-
Gamification in homeschooling
Many of us are homeschooling our children these days, and for those attempting it for the first time, it can feel daunting. From choosing a curriculum to keeping kids engaged with it, there’s a lot to think about. This is where gamification can help. The concept is becoming more popular these days, and with good reason. Read on to find out why. What is gamification? Gamification is taking typical game playing elements – for example, points, badges, and leaderboards – and applying them in another context. The idea is to use these features to make the activity in question more varied and enjoyable, boosting both motivation and engagement and results.…
-
Ways to learn from home as a family
We are always hearing about the ability to work from home and the advantages of so doing. We know we need to be commuting in our cars less for the sake of our environment. We have superb technology available to us so that for most jobs going out of the home is not really necessary. We hear less about learning from home. There are similar benefits and learning is a proven way to enhance our skills but also to feel better emotionally. Here are 5 ways to learn from home. Find a tutor When my older brother was struggling with his education, my parents sought a tutor and put his…
-
Homeschooling in the USA benefits parents and kids
As someone who home educates children, I am always keen to hear about the diversity of ways people facilitate the learning of children at home. Rebecca has two boys ages 12 and 10, and has experience of homeschooling in the USA. If you are in the UK, you might be surprised to learn that home education is on the increase. Homeschooling in the USA “Homeschooling is a huge leap. Today many are seeing it as an alternative to public schools. The freedom to teach your children and ensure that they are getting an education worth having. There are so many different things being taught these days that we, as parents,…
-
A Parents’ Guide to GCSE exams
Is your child struggling to choose their GCSEs subjects? This can be a challenging time for students and they will need plenty of support from their parents to help them choose wisely. Parental support is one of the most important factors in a child’s success. Here is a great guide from Mount House School for parents who want to help their children make the right GCSE choices. First and foremost, if your child is feeling stressed or anxious about choosing their GCSEs, take some time to reassure them. Explain that this is an exciting opportunity; because now they have a chance to focus on the subjects they enjoy the most.…
-
Introducing Shakespeare to children
Introducing Shakespeare to children can appear daunting. I think it is important to celebrate our most famous playwright but the very different type of English language used in Shakespeare’s time can make that a challenge. When I was at school, we were given a book in plain English telling the stories of famous Shakespeare plays. That meant by the time we studied actual Shakespeare texts we already has a familiarity with the stories. My husband cannot remember anything nice about learning Shakespeare at school and came to his first Shakespeare live performance in middle-age. My adult son loves Macbeth with a passion. My other children report watching a modern version…
-
Learning through art – guest post
Maria Tecla Artemesia Montessori turned modern education on its head when, at the dawn of the 20th century, she realised that by engaging with kids physically, creatively, and out of doors it did more for their learning processes, growth, focus and retention than those endless hours sitting at a school desk. This post is about a place that is all about learning through art. When kids were free to express themselves, or were emotionally connected with the teachings, they were more open to learning and their brains fully engaged. Despite Montessori’s impact abroad, when Shannon Kenny founded Arte al Sole, there were actually few truly engaging experiences for kids in…
-
History Heroes games review – highly recommended
History Heroes are a range of games that are both fun and educational. We all know learning through play is incredibly powerful. These games prove that as you use them with your children. I love history anyway and as a home educator was very keen to review them. I hope you enjoy my History Heroes games review. History Heroes games review History Heroes has launched their first, brand new Science Museum licensed card games: SPACE and LONDON. I love that both SPACE and LONDON are games that are fun for all age groups. I hate games that only appeal to certain members of the family. These would work well for any…
-
The personal expansion of education
It’s often at this time of year, when the kids go back to school and college courses start that we feel something is missing in our lives, as we get older; as this is the time of year for growth and personal expansion in terms of education .Image Credit Today, it’s never been easier or more convenient to learn from home thanks to online learning opportunities where you can study a plethora of high level academic courses, such as a RN-BSN program from the convenience of your home. This is fantastic for those with children who are often trying to juggle family life with other activities such as a full…
-
Home education images
The phrase “home education images” makes me smile wryly. It appears with the growth of the number of home-educated children, there are many opinions about the potential damage home-educating families may be doing to their children. If you accept as I do that most parents do their best you will realise that if anything it is the home-educating mums and dads themselves who will worry most about the welfare of their children. I know I question myself, our decision to home educate and so much else on an almost daily basis. Home education images Home education images that I see on home education blogs and networks shows a lot of…
-
6 Components to Insert in a Homeschool Writing Curriculum for High School Students
6 Components to Insert in a Homeschool Writing Curriculum for High School Students As a parent, homeschooling your children is a huge responsibility to take on. At the end of the day, homeschooling parents are a huge part of what determines their child’s educational success in the future. Learning how to write properly is a skill that is necessary through every stage in life, so it is essential for children to have a good base for it; especially teenagers during high school. This list will provide you with a few components that would be useful to include in a homeschool writing curriculum for high school students. 1. Literature and Reading…
-
Home education plan for a family
I know it might not suit many home educators but I have decided I need a written home education plan to steer our days and to help me on those days where I wobble a lot about our decision to home educate. I thought I would share what we are working to currently in case readers are looking for a home education plan. We can all learn from one another. My personal struggles with mental wellbeing have proved to me how valuable it is go get outdoors for some of that delightful Vitamin D. It is also a good time to talk and to share. We live in the countryside…
-
Home education guilt – a mum’s tale
Home education guilt is something that haunts me on days like today. I got up in a great mood but there was loads of housework to be done after a busy weekend. So as the children were happily doing their own thing including gaming and art, I prioritised cleaning and tidying the house. We had a leak at the weekend too so there was the mess from that to contend with too. My good mood remained and I felt I was on a roll and would do some positive home education come the afternoon. Then our landlord announced he wants to do a house inspection this weekend. I hate the…
-
Forest School preparation – home education
Forest School was a totally new concept to me when we started our home education journey. It bears no real relation to anything I remember learning in school apart from perhaps nature walks which may have happened once a year or so. Here is what happened when we started our Forest School preparation. What is Forest School? Forest School is about getting outside and learning in a hands-on way in natural and woodland surroundings. In typical fashion, I decided if we were to do Forest School we needed a forest. So we have moved to a rural spot with our own small forest and a larger one at the front…
-
A positive home education day
It is possible for us to have a positive home education day and I am committed to this being our new reality. I have worked out that because I am probably over-schooled, I need some structured aspects to our day or I feel too wobbly. This cannot be good for the children and they need to see a mum who is confident in our home education journey. Edplace for a positive home education day I signed up for Edplace ages ago and we use it from time to time but I want this to be more of a regular thing. My 12 year old son loves snuggling up and working…
-
Struggling with home education
I want to write about the reasons I am struggling with home education because it will stop the thoughts and feelings whirring in my head so much. I am not against home education but I really struggle on almost a daily basis so I want to share the reasons why that is the case. It wasn’t my choice so I am struggling with home education I am freedom-loving by nature and I did not choose home education as such. It chose me when my daughter was bullied by pupils and her Head Teacher. I was interested in home educating when I became a mother but my husband ruled it out…
