about to get time with our favourite people, time with ourselves. And, oh my, time with our kids.

Before I share some of my ideas for summer fun with you, maybe an introduction is in order!

I’m Meredith, a relatively new homeschooler and a Schoolio fan since mid- 2020. I’d been researching if homeschooling was a fit for us along with following homeschooling blogs and social media accounts for years. The pandemic was the final push to take the leap. It is our biggest and best silver lining of the last 18 months!

 

We live in a smaller but awesome city in Ontario. My kids and I have wrapped up grade 7 and grade 4. This year has been transformative for all of us, they are becoming the students we always knew they could be and I’ve found confidence in a place I never would have guessed.

 

Homeschooling has put me on a passion path. I love communicating, learning and sharing ideas about education, child honouring, art, dogs…gosh, I’m a sucker for the pups. I love it when parents help each other out with great ideas about how to entertain and grow our young humans. There are a few blog posts that could spawn from this paragraph! But for now, back to summer!

Summer means creativity.

Finding ways to spend time together, fostering those great curiosities kids express and restoring your own energy. Perennial favourite activities for us are swimming, biking and camping – even if it’s just in the backyard.

 

Among our newer favourites is a good nature hike. We love discovering a trail or conservation area we haven’t been to before. We can spend hours beside a creek or in a forest. Apps like AllTrails help us find places to go and take on a hike appropriate for our skill level. We’re fairly new to it but I’ve got to mention it, geocaching is like a big treasure hunt and we’ve had really good times doing it! Both kids love tracking the caches down and there’s a neat thrill of connection and contribution when you add a little to a cache. We use the Cachly app.

Second, and for us a lovely little bike ride away, is the library! Our library worked hard to adapt to the restrictions of the pandemic, and we’ve made great use of the programs they offer! The programs we’ve accessed have ranged from art classes, science weeks with kits you pick up from the library to build the experiments, reading challenges, coding clubs, trivia nights and that is just to name a few. Typically offered for free, and run by wonderful engaged community members, they are great opportunities to explore an interest and connect with like-minded folks in your neighbourhood. The library was a great support and resource for our school year and continues to be a source of fun in the summer.

Thirdly, boredom. Yep. I know, in this day and age bored tends to go hand in hand with screens, YouTube and Minecraft. You may feel a little worn down by the tech battles, I know I do! It is a good place to take a firm stance though. Not an altogether ban on screens, but just enough so that their brains move into a different gear. Again…this is a whole other blog topic but let’s get back to boredom! Read “I’m Bored” – Let Your Kids Be Bored This Summer

 

My 10-year-old will take a big walk with me (I don’t make him; he will just join me sometimes – I walk when I’m bored) and talk about everything on his mind. He still loves reading together too, which our backyard hammock is perfect for! We’re reading Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. My nearly 13-year-old will shoot hoops with her friends or take a walk to the neighbourhood corner store and get a slushie. She’ll practice her ukulele or create tiny clay models of mushrooms and bird nests. She’ll also nap! So jealous.

 

Fostering independence, supporting their comforts and creative exploring is so important for those kiddos and you! Let them show you who they are interested in growing up to be. It’s good for you to be bored too. This is where your brain, which has been going a mile a minute since you’ve embraced the responsibility of homeschooling, gets a rest and some restorative time.

Summer, in line with the other seasons, is about doing what works for your family. Spending time in ways that fulfill needs, and raises the happiness quotient. Slap on the sunscreen, remember to stay hydrated, and let us know how your summer is going. Share with us what you and your kids love to do during the summer months!

Schoolio Guest Blog

“I’m Bored” – Let Your Kids Be Bored This Summer

When the “I’m bored” complaints start to roll in.

Summer break has started and with it comes a flurry of excitement and potential plans. Beaches, swimming pools, playgrounds, and water fights, may just be some of the exciting activities calling your kids names.

My kids always get so  thrilled for summer and the potential it holds. They can’t wait for less structure, and more opportunity to just play. That said, it always appears that a couple weeks – or sometimes even days – into summer break my kids start with the “I’m bored” complaints. And with that the boredom train is in full motion.

Actually, as I’m writing this my son just walked up to me and said, “I’m bored!” What’s a parent to do? Hand them a tablet? Have a list of fun activities to do? Drop everything and take them somewhere incredibly entertaining? Chances are, after another year of homeschool/virtual learning, the last thing you want to do is have an epic schedule packed with activities. But you also don’t want to let them sit in front of a screen all day. So, what do you do?

Should you have a schedule for each day?

What’s your go-to going to be? Have a beautifully curated schedule for every single day? Filled with extraordinary activities, crafts, snacks and fun? Or, are you going to just let your child be completely bored all summer? Maybe a happy medium between the two? What’s your plan for the ‘I’m bored’ days?

First of all, let’s just address the elephant in the room. When our children complain it makes us uncomfortable. I mean, it’s supposed to, right? From when your child was born, you learned to help them. You fed them, changed them, cared for them, entertained them, whenever they needed it. So, naturally when your child begins to whine that they are just so bored, you want to solve this issue for them too. In those moments, it’s all too easy to just hand them the tablet to calm their cries of boredom and solve the temporary issue.

But you don’t need to do that!

Guess what? You don’t need to do that. See, obviously there are complaints that we need to take seriously from our children. But boredom? That’s not one of them. According to Dr. Vanessa Lapointe, boredom is actually really good for your child. She says: “Children need to sit in their own boredom for the world to become quite enough that they can hear themselves.” It makes us uncomfortable though, right?

I mean, as a mom I want my kids to be happy. I want to help them in every single way that I possibly can. So, when they complain I feel the need to fix it, even when it’s just boredom related.

However, constantly entertaining your children isn’t a source of help, but rather a source of harm. Before you freak out. Stop. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with planning fun activities for your kids, that’s excellent! But, you just don’t need to do it all the time! Because that’s usually recipe for parental burn-out.  (Unless that’s truly your jam then go for it.)

Boredom isn’t bad.

“Children need time to themselves – to switch off from the bombardment of the outside world, to daydream, pursue their own thoughts and occupations, and discover personal interests and gifts. Letting the mind wander from time to time is important for everybody’s mental wellbeing and functioning.” Says Dr. Theresa Belton.

It’s true, in today’s world kids do have a much harder time with boredom than in generations before them. Why is that? Well, the answer is pretty obvious. Technology being one of the biggest killers of boredom. Following closely behind are extracurricular activities. We’ve essentially created a world where children have highly structured lives, with basically no time to just be.

What are the benefits of boredom for my child?

  1. Boredom inspires creativity and imagination. Research has found that people who are given a bunch of boring tasks to complete actually show more imagination when they’re then asked to take part in a creative thinking activity?
  1. Boredom teaches Resilience. Allowing your kids time to just be bored and have to ‘entertain’ or ‘amuse’ themselves is an excellent way to help your child develop resilience.
  1. Letting your kids be bored actually helps them develop problem-solving skills!
  1. Being bored can help your child learn how to build relationships.
  1. Boredom can improve mental health. Because being too busy (even as an adult) isn’t good.
  1. Boredom makes childhood happier. What? Really? Yes! Think about. When you remember back to your own childhood years, Aren’t some of your best memories the simple ones? The ones where you were creative from boredom? Chances are that’s a yes.

Many of the activities that we think would make our kid’s childhoods magical, aren’t. Because simplicity is the way to go, always!

What can you do this summer with the ‘I’m bored’ cries? Start with this.

  1. Set aside one day a week for an activity detox. That means no structured activities.
  1. Task them with creativity. (Check out ‘The Ultimate I’m bored items list’ to have around the house. Listed below).
  1. Limit the teach toys.
  1. Send them outdoors (and go out with them). If you don’t live in a location where your child can venture outside alone. Then take them to a park, let them run wild. Try not to jump in, instead just sit and watch them. If you have a backyard, let them have fun back there while you enjoy a cup of tea inside, or on the patio.
  1. Be a good role model. Our kids mirror what we do. So, if you find yourself grabbing for your phone every chance you get. That’s going to be what they want to do. Try to avoid that. Instead let them see you reading, writing, drawing, and creating. When they see you being creative, it encourages them to do the same.

Try this ‘I’m Bored Checklist’, next time your kids want screen time. Once they start going through the listed items, they might just find their own source of entertainment through the beauty of being creative and using their imagination


Get The ‘I’m Bored Checklist’

Check out The Ultimate I’m Bored Items List! And, try to keep a steady supply of these items.

I'm Bored items List

For some fun lessons to help keep your kids entertained this summer. Check out the Schoolio Special Interest Units 

Here are a few excellent resources about how boredom can be good for your kids!