Learning Outside the Box

My Prek 3/4 or Prek picks books/activities

2009-10-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

"100 Bible Stories 100 Bible Songs" Stephen Elkins

"A is for Apple" board book take a peek slide and seek(Allied Publishing Group)[or similar]

"Flip Flap Body Book" Usborne

"A Treasury of Mother Goose" Offen

"Things People Do" Usborne

"The Year at Maple Hill Farm" Provenson

"The M&M's Counting Book" McGrath

"Child's Book of Art" Micklethwait

"First Thousand Words" Usborne

"Harper Collins Treasury of Picture Book Classics"

"20th Century Children's Book Classics" Schulman

"Beatrix Potter the Complete Tales"

Flash cards:
School zone- Picture Words Whimsy, Numbers 0-25, Phonics Made Easy, Beginning Sight Words

Activities:
Lacing cards
ABC 123 tracing
Cutting with scissors
Watercolor painting
Coloring
Playdough
Wood Puzzles
Building Blocks
Outdoor Play-swing,slide,tricycle,etc.

Tumblebooks

2009-09-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

My husband's sister who is a teacher shared this resource with me. It is a fun website with e-storybooks for kids to read, games, and more.

Tumblebooks library

Resource links

2009-09-13T12:48:00.000-07:00

Yay! Another year of homeschooling! I hope some of my favorite resources will be helpful this coming year.

Everyday Edits(language arts)

Grade level educational games

Spelling City...Awesome!

Gutenberg.org...Read thousands of books online for FREE!

Bibliomania...another resource for reading books online for free

Cheap Books! Abebooks

Sonlight supplement

fun online kids encyclopedia

Fun math resource...coolmath4kids

Finally summer!

2009-06-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

We just finished up with 1st grade about two weeks ago. As much as we love homeschooling, it is so nice to have a break! However, we will continue to do a math sheet every few weeks and read this summer to keep little minds sharp. Now I get to do all of the things I put off during school...going through old clothes, shoes, and toys and general "dejunking"...fun,fun,fun! And the girls' summer fun has already begun...swimming, going to the movies, hanging out with friends, church camps, etc. August will come so soon, but I know we will be so excited to jump into a new year then. Wishing you a happy summer!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

I want to wish a Happy Mother's day to all of you moms who dedicate your life to your family...to the mom's who despite public opinions, ridicule, and little support choose what your heart tells you is best for your children. You are pioneers...daring to go where few moms have been. You are confident...knowing no one knows or loves your children better than you do, and you will see the bountiful fruits of your labor. You are resourceful...seeking out whatever your children need to better their education and to foster their natural gifts for their future. You are selfless...pouring yourself into your family as a love offering made without resentment or hesitation.

May the Lord bless and keep you sweet Moms!

Free Resource for Homeschoolers!

2009-05-05T15:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a free resource that looks like a lot of fun! It is a printable set of multiplication flash cards that your kids color. Enjoy!

Free Multiplication Flash Cards

Updates

2009-04-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

We are getting closer to the end of our school year. We still have 8 weeks to go due to illnesses a few weeks ago. We are gearing up for ballet recitals and the remaining letsgolearn.com test (which we don't really prepare for, we just need to do it ;). My oldest took the math portion about 6 weeks ago and scored grade 2.5 which is awesome for math I think seeing as she was about 1/2 way through grade 1. She has learned so much, and I have been astonished at how well she has retained it all. She uses her vocabulary words from her books often in her common language. The other day we were at the grocery store, and the clerk greeted her and was talking with her. She remarked, "We came to get provender." LOL. The clerk just looked at her blankly, and my daughter said, "You know, food." This was her first year taking ballet, and she has really learned so much and had so much fun. I am really surprised with the ease of learning that goes on between us. There are tough days to be sure, but mostly the difficulty with us is motivation to get going in the morning and distractions (aka my 3 year old, and following "rabbit trails" looking up interesting things that go with what we're learning). We are currently studying the Greeks, Socrates/Plato/Aristotle, and Alexander the Great in History. I can't believe how much I'm learning! I definitely think it's true that you learn more as a teacher than as a student.

Just ordered for next year!

2009-02-13T11:45:00.001-08:00

So this week I made my order for my two girls for next year. For the little one (3 in March), I ordered 10 various books from Sonlight's cores pk 3/4 and pk 4/5, flashcards and some little Bible books (Big Thoughts for Little Thinkers) from Christianbook.com. We will just enjoy reading together, learning ABC's and 123's, some early phonics and sight words, and colors and shapes.

For the oldest (6 1/2) this is what we'll be doing:
From Sonlight:
Sonlight Core 2 (4 day) with Grade 2 Intermediate readers (History, Reading, Read-alouds, Geography)
Sonlight Science 2 (4 day)
Sonlight Language Arts 2 Int. (plus recommended workbooks)
Horizons Math 2
A Reason for Handwriting (grade 2)
Sequential Spelling 2
Usborne's Childrens Book of Art (Internet Linked)
Mathtacular 2
Maps and Globes

From Christianbook.com:
Big Truths for Little Kids
Wee Sing World
Prima Latina DVD's and workbook
The Lightlings
The Victor Journey through the Bible
(I got many of these ideas from Veritas Press...but they are a little higher)

I'm really excited that I was able to order the Mathtacular and the Prima Latina DVD's. That makes my life sooo much easier. Math is fun...check. Actual Latin teacher who won't mispronounce half the words...check. The Science also comes with a fun Discover and Do DVD that is really neat.

Also here in a few weeks, my oldest will be taking her DORA and DOMA tests from www.letsgolearn.com (which we don't have to do, but it's helpful for me to know what she needs more work on).

Now I can't wait for box day!!! It is always so much fun when the books come in :). We all get in the floor and dive through the books. Now I just have to clean off the bookshelves and find some more room!

Famous Homeschooler Profiles

2008-12-15T08:13:00.001-08:00

I would like to post a series of profiles featuring famous homeschoolers. I have been just amazed reading the life stories of some of these incredible people. First up, America's Famous Inventor...Thomas A. Edison. Some of the things about him that are amazing:

1. He couldn't talk until 4 years of age
2. His teacher thought his brain was "addled" (this day and age that would be pegged as ADD) during the three months he spent in formal school. His mother taught him for the rest of his schooling.
3. They had a home library and frequented the public library, and Thomas' father gave him $.10 for every book he read.
4. Thomas loved World History and English literature
5. He showed an early keen interest in science.
6. When he was 15, he saved the life of a stationmaster's 3 year old son. In appreciation, the man gave Thomas a job as a telegraph operator.
7. Thomas designed the first off-the-grid all electric home with electric appliances all powered by a wind turbine and a gas generator.

You can read more here:
Thomas Edison Bio

Happy Thanksgiving Break!!

2008-11-21T09:53:00.000-08:00

I know you're ready for it, I know we sure are. Yay....a whole week off :D. This video is cute, and while not every one of them fits us, it's just for fun.

Homeschool Freebies

2008-10-18T00:55:00.001-07:00

Something new free everyday...Whoo hoo!! Another HS mom shared with me, so check it out. You can even sign up for a Monday "head's up" email where they let you know the freebies for that week. Enjoy!

Homeschool Freebie

Keep them Home

2008-09-26T14:49:00.001-07:00

Let's Go Learn

2008-09-25T14:28:00.000-07:00

Sonlight reccomends (and so do I) a really great tool for the homeschooler. Let's Go Learn is a reading and math assessment site that is low cost ($20 per test, per child with discounts for more tests/children), very in depth, and gives advice on how to improve the areas of skill your child needs work on. The site says schools use this test, and I found it really helpful (and a much needed encouragement) to know how well my daughter did on her reading assessment. It also showed me I needed to work on her spelling skills the most. It was a fun computer test, that seemed to know just when the kids would have had enough. We were in the kitchen while she took it and just about the time she started to complain, it was over. I'm not a huge advocate of testing as long as you have an idea how much your child is retaining, but this is just such a simple way to put your mind at ease about how your child is doing compared to others in his or her grade. So here it is:

Let's Go Learn

Free Bible Curriculum...yay!!

2008-09-19T21:07:00.000-07:00

This is an awesome find!! Free in printable PDF format, Puritan (reformed) curriculum K-12, including grammar, Bible, and more...all using scripture for the basis!! I wouldn't call it a complete curriculum for us, and I don't agree 100% about the tone of some of it, but I'm sure excited about adding some of it's elements to our homeschool...for the cost of some printer ink. If nothing else it could be used for discipleship at home. Enjoy!!

Puritans Curriculum

How old is the earth again? The inconsistancy of old earth science

2008-09-16T10:37:00.000-07:00

Here is a really informative article about the problems, fallacies, and bias of modern scientific dating methods. I have long thought for myself about the issues of radioactive carbon-14 dating (for instance there be a lot of variables in the loss of carbon-14 in a decaying living thing such as weather, soil type, plant vs animal material, etc). With so many variables in decaying matter, how could an accurate and fail-safe method ever be concieved? And what is the basis for the time line conceived by scientist (MA- or millions/billions of years) when all historical evidence ever dated by actual tangible methods have produced only thousands of years? This article is very intelligently written, so I hope it will be informative and get your gears turning the way it did mine.

Christian Answers

Our start for the year, and a great homeschool moment already

2008-09-15T00:13:00.001-07:00

We are now going into our 5th week of Sonlight Core 1. We had to take a week off due to Hurricane Gustav, but it worked out okay because it was also my DD's birthday (6th) on that Wednesday. We are doing a 4 day schedule so it is more flexible for us. In addition to Sonlight we are doing "Teach them Spanish", "English from the Roots Up" (2nd half), a Phonics Review, "Sequential Spelling", "Studying God's Word B" (which has much stronger/better doctrine than SL's "Leading Little One's to God")and "Lollipop Logic". She really loves SL's science experiments and the read alouds. So far the 2nd grade readers aren't challenging her, but it picks up through the year, so it should work out. Some of the science is pretty advanced stuff (like reflection/refraction & Plimsoll line), and some of the writing required for the science sheets is quite advanced for her. But they do this so it will be challenging to an older child if you are sharing curriculums, so I let her verbally answer where I know it's too difficult, and I make note of that and write in her answers. The Lang. Arts would be the same thing, if she wasn't as gifted in that area....but that is why I chose Sonlight! She needs the challenge. She is also taking an interest in art, loves ballet, and is in the children's choir again this year. And socialization??!! She had more friends at her party this year than last year (most from church and homeschool groups)...about 16!! Plus she made two friends on the playground before her guests arrived that also tagged along for the party...so I guess that's about 18 then...lol.

Things are pretty challenging this year for mom because I also have my precocious and very meddlesome 2 year old DD who is potty training. All markers and scissors have to be kept a minimum of 6ft off the ground, and all liquids must be quite out of reach...lol. She is also getting very needy when we've been doing school a while, even with coloring at the table with us, playing with puzzles, looking at books, watching PBS, etc. She's also in that "what's that?!" stage, so she is learning at neck break speed. I try my best to capitalize on this time, but it is difficult to find all the time I'd like to take with her, and I know she still gets needy for her momma.

Our area is building a really cool homeschool group...really an incorporation of two seperate homeschool groups. We had a small one last year, and then one of the moms in our group found a mom from their group, etc. We missed the first playdate, due to mechanical issues (...ahem my hubby's tranny went out, so he had my car). But they have a field trip once a month planned, so hopefully we will be able to make those.

And now for my homeschool moment of the month....

My husband's friend was in our kitchen fixing a plate to eat, and when my daughter passed by he said, "Como Estas?". She promptly replied "Muy bien, gracias. Y tu?" LOL. I love homeschooling.

Another school year.....I Will Survive!

2008-08-26T22:49:00.001-07:00

Homeshool Haters....rant

2008-08-04T11:29:00.000-07:00

It's bound to happen.....one day you're shopping or in some other seemingly normal situation and BAM....you're bludgeoned by a homeschool hater. My recent experience came from no less than a Walmart cashier. She was friendly at first and as we began to talk, I mentioned that we homeschooled. Whoa...you would have thought that I had stated that I was the head of a Nazi concentration camp. As she began to ignorantly
parade every sterotype she could spew, I was honestly in a state of shock. I told her that my daughter was doing very well and was very happy and well socialized. She told me that she felt sorry for my children and that I couldn't prepare them for the "real world" by homeschooling them, especially in high school. Then she demanded, "are you qualified to teach your children?". She also stated that she was a religious woman too, but get real...life is going to happen and I'd do well to go ahead and expose her to it (really?...lol). I was quiet through most of her spiel, only retorting that this was simply her opinion, and I was well within my legal rights to do so in the state of Mississippi. With my children in tow, my only goal was to leave with the things I needed for the next day, and not get in a knock down drag out with a cashier over the rearing and education of my own children.

When I got home I got to thinking of just how rich the resources we do have are (just in case I'm not "qualified"...lol). We have among our family and on our side:

1 elementary teacher of nearly 40 years (my great aunt...who's oldest daughter also homeschools)
1 jr. high teacher with a master's degree (Rob's sister Staci)
1 in grad school going for a masters in psychology (in case my kids need any help in that department, who also speaks fluent German and good Dutch)
1 accountant (bachelor's) (for those pesky tax and math questions)
1 doctorate of Theology (for the big questions)
1 RN + her husband a nurse anethesist (for biology/medical issues...homeschoolers of 3 boys)
1 BA in art (in case they want to learn to draw..lol)

This is not in addition to my husband's college education majoring in biomedical engineering and history (although he did not finish), and my 22 years as a musician. Not to mention our awesome and large church family, and my father and stepfather who are awesome carpenters and loads of mechanics (Shop class!! lol) I know at any time I can call and get help from any of them if I ever do need it (although, I'm pretty confident with the Lord's help thus far).

Wow, public schools....top that!

God bless America!

2008-06-29T14:33:00.000-07:00

I pray that it never comes to this in America. German compulsary law leaves little no course or freedom for families to educate their children at home.

Freedom...right on little man

2008-06-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

Some neat online resources for homeschool

2008-06-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

Internet4classrooms
PrimaryGames
Kid's Astronomy
Kid Sites
KidsKnowIt
Starfall
BestEdSites
Britannica
EdHelper
LearningPage

Family Driven Faith

2008-06-10T00:03:00.000-07:00

Done with Kindergarten...yay!

2008-05-22T06:58:00.000-07:00

We finished up our Kindergarten year last week. We both need a break, but I'm sure she'll be begging me to start 1st early...lol. I have a reading list, and we'll be visiting the library for books to read during the summer. She learned so much this year, I can't even believe it. She was simply writing her numbers and circling groups when we started this year. Now she is adding, subtracting, doing tally marks, counts by 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's, and 10's, and much more. (We love Horizons!). Her reading is phenomenal, which might be because she loves to read so much. She's learned 50 Greek and Latin roots and prefixes. We did "History for Little Pilgrims" (Christian Liberty Press) which I highly recommend. Every week we also looked on a map and chose a place to go. We would learn about the country then go online and check out pictures and cultural info on that place. We did Christian Liberty Press' Bible study curriculum A & B. We did loads of phonics and handwriting, and just tons of other stuff. I am really proud of us for what we've done this year.

I am so grateful that God called us to homeschool our children. What a blessing it has been to us!

May Quote

2008-05-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

"Architect Frank Lloyd Wright told how a lecture he received at the age of nine helped set his philosophy of life: An uncle, a stolid no-nonsense type, had taken him for a long walk across a snow-covered field. At the far side, his uncle told him to look back at their two sets of tracks.
"See, my boy," he said, "how your foot prints go aimlessly back and forth from those trees, to the cattle back to the fence and then over there where you where throwing sticks? But notice how MY path comes straight across, directly to my goal. You should never forget this lesson!"
"And I never did," Wright said, grinning. "I determined right then not to miss most things in life, as my uncle had."

Call to Simplicity and Godly Lives

2008-04-25T21:18:00.000-07:00

I have noticed the vast numbers of Christian families who feel called to simpler more Godly lives so different than the world we live in. Many have begun homestead farms for growing their own food (and their relationship with God). This seems to be going right along with the Christian homeschooling trend. This prospect is very exciting to me. Hallelujah! I can see that God is doing an awesome work in His people, and I pray that he will empower us to do all that He has called us to, whatever that is. I do know this...God is definately calling His people away from the world and into a lifestyle that will glorify Himself.

Here are some links of interest on homesteading and Christian families:

Family Homestead
Eat Wild
Christian Homesteaders
Homesteader Life
High Lonesome Ranch Links

Quote for today

2008-04-09T10:35:00.001-07:00

" When you want to teach children to think, you begin by treating them seriously when they are little, giving them responsibilities, talking to them candidly, providing privacy and solitude for them, and making them readers and thinkers of significant thoughts from the beginning. That's if you want to teach them to think."
--Bertrand Russell

The Scholemaster 1570

2008-04-07T18:13:00.001-07:00

THE
SCHOLEMASTER
Or plaine and perfite way of tea-
chyng children, to vnderstand, write, and
speake, the Latin tong, but specially purposed
for the priuate brynging vp of youth in Ientle-
men and Noble mens houses, and commodious
also for all such, as haue forgot the Latin
tonge, and would, by themselues, with-
out a Scholemaster, in short tyme,
and with small paines, recouer a
sufficient habilitie, to vnder-
stand, write, and
speake Latin.
By Roger Ascham.
An. 1570.

AT LONDON.
Printed by Iohn Daye, dwelling
ouer Aldersgate.

Cum Gratia & Priuilegio RegiÃ¦ Maiestatis,
per Decennium.

Holy Week Lyric Meditations 2

2008-03-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

"Ballad of the Cross"

(Verse 1)
By the prophets, God foretold
of the sending of His Son
Who would give His life
to set the captive free.
Stepping down from His throne
and the glory He had known,
Jesus came to give His life for you and me.
Though He knew well the cost,
He was prepared to suffer loss
and give Himself as ransom for us all.
Into our hopeless world He came,
Endured the suffering and the shame,
Every moment staying faithful to the call.

(Verse 2)
Yet the One who spoke of love
was rejected and despised;
He knew all too well the sinful heart of men.
Those with eyes refused to see;
Those with ears refused to hear,
as they sought a way to bring Him to an end.
By a friend He was betrayed,
By soldiers, led away,
Yet for this very hour He had come.
They did not take - He freely gave;
For those He came to save,
the road to the cross He walked alone.

(Bridge 1)
He could have called a million angels to His side,
Or stepped down from the cross and walked away.
Yet His love held Him there,
Through the pain and despair,
To free us from the debt we could not pay.

(Verse 3)
In His suffering and pain
Took the guilt and the shame
As He hung between the heavens and the ground.
Every nail, every thorn,
Every stare, every scorn
pierced the One who so freely laid it down.
With His face to the sky,
"It is finished!" was His cry
The words that broke the gates of hell.
When His final words were said,
Breathed His last, bowed His head,
Darkness o'er the land so quickly fell.

(Bridge 2)
Yet death and darkness could not stand against His power:
He rose, victorious o'er the grave.
In His light we now may live,
By the grace He came to give
All who call upon His name are surely saved!
All who call upon His name are surely saved!

Copyright © 1997 by Elton Smith and Larry Holder

Holy Week Lyric Meditations 1

2008-03-18T14:17:00.000-07:00

"In Christ Alone"

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Brought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

A Lawyer speaks out on In re Rachel L

2008-03-09T23:22:00.001-07:00

LOL

2008-03-09T23:14:00.001-07:00

Quote for today

2008-03-05T10:02:00.001-08:00

"It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiousity of inquiry; for this delicate little plant, aside from stimulation, stands mainly in need of freedom. "
-- Albert Einstein

Field Trip!

2008-02-29T20:37:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, our homeschool group had a fun and educational field trip to Jefferson College and Locust Ridge Plantation for Black History month. At Jefferson college, we learned a famous local story (though none of us were familiar with it) of Abdul Rahman Ibrahima (aka Prince AbdulRahman or Prince Ibrahima). He was a prince from West Africa who was sold as a slave to a plantation owner named Thomas Foster in Washington, MS (right outside of Natchez), and ended up being freed by the president and moved back to Liberia with his wife and only a few of his children. Terry Alford has written a book about it entitiled, "Prince among Slaves". Then we went to Locust Ridge on the Trace and saw the house with original furniture, etc. The kids learned how cotton was combed and spun into thread using a spinning wheel. We walked out to the slave cemetary, but there weren't any markers or anything out there, so we were kind of disappointed about that. But the house was really neat. We try to plan one of these a month. In march we are thinking about the Natchez Indian Village. But we may do an Easter egg hunt on the grounds of Jefferson College. They are so nice and "homeschool friendly". They also have some educational thing going on every month. Including mine, there are six kids between the ages of 4 and 8 and then there are one 3 yr. old, three 2 yr. olds, and one infant. I am so blessed and greatful to have these families to share our homeschooling experience with.

About us.....

2008-02-28T09:45:00.000-08:00

I am very unorganized, and I other than 3 months of technical college I have no credentials to speak of . We are a one (not so big) income family. I graduated from a private school, and my husband can take credit for the vast majority of his education seeing as he graduated from one of the worst public schools in our area. He however did go to college...for 2 years. My point is that you don't have to be a rocket scientist, a millionaire, or a supermom to homeschool. You do, however have to be commited at all costs, patient, loving, supportive, confident, and excited about teaching and learning. I am like many homeschooling parents still in our "honeymoon"...which means I am still learning what and what not to do and say.....what works for us and what doesn't. One thing I do is research everything to death. I think this has saved us quite a bit of headache. My daughter is doing very well, despite my incapabilities and mistakes. It gets better all the time. Sure, we've had our moments....and I've made the "maybe I should just forget this and send you to school" empty threat when I was frustrated. She of course was horrified at the idea, and I apologized and have commited not to make that mistake again. And it is through hundreds of like mistakes that we both make that I hope we grow from as we go through this together. I was surprised that I have learned just as much as her. I wouldn't trade this experience or the special bond we share in this journey for anything in the world.

funny....myth vs reality

2008-02-21T23:56:00.001-08:00

" I suppose it is because nearly all children go to school nowadays and have things arranged for them that they seem so forlornly unable to produce their own ideas. "
--Agatha Christie

What we are planning to use 2008-2009

2008-02-19T21:14:00.000-08:00

I am already preparing to order our homeschool curriculum and electives for next year. I will probably be ordering in March. My daughter usually finishes up fairly quickly each day, so I've added some electives to further keep her interest. Here is what we plan to be using:

1. Sonlight Core 1 with Grade 2 regular readers (4 day) and required resources

2. Sonlight Science 1 (4 day) and supply kit

3. Horizons Math 1 kit with K-3 manipulatives

4. A Reason for Handwriting (plus teacher manual)

5. Sequential Spelling 1

6. Sonlight Language Arts 2 (goes with level 2 readers)

7. Christian Liberty Press Bible (Studying God's Word B), Leading Little Ones to God (Schoolland).

Electives: English From the Roots Up flashcards, Teach them Spanish 1 , I Can Draw Books, Lollipop Logic, Little Book of Manners, & a Grade 1 CD-ROM.

For my 2 year old, I am ordering First Thousand Words (Amery).

Homeschool Speech

2008-02-14T10:21:00.000-08:00

"Unknown to her the rigid rule, The dull restraint, the chiding frown The weary torture of the school, The taming of wild nature down." John Greenleaf Whittier

Welcome!

2008-02-14T09:40:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new homeschooling blog "Learning Outside the Box"! I didn't have any intentions of homeschooling my children before I actually became a mother. When my oldest daughter was a baby, of course I loved reading books to her, and she was always eager to have me read to her. When she began reading at 3, it seemed a pretty normal progression for her. So I decided to do preschool at home a year early for her (her birthday ran too late in the year to have actually gone to preschool). This was for a couple of reasons initially....one was that our public school district has a reputation for not being "up to snuff". Another was that we just couldn't afford upwards of $4,000.00 a year to send her to a private Christian school. And finally, I just wanted to give her something fun and educational to do. It ended up being the best decision we ever made. Our family's whole philosophy on learning and child rearing have been changed forever. She is finishing up Kindergarten this year, and will begin 1st grade in August (she won't be 6 until September). She recently took the DORA (www.letsgolearn.com)which is an online reading diagnostic test. Our state does not require testing, but I wanted to make sure that she had learned what was expected and also to tell me what direction to go in next year. She tested high 6th grade on word recognition, the maximum (high 4th) on phonics, Low 1st on spelling, high 2nd on Oral Vocabulary, and low 4th on reading comprehension. She took this test while my husband and I were in the kitchen making soup....lol. It further gave us evidence that we were doing the right thing for her. It is challenging at times, no doubt. But I hope that this blog will help families thinking of homeschooling, and give encouragement to those who already do.