The Homeschooler's Summer: Planning and Relaxing

Just as homeschoolers are breathing a sigh of relief because a year of hard work is almost over and summer vacation is about to begin, it’s time to make plans for the next school year. Thankfully, most of us regard this as an exciting time because we are happy to be able to educate our own children, and we are grateful for the abundance of curricula choices due to the popularity of homeschooling.

After doing this for more than 20 years, I’ve got planning down to a science. I know exactly what we’re doing and when, and I already have my favorite publishers and books. When we were just beginning, however, we relied on product reviews from a few trusted sources: Cathy Duffy’s reviews (visit http://cathyduffyreviews.com/), Dean and Karen Andreola’s (visit http://www.homeschoolhighlights.com/) and Rainbow Resource (visit www.rainbowresource.com). We buy most of our materials from Rainbow Resource because they sell almost everything you could ever need, at a discount, and offer free shipping for purchases totaling $50 or more.

Developing Good Writers

Editor's Note: This article first appeared in The Old Schoolhouse magazine, Feb. 2013 edition. To visit that site, go to http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine-digital.com/thehomeschoolmagazine/201302/?pg=67&pm=2&u1=friend 

As an editor, writing tutor, and homeschool teacher of twenty years, I am frequently asked for advice about improving children’s writing skills.  Most of the calls I receive are from parents of high schoolers, while some calls concern college-aged students.  Although it is never too late to improve skills, there are some ways that young parents can ensure that their children have the best start and the greatest chance at writing success. 

First, all children who are not yet reading independently should have books read to them on a daily basis.  This may sound obvious to many, but a lot of modern-day parents do not read and do not understand its value.  My daughters have babysat in homes where there are no books – and I am not exaggerating, as shocking as that may be.  It is simply unfathomable to me that there are any parents in this country who do not have a stockpile of books for their children to peruse.  This does not have to be a budget-breaker, either, since our country has thousands of libraries full of books available for borrowing at no charge. The importance of this cannot be overstated: Children who are read to develop a love for books, and tend to have greater and more active imaginations. They are also more curious and ask more questions, and they are more able to discern good literature, especially if what is being read is well-written.  In addition, parents who take time out of their busy schedules to read to their youngsters are demonstrating, in a concrete way, that they highly value books and reading. This is the first and most basic step that must be taken if parents want to ensure academic success later.