Homeschool Advice I Disagree With

#1 “As long as they love Jesus, academics don’t matter.”

As a woman who LOVES God's Word, this one actually makes me angry. Reading comprehension is essential to studying the Bible. Historical context allows you to not misuse and misapply truths. Studying the intricacies of the scientific universe bring into the awe of His creation. If you want your child to grow up to study God's Word, they must first gave a basic framework of academic understanding. 

Generations of Christians have been led astray to commit atrocious acts in the name of God because they didn't have reading comprehension skills of God's Word or critical thinking skills taught to them. Learning logic and critical thinking helps us not get taken advantage of by enemies who would exploit our faith.

 #2 "There is no behind in homeschool" (I agree with to a point)

Most of the time I agree with this. Kids aren't "behind", they are just stuck. We got stuck on multiplication tables, and that is ok. We went at our own pace, and eventually got it. 

The windows for learning are MUCH MUCH MUCH wider than public school allows (hence why I homeschool), BUT  there is a window, developmentally speaking. 

 Children all read at their own pace, and it is a huge window, but after a certain window is will 1.) Get harder for them to learn because they are hardwired for language during that window and 2) indicates there might be something else and you need more help.

#3 "Anyone can homeschool"

No, no they can't. Some parents should not homeschool. Sorry, I said it. 

This is a HUGE lifestyle commitment and if you dont want it, DON'T DO IT. Teaching a child to read is HARD. Teaching a child math is HARD. Teaching is hard. I used to think it was just an extension of parenting, but it is a different type. I love it, but it is a huge commitment if I want to set my kids up for anything they want to be, including academic futures at a 4 year college. They don't HAVE to go to college, but I don't get to rob them of that choice by not committing myself to their education.

Also, I was raised by a narcissistic bipolar mother. School was a haven. Many many parents can not, and should not, homeschool their children.

This is hard

I have avoided scrolling on Facebook for the past several years. I found that every time I was scrolling, I left feeling worse than when I began. So now I use it to market my business, for homeschoolers groups, and my beloved BUY NOTHING group. 

Today I was reminded why I stopped. The past few weeks I fell back into scrolling, particularly during inauguration, and the week after. It was a very bad idea.

Today I had to interact with other Christians that before the inaugeration, I didn't know their views. Now I do, and I'm trying to not let it affect my overall view of them, yet it is.

They are Christian who I know LOVE God's word. I want to ask them what they think of what is happening, do they know? Do they watch any other channels other than Fox or MSNBC? Do they follow anyone who doesn't agree with them? Do they know an immigrants who is scared? What do they do with God's words about immigrants? How do you reconcile it all? Are they OK being in an echo chamber?

I am an independent, never felt at home in either party. I've come to terms with that because this world isn't my home. But it still hurts when I see my brother and sisters on Christ grab onto an idol with both hands, and then try to slap Jesus' name on it.

My goal will not be ignorance, but I will go back to not scrolling. I will try to interact with people and show them who I am in real life interactions. I hope to earn respect for my use of Scripture in our conversations, so that when God opens the door, an effective conversation can happen. 

It hurts too much the other way.  

My Small Life

MY SMALL LIFE

As a teen and young adult I was judgemental about people who grew up and lived in the same town their whole lives. All I wanted was to get away from my small town. Looking back, that had more to do with the house and town I was living in. They weren't safe place to grow.

But I just came from a funeral of a 94 year old man who lived within a small radius of his high high school until he was 94 years old. He spent 60 years of his life with his beloved wife. He had two children and loved them well. He served in the same small church for 50 years. His childhood best friend was sitting next to his casket.

To the outsider, this is a small life. But the beauty in "small' is how big we can do other things.

Big service, big giving, big friendships, big love, big commitment.

I have a small life. I have a small friend group. I have a small amount of people who I 'influence'. I also have a small house. I have a small ministry, literally, the leader of a small group at church.  

In the small is where I find my big.

In recent seasons I have learned when I give all of what I have to smaller amount of people, they each get more of me.

My kids get more of me when I focus on homeschooling/parenting them, instead of trying to teach 3 classes at co-op, or meticulously maintaining a blog that help OTHERS homeschool. I am still updating when I can, but it isn't the first priority right now. 

My friends get more of me when I have only two to four people who I need to keep up on ALL the details and big things in their life. I can do three helpful things for one person, instead of one thing for three people. 

My ministry gets more of me when I focus on a smaller group. God called me to teaching for his kingdom when I was in my 20s, but I didn't know what that meant. Was I suppose to try to be Beth Moore? Later I wondered if I was suppose to try preach and teach on Instagram. So far it has meant I taught Sunday School, women's ministry, and spoke at small MOPs groups. I am teaching what God has taught, with the resources and bandwidth I can manage right now. If Jesus poured deeply into 12 people, and served the caravan 75 shouldn't that me a measure for my personal bandwidth? 

Sometimes we are called to the big and sometimes the small. Big ministry isn't necessarily bad. I am just personally in a small season right now. Maybe one day God will call me to "bigger", but I know God's math isn't our math.  What we see as small, he knows can be bigger and last generations. Small moments, small community, small choices can change the world. 

And I am thankful for small.

Learning Cursive in Narnia: The Series

 

Learning Cursive in Narnia: The Series

It took all summer, but I'm finally done! All the Narnia Handwriting Workbooks are DONE!

I am so thankful that were are also homeschool parents who appreciate these beautiful books the way I do, and want out children to love them as well! I knew I couldn't be the only one! 

All available to buy now, print and cursive. The print version of all of these workbooks are also available, I just haven't gotten them photographed yet. 

Learning Cursive with The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

Learning Cursive with Prince Caspian

Learning Cursive with The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Learning Cursive with The Silver Chair

Learning Cursive with The Horse and His Boy

Learning Cursive with The Magician's Nephew

Learning Cursive with The Last Battle

 

High School Agenda and Meeting

 

HIGH SCHOOL AGENDA

HIGH SCHOOL AGENDA

A weekly agenda and an end of the week meeting are the backbones of our homeschool during high school. High school has been a lot of independent study, but they still need a manager, grader, and discussion group leader. Most of their reading and work is done without me, but we have a meeting on Friday to discuss what they have learned, answer any questions, discuss time management, and talk about the following week. They use the Reflection questions at the bottom of the agenda to prepare what they will discuss with me about what they have learned.

I write their agenda of what needs to be done by Friday, with suggestions of when it could be done, but ultimately, they are in charge of their own time management. Sometimes, they do all their health in one day, and sometimes, they spread it out. Every week is different because it is trial and error. What I love is that independent learning gives them the opportunity to learn what works best for them, so when they get to college or into a job, they understand their own work rhythms. 

The end of the week meeting is essential in our house because of their time management needs. My job at our weekly meeting is to process their work rhythms with them, identifying what worked and what didn't work. Practically, it also gives me time to make sure they are actually doing the work assigned. We look at the next week's agenda and ask if they are prepared and looking ahead. I also use this meeting to work on narrating to me what they have learned. You have got to love Charlotte Mason principles working in high school! The weekly meeting is honestly my favorite times of the whole week. If we miss it, everyone suffers. 

There is no one right way to organize high school. This just works for us. What works for you?

Learning Cursive with The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

 

Learning Cursive in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

Follow Lucy inside the wardrobe while practicing your cursive! I am so excited to announce that I am creating cursive and print resources for every book in the Chronicles of Narnia series! 

Learning Cursive in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is a curriculum designed to give meaningful cursive handwriting practice through copywork of words and quotes from the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia, C.S Lewis' The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.

Skills are scaffolded upon each other, as the the child progresses from letters, to words, to quote copywork.

Workbook Includes:

Cursive Alphabet Reference Chart (D'nealian Script)

Part One-Letter Practice 

Part Two- Words Practice 

Part Three- Quote Copywork 

For younger students, check our my PRINT handwriting workbook, 

Writing in the Wardrobe

Narnia Print Workbook