February 18, 2016
Aloha from Carter Academy West! I won't invite haters by asking how the weather is back east.
So how are things going in terms of homeschooling here? We are coping with frequent interruptions and noise from the automotive repair yard next door and the leaf blower that comes every other afternoon. Trying to stay on track.
Happy to say we have made friends here. Bear (my younger son) is active in his youth group at church and plans to try out for the worship team. He is in scouts and has joined Sea Cadets. I don't say all this to show off his resume. But, I do want to demonstrate a principle of homeschooling: adaptability. Not theirs but ours.
Each child has his own gifts and talents. I firmly believe this. Part of homeschooling is to help your child discover his or her talents and find ways to nurture them. It is not easy and you will make mistakes along the way. I made the mistake of trying to get my sons into team sports. Now there is nothing wrong with soccer or basketball. I am a sports fan (Go Steelers!) and Bear is starting to form an interest in some sports, but neither he nor his brother were interested as children. After three attempts that ended in stress filled trips to play-dates for the boys, I stopped. It was not worth it.
Music was a different story. I made both the boys take piano at age 5. The goal was to simply learn basic concepts of music. After two years, neither was in love with the instrument. Since I did not own a piano, only a keyboard, and they did not care about it, we stopped. Fast forward to their teenage years, Boyo (the older one) discovered the guitar and a love for Celtic music. He formed a band with friends and they played out in town and even recorded two CDs. John discovered a love of percussion (apologies to the neighbors), has studied with several outstanding teachers and is now learning the bass guitar. They both had gifts; all I needed to do was give them a good foundation, pay attention and support the gift. I wish I had known this earlier; I could have had a lot more stress-less days.
So what is the take-away? I had to adapt, not just once but many times. How? change your mind and remember some core principles.
Believe that the child God gave you is gifted because he or she is.
Know that your role is to discipline meaning teach them the way they should go.
Trust that God will put others in their path to hep them on their way.
And Relax. They will get there.
(By the way, without my pushing, both boys are involved in athletic pursuits. Go figure.)
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Happy New Year Everyone!
It is a new year but it is also the middle of the old school year. So how is it going? Are you on track with your plans or are you a little bit behind? Are you ready to start back tomorrow or can you just not face it yet? I know that the weather plays a part, but it is really just about organization and diligence. Actually, it is really about being obstinate.
I really think that the quality of being stubborn is seriously underrated. Much more in this life is gained from being too honery to quit than by being brilliant or talented. Half of success is just showing up: this includes showing up for chores and school and church. What opportunities are we passing over because we just wimp out? I recently spoke this blessed assurance to my oldest. Many of you know he is attending a college with a military culture. His first few months were tough, so tough he lost 24 pounds. One night while he was there and very unhappy, I imparted this truth to him: You just have to get through, Just don't quit. Now one can kick you out but you; no one can make you quit but you.You are the one with the power.
Oh, I know there are days that the kids seem to be intent on breaking you. The seem organized and focused on it. (If only they could be that way about school.) Just remember: You have to be more stubborn than they are willful. They cannot shut you down and they cannot make you quit. Only you have that power.
Stay warm and dry and Aloha from Carter Home Academy West.
T
It is a new year but it is also the middle of the old school year. So how is it going? Are you on track with your plans or are you a little bit behind? Are you ready to start back tomorrow or can you just not face it yet? I know that the weather plays a part, but it is really just about organization and diligence. Actually, it is really about being obstinate.
I really think that the quality of being stubborn is seriously underrated. Much more in this life is gained from being too honery to quit than by being brilliant or talented. Half of success is just showing up: this includes showing up for chores and school and church. What opportunities are we passing over because we just wimp out? I recently spoke this blessed assurance to my oldest. Many of you know he is attending a college with a military culture. His first few months were tough, so tough he lost 24 pounds. One night while he was there and very unhappy, I imparted this truth to him: You just have to get through, Just don't quit. Now one can kick you out but you; no one can make you quit but you.You are the one with the power.
Oh, I know there are days that the kids seem to be intent on breaking you. The seem organized and focused on it. (If only they could be that way about school.) Just remember: You have to be more stubborn than they are willful. They cannot shut you down and they cannot make you quit. Only you have that power.
Stay warm and dry and Aloha from Carter Home Academy West.
T
Saturday, September 5, 2015
September 5, 2015
Happy Labor Day!
I hope everyone is planning a relaxing weekend in preparation for the new school year to begin.
Or maybe you are still prepping for the school year? Or are you in a panic because OH MY GOD IT'S SEPTEMBER! Of course you may have already started the year. The one of the benefits of homeschooling is the flexibility of scheduling.
Of course a schedule is a useful tool for homeschoolers. It reminds us of where we need to be and can help us prepare for upcoming events. It keeps us from forgetting important things like appointments and birthdays. BUT ONLY IF WE USE IT! A schedule has to be regularly maintained, updated, adjusted and consulted.
I have always used a paper planner, with one short fling with the electronic calendar on my phone. I do also keep a calendar on my computer. DH was after me for years about going all in on the electronic planner and getting rid of my paper one. First, I like my paper planner. When I sit with it, I feel civilized (it is the best word I can think of before the coffee kicks in this morning). It makes me feel like I have control (an illusion of course). I get to write and even color sometimes. The calendar on my phone requires typing on a tiny little keyboard not made for the fingers of a grown-up. It also thinks it knows what I want to say better than I do. How rude. I do use it at times, but if I have to make an appointment when I am out and cannot get to my planner, I send myself an email to put an event on the calendar. I am not a Luddite; I will try technology, but if it does not work for me,forget it.
(The irony is that DH has a paper planner! I am waiting to see if he uses it.)
So how do you keep track of you schedule? Paper, computer, phone, post-it notes, frantic phone calls from other grown-ups?
Transitions
Those of you who know our family, know we are in a period of great transition. Our oldest has gone off to college and we are going to be moving to DATADADA! Hawaii! Courtesy of the Untied States Navy. This is our first move in 18 years, but the process of moving all comes back to me from growing up with a Dad in the Navy.
Since I have been homeschooling in one area for many years, I have developed certain ideas and practices that have served me well. Now I will be starting all over in an area with very little support structure especially (based on the research I have done) for high school students. It will be interesting to see how I and my son will cope. So stay tuned. And pray. It is going to be an adventure!
Aloha
Terri
Happy Labor Day!
I hope everyone is planning a relaxing weekend in preparation for the new school year to begin.
Or maybe you are still prepping for the school year? Or are you in a panic because OH MY GOD IT'S SEPTEMBER! Of course you may have already started the year. The one of the benefits of homeschooling is the flexibility of scheduling.
Of course a schedule is a useful tool for homeschoolers. It reminds us of where we need to be and can help us prepare for upcoming events. It keeps us from forgetting important things like appointments and birthdays. BUT ONLY IF WE USE IT! A schedule has to be regularly maintained, updated, adjusted and consulted.
I have always used a paper planner, with one short fling with the electronic calendar on my phone. I do also keep a calendar on my computer. DH was after me for years about going all in on the electronic planner and getting rid of my paper one. First, I like my paper planner. When I sit with it, I feel civilized (it is the best word I can think of before the coffee kicks in this morning). It makes me feel like I have control (an illusion of course). I get to write and even color sometimes. The calendar on my phone requires typing on a tiny little keyboard not made for the fingers of a grown-up. It also thinks it knows what I want to say better than I do. How rude. I do use it at times, but if I have to make an appointment when I am out and cannot get to my planner, I send myself an email to put an event on the calendar. I am not a Luddite; I will try technology, but if it does not work for me,forget it.
(The irony is that DH has a paper planner! I am waiting to see if he uses it.)
So how do you keep track of you schedule? Paper, computer, phone, post-it notes, frantic phone calls from other grown-ups?
Transitions
Those of you who know our family, know we are in a period of great transition. Our oldest has gone off to college and we are going to be moving to DATADADA! Hawaii! Courtesy of the Untied States Navy. This is our first move in 18 years, but the process of moving all comes back to me from growing up with a Dad in the Navy.
Since I have been homeschooling in one area for many years, I have developed certain ideas and practices that have served me well. Now I will be starting all over in an area with very little support structure especially (based on the research I have done) for high school students. It will be interesting to see how I and my son will cope. So stay tuned. And pray. It is going to be an adventure!
Aloha
Terri
Monday, July 27, 2015
July 27, 2015
Happy Summer!
I am enjoying a quiet week with one son at camp and the other one graduated, working and waiting to go to college. I am going to invest time in planning for this year. I will be starting high school with my youngest and teaching some other kids on the side.
So how do I go about planning high school? I start at the DOE website for my state. I know, I know. A lot of you look at all state agencies like Dracula views garlic, but they are useful for my purposes and I have already paid for them so I use them.
I take a look at what the requirements are for graduation. No, you do not have to follow them exactly. In fact you can graduate your child when and how you want as long as they are meeting the requirements for advancement of your state, Having said that, the requirements for my state of Virginia are based on what the state universities say they want to see in a child's transcript when they apply to college. So if your child is college bound, if they might be or even if they have no interest in college in the summer before their Freshman year, you should take a look at the graduation requirements.
The next step I take is to split the requirements among the four years of high school. English is easy. They have to take it every year. Done. All of their High School English Classes need to include a literature component, vocabulary and composition. I will go into these more in a later blog.
Math. This is such a bugaboo for parents. They frequently feel inadequate to teach these subjects. First, you need to understand there is a Scope and Sequence in all math instruction. That means that math topics like fractions or geometry build on previous skills that the student has learned. If your child has not mastered fractions and decimals he is not ready for Algebra. Review basics and take Pre-algebra. Then figure how many credits she may need to graduate. If you don't want to use the state requirements, decide what you think you child will need to know to be able to function in the real world. Put it in the plan.
Science. Does your state require particular subjects be covered, like biology? Does your child have a real interest like astronomy? put these in the plan
History. See Science
I will talk more later about specifics and how I plan to have my son taught this year.
One last note. Front load her classes to the first 2 years if possible. When they turn 16, if you have raised them right, they will want to start working for thier own money. It is easier for them if they don't have to take a full load of classes.
T
Happy Summer!
I am enjoying a quiet week with one son at camp and the other one graduated, working and waiting to go to college. I am going to invest time in planning for this year. I will be starting high school with my youngest and teaching some other kids on the side.
So how do I go about planning high school? I start at the DOE website for my state. I know, I know. A lot of you look at all state agencies like Dracula views garlic, but they are useful for my purposes and I have already paid for them so I use them.
I take a look at what the requirements are for graduation. No, you do not have to follow them exactly. In fact you can graduate your child when and how you want as long as they are meeting the requirements for advancement of your state, Having said that, the requirements for my state of Virginia are based on what the state universities say they want to see in a child's transcript when they apply to college. So if your child is college bound, if they might be or even if they have no interest in college in the summer before their Freshman year, you should take a look at the graduation requirements.
The next step I take is to split the requirements among the four years of high school. English is easy. They have to take it every year. Done. All of their High School English Classes need to include a literature component, vocabulary and composition. I will go into these more in a later blog.
Math. This is such a bugaboo for parents. They frequently feel inadequate to teach these subjects. First, you need to understand there is a Scope and Sequence in all math instruction. That means that math topics like fractions or geometry build on previous skills that the student has learned. If your child has not mastered fractions and decimals he is not ready for Algebra. Review basics and take Pre-algebra. Then figure how many credits she may need to graduate. If you don't want to use the state requirements, decide what you think you child will need to know to be able to function in the real world. Put it in the plan.
Science. Does your state require particular subjects be covered, like biology? Does your child have a real interest like astronomy? put these in the plan
History. See Science
I will talk more later about specifics and how I plan to have my son taught this year.
One last note. Front load her classes to the first 2 years if possible. When they turn 16, if you have raised them right, they will want to start working for thier own money. It is easier for them if they don't have to take a full load of classes.
T
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
May 12, 2015
Today is the last day with my students at HSP. If you don't know what that is. it is a wonderful community for homeschoolers in Norfolk that offers academic and enrichment classes on a tuition basis. We have been invested in HSP for many years and they have become our school community. This year I relented and took over the high school U.S. History class. (Finally, putting that degree to use). I loved it! I did not realize how much I missed teaching in a classroom until I was doing it. Don't worry! I am not rushing to go back to teaching full time. I would not go back to the public schools now for many reasons, However, I do enjoy teaching my students and I must have done all right because they are letting me come back next year and teach 3 classes.
If you want to know more about HSP here is a link: www.HSPhomeschooled@gmail.com.
I was a little bit shocked at the headline in the VA Pilot this morning.It reads, "Drugs, sex and gangs shadow Pretlow library". I am a big proponent of the Norfolk Public Library system. I have had an excellent ongoing relationship with the staff of my local library for many years. They have been an invaluable resource for homeschooling. Pretlow was and is a beautiful facility in the Oceanview section of the city. I especially liked the fact that the children's area was on a separate floor from the rest of the collection; it felt much safer. They functioned as the main library when the Kirn building was demolished and they were waiting for the construction of the Slover building downtown. (If you haven't been there you need to go; it is gorgeous!). I know for a fact that one of the librarians there is very supportive of homeschooling and I have acted as a consultant for her and families who had questions about homeschooling.
So do you use the library? which one? If not, why not? NPL is still free to residents unlike other systems! Did you know that they offer free technology classes, typing tutorials, movies, storytimes, magazines and test prep online? If you are not using the library I urge you to check it out at their website!
www.norfolkpubliclibrary.org
Today is the last day with my students at HSP. If you don't know what that is. it is a wonderful community for homeschoolers in Norfolk that offers academic and enrichment classes on a tuition basis. We have been invested in HSP for many years and they have become our school community. This year I relented and took over the high school U.S. History class. (Finally, putting that degree to use). I loved it! I did not realize how much I missed teaching in a classroom until I was doing it. Don't worry! I am not rushing to go back to teaching full time. I would not go back to the public schools now for many reasons, However, I do enjoy teaching my students and I must have done all right because they are letting me come back next year and teach 3 classes.
If you want to know more about HSP here is a link: www.HSPhomeschooled@gmail.com.
I was a little bit shocked at the headline in the VA Pilot this morning.It reads, "Drugs, sex and gangs shadow Pretlow library". I am a big proponent of the Norfolk Public Library system. I have had an excellent ongoing relationship with the staff of my local library for many years. They have been an invaluable resource for homeschooling. Pretlow was and is a beautiful facility in the Oceanview section of the city. I especially liked the fact that the children's area was on a separate floor from the rest of the collection; it felt much safer. They functioned as the main library when the Kirn building was demolished and they were waiting for the construction of the Slover building downtown. (If you haven't been there you need to go; it is gorgeous!). I know for a fact that one of the librarians there is very supportive of homeschooling and I have acted as a consultant for her and families who had questions about homeschooling.
So do you use the library? which one? If not, why not? NPL is still free to residents unlike other systems! Did you know that they offer free technology classes, typing tutorials, movies, storytimes, magazines and test prep online? If you are not using the library I urge you to check it out at their website!
www.norfolkpubliclibrary.org
Thursday, April 9, 2015
April 92015
Well, it has happened at last. We are on the countdown to graduation! My oldest will be in cap and gown this Spring and I will be prepping school for only one child this fall. I pulled out his cap and gown and he put it on. He thinks he looks like a dork and I am not sure about the fit on the cap, but I feet excited for him and for his future. It makes me think about the reasons that I taught him at home.
One of my main reasons for homeschooling was to provide my boys with the time and space to find out what they loved and what they were good at. It is really hard to do when you are on the public school treadmill, A dear friend of mine and I were talking about her son who dropped out of high school and got his GED. Her son is bright and creative but like so many kids these days he just has not found his way. The reality is that there is no law that says a child must graduate at 18. It says that they must attend and that the schools are required to provide services until 18, or until 22 if they have special needs. So what happens if they are not ready at 18, if they need a little more time? Not all kids are ready for the world at 18. Yeah, sometimes it is the parents fault for failing to prepare them; I have met those parents. (If you are one, you are not helping your child; you are crippling them because you want them to love you.) But what if they are working toward their dreams and it just takes more time than what society says they should have? How do you know and what do you do?
I notice in the papers that all the school systems are planning their budgets for next year, so have you started planning next year? Do you set a budget, set aside money every month for buying materials?
What do you spend on average every year and how do you stretch that budget to cover everything?
Let me know.
Now back to those graduation announcements.
Terri
Well, it has happened at last. We are on the countdown to graduation! My oldest will be in cap and gown this Spring and I will be prepping school for only one child this fall. I pulled out his cap and gown and he put it on. He thinks he looks like a dork and I am not sure about the fit on the cap, but I feet excited for him and for his future. It makes me think about the reasons that I taught him at home.
One of my main reasons for homeschooling was to provide my boys with the time and space to find out what they loved and what they were good at. It is really hard to do when you are on the public school treadmill, A dear friend of mine and I were talking about her son who dropped out of high school and got his GED. Her son is bright and creative but like so many kids these days he just has not found his way. The reality is that there is no law that says a child must graduate at 18. It says that they must attend and that the schools are required to provide services until 18, or until 22 if they have special needs. So what happens if they are not ready at 18, if they need a little more time? Not all kids are ready for the world at 18. Yeah, sometimes it is the parents fault for failing to prepare them; I have met those parents. (If you are one, you are not helping your child; you are crippling them because you want them to love you.) But what if they are working toward their dreams and it just takes more time than what society says they should have? How do you know and what do you do?
I notice in the papers that all the school systems are planning their budgets for next year, so have you started planning next year? Do you set a budget, set aside money every month for buying materials?
What do you spend on average every year and how do you stretch that budget to cover everything?
Let me know.
Now back to those graduation announcements.
Terri
Monday, March 2, 2015
Homebased
March 2 2015
I see the sun and it is above freezing! yeah!
A couple of things from the paper this Sunday I wanted to pass along:
If you have a senior in high school or young adult who has not found their way, Job Corps is having an outreach on March 11 at the Janaf Building in Norfolk. It begins at 9 a.m. This may be a great option for your child/young person who doesn't know what to do with their lives, isn't ready for college and wants to go do something meaningful. you can find out more at: www.jobcorps.gov/Youth.aspx
Free and cool.
Have you taken your kids to the glass studio at the Chrysler? On Wednesday you can bring a bag lunch, watch them create a glass piece right in front of you and even ask questions. It is pretty amazing!
Free Music at ODU
The Old Dominion University Music Department offers free concerts. There is one tomorrow night at the Chandler Recital Hall with a performance of hymns arranged for brass instruments. Go to their Facebook page for details.
See ya
T
March 2 2015
I see the sun and it is above freezing! yeah!
A couple of things from the paper this Sunday I wanted to pass along:
If you have a senior in high school or young adult who has not found their way, Job Corps is having an outreach on March 11 at the Janaf Building in Norfolk. It begins at 9 a.m. This may be a great option for your child/young person who doesn't know what to do with their lives, isn't ready for college and wants to go do something meaningful. you can find out more at: www.jobcorps.gov/Youth.aspx
Free and cool.
Have you taken your kids to the glass studio at the Chrysler? On Wednesday you can bring a bag lunch, watch them create a glass piece right in front of you and even ask questions. It is pretty amazing!
Free Music at ODU
The Old Dominion University Music Department offers free concerts. There is one tomorrow night at the Chandler Recital Hall with a performance of hymns arranged for brass instruments. Go to their Facebook page for details.
See ya
T
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