I’ve been struggling in this space.
You see, my life as a homeschooling parent has drastically changed since this blog began 10 years ago.
I now have a homeschool graduate and a high schooler. My role is shifting to one of counselor, mentor, encourager - and (my favorite) cheerleader.
So often I come across things during the week, or remember something that really worked in our homeschool. I want a way to share this information with the Homegrown Learners community, but social media is so…. well…. social media. Know what I mean?
I no longer have the cute lesson plans and pictures of happy children living that carefree interest led lifestyle. I now have one teenager at home who works independently - and most often that isn’t very blog (or photo) worthy.
So this space remains of value to you, I’ve come up with a solution: each Saturday I will post a weekly homeschool roundup - interesting articles, posts, books I’m reading, homeschooling tricks that work - you name it - if I think you need to know about it, I will share it here.
Each week I will post FIVE things that have stuck with me during the week.
I’d love for this roundup to be something you look forward to with your Saturday morning coffee.
So stick with me, and let’s get going with the first weekly homeschool roundup!
Teaching Diligence to My Teen is a Hill I’m Willing to Die On
Wow, this post from Annie & Everything is exactly how I’ve been feeling recently.
We’re going through that oh so lovely time in our household when my youngest seems to have lost his mind. He’s a good kid, but let’s just say a lot is escaping him right now. I remember this phase with my daughter, too.
If what it takes is being the water that drips and drips and drips on the rock until it forms an impression, then I will be that drip. I will be a gentle drip, a more sensitive sergeant, if you will — but I will just keep dripping, just keep dripping, what do we do? We driiiiiiip.
I agree with Annie - it’s a hill worth dying on to teach our children diligence. So let’s be diligent about this, shall we?
A Wonderful Historical Fiction Author
We’ve now read two books by Steve Sheinkin.
Both Undefeated and The Mysterious Benedict Arnold were wonderful read alouds for my 9th grader. I suspect they would even be good for your upper elementary and middle grade students, too.
Your children are never too old to share a read aloud with.
Remember that thing about diligence from Annie’s post above — do that with reading aloud, too. (wink)
There Are No Words
I wish I wasn’t posting this as the thing of beauty this week, because it is in remembrance of September 11, 2001.
This posting on Facebook from the United States Air Force Band is truly beautiful.
Take a few minutes to share this with your children.
What Should I Read Next
My go-to person for all things books and reading is Anne Bogel. I’ve been listening to Anne for a couple of years now, and had the chance to meet her in person last year - she’s lovely, by the way.
Her 200th episode of her podcast, What Should I Read Next, aired this week.
This list of 12 Favorite Episodes of What Should I Read Next makes for a lot of good listening.
Five In a Row
We have so many precious memories of the Five in a Row books in our homeschool.
If you don’t know what Five in a Row is - you need to!
If you have been rowing books, then I hope you know about Blog, She Wrote and all of the FIAR resources there.
Our favorite FIAR title has to be The Story About Ping (oh, this is such an old blog post!)…. I’ll never forget the week we spent schooling at a local lake to make the most of this story.
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