Category: homeschooling

fibromyalgia, homeschooling1 Comment

Spell what?

everfaith

I am not even yet 40, and already I feel my brain cells slipping away.  I don’t know if the memory problems I’ve been having lately are common to peri menopausal women or if they are unique to me.  But somehow I need to find a way to train my brain and stop the drain! My memory mishaps are humorous to my daughter because she’s the one who ends up bailing me out.  Those of you who know me know that I adore writing.  Writing and spelling have always been second nature to me.  So why am I unable to … Continue reading Spell what?

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School News

everfaith

I intended to write this year about homeschooling…but I have fallen down on that goal. Today I’ll try to rectify that situation! I want to sing the praises of Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW).  We use this writing curriculum in our Essentials class.  It is hands-down the BEST writing curriculum I have ever seen in the public, private and homeschool settings.  It provides a structure and a clear rubric, or framework, to be used for evaluation.  Students who are natural writers, like my daughter, learn new techniques to make their writing snap, crackle and pop.  Students who have a … Continue reading School News

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Opining: Less is More

everfaith

I’m going to weigh in here on the debate raging in the halls of the Texas legislature regarding class size in the lower elementary grades of public school: the whole system is flawed and needs to be scrapped. How much money do school districts really need to effectively educate their students?  Does money spent equal educated minds?  Based on the drop out rates and test scores, I think not.  Public schools would do well to take a page from the homeschooling handbook and learn that less is, in fact, more. Jesus taught with a stick in the sand.  I can … Continue reading Opining: Less is More

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God’s contingency plans

everfaith

This past week, I’ve been preoccupied with mortality and fragility. One of my close friends, Holly, has a friend my age who recently suffered a severe stroke.  Joanne is the writer of The Simple Wife blog and the author of several books.  Like me, she homeschooled her children.  I feel a certain affinity with her because I, too, am the mother of a twelve year old girl.  The fact that her daughter is the one who found her after her stroke still gets to me, down deep in a swirling nebula that is my heart. Now her homeschooled daughters are … Continue reading God’s contingency plans

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Through the haze

everfaith

Homeschooling my child has to be one of the most difficult tasks I’ve ever done.  Most of the time this is because I am my own worst enemy. My counselor told me the other day that he thinks I must have a lot of negative self-talk going on inside my head.  I think he was right.  If a loudspeaker was attached to my brain that broadcast my thoughts, people would likely hear nothing but “all bad, all the time.”  This applies to all aspects of my life. Yet the Bible tells me to take captive every thought in obedience to … Continue reading Through the haze