BJU Press Blog

Jenna

Time to Refresh Your Homeschool?

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use computer to refresh your homeschool
The holidays have just finished, and you’re probably about to get back into the same old same old. But how did it go those last few days of homeschooling before the holiday break? If you left off feeling worn out and tired, you may not be so eager to dive back in. If that’s the case, now may be the perfect time to refresh your homeschool. Here are a few ideas for adding excitement and energy into your routine.

Add in Field Trips

If you weren’t able to include many field trips last year, take a few moments to plan out some places you might like to visit this year. Or you can leave room for some spontaneous field trips. Field trips are great opportunities to solidify what your children have learned, but they also present new learning opportunities as well. If you visit a zoo, your children may be able to see live examples of different habitats and how animals live together, but they will also get to see many other aspects of life science that may not be covered in their textbooks.

For example, I recently had an opportunity to visit the South Carolina Aquarium, located in Charleston Harbor. In addition to its wide range of aquatic habitats, the South Carolina Aquarium is also home to the Sea Turtle Care Center, which gives visitors an up close and personal look into the veterinary care of sea turtles. They even had some of their instruments on display. History museums, science museums, art galleries, zoos, and aquariums are all full of opportunities to get your children excited about learning!

Focus on Hands-on Activities

Sometimes, it’s easy to let hands-on activities go by the wayside. You don’t always have all the supplies, and maybe your children already have a good grasp of the material. But hands-on activities have a way of bringing even the most ordinary lessons to life. Many of the activities suggested in BJU Press textbooks straddle the line between play and learning. Your children may be learning about the moon and how its surface was formed, but they’re also getting to make their own play dough and getting to shape the dough themselves. And hands-on activities aren’t just limited to science and art. There are many ways to incorporate hands-on experiences into history and math. Such activities are also great for getting kinesthetic and visual learners engaged in learning.

Reorganize

Nothing says “fresh start” like a newly cleaned space. Before the books start flying again, take a moment to assess your homeschool space, clean it, and maybe reorganize it. If you have a spare room, you could set up your own dedicated homeschool space. Or, if you’ve been using a dedicated homeschool space for a while and it’s starting to feel too much like a brick and mortar school, you can relocate your lessons to the kitchen table instead. Regardless of your set up, you can learn from some of the tips other homeschool moms have found useful. Feeling more adventurous? Here are some other ideas on how to add life to your homeschool space!

We hope your new year of homeschooling goes well! Do you have any ideas for refreshing your homeschool this year? Please share yours in the comments!

The Best Gift of Christmas

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gift of Christmas card
During Christmas time, we often focus on giving. We teach our children that it’s better to give than to receive. You may have helped them create a Christmas gift budget. Or you may have encouraged them to give by serving others. We must remember that we as children of God are able to give in love because we were first loved. In this season of giving, let each gift shine with the love of God.

Take Advantage of Homeschool Stability

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working with homeschool stability
If you’re at the beginning of your homeschool journey, you might think of the serenity prayer often seen on magnets and signs: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Despite the flexibility of homeschooling, there are still some things that you cannot—or should not—change. In fact, here are five unchangeable elements that will shape your family’s homeschool journey. It’s important for you to be familiar with these elements at the outset because they will give you stability in the years to come.

1. State Regulations

All states have regulations for how children are educated, and most have specific rules concerning home education, ranging from low to high in restrictiveness. These regulations may seem like an imposition, but they’re intended to ensure the well-being of your children. The best way to follow your state’s regulations is to keep detailed and accurate records of the classes your children have taken and to regularly participate in achievement testing.

The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) offers a helpful summary of each state’s regulations for homeschooling. Knowing your state’s rules is a key first step for homeschooling. You don’t want to be taken by surprise by requirements, such as submitting test scores or academic records by a certain date.

2. Commitment

No parent just wakes up one morning and decides to start homeschooling. It’s a long and often difficult journey that involves many sacrifices. Carefully consider the reasons behind your decision to homeschool. Do you want to homeschool to more effectively disciple your children? Do you want to lay a solid foundation for a biblical worldview? Are you protecting your kids from bad influences? Do you want to make sure that they’re getting what they need academically? The factors you based your decision on drive the commitment you make to homeschooling. This commitment effects both the goals you set for your children and the curriculum you choose.

3. Joy

In a traditional school environment, much of the potential of learning gets lost. Everything is textbooks, tests, strict rules, lining up, raising your hand, and just ten more minutes until lunch. With one teacher to every ten to fifteen students, that rigidity is what keeps the school going. But at the end of the day, the joy of learning often gets lost in the humdrum moments. Learning should be fun because every day is packed with new ideas and new ways of looking at the world.

When it’s just you and your children learning together, you have the freedom and opportunity to bring out the joy of learning every time you find it. You can set the rules that are important to your family. This one-on-one experience with your children lets you chase learning wherever it may lead.

4. Homeschool Support System

Remember, you don’t have to do this alone. Every homeschooling group is a community of like-minded parents who are as committed to the homeschool calling as you are. These communities are digital, local, regional or state, and networks. Digital communities are groups of bloggers that offer quick answers to homeschool problems as well as numerous resources for parents. Local communities, or homeschool co-ops, give you a chance to join forces as you teach your children. Co-ops share the burden of teaching and planning field trips and give children a chance to develop healthy friendships outside the home.

Regional or state homeschool support organizations give families a place to turn to in navigating their journey. In addition to offering conventions and conferences, they keep track of state regulations on homeschooling, and some have consultants who work with families as they get started and can connect them to local co-ops. HSLDA functions as a countrywide support organization and maintains a list of state organizations on its website.

Another good option for getting some personalized support is connecting with a consultant from Homeworks by Precept, a nationwide network of independent curriculum consultants who have plenty of homeschooling experience. Establishing a relationship with a HomeWorks consultant could make your first few years of homeschooling much easier.

5. Time

Education takes time. Both you and your children will need to devote time to lessons and schoolwork. But that doesn’t mean you can’t homeschool if you’re a single parent or running a home business. How you use your time is still up to you. There are many different options available to busy homeschool parents that can work with the time they have available, such as self-paced video courses or online classes. Time-strapped parents will also appreciate a curriculum that includes as many supplemental resources and activities as they may want so that they won’t need to come up with these on their own. Knowing how much time you can devote to homeschooling will help you narrow down your curriculum options.

Eager to learn more about your homeschooling journey? Please sign up to receive our free eBook, A Guide to Homeschooling, to learn more about the road ahead of you. Be sure to fill out the homeschool preparation checklist at the end, and feel free to ask questions in the comments section below.

So You Want to Be a Homeschooler?

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get started homemschooling with your family
Whether your first child is almost ready to start school or you’re worn out from years in the school system, you’ve decided to homeschool your children. Now that you’ve made that decision, where do you begin? The homeschool community is a lot bigger than it seems from the outside. It’s full of strong opinions and unique terminology. As you begin, here are a few questions that may be weighing on your mind.

Can I even do this?

You may not have an education degree and are probably feeling like you don’t know a thing about teaching. But don’t let such doubts distract you. The National Home Education Research Institute reports that many homeschooled children perform better on standardized achievement tests than public school students, even if their parents don’t hold higher degrees. Whether you’re homeschooling a special needs child or not, you are just the expert your children need. Ask around, and every veteran homeschool parent will say the same thing. If you’re uncomfortable with teaching or you’re homeschooling several children, consider using video lessons through BJU Press’s Distance Learning courses. Our Distance Learning teachers are experienced and engaging educators who have a passion for Christian education.

What makes a homeschool family successful?

Every homeschool family is different. The choices you make on this journey will set you apart from every other family, from the style you choose to the curriculum you use. But there are two qualities that will equip you to go the distance—stability and flexibility. Successful homeschool families know that there are certain things they can’t or shouldn’t change about their experiences. These things are like signposts that direct the rest of your journey.

But on the other side, homeschool families also know that many elements of their journey are beyond their control. In order to keep moving forward, they stay flexible so that the inevitable changes that they face won’t become roadblocks. As you grow and learn as a family, you’ll discover that what worked when you began may eventually stop working. You will need to change and adjust as you go, and you will need the flexibility to accept new changes.

What should I expect as I get started homeschooling?

Your homeschool journey will be unique to you and your family. Because of that, you shouldn’t jeopardize the success of your homeschool by sliding into the trap of comparison. Your journey doesn’t have to fit into any particular mold because there aren’t many absolutes in the homeschool world. That makes it hard to foresee what your specific homeschool will look like. Much of your experience will be dependent on the goals you set for yourself and your family and on your specific reasons for homeschooling.

Do I have to do it alone?

Many homeschool families agree that it’s a lonely calling, but you don’t have to resign yourself to being isolated. There are plenty of online communities and local homeschool groups that you can join. Consultants with HomeWorks by Precept, partners with BJU Press, delight in bringing homeschool families together to share experiences and insights.

If you’re ready to jump into this homeschooling thing feet first, please sign up to receive our free eBook, “A Guide to Homeschooling,” and learn more about the road ahead of you. Be sure to fill out the Homeschool Preparation Checklist at the end, and feel free to ask questions in the comments section below.

New Additions for Your Thanksgiving Meal Plan

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your thanksgiving meal plan
We’re only a few days away from Thanksgiving, and many of us are already planning and preparing for the great feast. What was your family’s favorite part about last year’s Thanksgiving meal plan? What did you have entirely too much of afterwards? Was there anything that wasn’t as popular? (Personally, I think all Thanksgiving meals would be better with more mashed potatoes and much less stuffing.)

If you’re looking to adjust your Thanksgiving meal plan or try something new, here are a few Thanksgiving favorites from the writers of the BJU Press Homeschool blog!

Sharon’s Baked Corn

Ingredients

1 qt. corn, frozen or fresh

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. oil

3 Tbsp. sugar

3 Tbsp. flour

Directions

  1. Mix all ingredients well in a bowl. Pour into a greased slow cooker.
  2. Cook on high for 3 hours and then on low for 45 minutes.

Sharon loves this recipe because it gives her an easy but delicious side dish to have cooking while she’s focusing on other, more involved dishes.

Megan’s Shoo-Fly Pie

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 Tbsp. shortening

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup dark Karo Syrup

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup water

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 cup hot water

1 pie crust

Directions

  1. Mix sugar, flour, and shortening until crumbs form and reserve ½ cup for top of pie.
  2. In another bowl, blend together syrup, egg, and ¾ cup water.
  3. Combine crumbs and syrup mixture with spoon.
  4. Dissolve baking soda in ¼ cup hot water and add to mixture.
  5. Pour into pie crust shell and top with ½ cup reserved crumbs.
  6. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.
  7. Serve with whipped cream.

Megan loves this recipe because it has deep roots in Pennsylvania, where she grew up, and making it for Thanksgiving gives her an opportunity to share her history with her daughters.

Jenna’s Cranberry Salad

Ingredients

1 bag cranberries, fresh

6 apples, red delicious

20 oz. can pineapple chunks with juice

12 oz. tub whipped cream

Directions

  1. Core and slice the apples.
  2. Use blender or food processor to finely dice apple slices and cranberries.
  3. In a bowl, thoroughly mix diced apples and cranberries together with pineapple chunks, undrained.
  4. Transfer to strainer with a bowl to catch the juice; allow the mixture to drain overnight or at least 6 hours in the refrigerator.
  5. Transfer mixture back to bowl and combine with whipped cream. Serve chilled.
  6. Bonus juice: Draining the diced cranberries, apples, and pineapples will yield up to three cups of juice. Mix the juice into a pitcher of cold water or seltzer water. Add sugar to taste.

For me, Thanksgiving never feels complete without a big bowl of my mother’s cranberry salad. After she passed away, I took on the task of making it every year and sharing it with friends and family wherever I happen to be on Thanksgiving.

As the psalmist said, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness” (Psalm 107:8–9).