That is the
simple and short definition of what it means to roadschool. Many families have
started to homeschool while on the road. Sometimes just for the day or weekend
trips, others for weeks and months at a time, but there are those of us who even
roadschool year-round. I personally am new to the idea of roadschooling, but so
far I am very much liking the concept. Just like with any homeschooling family,
roadschoolers vary in how they roadschool. Some choose to keep their
homeschool day the same as at home, using their regular curriculum, others choose
to use an online homeschool curriculum for the convenience of portability. Some
families like to use their travels as their source of education. It is one thing
to read about the beach, another to see it for yourself ;) So, if this sounds like something you
would like to do, then why not use the summer months to give it a try yourself?
May is almost over and so is the 8th grade homeschooling
year. Yes, the homeschool middle school years will soon be coming to an end. Which means in just a few months, we will be officially homeschooling highschool style. My daughter is very excited by that idea of course. Me, however, not so much. Besides the fact
that my little girl is growing up a bit faster than I like, I am also feeling a
bit unprepared. Thankfully, there are many homeschool resources online to help me prepare
for teaching highschool. Even though, I am not new to homeschooling, I am new to
homeschooling a highschooler. So, I will definitely be spending some time over
summer break preparing for high school writing, math, history, foreign language, and all those other high school subjects. If you are new to homeschooling or will be homeschooling a high schooler next year, it is always a good idea to prepare in advance. By taking the time to prepare, it will help make
you a better teacher, and help make the homeschool year better for you and your
child.
You homeschool because “fill in the blank”. I have been asked why I homeschool many times since I first decided to homeschool my children. Often by curious, concerned, and/or fascinated family members, friends, and
yes even strangers. For the most part, people have been understanding,
accepting, and even supportive of my choice. I mean, it is my choice after all.
That is why it always baffles me when someone seems to take offense or get up
upset that I homeschool. Thankfully, the idea of homeschooling is becoming more
and more accepted and more and more families are choosing this form of education
for their children. So why do I homeschool? Because I feel it is what is best
for my children and their education.
Yesterday we celebrated my son’s Birthday. He was so excited
because he has been asking for one of those new Wii game systems. I was
hesitant at first, but gave in since they are no longer 2 player games type systems. Now that they allow several people to play at once, I decided it would be a great
toy to add for our children, especially since now they get up and are active in
the game. He was so surprised and thrilled when he opened the box. It was definitely
the hit of the party. The kids played on it for hours. So, if you are looking
for something fun for your kids, that will help get them off the couch while indoors,
check out the Wii ;)
Does your 8th grader love to read? I know mine
does, especially books by homeschoolers. I think it is because she can easily relate to them. Of course, she is also into other types of books. Currently,
she is reading The Hunger Games series. I of course
have sworn her to secrecy, as I would rather watch the movies before reading the
books, but she is too impatient to wait till the movies come out. It also amazes me
how fast she can read. At her age I was never such an avid reader. In a world of internet and all those fancy gadgets, it surprises me that she prefers pick up a book than anything else. Of course as a mom that makes me very
proud of her :)
I hope everyone had a fun and safe New Year’s Eve. Doesn’t
feel like it should be 2015 already, but it is. Half of the school year is over,
but that doesn’t mean we can’t add to our daily lessons. I mean even with the best
homeschool curriculum it never hurts to add extras from time to time. What do
I mean by extras? Printable worksheets, online flash cards, educational games, field
trips, etc. All of these things, no matter what grade your child is in, will
only help them learn. Thanks to the internet, computers, and printers we can
find all of these extras quickly and easily.
Christmas time has always been one of my favorite times of
the year. Not just because of all the holiday fun and celebrating the birth of
Jesus, but because I can add fun holiday themed printable worksheets, and crafts to
our regular homeschooling lessons. Luckily, this time of year is also my 8th
grader’s favorite time too. I guess it is for most kids. She is always eager to
make holiday goodies, home-made ornaments for the tree, crafts to decorate the
house with, and she even likes the themed homeschool extras I add to our regular lessons. If you would also like
to add some of this fun into your homeschool this holiday season, it isn't hard to do. If you would like to bake, you can teach your child how to make traditional sugar cookies. There are also tons of holiday recipes online if you would like to make more goodies. If you would like to add some themed worksheets or make crafts, again the internet is the place to go. There are tons of ideas online, even for older kids.
