It's All Worth While

Homeschooling is a hard path. I can't gloss over the reality.  Buying books and supplies for an entire year is a challenge.  Keeping up with each subject for each kid is more challenging.  Recording grades and filing proof takes diligence and organization.  Being kind and patient as you repeat the same instructions over and over and over is challenging.  Breaking up another fight when the kids have lost their cool without losing yours is more challenging.

When homeschooling is added to a life that already includes three meals and two loads of laundry a day, the task can only be tackled with Undaunted Courage.

But, every day, there is always that little reminder,

that little reward,

that little encouragement...

....that reminds you that it is all worth while...

(a love note on top of the pile of work that needs to be corrected)

School on a "Raft"

One morning, Rebekah decided to do her school on a "raft." In case your family doesn't play this incredibly fun game I used to play with my siblings, the rules are as follows:

1. Make a raft. Usually it is a blanket on the floor.

2. Collect your supplies. You must be well-prepared. This includes snacks...

...sleeping babies.....

....schoolbooks and tea. (in the background.)

3. Stay on the raft. You may not leave the raft once you shove off into the salty ocean waters because there are sharks in the ocean.

It was a good thing we weren't far from shore, yet. Rebekah had to retrieve my forgotten coffee cup so had to jump from the "dock" to the "raft" so she wouldn't get eaten by sharks.

(This is the trump card that the adult holds and the kids don't understand until they are adults. Yes, they are playing a fun, creative game, but they are STAYING IN ONE PLACE. :) Get it?
It can make a mess, so I remind the kids that supplies are limited and you have to live primatively on a raft. We are into survival, not luxery.)

Jon, after courageously braving a shark attack to stoke the fire, decided to stay in the murky waters, despite Beka's urgent warnings.

AAWWWWWWGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!! Bitten by a shark.

He'll have to learn to listen to a woman.

File Folder Games

Every year, I have added a few more games to my File Folder Games box. Of course, with no toddlers eating my markers, drooling all over my papers and stealing my scissors to cut their own hair, it is much easier to cut, color and paste in peace.

Self-checking file folder games are great for filling in those quiet moments when you are teaching one child and another is ever-so-patiently waiting for your attention. They are a fun way to emphasize a new skill you are introducing.

Early on I could never afford the colored folders. When buying colored folder, make sure there isn't printing on the inside. My early games were also very simple, but the kids enjoyed them, anyway.

This summer, this was my book of choice.

ISBN # 0-590-96380-5 Phonics Quick and Easy Learning Games by Wiley Blevins, published by Scholastic.

It isn't a file folder game book, but all the games were easily adapted for this format. The games reinforce beginning consonants, short vowels, consonant blends, long vowels, digraphs, rhyming words, r-controlled vowels and more.

Unlike all my other file folder games, these games are for the parent to play with their kids. Since I only have one in elementary school, this will work for me this year.

I made copies of each of the games and put the pages in their own file folders. I bought a plastic accordian folder at Target for $1. I also stocked a pencil case with with colored pencils, markers, scissors, and glue sticks and put both items in a tote bag. Every time I was going to be in the car longer than a half an hour, I carried the bag with me and worked on my projects. As I was working, I used post-it notes to mark what still needed to be done with each game.

The book has a pattern for a die you are to make, but I knew that would last about one minute, so I opted for these paper spinners from a dollar store. I used little stickers to adapt each spinner for the options needed for each game.

Office Max had free laminating for teachers last year, so I was in for about three weeks in a row with games and manipulatives I had been coloring for a few years in preparation for teaching first grade. This year, they offered 50% off, so I was thankful for that.

If I don't want to laminate, I use peel and stick laminating sheets from Avery. It is much clearer than clear contact paper, doesn't bubble, but it more expensive and harder to find. When I tried to buy it this year at Wal-Mart, the kid sent me back to the fabric store where the rolls of clear vinyl were. When I tried to buy them at Fred Meyer, I ran into a pleasant clerk that hadn't learned the English term, "laminating" yet, but was eager to help me. I knew there would be NO WAY I would be able to describe what I needed, so I hunted myself, but didn't find them. These are my final sheets from last summer's cutting and pasting.

I glue the instructions on the outside of the folder and glue the game boards on the inside.

While putting these away, I found a few I didn't finish from last year. There's ALWAYS something for a homeschooling mommy to do, isn't there?

Check out:

Enchanted Learning

Childcareland You also can sign up to receive daily emails with worksheets, craft ideas and video instructions for projects. My favorite site for pre-school and kindergarden.

Homeschool Hutt

Preschool Printables I made some of these years ago. Very fun!

Hope this inspires you to create fun learning activities for your homeschool.

ABC Jars - Part 2

These are the additions I've developed for the ABC Jar Project.

I made an extra set of vowels, "blanks" and a question mark.

You can make them find the missing vowel in the middle of small words,

or you could leave off either the beginning or the ending consonant.

I began collecting mini things to begin sorting when school begins this week.

I raided the Barbie accessories, the bathroom, my sewing cabinet and the junk drawer.

Have fun crafting!

ABC JARS

I can finally cross this project off my list of good intentions!

The original idea came from my daughter Jana's first grade teacher, Mrs. Benson, but she used white frosting tubs. Each week they highlighted a letter of the alphabet and the kids brought items for the jar.

I loved the idea of having see-through jars, but if you have toddlers and glass isn't an enticing idea for a manipulative, you might choose the plastic alternative.

I started with 26 baby food jars. Thanks, cutest granddaughter, Brookie!

I bought a can of gray spray paint ($3) and alphabet stickers ($5).
I can't believe how expensive stickers are!

You could choose a cheaper option, but I loved that they were puffy, plasticy and bright.

I spray-painted the lids outside on a sheet of plastic.

One coat covered the colored caps well.

It dried in four hours.

Beka and I applied the lower case stickers to the lids

and uppercase stickers to the jars.


For her first grade phonics, Beka is excited to fill the jars
with little items that begin with the letter on the jar.
We began scouring the house today for tiny plastic animals,
monopoly movers, and scrabble letters.

Other ways to use the jars:

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1. Match the upper-case letters on the jars to the lower-case letters on the lids.

2. Cut out alphabets words from magazines to put into each jar.

3. Cut out pictures from magazines to put into each jar. You could choose a theme like animals or food.

4. Use the jar lids to spell simple words.

a. Give them an ending like "in", "at" or "it" and choose the beginning consonants that form words.
b. Give them the beginning and ending consonant of a three letter word and have them fill in the correct vowel.

c. Give them a beginning sound like "ba", "pi", "bi" and have them choose a final consonant to form a word.

5. Choose a letter and have your child choose the letter that comes after.

6. Choose a letter and have your child choose the letter that comes before.

7. Choose two letters and have your child choose the letter that comes in between.

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Anybody have any good ideas on what to put the jars in?

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Any other ideas for uses of the alphabet jars?

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I'd love to have your input on this project!

part 2

Breaking the Monotony of Home Schooling

I have to admit, after 15 years of home schooling, there can be some monotony. The books all look the same. The phonics charts become tedious. The miles of handwriting worksheets are overwhelming.

We all know

"If Momma Ain't Happy

Ain't Nobody Happy."

I have been forced to find ways to make Momma and Company Happy. Last spring I began playing more phonic games and doing less of the repetitious charts. I threw away several handwriting worksheets and allow Beka to write letters, love notes to me (aren't they sweet at that age?) or copy something instead.

When that no longer was working, I created a new variation to break the monotony. I explained to Beka how her Grandma Mary used to teach in a one room school room in North Dakota. I sent her to search her dress-ups for appropriate clothing, we gathered students, also dressed them appropriately, and she school began.

I quickly explained the worksheet to Beka and she "taught" it to her students, asking questions and filling in the right answers. It was adorable!

My Mom really isn't this old, but we also garnished ideas from our cherished "Anne of Green Gables." Notice the old school bell? The adorable elf rubber stamps were a gift from my mother-in-law when I first began teaching.

These model students are attentively listening to Miss Rebekah explain the phonics rules. After they finished phonics, they listened to their teacher read out loud.

As we begin a new year, I am praying for the inspiration to KEEP the monotony away instead of fighting it back, to keep our enthusiasm high and to keep learning exciting.

Organizing Daily Work for Elementary School

I began home schooling with one student in second grade and four kids running around the house distracting us and making a mess. I had the foresight to understand that I would need order, and a lot of it, in all areas of my life.

Beka is removing her MONDAY FILE.

On a minuscule budget, the Lord blessed my shopping one day by with these white file boxes, two in a package, for $2.50. I bought enough for each child and a few extras. The boxes are now "teenagers" and still used, although worn and slightly tacky from left-over sticker residue.

I have a file for each subject, one for goal charts, one for special projects, and at times, have included Sunday School or Kids Bible Club (like AWANA) files to include all aspects of their lives that need daily or weekly attention.

I remove the pages from the workbooks and fill daily files for 2-4 weeks at a time.

Colored folders make it easier to tell what week you are on.


It is cheaper to buy a box of file folders
than the smaller cellophane wrapped packages.

At the beginning of each year, I create a simple chart with classes on the vertical and the days of the week across the top. I have also included Bible reading, memorization and chores.

If you use dark-colored markers or stickers,

you can't go back and see what work they have done.

We prefer highlighters or colored pencils.

If you file all the charts, it also keeps track of the number of your school days.

As each worksheet is completed, I correct it and hand it back to the child.

They do the problems over until they are correct.

This is one of my main teaching strategies; we don't go on to another lesson until the previous one is mastered.

I might not have taught something clearly,

or, they might have not have put enough effort into their work.

A finished page receives a smiley face, a sticker, or a rubber stamp, before being filed.

If a concept is not understood, the following lessons will not land on a firm foundation.

I would rather repeat a lesson, patiently and kindly, and allow them to be successful, instead of moving on in frustration.

I also make them write each misspelled word ten times - this is K-12.

(Thanks, Mom, for the tip. She used to teach in a one-room school in North Dakota.)

If they miss a simple math fact, I may make them write that ten times, as well.

Repetition does aid memory! It can also be overhwhelming, so use discernment.

As the years flew by, I began teaching the other kids, then added a sixth child to the family. I was very thankful I had started school in an organized fashion. Each day, all of my kids went to their file and pulled out what work needed to be done. The only problem came if I hadn't kept up my end of the system, and hadn't assigned goal charts or filled their files.

This system actually works with just the daily filing system, OR just the goal chart. I have worked this system in many different variations over the years and have found it to work for me.

HOWEVER....

I never said that my children did all the work without complaining.

I never said I haven't found worksheets hidden in toy boxes or under couch cushions.

I never said we didn't spend hours looking for a PENCIL so we could actually do the worksheets.

I never said they were finished with school before the school buses rolled by the house.

I never said that each worksheet was taught in a patient manner.

We'll talk about that later....

.....after you get your school organized!