• In Other Words

    Summertime, and the livin' is....BUSY! 

    by
    Topsy
    Published on 05-10-2013 09:52 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. General Homeschooling,
    3. In Other Words
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    I’ve never been able to do completely year-round schooling. I’ve had intentions - - even made a complete summer plan one year - - but I’ve never been able to fully commit. I’m just entirely too conditioned by my own experience of “summer break,” I guess. But of course that doesn’t mean that the kiddos weren’t constantly learning - - even on the absolute laziest sun-kissed August day.

    If you’ve been starting to wind down for school year 2012/2013 then you might be pondering what you are going to do with the upcoming break time. Or if you’re a year-rounder, maybe you are looking for some ideas to “revitalize” your routine. Let’s explore just some of the ways that you and your kids can keep boredom at bay and the learning recharged this summer!

    Go Green

    Nothing says summer like working in the dirt, so get those trowels dusted off and those gardening gloves shaken out. Try one of these fun and educational ideas to get the dirt (and your brains) flying:


    Sharpen Skills

    In between turns with the super-soaker, there’s something to be said for keeping those noggin-juices flowing. And there are so many simple and effective sources for filling in learning gaps or just keeping your students’ skills sharp, including:

    • With no contracts, and only a month-to-month subscription required, Time4Learning offers a perfect summer curriculum for homeschoolers
    • Vocabulary Spelling City has just created a new summer word study program
    ...
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    Lessons From Nature 

    Published on 05-07-2013 07:52 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. Homeschooling Styles,
    3. General Homeschooling,
    4. In Other Words,
    5. Parenting
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    Spending time in nature can lead to some of the most enjoyable and profound learning experiences. Nature-based learning touches on and connects every academic discipline imaginable while enlivening the senses and invigorating the body. It encourages curiosity and inquiry, exploration and experimentation, while the mind catalogs, analyzes, and compares. Homeschoolers are in a unique position to take full advantage of the learning opportunities that present themselves right outside the door. Families who discover Oak Meadow homeschooling curriculum are delighted to find curriculum materials that actively support and encourage a close connection with nature.

    Learning and the Natural World

    The lessons that nature has to teach us are never ending. Being immersed in the natural flow of plant and animal life cycles, weather patterns, seasons, and the intricate dance connecting everything helps us find our own balance in the flow of life.

    It’s not surprising that children who play outside are healthier mentally, emotionally, and physically. Human beings have spent nearly the entirety of our existence outside. Our connection to the natural world is so profound that when we are deprived of it, it’s no surprise that we don’t fare well. More and more adults are recognizing the importance of outdoor play for children, and the value of unstructured nature-based explorations. In addition to this shift to include nature-based activity or “green exercise,” teachers and parents, environmentalists, and policy-makers have begun to realize that outdoor play and nature-based learning leads children toward a sense of environmental stewardship. Simply put, connecting with nature means appreciating nature and wanting to take care of it.

    Getting children back to nature is easy, fun, and beneficial in every way. And it seems
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    Tis the Season to Be Prepared! 

    by
    Aandwsmom
    Published on 12-14-2012 10:44 AM
    1. Categories:
    2. In Other Words
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    Tis the Season to Be Prepared

    Ok, first....this is NOT the most holiday spirited article but I write usually about life and since this recently happened to me....it is something I think we all need to be reminded of. Especially at the time of year that we acquire new things AND crime is on the rise during the holidays.
    We tend to go be-bopping along in our lives and tell ourselves that one day we will get to this or that and then suddenly...something happens and we never did get to that project. This was us....my husband was a cop for 12 years, 8 in the military and 4 civilian. I was a cop's wife for 8 years, we BOTH should have known better.
    After a horrible Thanksgiving vacation, we toodled along the highway towards home and SO happy to be headed that way.....we left early, we would be home early to OUR beds, OUR things and OUR smells.....
    We pulled into driveway, I got out of car to notice our backdoor was open. Hubby immediately went in, searched the house and we discovered that we had been burglarized. Guns, TV's, and all my jewelry. Family heirlooms GONE, our lives forever changed because lets face it.....it changes you. Your personal stuff has been touched and taken by a stranger.
    And despite total preparation to include a pet sitter for our chickens(someone coming twice a day), lights on timers, mail stopped, motion detectors all working, guns in a safe, papers in another safe.....it happened to us.
    Cops were called, fingerprints were lifted, door was fixed, insurance was filed and paid and things that could be replaced were.....but things like my Great-Grandma's snowflake brooch or my charm bracelet with charms from my boys or my husband's grandfather's pistol that was to be passed onto my boys were gone forever. ...
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    I am Thankful for______ 

    by
    Aandwsmom
    Published on 11-15-2012 01:56 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. General Homeschooling,
    3. In Other Words,
    4. Parenting
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    So....the month of November always brings to mind the things that I am thankful for!
    Thank you to one of my good friends and a member of SHS for posting her 21 days of Thankfulness, as it has made me reflect daily on the things in my life I am truly thankful for! So, here is my list and I would love to hear from other members as they reflect on what they are thankful for! It can something as silly as hot water(which HEY, is important!! 3 days without a shower due to tub repair....I am DEFINITELY thankful for it!) or as important as your kids(though ask me yesterday and I might have said different as I had to supervise them raking leaves so they didn't kill each other!LOL)....it doesn’t matter other than the fact that it is important to YOU!!

    • My Boys
    • My Husband
    • My family
    • My friends
    • My computer
    • Working from Home
    • Our ability to homeschool
    ...
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    Featured Blog Post: Educating Vegan Children 

    Published on 02-27-2012 06:13 AM
    1. Categories:
    2. General Homeschooling,
    3. In Other Words
    Article Preview

    For the next couple weeks, we are going to be featuring blog posts written by members of SecularHomeschool.com. You will see them highlighted here on our home page and also on our social networks. I hope this will offer you the opportunity to find some new blogs to add to your blogroll and also enjoy some perspectives on homeschooling that are different from your own. Only good things can come from that!! Our first featured post comes from SHS member koalaborg who writes about her homeschooling adventures at The Vegan Bee.

    When we first decided to homeschool Kyri, I wanted to incorporate vegan ethics into our education plans. At this young age, most if not all of what Kyri has learned about our vegan lifestyle has been informal – we discuss what we do and do not eat (or wear or use) and for what reason. She has learned to ask if something contains animals in it before eating it. We talk about why we don’t eat animals – at a level a five year old gets. She knows what it means for an animal to die, as she was with me when I discovered our 20-year-old cat had died. So she does understand that dead means, well, dead. So explaining to her that meat comes from dead animals is simple enough for her. She understands that animals are killed for food and that there are plenty of other things to eat besides animals, so why would you want to?
    In our household, vegan is the norm. While my spouse is omni, he eats mostly vegan at home (we have a grilling agreement in place). However, outside of our home, Kyri is bombarded with non-vegan and non-vegetarian messages. ...
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