Nola Redd's commentsComments On: EverythingArticles Blogs Journals Photos created by: EveryoneNola Setting Up a Space for Homeschooling - Blog Entry21 Aug 2007 08:56 PM I like that table. I hadn't even thought about a two-sided table like that, but it makes sense for my 4 kids; that will enable several of them to work at the same time. I have been thinking about what I would like to have in our room, and one thing I really want is a nice big comfy couch for reading. And lots of bookshelves. I like the idea of having all of our art supplies in one place...now I have to start dreaming about my room-to-be... Help! I'm Too Scared to Homeschool! - Blog Entry21 Aug 2007 08:52 PM I have been nervous about homeschooling since I started looking at it. A lot of research has helped ease my mind and made me more comfortable with it. Of course, it has helped that I had a good year to mull it over before my daughter started kindergarden. So I would suggest you continue you are on the right path, tiacann, in gathering information; it will help you feel more comfortable with the idea. Good luck! Lessons From Unschooling Families: The Smiths - Blog Entry17 Aug 2007 08:24 PM We are looking at a house right now, and one of the draws for me is the fourth bedroom. I am pretty much planning to put my two girls in one room and my two boys in another, and use the last one as a classroom. I am excited about the idea of moving, and one of the biggest sources of excitement for me right now is having a 'classroom'-type room, although I do want to be sure not to restrict learning ONLY to that room. It seems that might be the only possible drawback of having such a great space. Then again, if it instills a love of learning ina child, they are more likely to learn wherever they are. Do Coupons Really Save You Money? - Blog Entry16 Aug 2007 08:28 PM I have played both sides. For about three years, I was a 'coupon queen' with three small children. Right now, I have no storage space to buy groceries in bulk and am still trying to figure out how to shop with four kids. This is how I saved time: 1) I filed my inserts and didn't clip the coupon until I needed it. There are several websites that list what coupon is in what insert. 2) I used the internet like it was going out of style. There are several sites - including this one - where folks match the deal with the coupon for you. I would spend maybe an hour checking the sites and making the list I need, and cut the coupons; I watched tv while clipping. I spent an hour obtaining coupons, but I am ready to just have the Sunday paper delivered (10 copies) when I start up again. The shopping took longer; if I hit more than one store, for instance. However, as my stockpile grew, I could get lazy and just get things I really, really wanted or needed. I spent, on average, $100-150/month on food, HBA, and diapers for one child for a family of five, and had a huge stockpile of food, HBA, and diapers (I am still using diapers I bought nearly a year after I stopped couponing, and I now have 2 kids in diapers). I could skip shopping when I didn't want to. When I get a house, a pantry, and a freezer, I fully intend to coupon-shop again; I am looking forward to it. Right now, we are in a motorhome and have VERY limited storage space. Hope this helps. Lessons From Unschooling Families: The Smiths - Blog Entry16 Aug 2007 08:17 PM I think I would like to move into the Smith's home. What a wonderful place! Although I know this was more of an 'experience' blog than a specific pointer one, I have to say I love the idea of kids making birthday cards for nursing home folks. I can think of a couple of people from our church that my kids could show that love and service to, who could really use it. So thanks! Does Unschooling Really Work? - Blog Entry16 Aug 2007 08:15 PM Tristi, I was thinking along the same lines. As I prepare to HS my kids - my oldest being 6 - I have tried to figure out the best way to keep the Sabbath and homeschool. Since we are already very relaxed in our approach, 'school' frequently intrudes on reality; the two are hard to seperate. My primary homeschooling goal is to motivate my kids to want to learn continuously, and so I have struggled with keeping the Sabbath while doing so. For instance, what if a discussion on the creation leads into animals, or the earth, or astronomy? What do you do about cross-learning experiences? Do you just 'wait until tomorrow' to explore them? Or do you consider legitmate learning experiences (as opposed to 'busywork' or 'homework') to be uplifting and thus Sabbath-okay? The Learning Environment at School - Blog Entry13 Aug 2007 09:02 PM Frankly, even if I public-schooled my kids, I would want a home that was a learning environment. Of course, the desire to encourage my kids to love learning - and to want to do it all the time - is part of the reason I homeschool. A Foreign Language Plan for Upper Elementary Students - Blog Entry13 Aug 2007 09:00 PM When I was in college, one of my best tools was the television. Of course, my Spanish-speaking friends were the best tools. My kids have picked up their spanish thus far from Dora - not ideal, but I have been amazed at what they have learned in a show I chose primarily for education. Several of our DVDs have an option to listen in Spanish, and I think I'm going to make use of that option to expose them; then later, as you said, they can learn. If nothing else, it will give me a break from hearing the same movies over and over in English! LOL Great blog, Valorie! How To Avoid the Curriculum Flip Flop - Blog Entry13 Aug 2007 08:54 PM Thank you for the insightful tips on picking curriculum. These are very helpful! Don't Settle - Blog Entry13 Aug 2007 08:27 PM Sometimes it is so hard to keep the long term in view when you feel like you really feel pressured. Thank you so much for your feedback! 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 |
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