-by Mimi Rothschild

When we think of homeschooling’s benefits, we usually think of the opportunity to provide a first-class education at much less than the cost of a typical private school, the chance each child has to work at his or her own pace and in the best way for that particular child, or the blessings of learning in a nurturing Christian environment.

There are benefits for the parents as well. We have a closer family life, the ability to be sure of what our children are learning, and the pleasure of spending more time with our precious children as they grow. There’s another benefit for parents, though, one we often overlook when we count our blessings as homeschoolers.

Have you thought about your own education? It’s true, refreshing our knowledge of the things we learned in school – or occasionally the things we should have learned in school and didn’t – is one of the great benefits we homeschool parents gain from our children’s schooling.

Some of the things we now have the opportunity to learn, such as web design, the history of Christian  music or forensic science, may never have been available to us when we were students. Now we can take pleasure in learning these things as adults.

For no cost of time or money above the investment we’re already making in our children’s education, we can polish up our algebra, learn about world history with our more mature understanding, and perhaps finally get complete comprehension of how to multiply fractions.

Our children get to see our own excitement in learning, and to have our example of diligent study and an enthusiastic teachable spirit. Our friends and spouses get a more interesting and informed conversational partner.   And we get the satisfaction of being better educated individuals.

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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of LearningByGrace.org the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12  online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.

-by Mimi Rothschild

Nobody likes being stuck at school every day, even if your schoolroom also happens to be your home.  It’s good, even healthy, to get out once in a while and see what’s going on around you, beyond the four walls of your house.  But thinking of things to do that are fun and educational for your children can be challenging.  Here are a few ideas that might help you get started:

Museums, zoos, farms and planetariums make excellent educational experiences for your students.  They are a great way to tie in lessons on science and math, because they really bring the subjects from paper to life.  They can sometimes be a little pricey, though, so if cost is a factor, organize some other homeschoolers in your area to get a discounted group rate.  Going with a group also benefits your children by allowing them much needed socialization time with their peers.

Local colleges often host small art galleries where students can exhibit their work.  These galleries are usually open to the public, and are free or available for a small entry fee.  If all goes well, your students will leave there inspired by the creativity of others.  Encourage them to try their own hand at artwork once you get home, and maybe even set up your own little gallery somewhere in your home.  Check first, of course, to be sure the work they are showing are appropriate before you go.

Outdoor trips are always fun for kids, and can usually be turned into something educational without much effort.  Simple things, such as a walk in the park or a hike through the woods, can really open the doors to discussions about nature and Creation.  Just examining the intricate details of the leaves on the trees can open a child’s eyes of wonder.  If you live near the ocean, take a trip to the beach.  Build a sandcastle, walk in the surf and examine the shells that are scattered along the sand.   Nature is a wonderful testimony to the Lord and what he has created all around us.  Use the experience to truly enjoy His handiwork, and don’t forget to thank Him for it.

Tap into the local businesses in your area for some enlightening and unique field trips.  Most businesses, particularly factories, welcome visitors and often offer free tours of their facilities.  How thrilling would it be for your child to watch how a newspaper is made, or how bread is baked from start to finish?  They’re sure to be talking about what they saw and learned for years to come.

Nursing homes also make a wonderful place for you and your child to visit.  Spending time talking, reading, and listening to people who have lived long and intriguing lives can be captivating to a young student.  This also instills a sense of giving in them, as they learn to give of themselves and their time to brighten someone else’s day.  Most seniors living in these homes love to have young visitors, so everyone benefits from the experience.

Of course, you don’t have to go out to have a fieldtrip.  There are lots of online resources to educate and entertain your children from the comfort of their own classroom.  Look for videos and how-to demonstrations so your kids can learn as they watch.  The site http://www.diaryofahomeschoolmom.com/fieldtripideas.html  has a couple of links to get you started.

If none of these ideas appeal to you, tap into the resource of other homeschool Mom’s in your network for ideas or suggestions.  Perhaps one or more of them are already planning a trip and you can sign your children up to go along.

Regardless of what you choose to do for a trip, it will all come down to what you make of it.  You can turn just about any activity into a learning experience if you are creative.  And don’t forget to have fun!!!

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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of LearningByGrace.org the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.

-by Mimi Rothschild

Probably most of us have had days when we think it might be better for us as homeschooling parents if we just had a set of twins. Then we could do one lesson for all our kids, instead of hopping back and forth from one to another.

On most days, though, we realize that it’s a blessing to have all the different ages together. Mixing up the ages helps our kids have the natural socialization of the family instead of being segregated into age groups. It gives the younger children the opportunity to look up to the older ones, and it gives the older children the chance to show care and tenderness for the younger ones. It lets children see how far they’ve come in their skills and learning, and look forward to where they’re going.

Can we have all those blessings without exhausting ourselves? We can, with a little planning. Here are some tips for homeschooling when you have a range of ages in the family:

Dovetail the work.

Work with the younger children while the older ones work on their own, and then settle the younger ones with play or a project while you check in with the older ones. It’s a sensible approach, but we have to plan ahead in order to accomplish it. Otherwise, we find ourselves getting one child started while the others wait, then starting the next one, and then the next one – and finding that the first child needs us again before we have the last one settled into work. This is a recipe for feeling frazzled by the end of the day!

As long as we get each child’s first activity of the day organized and set out before the day begins, we will be able to start everyone at once, with only one activity at a time needing us.

Get the older children involved.

Older siblings’ reading skills can benefit from the chance to read to the younger children. A six year old can cement his understanding of counting by explaining it to a five year old. A teenager learns from helping younger siblings plan and produce a play on the subject they’re studying.

Again, it takes planning to make sure the older child’s involvement in the younger ones’ lessons fits into the older child’s lessons, too. It helps to list an objective for each of the lessons. When our seven year old reads a story to the three year old, the three year old is practicing listening and the seven year old is practicing reading aloud. It will be a cherished memory for both of them.

Take time for yourself.

With all the planning and thought this requires, you need to be sure to build time for yourself into the day. The kids’ reading time could be your recreational reading time. Their time with online lessons could be your quiet prayer time. Nap time for the children should be nap time for you, too, and the kids who are too old to nap can spend that time in quiet play.

Once our family was driving to the nearby botanical gardens for a visit to support our lessons on plants. As we drove, we were talking about the history lesson the older children were working on: the Renaissance. In a break in the conversation, our baby spoke up: “Ty-renaissance rex,” he said confidently.

We all laughed. We figured he had put together snippets he’d heard from our study of dinosaurs with the history discussion he was listening to, and made up his own new word.

Over the years, we’ve seen how the younger kids’ enjoyment of family lessons has made it easier for them when they get ready to study, and encouraged the closeness of our whole family. It can be hard, but it’s certainly worth it.
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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of LearningByGrace.org the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.

-by Mimi Rothschild
Sometimes we homeschoolers are so quick to defend our choice that we dismiss some real concerns. One of those is loneliness.

Schoolchildren can face some terrible problems with bullying, inappropriate relationships, or peer pressure, but the child who studies at home alone may truly face loneliness. Even if there are other
children in the neighborhood, they may be closer to one another from spending time together in school, and it can be hard for the homeschooled neighbor to join in and feel like a full part of the group.

Those of us with large families may find it hard to imagine that our children could be lonely. Still, the older sibling who helps care for younger children may not feel that the little ones are friends as
much as chores, however beloved. The young child with plenty of older siblings may not have a playmate who likes the “baby games” that are age-appropriate.

Both of these challenges can be met with homeschool groups and associations, church friendships, and community groups. Yet some parents, determined to make sure that their children don’t lack for peer group interaction, set aside their own needs so much that they end up lonely themselves. A parent who stays at home to teach the children can feel isolated. Mothers of infants often feel
starved of adult companionship, but once their children are older, they return to work or community
service and find themselves making new friends. Homeschool moms, lacking the PTA or the professional organization, can find that this isolation stretches out for many more years.

Some things to think about on this subject:

• Don’t expect loneliness. Sometimes we rush to fill our children’s time with structured
activities, when they actually would enjoy time on their own, or benefit from the opportunity to learn
to entertain themselves. Many of us have found that we have gained spiritual insights and growth from time on our own, and it can encourage creativity as well. If your children feel lonely, address it, but don’t go overboard on preventive measures.
• Don’t be afraid of loneliness. Our life experience as adults tells us that there are times in our lives when we have many friends, and times when we have few.  Studying the lives of the people in the Bible shows us that God blesses people in groups and on their own. We even know that we can be in the midst of a group of people and still feel loneliness. Loneliness can be what God has planned for us at
some times in our lives.
• Don’t ignore loneliness. If loneliness is a problem for your child, or for you, talk about ways
to arrange more opportunities to be in fellowship with other people. Joining groups can be a solution.
So can inviting friends to visit, developing online friendships, or spending time in service to others.
Homeschool parents especially need to be sure not to neglect their spouses. Caring for children can
become so completely the focus of your household that your marriage takes a back seat to homeschooling, and that can easily lead to feelings of loneliness. Whether this is a time in your life – or your child’s life – when God has a plan for you that involves something you can learn from loneliness, or those feelings of loneliness are telling you to step out of your home and serve others or enjoy fellowship with others, pray for God’s guidance and follow His direction. Deuteronomy 31:8 reminds us, “And the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”

-by Mimi Rothschild

Incorporating what is happening in politics today into your homeschool lessons is a critical part of developing well-rounded, balanced students who are armed to face the world as they grow older. There is no better time to do so than now, with another presidential race in progress right before our eyes.

But what is the best way to draw your children in, and make it interesting? How do we instill in them the importance and gravity of selecting a leader for our country? It can be difficult, particularly with the media bias. It is quite evident that most national news networks favor liberal parties in their reporting. So the responsibility to provide your children with a true idea of what is happening in our country lies with you. Talk to them about the presidential race, and the candidates who are running. Explain to them, on their level, the difference in the views of each party, and what they both stand for. Encourage your children to ask questions, and take part in discussions about politics. Depending on their age, ask them to define what they believe to be the most important topics that our future president (and other political leaders) should stand behind.

Discussing current politics is also a great way to tie back into the subject of U.S. History, and remind your students of how this country was founded on freedom and democracy, and most importantly, Christian principles.

Relay to them the importance of voting, when they come of age, and how critical it is that we all have a say in who leads this country. Every vote really does count, so make that clear to them at a young age. And don’t forget to make it fun. If you have two or more students, organize mock political debates so they have the opportunity to think critically and articulate. (Not to mention, this will also help with public speaking skills.)

Discussing the topic of government and politics is also a wonderful way to remind children of the importance of praying for our country, and its leaders, so be sure to include this in your devotional as well. If you make a point to work at incorporating current events into your daily lessons, your children are sure to benefit on many levels in the future. And so will our country. God bless America!

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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of Learning By Grace, Inc. the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.

-by Mimi Rothschild

As autumn comes on, we love to get outdoors into the crisp fall air! You don’t have to choose between study and fresh air when you take some learning scavenger hunts to support your studies.

Just give your students paper and writing implements, maybe a digital camera or a sketch book, and a list of things to hunt for. Have a great walk, and come home with a lot of teaching points for the rest of the day.

Signs of Fall
• Birds flying south for the winter – monarch butterflies, too.
• Color in the leaves of trees and shrubs.
• Seed pods on the ground, sticking to your socks, and floating in the air (collect them and make a lapbook or labeled display).
• Chipmunks chattering.
• Ripening fruits: grapes, pumpkins, apples, more.
• Blooming flowers: Michaelmas daisies, chrysanthemum, and bittersweet.
• Cooler temperatures at night.
• Morning mists.
• Pine cones fallen on the ground, along with some nibbled acorns and nuts.
• Yellowjackets getting busy.

Architecture Walk
• A-frame
• Arch
• Casement window (a window that opens by swinging out, not sliding up)
• Columns
• Dutch door (a door divided in half, so the halves open separately)
• Eaves
• Gables
• Keystone
• Mullions (the vertical piece between windows)
• Oriel (a box-like window that sticks out from the wall)
• Shutters

Alphabet Walk
• Try to find an example of every letter before getting home.
• Decide whether you’ll include “accidental letters” – the half-circle gate that looks like a C or the O-shaped manhole cover.

You can take scavenger hunt walks at any time of year, but the fall is a particularly nice time to do it.

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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of Learning By Grace, Inc. the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.

-by Mimi Rothschild

If the leaves are turning color where you live, you can make use of them in your homeschool lessons. Here are some fun ideas:

• Press leaves. Just find an assortment of fall leaves and put them carefully between the pages of an old phonebook or another book you won’t need to read for a while. Lay the book flat in a dry place and set a couple more heavy books on top of it. When you return in a few weeks, you’ll have perfectly pressed leaves for your scrapbook. Label them to make a leaf identification book or leaf collection. See how many different leaves you can find in your neighborhood!
• Preserve leaves. You can buy glycerin at the drugstore. Collect freshly fallen leaves and set them into glycerin just as you would put flowers into water. Soon you’ll have beautifully preserved leaves for plant study, or for household decorating. Spraying leaves with hairspray doesn’t work quite as well, but it’ll do if you don’t have access to glycerin.
• Wax leaves. Old fashioned waxed paper makes great leaf art. Put leaves between two sheets and carefully iron them together at low heat. You can make many different designs, from simple single leaves to complicated pictures built up from leaves, and then fix the leaves in place by this method.
• Rub leaves. Put leaves down on a flat surface so that the veins show. Lay a sheet of paper over the leaf and gently rub with the flat side of a crayon or with a pencil. You’ll have a fine textured tracing.
• Pound leaves. Put leaves between pieces of white cotton (a pillowcase is perfect). Take your cloth and leaf sandwich out to the sidewalk or patio and carefully but thoroughly hammer the cloth everywhere there are leaves. The leaves will make neat patterns on the cloth. Iron them to set the color. Some leaves work better than others. Try different kinds, keep track of your results, and you have a good science experiment, too.
• Bleach leaves. Arrange leaves on the front of colored T-shirts. Put a fairly strong solution of bleach into a spray bottle and spray on the leaves and shirt. An adult should do this part, with care. You’ll be surprised by the colors that appear!

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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of Learning By Grace, Inc. the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.

-by Mimi Rothschild

We all know how time consuming the world of homeschooling is. Between setting your daily schedule, making sure all the tasks at hand are accomplished (studying, testing, reading and review), and somehow still maintaining a household, the job of teaching at home can be a daunting one. In fact, the term ‘overwhelming’ could be considered an understatement. It can also get pretty lonely. It’s easy to lose touch with the outside world.

That’s why it’s so critical to network with other homeschoolers. Schedule field trips with other homeschool families from your church or neighborhood. It provides the opportunity to socialize the children, while you get the chance to enjoy some much needed (and probably much missed) adult conversation. Use the opportunity to share ideas and suggestions with each other. Don’t be afraid to form friendships so you have someone to reach out to when you need advice or support. There’s nobody better for that than a fellow homeschooler, who no doubt knows exactly what you’re going through. After all, you both face the same challenges and struggles. Similarly, you can also join with each other to celebrate victories together. Maybe you’ve discovered a great way to motivate your reluctant middle child, or have come across a wonderful homeschool support website that you want to share. Building these relationships, based on common ground and teamwork, can be invaluable to the homeschool mom.

God also encourages us to fellowship with others. In fact, the Bible says “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12 (New International Version) God doesn’t want you to ever feel alone!

Don’t know any homeschoolers in your church or neighborhood? The internet is a wonderful tool that has opened the door to expanding your network and support system. There are numerous forums, message boards, blogs (such as this one) and other online communities full of members who are seeking the companionship of other homeschoolers, just like you. For example, homeschoolcentral.com lets you search for state specific support groups, but there are also many web-based support groups composed of homeschoolers all across the country. So what are you waiting for? Reach out today.

-by Mimi Rothschild

Multisensory Learning

One of the great things about homeschooling is that we can teach each of our children in the very best way for that particular child. One of the learning differences that matters most is the child’s preferred sensory modality. That’s a long phrase that means that some children learn better through seeing (visual learners), some through hearing (auditory learners), and some through touching (kinesthetic learners). God has given us our senses, and we all use them in the ways that are best for our uniquely created selves.

How Can I Tell My Child’s Preferred Sensory Modality?

When you get out a map, your visual learners might look closely and study it. Your auditory learners might look at it briefly and then look back at you, listening for an explanation, or start reading the names of the countries out loud. Your kinesthetic learners might touch the map, tracing out a route with their fingers.

Some people are more balanced than others, and might seem to use information from different sensory channels equally. Usually, even more balanced learners show their preferred modality when they’re feeling a little stressed. Your auditory learner might talk to herself when she is working hard on a math test. Your kinesthetic learner might count on his fingers or doodle numbers in the margins. Your visual learner might write in the margins, too, but he’ll be doing it so he can look at the figures to see whether they look right.

Fortunately, all children learn best when they use all their senses, so you don’t have to be sure about their preferred modalities. Just include a range of different activities in your lessons.

It is so easy for us to think of activities that fit our own preferred modality! Sometimes we need to be reminded of the best activities for the other learning modalities.

Activities for Visual Learners

• Looking at charts and diagrams.
• Color-coding information
• Using graphic organizers to show information
• Practicing with flashcards and worksheets
• Using videos

Activities for Auditory Learners

• Listening to lectures
• Discussing information and ideas
• Reading aloud
• Using learning songs and chants
• Reciting information and doing oral practice

Activities for Kinesthetic Learners

• Using manipulatives
• Doing hands-on practice
• Creating models
• Playing games with information
• Using role play and drama

A perfect lesson would include activities for all the senses. We know that practicing new learning in different ways helps children learn better than practicing for the same amount of time using the same approach. Research also shows that multisensory lessons are learned more easily and remembered longer.

Combine different activities to get the most out of each of them and the best for each learner. Learning videos let visual learners watch and auditory learners listen. Let kinesthetic learners follow along with drawings or manipulatives, or try out what they see on their own. Have kinesthetic learners make graphic organizers with their visual learner siblings, and the auditory learners will join in discussing how to sort the information in the organizers. You can even include cooking, gardening, and nature study to bring in the senses of smell and taste. As far as we know, children don’t use these senses as their preferred learning modality, but we have all seen how cooking a dish from a country being studied can bring that lesson to life.

Soon multisensory lessons will be second nature!

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