Category: Transitions In Homeschooling
Finding Community as a Homeschooler
If you are new to homeschooling, at first it may seem like there are no other homeschoolers around at all. But chances are very good that they are just hidden in plain sight! Families in many areas have established homeschool groups that meet for field trips, projects, playtime, and even parent-run classes. Finding them can
Continue readingSetting Up Your Homeschool Space
Many new homeschoolers wonder how best to set up their homeschool room or learning space. The possibilities can seem overwhelming. Here are some tips as you envision and establish a practical spot in your home where homeschooling can be comfortable and productive. Keep an Open Mind Your homeschooling room doesn’t need to look like a
Continue readingHow To Survive Summer with Kids: 11 Tips from Homeschooling Parents
School’s out! The kids are home for the summer, and suddenly your world has been turned upside down. How will you survive summer with kids home all day? Homeschooling parents do it year-round. But when you’re not used to having kids home all day, it can certainly feel like a shock to the system. Here
Continue readingPlanning for Success: Using a Weekly Planner to Find the Rhythm in Your Homeschooling Life
by DeeDee Hughes, Director of Curriculum Development at Oak Meadow How many times have you planned your day in your head, only to forget half of what you wanted to do? Or maybe, like me, you make lists — leaving notes here and there all over the house — and then lose track of the
Continue reading10 Reasons Why Oak Meadow May Be the Perfect Fit for You
What are you looking for in a home learning program? Would Oak Meadow be a good match for your family? See if any of the following points resonate with you: 1. Being actively involved in your child’s learning feels right to you. You appreciate your child as an individual and enjoy spending time with them.
Continue readingWhat I wish I’d known before our two decades of homeschooling
by June M. Schulte, former Oak Meadow parent When we began homeschooling in 1982, our eldest was just over seven years old, the legal age for school in Vermont. Although we were doing a lot with our children – reading aloud, making crafts, singing, dancing and so on – we weren’t quite sure which things
Continue readingHow old should my child be when starting Oak Meadow kindergarten?
In general, our kindergarten curriculum correlates developmentally with age 5 and grade 1 with age 6. Therefore, we encourage families to wait until age 5 before beginning kindergarten. However, every child’s development is unique, and so there really is no one-size-fits-all recommendation. Families following a Waldorf pedagogy often don’t start first grade until their children
Continue reading12 Characteristics of Successful Learners
Successful learning may happen organically, but it does not happen accidentally. One might be surrounded with rich educational resources, but without key capabilities, those learning opportunities will go untapped. What makes a successful learner? Successful learners… …are leaders in their own learning. …engage with the world around them. …question everything. …think for themselves. …are driven by
Continue readingAddressing Concerns About Homeschooling
Homeschooling is a big step for many of us. It requires the conviction that we know better than anyone else when it comes to our children’s needs (or our own). We may have already had courageous exchanges with teachers, school officials, and other experts whose job requires them to look out for the well-being of
Continue readingAdjusting to Homeschooling Mid-Year
Making the decision to switch gears and begin homeschooling—or to switch curriculum—partway through the school year takes courage and faith. Whatever you were doing before wasn’t working, and whatever you are beginning hasn’t had time to feel routine yet. Here are ten suggestions to ease the way. 1. Different philosophy; different approach. Students who have
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