Homeschooling Blog

Check out our popular homeschooling series features, get to know our blog contributors, read Jeanne's answers to questions in the Ask Jeanne feature, or browse all of our posts.

Can You Start Homeschooling in the Middle of the Year?

Woman leaning over elementary age girl helping with school work and text Can you start homeschooling mid-year?

You may have never thought you would consider homeschooling, or maybe you were thinking about starting in the fall, but circumstances are forcing you to consider bringing your child home mid-year. Perhaps it is bullying, a negative school environment, an illness, school anxiety, a stressful family situation, or some other unexpected circumstance causing you to consider pulling your child out before the end of the school year. Regardless of the motivation, your first question is likely, “Can I start homeschooling mid-year?” Continue reading »

Mid-Year Homeschooling: Connection, Not Curriculum

Did you or someone you know just start homeschooling “after the holidays” – right in the middle of the school year? “What curriculum should I use?” Even among experienced homeschoolers, January ruminations run toward assessing the curriculum and whether it is working. I know you don’t want to hear this – but your homeschool priority should be connection, not curriculum. Continue reading »

Homeschool Conventions, Part 3: Workshops

Homeschool Conventions: At most bookfairs, there are two kinds of seminars: vendor workshops and non-vendor seminars/workshops. Each have their own benefits. Continue reading »

Homeschool Conventions, Part 2: Curriculum

Homeschool Conventions: Sometimes we think that we might save money if we buy at a fair, BUT, if you are buying impulsively, you may live to regret that purchase. Continue reading »

Homeschool Conventions, Part 1: Goals

Homeschool Conventions: Most states have fairly large to huge book fairs. These “insider tips” will help you to learn how to take advantage of your state book fair in one piece with your sanity and wallet still relatively in place! Continue reading »

A Real Mom’s Homeschool

What are your priorities? Are you the type to plan ahead? Do you have lists for daily activities, weekly menus, grocery items and coupons …or even a list of things for which you need to make a list? Or instead, do you find yourself disorganized and short on teaching time? Continue reading »

Teaching Children to Write by Teaching Self-Editing and Peer Editing Skills

Editing is best taught as an isolated skill and from the time children are old enough to rework a piece of writing, they are old enough to self-edit and peer edit. Recopying a piece of writing that has been corrected to death by an adult is not editing and it serves no good purpose beyond penmanship practice. If you want to teach children to write well, your best bet is to teach them to self-edit and peer edit. Continue reading »

Unit Studies Using Weaver

The Weaver uses the Bible as the spring-board for history, science, creative writing and many other projects. As we began to systematically work through the Bible I realized that my goal was being accomplished. My children were exposed to the profound truths of the Bible and loving it. Our Bible times do not focus on facts but on the application of the Word. In Ruth 3 we discussed the importance of choosing a mate who was not only a Christian but one who displayed the character of Christ as Boaz and Ruth both did. The Weaver moves us beyond the text to real-life application. Continue reading »

Waiting For Unschooling To Work

Remarkably, the best homeschooling advice I received came when my first child was a baby. My friend Barb, an experienced homeschooling mom who loaned me stacks of Home Education Magazine and Growing Without Schooling, told me that to homeschool I only had to “provide a rich environment, involve children in everyday living, and help find answers to their questions.” That sounded very simple, and it is; the challenge is in trusting that such a plan is enough. Continue reading »

Eclectic Homeschooling

I am now beginning my fifteenth year in homeschooling so I feel well qualified to tell you how our homeschool has evolved into the eclectic approach. My oldest daughter, Laura, graduated from homeschool high school in 2002 and from a one year Bible college in 2003.However, I am still homeschooling my son Stephen, aged 15 for tenth grade and my daughter Mary aged 10 for fourth grade.

Over the years I have tried many different curriculums and eventually I just learned to stick with what works for both myself and my children. I also learned that there is no such thing as the “perfect” curriculum. Each curriculum has its pros and cons for you as the mom, and from the kids persepctive and of course from a cost standpoint. I do know this, kids will learn if you are faithful do school work daily, regardless of the curriculum. Continue reading »

The Moore Formula

Dr. Raymond Moore and his wife Dorothy Moore are sometimes called the grandparents of the modern home schooling movement. For over 50 years they have been educational professionals, and for the last 30 years have been sharing their research and their “formula” for successful home schooling, a program that is low-cost, low stress, and yet brings high-achievement. Continue reading »

Movies: A Resource for Homeschooling Parents

Each year the movie industry makes some very valuable films that can be used to teach children. Over the last 70 years, these films have accumulated into a national cultural treasure. Continue reading »

A Place for Everything

A very important aspect of being and staying organized is to have a place for everything. If you don’t have a place for everything, then it all starts piling up again and pretty soon you’re keeping everything because it’s hard to tell what’s what and what’s where. Here’s the scenario: You don’t have a home for anything and whenever the mail comes in or you go shopping, you just put the items wherever you find room. Pretty soon, you have a mess! Believe me, I know; I’ve been through it. Continue reading »

Time Management

My husband said to me the other day, “I wish there were 26 hours in our day, then I could get everything accomplished!”I had to laugh because I myself had those thoughts; if we just had more time we could accomplish much more or at the very least we could actually get enough sleep! Continue reading »

A Mom’s Best Friends

As a busy mom, I have several "best friends" around the house that make my life easier and more enjoyable. Some are simple and free, others not so cheap, but all are things that I wouldn’t want to live without. Continue reading »

Top Ten Budget Busters

Many people make sincere attempts to set up a household budget and get themselves together financially, but too often these attempts fail. And for those with the most difficult financial circumstances, it may take several attempts to finally create a plan that works. Continue reading »

Subdue Guilt About Art Instruction In Your Homeschool

There are a number of things a homeschool family can do to subdue the guilt monster when he sneaks out from among the curriculum guides. The first thing we did was create a craft box. (Now, our crayons, colored pencils, markers, pencils, blank paper, scissors and glue sticks are such a part of our everyday school and afterschool life that I don’t include them as special art supplies.) I filled the box with all of the supplies that had previously been floating around the house. This included finger paints, water colors, pipe cleaners, felt and fabric swatches, buttons and brayers, the hot-glue gun, elmer’s brand glue, goggly eyes, stickers and old magazines. There is a surplus of craft-based idea books and websites to choose from so that you can best utilize these supplies. However, this only worked to squash the guilt for a short time. I was concerned about real art skills, not opportunities to make crafts. Continue reading »

Starting a Teen Book Study Group

If you’re looking for a way to connect with your teenage daughter this summer, consider starting a girl’s book study group with your daughter and her friends. You may think that teens would not respond well to this idea, but think again. you just might be surprised. Continue reading »

The Steiner Waldorf Approach to Education

The Steiner Waldorf approach to education emphasizes on the use of practical, artistic and conceptual elements into education. This method of education was established by Rudolf Steiner, the founder of a philosophy called anthrophosophy. The Steiner Waldorf approach is based on the fact that the role of imagination in learning is integral for the development of creative and analytical thinking. This educational approach is aimed at providing an environment where young people can develop free thinking, which can be a basis for developing their own personalities as responsible individuals by fulfilling their destiny. Continue reading »

How to Plan a Treasure Hunt

Keep your kids guessing and moving all summer long with a Treasure Hunt, a trail of clues spread out over the summer weeks leading your children on hunts for prizes and goodies week after week. It requires a little creativity and planning on a parent’s part, but is guaranteed to offer weeks of summer fun and lifelong memories. Continue reading »