There are some common traps that homeschool families need to be on the lookout for in order to ensure that they meet goals with integrity, value, and purpose. Avoiding these traps will also ensure their students have easy access to post-high school options. Several of these common traps can be avoided with a little attention to scheduling and accountability.

1 – Often, homeschool families try too hard to look like the local public school. They run from activity to activity, co-op class to co-op class, and think that every subject must be taught from a text book with worksheets and posters to create. This prevents many homeschoolers from utilizing fantastic resources and options such as on-line courses, block schedules, and modified daily routines, and it dilutes the freedoms that homeschoolers have. You have chosen to homeschool for a reason. Be true to your core values in your homeschooling program.

2 – One of the biggest mistakes that homeschoolers make is spending too much time on non-core subject activities hoping their students will be noticed by college recruiters for teams and organizations. This leaves homeschool students with core academic deficiencies and unprepared for college work. Be sure these activities are not the foundation of your homeschool program. Academics must take priority, and it's a myth that college recruiters offer as many drama or baseball scholarships as you hear that they do. This is not the place to hang your hopes - academics is!

3 – Not taking standardized tests seriously is another mistake homeschool families make. Nothing speaks louder to college admissions officers than a high score on an SAT or ACT test. Taking the time to prepare for and earn a high score on these tests will open many more doors to a homeschool student than not doing so. This must be included in your homeschool preparation if you intend to prepare your child for college entrance.

4 – Finally, while each family should have the freedom to design their program to fit their unique goals and objectives, it is a good idea to have an accountability partner for your students such as an outside adult or homeschool coach. Get feedback from others on how your homeschool program is doing and any areas that need strengthening. This will help to eliminate possible areas of concern before they become big problems.

It is easy to get lost in the freedoms of homeschooling because there are so many. However, with freedom comes responsibility. Responsibility to your program, children, and the community around you in which homeschooling is still scrutinized. It is important to be a homeschool family with purpose, accountability, and planning. These core values will allow you to equip students with solid academic skills, and train future leaders.

Most parents don't want their children to get bored... ever! Just think of the many hours and dollars parents spend keeping their children busy with sports, music, art classes, after-school activities - not to mention the toys, videos, computer games etc. that we give our children to keep boredom at bay.  Homeschooling parents often see the field trips and classes offered by homeschool groups as necessities. Children hanging around the house complaining that “there’s nothing to do” is something most parents want to avoid.   However, there is another way to look at this.  May I challenge you to look at boredom as something positive?  Let's consider the following:

Boredom can force children to get creative. At first you may hear whining, complaining and pouting. But if boredom is allowed to run its course, eventually the child will become so desperate that he may make up a game with his imagination or she may find some scraps of fabric and start a doll quilt. Would that have happened if mom or dad would have jumped to eliminate the boredom at the first complaint?

Boredom can force children to pick up a book and read. Some kids read all the time anyway - but an active child may never pick up a book until there's absolutely nothing else to do.  Sometimes there should be absolutely nothing else to do!

Boredom helps children become more observant. A child rushed from one activity to the next becomes oblivious to her surroundings. A bored child is looking for something to do, and will pay more attention to her environment.

Boredom allows time for thinking - for getting to know oneself. This may be the best reason to allow your child to experience boredom.  A child with nothing to do is forced to think about what he likes or dislikes, and what his interests are.  He'll have the chance to do and try things because he wants to, not because his mom signed him up for something, or because a friend was doing it. Boredom gives him time to think thoughts that teach him about himself.

So, what to do about boredom? I encourage you to see boredom in a little different light. Look at it as a friend that can help your children develop their creativity and give them precious time to think their own thoughts, read some good books and observe their world.

Charmaine Wistad has successfully homeschooled her own two children from pre-school through high school.  Now she is turning her attention toward helping other homeschool moms. Through personal coaching, Charmaine helps homeschooling moms thrive… not just survive! Visit her website to try a complimentary no-obligation telephone coaching session.

One of the advantages of homeschooling is that you are not obligated to follow a strict lesson plan. The structure of your schooling at home is totally up to you, and you are free to follow the interests and learning style of your child. There are, however, some very fun lesson plans that are designed to put your child at the helm of their own educational experience.

One fabulous way to bring learning to life is to visit your local, or even not so local, museums. Start with the subjects that most interest your child, such as science or history, and go to those museums. Suddenly, subjects that were only known to your child in books are made more visually real, stimulating your child’s natural desire to learn. And exploring the museum is an adventure that will not be forgotten quickly.

Nature hikes are another way to broaden your child’s experience with science and nature, learning about the flora and fauna of your local area. Most cities or towns have a nature trail that is typically free to visitors and might even come with a guided hike at no extra cost.

Baking at its best is another great lesson plan for kids to gain an awareness of their creativity in the kitchen. They are encouraged to be creative and if things do not taste so great, it teaches them how to solve the problem of taste by experimenting with different spices or methods of cooking. Baking also integrates math because measuring requires them to get familiar with fraction adding, for doubling recipes, as well as units of measure.

Art in free form is also another great tool to help with just about any lesson or subject. It helps to take a trip to the hobby store and load up on all kinds of different things that can be made into an art project. Then, let your child select the things they would like to use to create with. This assists with spatial skills, hand-eye coordination, as well as giving them a hands-on experience where they control the project outcome.

Going to the library is a resource that should never be underestimated, especially if you are homeschooling. you can, however, utilize your library’s resources even further. An example of this is to regularly attend readings by authors. This is a wonderful way to show your child that reading is very fundamental skill and can be extremely exciting. At most libraries, when an author agrees to hold a reading, they make it into an event, including refreshments. Also, who knows the author’s intent and expression better than the author themselves? It is very worthwhile and entertaining to hear a book read by its own creator.

With these ideas, you can both have lots of fun and be able to enjoy each other all while learning in the process. And, who knows, you might also learn a thing or two that you didn’t know in the process!

Melissa Murdoch has a passion for life span development and education, and believes wholeheartedly that a healthy society begins at home.  For further information on how to get started in homeschooling, please visit YourHomeschoolCommunity.com.

When I first started homeschooling 14 years ago, I developed a number of addictions. Not the life-threatening or dangerous to society ones, mind you. They appeared innocent enough, you might say even helpful, but in the long run they began to hamper my efforts. “Hello, my name is Pat, and I’m a homeschool addict” (“Hello, Pat!”) Now, don’t laugh - some of you already know what I mean. I became a free catalog addict, a homeschool magazine addict. I scoured the library and used book stores for “how to” books. I stayed glued to the internet (basic and lean as it was in those days) for resources, free worksheets, curriculum reviews. I ordered samples and accumulated portions of new curricula. I rationalized it by convincing myself that I was on a learning curve as well; that I was building a library; that I could stop anytime! The mounting stacks and piles and my bulging file cabinet was just a sign that I needed more shelves and storage, right? But late one night as I passed by the mirror in my room and looked into bloodshot eyes, the realization finally dawned on me - yes, I was addicted.

Well, I had to get it under control at least! There’s a phrase I heard recently that describes this phenomenon perfectly: appetite without activity. It perfectly described what I was experiencing, and what it causes is equally descriptive of what happened to me! Although the context in which I heard this phrase was spiritual (and I know you can apply it to health as well), what occurred in our homeschool was a veritable “freeze” in productive activity. I had so much information I didn’t know what to do with it all! I’d start the kids on one thing, and if I got the least bit of resistance, I’d switch. Don’t like worksheets? Let’s do a unit study! Too much activity there? Ok, back to a workbook. How about a pre-packaged curriculum? And don’t get me started on the gazillion resources to teach math that are available! My poor kids were going crazy - I, on the other hand, was already there.

I guess the beginning of my recovery occurred when I was talking to a good friend and mentor of mine, who had been homeschooling her 8 kids “forever”. I asked her how she chose materials for her brood. We talked a little about learning styles, and then she said to me “You know, there’s lots of good stuff out there; but don’t try it all at the expense of what’s best.” She wasn’t talking about resources, she was talking about me, my time, my presence in our children’s lives.

In the final analysis, it almost doesn’t matter what you use to homeschool your kids. And, truth be told, if you’re in this for the long haul, what you need will come to you. I could tell you tons of stories of how that played out while homeschooling our 2 oldest through high school - I could never have planned it out better! Find and stay connected to a good support group, and check your community for opportunities for your children. But whatever you use and whatever you do, do it with them to whatever extent possible. I use a workbook for my 3rd grade son’s math, but we always sit down to start it together. We review concepts, pull together a quick manipulative or 2 to get the idea across if need be, and then he’s on his own. We go to the Y for PE - together; watch videos and read historical fiction and make timelines for History - together; go to the library - together... get the picture?!

Here are 5 simple steps you can take (in no particular order) to break your addiction and get your school moving again.

• Go outside with the kids! Take a walk, jump on the trampoline, plant (or weed) the garden. Just get moving and give yourself and your kids a break!
• Ask the kids to pick out their favorite book and read to them or listen to them read. There’s nothing like snuggling on the couch with your kiddos around, reading something together, to bring you back to reality.
• Call or - better yet - go visit a friend. Bring the kids - or not. And if it’s a homeschooling friend, you’re allowed to “talk shop” if need be. The point is to get a change of scenery.
• Do something non-homeschool related! I know that sounds extreme, but I promise you’ll enjoy it. Even if it’s to grab a cup of coffee with a friend or neighbor, or meet your hubby for lunch.  This time, however, homeschool topics are not allowed.
• Check out Is Your Homeschool Hampered by Your "Addiction"? - Part 2 with some more tips and suggestions!

Homeschooling can provide a wonderful education for your kids and provide ample opportunities for your family to grow and learn together - as long as you keep on moving on a productive and healthy path!!

Resolutions aren’t only for New Years, you know. Many of us will be spending the summer months, or at least some portion of it, getting geared up for a new school year in the fall. So if you find yourself in that mode, read on!

Many people typically fall into one of two camps regarding resolutions. There are those who don’t even make the effort – usually because they’re afraid of failure. You know, “I’m only going to drop them in a month, so why bother?” And then there’s the firm, consistent, "I even write them down" camp. I have to admit I’ve been on both sides – but as things the kids get older and things get added to my plate, I tend to be more in the latter group!

Here, then, are my top 10 Resolutions for your Homeschool.

#10 – This year, I will make some Resolutions! “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” And your children’s education is too important to accept failure. Most importantly, write them down so you can review, revisit and revamp them (if necessary) throughout the year.

#9 – I will spend some time to create a vision for our homeschool. Arrange to get away with your spouse for at least an afternoon (a day is better and a whole weekend would be ideal!). Think and talk about how education fits into the big picture of your family-life.

#8 – I will develop a plan of action. This directly stems from #9, above. What educational goals do you have for your kids? Take some time early in the year to talk about this with your spouse, and then plan on how/when to assess these during the year. What has to happen to reach those goals? Then break it down into monthly, weekly and (if you’re really compulsive!) daily steps.

#7 – I will get a handle on finances. Take some time to keep track of your money! Set up a simple filing system, establish a spreadsheet, whatever it takes that will make it easy for you to keep track of things. If you’re a bookaholic like me, it’ll be really easy to overspend and then discover that there’s no money left when you find something you really need mid-year.

#6 – I will take some time to continue my education. The recipe for success is “brains and motivation”. Motivation comes from completing #9, but our brains always need to be developing as well. Are there 2 or 3 areas that would improve your homeschooling efforts with a little more education? There’s always lots of potential for improvement while we’re alive! CAUTION: even if you can come up with a list of a dozen items, only pick 2 or 3 to start the year. It is SO easy to get frozen with information overload – I’ve been there!!

#5 – I will develop an organization system that works for me. Perhaps you’re not the “organized type”. What does that mean, really? Being organized just means 2 things: you can find what you want when you want it, and you can meet deadlines (like grading papers or paying bills). My husband loves his piles, but is very organized. There’s tons of help out there (websites and books) to help you get organized, but if you like your piles, this pile cabinet system I came across recently may be just what you need!

#4 – I will put together a realistic schedule. This is related to #8, but is much more detailed, and not something you would necessarily do just because you’ve got a big picture plan of action. Get out a piece of paper and think about all the daily responsibilities you have. Write them all down and block out time for each. Then talk it over with your family, tweak and review, and when you’ve completed it, post it somewhere that you’ll see it!

#3 – I will find someone to be accountable to regarding my resolutions. This could be your spouse or other family member, but it could also be a fellow homeschooler. Sometimes it’s easier to be accountable to someone other than family, because when you’re not quite working up to speed it’s possible that your school issues can get in the way of those other relationships.

#2 – I will try something new this year. Spice up the new year with something a bit different. Add a new skill, subject or short unit study that you might not normally do. Or pull out something you’ve bought awhile back and never used! Just make sure that it stays “in-sync” with your big picture (see #9).

#1 – I will do a daily attitude check! There is nothing more attractive to people than gratitude. I always say “If you don’t know what to say, say “Thank you”!” – you can’t lose. And in this "hurry up" society we live in, gratitude and conveyed appreciation are usually the first things to go. So an attitude of gratitude will definitely make you stand out. If necessary, keep an often-updated list for yourself of what you can be thankful for – people, situations, successes as well as challenges, perceived failures and difficult situations or people in your life. We can learn and grow from everything that’s put before us – if we allow ourselves to. And what a great life lesson for our kids.

Resolutions can be a way of setting the bar higher in our lives. Our homeschools and our families are sure to benefit in the long run.

Regardless of the legal requirements of the state in which you live, there are many benefits to keeping effective records of your homeschooling activities. Firstly, and perhaps most obviously, you can always answer anyone who asks what class schedule or coursework your child has completed. The questioner may include a collegiate institution asking because your child is a non-traditional student and has applied to their institution. Some states do not require any documentation at all, but laws may change, and your child may one day choose to enter into further education interstate or even internationally. If you have no records of your child’s education, this could be needlessly stressful. If you are providing a full and rich education for your children, it is a wise choice to ensure that record-keeping is included as part of the mix. Some guidelines:

State/Provincial Audits

While this is not true for every state or every situation, some states in their laws regarding homeschooling allow the state education agencies to audit homeschoolers. This is to ensure that homeschoolers are teaching their children and not just keeping them at home. It is best to look at your local state/province to see their specific requirements

The answer to the question “Do you have a high school diploma?” varies, and may be asked by potential employers. There are several ways to deal with the high school diploma situation, including the following suggestions:

1. Depending on where you live, you may be able to sign and issue one to your “graduating” children.
2. Private schools may issue your graduating child with a high school diploma if you provide them with the appropriate records and materials.
3. Your child can take the GED, or your country’s equivalent, and have that certification as their testament to their secondary education.

Ok, so now we know why we keep records, how exactly do we do this? My suggestions are as follows:

• Document everything every day. If you don’t let it pile it up it doesn’t become overwhelming. This way you will also always know where you stand if there are any requirements you have to consider or prove (hours in school, etc) to your local authority, potential employer, or the provider of further education.
• Compile a scrapbook and keep records of important events because, even though you’re not doing it through a school, your activities are still important in the life of your child! This helps you and your child create a record they can look back on with pride.
• Keep all the assignments and school stuff in notebooks at the end of year. Many parents will file everything away in books to keep a record of assignments, to be able to accurately assess their child’s skills in subjects, and to know what they need to work on a year to year basis.

Legal considerations

I handle the legal considerations in a later article but keeping complete and accurate records help if you are ever in court over your homeschooling decision. Using these records, you can prove that you have been teaching your child and that you are not abusing your child by depriving them of education. Also, if for some reason the court forces your child back into the school system, you can get them into the correct grade.

Record-keeping can be tedious, but I consider it to be necessary. If you systematically record your child’s progress on a daily basis, keeping records need not be a source of stress. The benefits by far outweigh the inconvenience.

How important are lesson plans in homeschooling? They depend a great deal on the personality of the parent who is homeschooling, but most see the great benefit of well-structured lesson plans. Lesson plans will enable parents to provide the structure that is needed for children to learn and apply the information being taught. In teaching reading, for example, the structure and sequence are far more important than most may realize.

A study conducted at Harvard by Dr. Jean Chall concluded that about 70 percent of individuals will learn to read regardless of the method employed, but 30 percent will not. This is because roughly 30 percent are accessing a different part of their brains when dealing with language. Reading instruction done systematically is a more effective way for any reader, but for that 30 percent, it is a necessity. These learners already have an issue with processing language, even verbal language sometimes, and putting information in sequence is difficult for them. “Naturally this will affect their ability to read and spell correctly. After all, every word consists of letters in a specific sequence. In order to read one has to perceive the letters in sequence, and also remember what word is represented by the sequence of letters in question” (http://www.audiblox2000.com/dyslexia/sequencing.htm).  As they struggle working linearly, left-to-right, they often sound out the word, pronouncing letter sounds out of sequence. Sequence is something that must be taught and practiced for these learners to find success.

The National Reading Panel has found that programs that teach phonics systematically and explicitly are the most effective. Systematic phonics instruction is an organized method of teaching children the letter-sound relationships in a manner that starts with the simplest concepts and builds to the more complex. Some of us may have been taught this way when we were younger, but even so, most of us do not remember the sequence or how we were taught. Dr. Sally Shaywitz has said, “What is so critical and so unique about learning phonics in this way is that it allows the reader to apply his accumulating knowledge to deciphering and reading words he has never seen before. No other method of teaching reading can make this claim” (Shaywitz, Overcoming Dyslexia, p. 200). If we want to give children this systematic, explicit phonics instruction, we need to have a solid resource that helps us teach this information in the most effective sequence. This is where lesson plans become vital in helping with our instruction.

Reading Horizons offers scripted lessons plans in easy-to-use manuals that help parents know what to instruct and how to instruct this invaluable information. The practice pages, games, and software are all correlated to the manual to support the sequence. The software also teaches the sounds and skills in the same explicit fashion. This program follows all that research has said is essential to produce efficient readers. The few minutes it may take in preparing the lesson will pale in comparison to the return of confident, empowered readers.

If you’ve read Excellence – Part 1... you’ll know that I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the topic of excellence. My husband had an interesting response when I recently commented to him how much I appreciated a friend and colleague’s aspirations for excellence. He said “Oh, you mean her kids always look good, her house is clean and she’s always well-dressed and “together?” Hmm... that’s not what I was thinking at all! Because by that standard, I would have to say that many of the home schooling families I know are not excellent: kids are wearing rumpled play-clothes, house is a bit cluttered, and mom certainly is no “fashionista”!

So... how do they relate? Well, you can have creativity without excellence, but you can’t have excellence without creativity. (You might have to read that again... and once more.) Let’s allow as fact that to strive for excellence, three qualities must be present: enthusiasm(what we feel), high expectations (what we think), and effort(how we act). If that is the case, those activities naturally describe a process; one where ideas, possibilities, suggestions and/or models are proposed, invented, “bandied about”. Such activity is often messy - and always creative!

So then, what marks the difference between the “slob” and the “excellence-seeker” is clearly attitude. The mess made by the homemaker or child who is too lazy to put things away versus that made as a result of a science project, art project and meal preparation happening simultaneously, may appear on the surface to be the same. The net result in the first case is a lifestyle of laziness. The net result in the latter, however, is an environment where individuals can think out of the box, where they are free to try something different in a desire to do or to be something better. It’s the dream I have for our kids and our homeschool.

The profile shot for the Facebook group HAS (Homeschoolers Achieving Success) is the picture of the moon high in the sky. It’s because my motto is “Shoot for the moon ~ you may not reach it, but you’ll end up so much higher than you would have if you hadn’t aimed for it in the first place!” That’s how to achieve excellence!

During the summer, many of us will be busy planning for the next school year. In preparation, how about thinking foundationally and getting a grasp on “excellence” in your own life? Take some time to rethink and regroup. Resolve to make the attitude adjustment it takes to focus on excellence in your personal life and relationships, in your marriage and family, and in your homeschool. Don’t get mired in mediocrity; elevate your life with excellence!

“...those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.” Titus 3:8b

Homeschooling is a journey and the record of it, both visual (videos and pictures) and concrete (awards, work binders, etc.) all need to be kept in a reasonable and organized fashion. There are several ways to do this.

Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking is one my favorite ways to keep track of the homeschooling journey. Using lots of pictures, anecdotes, stickers, work samples, results, and anything else that you decide, you can create a record that is visually pleasing, entertaining, and even a legal verification of some of the things achieved throughout the year. There’s nothing to say that maintaining your yearly scrapbook can’t be part of your child’s art studies too!

Journals

It can be a fun activity for both you and the kids to keep a journal of your homeschooling journey. You can look back years later (graduation from Ivy League college maybe?) and bring up old memories - both good and bad - about your experience. This can also be a great place to keep pictures, programs, win/loss records and other things, if scrapbooking isn’t your thing.

There are some other important things to do as well besides just keep a record. It’s also important to mark other important mile stones on the journey as well.

Blogging and Other Online Options

In these modern times, what would an article about keeping records be with a mention of blogging and social media? With flickr, facebook, and blogs abounding, record keeping and charting a journey has increasingly become an online phenomena. Why not for homeschooling too? With livejournal and other blogging programs you can upload pictures, link to other homeschooling sites, and a variety of other fun things. Not only can you talk about your journey but you can invite others to keep track of your journey with you, including your friends and family! The internet is really amazing this way. Also your blog can be inspiration for others, especially other homeschooling families, and those considering homeschooling.

Keeping the Ceremonies and Memories

Some homeschooled families aren’t too fussed about “graduation,” considering it unnecessary, left over pomp and circumstance from a system that they were never a part of. This does not need be the case, however. Graduation symbolises an achievement that is an important milestone, or right of passage, regardless of the manner through which it was achieved. Ritual, such as a graduation ceremony or party, reinforces accomplishment, and marks the end of a passage of development, clearing the way for the next stage. It’s also a great excuse for a celebration, and a way to show your children how proud you are of them. Some of those events, that may even seem a little embarrassing when you are a teenager, can leave the most lasting fond memories.

It is most important to find a process to record your journey that makes sense for you and your family. Ideally, get your kids/students involved in the process because it will be much more meaningful for them if they’ve contributed to the whole homeschooling journey. At the end of the day, the homeschooling journey is about them!

When you begin to homeschool, you are keen to go to curriculum fairs and search out the perfect homeschool curriculum for your family. When you have been homeschooling for a few years, you may discover that your first choices did not work out that well, and you are on the hunt again. Five or so years later, you may be bored and keen to re-think the homeschool curriculum and cater for your highschool students. Ten years later, you throw out so much of what you have bought and never used and keenly look to simplify your homeschool curriculum.

I am not sure if you subscribe to numerous homeschooling e-newsletters or ezines (perhaps you subscribe to mine!). I subscribe to a few to find out what homeschool curriculum is around and the see what other homeschoolers may be sing. At times, I like to read reviews. However, as my email box is continually bombarded with new homeschool products and resources, I wonder if all the new products have helped our desire or vision for homeschooling. Are we more focussed on the task of homeschooling now with the plethora of curriculum that is put before us or did those early veteran homeschoolers with limited resources capture the essence of homeschooling in a better way? Have we lost the vision?

Am I against homeschool curriculum? Absolutely not! I am very thankful to numerous publishers who have put time and thought into a product and are selling it to the homeschool market. Thankyou! It has made my task so much easier! However, I am concerned that some publishers are just viewing homeschooling as another market and we are steered into thinking that each child needs to have a textbook for each subject each year! Four children, eight subjects each year means literally 128 textbooks for every year of homeschooling. Most of these will be pricey and consumable.

"What are you doing for Language Arts?"

"DS has a Year 3 book for Spelling, Year 4 for grammar, Year 3 book for Literature Studies, Year 3 text for writing and Year 4 Book for Reading Comprehension. Yes, I am so glad that we can cater for his individual abilities!"

Is this the only way? Are you ready to simplify your homeschool curriculum and not fall into the marketing traps? How can that be done?

If you have spent any time on my website, you would know that I always refer to your educational and family goals. That is the first thing that you need to do now if you want to simplify your homeschool curriculum.

1. Decide on the big picture goals

Why are you homeschooling? For what purpose and to what end are you preparing and educating your children? Let these answers drive the curriculum you choose to implement in your homeschool.

2. Decide why you want to teach a certain subject

Here you should pose questions to yourself which will help you formulate why you want to teach a certain subject.

This step can be quite simple. The most obvious answer as to why we want to teach reading, is, so that our children will read widely and understand what they read. True? How do we do that? Firstly, we set up an atmosphere that encourages reading. We read widely to them; We give them the tools so that they can read for themselves (phonics instruction when ready); We offer a range of quality reading resources - both fiction and non-fiction living books. We include reading in all subject areas and do not treat it as a separate subject, but instead, a skill to be developed in each subject.

The most obvious answer as to why we want to teach writing, is, so that our children can write appropriately for different audiences and in different situations. This includes writing notes, letters, essays, descriptive writing, fiction, non-fiction, responses, critical essays, essays of persuasion and more. (More writing skills are listed on my website.)

So, how would we do that? Does it mean we need a consumable textbook for each grade level? Probably not! If we want to teach our children to write, they need to write! - all types of forms of writing, across the curriculum. Begin by teaching them correct letter formation, writing words, copying sentences, narrations, copying their own oral narrations, essay writing. I would encourage you to get a book which explains different writing forms. I like the Write Source books and have chosen a few age-appropriate teaching texts. These are non-consumable and are written directly to the child.

If you would like to work on writing skills, you could choose an excerpt of literature, discuss the grammar, spelling, sentence structure, word usage and use it as a basis for copywork, and modeling. See my Ten Day Outline for Using Literature to create a Language Arts Lesson.

Spelling can flow directly from their own writing and an individual spelling list can be created from their incorrect spelling. Spelling in context is far more effective. However, if you would like a Spelling Program, choose one which spans across the ages and years.

If your goal for history teaching is that they memorize dates, you would look for a program that just focusses on memorization of facts, but if your goal is that they gain an understanding of the time period and understand it in the context of a Biblical Worldview, you would look for a curriculum that helps you to do that.

The answer you give for each subject area, will help you choose appropriate homeschool curriculum which has the same purpose in mind.

3. Combine subjects and Skill Teaching

To simplify the curriculum, you need to look for ways to combine subjects. If you teach history in an integrated approach, you can teach history, geography, literature, art history, science history, music history and worldview (depending on the curriculum you choose to help you teach). As you integrate these subjects, you use and develop age-appropriate reading and writing skills. Writing can be done in the context of any subject area!

During a study on Ancient Egypt, you can read aloud an historical fiction novel such as "Mara, daughter of the Nile", create a salt map of Egypt; Read about the culture; Put the time period into the Biblical timeline; Copy the way the Ancient Egyptians decorated their tombs; Dress like an Egyptian, Hold a feast; Write a story/narration/summary/book report/essay from what was learned.

4. Combine ages

To simplify your homeschooling life, combine ages where you can. History can be taught successfully to the whole family at once, but the writing and reading assignments which are set will be different for the different ages. I expect more from my fifteen year old, than from my ten year old.

Some families like to begin their day with their 'together' work - such as Bible, Memorization, History/Science Readings, Art, and whatever they combine, and then continue the day in independent studies. Other families like to begin independently, and then finish working on projects together.

5. Make memorable learning experiences and keepsakes
   

Textbooks may have a place as educational tools, but the consumable workbooks that some children work in year after year, will not be treasured years after. However, a book which they have created, a scrapbook, a personal diary, an art collection, a poster, a photo journal, a project, notebook or portfolio will have an important place in the lives of your children for years. These will be kept as wonderful memories and as the pages which they have spent energy, heart and soul creating, are turned, the experiences and memories of that year of homeschooling will come back too! My children love looking back at what they have created, but have not had any attachment at all to a consumable workbook, which subsequently has been tossed in the bin.

6. All of Life is Education

To simplify your homeschooling, do not confine education to books. All of life is education even chore training, kitchen duties, house cleaning. Do not be anxious if you can not get to the books as much as you would like. Talk to your children, converse with them about all of life, as you sit down, as you get up and as you walk along the road. Remember there are phases of learning and different ages have different things you need to focus on. When a child is ready, they can work quite independently, structure their own days and learn things quickly. How much more effective would it be if we taught our children a difficult concept when they were truly ready, rather than to our timetable or the timetable of our text?

Remember that excursions, holidays, visiting the sick, providing a meal are opportunities for training and education.

Also, one needs to be reminded that you can not do it all. Be realistic in your own expectations.

7. Do not compare.

Above all, do not compare yourself with others.

Use the homeschooling resources which conform with the goals you have for your children. If it is working for you and your family, there is no need to change.

As you step out to simplify your homeschool curriculum, keep your own goals in mind and be driven by them, not by the hype and advertising of numerous publishers.