Do you want your kids to love reading? Try this! Have you ever thought about what you would say if someone asked you, “What’s the most important part of your homeschooled child’s education?” We’d probably all have different answers. (And I’m sure they’re all good ones! That’s the beauty of homeschooling. ) But here’s what I…
5 Simple Ways to Add Just-for-fun Reading to Your Family’s Daily Routine Homeschooling families tend to read a lot, but do you include enough just-for-fun reading in your homeschool day? Try Sara’s simple tips to make sure you do! Written by Sara Jordan Panning of Heart and Soul Homeschooling. You’ve seen them in the library…
Way back in the ancient days, when we began homeschooling, I was a unit-study-loving homeschooling mama. Our first curriculum was unit-study-based. We used it for about six months; then, I started writing my own unit studies. I had a Yahoo group and everything. Yeah, it was that long ago. I enjoyed writing the studies but…
I’m a bookworm. I have loved to read as long as I can remember. Once, our school did a read-a-thon to raise money for a charity. My step-dad pledged $1/book (that was a lot of money back in the day) because he didn’t think I’d read that many books. It seems like the goal was…
Written by Sara Dennis of Classically Homeschooling. Have you ever woken up one morning and known you needed a break from the normal routine but didn’t want to take a holiday? I know I have, so let me introduce you to reading days! Reading days are those days you bring your normal homeschool plans to…
Homeschoolers and books. We go together like rama lamma lamma ka dinga da dinga dong. (That’s a reference from the movie Grease for all you spring chickens out there. In a move that will be showing my true age, I’m going to state that I saw it in the theater. During its first run.) We…
The OCD tendencies that I only half-joke about possessing manifest in the oddest ways. Sometimes it’s the way I arrange my groceries on the conveyor belt for check out. Other times, it’s school planning. I’m not sure if the best title for this post is how to plan a high school reading list or how…
If you’ve followed Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers for more than, oh, five minutes or so, you probably know that I am a huge fan of hands-on learning. Games make learning fun. Having fun gets kids engaged and being engaged aids retention. During the preschool and early elementary years, we used games nearly every day. I particularly…
Today begins National Young Readers Week, and I decided to kick it off at my house by creating a list of books that I’d like Megan to tackle during her middle school years. Why just Megan, you may ask. Because Josh is already in 8th grade, so he doesn’t really have time to read them…
I began reading aloud to my kids from the time they were infants. Even though the oldest is now 18, they still enjoy hearing a good book read aloud. There are some tips for reading aloud to kids that will enhance the experience. 1. Enunciate. I’m not talking about saying each and every word distinctly…
Reading Horizons at Home is an online, interactive reading instruction program for all types of learners. For the past several months, we’ve been using the version for struggling readers ages 10 – adult. (Psst…don’t miss the giveaway at the end of this review!) If you’re a regular reader, you know that my son, Josh, has…
At The Homeschool Village this week, they’re talking about favorite books. I thought it would be fun to ask my kids what they’d recommend and why. Megan, age 8, said she’d recommend new favorite, The Princess and the Kiss by Jennie Bishop. Megan says that it’s a good book and interesting because God gave the…
Well, it seems that I’ve never met an All About Spelling product that I didn’t like. First, I was able to review their incredible spelling program with which I have absolutely fallen in love. I wish I’d had the spelling program when Brianna was younger. It’s one of the best I’ve seen, with its hands-on,…
Sustained Silent Reading – SSR. That’s the official name from The Read-Aloud Handbook, by Jim Trelease. We just call it “silent reading time” at our house and it’s my favorite time of day. Brianna loves it, too. Josh tolerates it. Megan hates it (“Because it’s silent,” she says. That’s funny for those who know her well.). …
I’ve enjoyed reviewing lots of great products this year, but a handful are destined to become favorites that we’ll be enjoying long after the reviews are done. Bonnie Terry’s 5 Minutes to Better Reading Skills is one of those favorites. Bonnie Terry, who spent over 30 years working as a learning disabilities specialist, offers a…
