Great Reads for Deciding to Homeschool and Choosing a Method

The first time I brought up homeschooling to my husband his answer was a hard no.  Homeschoolers are weird.  Only teachers are qualified to teach our kids what they need to know.  And of course, we need to socialize our kids.  

We put our oldest who was four at the time in a preschool of sorts in Australia because that was the socially recognized age to start school in our state.  After two months I was done.  I had to pry him away from his brother every morning to go to school, and in the afternoon they just fought because he was too tired to play anymore.  The kids at school made fun of the seaweed in his lunches, and he asked why he couldn't have sandwiches like the other kids.  There was an active shooter drill one day and I just couldn't take it anymore. 

I had been reading more and more about homeschooling during this time so I handed my husband Susan Wise Bauer's tome on classical education opened to chapter 1, and said, "read this."  He rolled his eyes but stood there in the kitchen and read it.  Then he put it down, looked at me, and said, "Ok let's do it."

You can read most (maybe all) of chapter 1 of The Well Trained Mind here. 

I LOVE Susan Wise Bauer.  I love her thoughts and experience with classical education (raised homeschooled and homeschooled her 3 now grown kids).  I love her simple, straightforward curriculum that I can embellish as needed with my own creative ideas.  

I have also always been intrigued by the idea of self-led learning, or as some call it "unschooling."  Which is crazy because it's basically the other end of the spectrum from classical education.  We've definitely picked and pulled from all the different methods of teaching children to find just what works best for our kids as leaners and my husband and me as their teachers.  

When it comes to deciding how to homeschool our kids, or choosing a "method", these are the books that resonated with me.  An admittedly unusual combination!  

Curriculum We Love

Right now we are focusing on teaching our children to love to read, to have beautiful handwriting, and to master everyday math.  I think these are the cornerstones for learning and so I push for these things with my kids.  Outside of that we have released them into the world of self-led learning.  

We teach reading using phonics (not sight words/whole language learning).  I can't say enough good things about Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading.  I've also used it in the past to create word groups for spelling lessons.  Like I said before, Susan Wise Bauer's curriculum is seen as dry to some, but I love having the basics laid out for me and being able to come up with games/activities as needed for each child.  

For Math we love Singapore Math by Primary Mathematics.  It's a base 10 model of math.  You may have seen it referred to on social media as the "new math" driving parents crazy nationwide.  Learning it alongside my children has made me think of numbers and math in a new and totally comprehensible way.  I love love love it.  

We use Handwriting Without Tears- but just the workbooks.  It's perfectly adequate.  

We sometimes read/listen to Story of the World which is a 'living book" take on the entire history of the world.  It's totally cool.  

That's it for now!  Lots of travel, educational programming, museums, play time, creating with a plethora of random office supplies, and reading reading reading (check out my post about reading with Libby!)

See Also...
Why We Homeschool 
Who Are You to Homeschool Your Kids?

While you're here, it'd be neat if you'd pop over to have a peek at my photography portfolio and fine art store! 

The number one question I get when I tell people we homeschool is, 

"Do you have a teaching degree?"

The short answer to that question is, "no."

No I do not have a degree from an accredited university or a license to teach 20-30 school children in a classroom for 8 hours a day.  Thankfully, I also do not have that grueling job.  

Let's take a moment to praise God for all the men and women out there who are teaching the next generation day in and day out!  I firmly believe teachers are society's greatest asset. 

In fact my mother and my mother-in-law were both public school teachers. 

My mom taught me to read before I went to kindergarten.  

I am, however, a college graduate.  

As is my husband.  In our homeschool he is just as important a part of their education as I am. 

But really, not even that is important for homeschooling.  Anyone, I repeat, ANYONE can homeschool their children.  There are plenty of resources out there to help parents educate their children.

So, instead I'd like to share a little bit about who we are to give you a glimpse of an average American homeschool family. 

I was born and raised in East TX until the age of 15 when my dad, who was in the oil business, was transferred to West Texas.  I was a pretty good kid but not perfect.  

Stephen was raised in Southeast TX. He was an Eagle Scout and preached/led singing regularly in his church growing up.  I think he is pretty perfect. 

After high school I went to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX for a year before joining the Adventures in Missions program through Sunset International Bible Institute which is also in Lubbock.  This is where I met the love of my life.  After studying the Bible as a group of about 60 college aged students for 9 months, we were divided into teams and were sent around the world to work with missionaries.  Stephen went to Mexico City and I was in Strasbourg, France. 

After finishing this program, we quickly married and finished college at Texas Tech.  I finished two years before him and tried out a few jobs while he completed his degree.  Stephen graduated top of his class with honors and went to work straight away for a mega international corporation. 

He's very successful and I think he's super hot when he teaches.  With his job we have lived in five countries outside of the US since our first child was 4 months old.  

Our unique situation gives our children the opportunity to learn about history and geography in a very hands on way.  We could never put them in a classroom for 8 hours a day and make them miss out on all this life happening around them.  

Besides, who would mop my floors for me if they were in school? 

See Also...
Why We Homeschool-Five Big Reasons
Where Do I Start?- My Homeschool Curriculum Recs and Reads

While you're here, it'd be neat if you'd pop over to have a peek at my photography portfolio and fine art store! 

When we decided to homeschool, we wrote down our motivations for us to revisit during the challenging days.  Five years later I still have challenging days, but I never need to review this list.  The reasons are now engraved on my heart in the memories we share as a family.  They are the light in my kids' eyes when they learn something new.  They are the sweet sounds of childhood laughter in the middle of the day. 

So now I share these reasons with you all who have no clue why anyone would do this, or those of you who are considering starting your own homeschool journey.

Why We Homeschool- Five Big Reasons

1. Family Bond

The primary reason we Homeschool is to foster close relationships among our children. Our expat lifestyle magnifies the importance of their friendships with one another.  Each time we shed goodbye tears and leave people we've grown to love, I hope they will find comfort in making those transitions with their best friends always right beside them.

2. Shelter, Guide and Protect

Especially in these very early years, I want to shelter, guide, and protect my children from the multitude of conflicting ideas that would inevitably be presented to them through friends at school.  Yes I WANT to shelter my 7-year-old from the lyrics of the latest pop song and the viewpoints of teenagers projected through the mouths of their 1st grade siblings.  I want to give them the gift of childhood for a little while longer.  When tough topics do arise, I want to be there to guide them gently and thoughtfully through the process of understanding and personal decision making. 

3. Socialization

The socialization of my homeschoolers is more broad and complete than the socialization students receive in a classroom with 20 other children of the same age. I can say that with complete confidence. My kids interact with children, babies, adults, teachers, coaches, and elderly persons throughout the week. 

4. Tailored Education

I can tailor my children's education specifically for them. I can find a teaching model I'm passionate about and teach to each child's individual mind. We move at the child's pace. We have the freedom to dive deeper into any topic that interests them, and slow down when they need more time to grasp an idea.  We can also skip ahead when they pick up something easily rather than making them sit bored waiting for others to catch up. 

5. Flexibility

Homeschooling provides the flexibility we need as a family that moves and travels. If we have to pack up and move to the other side of the world, our schooling goes with us. We can take some time off, or we can keep on working as we go. Homeschooling can happen anywhere, even on an airplane or in a car.

See Also...
Who Are You to Teach Your Kids?- My Homeschooling Qualifications
Where Do I Start?- My Homeschool Curriculum Recs and Reads

While you're here, it'd be neat if you'd pop over to have a peek at my photography portfolio and fine art store!