Homeschooling By The Numbers |

I love these charts that make so much statistical information so easy to see. Having the visuals to go along with the data makes the content more powerful than it would be if I simply read it in an article.

I love that we have the opportunity to give our children this form of education that can set them up for greater achievement. I find it really interesting to see the 'Father' and 'Mother' educational levels as well. It is also encouraging to see that home school families tend to be larger than public school families!

Click HERE to view a lager version of the  infographic.

Via: DegreeSearch.org

5 Reasons why this mom homeschools |

I came across this really neat article outlining a mother's top 5 reasons for homeschooling! It is neat to take a look at and makes you think about what your own top 5 reasons would be. It is also an encouragement to be truthful about why you choose to home school. It might even be a good exercise to write out your reasons for homeschooling, perhaps not on a public forum like a blog, or perhaps that is the perfect place to share your thoughts.

HERE is her blog post!

Facts about Homschooling |

Came across this article today with facts about homeschooling. While most are American based facts they are nonetheless interesting, and each has an article or link attached to it giving further information on each fact.

ARTICLE HERE

20 Great Reasons You Homeschool |

Click on the image to view it larger.

Some of the 'reasons' I relate to most...

- The teacher to student ratio...
While I was in teacher's college doing my placements at various high schools, and specifically when I was teaching applied level classes, I realized just how important teacher to student ration was. 1 teacher for 35+ students is NOT enough!

- The metal detector...
That one struck a cord with me for sure. You don't want your kids to feel like they are entering a prison when they are simply going to school.

- You don't have to worry about what your child was taught that day in school...
I think this would be one of the hardest things for me as when your child goes to school it is not just what the teacher is teaching, but what all of their peers are teaching them as well. At a young age children are SPONGES and I would hate not knowing the types of things they were being exposed to on a daily basis that they would internalize as fact /reality.

- Fads / Trends won't come home with them...
This is one of the great parts about homeschooling; your children grow up less materialistic and less prone to following the latest fad/trend. They place their value on the important things in life and their self worth is not found in the clothes or toys or hair style, but in who they are as a person.

- Chores / Baking...
These two go hand in hand for me in that your child will be learning life skills while they are at home with you. Life skills are JUST as important as reading, writing and arithmetic! Your child will be a more well rounded individual and will be more independent later in life having learned household skills from a young age. You can also integrate learning into the daily tasks of the household.

- Learning becomes contagious...
I love that box as it shows an older brother teaching his little sister a skill. I think it is a great opportunity for your kids to learn through teaching and to learn leadership through helping younger ones to know what they know. In my university career we studied the work of Dorothy Heathcote and she would allow the students to 'teach themselves something they already knew that they didn't know they knew'. Sounds a little bit confusing, but the idea was that by allowing a student to explore and TRY something (like passing on knowledge to another sibling) they actually reaffirm for themselves something they already knew (that they may not have realized they already knew).

What are your favourite from the 20 reasons and why?
Leave a comment!

Home Vs. Public School Statistics |

Came across this really neatly displayed chart of statistics today comparing home school students against public school students.


Created by: CollegeAtHome.com

Funny & True |

Funny "You Might Be A Homeschooler if..." video - Crazy how many things I related to...



Things I related to MOST:

- Wishbone
- "Having Fun isn't hard when you have a Library Card"
- Waiting for Dad to get home to help with Math
- Doing two days of work in one so we could leave for vacation/trip
- Skipping over 'evil' things in movies
- Friends asking why I don't go to "real school"
- Mom taught me language and Dad taught me math
- Power Rangers (seeing it at friends house and thinking they were 'bad' for watching it)
- Odyssey Tapes!!
- Knowing what a Jean Jumper - haha so true, wore them all the time!
- Cried when Marie Ingalls Went Blind - so sad
- And of Course - Finishing the video!

Great Job "Blimey Cow"

Homeschooling |