Tag: homeschool curriculum

The 20 Do’s of Homeschooling

In the last blog we covered the major ‘don’ts’ of homeschooling. The things that you should try to avoid at all costs, if you want to be a successful homeschooling parent. If you haven’t already read it, you can find it here: 20 Don’ts of Homeschooling. Today we are covering The 20 Do’s of Homeschooling! Let’s jump right into the homeschool veteran approved, 20 Do’s of Homeschooling. With the goal to help you be a successful homeschool parent.

The 20 Do’s of Homeschooling 

1. Do Take Care of Yourself First. 

  This is the number 1 ‘Do’ of The 20 Do’s of Homeschooling because it’s imperative that you take care of yourself, first. I get it. You think that’s selfish. But I can assure you that it’s not. Taking care of yourself before you take care of everyone and everything else is essential to the well-being of your family. And also the success of your homeschooling journey. A homeschool mom that cares for herself, is a happy, healthy mama. What are some ways that you can take care of yourself today? 

Here are some quick and simple care tips for the busy mom: 

  •  Carve out a chunk of time to read your favourite book.
  • Enjoy a hot drink on the park bench as your kids play at the park. 
  •  Wake up early (before everyone) and sit outside with the rising sun. 
  •  Talk to someone that lifts you up. 
  • Take a walk. 

 

2. Do Find Your People. 

Have you found them yet? Your tribe? Your team of people that just get you, help you and guide you? Every mom needs an encouraging, supportive community. Finding those people that can be your cheerleaders, your encouragers, and even your advisors. Will benefit you and your family hugely. That doesn’t mean that you are seeking out the people that will constantly pour into you while you offer nothing in return. Rather you are looking for the people that will offer something special in your life, while you offer them your gifts in return. An equal friendship. 

3. Do Eliminate Toxic Relationships. 

Do you have someone in your life that is constantly dragging you down? Perhaps your old friends group is completely against your homeschooling decisions? Now every time you have a conversation with them, you feel like you’re a failure and a mess. You don’t need that kind of negativity. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you are eliminating them from your life completely. 

Perhaps these friendships were once abundant and life giving. In this situation, instead of eliminating the friendship, you can put a pause on the relationship until you and the other person are in a better place to revisit the friendship. Your focus cannot be on negative interactions at this time. Because right now you need to focus on cultivating a healthy, wholesome, and positive education for your children. 

4. Do Keep Things Simple. 

Sometimes as homeschooling parents we can be our own worst enemy. Are you constantly assuming that you aren’t doing enough as a homeschooling parent? Do you have that ever present urge to add more curriculum? More practice sheets? And more structure? Unfortunately, sometimes as homeschooling moms we can become addicted to adding more to our homeschool. Do you want the cold, hard truth? All these extra events, lessons, and workbooks are actually doing absolutely nothing for your homeschool. In fact, they’re doing the opposite. When you are constantly adding in more, you are inevitably overwhelming your homeschool and causing a high level of unproductively. 

5. Do Cut the Extras. 

Number 5 of the 20 Do’s of Homeschooling goes along with number 4. Because maybe you’ve already added a bunch more to your homeschool? Maybe it’s way more than you actually need? Now you’re feeling the heavy weight of overwhelm? So, go ahead and cut out all the extras. Seriously, do it! Shave down your curriculum to the very basics, as least just for a time. Do less, but do it best. The truth is, less is more.

6. Do Read Aloud. 

Reading to your children has many benefits. Some of them being that it improves concentration and vocabulary. While also building their self esteem. Reading to your child can also help them develop their own reading skills. But one of the best benefits of reading to your children? The fact that this simple act helps to build relationships. You can learn more about this here: 12 Reasons Why It’s Important to Read to Your Children – Caribu.

7. Do Snuggle and Hug Often. 

Homeschooling grants the opportunity to connect with your children even more. Even just rubbing their back while they work through their math problems is such a gift. So, be sure to take advantage of all the extra hugs and special moments you can share.  

8. Do Include Fun In Your Homeschool. 

There’s nothing wrong with adding fun and games to your homeschool. Unfortunately there’s this misconception around education. And that is this idea that if your child is having fun, they clearly aren’t learning. While as of late, this twisted idea is phasing out. It’s important to take action and sprinkle fun into your homeschool. Take a break from books, and add in some fun games! Pinterest is flourishing with fun homeschool games that your kids will love. So go find some that your family loves and utilize them. 

9. Do Be the Boss of Your Schedule. 

Are you trapped in the mindset that your schedule must look like the public school’s calendar? Or that your schedule must appear like that of your super organized homeschool friends calendar? Snap out of it! Aim to have a daily routine that suits your family, not someone else’s. Check out these simple ways to establish a good homeschool routine: Establish a Good Homeschool Routine. 

10. Do Take a Break From Homeschooling.

Homeschooling takes a huge mental effort. Due to that effort, it can lead to burn out quickly. So, aim to take scheduled breaks throughout the year. If you find yourself in between homeschool breaks, and you are tired and burnt out. Take a day or two off to reset. They’re called mental health days, and they’re always vital. Especially when you’re feeling like a train wreck. So, take a break and reset. 

During this time your kids can play educational games, or watch educational shows. Actually the other day I saw a post in a homeschool group about a mom laying on the couch as she was so sick. And she said she had moved her homeschool to the living room. Her post gave the idea that she was still teaching, even though she was very ill. And while I have to admire her determination. I also want to point out that you as a homeschooling parent, are entitled to a day off. Especially if you’re sick. So, please do take a break from homeschooling should you need it. 

11. Do Look At the World Through Your Child’s Eyes. 

It’s so important to value what your child values. When you pay close and careful attention to what matters to your child, they will begin to also pay close attention to what you share with them. It’s so important to remember that what is valuable to your child matters. Everything about your child is important. Their ideas, and creations, their work, their interests, their stories. They’re valuable. So, listen. 

12. Do Celebrate All Accomplishments. 

You should always focus on what your child is doing right. So much more than what they are doing wrong. When you focus on all the good that they do, they will continually aim to do greater. If your child writes a sight word, but spells it incorrectly. Don’t immediately correct their mistakes. Instead, comment on what an amazing job they did writing the letter ‘b’. Include the phrase “You did such a great job!” frequently. Doing so builds their self-esteem and helps them have enthusiasm to continually improve. 

13. Do Remind Yourself That You Are Not Behind! 

Homeschooling should run at your families own pace! It’s also important to remember that when you are working at your child’s own unique pace, it’s impossible to fall behind.  Read that again. It can be so hard to stay out of the comparison trap and assume that your child is behind. But they aren’t. They are working at the pace that they need to. And you are doing an amazing job helping them with that. 

14. Do Place Importance On Personal Growth.

Do your children see you constantly aiming to be a better version of yourself? Spending time in the morning reading, investing in personal development, or listening to positive affirmations? All of these are going to help you keep your head above water and own the person that you are meant to be.

Personal development is extremely important for you. And also just as important for your children. Including important lessons about mental health, and ways to take care of their mental health is so important in the younger years. Encourage your child to constantly work at taking care of their mental health just like they take care of their physical health.

Use The Emotional Health Management unit to help teach your children about their mental health, and ways to cope when things get tough.

15. Do Listen to Podcasts and Read Books. 

Podcasts are just such an amazing part of our digital world, that so many people don’t even use! So many of my friends don’t even know how to listen to podcasts, but it’s so simple. Your phone should have a podcasting app on it. Like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. All you have to do is open the app, then in the search box, look for podcasts that speak to you. Like ‘Parenting Podcasts’, ‘Homeschooling Podcasts’, ‘Genuine Mom Podcasts’, or ‘Personal Development Podcasts’. Listen to some episodes and then subscribe to the ones that you like the most. Then that amazing content will be added to your phone whenever they release a new podcast. And, it’s FREE! 

Additionally, finding books to help you in every area of your life is essential. I really prefer podcasts because it’s so much easier for me to listen then it is for me to sit down and read. However, there are some amazing apps like Audible, available. Where you can purchase and download a book that will be read to you. You can make a list of books that you’d like to read, then one by one check them off the list when you’ve completed each one.

Pro tip: Subscribe to helpful blogs like The Schoolio Blog, to read amazing blogs like “The 20 Do’s of Homeschooling”.

16. Do Expect to Make Mistakes. 

No one is immune to mistakes. Because perfection doesn’t exist. If you’ve chosen the wrong curriculum for your family, or you’ve neglected a certain area of study. Just know that we all make mistakes, and that’s OK. Don’t get stuck there.

17. Do Give Yourself Credit. 

You are homeschooling your kids. What? Do you ever just think about that. Was this in your original life plan? No? But look! You’re doing it. You aren’t perfect, but you’re trying. And you’re doing such a great job. We often don’t give ourselves enough credit which is why it’s essential for you to give yourself credit for all that you’re doing right. Instead of always focusing on all that you’re doing wrong. 

18. Do Make Goofy Memories. 

I don’t want my kids to remember their time homeschooling as a time where their mom was constantly forcing them to answer math problems. Instead I want my kids to remember this time with fond memories. Are bad days going to happen? Absolutely. But my hope is that the good days are the ones implanted in their memories forever. The days when we painted the playhouse outside, or had a food fight at dinner. You’ve assumed the role of their educational teacher, but that doesn’t mean you have to leave fun mom on the curb. Bring fun mom with you, even when you’re doing Language Arts. 

19. Do Understand That You Will Have Some Haters. 

Homeschooling isn’t for everyone, just like traditional education isn’t for everyone. Will you have people constantly asking why your children aren’t in school? Yep. Will you have that one family member that is always telling you that your kids should be in school? You bet! Is someone going to constantly be asking your kids math questions to measure how behind they are? Probably. Despite the fact that homeschooling has become so much more mainstream in the last 5 years. It still is looked down on by so many. Because people often don’t like that which they cannot understand. 

It’s not your job to make them love homeschooling. And it’s not your job to prove yourself to them. It is your job to love your kids, to educate your kids, and to give your kids a safe environment to learn and grow. Forget the haters. 

20. Do Know That One Day You Will Be Thankful For This Sacrifice. 

Homeschooling is a sacrifice. It’s a sacrifice of your time, your own freedom, and often your mental sanity. Not many people can do what you’re doing. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought to myself or verbally stated to my husband that I should just put the kids in school. It seems so easy, watching the kids leave on the bus, and knowing that someone else is covering their academic lessons. Sometimes I think about how freeing it would be to just have whole days to myself to work and maybe clean the house. But then I remember that I’m doing this for them. I remember that my children need this extra one-on-one time with me. My children wouldn’t excel in a class with 30 other children crammed in desks and herded outside for recess. I have to remind myself that my children are receiving a wholesome education, that is tailored to their needs. 

And while the sacrifice is great, the reward will be incredible. Not just for them, but for me also. Because I get to keep these memories forever. 

 

We hope that you enjoyed the 20 Do’s of Homeschooling. Don’t forget to check out the 20 Don’ts of Homeschooling (linked above). What was your favourite ‘Do’ of the 20 Do’s of Homeschooling?

20 Don’ts of Homeschooling

Is there some magical way to become a better homeschooling parent? Well, learning the right way to do something and the wrong way are both important. We’ve compiled a list of things you don’t want to do as a homeschooling parent.  So, let’s jump to the 20 Don’ts of homeschooling. Created and approved by veteran homeschool parents that know what they’re talking about. 

The 20 Don’ts of Homeschooling

1. Don’t Overwork and Overwhelm Your Kids. 

Keep your lessons short, sweet, and simple. Many homeschoolers think that they need to cram in an abundance of ‘work’ during school time. In order to keep up with traditional education. Don’t do this. When you overwork your kids with workbooks and lessons. It can actually overstimulate them and cause them to become overly frustrated with their education. When you choose to overwhelm and overwork your kids, you are undeniably choosing stress for them. And that stress is a quick step to a learning block. So, don’t do that. 

2. Don’t Over Schedule. 

Homeschooling in itself takes up a huge part of your day. Additionally, the default homeschool parent is often the one that is also responsible for housework, and for some, working from home too. Therefore you should always aim to keep your family’s schedule light. Society has this way of making us believe that if our kids aren’t in ballet, ice skating, gymnastics, basketball, hockey or some other extracurricular activity. That they won’t be on the same level as their peers. That’s false. While it can be nice to have those extra activities, it’s vital to protect the schedule.  Perhaps your child is extremely talented in one area and you want to cultivate that – that’s totally fine. I’m not saying you should give up on all extra activities. But, over scheduling with activities that they probably don’t even enjoy? What’s the point? Stop over scheduling. Aim for a simple schedule instead. 

3. Don’t Overwhelm Yourself. 

Number 3 of the 20 Are you the type of parent that is quick to cut up your 9 year olds waffle for him? Stop. Let your child learn how to be independent. Doing so by allowing them the opportunity to actually accomplish tasks on their own. When it comes to class work, are you sharpening the pencils? Are you sitting at the table for hours while your child finishes each question of their lessons? Don’t do that! There’s a reason this is number three on the 20 don’ts of homeschooling. Because it’s important.

If your child is old enough, implement checklists for homework. This can look like ‘Today you need to complete pages 90 – 93 of your Language Arts.” If you know that it’s just practice work, and you don’t necessarily need to teach them directly. Then allowing them to use a checklist to complete these tasks is an amazing habit to get them, and yourself into. Teaching your kids to be independent is one of your greatest goals as a parent, so aim to reach it!

20 dDon’ts of Homeschooling pro tip for teaching multiple grades: Click Here

4. Don’t Compare Yourself. 

Please, please, don’t compare yourself to other parents. Don’t compare yourself to other homeschool parents. Above all, don’t ever compare your child to another child. Doing so will just create a complex in their mind and put them on the comparison path for the rest of their life. Rather you should remind yourself that your kids are unique, you are unique, and your homeschool is a reflection of that. Everyone is going to be a little different. And, every homeschool is going to look a little different. 

5. Don’t Tear Other Homeschoolers Down. 

This is just as important as being sure not to compare yourself to other homeschooling parents. You should never, ever criticize someone else’s homeschooling style. Why? Because you really never know when their style will become your own. Homeschooling changes, constantly.

As your children grow, your homeschool changes. You’ll find different ways that work best for your children. Often (most) times one way of learning will be great for one of your kids and absolutely not for your other kid. It’s easy when you first start homeschooling to assume that you are going to continue to homeschool in that specific way forever. But, you won’t. Your homeschool will change and evolve. A homeschooling style that seemed to be totally foreign and off the rails for you, just might become the style that you end up gravitating towards one day. 

It’s also just really important that we should never criticize another individual whether behind their back or to their face. It’s not kind. This is especially true for homeschooling families. Rather than criticizing, we should be supporting them while also learning from them. Homeschool families need to stick together, whether your styles mesh or not. 

6. Don’t be Afraid to Experiment. 

This is why it’s also so important not to criticize other homeschooling styles. Because it’s paramount for you to find your own style, schedule and even curriculum that works best for your family. Changing things up is a great option when things are getting messy and no one seems to be enjoying the homeschooling journey. Please don’t be afraid to change things up! 

7. Don’t Imitate a Public School Classroom. 

It’s totally fine to have a schedule, we aren’t saying that everyone should just jump to unschooling. But listen, if that’s your jam than obviously – do it! The point is, you don’t want to get tied up by an unrealistic schedule. It can be hard to wrap your mind around what an alternative educational model can look like when you’re accustomed to the public school model alone. 

8. Don’t Feel That You Need to Cover It All. 

You don’t need to jump into every subject the first day, week, or even month. Homeschooling is often a really big adjustment for the whole family. So instead, you should give your family and yourself time to get familiar with your learning content and routine. Focus on one or two core subjects, and sprinkle in something that your child really loves! This could be art, music, physical education, or even a nature study. As time goes on, you can start to sprinkle in the other subjects. 

9. Don’t Cram It All Into One Day. 

I feel like I’ve said this before. But that’s fine. I’ll say it again, especially for the 20 don’ts of homeschooling. Because it’s an important point that needs to be recognized. You do not need to do Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, French, Arts and Music all in one day. Schools don’t even do that! When you choose to homeschool in this way, your child can’t properly grasp all the concepts that they should be grasping.

It’s so much better if you choose one or maybe 2 subjects per day. Take time to really dive into them. Look up neat videos to go along with your lessons. Check out library books, do research together. Find different ways to teach a certain concept. And then reiterate the lesson using different styles (on different days). You can do this until you’ve figured out the unique way that your child learns at this time. Notice I said “at this time”, because their learning style will change. 

10. Don’t Belittle Your Children. 

This really is just a general tip for parenting. But we can cross it into homeschooling as well. If your child is trying to dig deeper into a topic, or is struggling with something and trying to tell you that they are. Don’t ignore that. Never assume that it’s just ‘them’. And belittle them into getting the work done. Never belittle your children, period. Adding onto that, just please never belittle your children in the name of getting them to accomplish their school work. It’s not worth it, and can and will have lasting negative effects on their lives. 

11. Don’t Be a Taskmaster. 

I get it. You want to get all the work done so you can enjoy an amazing winter break with no school work, just holiday music playing and cookies baking in the oven. Regardless of that goal, you should never turn yourself into a taskmaster on behalf of trying to have your children reach their goals on the timeline that you have created. You don’t want to get to the point where your children think of school as yet another chore they must accomplish. And, you don’t want your child to look at you and think ‘Now what does she want me to do?’. I know you want to aim to get it all done, and quickly. But that kind of crammed learning isn’t learning. It’s chaos. So don’t do it. 

12. Don’t Force a School Day. 

Did your kids wake up with runny noses and they’re complaining of sore throats? Are your children just really tired from a busy weekend? Maybe you’re feeling exhausted and needing a break? Then take one. You don’t need to force a school day just because you saw the school bus go by the window outside. Because your child will not fall behind because you took a breather. Forcing school on a day that you know no one will want to participate will really cause more frustration than good. 

13. Don’t Teach When You’re Frustrated. 

DON’T TEACH WHEN YOU’RE FRUSTRATED. This ‘don’t‘ of the 20 don’ts of homeschooling is really, really important so I had to write it twice. Never teach when you’re frustrated. As a homeschooling parent you will still have life to deal with on top of homeschool. Sometimes you can be teaching a simple lesson of math, the day seems to be going great. Then all of a sudden your youngest comes in with a suspicious grin.

You hear a weird sound and notice water running down the hallway. Suddenly, you come to the horrific realization that while you were happily teaching math to your older child. Your younger child tried to dump their crayons in the toilet. Now there’s a flood down the hallway and you probably need to call a plumber. Ok, Math is done for the day. The frustration you’re feeling in that moment will only come out in your teaching style.

Even if you think you can suffocate the feelings, you can’t. It’ll come out in your body language. If you know you are frustrated, avoid teaching until you’ve gotten yourself into a better headspace. That doesn’t mean you should give up on the lesson for the day. It means you refocus, regroup, and come back to it when you’re more relaxed and able. 

14. Don’t Add More Curriculum. 

It’s tempting, when you’re walking by the piles of curriculum books at Costco to think ‘Oh this would be great practice work!’. You don’t need to do that. As homeschoolers we are constantly feeling like we need to do ‘more’. Or like our kids aren’t learning or doing enough. So, this feeling of ‘adding more’ just continually pops up. Your child did their Science lesson quickly and didn’t fuss? Does that mean you should add more practice? Make it harder for them? Absolutely not! Learning doesn’t need to be crammed in there, and difficult. It should be simple, fun, relaxing and engaging. Finding that balance will make a world of difference. 

15. Don’t Fall For Homeschool Parental Guilt. 

You are doing enough. And your kids are learning enough. Also, your home is clean enough. And your kids are eating healthy enough. We love to torture ourselves with these ideas that we just aren’t enough. Or like someone else is doing it better, so why can’t I? Stop! Turn the switch off when it comes to homeschool parental guilt. It literally ally gets you nowhere. Your kids really are learning enough, and you are truly doing such a good job. There’s no room for parental guilt, because you are totally filled up with positive affirmations on how awesome you are. 

16. Don’t Assume That Your Kids Are Behind. 

They aren’t. Your kids are right where they’re supposed to be. Let go of this idea that your child needs to be in the standard for their age group. Your child is unique and their learning style reflects that. Maybe your child is 9 years old but is reading at a grade 2 level. That’s ok. Your child isn’t behind, they don’t need to catch up. Just move along at the pace that works for your child and yourself. Then all the pieces will fall into place when they’re supposed to. 

17. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help. 

It’s so good to ask for help and support when you need it. This doesn’t mean that you aren’t strong enough to be a homeschooling parent. 

18. Don’t Worry About Messing Up as a Homeschool Parent.

Life is messy! Literally everyone messes up sometimes. Some people just clean it up faster or hide it better. If you’ve messed up as a homeschool parent, learn from that mistake and move forward. 

19. Don’t Get Stuck in the Oops! 

If you did mess up, or loose your temper, or taught your kid the wrong concept. Don’t get stuck in the mistake. Look at it as a learning opportunity for you too! When you’ve mad a mistake, own it. Take ownership of your mistake, apologize, and strategize how to move forward in a positive way. 

20. Don’t Underestimate Yourself. 

You are more than capable of teaching your children. Be proud of the choice that you’ve made. Embrace the unknowns, and work diligently towards the future. Because you are capable of accomplishing some really, really amazing things. I’m so proud of you, and I hope that you are too! The very fact that you are searching out ways to be an amazing homeschooling parent, like reading the 20 don’ts of homeschooling, speaks volumes. Don’t cut yourself short, ok?

 

Did you enjoy the 20 Don’ts of Homeschooling? Stay tuned for the 20 Do’s of Homeschooling, coming soon!

Do you have any ‘don’ts’ to add to the 20 Don’ts of Homeschooling? Let us know!

 

Teaching Your Kids About Remembrance Day

Have your kids ever asked why people are wearing poppies on their jackets at this time of the year? And what was your response to that question? Explaining such an important topic to our kids can sometimes be difficult to accomplish. Even so, it’s really important to teach our kids about the significance of Remembrance Day. Each year there are fewer and fewer living survivors from the World Wars.

Therefore it’s more important now than ever before to remember the sacrifices that these amazing people made for our country. When we teach our children about the significance of Remembrance Day, we are keeping the memories and stories of these brave soldiers and individuals alive now and also in the future. So, we have some tips for Teaching your kids about Remembrance Day this year. Along with the FREE Remembrance Day Mini Unit (available for the month of November – link at the bottom of this blog).

  1. Spend some time choosing age appropriate content. 

It’s really important to keep the age of your child in mind when planning learning content. For example, if you have a 4-year-old, you can chat with them about what Remembrance Day is about. While adding in brief discussions about why people wear the colour red and poppies. Then for a child that is a little older, you can discuss with them more about the great world wars. You can share the conflicts that our soldiers are facing in today’s world. And what the moment of silence is for, and why it’s so important to observe it. 

2. Listen to stories from soldiers. 

Perhaps you know a veteran, or even an active military personnel. Ask them to share age appropriate stories with you and your child. More often than not, they are happy to share their history and stories with you. 

3. Learn about the medals and decorations that have been awarded to military personnel. 

Your kids may take an interest in the medals and decorations that are awarded to military personnel. You can find some excellent resources about military medals and decorations here: Department of National Defence – Medals

4. Place an Emphasize on honouring people. 

Spend some time talking about the dedication and sacrifice that these special people have made to ensure that we have continued freedom and safety today. This is really such an excellent topic. Take some time to chat with your kids about ways that they can honour these important people in our history. Your kids ideas might just amaze you. Be sure to write down their ideas. Alternatively, if you’re having a difficult time coming up with some ideas you could try: 

  • Donating to a local Legion. 
  • Flying a Canadian flag. 
  • Wearing a poppy.
  • Talk to a veteran.
  • Write a letter to a veteran. 

5. Attend a Remembrance Day Ceremony. 

Attending a Remembrance Day Ceremony, whether in person or virtually, is an excellent way to teach your kids about Remembrance Day and the sacrifices made on behalf of their freedom. If you choose to participate in an in-person ceremony, be sure to dress warm and follow public health guidelines. Your kids might just complain if it’s cold, so if they do, don’t get upset with them. Rather use this as a learning experience. Standing still, in the cold for an hour, while you are honouring these heroes, doesn’t even come close to the sacrifices that these soldiers made during the wars. Find out if your city or township is having an in-person Remembrance Day Ceremony, or if they offer a virtual option. Then plan to attend.

6. Take time to visit a war memorial or military cemetery. 

If you can’t attend a Remembrance Day Ceremony, pay a visit to a war memorial or a military cemetery for Remembrance Day. Show your kids the inscriptions, have them read some. Talk about the importance of these words. After you return home, have them draw or paint a photo of what they saw that day. 

7. Dive into your families own history. 

A really excellent way to teach your children about Remembrance Day is to share stories with them about their own family members that were in the war. Share with them all that you know about their stories. Maybe you have a neighbour or older relative that can still share stories about their experiences. Another really fun and educational activity would be to take a little time to research a family member who served in one of the wars. This is a great learning experience for both your children and yourself. 

8. Explain the significance of Poppies. 

Why do we wear poppies? An interesting fact is that not even all adults know why we wear poppies each November. Teach your children about how wearing a poppy is a way to pay tribute to all those who gave their lives for our freedom. Poppies grew on the battlefields where many gave their lives. A neat fact to remember is that in 1915 the poppy flower inspired a Canadian doctor by the name of John McCrae to write the very famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields’. 

9. Help them learn ‘In Flanders Fields’. 

Learning about the significance of the famous poem written by John McCrae is so important. John McCrae wrote this poem in 1915 as a memorial to all those who died in the World War I battle that was fought in a unique region of Belgium known as Ypres Salient. This heart wrenching poem describes the immense tragedy of these soldiers’ deaths. While there is much grief in this poem, there is also such hope in the depiction of the ongoing natural beauty that surrounds the graves of those who were lost. 

Ways to teach your child the poem: 

  • Recite In Flanders Fields with them once a day leading up to Remembrance Day. 
  • Print out a copy of the poem, or write it out. And place it somewhere they will see it. 
  • Read it to them every day leading up to Remembrance Day. 
    • Have them write out the poem in their own unique way. 
    • If writing is a challenge, have them draw pictures of what comes to mind when you read them the poem. 

If you don’t already have a copy, here it is: 

In Flanders Fields by John McCrae

“In Flanders fields the poppies blow.

Between the crosses, row on row. 

That mark our place; and in the sky, 

The larks, still bravely singing, fly.

Scare heard amid the guns below. 

We are the Dead. Short days ago, 

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow. 

Loved and were loved, and now we lie, 

In Flanders fields. 

Take up our quarrel with the foe: 

To you from failing hands we throw. 

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die. 

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 

In Flanders fields.” 

10. Watch documentaries on the World Wars together. 

Documentaries provide a flurry of information about our country and world’s history. Additionally, when you watch a documentary, your child will have the opportunity to listen to interviews from veterans. While also having the opportunity to see real photos from those important days in our history. Documentaries will offer an excellent learning experience for our learners. However, you’ll want to be sure that the documentary that you choose to watch is age appropriate for your child. Because some documentaries should only be viewed by older children. It’s really important to check into and watch the documentaries before sharing them with your child.

11. Prepare a war-time meal.

Veteran Affairs Canada gave educators an amazing idea. That idea was to serve a war-time meal to children to help them understand just a small portion of what they went through. Are you wondering what a wartime meal would look like? We’ve got you covered. 

War-Time Meal Ideas

  • Potato Piglets

Using six potatoes, and six sausages, you can create a potato piglet wartime meal for your family. This recipe originated from a Ministry of Food Leaflet. Here’s a recipe for it: Potato Piglets Recipe – Love Food.

  • Sausage Roll

This unique recipe is part of a complete menu of one-pot meals, issued in the Ministry of Food leaflet number 35. The    sausage roll is steamed pudding which uses sausage meat, root vegetables, breadcrumbs, herbs, and even pickles! Here’s some recipes to check out: The Wartime Kitchen – Lavender and Lovage.

  • Lord Woolton Pie

A favourite of wartime recipes, is the famous Lord Woolton Pie. The Lord Woolton Pie is loaded with vegetables, with a pastry that has a large amount of fat. This recipe is filling, heathy and also super thrifty. Find a recipe here: The Original Lord Woolton Pie Recipe.

  • Oxford Potato Soup

Soup is such a versatile, filling, and nutritious option for meal time. Which is obviously why soup was a popular meal during war times. Oxford potato soup is another recipe that was taken out of Potato Pete’s wartime Ministry of Food leaflets, on how to cook with potatoes. For this recipe you will need olive oil, potatoes, leeks, onion, celery, thyme leaves and chopped parsley. Check out the recipe here: Oxford Potato Soup – Love Potatoes. 

  • Cheese and Lentil Savoury

What’s a thrifty and healthy recipe for a sandwich filling? Cheese and Lentil Savoury! For this wartime meal, you will need cheese, red lentils, breadcrumbs, and herbs. This unique recipe has a bounty of vitamins, fibre, and protein as well.  You can find this recipe more wartime meal recipes here:  On The Home Front Original War Time Recipes

More wartime recipes here.

12. Visit The Canadian War Museum 

Even if you are unable to visit a museum due to covid, you can still visit The Canadian War Museum website. There are so many amazing videos, resources and more. Additionally there are so many truly unique exhibitions to be seen. The knowledge and experiences that your children will get from either visiting, or watching some of the videos on the Canadian War Museum’s website is irreplaceable. 

13. Have your child explain why Remembrance Day is important. 

Once you’ve done a fair share of learning about Remembrance Day together, ask your children to teach you about it. Through their story telling and fact sharing you will be able to determine what stood out for them. 

14. Pick up the Remembrance Day Mini Unit by Schoolio. 

Included with this very special unit, why we observe Remembrance Day in Canada, taking a deeper look at why we observe this special day. While also learning about what it means for our past, present and future. Additionally your child will learn about ‘In Flanders Fields’. And they will learn about why poppies are the symbol of Remembrance Day.  Depending on their grade level, they will also have the opportunity to share their feelings about the poem in different ways. 

More activities included with this unit: Poppy Math, a whole math section dedicated to poppies. Poppy Stem Project, where your child will have the chance to do a unique science experiment with homemade poppies. And, your child will be able to create a beautiful, hand-made poppy Remembrance Day wreath. Which they can either hang on your homes door, or take to a cenotaph on Remembrance Day. Be sure to share this amazing opportunity with your friends and family.

Schoolio is committed to educating future generations about Remembrance Day.

We here at Schoolio strongly believe that knowledge is power. Being able to look back at our history is a gift. We celebrate the fact that we have the opportunity to do so in freedom, health and safety. Which is why we are so passionate about teaching future generations about how significant Remembrance Day really is. For the month of November (2021) we are offering the Remembrance Day Mini Unit Free of charge. This is our way to say thank you, to give back, and to offer wisdom and education to all. Pick up your FREE Remembrance Day Mini Unit here.

We want to say a sincere thank you to everyone who has given up so much for our freedom. It’s hard to describe how grateful we really are for such an amazing gift. Life as we know it would be so different had so many not sacrificed all. To the families of the over 118,000 Canadian soldiers who have died for our freedom, thank you. Their sacrifices were not in vein. 

Thank you. 

We Remember. 

Click to read about Why Observing Remembrance Day is Important

Popular Canadian Homeschool Curriculum Now Adapted and Available to Parents in the U.S.

In Fall 2021 Schoolio Learning Corp. will expand to the U.S. homeschool market. Bringing popular Canadian homeschool curriculum to the U.S. market. Beginning with their #1 best selling program, a 36-week curriculum covering both PreK and Kindergarten.

Schoolio launched in Canada in 2020. And was met with instant success. Their unique learning program serves both homeschoolers and educators. By providing a full-year curriculum that meets essential educational requirements. While also allowing for flexibility and interest-led personalization. Schoolio has crafted a team of curriculum writers who are teachers. While also having homeschool experience. Leveraging knowledge and skills from both arenas to ensure their offerings meet parents’ needs. After only one year, over 2,000 Canadian homeschool parents use Schoolio’s curriculum for grades K-8.

Schoolio Curriculum
While designed primarily for print-at-home use, Schoolio’s curriculum is also available for shipping as a workbook.

From the Schoolio CEO:

Sathish Bala, Schoolio’s CEO, provides insight into their expansion plan. “Since our launch in August 2020, we have had many U.S. parents asking for a U.S. version of our Kinder program. Our team reworked the entire 900+ pages for U.S. families. Our combined pre-K/K program helps set your child up for success in Grade 1, filling any gaps as needed. Over the next few months, we will continue to release more grades and continue our mission to support homeschooling parents across the U.S.”

Schoolio’s popular PreK/Kindergarten curriculum includes: 

  • A sample schedule. 
  • Themed weeks that parents can build on at home.
  • Core subjects + enrichment activities (Math, Language, Handwriting, Reading, Science, Social Studies, and Art).
  • A weekly program guide that provides suggested guidance every single day.
  • Sight word flashcards.
  • Book recommendations to match each week’s theme.
  • Media recommendations to match each week’s theme.
  • A fun, themed art project or activity each week.
  • A biweekly assessment to help parents make sure their child is on track.

From Co-Founder, Lindsey Casselman:

“The Schoolio Kinder program was written with two goals in mind.” Says Lindsey Casselman, Schoolio’s Co-Founder and Curriculum Lead. “We wanted to completely remove the stress on homeschooling parents about what to teach, when, and how. We also wanted to create a program that was fun, engaging, and hands-on for our youngest learners. This program covers all the academic foundations needed to start Grade 1. So parents can rest easy knowing they have it all covered. And without the stress of planning, they can really engage with their child. Making it possible for everyone to have fun learning together.”

Bringing essential curriculum to all children.


Currently, Schoolio offers curricula to Canadian homeschoolers for grades K-8. Over the next few months, they will expand their U.S. offerings to match. However, their sights are set globally. Schoolio’s ultimate goal is to build a one-of-a-kind online learning platform. This platform will bring their essential curriculum to any child, anywhere in the world, for free. Schoolio will offer parents and educators a premium version that allows for complete customization of each child’s learning experience. And supplementation with premium Schoolio curated content. Along with user-based marketplace content, and more.

Learn more about Schoolio

Featured in Entrepreneur

We are pleased to bring popular Canadian homeschool curriculum around the globe!

Press Inquiries:

Sathish Bala, CEO, Founder – sathish@schoolio.io

Staying in the Moment as a Homeschool Mom

Staying in the Moment as a Homeschool Mom – Guest blog by Tawny Stowe

The idea of being in the moment has been on my mind a lot lately as I contemplate and experience the concepts of time. As a young adult I thought I had all the time in the world. I was certain I could reinvent myself a million times and I never felt committed to one aspect of who I was becoming because I viewed that there would always be more time. Now I find myself seeking out ways for staying in the moment as a homeschool mom.

My younger days.

I travelled the world as a backpacker carrying only what I could on my back. I lived in each moment knowing almost always it was my very first and last in any given spot.  Sometimes the thoughts of what tomorrow would bring and where I would be next would creep into my mind. Especially in the beginning of my travelling adventures, the beautiful gift of being somewhere new often found me thinking about where I would be tomorrow. Then what was coming next, This then led me to missing the gift of being present in the moment and appreciating that part of the journey.

And then something happened.

I stopped travelling and I grew up.  Soon I became serious and I started to fear never having enough time to become myself. Here I find myself still figuring out what I have become and what I am becoming. However there was a definite sense of urgency at that time in my life. As I hit 30 years old, I started to panic. Thoughts about getting married, owning things like a house or a car, and raising a family became my priority. I found myself panicking about my education, my career and becoming of value in our society. Soon these thoughts took me over. Suddenly each day was only about getting further ahead in the future, not about being in the moment.

I didn’t realize how much this affected me.

Truly I hadn’t thought much about how this was affecting me. That is not until I became a parent and switched to homeschooling. First, I was so consumed by what I was preparing my child for in the future. Second, I was obsessed with Making sure I understood the expectations of a child’s growth and learning development. Third, I was in a state of worrying. Additionally, making my child the most prepared for each new developmental stage took centre stage. I wanted him to be the best he could be for tomorrow.

Through all of this, I noticed something; he was starting to play less in each moment and rather ask about what was coming next.

He was hiking the trail asking what we were doing after and the reality check of what I was projecting on him suddenly hit me. Was I teaching my child to focus ahead instead of just being ok right where we are? Being highly empathic his words got my attention. However it was what I could feel that really hit me. In my son I could feel emotional anxiousness about the day, the objectives, the expectations. This truth hurt my heart. See, as a parent of a child with diagnosed separation anxiety, I chose to homeschool to help him build confidence not to take it away. This is when the deep reflection began within in.

If when I traveled I became free by living in the moment what was it that enabled me to do so? It was owning less, needing less, and trusting that where I was was exactly where I was meant to be.

I felt free, calm, alive, and in flow.

I really want those things for my son too. So, how can I help him discover these things that brought me so much joy? The answer is: I need to return myself to joy, and then I need to model it!

As the world seems to have gained speed and appear to be moving faster than I can keep up. Now more than ever I am coming back to the acceptance that nothing in life is permanent. Each day as I work towards healing my Metis roots I strive to connect deeper to the seasons. While walking gently upon the Earth as one of Her kin. If I am willing to accept impermanence in society and I surrender to the constant that is change in nature. Then surely I can open my heart to model being present in both of these aspects for my son.

This is my work.

As a parent I am always growing, as you are too. My son reflects back to me where I am out of alignment and where I can grow. He gifts me the constant opportunity to be better and rise to be the best version of myself possible. As the fall leaves come crashing down around me, I too have much to shed and I will. I will shed the illusion of becoming. Then I will work at simply being right here, right now. For my son I will let go of who he must become and be with him as he is right now. Together, we will live this season and grow as beings walking hand in hand on a journey designed for us.

 

Schoolio Guest Blog

 

Have you read ‘Stay Curious With Your Homeschool’? Another guest blog by Tawny Stowe.

“Every child is different! Isn’t this exactly why I wanted to homeschool? To give time and space to my child so he can learn in his own way? Well, intellectually yes. But then I found myself setting up my home exactly like a school. Trying to do all the ‘school like’ things. My heart was hearing Rudolph Steiner loud and clear. Saying “Why did you bother to read my philosophies if you are going to be so mechanical?” Even so, I just couldn’t let go of this idea of how I thought education should be. Because that is all I have ever known. I wasn’t sure how to stay curious with our homeschool.

What changed…

Luckily for my son and I, I am a Saggitarius who gets bored with routine with ease. So, we were released from the ‘educational’ prison I had created. Just as soon as the weather turned nice enough to spend the majority of our time outside.

Over the spring and summer months I turned my trust to homestead moms. I leaned into Wildschooling ideas, placing a great importance on learning in our natural environment. At first it was sheer necessity, as a single mom I couldn’t manage our spring gardens with a full day of sit down learning. Very quickly this way of learning opened my eyes to a beautiful truth for my son and I.

Learning about Charlotte Mason and Rudolph Steiner spoke to my soul.

Truly the ideologies of Charlotte Mason and Rudolph Steiner speak to my soul. I find that the more I learn about them the better able I am to embody them and to model them. This has resulted in an epic growth for me and a much deeper connection to my environment. A true healing of my Metis roots, and a stronger richer bond with my son.

When exploring homeschooling for the first time, or really at any time. It can be so overwhelming to know what to study, and how to study. To be honest, some days it can be overwhelming to know where to even start. Some people have a natural teacher flow to their life and it comes like second nature. While others, like me, have to nurture their teacher flow a bit more until we can really find it. The true key to success in homeschool, is to stay curious and stay in alignment with your values.

What are the best questions to ask yourself to stay curious?

Some of the best questions to ask yourself usually start with why you want to homeschool? The answers to these questions will guide you towards what philosophies or even curriculums support your desired outcomes. As I deepen my relationship with my son, I find I have to evaluate my reasons constantly against his growth. Constantly checking in with whether I am doing things for him, or for me. Because the answer to that can drastically shift our educational direction. I am continually learning that I must stay as curious as him. Curious about what excites him, what lights him up, what fuels him, what challenges him, what improves his confidence, nourishes his mind, his body and his soul. I use the seasons to prompt my reflection time. This way I can check in where we are both at, four times a year.

Continue Reading…

 

 

Schoolio Guest Blog

Read: “Everything has a Season — Even Education” Guest Blog by Tawny Stowe

“Everything has a season” … It’s a cliche, but for me it’s also a permission slip! As a homestead mom and an entrepreneur, certain seasons find me a little over my head! This was my first-year homeschooling. And when I began, I had these grand ideals of how to make school happen in my home the way it does in a classroom.

I failed. Miserably.

First I started off with alarms set, I had specific curriculum planned out every day and books set up on the table. I even had specific days for different topics.  At first, my four-year-old was excited and just as quickly he wasn’t. As soon as it turned into a power struggle for our family, I knew something had to change. But being so new to the homeschooling way of life, I didn’t know what!

And then… It happened.

As they say when the student is ready the teacher appears. So as I sat in on a webinar for my business that happened to be led by a homeschooling and homestead mamma of three. In her teaching she fully admitted that as gardening season approaches, her and the kids are done with formal learning for the remainder of the school year. When the demands of the garden increased, all learning revolved around growing food!

 

This was inspiring!

Suddenly, I felt as if the Spring Season was an open permission slip to let the rigidity and routine of learning go. We could slide into a more “unschooled approach” to education.

Then what took place blew my mind!

The power struggles that my family was facing, vanished. It seems getting a five-year-old to put on rain boots and splash in puddles requires zero effort! We went hunting for bugs, exploring wetlands for migrating birds, and spent time talking about the fertility of the Earth as it unravelled before our very eyes. Then we talked about seeds, and land stewardship (okay he’s five we called it tending to our food and forests). We collected garbage, we kayaked and we explored medicines and wild foods as they presented themselves. As I was walking around from morning to night working in the gardens, wheelbarrowing dirt, starting seeds and transplanting seedlings, and raising baby chicks, my son was with me every step of the way

Another change in our Homeschooling Journey.

So here we are, now watching this season that started as Spring. Moved into summer and is quickly bringing us to fall.  I am pausing to reflect on what I am harvesting from the seeds I planted and tended all summer. Both in my garden and in my son’s learning environment.

My son has outgrown his shyness. He thrived in the natural world talking to plants, trees, rocks, and animals. We spent a summer taking our winter learning of Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe Language) and applying it to our outdoor classroom. We read books, we studied field guides. We had countless campfires helping us heal our Metis roots. Doing so by keeping us feeling connected to the Natural Landscape and all of her beings.

A new cycle is here.

Continue reading this guest blog by Tawny Stowe.

Click here 

 

 

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 – 

Establish a Good Homeschool Routine

What’s the very best schedule for homeschool families to follow in order to be successful? And how can you help your family learn healthy habits, especially around homeschool? These are pretty huge topics, and I’m sure that you’re feeling rather overwhelmed by it all. Chances are if you’re reading this, that your homeschool schedule is always changing or perhaps failing. Now you’re wondering, ‘How do I establish a good homeschool routine?’ 

Truth First.

First of all, you should know that most homeschool families have had or are having struggles with their schedule. As frustrating as that is, it’s common! Why is this? The answer is truly simple. It truly is impractical for most homeschool families to follow a strict schedule. In most cases, time slots on a time chart are only going to cause more frustration than happiness. The reason being, life happens! It’s important for your homeschool to work around your life, not the other way around. Which is why it’s so important to establish a good homeschool routine. 

Avoid the Burden of an Intense Schedule.

Instead of burdening yourself with an intense schedule of: 8:00am – Math. 8:45am – Reading. Finally, 9:10am – Spelling and so on. Change it up! Have you heard of time blocks? Time blocks are different blocks of your day designated for homeschool work, and life.

Aim for Time Blocks With Your Homeschool Routine.

Time blocks can look like: 8:30 – 11:30am Block A. Block A can change based on the day. For Monday, it could be Math and Science. Then for Tuesday it could be ‘Free Creativity Time’.  Following Block A, you can begin your next block. Or, you can take a break with your kids if they’re feeling tired. You as the homeschool parent teacher will be able to determine how your child is doing with this routine each day. 

Avoid Micro Scheduling Within Your Time Blocks.  

It’s much easier to schedule in the blocks of your day rather than individual subjects. Plus it’s so customizable. As your homeschool day can have as many or as few blocks as your family needs. It’s recommended to have 2-4 blocks in your homeschool day. While also doing your best to avoid micro scheduling within your homeschool blocks. Additionally, it’s important to keep the blocks running daily at the same time. It’s really important to be careful not to change the times of the blocks, as it’s good for your family to learn the blocks and stick to them. 

Life Happens! What Happens in the Blocks Changes. But the Blocks Stay the Same.

It’s obvious that life happens, and changes are inevitable. Which is why having these blocks in your homeschool plan can be so great. For example, if I schedule 3 blocks for each day of the week. And my blocks are scheduled like: Block A 8:30am – 11:30am, Block B 11:30am- 2:30pm and Block C 2:30pm – 5:30pm. Our days can go like: Monday Block A – Math and Science. Block B – Art and chores. Block C – Free play, reading, practicing instruments. Then our Tuesday blocks can totally be switched up. Block A – Day prep, free play, chores. Block B – Language Arts and Social Studies. Block C – Music practice, physical education, reading. 

Be Flexible with your time blocks. 

It’s important to remember that while the items within the blocks may change on a daily basis, the time blocks remain the same. That’s because I’m not ‘creating a schedule’ to keep my family on track. I’m creating a routine using time blocks. Consequently, my whole family learns the routine because of these blocks. As a result, our family stays on track!

Don’t Do Every Subject, Every Day!

Another huge factor when it comes to keeping your homeschool schedule somewhat on track: Stop trying to do every subject, every day. Obviously you want to make sure that your child remains on track with their education. Because no one wants to fall behind. However, cramming all the subjects into one day will only cause a flurry of overwhelm for both you and your child. Sometimes, if I know that my child is struggling with Math, I will only schedule Math for a block. While being sure not to include any other subjects in that block of time, or other blocks throughout the day.

Figure Out How Your Family Operates. 

Some families do better with morning learning, some families do better in the afternoon. First it’s important to find out your families learning rhythm. Then plan accordingly. Additionally, it’s really important to NOT worry so much about ‘book work’ being done daily.  Maybe your child learns better with games? That’s fine! This doesn’t mean that you throw out the book work completely. Instead you can aim for book assignments for one day, learning games the next, and educational resources after that. 

Don’t Compare Your Homeschool to Someone Else’s. 

Everyone’s homeschool doesn’t look the same. For instance, if you see instagram posts of perfectly put together homeschool rooms with incredibly written captions of how the day went. It’s important to remember that most people post the highlight reels of their day. Rather than the chaos that actually occurred.

Switch It Up. 

Maybe time blocks won’t work for your family. Perhaps you need a rigorous schedule instead. Alternatively you may feel better with a loose schedule. Irregardless, you should never feel that you must commit to one way of homeschooling for the whole duration of your homeschooling journey. Because things change, and that’s fine! For example, you may start homeschooling with a perfectly planned schedule, and end the year with time blocks. Because homeschooling is like an ocean, you have to learn to embrace the waves that come your way. 

Be Confident. 

You are doing such a great job teaching your kids! Therefore you should feel so proud of all that you are accomplishing. If your schedule has failed, please don’t be upset. Instead research alternative scheduling methods for your homeschool. Also, chatting with other homeschool parents on how their schedules or routines look can be extremely helpful. Just remember to chat with ‘real’ homeschool parents in homeschool groups. Rather than looking at someone else’s highlight reel, while wondering why your life can’t look that perfect. This is an important step in your journey to establish a good homeschool routine.

Don’t Get Stuck.

Sometimes as homeschool parents you will face tough days. Of course the schedule will change and things may fall out of whack. Sickness, work, life, unexpected situations. All of these scenarios can play a part in throwing your homeschool routine off track. If your homeschool routine/schedule has fallen apart, don’t get stuck. Just keep moving forward with the knowledge that you’re doing an excellent job. And remember, you have the ability to accomplish big things!

Check Out These Schoolio Blogs and Free Resources for Scheduling.

Click Here to read ‘When Your Homeschool Schedule Isn’t Going As Planned’ 

Click Here to view ‘Daily Homeschool Planning Tips and Free Resources’

 

Additional Helpful Resources to Establish a Good Homeschool Routine.

A Flexible Homeschool Routine Your Kids Will Love – The Simple Homeschooler

Tips for Planning Your Homeschool – The Happy Housewife

Best Tips for Creating a Homeschool Daily Schedule – Your Morning Basket

How to Encourage Your Child to Write

Does your child hate writing? You’ve spent an adequate amount of time explaining what they need to accomplish and providing them with the tools to be successful. However, they immediately shrivel up in a ball and start whining. Additionally, they will literally sit at the table and twiddle their thumbs for what seems like hours. Rather than just write out the simple paragraph that they need to complete. What do you do? How can you encourage your child to write?

First of all why is writing important? 

Sometimes the fight to get your child to write just doesn’t feel worth it, am I right? Your mind may gravitate towards thoughts like ‘Why do I need to have them write anyway? The world is digital!’ Occasionally, it might feel easier to just to write it for them and pretend that they did it. However, it’s extremely important to keep your child writing and encourage them to practice their writing skills. Why? Because your child will likely need to write nearly every day in their life. Your child will need writing skills in order to complete tasks, like filling out a form at the doctors office. Writing a letter, filling out a job application, signing their name on an important document and more. 

Yes, the world has gone very digital. Even so, writing is still a huge aspect of life. When your child reaches high school, there are some assignments and exams that require the student to write short or sometimes even long answers using paper and a pencil. When it comes to work, writing might be an important part of their job in the future. Taking notes, administrative work, taking phone messages. Obviously, all of these tasks require the ability to write. 

Aside from all of the practical reasons why you should encourage your child to write. Writing can also be extremely therapeutic. Writing has been known to be an amazing outlet, and way to express feelings that perhaps they verbally just cannot express. 

How can you encourage your child to write?

First of all, remember that you aren’t failing as a parent just because your child is struggling to write. Teaching writing can be just as difficult as learning to write. Start by encouraging your child to develop strong writing skills from a young age. Then as they grow, continue encouraging them. If your child is now 8 years old, and you never took the time to encourage them to write, please don’t be hard on yourself. Your child will be able to pick up the skills that they need to write, in no time at all. We’ve compiled a list of ways to make practicing writing much more simple and obtainable for both you and your child. 

Have plenty of writing tools around the house, and make a writing toolbox.

Inside their writing tool box include items like: Lined paper, construction paper, regular paper, coloured paper, pens, pencils, markers, crayons, rulers. All of these are items that you should have in your home for your child to utilize.

Brainstorm writing ideas with your child. 

Are there certain topics that really catch the interest of your child? Chat with them about these exciting topics. Encourage them to draw pictures and then write small explanations about the pictures that they have created. In addition to this, have your child tell you verbal stories, and encourage them to write down their stories so they can remember. Even if their story is just a few words. Without a doubt they’re still getting essential practice in writing while using their amazing imagination. 

Always include reading. 

Did you know that reading is a stepping stone for better writing? It’s true! As reading has been proven to help strengthen kids’ writing skills. When your child is young, be sure to read together every day. While always encouraging their love for reading. Because when your child reads, they are expanding their vocabulary. Along with learning different spelling skills and gaining more knowledge. 

Make Writing Fun! 

Writing doesn’t have to be boring! It absolutely doesn’t always need to be writing sheets and assignments. In fact, there are so many fun ways to increase their love for writing, ways in which don’t include worksheets and pencils. Some of these ways include: Creative writing, crossword puzzles, writing a letter for a friend or family member, making up their own unique language, paint, sidewalk chalk and more. 

Fun Writing Games: 

Write the Word. 

This is a simple and fun game. You will need to have a piece of paper and pencil ready. Additionally you will need some simple items that’s names are easy to spell. Example: brush, apple, car, toy, doll, pen, book. 

First, show your child the item. Then spell the items name on a piece of paper. After that, tell your child to count to 10 while you hide the item somewhere. Now have your child find the item. Once they find it, have them spell out the name of the item on the paper. 

Pass Around Story-Writing

For this you will need a plain sheet of paper, and pencils for each player. *Note there doesn’t need to be a large amount of players to make this game fun. It can be just you and your student.

First Sit in a circle, or at your table. Secondly, explain to your child that you are going to write a sentence. Example: “Jane was hungry to a pizza sandwich.” Thirdly, have your child write a sentence to go along with your sentence. Then continue swapping the paper until you’ve come up with a hilarious story to share. 

Fill in the story. 

This game is a lot like pass around story. With the exception that it’s a little more structured. For this you will need a paper and pencils. On the sheet you will write a story with missing sections. Then have your child read through the story, and decide what the missing sections should be. 

Birthday and Holiday Messages. 

This is truly one of my favourite ways to get my children to practice their writing skills. Every single holiday I have my kids write little cards to friends and family. Writing “Happy Thanksgiving” with their name over and over again is an excellent way to help them practice their writing. Alternatively, birthday cards are also an awesome way to include writing in a fun, giving activity. 

Mix it up! 

Contrary to popular belief, writing doesn’t always have to be with a pencil and paper. Have your child write a fun message on the driveway or sidewalk with sidewalk chalk. And there’s always paint! Finger paint? Maybe painting with a paint brush? Those are both excellent ways to increase their writing skills. Additionally you can have your child write friends or grandparents names on a picture that they painted. There are some other fun materials you can use for writing skills too! Like water with food colouring, or even salt. 

Don’t stop them mid-writing. 

It can be super tempting to stop your child mid writing because they have spelled a word incorrectly. Clearly, you just want them to spell correctly, I get that. However, when you stop your child from their writing to point out a mistake that they have made. This only causes more frustration and resentment towards writing (and possibly you). Avoid this at all costs. Let them write, even if you know that they are making mistakes. Because the reality is that they are still writing out the words, and doing a good job. Letters are still being practiced, and hand coordination is being utilized. So, don’t worry so much about spelling and grammar. 

Encourage them to keep a journal. 

I personally have always journaled, and as a result, my children have started to fall in love with journaling too. One of my daughters has so many journals, I don’t actually know if she even knows where they all are. It’s so important to write down our thoughts, even if it sometimes is messy, or words aren’t spelt correctly. Journaling is such an important tool when it comes to improving your child’s writing skills. Start by purchasing a special journal and pens. Then explain that this is their special book to write their thoughts in. More than likely they will cherish it and fill it with all kinds of beautiful words. 

Be a good writing influence. 

Our kids mirror what they see. So, does your child see you on a computer/tablet a lot? Or on your smartphone scrolling through social media? What about writing texts to friends? When your child is around, let them see you writing. The same goes for reading. If your child only ever sees you on your phone, they will then want to do that also. Alternatively, if your child sees you writing, they will want to write. Kids reflect what they see. So, aim to be a good writing influence. 

Always make a big deal about their writing. 

When your child brings a story, poem, or letter to you. Always read it. Never brush it off. Then when you’ve finished reading it, don’t point out the issues (spelling, grammar). Instead point out all that was good with their story. Constantly work to build them up and instil self-confidence.

Undoubtedly, you want your child to read and write without any issue. Nevertheless it’s important to remember that every child is different. Furthermore, every child learns in their own unique way and on their own timeline. If your child is struggling with writing, always remember to be patient first and foremost. When you put too much pressure on them to get it done and do it right. Their resentment towards learning will grow and not their love for it.

Take it slow, be patient, caring, positive and encouraging. And above all remember, good things take time. Just because they’re taking a little longer to figure something out doesn’t mean that they are falling behind or failing. Additionally, it doesn’t mean that you are failing as a parent, or as a homeschool parent. 

Every so often these concepts take time to learn and master. So, be patient and supportive. Your student is bright and they will be just fine. 

 

Is your child also struggling with reading? Check out this blog: ‘Why Does My Child Hate Reading?’ 

Resources for this blog:

Oxford Learning ‘How to Improve Writing Skills for Kids’

Colorin’ Colorado ‘Helping Your Children Develop Strong Writing Skills’

Parenting First Cry ‘8 Creative Writing Games’ 

The Reading Mama ’25 Ways to Make Writing Fun’

How to Use a Digital Curriculum

Are you curious why we are so passionate about our digital curriculum? Lately, we’ve been receiving multiple questions about what a digital curriculum is? How can you use a digital curriculum? And what are the best ways to be successful using a digital curriculum? This is why this blog is all about how to use a digital curriculum and why we’re so passionate about it.

Why do we promote and sell a digital curriculum? 

Convenience is always the ideal. This is why the idea of having only physical workbooks in hand is the ideal and preferred method for most families. This is why we are passionate about finding an alternative that will make the family and the environment happy. It should be alarming that roughly 15 billion trees are cut down annually. Researchers estimate that since the onset of human civilization, the global number of trees has dropped by approximately 46%. Find more details here.

Those are some staggering and alarming statistics.

Especially because trees are such an essential part of life here on planet earth, trees and shrubs improve soil and water conservation while storing carbon. They also help moderate local climates by providing shade. Trees act to regulate temperature extremes and provide homes for much of the world’s wildlife. 

Trees are so important and needed. Yet, they are the first to be cut down when we need lumber to build more houses, furniture, and paper for books. This is why we are committed to helping heal the environment. And while we are just a small, start-up company. We are determined to make a difference in the world around us. 

Digital curriculum means: Fewer trees being cut down to provide for single-use books.

That’s important to us. We understand that some families wish to have a physical product in their hands. That ‘pen to paper’ feel is hard to replace. The pen-to-paper ‘feel’ is something that most people greatly value, and we agree. It is essential to be able to use a pencil to learn better writing skills, especially in the beginning years. We aren’t saying you need to throw out ‘paper’ altogether, as our digital curriculum comes with many options.

Partial Printing: 

When you purchase our digital curriculum, you can only choose to print out the worksheets your child needs to practice with. The ‘reading’ and ‘lesson’ parts of each lesson can be used by simply opening the digital curriculum on your iPad. Read and learn together, then have the worksheets printed out – and let them get to work. 

This is a sure way to guarantee that less paper is being used while ensuring that your child is still getting that pen-to-paper feel.

Fully Digital: 

Alternatively, some families successfully download their digital e-books from their dashboard and use their digital curriculum with a tablet or iPad. They then have their child use a Stylus pen or Apple Pen to fill in the answers. Once they have completed the page, they save it. When you choose this option, you are using essentially no paper, which is a massive gift to the environment or your organization.

Your Digital Curriculum is Still Useful, Even if You Had The Workbooks Printed.

Those files aren’t just a waste. You can use the digital files to plan your lessons, look ahead, save for later, and help you stay organized and on track. Having your digital curriculum is also an excellent backup. What if you spill a drink on your paper workbooks? Those digital files are a simple replacement. You don’t have to purchase a whole new book. You can easily print off the pages that were compromised by juice. 

Digital Curriculum Helps Parents and Teachers Jump Right In. 

Our digital curriculum is also beneficial because you have access to it as soon as it’s purchased. That means you don’t have to wait for the curriculum to arrive to begin planning. As soon as it’s downloaded off your dashboard, you will have the ability to get familiar with everything needed to have a successful homeschool year. 

Digital Curriculum is more affordable. 

The curriculum will always be a little expensive because a lot of work and information goes into your curriculum. However, when it comes to a digital curriculum that isn’t printed – those costs become much less. We are committed to making quality home education available for families across Canada and The United States of America. 

How are we giving back with our digital curriculum and workbooks? 

We know that not everyone will want to have a digital curriculum. This is why we have offered a printing and shipping option through our third-party printer. All that paper takes away from our goal to help save the trees. So that is why we teamed up with One Tree Planted. Because we care deeply about the planet and give back to nature. We are investing 1% of monthly revenue to One Tree Planted. By doing so, we are planting trees across Canada and the world. Giving back where we can to help our environment.

Start small if you aren’t sure how you would feel about going ‘digital’ with your curriculum.

Grab a fun science unit like ‘Weather’ for grades 4-6. Click here to check out ‘Weather.’ 

This unique science unit is just 39 pages and covers fun lessons like What Causes Weather, The Sun, The Wind, All About Precipitation, Hurricanes and Tornadoes, Human Impacts on Climate and Meteorology. With this compact Special Interest Unit, your child can learn about the weather digitally. 

Another excellent science resource is: ‘Optics,’ which gives you another chance to try it out digitally. Optics is geared towards Grade 7-8. This Special Interest Unit is only 38 pages and teaches your student about Light and Vision, Transmission and Absorption, Reflection, Lenses, The Human Eye and more. Click here to learn more about ‘Optics.’ 

These Special Interest Units are filled with great content. Choosing to use these units Digital vs. getting printing done will allow your family to try out a fully digital curriculum on a smaller platform. 

If you need more tips on using our digital curriculum, our team is always here to help. 

Tablets and stylus pens can be purchased at any electronic store. Our favourites for digital curriculum use are the iPad and apple pen combo to fill out the curriculum quickly. 

Remember, whatever way you choose to use your digital curriculum, we stand behind you and are here to help you be successful. 

Make Learning Fun

Have you heard of Special Interest Units? The phrase may make you wonder, what exactly that could mean? And why would that be important for your child’s education? Using these compact units of learning can make learning fun for our kids. While also helping our children discover their passions and desire to dig deeper on topics that excite them. It’s so important to cultivate their desire to learn when they’re young, and using Special Interest Units can help with that.

Have you ever found a topic that you just couldn’t get enough of? You started digging deeper, doing more research. You became fascinated by this topic and learning about it gave you so much life. You want your child to experience that same passion and hunger for learning, right? So, how? How can we help our kids with digging deeper, learning bigger, and enjoying the process?

Here are some simple ways to make learning fun while helping your child develop a love for their education:

Expand of their ideas and imaginative thoughts.

Your son just came up to you and told you that he wants to drive a Porsche, and be a millionaire with a fast, fancy boat when he’s older.  What’s your initial reaction? To tell him that money doesn’t matter? To explain that we don’t always get what we want in life? Do you immediately think ‘Those are expensive, he could never afford that?’ Or do you say: “Well you’ll have to have a really good job then.” All of these initial thoughts are normal, because you live in a realistic world. Your child however, is living in a bright world where anything is possible. Instead of immediately shutting down his dream, try asking questions instead.

Ask things like: “What colour would your Porsche be?” “How fast would it go?” You can google how fast a Porsche can go together, and then perhaps talk about different speeds, because I guarantee that one day they will be driving and will need to know. “What colour would it be? There’re so many colours, let’s check out the Colours and Light Special interest Unit together to learn more about colours. Maybe we can even pick a colour that isn’t very common, if you like it!” That fast boat that he’s dreaming of, have him draw a picture, and write about where he would travel. Grab a map and explore the oceans with him. Ask him where he’d want to travel to, and what countries he’d like to see with his boat.

You aren’t squashing his dreams, you are helping him cultivate his dreams through joy-filled, education.

 

Make learning fun with Special Interest Units:

There are so many areas of education that can be really dry. Many parents struggle with teaching their children math, not because they don’t know it but because math is one of the more ‘dry subjects’. For some kids, they just love it. For others, it overwhelms them from the boredom of 5+6=11. How can you make learning more fun? Especially with those areas of their education that are beyond boring?

Special Interest Units aren’t just about an interesting topic. They are so much more than that. You can incorporate multiple subject areas under one theme. Math, Writing, Reading, Science, all of these are included in many Special Interest Units. When you mix enjoyable content with basic educational lessons, you have a remedy for a fun and successful learning experience.

 

Helping your child discover interests.

 The world would be a different place if we all did what we were actually interested in. If we all somehow found a way to make a living off of something that we enjoy. But chances are when you went to school you were taught in a traditional form. You were told to get good grades, do well in areas of education, and forget about your passions. Because “Passion doesn’t pay the bills.”

Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut, Sally Reis, Ph.D., states that the key to unlocking a child’s potential is finding that child’s interests and helping the child develop them. Did you catch that? The key to them unlocking their potential isn’t by forcing them to get good grades and then being disappointed when they don’t meet our expectations. Rather, the key comes when they love what they’re learning.

How can they discover their interests? Books, watching educational shows, museums, zoos, the outdoors, and Special Interest Units. There truly are so many ways to help your child find their passion for education while you make learning fun.

 

Be supportive as they find their learning style.

Every child has a unique learning style, or a way that they learn most effectively. The three different styles: Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic. Which style suits your child the most? Helping your child determine their learning style will be a gift that serves them their entire life.

Don’t become overwhelmed by the idea of ‘how to make learning fun’, ok? There are so many ways to do it. You can start by checking out our Special Interest Units.

Because we love to make learning fun, so we’ve created a whole bunch of awesome Special Interest Units to help your child learn fun new things while squeezing in important education lessons.

Click here to view our Special Interest Units.

 

Resources used for this blog: 

Big Life Journal – A love for learning

NAEYC – Encouraging your child to lead

Anxiety and School

Anxiety and School – Guest Blog by Meredith Blunt

I am so glad to be writing for Schoolio again. This time about something a little heavier than my last guest blog but a subject near and dear to me. I’m writing this with no expertise (not a doctor!) beyond my own experience as a parent and a human who has moved through the impacts and distortions of anxiety herself. Anxiety and mental health is a huge, personal, and potentially upsetting topic. Anxiety has a daily presence in my life. I am hoping to share some of the most insightful and effective knowledge I have gained from my own research and experience with anxiety and school, as well as from the experts I’ve met. 

Emotional and Mental Health.

Feeling anxious can be a normal reaction to events in our lives that make us feel pressured, stressed or challenged. This is okay. That anxious feeling teaches us to assess our perceptions quickly, make critical decisions and bolster our convictions. However, anxiety that is overtly and constantly present moves into the realm of a disorder. It feeds negative thought patterns. It pushes us to feel constant worry and fear. In these times of growing awareness and knowledge around mental and emotional health, we are gaining a better understanding that children can be just as affected by anxiety as anyone else. We are learning about the factors in their lives that can cause anxiety disorder. Unsurprisingly, school is one of those factors, which is why talking about anxiety and school is so important.  

Anxiety and school, what it can look like:

As parents we’re told to ‘trust our gut’ when it comes to our kids. This is good advice but tricky to follow. We are influenced by so much – our loved ones, social media, literature, news etc. It isn’t unusual for our internal voice, our own wisdom, to get drowned out. Parental intuition is further challenged by the role school plays in each child’s life. As the majority of their time is spent at school, it has an outsized impact on a child’s mental health. Teachers, conflicts with peers, being away from home, and expectations of family are all aspects of school that can be contributing factors to an anxiety disorder. 

“It started out as stomach aches and headaches…”

I noticed the beginnings of anxious behaviour in my youngest back when he was in grade one. It first started out as stomach aches and headaches every school morning but gradually progressed to withdrawal from some interests and sleep disruption. Fearing any lasting consequences of this situation and due to the complete absence of support from our school and his teacher at the time, my husband and I withdrew him from public school and began our first foray into homeschooling. 

Wisdom does come with experience, in our case we had crossed paths with school-based anxiety already and learned valuable information. Three years prior to my son’s grade one year, I didn’t have the confidence to trust what I was seeing and sensing with my eldest as anxiety disorders developed in her when she was around the same age. Everyone seemed to know better and worked to assuage my fears, so I put my trust in them. It’s hard to forgive yourself for mistakes you’ve made as a parent.

We can only do our best with the tools and knowledge we have at the time.

I didn’t know that what I was looking at was anxiety in my eldest. I would see her struggle to connect with peers and I would resort to the traditional well-meaning adages of ‘say hi!’ and ‘be friendly’. We battled over learning from mistakes, and I would feel lost when her reaction to an error or failure was immense defeat and crippling negative emotions. I’d try to get her excited about new things only to see her recoil almost in terror. The kids who sometimes can’t find the words to describe what they’re experiencing are the young people who may be susceptible to anxiety disorders. These kids can end up carrying heavy labels in school settings – difficult, shy, perfectionist, distracted, under-achiever, a weaker student. This is my daughter and not one of those labels was accurate. 

This isn’t a simple or easy topic to discuss. When we talk about anxiety in our children it hurts. When we give voice to these massive concerns for our kids – ranging from sleep deprivation and disruptive emotions to self-injurious behaviour and suicidal ideation – they become part of the world. The bigger, open, judging world. This is hard, really hard. We live in times where more pressure than ever is on families to be relentlessly picture-perfect at all times. If we pull back the curtain, what will people think of us! 

Here’s what people think – “Whaaaaat! That’s my kid too…that’s me too! I thought it was just us”. They really do. 

So what do we do as mums and dads? We get help. Help for our kids and help for ourselves. We learn how to listen, how to respond, and how to reach out when we feel overwhelmed. We adapt our parenting skills to the needs of our kids.

Here’s some favourites from my range of resources:

(I have no professional affiliation with these links they are just ones I like a lot). 

Books:

Helpful Apps that my family loves: 

Support groups:

It can be a wonderful, positive surprise, how generous and loving groups like Schoolio Families can be! 

 Therapy*:

  • Cognitive-behavioural therapy has been reliably successful in my experience. 

Learning the skills for when anxiety shows up:

I don’t know about you but I’m feeling a little worked up thinking and writing about anxiety and school so I’m going to regain some calm. This is the first suggestion I always make when talking to friends and other parents about anxiety in our families. Our kids need to know they are fully capable of being in control of their emotions. They are eager to learn the confidence and skills needed for anxiety when it shows up. Where those skills begin is awareness of the most basic of bodily functions – breathing. 

As anxiety builds, the more shallow and rapid we breathe. This is a prehistoric response from our brain, telling our body “There’s danger! Time to flood everything with oxygen and get the adrenaline going so we can get the heck outta here!”. There’s no sabretoothed cat stalking us but our body’s response is sufficient for us to cope as though there were. When we learn to identify this behaviour, the next step is to take control of the perceived threat by controlling our breath. 

Check your breathing.

Sometimes known as Paced Breathing, you inhale through your nose for 4-6 seconds, hold for 2-4 seconds, then a controlled exhale through your mouth for 6-8 seconds. It is totally cool if you can’t breathe for those exact seconds yet. The calming key is that longer exhale. With it you are releasing the excess oxygen and adrenaline which gives you control of the situation and yourself.

Another great one, especially for our little littles, is Box Breathing. Hold the image of a square in your mind. Each side of the square is equivalent to four seconds. We breath around the square. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold our lungs full for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, hold our lungs empty for 4 seconds. 

Putting in the practice of identifying the moments when we need to take that pause and breathe is worth it, whether you’re a kid or a grown up. 

It’s important to foster our mental well-being as caregivers because there are challenging emotions that come when your child is embattled with anxiety or any differences from the neurotypical. Guilt, doubt, resignation, disbelief, avoidance, anger, sadness to name a few. Those difficult feelings are valid and deserve reflection. 

A personal favourite expression regarding this is you have to put your own oxygen mask on before helping another. This doesn’t mean if a family member is in crisis you hold up a finger and say “Just a sec! I need 20 minutes for some *me* time then we’ll get to working on what’s happening with you ok?” …none of us would do that – it’s ridiculous. 

What it does mean is that every day we take space and time for ourselves.

What that space and time look like is dependent on you! For myself, my go-tos are walking and re-learning to run. The activity gives me the space and time to enjoy my own progress, and focus on it. Exercise isn’t the only activity that works, I encourage you to find the right activity for you that allows you to restock your emotional stores so you are better prepared to cope with whatever challenges the day brings. The singular purpose is to fill your happiness quotient. It’s also good behaviour to model, demonstrating that you find contentment and success in just being you and doing something for just you. 

I hope I have done some service to the impactful and encompassing topic of anxiety and school -age children. I would genuinely love to generate a supportive on-going discussion centred around advice, patience, familiarity, education and humour. Whether you and/or your child are experiencing what you suspect is anxiety or you are interested in mental wellness, remember we are not alone. 

*I fully acknowledge that financially viable and timely access to therapy is critically lacking in Canada. If you have the means, please consider advocating and supporting improved access to mental health professionals and programs in your region. Getting help should not be as difficult as it is.

Schoolio Guest Blog - Meredith Blunt

Debunking Homeschool Myths

Homeschooling has become so much more mainstream in the last decade. Despite that fact, there are still so many homeschooling myths. A couple weeks ago we posted a blog about the #1 myth surrounding homeschooling, which as you probably guessed it, is the thought that homeschooled children aren’t socialized. A belief that drives homeschooling families crazy. Aside from that myth there are still so many other myths that are just so far from the truth! That’s why this blog is dedicated to debunking homeschool myths.

As stated above, the #1 myth surrounding homeschooling is that homeschooled children aren’t socialized, we already busted this myth with great detail. Click Here to Read  Now we will jump to the next series of myths that drive homeschooled parents crazy.

Homeschool Myth #2: Not very many people homeschool their children.

That’s a myth. If you read the blog about socialization and homeschooling then you will know right away that that’s a myth. Why? Because there are literally millions of children being homeschooled worldwide. Why has homeschooling become such a popular option? It’s so easy to blame the pandemic, because yes that has caused a huge rush of parents to homeschool. But realistically parents have been turning to homeschooling for a while now because many parents have found that homeschooling puts their child’s needs and goals at the core of their education.

Myth #3: Homeschooling families all fit into the same mould.

That’s a nope. In fact, there are many, many different types of homeschooling families. Each is unique in their own way. There are families where the mother just stays home and teaches while the father goes out and works. There are single parent homeschoolers, there are families with so many kids, there’re families with one kid, there are different cultures, there are religious homeschoolers, there are secular homeschoolers. The differences are pretty distinct, but their reasons are often relatively similar.

Homeschool Myth #4: Children that are homeschooled don’t learn as much.

Most, if not all, homeschool programs are extremely thorough and detailed. When you choose to homeschool your child, they have the opportunity to learn in a way that is unique to them which often will be much better than the alternative. Homeschooling is customizable right from the teaching, to the schedule. Because of the customization and flexibility, children have the opportunity to move at a pace that works best for them.

Myth #5: Homeschooled children can’t function in the real world.

That is for sure going to be debunked. Because homeschooled kids spend every day in the real world. The belief that homeschooled kids spend all day sitting at home is false. The reality is that homeschooled kids get so much more time outside, they learn so much about their surroundings when they’re learning from home. Traditional learning often has kids sitting in one room for hours in a day. Homeschooled children spend lots of time out and about, interacting with their community.

Homeschool Myth #6: Homeschooled kids don’t get into College.

Do you think that’s true? I know for a fact that it’s not. Because I was homeschooled, and I was accepted into University just fine. I’ve been debunking homeschool myths my entire life. But don’t just take my word for it, because statistics show that Homeschoolers have a higher rate of attending college than any other group of children. 66.7% of homeschooled kids, compared to 57.5% of traditional public-school children. Even some well known colleges seek out homeschooled kids because they recognize their unique qualities and skills that they often have, like being self-motivated and self-disciplined.

Check out these statistics on homeschooling: Click here

 

Myth #7: Homeschool parents aren’t qualified to teach.

This is a sore subject for a lot of homeschooling parents. Because they’re tired of being underestimated. The truth is, that parents are the best teachers for their children. Parents teach their children to talk, walk, eat, read, and function in the world around them.  Contrary to popular belief, parents are actually the most qualified to teach their children. Parents choose a professionally crafted curriculum which aids and guides them on their teaching journey, so they are more than qualified to teach.

Homeschooling isn’t for everyone, and that’s ok.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with traditional learning and there’s nothing wrong with homeschooling. Both are different and important. Whichever avenue of education you choose for your family, be sure not to judge the other group of people and the decision they made. They are doing what is best for their family unit, just like you are. The general rule is just, be kind!  I hope you’ve enjoyed debunking homeschool myths with us! Let us know what homeschool myths drive you crazy?

 

Sources: