Tag: education

Important Lessons Learned From Helping Around the House

Guest Blog: Important Lessons Learned From Helping Around the House by Rebecca Miller

Learning is happening all around us, all the time. Even when we are not following a curriculum, or sitting at a desk with a workbook, educational opportunities arise every day. One of the most common areas that children learn through experience is in the area of housework. There are many important lessons learned from helping around the house. When children are allowed and encouraged to help out around the house (ie. Cooking, laundry, sweeping floors) they learn many skills that they will take into adulthood.

Life Skills

The most obvious thing children learn from helping keep a home tidy and clean is “life skills.” Life Skills are those skills that they will use to be successful adults. Learning to wash dishes, mop floors and make meals earlier in life is vitally important. Young adults who are not required to participate in household chores as children, often find it difficult to transition into adulthood. They are not equipped to take on the responsibility of their own household, because it was something they were just never taught. In order to give our kids an advantage when going out into the world, we need to allow them to build those essential skills as they grow up.

Responsibility and Accountability

Children who regularly do chores or housework, learn early on what it means to be responsible. They learn that it is their responsibility to pick up after themselves. They also learn that being part of a family means you each have a role to play and support each other to have a comfortable living space. If your children complain about having to wash dishes, consider having a discussion with them about how being a family unit means everyone is responsible for pitching in. 

Teamwork

There will be many times in our children’s lives when they will find themselves having to work in a team. Whether they join a sports team or get a job where they have co-workers. Teamwork is a skill they will need in the future. Sharing in the responsibility of housework as they grow up, helps kids learn to work as a team. 

Fine and Gross Motor Skills

There are several tasks around the house that can help children build and strengthen both fine and gross motor skills. We do these actions so regularly that we often don’t stop to think of them as motor skill activities. Hanging laundry on a clothesline with clothespins is a great fine motor activity. Sweeping the floor promotes bilateral (using both sides of the body) co-ordination. Setting the table and matching socks are both activities that can improve sequencing, memory and problem solving skills.

Organization

Following a recipe, sorting recycling, and putting away groceries are just a few of the household tasks that can help teach our kids organizational skills. As adults, we use our ability to organize every day: at work, at home and out in the world. Many parents don’t realize that encouraging our children to take part in the upkeep of the family home can help them become more organized adults. 

Sometimes we can tend to overlook learning opportunities that don’t look like “school.” But, everyday tasks such as sorting recycling and taking out the trash have so many skills hidden within them that it’s important not to overlook them. Even when it feels like it would be easier and faster to just do the housework ourselves. It can be extremely beneficial for our kids to encourage them to take responsibility for our household as well. And the bonus is, it can lighten the load for parents as well.

Schoolio Guest Blog

 

Read another guest blog by Rebecca Miller – Click Here – 

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!

 

 

 

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!

 

Why Does My Child Hate Reading?

Picture this, you’re at the library struggling to find books for your child who hates reading. When another mom has her kid come sit with her. Her kid looks probably 2 – 3 years younger than yours. And she says ‘Let’s read.’ The child then begins reading, perfectly. No fuss, no muss. Just reading. It feels like a punch to your gut. You’ve been working so hard on teaching your child to read but they just don’t want to. What do you do?

First of all, stop comparing. We are taught from a young age to compare ourselves to others. It just seems natural. ‘She has better hair than me.’ ‘Her skin complexion is so much nicer than mine.’ ‘His car is way better than my car.’ ‘If only I could get the promotion like he got.’ It’s dangerous, and unhealthy to compare ourselves to others, yet it feels so unbelievably right. The danger is that in this situation you are comparing your child to another child. And then in turn, teaching your child that they don’t measure up. That they need to be like someone else.

Obviously you want your child’s learning to be on track. You want them to read, write, do all the math problems, listen to everything you say and be perfect in some way. But listen up: perfection is a myth. There is actually no one way that we should be. That applies to us, and our children. When we let ourselves slip, and compare, we poison our home school environment. Sounds harsh, but it’s true. And here’s how:

I struggle severely with comparison, I always have. But when I allowed that to trickle into our homeschool, I was a mess and my kids weren’t loving it. Suddenly I felt incomplete. I felt lacking. I felt frustrated that my kids weren’t doing what other families were. That constant negative soundtrack playing in my mind, would cause me to become agitated much more, which clearly didn’t help with teaching or my kids attitudes. In order to help your children grow and learn in a happy environment you need to free yourself, and them, of the comparison chains. Your child isn’t reading like that kid at the library, so what? Are you working on it? Yes. So why bother comparing?

My oldest daughter had a really, really difficult time reading. She was 7 and still was reading at a beginner level. Everything I tried, failed. I was frustrated with myself, I had feelings of failure. Like, I wasn’t doing something right for her. But the truth is, I was. She just needed time. She went from reading beginner levels to reading levels far higher than her age, in just a matter of months. How did this happen? She was ready, I was patient.

We like to think that kids should be reading at 4, and be experts by 6, forgetting that every child is on their own timeline. Your child doesn’t read at 5? That’s ok. You feel like the time you put into teaching reading is wasted? It’s not. Sitting down with your child, going over letter sounds, and sight words, it all goes in their sweet little minds. It may feel like it’s not sticking, but one day everything just clicks. It does! The issue is that we let ourselves compare way too much. So stop. Don’t compare your child’s reading to another child’s. Everyone has their own timeline. Every child develops differently and that’s not a bad thing. Remember when they were just a baby and you were hoping they’d say their first word? You waited, you said ‘Mama, Mama’ to them. And that stuck. They did it! (Maybe they said Dada first) Even so, they did it. You weren’t standing over them, getting frustrated saying ‘Come on baby, just say Mama! Why can’t you say Mama?’ Instead you were loving, you’d peek their interest by lovingly saying words over and over, with kindness and a smile.

That sweet little bundle of joy grew, and grew and naturally you think they need to be reaching reading milestones, and I assure you they will.

Below is list of tips that I’ve learned from our own homeschool reading journey:

  1. Make reading enjoyable. As stated above, don’t pressure your child with timelines. Don’t compare them. Don’t get stressed when they just can’t figure out that word that you’ve taught them a hundred times. Instead, make it enjoyable. Snuggle up with them, help them with the words. Cheer for them when they get it right. Be kind and understanding when they get it wrong.
  2. Be very patient with your child. Deep breathe. I know this is hard. Especially when you’ve been teaching and you’re exhausted. Don’t try to hustle them into that next reading level. Just take it one step at a time, even if the steps are small and exhausting.
  3. Be calm. Your child feels your energy. When you’re agitated and annoyed, they will be. Or, they will feel like they never get it right, and that could lead to further issues. So just take it easy.
  4. Try switching up their reading times. Do they get more annoyed in the afternoon, the evening? Try reading in the morning with them. Or vice versa. Make a nice breakfast and read together.
  5. Break it up. My second daughter struggles with large paragraphs. Seeing all the words together overwhelms her. So we read those together. She will read a sentence, I will read a sentence. She has trouble sounding something out, I help her. We work as a team, and enjoy the process together.

Your child’s got this. And you’ve got this. Their reading level is not a reflection of how great a teacher or parent you are. You aren’t damaging your child. Their reading is a reflection of their very own timeline. That doesn’t mean throw the books in the closet and turn on the T.V. That means, each and every day read a little more. Utilize the steps above. Enjoy it. They’re going to get this sooner than you think. You are doing an amazing job my friend.

Jaymee Davis is a stay-at-home/ work-at-home/ homeschool mama. Her goal is to help you have the very best homeschool experience possible. She believes you can do anything, and wants to foster that belief in yourself.

Let’s Talk About: Activities

So Lindsey, parents want to know is homeschooling boring? Wouldn’t my children get bored always being home? What are some activities that you’ve done with your children to make the homeschool days less boring and still give them fun opportunities?

“This is a list of all the activities my kids have done as homeschoolers, mostly all with the homeschool group we’re in (so seeing the same friends every time), and some outside our home city have been done as a family trip.”

Field Trips:

Fall Fair

Treetop Adventure World

Museum of Health Care

Theatre Performance- Christmas Show

Aquatarium

Geology Museum

Sir John A MacDonald House

Theatre Performance- Dinosaur Show

Woodworking Museum

Polymer Clay Art Class

Overnight at Upper Canada Village

Water Park Day

Art Museum

Toronto Zoo

Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament

Casaloma

Science Centre

Trenton Air Force Museum

CFSCE Communications Museum

Let’s Talk Science

Little Cataraqui Conservation Centre

Activities:

Academic Co-Op (once a month Sept- June)

Soccer (once a week in the fall)

Gymnastics (once a week Sept-June)

Swimming Lessons (once a week in the spring)

Track and Field (once a week in the spring)

Phys Ed. Program (twice a month Oct.- April)

Orienteering (6 week program in the fall)

Annual Homeschooler Science Fair

Weekly Summer Park Meet-Ups

Parties:

Not-Going-Back-to-School Picnic and Beach Day

Autumn Party

Christmas Party

Easter/Spring Party

Year End Homeschooler Sandbanks Beach Day

Year End Family BBQ and Bonfire

“Obviously different areas have different field trip possibilities and different group dynamics (some are bigger/smaller than others, some are more active than others) but this gives you an idea of what the social aspect of your homeschooling CAN look like, if you want it to. Sometimes we get so busy socializing we need to catch up on our academics! And if Covid makes all these socializing ideas impossible this year, just remember that the kids in school aren’t getting to socialize much either. All of us will be suffering pretty equally this year unfortunately.”

There you have it, homeschooling doesn’t mean sitting at home by yourself with your kids. You can have many fun field trips, socialization activities and more.

Let’s Talk About: Co-Ops

Hey Lindsey, what is a Co-Op? And how can I run one in my own town or city?

“Great question! You may have heard homeschoolers mention co-op and not really understood what it was. Last year our homeschool group had a seminar/guest speaker on creating your own home co-op, so allow me share the wisdom with you!

What is Co-Op: Co-Op generally is any sort of “co-operative” grouping. The number of participants, rules, and themes can of course vary widely. It all depends on what YOU want out of it!

We participate in 3 co-ops, and all three are quite different. The local group we’re members of runs a large co-op. We meet once a month, and the co-op coordinator picks subjects for each month, like Science, Art, Phys Ed., Nature, World Cultures, etc. When we register our child(ren) for co-op, we also sign up for at least two helping spots (this is the co-operative part!). The classes are split by ages, usually 4-5 year olds, 6-7. 8-10, and 11+, but it varies each year based on the ages of who registers. There’s usually 12-15 kids per class, There’s also Nursery for siblings under 4. Each class has a teacher, assistant, and a clean-up person. So if teaching isn’t your jam, you can sign up for Nursery or clean up slots instead. If you do like to teach, you sign up for whatever age group and subject you want, and you plan, prep, and teach that class.

So your kid goes to co-op 10 times, and twice you teach, assist, or clean up. It’s a pretty sweet deal.

This is an awesome social time for the kids- first they have class, do a little learning, practice group manners and listening to an adult that isn’t their parent, and things like raising hands, standing in line, etc. that are normal “school” things but not normal “homeschool” things (in fact watching homeschoolers try to make a line can be extremely amusing ). After class, everyone eats lunch together and the kids have free time, which almost always leads to a giant game of tag or capture the flag or some sort of running, maniacal, being loud game. Parents get to socialize too, we all chit-chat while the kids run amok. This co-op is huge (40+ families), organized, and has registration fees that cover building rental, insurance, and reimburses teachers for any supplies.

The second co-op we have is a PE Co-Op (physical education) which I organize from Fall to Spring, to keep the kids active. Usually, I send an email for registrants, and make an email mailing list of everyone interested. Everyone sends me ideas for fun things to do around the city in the colder months (the co-operative part in this group is the idea generating). I slot all the ideas into different weeks. This co-op meets every second week. So the schedule gets emailed out, and it looks like: Week 1: Swimming at city pool, Week 2: Biking at BMX track, Week 3: Snowshoeing at provincial park, Week 4: Ice Skating at arena, etc. For this co-op, you show up, or don’t, if you want to, and you pay your own family’s admission fees. Everything is an open-to-the-public activity. It’s very low maintenance, once it’s planned and scheduled, it’s done.

The third co-op we’ve been in was a specifically themed co-op. Lots of ppl do this style of Home Co-Op. You find a few families that have kids similar ages to yours, or that are already friends, you pick a topic you all want to cover, or want help covering, and you split up the work. Some people do a subject like Geography, or Canadian Government. We did one last year that was a book club.

No one knows what the future will look like, Covid wise, for these sorts of get togethers, but it’s a little info for you to start mulling over in your brains, and maybe even figuring out how to run your own virtual version.”

Thank you so much Lindsey for all this amazing information on what a Co-Op can look like. Do you have more questions? Feel free to leave a comment and we will get back to you.