Homeschoolers, check in here!

LaurieLovesLearning

I have been noticing a large influx of newbies who homeschool. I would like us to connect & be able to support each other as we delve into the TGN world of growing our own food & medicine, self reliance, etc. Some say that these things naturally go together, as can home birth & dads trying to figure out how to be at home with the family.

I certainly agree! We are certainly an independent & determined bunch.

I hope being on TGN can beautifully enhance the time you spend with your family as you learn together.

I intend to keep this thread for reference only, with no discussion here. Below is what I feel can help us start to get to know each other.

1. your state/province/country (in case you can be able to meet more locally to work on projects)

2. method of homeschooling

3. Level (elementary, junior high, high school, graduated)

4. Favorite interests

Have fun connecting!

LaurieLovesLearning

1. Manitoba, Canada

2. Eclectic

3. Elementary, junior high, high school, graduated!

4. Competitive Judo(!), foraging & wildcrafting, gardening, small scale organic farming (farm animals galore), fruits & veggies, building, exploration.

cattleuponahill

1. SW Wisconsin, USA
2. Hodgepodge 😆 , but mostly student led and eclectic.
3. Elementary, junior high
4. Farming, animal husbandry, one son is very interested in airplanes and engineering, gardening, serving the elderly of the community (before covid), forgotten classic books, audio dramas, hunting and fishing.

I have been homeschooling from the beginning. Homeschooling is much different than distance learning that was necessary during the pandemic. I highly recommend homeschooling. There is freedom and connection with your children that is priceless. The amount of homeschooling materials available is almost overwhelming.

I have often felt inadequate, but as my children get older, I know it is the right decision for many reasons including: family connection, critical thinking, dealing with different learning abilities, life skills, and the list goes on and on.

If you are considering homeschooling for the first time, I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

fivelawrences

1. North Texas, USA
2. Student-Let (sometimes a little closer to un-schooling, actually)
3. High School & graduated
4. Science, Herbalism, Homesteading, Generally just trying to make our world a better place.

LaurieLovesLearning

Thanks, @cattleuponahill You are right on with your comments. It is certainly a culture all its own.

Bigfamilyboss

1. Wisconsin, USA

2. A little bit of everything

3. Currently 6th and 9th but have graduated my older children

4. I enjoy gardening, sewing, hiking and biking but I have fibromyalgia so that's very limited, reading, soap making and so many things that I'd be here all day listing them all.

I have 12 children and homeschooled all of them. A couple of them went to live with their dad a few years ago but all of the others graduated from home except the youngest two.

LaurieLovesLearning

@Bigfamilyboss I have great respect for those with huge families. I have many kids as well, but not 12! Yes, our interests are never ending either.

valizona

1. Central Texas
2. Charlotte Mason-ish-- Former moderator of local group but life caused us to improvise in unplanned ways:)
3. with 6 kids, I've graduated 2 and currently have high school, middle and elementary students
4. personally, my favorite interests are hard to narrow. What i tend to have time to DO are gardening, knitting, herbal medicine, fermenting, reading/learning, hiking, and some cycling.

annbeck62

America' s Test Kitchen has a kids kitchen classroom - great resource for homeschoolers. Check it out

https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/2444-kitchen-classroom-week-14

nicksamanda11

Nashville, TN We are Yeshua following life learners believing the flat world is our classroom. The Bible is our instruction manual. We don't really have grade levels around here but I guess technically it would be 2nd and 7th grade levels in August 20. We love to forage for food and medicines, shoot and clean and learn about guns,learn by practicing survival skills, read anything we get our hands on, and we love to start fires.

LaurieLovesLearning

@annbeck62 Could you post your links as a new thread for all to use, further discussion & for ease of discovering?

That would be fantastic!

GardenMama

Heeeeeerrrrrreeeeee!!!

1.Northern ish Illinois

2. Charlotte Mason-y unschoolers

3. We dont dont do grade levels but I've got kiddos from 6 to 12 years old

4. Does a little bit of everything count?

LaurieLovesLearning

@GardenMama It absolutely counts!

We kind of go with what grade our kids would "be in" if in the public system. I put the levels question in to give others an idea what stages you have gone through, are in or have had experience with.

Oh...I forgot to mention that we love traditional harmonious hymns & songs, whether with or without instruments. My own passions are singing (soprano, alto & others if I can reach them, haha), heritage animals (birds & cows are my focus right now), any traditional skills & now herbalism. 😀

Paradox

does a virtual charter school count?

LaurieLovesLearning

Virtual schools are often promoted in homeschooling magazines/sites, but I think that it is quite a different method from homeschooling, even though it may have similarities. Some virtual schools are no more than public school at home, which, as highlighted by recent events, is not homeschooling, but public schooling at home. Homeschooling has it's own unique quirks, culture, & lifestyle, different from public school done at home. Unschooling too, has similarities, but it can be argued that it is also of a different cloth as such.

These things may be, but I feel that learning from and alongside each other is still good.

I wanted each member to indicate their method to be able to connect with others of their method (and others if they want to). This way, if they want very specific help, it can be asked of the members who are in a similar situation & are of the same mindset & method/style. Support is important. Homeschooling is not for the faint of heart.

Torey

@LaurieLovesLearning I have a question for you that resulted from a conversation in another thread. How do you get your homeschooling materials? My daughters were on at home for a couple of years in their teens and we did what was at the time called Correspondence. All of the parents I knew were using this as their homeschooling material although I think there may have been other routes to take. It was administered by the school district and materials came from a central school location. I think there were 5 or 6 centres around the province. Linked learning via the internet wasn't available in those days so it was all paper, done by mail. Is this similar to the system you are using, although probably updated via the internet?

Bryce Langebartels

1. Indianapolis, IN
2. We do a mix of traditional learning (classroom style) with lots of farm, garden, and DIY activities mixed in to teach super practical aspects and get their hands and bodies moving.
3. Pre-school (1), Kindergarten (2), 2nd grade (2).
4. Gardening, animal husbandry (goats, chickens, ducks, geese, and hopefully pigs next year), DIY projects around the homestead.

LaurieLovesLearning

@torey I will PM you.

MelissaLynne

@Bryce Langebartels do you have two sets of twins? My husband is a twin as well as having younger twin sisters.

Denisha Cole

Indiana

Child-interest led, with a great emphasis on reading through phonic

2nd grade

Science, math, reading, gardening, home economic, real history and much more

@Bryce Langebartels hello, I am from the same area as you!

Bryce Langebartels

@Denisha Cole That's great! We're in Pike Township. Are you connected with other homeschoolers in any co-ops or anything?

@MelissaLynne We do not have biological twins. The 8 year olds are 4 months apart and the 6 year olds are 5 days apart. Three of our 5 are adopted.

angelapete06

I'm in MN, USA and will begin homeschooling in the fall with a 5 year old. I have a reading/phonics/handwriting curriculum and a math curriculum and for the rest, we learn through daily life and the bible.

LaurieLovesLearning

@angelapete06 It is good to hear that you are starting with homeschooling. A nice thing about a 5 year old is that you can do everything books in very little time each day & still have lots of time to do plenty of other fun activities. Remember to keep learning fun.

If you have questions, just pm someone here & we will help you out if we can.

There are so many resources available now too, not like when I was introduced to it as a student in the 80s.

Denisha Cole

@Bryce Langebartels I am on tge Eastside of Indy. I have not been connected to any homeschool co-op. Are you? Any suggestions.

Thanks!

Bryce Langebartels

@Denisha Cole we aren't doing any co-ops, but we do send the kids to a place on the north side called Wisdom Builders one day a week just to get classes that my wife doesn't want to teach AND (maybe more importantly) to give her a break one day a week. :)

Denisha Cole

Cool beans! I'll have to check out Wisdom Builders.

tammyrichardsmt9

Montana

We do a little bit of many things

5th, 7th (2), 10th, graduated (3)

gardening, sewing, learning new things

LaurieLovesLearning

@tammyrichardsmt9 are you in the flats of the mountains? Montana is so nice. I've been there only once & really enjoyed the people & the scenery.

Viju

1. Karnataka, India.

2. Child-led, mostly.

3. My daughters are eight and five years old.

4. Gardening (of course), puppetry, theatre, cooking, all aspects of sustainable living.

LaurieLovesLearning

@Viju It is so wonderful to "meet" someone homeschooling in India!

The Gardening Groomer

1. Southeastern NC, USA, near the beach but in the sticks

2. Self-learning + Abeka; we're not Christian, but I like the curriculum, and they can skip unnecessary sections or books without it losing continuity, to suit their chosen life paths and vocations. Plus, we utilize a lot of documentaries & video/audio lectures, particularly history and its relation to current events, and we have a huge library of old books ranging on all sorts of topics in relation to our society and our world, and the state it's in.

3. high school, junior high, high school age but elementary level (developmentally delayed due to vaccine damage)

4. Animal care and husbandry, marine zoology, metal smithing/forging, cosplay, gardening, survival, truth. My 13-yo son assists me when I'm grooming dogs, but I wouldn't necessarily say that's an interest. :D