Successful Learning

I’m a homeschool mom with four daughters between the ages of 6 and 13. We are almost halfway through our seventh year of homeschooling, and our family has used BJU Press’s homeschool curriculum since the very first day. We initially chose BJU Press because we knew the curriculum would support the values that we are working to instill in our children. We’ve come to love BJU Press. My daughters are thriving and actually look forward to doing schoolwork each day. And the new BJU Press Homeschool Hub tool has made homeschooling so much easier. 

The BJU Press homeschool curriculum is robust—there are a lot of parts and pieces, so some homeschoolers find it initially overwhelming. If you are considering using BJU Press or are new to BJU Press, here’s what you’ll need for getting started with BJU Press in your homeschool.

how do you get started with BJU Press in your homeschool?

When I was growing up, I only knew a handful of other homeschoolers. But one year when I was in my early teens, my mom and I drove with another family to a city a couple of hours away to attend a homeschool convention. I had never been to a homeschool convention before, and I was immediately overwhelmed by the sheer number of homeschoolers that I met that day. I didn’t know so  many homeschoolers even existed! Suddenly homeschooling didn’t seem so weird. And I didn’t feel so isolated. Even as a young teenager, I found it easy to get caught up in the excitement of the homeschool movement when I attended the homeschool conventions near me.

Fast forward a few years. Now I’m the homeschool mom of four wonderful daughters. But I don’t always feel excited about homeschooling. Some days I dread it. Some days I cry in frustration because I don’t know how to help one of my children. I still go to homeschool conventions because I’ve found that they are really helpful. They give me a chance to recharge, to renew my vision for homeschooling, and to get help from more experienced homeschool moms. 

If you have never been to a homeschool convention, I hope that you will be able to visit one soon. Below is some information about popular homeschool conventions near you as well as some tips to make the most of your time. 

learn more about homeschool conventions

Employers are increasingly showing interest in neurodiverse employees. The term neurodiversity has been around a long time. This term encompasses people on the autism spectrum, those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), speech disorders, dyslexia, and several other neurodevelopmental conditions. Neurodiversity advocates seek to highlight that these conditions are not necessarily a deficit, but come with strengths and weaknesses unique to each individual. In a 2009 study, neurodiverse students who viewed themselves as “different” rather than as having a “deficit” had higher academic self-esteem and confidence in their abilities, including career goals. This perception may be key for you if you’re considering planning to homeschool children with special needs.

From a biblical perspective we understand that God made man in His image. The God-given diversity of abilities, strengths, and weaknesses includes everyone. If you have children with special needs in one or more areas, they likely also have strengths in other areas. If you’re planning to homeschool children with special needs, your experience may look different, but the goal is the same. The goal is to equip the child to make a positive difference in his world.

Learn about Homeschooling with Special Needs

Homeschooling is great, isn’t it? You have the freedom and flexibility to teach your children according to your own style, schedule, and interests. Thanks to the recent uptick in families choosing to homeschool, curriculum choices, resources, and ideas are more abundant than ever. Still, you may find yourself needing something more for your family’s needs. Perhaps you don’t feel confident teaching a certain subject. Maybe your kids need more social opportunities. Or you wish your children had access to extra classes such as art, debate, home economics, or creative writing. A homeschool co-op sounds appealing, but there aren’t any in your area that seem to fit your expectations. If you have considered starting your own homeschool co-op, we’ve compiled some ideas and suggestions to guide you and help you get started.

[Read more…] about 9 Steps to Start a Homeschool Co-op

Our children are a gift, given to us from the Lord to train for His service. When your children are preschoolers, it may be difficult to imagine them as adults. You are probably just looking forward to the day when they will put on matching clothes or keep their bedroom neat. But in reality, we only have our children in our home for a very short time. We only have a very small window of time to teach preschoolers a biblical worldview, so we must start young because it can be one of the most valuable and foundational beginnings to our homeschool journey.

How do you teach preschoolers to think with a biblical worldview?