HOTM: Video Intro

Okay, here goes...

Heart of the Matter: What Have You Learned?

What is the one thing you learned that you didn't expect from homeschooling?

I tell people, "We homeschool because it's God's will for our lives." Some people are not so sure how to respond to that. "You mean, you HEAR God, and He TOLD you to homeschool." Yes, indeedy. My first lesson would be altogether simply and altogether complicated that I've learned to listen to God and do His bidding. I think it was the first time I can remember that I left behind all my misgivings, all apprehension and did what He told me.

We started when C was four. It's a fun age because preschoolers are eager to learn everything about anything. Little did I know how little I knew about anything, how much I had forgotten! One of the most prominent comes to mind as Autumn has arrived here, and leaves are turning everywhere. "Mommy, why do the leaves turn colors." "Well, Cristian... I don't know." There have been so many pivotal moments like that, and I'm sure more to come.

When we were in Nebraska, one of my cousins asked, "So, you're with your children all day everyday?" I smiled, and nodded. Standing in these shoes, I could not imagine doing anything else, and surprisingly to me, I LOVE it! I love everything about it from the community of women that support and lift one another up, to the curriculum shopping. I love hearing my son read or see him adding numbers that need to be regrouped, and knowing because of God's calling I was a part of him learning that. I love how God has created in me the stillness, the calm, the security of knowing this is right. Maybe not for everyone, but for us.

One of my favorite songs is by Nichole Nordeman "Brave". Here are some lyrics from that song:

Welcome to the middle ground
You're safe and sound and
Until now it's where I've been

'Cause it's been fear that ties me down to everything
But it's been love, Your love, that cuts the strings

So long status quo
I think I just let go
You make me want to be brave
The way it always was
Is no longer good enough
You make me want to be brave
Brave, brave


I was very much that safe road, taking the road more travelled girl. I pocketed my rebellious nature much the time in exchange for not wanting to ruffle feathers. When God called Ron and I to take this road, I had no idea that one of the lessons was to make me brave. Sometimes your choices are challenged and misunderstood. God has given me the fortitude to stand up and be brave when I would have wanted to seek the safety of conformity. God, my children, and homeschooling have been chock full of lessons and I know there are only more to come.

HOTM: Balance

While many homeschooling moms know that being a mother includes teaching their children daily there are those who find the 'line' between teaching their homeschooling child and being a mom fuzzy. What are some of the best tips you can offer a new homeschooling mother who is sorting out those gray areas? How do you manage the balance between the two?

I'm not sure you'll find very helpful advice here. Really, I have a difficult time making that transition myself. I recently ordered this really cute bumper sticker. I wanted something that celebrated our homeschooling family, but also made room for my individuality. It's lime green, and in pink it reads "homeschooling mom." I love it. My point is the suffix "-ing" at the end of "homeschool". The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the suffix as:

Main Entry: 1-ing
Pronunciation: \iŋ also ēŋ; in some dialects & in other dialects informally in, ən also ēn; after certain consonants ən, əm, əŋ\
Function: noun suffix
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English -ung, -ing, suffix forming nouns from verbs; akin to Old High German -ung, suffix forming nouns from verbs
1: action or process : instance of an action or process

My emphasis is on the "action or process." So, really it never ends here. I really haven't found a way to shut it off! And, really, it's something I do without even realizing I'm doing it.

I remember contemplating homeschooling when C was about 3.5. I was with a friend at the Albuquerque Botanical Gardens. She and I were discussing the possibility. I remember C saying something and I responded (the specifics aren't real clear, it was 3.5 years ago; I'm not sure I can remember what I had for breakfast). My friend looked at me and said, "See, that's why I think you would make a good homeschooler, you see the opportunity to teach in everything." Without realizing it, I do it, sometimes to my children's chagrin. However, it's part of each and every mom, homeschooling and not. It's innate, really.

HOTM: Extra-Curricular Activities

What is your weekly extra-curricular routine? Do your kids take music lessons? Sports? Are they involved in church activities? How much time does this leave for family time? Are you over-scheduled or relaxed in your outside programs? Share with us your thoughts on this!

We are so fortunate to be a part of a great homeschool group here in Colorado. I will miss them so much when we move next year. Many of our extra-curricular activities involve CCHE (Classical Christian Home Educators). Shelby (the owner) works really hard to find economical, educational, and fun activities for the kids. We usually join them 1-2 times a week.

Cristian also participates in JOAD Junior Olympic Archery Development. I heard about the program through a member of CCHE who participates in the program in another town. I had tried to no avail to involve C in some sort of class- soccer, t-ball, underwater basket weaving. He's not your typical team sport kid. He would rather do something individually. So, when I heard about JOAD, I was elated. C had been talking about archery for awhile. How he heard about it, I don't know. We started about 3 months ago and he loves it. He has INCREDIBLE instructors. He enjoys the company of the other participants. In addition, it's a great thing for him & Daddy to do. C goes to JOAD about once a week.

I would say we're really relaxed in our extra curricular activities. I think there are weeks I feel overscheduled, but then I reevaluate and adjust. We have activities we participate in with other families, but then we use this time as bonding time with one another, too. I think it's REALLY important to have a good support system that is accepting and positive about homeschooling, particularly if there are people in your life that object to hs'ing. Too, it's important for our children to be around children outside of the home. That's just my personal opinion. We leave LOTS of opportunity for C to be with solely Daddy, Bella & me, but it's good to have outside experiences as well. I admit most of his experiences involve other hs'ed children. I think that hs'ed children are very different socially from children conventionally schooled. I think those are positive attributes. That said, I don't object to he or his sister having friends who aren't homeschooled. He has friends in the neighborhood who aren't and I think it's fine. I think as long as everyone involved is having a good time and aren't stressed out by the amount of activities involved, it's great.

For more HS experiences, please visit the Heart of the Matter icon to the right :)

Heart of the Matter: Children's Learning Styles

We discussed curriculum and would love to hear how these choices best teach your children according to their specific learning styles. Are they visual learners? Auditory? Kinesthetic? Give us your best teaching methods!

This is such an important topic for me! I have loved learning about my son's learning style. It has made our homeschooling experience so much more positive. I think I really learned a lot about his style after visiting The Well Trained Mind Forums. A friend of mine (Shelby) forwarded me a thread from the site because she thought it fit C's description. I learned right off the bat that he's a visual spatial learner. There are a lot of online resources for such learners. Too, there are a lot of GREAT books, as well. With this knowledge in tow, I looked at how he learned in a whole new light. I could use his strengths to make learning time a lot more enjoyable, while understanding the challenges he faces in writing and sitting still(he's a kinesthetic learner, too, LOL).

The choices we've made with curriculum this year have all been based on how C learns. It shows in how much easier this year has been than those in the past when we weren't armed with the information about C's learning habits. Everything from MathUSee, which uses manipulatives and really caters to how visual learners incorporate this information through their lessons. Handwriting Without Tears is much the same, you use wooden pieces to make the letters (visual), and then there are really catchy, fun ways to learn to make the letters on chalkboard, clay (kinesthetic), or paper. For example, there are letters that use a "magic c" as a basis for forming the letter. A fun song also emphasizes the importance of beginning letters at the top. Although, C is reluctant to sing ;) the songs really help it to stick. He has learned the months of the year, and days of the week this way as well. We tend to gravitate toward Charlotte Mason inspired curriculum. She discusses the importance of short lessons that really take time to understand concepts. We really like that. Add to that the narration and sketches of everything from nature studies to geography terms. Finally, we really love All About Spelling. It is a very solid program that also helps visual learners by doing many lessons using letter tiles and THEN writing them on paper.

I had to also understand that C is a child and the purpose of our schooling at home is not to reenact the traditional school environment. We take a lot of breaks, otherwise I will "lose" him. I didn't think we needed a schoolroom in the past, but now I really see the advantages for our family. That said, sometimes school is done on the floor of our schoolroom. There are days when he learns by chasing skimmers or hunting for crawdads in a stream. I love that home learning invites all those options.

Check out Heart of the Matter on the right side of the screen to see more about learning styles and curriculum choices that other parents have made.

Organization

One of the biggest struggles for homeschooling parents is managing the household while teaching the kids. What are some ways that you stay on top of the daily chores? Do you have organizational tips to share?

I'm one of those people that LOVES the idea of everything being perfectly organized and in its place. I get butterflies in my stomach thinking about visiting a Container Store or watching Niecy Nash on "Clean House" (she's *so* cute). However, the application of all these great ideas in real life, my life, is a little more challenging. Some of the things that have helped are:

1) Being a Military Family. We move just about every three years. So about everytime we prepare to move, I purge stuff. Of course, I get rid of things and tidy things up in the interim, but a move is a great catalyst to organizing for me.

2) Living in a modest home. Currently we reside in an 1144 sf house. It does not allow for much stuff to accumulate, so when things start getting a little tight, Mommy starts decluttering. Since moving here, clutter literally makes me claustrophobic.

3) Bins, Bins, Bins. I've found that things tend to get put back in their place if I make a concrete place for those things. Enter plastic, fabric, basket bins and my trusty label maker. Beware of the label maker, you'll label everything. It really does help us, though. The kids have a large plastic drawer organizer for their crafts. Each drawer has a picture for the contents, so there's no reason they can't figure out what goes where. Which brings me to #4.

4) Enlist Help. I LOVE big families. I get the best ideas on thrift, recipes, and household management from those who live it everyday. One of my homeschooling friends here in CO, has given me many practical ideas on getting little ones (and not so little ones) to help with tidying things up. When I first implemented this, it required a bit of follow up, as might be expected, but the kids genuinely enjoy having a part to do in the home and it helps me as well.

5) Professionals. There are great resources on the WWW to assist in household management and organizing. For example flylady.net and motivatedmoms.com These are great resources for telling you what to do and when to do it. I was amazed at how much I overlooked when I first started using these programs! I won't go into any details here. LOL.

So, yes, Martha Stewart could conceivably walk into my home at any time and it would be ready, right? No, not even on some of the best days. :D It is getting better, though. I look forward to reading the other posts to glean more knowledge on how I might be able to do this. :)