In Is Your Homeschool Hampered by Your "Addiction"? - Part 1, I covered the characteristics of “homeschool addiction”: a serious ailment which consumes many new homeschoolers early in their journey. Please understand that I do not use the term lightly or to minimize in any way the pain of physical addictions. In my experience, however, new homeschoolers share many of the same characteristics, and so I use the word to clearly describe the situation here as well. In this piece, I offer some hope and healing to those who are so smitten.

If you find yourself where I was “way back when”, what can you do?

• First, recognize that you’re addicted! Any recovery program starts with that step. And don’t be ashamed, either. Especially when you’re first starting to homeschool, there IS a learning curve and you DO need to do your own homework!
• Set limits on your internet surfing. Set a timer for the kids, and set one for yourself as well. Or limit yourself to a few hours in the evening after they go to bed, or an hour in the morning before they get up for school. Put it on a schedule so it doesn’t take over your life.
• If you’ve already got bunches of stuff, commit to using something now. Give it 6 weeks - whether or not you like it at first. Sometimes we just have to give a new program time. And you don’t want to model flippancy for your kids. If you’re tempted to buy something new, get rid of something before the new resource comes in. Sell it, give it away, who cares? Just get it out of the house!
• Make yourself write a review. I know that sounds weird - who’s gonna read it, right? But this works to your advantage in a few ways. First, it makes you sit down and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the program for yourself. When someone asks you for your opinion, as they will, you’ll be able to answer intelligently! It also starts to build your own expertise and ability to mentor or coach other newer homeschoolers who may need advice. It gives you practice in writing, a communication skill that is sorely lacking today, and one which you will need to teach your children at some point. And lastly, it gives you some resources to start a home business! Huh? Let me tell you, you never know where you’re going to end up and what you’ll be doing down the road. With all the products I’ve tried over time, if I had thought about this idea years ago, I’d be all the more richer in resources for my homeschool website!

So, that’s my antidote to “homeschool addiction”! Turn it around and make it work for you. There’s no reason you have to stay addicted, but with a healthy amount of effort and continued education, you can channel that energy to not only help you and your family, but you can share your wisdom and experiences to help others as well.

The homeschooling experience can be further enriched by taking advantage of available online resources. The internet is not restricted by opening hours like a library, and distance is not a problematic logistic. There are online encyclopedias, educational resources, groups and forums to join, access to news articles, and even educational games. If you don’t know where to look for any of these, do a search on any one of the available search engines.

Online resources are a great tool for homeschooling your children because:

• Online school articles save a lot of time. There are easier and faster alternatives of most traditional learning practices. If you consider flash cards, for example, you could find an online site that will provide the same exercise in a more interactive enjoyable while saving your time.

• Online tests are fun to take and you get immediate feedback.

• When you are teaching a particular topic, you can easily fish out useful images and video clippings on that. For example, if you were teaching something about the Egyptian civilization, you could find streaming videos and pictures about the Egyptian civilization very easily using a search engines.

• Newer applications and online lectures have animations and 3D graphics which help the child understand things better and visualize them properly in their minds. Even the best teachers pale in front of these visual style lessons.

• As most interactive tests and online lessons have graphics in them, it makes the tests more fun. A nice design could actually make your kids want to take more tests!

• Kids are fast at learning how to type. Once they get a hang of this, you could ask them to write their homework on computers. Typing is a necessary skill for many jobs in the workforce these days, and also makes assignment writing so much easier and quicker.

Online homeschooling is especially useful for high school students. Nowadays there are many complete courses being offered online for high schools and higher degrees. There are interactive online articles, online lectures, online textbooks and course material, and online tests. You could have access to everything a normal school-attending student will have and more.

While you are considering online resources you should also consider some of the best ways to utilize these resources. If you are planning to buy a computer, there are several advantages of using a laptop over a desktop system. With a laptop system, your child has the liberty to move it anywhere. Your child has the freedom to work on the computer at his/her desk, at the dining room table, or even on the veranda. If, like me, you are cautious as to what your children access online, you can ensure that your child works on the computer in your presence. With a laptop, it is possible for you to be preparing dinner in the kitchen while your child is doing homework on the bench in your presence. This sort of flexibility is lost using a desktop system.

So, it’s time to think about getting back to the school year routine. Remembering back to last year, you may be hoping that this year you will be better organized and your day will run more smoothly. Here are some ideas to get you started in the right direction.

ROUTINE is a key word here! Homeschoolers can get by with a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants agenda for only so long.  Take the time to PLAN a routine, write it down and then do your best to stick to it.

In your planning try to include the following:

Schedule the housework for the first part of the day. But please, DON’T do it all yourself! Make out a chore chart and have every child who is old enough do several chores each morning. I only have 2 children, but between the 2 of them my entire house gets cleaned thoroughly once a week. I also record the time spent on chores as part of the school day. I put it under the category of “Domestic Skills”.

Know what you want to accomplish every day. Set up a schedule of some sort (whether it is simple or complex) that includes what each child should be doing and at what time it should be done.   For many excellent tools for scheduling visit Donna Young’s wonderful website:  www.donnayoung.org

Prioritize your time. Schedule the most important things first and everything else will fall into place. Once your schedule is full, it’s imperative that you start saying “no” to further activities. In order to say “yes” to what’s important you must say “no” to what is not. It’s that simple. Take time to use a rating scale. Try dividing your activities into categories. Within each category, give each item a priority rating. By putting it on paper, you will be able to see where your priorities are and adjust your schedule accordingly.

Get connected with like-minded homeschoolers. We all need encouragement to stick to a routine. Find a supportive friend or support group. Or hire a personal life coach to help you think it through, make a plan and stick to it.

Use a visual aid to help you stay on task. To stay on task, I need a visual that I can easily glance at throughout the day so that I don’t miss anyone’s appointments and activities.  I purchased a large whiteboard and then, with a permanent magic marker, I made a vertical column for each day of the week and then gave each family member a horizontal section that intersects the days of the week.  On Sunday night I sit down with my calendar and I write in the appointments and activities for each of us (using wipe-off markers). I have the whiteboard in a prominent place so that I can check it throughout the day to make sure that I am not forgetting something important. This simple tool has made a huge difference in my peace of mind because I am not nearly as likely to forget anything as I glance at my whiteboard often throughout the day.  I also make use of the kitchen timer to remind me that I only have so much time before we need to get out the door.

As you get back to another busy and exciting school year, be sure to add a few of these organizational ideas to your day.  They will not only make your days run smoother but they will also give you peace of mind.

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.

No matter how much my grandma wants to resist it, technology is becoming an essential part of our daily lives.  We can't watch television without a digital converter, a satellite, or some other device.  Analog cell phones are a thing of the past.  Many university students cannot complete their studies without a laptop.  Even many public middle and high schools are requiring a flash drive as part of their school supply list.  When I took my son to the doctor last week, I didn't even speak to a receptionist.  I checked him in for his appointment at one of many touch screen stations that are set up near the entrance.  Technology is taking over our lives and it's in a hurry to do it.

While homeschooling families are only obligated to follow their state guidelines for homeschooling, because of the surge in technology, it can't hurt to be aware of the national guidelines for technology.  NETS, or National Educational Technology Standards is a list of standards compiled by members of the ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education).  They have broken down the standards into several groups, one of which is NETS for Students.  You will find some highlights* of those standards below.

The National Educational Technology Standards for Students

• Demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, develop innovative products using technology.
• Use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance.
• Apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
• Use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools.
• Understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.
• Demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.

Even if you are like my grandma and want to keep things as simple as possible, remember that things are changing.  Our children are growing up in a digital environment and we need to be responsible for making sure they're equipped to survive and be successful in it.  Incorporate technology into your lesson planning.  Teach your child to use PowerPoint, online games, web quests, virtual science labs, digital cameras, GPS devices... the list is endless.

* The full outlines for NETS can be found in a PDF file by going to ISTE dot org and clicking on the NETS link on the right side of the page.

In response to the moral deficiency, academic weakness and spiritually hostile atmosphere of the modern educational system, thousands of Christians have removed their children from public schools and, at great sacrifice of time and money, have pursued their children’s education under the banner of Christ.

Is it working? Is the homeschool movement fulfilling its goal? Homeschoolers are avoiding the public school agenda, but are they replacing it with the truly biblical way of learning? We know what to reject; do we know what to pursue in its place?

Education (and all human activity) must be defined in God’s terms. There is a danger revealed in Romans 1 for those seeking knowledge without God “. . . because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (21). They let their imaginations run wild and began worshiping things apart from what God had revealed of Himself. Their imaginings, Paul says, led them straight into idolatry.

We are challenged to search out God’s purpose and standards for education. It is not enough to simply borrow a curriculum of the western tradition and sprinkle it with Christian words. God, in this world, has appointed wisdom to be the structure, method and goal of our learning.

Wisdom is far above all of these. All other educational goals, even a good-paying job or socialization are casting a shadow of vanity. We must return to the biblical standards for education if there is ever to be a holy generation, set afire by truth, and inspired in our daily lives.

What Makes Christian Education Christian?

What is the real purpose of education? Why do Christian schools insist on using Greek and Roman standards for education? Does the Bible give a pattern of learning? What is wisdom, and what is the Christian community?

It may be difficult, at first, but it is essential that we compare our educational goals to God’s Word. Education affects every area of human experience. The way we see our world, the values we hold important, the skills we feel are necessary, our opinions of the past, present, and future—all are clearly affected by our education and our educational philosophies. Education is a process that forms one for life.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1–2).

Wisdom First

Man should begin his journey to obtain knowledge by first acquiring wisdom. By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. (Proverbs 24:3–4).

Wisdom comes from God’s word. Consistently Christian education (and this means consistently throughout education) must be built up, line upon line, from a foundation of Scripture. The tools of categorization, logical demonstration, and communication skills are to be used to identify systematically and put to proper use all things according to the interpretation given in the Word. All human skills and educational abilities are to be subjected to the authoritative revelation of Scripture. These must have but one foundation.

We cannot stand with one foot on the Bible and the other on human mystic tradition or we will be torn asunder. We must build foursquare on Scripture alone.

Suggested Memory Verses
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10).

Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off (Proverbs 24:14).

Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom; though it cost all you have, get understanding (Proverbs 4:7).

Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. ( James 1:5)

My child, don’t lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang on to them, for they fill you with life and bring you honor and respect. They keep you safe on your way and keep your feet from stumbling. Proverbs 3:21–24

Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)

There are some good reasons to quit homeschooling your children, but most of them break down to one common denominator: to live a life free of responsibility for the quality of your child's education, and to not have to answer to others for the schooling he received. Here are 12 reasons to just ditch homeschooling altogether and send them off each day to be educated elsewhere:

1.) You can blame your child's behavior and bad habits on his peers: they're not his siblings.

2.) You can blame his teacher when your child is "behind:" you're not the teacher.

3.) You would not have to grade papers or keep track of important educational documents or create a transcript.

4.) You would suddenly find yourself having more in common with the people you meet.

5.) You would be relieved of the responsibility to choose the best curriculum for your child.

6.) You could focus on your own personal hobbies or begin to work outside the home.

7.) You would substantially increase the likelihood of having a clean home if no one was in it all day.

8.) You could just complain about your child's environment, teacher, peers, and curriculum instead of being personally responsible for changing or repairing it.

9.) Your public school tax dollars would finally be at work for your family.

10.) You could stop having to justify or prove that your educational choices could be at least as productive as the public alternative.

11.) You could read books that don't use the word "education," "Charlotte Mason," "Trivium," or "self-discipline" in them.

12.) You never again have to answer the question "What about socialization?"

It seems like we are stuck with the term, "home school" and I will use it in my article just because we all know what we are talking about, but it really conveys the wrong idea. It makes us think that we are "doing school" at home.  And for most of us, we are not.

All of life is education. Home education is a much more comprehensive term. We are instilling character, teaching worldview, developing life skills and growing in knowledge, enlightening the understanding and pursuing wisdom, and this is not happening between the set hours of 9 PM to 3 PM.

It is all day and night, every day, through holidays, sickness, excursions... yes... through all of life!

How can we educate as a family without home "schooling"?

We need to live life as a family. Yes, it is important (I believe) to structure our days and lives, but real life mustn't be an interruption to our "schooling." I am sure you are familiar with these famous education quotes:

• "The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education." - Albert Einstein
• "My education was interrupted only by my schooling." -Winston Churchill

We need to view the whole of our day as real learning opportunities. We often think of interruptions in terms of the toddler needing our attention, or the computer breaking down, but these quotes above challenge us by saying that formal schooling is often the interruption to our education! The way in which we handle these times are just as important as teaching Maths and the reality of these events often cause us to learn far more.

As a family, we can break free from thinking in terms of school hours and school terms. As we home school, we need to remember that we are primarily a family and we can arrange our days and holidays to suit our family needs. For many years now, I have worked for 5 weeks and then had a one week break. This enables me to focus on a block of time and plan out a course of work. Then, I can home school solidly for the next five weeks. If my term was to go for ten weeks, I would find it really hard to keep up with those frustrating bits of housework that stare you in the face. I can keep going with my work for a solid five weeks, knowing that the overflowing cupboard will be dealt with in the next week.

We also need to remember not to measure productivity by "book work". Education is not confined to books! Sometimes we may feel disappointed when we do not have a lot to show for our children's efforts, but we must keep in mind that the nurturing and development of character will mostly come about through conversation and discussion and relationship building. The fruit of our efforts in educating our children should not be summed up in a score or a mark or a status or placement.

We don’t have to follow a school’s curriculum. We are a family. Through prayer, reading and research, we can set our own goals for our home-school and for our children's education. After all, the goals that one sets for their family determines what they will be studying. If music is a priority in your family, a goal you have set, then you will make time, find excellent teachers, and insure practice takes place – all because it is one of your goals. If you want your children to have a solid Christian worldview perspective, then you need to think carefully about what you teach, the materials you use and how the education you are giving displays the Lordship of Christ over all- and over all education. These decisions are for your family.

As a family, we are teachers who care about our children's weaknesses and struggles. It sounds ridiculous, but at times, I have found myself marking work with the aim to find out what my children don’t know - and ready to point out their deficiencies without the encouragement and kindness that should accompany my marking pen. At times I thought it was cheating to give my children the tricks and tips to get the right answer. Now, I understand that that is why we are there - we are home schooling them to be gentle with those who struggle and give them all the tools, tricks and tips to promote learning in their area of difficulty. It also means we are strict with those who are lazy and who don't give their best effort, and we need to look for ways to help the struggler and challenge and excite the child who never struggles. We do this because we care - about them and their character.

So, do we "home school"?

Yes - we provide an education for our children.
No - we live life and teach through the moments of each day.

Most of us start the school year with great plans and high hopes but it often doesn’t take very long to realize that we just don’t live in a perfect homeschooling world.

Are any of the following true for you?

• Your children don’t like the curriculum.
• You don’t like the curriculum.
• Your meticulous scheduling isn’t working out very well.
• There are too many interruptions during the day.
• You’re already feeling isolated and cooped up.
• The house is getting messier by the moment.
• You are irritable and overreacting to minor issues.

If you see yourself in any (or all!) of the above scenarios, don’t despair. Read on for some ideas to help you move beyond these road blocks.

1. Be flexible. If something isn't working, be willing to try something different. If there are tears or tensions on either side, put aside whatever you are working on and take a breather.  Try playing a game, reading aloud from a funny book or going to the park. Remember why you are homeschooling!  This is a whole-life experience and if you stop for one day it is not going to ruin any child’s life.
2. Limit scheduled activities. When the schedule starts feeling overwhelmingly full, you have the power to control it. Homeschool moms have a tendency to schedule way too many activities both inside and outside the home. Look over your schedule carefully and decide what is really necessary.  Say no to the ‘good things’ so you can say yes to the ‘great things.’
3. Get support. Get Dad involved (but you’re going to have to TELL him that you need his support and help; he’s not likely to just pick up on it).  Join and attend your local Homeschool Support Group. No group in your area? Join an on-line support group or a telephone support group.  YahooGroups.com has many homeschool related email groups. Hire a Life Coach who specializes in helping homeschool moms.
4. Change your teaching style or curriculum. If the curriculum isn’t working, give yourself permission to stop using it. Mary Pride suggests asking yourself: "Am I overdoing it? Am I making simple subjects too fancy? What can I eliminate?  Do I need to be doing this at all?  Is my child not ready for this subject?  Should I give it a rest?  Are there other worthwhile things we would like to study or do and come back to this later?"
5. Engage everyone in the household chores. Don’t do everything yourself!  Take time every day to train the children to pick up their rooms, do simple chores and keep the house in a general state of order.  It is well worth the time and energy it takes to get this part of your homeschool life organized.

When motherhood, homeschooling or life in general is overwhelming, stop and simplify.  So often when we see problems in our life, our tendency is to try and do a major overhaul.  Take some good advice from Charlotte Mason: implement only one new habit or idea at a time. With focus, diligence and consistency you will soon see improvement in this one area and you will not feel overwhelmed by trying to change too many things at once.  When the new habit is solid in your life, go ahead and move on to another one….but JUST ONE. Success in changing habits depends on setting one small goal at a time and achieving it.

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.

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.