Continuing Education

Even if you already have a college degree, continuing your education is a great way to bolster your teaching skills, and add inspiration to your homeschooling curriculum. Although there are countless resources on the market, I’ll give you a short list of my favorites.

A Well Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer is a book that helps homeschooling parents walk through the process of building their own understanding of classic literature. It’s a wonderful book with plenty of guidance. However, because it included some “assignments” to help sharpen your skills, it is best read within a group setting. If you have a few friends that are interested in studying literature, I would highly recommend this book.

iTunes University offers free seminars on a number of different topics from a variety

Summer Fun on a Budget

Summer is a wonderful opportunity for adventure, but in this economy it can be tough to find activities that fit a tight budget. When a typical summer camp can run anywhere between $450 and $1000 a week, the cost can quickly become prohibitive. However, there are ways to offer your kids quality activities at a fraction of the cost. You just have to know where to look!

The first place I would recommend is your local church. Whether you are a regular attendee or not, many churches around the country open their doors every summer to offer free day camps for elementary and middle school children. Most churches offer things like crafts, sports, puppet shows, or opportunities to participate in a musical or play that is preformed at the end of camp. My local church offers their summer camp

Summer Art Projects

Summer is a great time for outdoor activities, but bad weather can stop the kids from going outdoors. That’s when you need the art box!

I always kept an art box in the house when my children were young. However, the key to the effectiveness of the art box is that it is only usable when YOU say so. This is not an open box to be used any time. It’s special! (You can have other art supplies that are available anytime, but this is where you put the “good stuff!”

The “good stuff” could be special paper, paints, crayons, markers, and art brushes; as well as specially purchased art kits. Throw in special sequins, mosaics, and other decorative craft items; unique clay forms; or a wood-burning kit. The sky’s the limit. Just make sure this box is reserved for special occasions. Then, when the

Teaching Financial Responsibility Without the Stress

Let’s face it, as much as we want to teach our kids financial responsibility, it can be a big hassle. Trying to keep track of each kids spending, savings and charitable activity can be just as complicated as balancing our own checkbook. The more kids you have, the more stressful it becomes.

Like any child of the information revolution, I was sure that there had to be an easier solution. A quick search on the internet did not disappoint. My favorite find was ThreeJars.com. This simple, straightforward concept emphasized the few things that were most complicated and most important for our family. It created an automated virtual “Bank account” for each child. As a parent you can pre-set a weekly allowance that will automatically be divided (according to the percentages you choose) into

Teaching the Catechism Through Song

Music is a great way to support your homeschool curriculum. There are music CD’s for math, science, history, government and more. Unfortunately, most of them tend to be marketed purely for the educational content rather than the quality of music. I can’t tell you the number of times I have had to listen to a high pitch squealing vocal on a keyboard driven education CD. The grating melodies immediately take me back to the days of watching Barney with my two year old. I do it because it really does help the kids remember important facts, but it’s hardly a pleasant experience.

Then I discovered The Westminster Shorter Catechism CD’s written and produced by Holly Dutton. To say that this educational CD set is a breath of fresh air would be an understatement.

This folksy accompaniment to

Welcome, Kelly Allen!

Kelly is a graduate of Liberty University with a Bachelors of Science in Education and a minor in Special Education.

I've known Kelly since 1985 when she was a young girl being homeschooled by her parents, Roger and Jean Rockey. Because of a death in the family, our family spent two years living in a motor home in the Rockey’s driveway while Bill, my husband, completed his master's degree at Regent University. Kelly and her brother, John, were about the same ages as my two children, Wil and Shelly; so, wherever we went, we usually took Kelly and John, too. They became part of my family as we became part of theirs. (I'll have to try to find some photos!)

Today, Kelly lives in the Tidewater area of Virginia with her husband, Mitchell. They homeschool four of their children: Josh,

How to Stock a Family Library

You can save a lot of time and money by stocking your family library with books that can be used throughout your homeschooling years. Here's what I look for when I go book shopping:

I look for biographies that make learning about famous people fun for kids. I especially like Childhood of Famous Americans, Opal Wheeler biographies, and Rookie Biographies . I know these are wholesome books.

I look for classic literature published with interesting illustrations. Because much of the classical literature is written in vocabulary that is often no longer used or difficult to understand, good illustrations help hold a child's attention. (I also keep a dictionary handy! Try reading Robinson Crusoe in it's original version and you'll see what I mean.)

I look for science and history books

Six Steps to Creating Your Own Unit Study

Six Steps to Creating Your Own Unit Study

Most children learn better from using a variety of senses -hearing, seeing, and touching - than they do from reading textbooks and filling in worksheets. This is not to say that textbooks and worksheet should not be used. Rather, a good textbook and appropriate worksheets are essential for learning math, phonics and handwriting skills. But the use of hands-on activities, visual and audio materials, and good books make teaching and learning much more effective. Literature-based unit studies are an excellent way to incorporate enjoyable reading and activities that use all of the senses. You can buy Unit Studies already prepared or you can create your own to suit the needs of your family. Here's a simple way to create your own unit study on any