I believe everyone has a calling in life. Everyone has a purpose for doing what they are doing. I realized a few years ago that my calling is to be a stay at home mother, wife & a homeschool teacher. After I began homeschooling my children, I began to talk to other mothers who would love to homeschool their children but who did not know how to get started. So after much prayer, I decided to create a blog on many of the questions and concerns that the mothers mentioned to me.
Many of the mothers' first concern was how do we do it on one income. Many were under the impression that homeschooling families live on one income. But, this is not necessarily true. There are many that live on one income, however, if you are considering homeschooling, remember this, you can homeschool at anytime and at any place which gives you the freedom to work if you choose to do so. I know several ladies right now who work part time. One lady is a nurse. She works at night and homeschools during the day. Another lady started her own home based business and yet another lady I know bakes breads, casseroles & desserts and sells them. I'm sure I could list many more examples but I think you get my point. A great place to learn how to live on one income is at http://christianpf.com/learning-how-to-live-on-one-income/ Pray about this and if God wants you to homeschool, He will make it possible!
Many of the ladies worried about being able to afford the curriculums. You do not have to buy a big expensive curriculum. The local library is a wonderful resource! You can also check with other homeschoolers that are your children's ages and plan curriculum swaps. Also, don't forget to do Field trips! For example, you can have a field trip to your local grocery store. While you are getting groceries you can be teaching your children social skills, math skills, spelling skills and science skills. The field trip didn't cost you a dime (except for the groceries you were getting) and your child was able to have class! To know more about how to get started you can go to Cindy Downs' website. It is a wonderful FREE resource that gives you more information that you would ever imagine. Everything is included on this site! From "What is Homeschooling" to "How long do I need to homeschool a day". It also includes free printable forms, schedules, planners and more. http://oklahomahomeschool.com/index.html
Also, I would like to add that Book Samaritan can provide you with books you might need. The Book Samaritan is a non-profit orginization that helps homeschooling families who are in need. They ask for no money but, they love donations. http://www.thebooksamaritan.com/
The next big question was I don't have time to do that. Yes you do! Homeschooling can be done any time & any place. You are the boss and you decide when & where you Homeschool. You will decide and organize what your children will study each year, unless you use a boxed curriculum which has each lesson planned out for you. You will decide how much time you will devote to each subject too! You can do it...if I can do it, there's no excuse why you can not! Here's a great blog about a couple who homeschool their children on the road! http://www.ourbigearth.com/2009/01/04/homeschooling-car-school/
Okay, sound good so far, well, it gets better...the next topic we are going to discuss is: Is Homeschooling Legal? Yes it is! When I first started in homeschool, this was my first concern. I was constantly worried that some police officer would knock on my door and take my kids away but, that concern faded as I was directed to the link below. Once you click on it, click on the state that you live in and it will give you details on the laws for homeschooling in your state. http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp
The next thing I need to explain is "Will I need to homeschool under the "home school law" or the "private school law"? That is up to you! Remember you are the boss and you get to decide which one you want to do. Also, let me point out that you need to make sure that your state doesn't have a "required" way to do it. If they do, you need to go with what the state's requirement is. To learn the difference between these two types of laws, go to the link below to find out more information: http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/201103100.asp
I had one lady ask me "How do I know I'm doing it right?" The internet is full of examples on how to make lesson plans, how much time to spend on each subject, and what your child needs to know at a certain age or grade level. Also, there are many homeschoolers that you can ask. I promise you, you will be doing it right, even if you think you are not. I found this website which gives wonderful information on how to homeschool. It also gives you forms to use and lesson plans. http://donnayoung.org/index.htm
Another question I was asked: How do I know what subjects I need to teach for each grade level? Each state has a Department of Education website. If you go on this website, they will list Grade Level Expectations. You can follow this list or you can go to your local bookstore or library and get the What Your____________ Grader Needs To Know book series by E.D. Hirsch Jr. The books outline what is taught in each grade in Core Knowledge. I personally have 5 of the books that E.D. Hirsch Jr. has written and I highly recommend them.This book supports most everything they cover in school, including math, science, literature and social studies. The format is easy to follow and the synopses of historical figures and subjects are very helpful. It's been recently revised and updated to stay current with today's children and their learning styles. Go to this link for more information: http://books.coreknowledge.org/home.php?cat=298
I also want to mention that I have allowed my kids to join a Homeschool CoOp. This is a wonderful way to meet other homeschool families in your area. A homeschool coop is a group of homeschooling families that join together to share in the education of their children. Homeschool Co-ops involves parent participation by nature. Don't expect to drop your children off at classes or activities. Parents teach classes, care for younger children, help with clean up or other tasks. Sometimes outside teachers are hired, which usually means a more costly program. Each state has a CoOp that you can join up. Just look up on the internet and see if one is in your area and if not, start one!So I hope this blog has helped you to understand a little more about homeschooling and to help answer a few of your questions.
And if you are thinking of homeschooling...just do it!! It's wonderful and the benefits are too many to list!
Friday, December 2, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Gourmet Cupboard offers handmade gourmet desserts, meals, soups, coffees, teas and dips at very affordable prices! Each mix is handmade using only the finest ingredients. Each mix includes all the dry ingredients, and you simply add one or two other ingredients such as sour cream, water, cream cheese, ground meat, etc. The products are individually handmade in Southeast Texas and most contain no msg or preservatives. There are even mixes for those people who are gluten free or diabetic! With Christmas right around the corner, these mixes make great gift ideas too!
Also, if you are like me and need a little extra income, The Gourmet Cupboard offers an excellent business opportunity with FREE signup, low product purchase requirements, and great training! It is a wonderful opportunity for a work at home business for mothers, retirees, or anyone wanting to make some extra money and enjoy our tasty products!
Just visit this website for more information:
http://www.thegourmetcupboard.com/
To look at the products, click the tab on the right that says Our Products. And if you find something you like, feel free to order it...when ordering please include my Rep ID number 6361 at the top of the page.
If you have any problems ordering feel free to email me and I will order whatever you need!
Thanks for looking & pray for me as I start this new adventure!
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