Jennifer Lambert

A Sacred Balance

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Our Curriculum for 2021-2022

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Whew, it has been a year, y’all.

We spent most of last year isolated and anxious. While our actual lifestyle didn’t much change, just the knowledge that we couldn’t and shouldn’t go out was hard at times.

We’re looking forward to a better year now that we’re vaccinated.

I’ve been homeschooling my four kids for about seventeen years now. My younger three have never attended school.

My eldest attended day care, preschool, and one month of third grade at a DoD school. She’s on her own now, working full-time and living in her own apartment.

We learn year-round and love having freedom to learn when and how and what we want. We love being able to take breaks for field trips, extended travel just for fun or educational purposes, sun days, snow days, movie days, game days, park days.

Most of the anxiety I had in the beginning years has faded away and I am mostly in awe of my kids’ abilities and interests. I learn so much from watching and learning with them.

I highly recommend the books by Louise Bates Ames. A good guide to follow are the What Your ?-Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch, Jr. His books have some problems, but it’s a great jumping off point.

We had somewhat of a break this summer, just continuing with math and science since we take those slower than other works. The middle kids each did a week of art camp – film photography and ceramics – and my third child did another two weeks of an art workshop they won on scholarship! My son did a week of baseball camp at a local university.

We often celebrate the end of summer and beginning autumn and a new school year with not back to school activities.

7th Grade

My youngest is working on 7th grade material this school year.

10th Grade

This was my favorite grade and age to teach when I taught public school.

My two middle kids are well into high school now. I’m keeping track of their credits in a transcript for their future needs. Our high school goals are four full year credits of English, math, science, social studies, with two full year credits of foreign language, and multiple electives for creative arts and physical activity.

Some electives the middle kids are pursuing in addition to sports are cooking/baking, creative writing, drawing/animation, arts and crafts, jewelry making.

Ohio doesn’t allow students to work until age 15, and my middle kids are already looking forward to their first part time job later this year – maybe at our Dairy Queen around the corner or a locally owned shop or volunteering with the Red Cross. My second child already volunteered over the summer with an invention camp and works once a week as a coach assistant with aerial gymnastics. She should start getting paid for coaching soon!

It’s exciting thinking about the kids learning to drive. My eldest waiting until she was eighteen and we didn’t push her. We signed Tori up for the required Ohio classroom drivers’ education. She will then take the state test for a learners permit and take the road driving classes before getting her full license next spring!

Together

We still do lots of morning read alouds together for Bible, church history, natural history, world and American history, and lots of multicultural literature.

We are working on Year 2 in our history cycle. I love, love, love year 2 and I cannot wait to dive deep into the literature this year.

Our main text this year is The History of the Medieval World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade  by Susan Wise Bauer. I just purchased the Study and Teaching Guide: The History of the Medieval World: A curriculum guide to accompany The History of the Medieval World by Julia Kaziewicz. My middle kids are completing the critical thinking questions for each chapter.

See how we do history. Our main curriculum Tapestry of Grace (and the way I supplement it each year) covers all the humanities – history, literature, art, music, philosophy, government.

My kids are very active with skating/roller blading, cycling, hiking, walking, playing the Wii and Switch, in addition to their classes and sports.

This last school year looked very different for some kids and families with online school, hybrid, or new homeschoolers. We have an opportunity to examine what worked and what needs improvement in our education systems.

You might also like to see our other homeschool years:

Recommendations:

How is this school year looking for your family?

Linking up: Anita Ojeda, April Harris, Mostly Blogging, Create with Joy, Suburbia, Random Musings, InstaEncouragements, Anchored Abode, Soaring with Him, Ridge Haven, Ducks in a Row, Girlish Whims, Fluster Buster, Ginger Snap, Artful Mom, Try it Like it, Debbie Kitterman, Slices of Life, Imparting Grace, Answer is Choco, Momfessionals, CWJ, OMHG, Grammy’s Grid, Simply Sweet Home, Bloggers Lifestyle, Building our Hive, Jenerally informed, LouLou Girls,

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What if kids ask to go to school?

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We have four children and my younger three have been completely homeschooled. My eldest attended day care as a baby and toddler and private Christian 4K before we began homeschooling, then one month of DOD 3rd grade.

We have adapted and evolved as homeschoolers over the years, meeting the needs and desires of our kids with their changing interests as we moved every two to four years with the military. It’s been a lot.

As proactive as I try to be, anticipating issues that may arise, it didn’t really occur to me to have a plan or speech prepared if or when my kids asked to go to school. I mean, don’t lots of kids who attend public or private school ask to stay home all the time for various reasons? And those parents probably just laugh and tell their kids to hurry up or they’ll miss their bus. There isn’t even a discussion because school is mainstream and expected. Most families send their kids to school.

We try to have discussions rather than shut down questions, but sometimes it’s very hard to articulate if I don’t have preparation. I’ve said many things I regret and made egregious mistakes while parenting. I’m so glad we homeschooled and I would do it all again, with more confidence.

What if kids ask to go to school?

Here’s how we responded to our kids when they asked to attend public school.

Our eldest wanted to attend the DOD high school in Germany when she was about fifteen. We had a hard time during those teen years. Everything was a battle. I tried to reason with her. We had different educational values than other families. We had so much freedom and traveled and learned what and how we wanted. The school schedule wouldn’t allow any freedom or absences or tardiness. I reminded her how miserable she was in that month of third grade, how bored she was in preK. She just dug in her heels and did everything to thwart our final homeschooling years.

We were a bit isolated in our small German village, but used our free schedule to travel regularly around Europe and took plenty of day trips. She participated with a small drama theater on base and we did activities with the homeschool group. Her good friend attended the school; they would most likely have been a year apart and rarely seen each other during the school day, but that didn’t matter to my daughter. We had almost completed my homeschool agenda of academics at the time she wanted to attend school. She would have been repeating courses or wasting time. We discussed unfair dress codes and how she would have to remove her piercings and keep her hair natural colored, but she said she was actually ok with that, but she won’t do it at a job now. I also worried she wouldn’t take it seriously and drop back out at the first struggle or get into trouble at the school. We had a horrible experience during a middle school math week in Utah and I really didn’t want to give a public school any power over my child.

To me, it felt like she just needed to fit in and be mainstream. She felt she was missing out. She thought she would get to socialize and make more friends. She wanted to experience the milestones and social aspects of school – dances, clubs, graduation, prom. She did attend some dances in Germany and in Ohio when we moved back to the States. She even flew to Canada to attend prom with friends.

When we moved to Ohio, she started college early and worked part time and complained how ignorant her classmates were. She felt left out and overeducated and more grown up and independent than her peers.

My eldest is now twenty, almost 21, and still regrets she didn’t go to school. She feels like an outcast when her friends reminisce about school and she doesn’t know what their words and phrases mean so she can’t join in their conversations. She doesn’t feel special, but overeducated. She quit college and is working full time and moved out last November. She has said that homeschooling ruined her life. I feel awful. And there’s no way I can make amends or fix this.

While there are many, many things I wish I had done differently as a parent and teacher, homeschooling is still our choice as a family.

It’s hard when school is the expectation of society. People ask my kids, “What grade are you in? Where do you go to school?” and it becomes embarrassing sometimes. It seems more acceptable to homeschool after this last year, but it’s still odd and different. I realize we are in a unique circumstance in our ability for me to stay home to teach our kids. The pandemic certainly highlighted many issues with our society, education being an important one.

Our third child asked to attend school after we had lived in Ohio a few years. It felt like the same issues all over again. I was a little more prepared this time around to field the questions and manage the discussion. We affirmed them about their feelings. We expressed our family and educational values. We explained why we homeschool and why we don’t choose school. I further reiterated our freedoms with our schedule and curriculum. We discussed bullying, teacher control, discriminatory curriculum, gun violence, 20 minute lunch periods, public school timeline, overcrowdedness, lack of funding, unfair dress codes. We expressed concerns about how schools don’t protect or respect LGBTQ+ kids. They would probably have to keep their hair natural colored. I am very concerned about school violence and we really focused on those issues that have increased the last few years. They are more social than my other two kids at home, but school isn’t really conducive to socializing. School looks glamorous and fun on TV and in movies, but that’s certainly not reality.

Then the pandemic hit and I felt like I could breathe a sigh of relief because no one attended school for months. Our lifestyle didn’t change that much. While we couldn’t go out and that felt suffocating at times, we didn’t have to vastly adapt like school families did.

We have a hard time finding like-minded friends for myself and the kids. I refuse to compromise my values or put myself and my kids in a potentially dangerous social situation with families who express gun rights, white supremacy, capitalism, and homophobia.

It’s frustrating that many parents don’t allow their children to be active online. During the pandemic, my kids would have and could have developed some online friendships but many parents refuse their kids access to social media like Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, TikTok, Discord. I understand their hesitancy, but it makes it harder on teens who want friends.

We are now (possibly) over that hump. I think my kids are more on board now about homeschooling. We are striving to give our kids opportunities and experiences that wouldn’t be possible if they attended school. We’ve gotten back into our extra-curricular classes like art, aerial gymnastics, and baseball. Their neighborhood friend is coming back around and they just picked up where they left off. We aren’t so depressed and isolated like we were all last year.

As more people get vaccinated, there will be safer field trips, outings, get-togethers, park days.

My middle two kids attended an art camp for a week this month and were so exhausted getting up early and being out all day every day. I can’t imagine what it would be like if my kids were gone all day every day.

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Linking up: Create with Joy, Random Musings, Anita Ojeda, April Harris, Eclectic Red Barn, Jeanne Takenaka, LouLou Girls, InstaEncouragements, Suburbia, Ginger Snap, Fluster Buster, OMHG, Grammy’s Grid, Girlish Whims, Ducks in a Row, Anchored Abode, Soaring with Him, Try it Like it, Artful Mom, Penny’s Passion, Debbie Kitterman, Slices of Life, Imparting Grace, CWJ, Simply Sweet Home, Answer is Choco, Being a Wordsmith, Mostly Blogging,

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Time Travel Unit Study

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I’ve always had a fascination with the possibility of time travel.

I read a lot about black holes and strange phenomena. Maybe it was a safety net to attempt to learn about the unknown and unexplainable when I felt my life was falling apart. I found refuge in books. I escaped into worlds that seemed safer than my own.

As a kid, I really thought I’d have more Bermuda Triangle issues than I’ve had in my lifetime. I even panicked a bit as I flew along the edge when I was 14 on a trip to Puerto Rico.

As an adult and parent to four children, I am coming to terms with my fascination with myth, legend, unexplained phenomena, and even new and experimental science. I am remembering my hobbies and loves of my childhood and youth and I feel safe to impart the appropriate parts on to my kids.

We watch a lot of movies and shows. I love having film night with pizza each week. We read lots of books in our homeschool. There is no such thing as twaddle. Everything has its place. I often include fun books in our morning read alouds to break up the seriousness and often tragedy of history.

I refuse to just leave it alone. We discuss and analyze and compare and contrast what we read and watch. I love cinema history.

Many of these shows and books flashback to 1989 or thereabouts – and I remember suddenly how I felt, what I experienced, how I lost so many parts of myself in the rush to grow up, trying desperately to live up to expectations and make money, to become successful and stifle who I am.

I often fantasize to the point of anxiety what I could say to myself if I could travel back to make corrections.

We laugh at the potential paradox in shows and books. We wonder how things would be different if history were changed.

Time Travel Unit Study

My kids haven’t seen or read all these in the list. Use discretion and preview for content.

Resources

Do you think time travel is possible?

Linking up: Anita Ojeda, Marilyn’s Treats, April Harris, Little Cottage, Mostly Blogging, InstaEncouragements, LouLou Girls, Suburbia, Our Three Peas, Grandma’s Ideas, Anchored Abode, Soaring with Him, Girlish Whims, Fluster Buster, Ginger Snap, Ducks in a Row, OMHG, Ridge Haven, Katherine’s Corner, Penny’s Passion, Crystal Storms, Debbie Kitterman, Slices of Life, Mommynificent, Imparting Grace, Simply Sweet Home, Answer is Choco, Momfessionals, CWJ, Inspired Prairie, Try it Like it, Being a Wordsmith, Create with Joy,

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Ancient Times Book List

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As my kids get older and are growing out of picture books and sometimes get bored with assigned readings, I look for more appropriate books for the entire family to enjoy.

We still gather in the mornings and most evenings for story time. I still read aloud and show any pictures like the library story lady.

We use Tapestry of Grace for our main curriculum and book lists, and I also peruse Ambleside Online and other lists for a well-rounded history curriculum. I want all sides and perspectives. See How We Do History.

We use this text as a guide, especially for younger kids: The Story of the World: Ancient Times: From the Earliest Nomads to the Last Roman Emperor

For older kids: The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome and The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Civilizations and Warfare in the Classical World.

I go to the library about every week and get what I can. Sometimes, I even rent or buy eBooks to save money.

We expand our home library every year and extensively update every new history cycle.

For ancient history this year, my kids are 14, 13, and 10.

My girls are doing the rhetoric level and we still read aloud together many of their selections because I love to learn too. This is their last cycle with ancient history.

My son is in dialectic level and the girls even though they’re working the rhetoric level often love to hear those readings again.

And we still pull out of some of our well-loved picture books with gorgeous images and lovely stories.

I love, love, love historical fiction or living books. I love how it uses an author’s imagination to bring real life to historical events that are often boring in textbooks.

I often read adult historical fiction alongside my kids’ reading and our read alouds. The Red Tent is still a favorite. Some biblical fiction is hard for me to swallow and others are delightful or informative.

I still love T.L. Higley books. I enjoyed The Restoration Chronicles by Lynn Austin.

The book Pontius Pilate: A Novel by Paul L. Maier was recommended to me by a pastor and I might read it aloud to my family this Easter. Flames of Rome and his Skeleton Series look good too.

It’s often difficult to find engaging historical fiction for ancient times since we only have fragments of history and many ancient peoples had no written records or were wiped out by war or natural disaster. I don’t want to rely solely on religious texts as our reading material.

We’re learning more about parallel histories to the people of the Bible, different voices to fill in the real story. We’re learning about ancient Americas and Asia and Africa. I love seeing the full tapestry.

Favorite Ancient Times Historical Fiction

The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

A Cry From Egypt and A Stand at Sinai by Hope Auer

Tirzah by Travis Lucille

Adara by Beatrice Gormley

Twice Freed by Patricia St. John

Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher

God King by Joanne Williamson

Hittite Warrior by Joanne Williamson

Victory on the Walls by Frieda Clark Hyman

Beyond the Desert Gate by Mary Ray

Within the Palace Gates by Anna P. Siviter

The Pearl-Maiden by Henry Rider Haggard

Pharaoh’s Daughter by Julius Lester

The Eyes of Pharaoh by Chris Eboch

Cleopatra Confesses by Carolyn Meyer

The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

Journey for Tobiyah by Barbara E. Morgan

Vinegar Boy by Alberta Hawse

The Corn Grows Ripe by Dorothy Rhoads

Run With Me, Nike! by Cassandra Case

The Ides of April by Mary Ray

Beyond the Desert Gate by Mary Ray

The Roman Britain Trilogy by Rosemary Sutcliff

I’m sure I will add to this list over the next few months as we finish our ancient times history cycle year.

What’s your favorite ancient studies book?

See my Pinterest board for Year 1 History:

Linking up: Anita Ojeda, April Harris, Marilyn’s Treats, Little Cottage, Mostly Blogging, InstaEncouragements, LouLou Girls, Suburbia, Our Three Peas, Grandma’s Ideas, Anchored Abode, Soaring with Him, Ducks in aRow, Girlish Whims, Fluster Buster, Ginger Snap, Eclectic Red Barn, Penny’s Passion, Mommynificent, Debbie Kitterman, Ridge Haven, Slices of Life, Simply Sweet Home, Try it Like it, Answer is Choco, Wordsmith, Momfessionals, Embracing Unexpected, Lyli Dunbar, CWJ, Everyday Farmhouse, OMHG, Create with Joy,

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Vincent van Gogh Unit Study

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I have always loved Vincent van Gogh and his paintings. I am thrilled to share that love with my children.

I love teaching art history and about art even though I don’t consider myself a creative artist. See how we do art in our homeschool.

I would love to travel to southern France to see all the places he painted and walk in his footsteps.

We find it interesting all the different way to pronounce his name:

van-GOH (the most common in North America)

van-GOFF (in England)

van-GOKH and vun-KHOKH (which comes closest to the Dutch).

He’s one of our favorite artists.

As my kids get older and we revisit lessons every few years, we discuss mental illness and STI. We know that van Gogh suffered and committed suicide. He had tinnitus and other health problems like scurvy, perhaps epilepsy. Some speculate he may have contracted syphilis and certainly had mental health problems. We know that his brother Theo died from complication with syphilis.

The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don’t always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don’t necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant…And we definitely added to his pile of good things.

The Doctor in Vincent and the Doctor – Doctor Who: Season 5, Episode 10

When we got to visit The Netherlands, we knew we wanted to see his paintings in person!

When we went to Keukenhof, the entire theme was Vincent van Gogh and there was a floral mosaic, a selfie garden, and static displays of his paintings.

The mosaic hadn’t bloomed yet in March. I’ll bet it was amazing!

We had so much fun in the selfie garden.

The static displays recreated the paintings and were absolutely magnificent!

We went to the van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. It holds the most van Gogh works.

Some favorites:

My son loved seeing the boats from his Art Ditto card game.

The kids got to see Sunflowers!

They were so jealous I had seen it the year before when I visited London for a conference.

My youngest daughter’s favorite is The Potato Eaters.

We were thrilled to see the Impressionist exhibit, including many van Gogh at the National Gallery when we visited London the next year.

van Gogh’s Self-Portrait and The Bedroom is at the Art Institute of Chicago and we loved to see it when we moved back to The States!

The goal now is to travel to New York to see Starry Night.

Art Projects

I allow my kids freedom of expression and making messes to learn and experiment and play with arts and crafts.

I love how my middle daughter made this scene out of Wikki Stix!

We drew sunflowers with chalk pastels.

We practiced drawing with pots of petunias and a still life of our breakfast table.

My girls have gotten very talented with watercolors, but we haven’t ventured into oils yet.

Resources:

Books

What’s your favorite van Gogh painting?

Linking up: Random Musings, Create with Joy, Mostly Blogging, Kippi at Home, Marilyn’s Treats, Anita Ojeda, Home Stories, LouLou Girls, Purposeful Faith, Mary Geisen, Our Three Peas, Anchored Abode, InstaEncouragements, Soaring with Him, Ridge Haven Homestead, Welcome Heart, Ducks in a Row, Girlish Whims, Ginger Snap Crafts, Fluster Buster, April Harris, Grandma’s Ideas, Katherine’s Corner, Penny’s Passion, Mommynificent, Debbie Kitterman, Creative K Kids, Slices of Life, Life Beyond the Kitchen, Chic on a Shoestring, Answer is Choco, Simply Sweet Home, Embracing Unexpected, Pieced Pastimes, Fireman’s Wife, CWJ, OMHG, Momfessionals, Every Day Farmhouse, Being a Wordsmith, Little Cottage,

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Constitution Unit Study

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I want to teach my kids US history, government, citizenship.

I don’t want the US government curriculum to be nationalist, fundamentalist, or evangelical.

I’m not sure when many Americans began equating white Republican Jesus with the white male president, right wing government officials, and media, with removing or reducing social programs, but that’s not my religion.

I want unbiased materials and we’re leaning more and more towards secular curriculum to get the true picture of history.

On September 17, 1787, the Founding Fathers signed the most influential document in American history, the United States Constitution.

As we approach Constitution Week, September 17-23, here are some fun educational materials available at no cost to homeschoolers.

A More or Less Perfect Union is a three-part PBS series hosted by Senior Federal Appeals DC Circuit Court Judge Douglas Ginsburg. The series features 17 Constitutional experts weighing in on hot button topics around the document that governs those who govern us.  It aired earlier this year and is schedule to re-air on public television on Sept. 13 at 9 p.m. ET. It is also available on Amazon Prime and PBS.org, if you are a member. It can be watched for free now. It is best suited for high school level students.

Imagine having a discussion with George Washington and Ben Franklin today. Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg sat down with each historic figure to discuss the Constitution, what succeeded and what failed, slavery, education, and even air conditioning and deodorant! Meet the Framers are fascinating, educational and entertaining conversations that shouldn’t be missed.

Judge Ginsburg worked with izzit.org, an online teacher resource, to develop civics educational materials to teach about the Constitution.   The materials include a week-long course on The U.S. Constitution & Black History, a 16-minute teaching unit, Becoming Equal Under the Law, and a number of Teachable Moments (short video clips designed to encourage discussions).

For younger students, the Pups of Liberty series (The Boston T-Bone Party  and The Dog-claration of Independence) are delightful.

A new teaching unit on the First Amendment is recently released.

This is all available to educators at no cost!

Constitution and Government Resources

Favorite US History Books

Linking up: Random Musings, April Harris, Create with Joy, Welcome Heart, Anita Ojeda, Marilyn’s Treats, Little Cottage, Kippi at Home, Home Stories, Mary Geisen, Purposeful Faith, LouLou Girls, Grandma’s Ideas, Anchored Abode, Soaring with Him, Ridge Haven Homestead, InstaEncouragements, My Girlish Whims, Fluster Buster, Ginger Snap Crafts, Ducks in a Row, Our Three Peas, Katherine’s Corner, Penny’s Passion, Mommynificent, Slices of Life, Creative K Kids, Imparting Grace, Life Beyond the Kitchen, Oh My Heartsie Girl, Answer is Choco, Simply Sweet Home, Momfessionals, Embracing Unexpected, Pieced Pastimes, Fireman’s Wife, CWJ, Being a Wordsmith, Mostly Blogging,

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Labor Day Unit Study

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Labor Day is not just the official end of summer.

Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States.

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.

By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday. Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories. On June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday.

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.     

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Because we have suffered, and we are not afraid to suffer in order to survive, we are ready to give up everything — even our lives — in our struggle for justice. We draw our strength from the very despair in which we have been forced to live. We shall endure. When a man or woman, young, or old, takes a place on the picket line for even a day or two, he will never be the same again.  

Cesar Chavez

Topics for Discussion

  • The Modern Labor Rights Movement
  • The Power Of Agitating & Organizing
  • Child Labor
  • Minimum Wage
  • Maternity/Paternity Leave
  • The Gender & Race Wage Gap: Glass Ceilings
  • The US Economy Runs On The Backbone of Exploited Black Labor
  • The Effect of Exploitative Migrant Labor On Families

Resources

Book List

Labor Day movies

I learned the value of hard work by working hard.

Margaret Mead

How can you support workers?

No one really cares what you post on social media or clapping or being honored at a parade or event. Workers need and want tangible rewards for doing what they do – better conditions, higher pay, protections for illness or injury, security. Respect their dignity.

Make sure you tip well. More than 20%. Don’t be insulting or rude. Service is a very difficult job.

Gifts for the services you use and appreciate most. Keep in mind that most workers can technically only accept gifts equally up to $20 or less. Don’t embarrass them or put them in an awkward position. A gift card, a homemade treat, a caffeine drink, a token is much appreciated.

Vote. Protest. Support public officials, government agencies, and private organizations who protect wage workers and their benefits.

Speak up and teach. Our kids need to see us fighting injustice. They need to know we are not silent and complicit.

Linking up: Random Musings, Welcome Heart, Anita Ojeda, Marilyn’s Treats, Little Cottage, Mostly Blogging, Kippi at Home, Purposeful Faith, LouLou Girls, Our Three Peas, Grandma’s Ideas, Anchored Abode, Soaring with Him, Ducks in a Row, Fluster Buster, Girlish Whims, Ginger Snap Crafts, Katherine’s Corner, Penny’s Passion, Mommynificent, Debbie Kitterman, CKK, Imparting Grace, Ridge Haven Homestead, Slices of Life, Life Beyond the Kitchen, Answer is Choco, Simply Sweet Home, Momfessionals, Embracing Unexpected, Create with Joy, OMHG, Being a Wordsmith, InstaEncouragements, Create with Joy,

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High School Homeschool

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I graduated my eldest daughter from our homeschool a few years ago.

Her homeschool high school years were exciting for us all, and unique since we lived in Germany at the time.

My two middle girls are entering their high school years.

I feel a little more comfortable for our second round.

We’re adding more multicultural and social justice books to our reading lists. I am much more relaxed.

More and more, I am watching them walk away from me.

What Homeschool High School Looks Like for Us the Second Time

We’re trying to max out their academic transcripts with 4 English, 4 Social Studies, 4 Math, and 4 Science.

My girls have already completed General science, Physical science, and Biology from Apologia.

We use Tapestry of Grace for humanities with a 4-year history cycle. Tapestry of Grace offers lovely descriptions for each thread to help with transcripts.

Electives are religion, art, cooking, sports, and foreign language.

My girls are 13 and 14 this year and we homeschool year-round so we don’t have to rush.

They expect to complete all my requirements around age 16, like their older sister did. They want to get part-time jobs, volunteer, explore hobbies, perhaps pursue dual college enrollment locally until beginning college full-time. And we don’t pressure about college.

9th grade curriculum

  • Ancient world literature
  • Ancient world history
  • Ancient world geography, philosophy, government
  • Ancient religion and Bible history
  • Algebra I (Life of Fred, VideoText, OpenStax)
  • Astronomy and Microbiology from OpenStax

10th grade

  • Middle Ages world literature
  • Middle Ages world history
  • Middle Ages world geography, philosophy, government
  • Middle Ages world religion and Bible history
  • History of language – King Alfred’s English
  • Algebra II (Life of Fred, VideoText, OpenStax)
  • Chemistry (either Apologia or OpenStax)

11th grade

  • Renaissance-Industrial Revolution world literature
  • Renaissance-Industrial Revolution world history
  • Renaissance-Industrial Revolution world and US geography, philosophy, government
  • Renaissance-Industrial Revolution world religion and Bible history
  • US History from OpenStax
  • Geometry (Life of Fred, VideoText, OpenStax)
  • Physics (either Apologia or OpenStax)

12th grade

  • Modern and Contemporary world literature
  • Modern and Contemporary world history
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High School Homeschool Resources:

How do you homeschool high school?

Linking up: Random Musings, Mostly Blogging, Anita Ojeda, Welcome Heart, April Harris, Marilyn’s Treats, Little Cottage, Kippi at Home, LouLou Girls, Home Stories, InstaEncouragements, Purposeful Faith, Our Three Peas, Grandmas Ideas, Anchored Abode, Soaring with Him, Ducks in a Row, Girlish Whims, Fluster Buster, Ginger Snap Crafts, Katherine’s Corner, Penny’s Passion, Debbie Kitterman, CKK, Imparting Grace, Ridge Haven Homestead, Apron Strings, Life Beyond the Kitchen, Create with Joy,

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Quarantine Schooling

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By 6 Comments

I taught school for about ten years, and always homeschooled my four kids, so I have a bit of a different philosophy towards education than many.

Around March 2020, may families found themselves in awkward situations. Many parents worked from home while children completed their school year online. Teachers scrambled to prepare online lessons for hundreds of students. It was stressful.

Many families and the media call this homeschooling.

Narrator: “This was not, in fact, homeschooling.”

Now the word “homeschooling” has evolved over the years and used to have different connotations than it now does. It’s not such a weighted or negative word as it used to be.

The word often conjured images of denim jumper dress-wearing evangelical fundamentalist Christian families. And that certainly is still a subculture within homeschooling communities.

While it is still difficult to find secular and liberal homeschoolers in many areas, it is becoming more widely acceptable for many families to home educate their children in different ways.

Homeschool choices are almost limitless. Many states and school districts provide online or video lessons. There are secular and Christian curriculum options. Parents can create an eclectic mix of academics and hobbies for kids to explore.

Many families are concerned about safety, continuity, and consistency for this next school year.

Some schools are closed, some offer part time or staggered attendance, some are going completely online. I am not here to judge parents whose choices are impossible during these circumstances. I realize many parents must work outside the home and need childcare. Our society expects schools to provide education and care during working hours.

Teachers are facing impossible situations. Required to teach in person or prepare and teach engaging lessons online, risking their health or their careers. I can’t imagine making these hard choice if I were still a classroom teacher.

I understand that it’s overwhelming to suddenly homeschool kids who expect to attend school. It’s a completely different lifestyle for many families and the unknown is scary.

It took me a few years to adjust as a reluctant homeschooler.

For first time homeschoolers, pandemic/quarantine/crisis homeschoolers, reluctant homeschoolers, even veteran homeschoolers:

Some things to think about school at home:

What is your focus?

Search your heart for what you want this school year to look like for your family. Use this time to learn about your children – their hopes, dreams, preferences. Don’t just think this is about academics. This is about relationship. This is about making memories. What do you want your family to look back on during this time and remember fondly?

Ease into it.

It’s often best to start with the bare bones. Fun, fun, fun. Outside time. Hiking. Nature exploration. Learn about your backyard nature. Fall in love with learning. Maybe just begin with reading, writing, arithmetic. Have story time and talk about the book afterwards or make art. Do kitchen math with delicious recipes. You don’t have to recreate a classroom school environment in your kitchen, dining room, living room, or basement. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on curriculum, books, computer programs.

Keep records.

Records, portfolio, book lists, field trips are handy to have if you plan to send kids back into public or private school attendance at any point. It’s also nice to look back over what was accomplished on the days when you feel like nothing ever got done. I often enlist the kids to help make their notebooks or portfolios. It’s a great family project! Many homeschoolers must submit curriculum lists at the beginning of each school year with their intent letter and provide a portfolio or test score at the end of the year. Keeping records as you go makes this easier than scrambling last minute. It’s good to have a scrapbook or journals for kids to look back on too.

Take it slow.

You will have bad days. Keep your cool as the adult when things fall apart. Don’t think of it as a failure. Think of the unpleasant moments as opportunities to learn how to do better. No one is falling behind. You’re not competing with anyone. You don’t need a strict color-coded schedule for every minute of every day. You don’t have to know how to do everything, teach every subject, or complete every lesson. There is a plethora of resources out there to help. Screentime is ok. Sleeping in is ok. Meal times are arbitrary. Later bedtimes are ok. I realize this is a stressful time for everyone, even veteran homeschoolers who usually participate in lots of activities with others.

Keep in touch.

It’s important to allow kids to keep in touch with friends until it’s safer for in person meetups and play dates and group activities. We live in a brave new world with so much technology allowing us to communicate any time, anywhere, with almost anyone. My kids have iPads and/or smartphones with Discord, messenger apps, social media. We find it difficult to find other kids whose parents trust them to use these services. It makes it more difficult for my kids to keep in touch with their friends.

Start a new tradition.

Breakfast announcements. Morning message before beginning seatwork. Weekly tea time (it doesn’t even have to include tea!) with fun snacks and music or poetry. Friday free days (or afternoons) for playing outside. Friday pizza nights with movies. Saturday dance parties. Sunday hiking.

Resources:

What does this school year look like for your family?

Linking up: Random Musings, April Harris, Marilyn’s Treats, Little Cottage, Kippi at Home, Create with Joy, Mostly Blogging, OMHG, Home Stories, Purposeful Faith, InstaEncouragements, LouLou Girls, Grandma’s Ideas, Welcome Heart, Ducks in a Row, Girlish Whims, Fluster Buster Ginger Snap Crafts, Katherine’s Corner, Penny’s Passion, Debbie Kitterman, Slices of Life, CKK, Imparting Grace, Life Beyond the Kitchen, Ridge Haven Homestead, Simply Sweet Home, Momfessionals, Answer is Choco, Embracing Unexpected, CWJ, Serenity and Harmony, Grammy’s Grid, Anita Ojeda,

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Not Back to School

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By 20 Comments

Homeschoolers often celebrate “back to school” with fun and different traditions than other families whose children attend school.

Homeschoolers also do many of the same things as school families. We buy new supplies and clothes with all the sales, tax-free days, and coupons. We like the first day photos.

Homeschoolers look forward to the day when school kids go back to classrooms and all the fun places we love to frequent aren’t busy with summer crowds anymore. But even homeschoolers aren’t gathering or doing co-ops or meeting up this fall.

My kids used to wave goodbye to their neighborhood friends who rode the bus to school while we began our homeschool day. They often waited for their bus at the end of the day to greet their friends again.

This school year looks very different for many families. Some school districts are offering options for in person full or part time attendance, or online classes.

No matter what kind of school year our kids are beginning, making the first day of the new school year a special day may help ease jitters or disappointments. We need to make great memories with our kids.

Celebrating Not Back to School

  • Night before school party
  • Special breakfast
  • Pictures to commemorate the new year
  • Memory board or interview page
  • Gifts or treats
  • Look through new school materials and books together to get familiar.
  • Set up a work area for each child to complete assignments.
  • Special back to school books. It’s hard to find books celebrating homeschool.
  • New clothes fashion show. It could be new loungewear or pajamas!
  • Schultüte – traditional school cones for 1st graders in Germany. Another Schulüte DIY idea here. DIY auf Deutsch hier.
  • Ice cream!
  • Chalk drawings in the driveway or sidewalk
  • Fresh flowers, especially roses for new schoolers! I love the Waldorf rose ceremony.
  • Discuss plans, desires, and dreams for the year
  • Make calm jars with glitter, oil, food coloring, and water.
  • Make tie-dye shirts or bags.
  • Go hiking or do a nature scavenger hunt.
  • Picnic lunch
  • Bowling
  • Parties with a fun theme, even if it’s just immediate family
  • Movie night

How do you make the first day of school special?

Linking up: Random Musings, April Harris, Create with Joy, Marilyn’s Treats, Kippi at Home, Mostly Blogging, InstEncouragements, Purposeful Faith, LouLou Girls, Our Three Peas, Grandma’s Ideas, Anchored Abode, Soaring with Him, Welcome Heart, Ducks in Row, Girlish Whims, Fluster Buster, Ginger Snap Crafts, Penny’s Passion, Katherine’s Corner, CKK, Imparting Grace, Slices of Life, Answer is Choco, Momfessionals, Simply Sweet Home, Everyday Farmhouse, Embracing Unexpected, OMHG, Fireman’s Wife, CWJ, Being a Wordsmith, Pieced pastimes, Little Cottage,

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