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You’ve Got Questions… We’ve Got Answers: An OnlySchoolers Q&A

You’ve Got Questions… We’ve Got Answers: An OnlySchoolers Q&A

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Join Gina and Christyn for the first-ever OnlySchoolers Podcast Q & A! With questions ranging from ways to fill the long days to the role of dads and other adults in your homeschool, Gina and Christyn offer helpful hints and answers — and funny stories about honeybees and ants!

2:01 — Question: How do you fill all the hours with an activity-driven child?

3:49 — Christyn’s suggestions include read-alouds, board games, some scheduled activities like walks to the park or library. Have a loose routine and be sure to get out of the house sometimes

6:20 — Gina schedules at least one thing outside the house per day and encourages having a basic weekly schedule

9:10 — There are days that are hard and we’re exhausted but those days don’t last forever

10:00 — Final answer: Try to plan “outside the house” time, create a loose routine so your kid knows when you’re available, and have solo options available to engage the child

10:41 — Question: What kind of curriculum is recommended?

10:55 — Gina suggests that when a child is young, the best curriculum is no curriculum at all. Help your child fall in love with learning, read fun books, show them how to develop ownership of education

13:20 — Answer: The goal isn’t to find a perfect curriculum; it’s to create an environment that shows the kids that the world is a fascinating place and encourage their curiosity in exploring it

14:18    If you’re pulling your kid from public/private school, be sure to consider deschooling
https://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/how-to-start-homeschooling-tips-for-deschooling-children/
https://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/school-homeschool-what-is-deschooling/

15:08 — OnlySchoolers doesn’t recommend any curriculum, but we’re always happy to share what works/doesn’t work for our kids

15:48 — Consider the child’s learning style, your teaching style, and their future plans. All that will guide you in your choices

16:56 — Don’t feel guilty for getting rid of curriculum that doesn’t work

18:06 — Question: What is the role of dads in homeschool? How does homeschooling as a single parent work?

18:22 — Christyn addresses single parent homeschooling: Give lots of grace to you and your child and know that it’s okay to ask for help. Outsource some classes or activities. Include other adults in your child’s education. Create space for each of you to be yourself.

19:46 — Gina discusses her husband’s role in their son’s education

20:27 — It takes a village sometimes, so fill your homeschool village with people who support your child and your goals for lifelong learnin

20:43 — Question: Do you have book recommendations for kids?

21:53 — Christyn’s philosophy of reading is that there are no requirements for reading outside of class; focus on covering a variety of genres

22:54 — Gina says life is too short to read bad books. Read what you love — whatever that happens to be. In reading for school, she tends to focus on classics

24:22 — Christyn talks Survey of British Lit and some ideas she’s tossing around for future literature classes included Marginalized Voices in American Lit, Novels of the Great Depression, and Mystery Writers

25:50 — Question: How do you teach poetry?

26:00 — Christyn utilizes a Brave Writer idea of Poetry Teatime, which is eating treats and reading poetry out loud

27:40 — Gina comes at it from an English teacher background and looks at interpretation, word choices, rhyme, etc.

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Confronting Your Fears: Common Homeschool Worries… And How to Scare Them Away

Confronting Your Fears: Common Homeschool Worries… And How to Scare Them Away

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It’s October, but Gina and Christyn have a treat — no tricks! — for you: their best ideas on how to quash the worries that all homeschoolers — even veteran homeschoolers! — have about themselves, their kids, and their way of educating.

They tackle all the fears, from wondering if “Am I enough?” to “Will my kid be weird?” with personal anecdotes and lots of humour!

3:25 — Common homeschool fears. We’ve all been there

4:16 — The worries come in three main categories:
1) Worries about me
2) Worries about my kids
3) Worries about their education

6:25 — In the first category, our biggest question is “Am I doing it wrong?”

7:00 — Gina started out homeschooling thinking there must be a “right” way but quickly ended up unschool-y, knowing there’s not just one way to homeschool

7:28 — Christyn’s eclectic style was born from that fear, when she finally asked herself “Why do I think I’m the wrong piece here?”

9:07 — When it comes to the right personality to homeschool or the right organizational methods, there’s no one way. As parents, you are exactly who your kids need

10:25 — Worries of parents with only children: “But this is the only pancake I’ve got!”

11:40 — In the second category, the biggest question is “Will my kid be weird?”

12:20 — Gina and Christyn discuss the Late Middle English definition of “weird” which is “having the power to control destiny”

13:12 — Christyn talks Avengers in the the context of weirdness

14:37 — Flip around that idea of weird and remember that the ability to make choices that suit your personality at any time is a gift that homeschool facilitates

14:55 — Gina talks Henry David Thoreau and The Odyssey: let your kids listen for their own drummer and be the hero of their own life

16:41 — Be sure to also consider the modern definition of weird and determine your child’s comfort level with that definition

18:15 — We want our kids to be comfortable being themselves and listening for that drumbeat inside and following it

18:36 — The other looming worry in the second category: “Will the kids be socialized?” Gina answers “Poppycock” to that fear

19:35 — In the third category, worries about their education: “Did I teach them everything?”

19:43 — Gina answers, “Of course not,” and discusses how she wallows in the fact that responsibility is gradually shifting to her son to be weird and control his own destiny

21:42 — Christyn discusses finding gaps, filling them in, and knowing everything won’t be covered

22:30 — Our job is to teach our kids the value of learning. With that, they do the rest on their own

23:30 — Another question in the third category: “Is my kid going to be ready for the real world?” It’s up to you to help them grow and flourish and practice real-world skills

24:49 — The end goal is creating an environment in which your child becomes a competent adult

25:09 — Homeschool gives us the chance to create a supportive environment where kids grow at their own pace and in their own style

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Here’s Lookin’ at You, Kid: Movies and Television as Curriculum

Here’s Lookin’ at You, Kid: Movies and Television as Curriculum

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Lights — Camera — Action! Join Gina and Christyn as they talk about all the ways that visual media — television shows, movies, documentaries — are taking front and center stage in their homeschools.

From basic use to total immersion in visual media, they show you how you can incorporate movies and television to create a richer learning experience.

3:07 — When we use movies and TV as curriculum, which is an under-utilized educational method, we go way beyond the old-school “movie day” concept

3:30 — You don’t have to ADD visual media to the curricululm — visual media can BE the curriculum. It’s an eye-opening concept: using visual media as curricululm with minimal or no text added

5:00 — Three main steps
1) Classic use, i.e. “Read a book, watch the movie”
2) Hybrid — focus on print curriculum, but start sprinkling in visual media
3) Total immersion — visual media IS the curriculum, with readings sprinkled in

6:34 — The first step, the classic use, is heavily used in literature and history classes because it works well to start forming those compare and contrast concepts

7:20 — Gina talks about using the classic method for Shakespeare

8:40 — Christyn talks about using it even younger, with preschoolers and their favorite cartoons with book crossovers

10:14 — The classic use leads naturally to discussion of compare and contrast and begins to emphasize that idea of finding textual evidence (from the book AND the movie/show) to support your ideas and opinions

11:04 — The second step: Hybrid option. Have a spine for the class, but start sprinkling in more visual media to supplement and support the text

12:15 — Christyn talks about how she used it for a US History class she created, particularly with using Ken Burns’ “The Dust Bowl” during the section on the Great Depression

15:07 — Gina discusses her family’s use of Mythbusters to ramp up science class

16:57 — Once you’re comfortable with the hybrid option, you can kick it up to Next-Level Hybrid where the visual media is essential to the curriculum and is equal to or greater than the print portion. 

17:30 — Christyn discusses using “The Waltons” for history class and “The Middle” to learn how to write a personal essay

20:30 — Ask yourself “What am I trying to teach?” and “What movie or TV show can help me illustrate that concept?” Or you could even say, “I love this show — how can I use for homeschool?” 

21:08 — Remember: it’s okay for learning to be fun.  Our goal is to have our kids WANT to know more about a subject!

21:30 — Step 3: Total Immersion. Gina talks about how visual media jumps to center stage

22:40 — Gina discusses creating a class titled “Documenting History: The American Story” using nine or ten of Ken Burns’ documentaries and adding a project 

25:42 — Watching a story unfold on the screen is just as meaningful and just as valid and just as educational as reading a book

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Happy Labor Day! The Role of Life Skills in a Homeschool Curriculum

Happy Labor Day! The Role of Life Skills in a Homeschool Curriculum

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It’s Labor Day weekend, so Gina and Christyn have work-related stuff on tap, specifically as it relates to teaching life skills in their homeschools. There are so many opportunities in a homeschool environment to practice the life skills that will be necessary long after formal education ends.

1:37 — There are so many ways to naturally incorporate life skills, also known as practical arts, into homeschool

2:06 — Life skills include many things you don’t necessarily learn in school, but that are so necessary to navigating life

2:30 — Three types of life skills discussed
1) Life skills at home: chores, home repair, cleaning, etc.
2) Life skills outside the home: ordering in restaurants, navigating with maps, shopping
3) Life skills as they relate to gainful employment

4:00 — Gina and Christyn don’t use chore charts — kind of irrelevant for their only children! — but the kids still help around the house because life skills are necessary

6:00 — Homeschool parents often get caught up in the academic side and forget that life skills are hugely important, as well

6:31 — Gina talks life skills for Wyatt

8:13 — Christyn discusses incorporating them in September’s day

10:24 — As the kids get older, the life skills get more complex

10:49 — In many ways, life skills are just the practical application of a lot of academic skills

12:05 — Discussion of how to count life skills in the homeschool: until mastered, or every time?

14:12 — Life skills outside the home might relate to a primary academic subject such as communication, math, geography, social studies

16:44 — Real life examples of life skills required outside the home

19:32 — Life skills relating to employment and adulting — Gina and Christyn assure you that all the bits and pieces of a long expanse of homeschooling time start to pay off, which is gratifying to see

25:34 — Incorporate some low-key, low stakes situations to help your child develop the necessary skills. Lay the groundwork so the kids are ready when the stakes get higher

26:40 — Homeschooling has such successful outcomes because school takes place not only in a classroom, but in the real world

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Money Can’t Buy Happiness… But School Supplies are Pretty Close

Money Can’t Buy Happiness… But School Supplies are Pretty Close

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Can’t buy me love…but I’ll take a black Ticonderoga pencil! Join Gina and Christyn as they talk school supply shopping with a twist…homeschool-style. From traditional supplies to teacher supplies to those “Are you sure THIS is a school supply?” supplies, they offer their best ideas for this summertime rite of passage that, yes, homeschoolers can have, too.

1:25 — Gina and Christyn invite you to submit your burning homeschool questions for the October 15 episode

2:07 — One of Christyn’s first questions as a homeschooler was “Do I still get to shop for school supplies?”

3:00    Homeschool supplies look different from traditional school supplies

3:44 — Three categories of supplies
1) Traditional supplies
2) Teacher supplies
3) Untraditional, magic-making supplies

4:37 — TRADITIONAL SUPPLIES. 
Public school supply lists make a good jumping-off point

5:22 — Add some fun to your homeschool by creating your own supply list, or download the one from the OnlySchoolers Patreon page

8:53 — Get stuff you and your kids enjoy using, the brands you like, and involve your child as much as possible in getting the homeschool space ready

10:05 — TEACHER SUPPLIES
Make your job as educational facilitator easy with unique-to-you supplies

11:50 — Christyn’s favorite teacher supplies are staplers, 3-hole punch, printer, and laminator

13:01 — Gina likes writing utensils: black Ticonderoga pencils, fine-point pens, and a good pencil sharpener

14:05 — MAGIC-MAKING SUPPLIES
These are untraditional supplies and include anything you want to use to bring delight to your homeschool — think way outside the box to add these unique supplies

15:25 — Can include annual zoo memberships, magazine subscriptions, board games, craft or cooking subscription boxes, etc. Just decide what fits and will be good for your homeschool this particular academic year

15:45 — Christyn thinks this is the most vital category for anyone homeschooling an only because it can be a good way to break up the routine

16:20 — Gina likes conservation magazines, Highlights, video subscriptions

18:12 — Christyn’s picks (after trying out pretty much everything!) are zoo membership,  Highlights Top Secret Adventure packets, Universal Yums snack boxes, KidStir cooking box, and board games

21:00 — Board games are a fun way to take a break and continue to build skills. Download Christyn’s top picks and a fill-in-the-blank PDF for your own school year fun.

21:49 — Gina includes Snap Circuits and Lego kits as school supplies

22:15 — The door is wide open when it comes to homeschool supplies because everything can be a school supply. Each homeschool is an educational experience unique to your child so use anything you can get your hands on!

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Come to the Fair: Finding Your Homeschool Groups

Come to the Fair: Finding Your Homeschool Groups

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There’s nothing like a fair to bring a lot of fun together in a single package. Grab a cotton candy or corndog and join Gina and Christyn as they talk about how homeschool groups and activities can be just like going to the fair — and be just as much fun!

2:04 — A fair always has food and drinks for nourishment, games and rides for fun and thrills, and exhibit halls for learning.

2:28 — Homeschool groups bring those same elements together to create a rich learning environment for homeschool kids

3:47 — Organized groups are the “nourishment” for the homeschool fair. Gina talks about how groups work for homeschoolers, and the particular role they serve for onlyschoolers — those of us homeschooling only children

5:03 — There are lots of options for homeschool groups: national, local, online. Gina and Christyn talk about the different groups and the benefits and expectations

9:17 — Homeschool can be overwhelming and it’s reassuring to have a group of people to turn to as an easy resource

10:25 — Find a group that supports you and your beliefs, where you and your children will be comfortable.

11:00 — Homeschool Activities are the best part of the group — like the fun and thrill of fair rides

12:00 — Kids involved in homeschool activities don’t miss out on the “traditional” activities afforded to public/private school kids — we’ve got all the same stuff!

12:25 — Gina talks about the local group’s Teen Club

13:20 — Christyn talks about other homeschool activities, outside of a homeschool organization, such as scouting troops and youth choirs

14:45 — Gina discusses the role community organizations, such as YMCA or Parks & Rec can contribute to homeschool activities, such as ice skating and swim lessons

15:27 — Homeschool activities are great for providing team opportunities, especially for only children. Gina talks about Wyatt’s pairs skating and Christyn discusses September’s synchronized skating teams

18:15 — There are many ways to make the team thing happen for homeschoolers: volleyball, softball, basketball, local theater groups — or start your own special interest group!

19:26 — Homeschoolers are in a unique position to see opportunities for groups or teams outside the traditional school setup

19:52 — After the nourishment of groups, and the fun and thrills of homeschool activities, it’s time to take a turn around the Exhibit Hall: which means finding the opportunity for your homeschool child to learn something…and not always from you

21:00 — Christyn talks about using tutors from local universities for September’s French lessons, as well as utilizing online classes for learning

23:35 — Gina talks about homeschool co-ops, which are a good way to outsource some learning

25:35 — There’s a wide variety in the classes a co-op can offer; you can never predict what a parent might want to teach in a group setting. Co-op classes could include creative writing, dissections, cake decorating, craft upcycling, and first aid certification

27:00 — Homeschooling is probably the most fun you’ll ever have, especially if you do it with a group of friends

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Five Minutes on the Fifth Thursday: Book Lists

Five Minutes on the Fifth Thursday: Book Lists

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So…we lied…it’s really about 7 minutes, but hey — we were talking about books and book lists! And really, five — or even seven minutes — is not nearly long enough to talk books!

Take a listen to hear about how we use book lists and which authors/books are not our favorites.

1:06 — Christyn likes to use book lists to find new reads, especially when she can’t get to the library to browse shelves

1:41 — Anne Vogel at  “Modern Mrs. Darcy” (blog/podcast) curates awesome lists that Christyn always browses through. Currently, Christyn is reading food memoirs and accompanying food-fiction novels.

2:25 — Favorite recent memoir read was A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter by William Deresiewicz

2:33 — Gina likes to look at booklists for new or never-heard-of-before books

3:10 — Right now, Gina’s reading mostly classics that she missed before and some non-fiction

3:43 — Gina’s 10% rule: Read that much of a book and if the story or writing doesn’t grab you, stop reading and find something else!

4:00 — We discuss our least-favorite authors and/or book titles

6:22 — Links to some of our favorite booklists
Books in translation
Food memoirs
Jane Austen-inspired

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