Homeschooling

we are a homeschooling mom and babe....soon to be 5 yr old son. his personality is, to make somewhat of an understatment, dynamic and precocious.

he's my only child, and while i am enthusiastic about our homeschooling prospect, i know that we will need a lot of guidance in our educational pursuits.

we are new also to the LdS infrastructure and culture, but thus far, i am so pleased with having it as a framework for our homeschooling goals. i think that the missing ingredient in most education is the spiritual component, and i love the way in which LDS emphasizes the priority aind importance of children's development and spiritual growth.

our current direction is primarily waldorf education, though we are just embarking on this path, and require much guidance in this area....well in the whole homeshcooling arena really.

i'm also kind of intrigued with the concept of unschooling...but that seems a sea in which i'm not that confident of my navigational capacity, lol. at present, we incorporate into our program bits and pieces of what seems to work at the time. i've also peeked at the LDS homeschooling site, which appears an excellent anchor and source of very good information and ideas. i was so impressed with the practical nature of this site. it provided much information that i couldn't find elsewhere, and i found the charlotte mason educational track featured there intriguing as well. though i haven't looked much into that system.

anyway, i would appreciate any thoughts, ideas or experiences that anyone would care to share here on this topic, esp from an lds perspective. thanks

love, mamacat

[rosie321]

we are a homeschooling mom and babe....soon to be 5 yr old son. his personality is, to make somewhat of an understatment, dynamic and precocious.

he's my only child, and while i am enthusiastic about our homeschooling prospect, i know that we will need a lot of guidance in our educational pursuits.

we are new also to the LdS infrastructure and culture, but thus far, i am so pleased with having it as a framework for our homeschooling goals. i think that the missing ingredient in most education is the spiritual component, and i love the way in which LDS emphasizes the priority aind importance of children's development and spiritual growth.

our current direction is primarily waldorf education, though we are just embarking on this path, and require much guidance in this area....well in the whole homeshcooling arena really.

i'm also kind of intrigued with the concept of unschooling...but that seems a sea in which i'm not that confident of my navigational capacity, lol. at present, we incorporate into our program bits and pieces of what seems to work at the time. i've also peeked at the LDS homeschooling site, which appears an excellent anchor and source of very good information and ideas. i was so impressed with the practical nature of this site. it provided much information that i couldn't find elsewhere, and i found the charlotte mason educational track featured there intriguing as well. though i haven't looked much into that system.

anyway, i would appreciate any thoughts, ideas or experiences that anyone would care to share here on this topic, esp from an lds perspective. thanks

love, mamacat
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The LDS homeschooling site by Diane Hopkin and her family is a neat site One time she posted this Curriculum Guide for the Latterday Homeschool. It gave lots of great ideas to teach students of all ages and how to integrate different ages. Many things can be done by using what is around you. She operates a Family Resources online LDS store also where you can get the homeschool materials referenced. That guide may be a great place to start. Also each month an online LDS homeschooling newsletter called the Sentinel is sent out.

DTLK has lots of lesson ideas especially for the younger kids.

There is the Home Legal Defense Association that you can join. On it they have online auctions for educational materials since Ebay won't allow the sale of used curriculum/teachers manuals anymore.

Outshined has lots of good stuff on his web site.


Consider what skills and concepts they need to learn. Find out what skills other kids in the same grade need to know. Use that knowledge to develop a program thats satisfying to you and the needs of your family while making sure your child is keeps up with what the other kids need to know.
Use your local libraries, museums, science centers, zoos, aquariums... whatever resources you can find to help reinforce and teach needed skills.
Use your scriptures, Friend magazines, local libraries to come up with ideas. Check out garage sales, online sales....

Great topic will probably give more ideas when I have more time.


Best wishes on your decision!

[MaidservantX]

I am homeschooling some of my children. I don't know that I have any bits of wisdom. For my ten year old daughter, at this time, I prepare a 'letter' for her that outlines what I expect to be accomplished by the end of the week. She works at her own pace, although generally in the mornings I require school time. There is a lot in the letter she can do herself, and she chooses what to work on in what order, and there are some things in the letter that I tell her we need to do together, and if she is ready to do them, then I sit down with her and teach. I am gradually being able to do this in an organic, flowing manner, with the rest of my duties. I go from doing my dishes, to leaving them in midstream to explain a math problem, to calling on the phone for my visiting teaching appointments, to doing a project with the smaller son, to holding the baby and playing a ball game with him, back to my dishes, writing a scene on my novel, getting the kids to help me with laundry folding, a moment for a mid day prayer and scripture verse, check my investments online, -- you get the idea. I realize this won't work for everyone. But I simply cannot say that at this hour this will be done and at this hour will be this, because every day is too different for me. I have a master 'to do' list with a general idea of when to get things done, but the three kids need me at different times, so I have to allow myself to be available to them when they need me; plus then the big kids get home in the afternoon. One thing my ten year old daughter has been doing all year long is preparing a 7 page research paper on Mermaids. With my son, we had just been going through a fun work book Scholastic puts out, some things he can do himself, some with me. He's 7. This workbook integrates several disciplines in the work pages and project ideas they come up with.

[rosie321]

Don't think you have to fall into the trap of spending lots of money. Especially at the younger grades. Its easy to go wild and get lots of things you'll never use. Sometimes the best teaching items are things found right in your home or even at a dollar type store.

Good topic. Will add more later.

[Dr T]

My wife and I recently started kicking the idea of homeschooling our children around. We are going to go to a homeschool convention in CA later this year. I never saw myself doing homeschool. Too many kooks (from my experience)! I guess I'm turning into one myself.

[Blessed]

I homeschooled our first child for pre-k and kindergarden. But I realized he was a gifted soul who needed more than I could provide him so I sent him to public school where he has continued to excell.

I think I gave him a good foundation though. I started him on a montesorri curriculum. It was exepensive to buy some of the things, but they have lasted through our two younger children.

Homeschool was good for a while, but I found I was not prepared enough nor dedicated enough to continue it.

[rosie321]

My wife and I recently started kicking the idea of homeschooling our children around. We are going to go to a homeschool convention in CA later this year. I never saw myself doing homeschool. Too many kooks (from my experience)! I guess I'm turning into one myself.
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Homeschooling is a great option for some but not for everyone.

Its good to have such freedoms available. Children get wholistic learning in a loving environment. Classes are smaller for one and you don't have the politics involved in public education.

Dr T. You might be interested in exploring the political end of homeschooling. It might prove to be very educational and motivating. There are groups in our country who'd like to see homeschooling go away or at least profit from it. I believe if people don't exercise their right when it fits into their families desires and circumstances this right may be lost. Just as many of our other rights are slipping away (gun control, freedom of speech etc). People should be able to choose the best educational option for their family whether it be public school, private school, or homeschool. For everyone the choice is different.

In parts of Europe, Germany for instance, homeschooling is not legal. Many families want the opportunity to homeschool their children. The HSDLA is fighting some serious situations over there where kids have been removed from the home and placed in institutions or state custody. It wasn't so long ago, just over 60 years that Hitler forced the children to go through state programming too. Those who didn't agree. Well you know...

Its scary to have only government operated choices available. There needs to be a system of check and balances in my opinion.

[rosie321]

Sorry the website above is www.DLTK.com and not dtlk.
There are links to Kidzone.com. Another great site.

They have lesson plans, worksheets, crafts, music, recipes, coloring pages.
They've got so much great stuff on them that you're sure to get lots of great help and ideas.

[Dr T]

Thank you for your great thoughts Rosie I'll let you all know what my wife and I decide.

[Aphrodite]

I am intrigued by this idea. This is definitely an American thing, we dont 'homeschool' over here. I dont think it could benefit a child as much educationally as attending school can. I went to a fantastic school and my parents could never in a million years have taught me to the standard I was. Plus, there are national set exams, so you have to follow a strict curriculum and are assessed along the way. I have seen a lot of homeschooled missionaries-we had one such individual from Utah who was homeschooled. He was so naive bless him, coming to england was a huge shock for him. He thought it was all little cottages and afternoon tea. In the course of knowing him we learnt that he did not realise England was an island! He thought it was joined to the rest of europe! I was absolutely staggered by this having been introduced to a map of the world before I could even read. His knowledge was probably as basic as a primary school child, we spent DAs teaching him things because he knew so little. He didnt know the capitals of many obvious countries in the world, had never heard of a few well known historical figures in my opinion. He knew all the American presidents and that was probably the biggest thing he knew. We have had many similar elders all homeschooled from Utah.

So, my question is to those of you who homeschool-why? Why not send them to a proper educational institution where the people are trained and specifically qualified to teach in a particluar subject? Id be interested to know the answer to this because personally I cant see any benefits-No social interaction with other children, team work or learning confidence and independance in a new environment can only hinder a childs progress surely? I'm not trying to be argumentative I just cant see why anybody would choose this route. look forward to your answers!