Mommy Maestra: Homeschool Basics

Showing posts with label Homeschool Basics. Show all posts

Friday, November 4, 2022

Homeschooling the Charlotte Mason Way

I hope you enjoy this post in a series on homeschool methods. Each post is written by bilingual and/or Latina moms who have chosen a particular style in which to homeschool their children. If you are new to homeschooling and are looking to find the right teaching/learning path for your family, perhaps this post on homeschooling the Charlotte Mason way will appeal to you. For a look at other teaching styles, take a look a my Brief Description of Homeschooling Methods, or scroll down to the bottom of this post for links to the other posts in this series.

The following is a guest post by Lauren Stengele, a bilingual homeschooling mom. She shares her journey on BilingualTogether.com. This post contains affiliate links.

The Charlotte Mason Method

Although I have been homeschooling for seven years now, I have come slowly into the Charlotte Mason philosophy of education. I was introduced to her sometime in our second year of homeschool, and dismissed her whole philosophy as “just reading books and looking at nature.”

However, the following year, I picked up Karen Glass’ book, In Vital Harmony, and was blown away with the pursuit of beauty and integration of all learning that characterizes the Charlotte Mason philosophy. If you are looking into Charlotte Mason, I highly recommend starting with this book.

Who was Charlotte Mason?

Charlotte Mason was an educator in England during the late 1800s and early 1900s. She held to radical notions (for the time) that children are persons, and not just empty sponges to be filled with information. She believed that all children can learn, that all children want to learn, and an educator’s job is to spread a feast of ideas for their students.

This feast includes a deep and meaningful study of nature, starting with your local fauna and flora. The feast includes reading good books by great thinkers, “living books” as they are called in Charlotte Mason circles. She believed that “education is the science of relations,” which means that if a child is brought to this feast of education, the child cannot help but draw connections for themselves. They discover how history and math connect in Galileo. Or how geography impacts mythology, when they recognize similar threads throughout the stories of the Americas, but very different threads throughout the stories of Europe.

Other cornerstones of a Charlotte Mason education are narration, habit formation, practical life skills, and handicrafts. And yes, math and grammar are included, too. For time's sake, I won’t get into all of this here. If you are still curious, do pick up In Vital Harmony for an easy but thorough introduction into Mason’s philosophy.

Charlotte Mason Methodology

This sounds great, but what does this look like day-to-day?

As I came to realize the richness and depth of the Charlotte Mason philosophy, I began implementing it more and more in our homeschool. We have always had a literature-based homeschool, but Mason’s philosophy has freed me up more and more to focus on the quality of what we read, rather than the quantity.

In our homeschool, we spend a lot of time reading together, re-telling the stories we have heard, and discussing them. (My children are 10, 8, and 6, for reference). We start with Morning Time, during which time we sing, read poetry, and study composers.

We move on to our read-alouds which cover history, literature, and science. For example, this year we are studying Medieval History. Since we began school this year, we have read Beowulf, and are currently reading The Twelfth Night by Shakespeare (both a picture book retelling, and the original). In Spanish, we are reading El Cid by Rosa Navarro Duran. We are also reading about birds and bats.

After read-alouds, we move into math and language studies which are one-on-one with each child. When I am working with one child, the other children have independent work. We usually finish our academic work around lunch time.

This leaves lots of time each day for free play and pursuit of their interests. However, it also leaves time for them to join me in the regular running of a household: dishes, laundry, cleaning, and cooking dinner. These life skills are just as essential in the whole education of a child as the academic work is.

Charlotte Mason in a Bilingual Homeschool

One unexpected blessing of following this philosophy has been the freedom to stop searching for the perfect Spanish curriculum for our homeschool, and simply focus on finding beautiful books in Spanish to read with my children.

Yes, I still love to look at bilingual units and Spanish language resources, but I no longer feel the burden to find (or make) the perfect Spanish-language unit for my child’s interests, or our current history track. Instead, I now search for living books in Spanish on the subject. And we read…

This simple change has made homeschooling in two languages easier and more delightful than I thought possible!

Want to learn more?

Charlotte Mason herself wrote six large books on her educational philosophy. They are slow reading, but well worth it. If you want to start with one, I suggest Home Education. However, I will say again, the best introduction to Charlotte Mason is In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass. Also of note, there is a vibrant Mason community in the Spanish-speaking world, and a great place to start is A Living Education En Español website.

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

The Latino Family's Guide to Homeschooling 2nd Edition

Five years ago, before the whole pandemic mess started, I published my first book titled, The Latino Family's Guide to Homeschooling. It is jam packed with great information for Hispanic families looking to get started with homeschooling. From bilingual homeschooling to prepping for college, this book includes the stories of eight other Latinas from very diverse backgrounds who share their own experiences and tips on homeschooling.

But after five years and a pandemic, some of the resources I listed changed. A few disappeared, but a lot more have been created. When I started homeschooling 13 years ago, there was virtually nothing available about or for Hispanic families. Over the years, that has slowly changed. But the last two years have caused an explosion of resources. When Latinos couldn't find the resources they needed, they stepped up and created them.

An updated guide for Latino homeschoolers

So I'm super please to announce The Latino Family's Guide to Homeschooling, 2nd Edition of my book, which has been newly revised and updated to provide current products and services available to Hispanic homeschoolers, is now available!

Latinos are one of the fastest growing group of homeschoolers. But publicly, the homeschool arena is dominated by non-Latino whites. And many Hispanic parents still remain hesitant or anxious about starting to homeschool. Information on getting started is just overwhelming.

If you are looking for a community to help you, consider joining my Facebook group, Hispanic and Bilingual Homeschoolers. We would love to have you.

As more and more families realize this is an option for them, the demand for Spanish-based and culture-based products increases. Join me in keeping an eye out for new companies. And share them with me!

And if you are thinking about homeschooling but don't know where to begin, pick up a copy of my new book. I think you'll be glad you did.

Preschool at Home: A Guide for Caregivers

A homeschool preschool guide

And if you are just looking for advice and guidance for teaching your preschooler at home, consider picking up a copy of my book Preschool at Home: A Guide for Caregivers. It is a condensed version of my other book and focuses only on preschool.

One of the best parts of this book that isn't included in my bigger homeschool guide is the reproducible pages available in the back. These include checklists of concepts and skills that preschoolers should learn, as well as planning pages for establishing a routine and organizing lessons.

I know you'll love it.

Monday, August 1, 2022

Homeschooling the Montessori Way

Montessori. Some homeschool mamas read that word and turn tail and run because how could they possibly incorporate Montessori approaches into their homeschool when Montessori schools themselves are taught by specially-trained teachers and cost more money than typical families can afford?

“I can’t afford Montessori training,” they say.

“I can’t afford Montessori materials,” they say.

“I can’t even wrap my head around what Montessori is!”

Although having Montessori training and beautifully crafted Montessori materials can absolutely be helpful when trying this approach in your homeschool, it is NOT mandatory. Like all things homeschooling, this is NOT an all-or-nothing methodology. You, the homeschooling parent, can make it work for your homeschool family and you do not need gobs of money to do it. Be ready to customize to suit the needs for your family and whether you settle on creating a simple Montessori-inspired shelf for your homeschool or end up buying an entire Montessori curriculum, just know that all you truly need is an eager mind and open heart. But first, what is the Montessori Method? To answer this, we need to first learn who Dr. Montessori was.

The following post contains affiliate links.

Who was Dr. Maria Montessori?

Full Disclosure: The following may turn into an entire paragraph of me fan-girling over Dr. M because she is a rock star and I want to be just like her when I grow up (I’m currently 39 so I suppose that should be soon, oh well.)

Italy 1892, a young Maria Montessori, having already studied mathematics, went to the University of Rome to study medicine. During her medical training at an asylum for children, Dr. Montessori’s life would change. She observed these children, children society had discarded because they were “retarded” or “insane,” playing with crumbs. The nurses dismissed this behavior as “greed” because they thought the children wanted more food. The compassionate heart of Dr. Montessori, coupled with her brilliant scientific mind, observed something completely different. Dr. Montessori hypothesized these children just wanted something to play with. Their minds needed something to play with. Children need to play. The first Montessori schools were established in the slums of Rome where she was able to observe children and refine her method. Fast forward over hundred years later and Dr. Montessori’s methods and school still impact education all over the world and over the last few decades have trickled into the homeschool sphere. Dr. Montessori’s story is fascinating and I strongly recommend reading her own words and story through her books, particularly The Montessori Method and Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work by E. M. Standing. There is also an adorable children’s book about her from the Little People, Big Dream Series, Maria Montessori by Ma Isabel Sanchez Vergara.

What is the Montessori Method?

The main goal of the Montessori Method is to promote the joy of learning through a hands-on and step-by-step approach that emphasizes repetition. The method is based on the belief that children should be free to succeed and learn without restriction or criticism.

In the early years, children are taught to develop their observation skills through a variety of hands-on activities that explore the senses, movement, and coordination. The child is provided with a safe but stimulating environment where they can explore and learn without fear of harm.

Grade school children are allowed to proceed at their own pace, exploring the subjects of math, science, reading, and writing in such a way as to develop their abstract thinking ability. There is a great emphasis on encouraging the child to absorb their environment and culture.

In Montessori education you will find that standard subjects like math, language arts, culture, science, etc., but you will also find that Dr. M also felt sensory learning and life skills are incredibly important to the development of the child. Therefore, you will find Montessori education treats Practical Life and Sensorial Learning as their own subjects.

I would also like to focus on two other aspects of Montessori instruction: the absorbent mind and sensitive periods. Because Montessori emphasizes observation of the child and respect to their development, it is important to understand that children have what Dr. M calls an “absorbent mind” and in fact she wrote an entire book about The Absorbent Mind.

Children cannot help but learn from everything that’s going on around them. You have probably experienced it when your small child embarrassingly repeats something you said when you thought they weren’t listening…That would be their lovely absorbent mind. So, teaching things like grace and courtesy for example, a hallmark of Montessori instruction, would be easily taught because they learn what they see anyway. Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy is a helpful book to help you address just that.

Regarding sensitive periods, these are the stages of development where the child just jumps ahead at a new skill. For example, there is usually a moment in a toddler’s development where they go from speaking a few words and phrases to suddenly talking all-day-long. Right there, that’s the moment they are in a sensitive period for language. That is your que to talk right back, ask questions, read lots of books, sing lots of songs, and do what you can to nurture their language development. Living Montessori Now has a wonderful post on encouraging your child's sensitive periods.

How To Start Implementing the Montessori Method in Your Homeschool

Allow me to make this as easy as possible for newbies to Montessori to get started by recommending books, blogs, and ready-made Montessori programs for homeschooling. After years of searching and researching, these recommendations are, in my humble opinion, solid Montessori in approach, have the best reviews from experienced parents, and offer the best support for families.

Books

Begin first by reading a couple of books about the Montessori Method. Aside for Dr. M’s own books these are the authors I recommend reading because of their experience training, teaching, and advocating for Montessori education:

Elizabeth G. Hainstock, author of Teaching Montessori In the Home: The Preschool Years and Teaching Montessori In the Home: The School Years

Paula Polk Lillard, author of Montessori: A Modern Approach: The Classic Introduction to Montessori For Parents and Teachers and Montessori From the Start: The Child At Home from Birth to Age Three

Tim Seldin, author of How to Raise An Amazing Child the Montessori Way 2nd Edition

There are other nice looking new books on the market but these are the ones I recommend for purchase whereas, I recommend checking out any others at the library before purchasing.

Blogs

Next, begin to follow Montessori blogs and social media accounts. There are thousands and you might get lost and highly discouraged by many of them because all those Instagram accounts are, shall we say, a wee bit too pretty. Let me cut through the noise and recommend these fabulous ones:

Living Montessori Now - This is THE blog. If all you did was read through this blog and get ideas for your homeschool, you’d be set. Deb Chitwood homeschooled her own children and she knows ALL you need to be successful as a Montessorian and as a homeschooler.

Carrots Are Orange - I really like her “Beginners Guide to Montessori Theory” and feel like it’s a brief yet fantastic guide to Montessori education.

Natural Beach Living - This blog is not completely devoted to Montessori, but she offers “200+ Amazing Montessori Activities and Printables” for free on her blog. Nice!

The Helpful Garden - Speaking of free, this blog has soooooo many freebies. The reading printables alone are worth visiting the site. Bookmark it on your browser.

Montessori Curricula

Ready to dive right in but still want the support of reputable Montessori programs designed for homeschoolers? These are very well reviewed, have been around for years, and have parental support, Facebook groups, customer service, online classes, etc. Everything a homeschool mama would need to get started with a Montessori homeschool.

Right Start Math: Solely a Montessori-based math program but trust me when I say, it has so much. If you are just starting out with littles, Right Start Math and a solid reading program would be enough. Right Start Math is also a spiral math program for those learners that prefer that approach and offers all levels of math to cover elementary and middle school.

Shiller Learning: Originally started as a math company, Shiller has expanded to offer Montessori-based Language Arts and activity packs for social studies and science. Lessons are scripted so as soon as you familiarize yourself with the kits, it is open and go.

Keys to the Universe: Montessori albums and mentor support. This is truly a small business, so if you prefer a personal touch, I recommend this vendor.

Honorable Mentions:

The following programs are not Montessori, per say, but they are multisensory, systematic, incremental, and used by homeschoolers who want the feel of Montessori-learning but either cannot afford Montessori materials or do not feel like making their own. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there.

You may also prefer to buy Montessori albums, manuals, and materials through training organizations and vendors such as these:

Not enough? If you’re like me, you might want to throw your whole heart in Montessori training and these are the two programs I recommend looking into.

But if you’re also like me, you do not have the money for the official training programs. This certificate program is pretty comprehensive. I took Karen Tyler’s Montessori Certificate Program years and years ago when there were no Facebook groups and all we had were Yahoo Groups. It was still an unforgettable experience.

For FREE training demonstrations in the Montessori Method, try Montessori World. It is intended for classroom teachers, and is NOT intended to replace a certificate program. However, it features video lectures with Margaret Homfray, who trained directly under Dr. Montessori herself! You can watch the videos and get links to written lessons as well.

Montessori In My Home

After reading Dr. M’s book, The Montessori Method, I was entirely convinced to homeschool and went all in with my oldest 2 kids (at the time I only had 2). We used Montessori math and Montessori reading techniques and found them to be outstanding. In fact, I credit Montessori techniques with teaching my kids to read fairly easily despite their dyslexia. We now use another program - you can read about Barton Reading here. But guess what? It still has major Montessori influences, as Orton-Gillingham based programs do.

After a few years, it became very clear that military-life and frequent moves are not conducive to keeping a large amount of “official” Montessori materials which would end up broken or lost. I’ve had to say goodbye to some beautiful sensorial materials. Wah! It also became clear that I wouldn’t always be in a house that I could fit my carefully curated Language, Math, Sensorial, Culture, and Science shelves. So, in my situation I incorporate one beautiful Montessori-inspired shelf in our homeschool space. In each little cubby I try to keep sensorial materials, whole-hand and fine motor materials, language materials, culture materials, and math/science materials. Sometimes, I use a theme to decide what materials to place on the shelf, and this is where I have lots of fun! Here is a pic of my Winnie the Pooh Shelf (I have a very healthy obsession with Pooh Bear). This is where I encourage an overwhelmed homeschool mama start. Pick a theme, pick some picture books and age-appropriate activities, and place them on a shelf the child can reach. Let the child enjoy it. Living Montessori Now will have lots of ideas.

Montessori Practical Life is my jam and this is how I have incorporated Montessori approaches in my parenting. At the appropriate ages, my husband and I teach the kids to “do it themselves” meaning we teach the kids many practical life skills. Our kids fold their own clothes, clean their own rooms, fix their own snacks and lunches, load and unload the dishwasher, clean their bathrooms, vacuum, dust, clean windows, and care for their younger siblings. Our kids care for our pet dog, and offer to help the neighbors with pet-sitting and baby-sitting. While it may sound like I am bragging about my children (and I am a little bit), I am trying to demonstrate how much children are actually capable of doing. It is our ultimate goal as parents that our children do not need “adulting” courses because we have taught them to do things like laundry and cook meals early on. We have taught them to “do it themselves.”

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take a deeper look at Montessori education and leads you down the happy path of homeschool curriculum shopping for this new school year! Don’t forget to check Mommy Maestra’s Montessori Planner for your planning needs.

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Friday, May 27, 2022

Book Review: TEACH by Dennis Dinoia

This is a sponsored book post. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

Every kid is different. We all know that. And if you have more than one child at home, you know that different kids sometimes require different instruction or motivation.

One of the comments I see a lot of in the homeschool groups I run or am a member of is: How do I get my kid to work on his/her own? I have certainly struggled with this myself. My oldest just graduated and has always been self-motivated. Never did I tell her to go get her school work done. (She was actually only homeschooled until high school, then went to a private school to finish out.)

But at home, I am still homeschooling a sophomore and a preschooler. Actually, they are both about to move up a "grade." But I frequently tear my hair out because my 16yo has to be badgered all the time to get his school work done. Every. Single. Day. I have to tell him to get it done.

So I was pretty interested when I heard that Dennis Dinoia of Mr. D Math was coming out with a book that specifically talks about how to get kids to be responsible for their own education.

Raising Independent Learners

TEACH: Creating Independently Responsible Learners helps parents become their children's education partners, rather than their monitors, hand-holders, or naggers.

Inside the pages of this book, you'll learn what exactly he means when he uses the term independently responsible learners (umm, it's exactly what it sounds like). But what I enjoyed most, is learning different techniques for nurturing my child's ability to learn independently....and willingly.

Dennis shares his ah-ha moments as a teacher that led to his strategy for developing independent learners. Some of these techniques I recognized from my own days as a student, as well as a homeschooling mom. For example, making the student the teacher. This is something I often told my kids when they were younger: "If you can teach it to me, or each other, or someone else, then you will understand it." I can't believe that I FORGOT this trick now that my middle kid is in high school where it would be sooo effective!! Ugh.

But that's why I love this book. And it's how I know that the guidance inside these pages is solid.

It also includes a bonus chapter at the end to help you or your student set goals. He literally walks you through it and gives you the tools you need to visually lay out a plan that you can follow.

Change Your Mindset

If you are a homeschool mom like me who is feeling a lot of burnout after a few difficult years (let's face it: they were hard for everyone), and you are looking for an inspirational book to help you reset your mindset, this book is definitely for you.

Even if you have fairly self-motivated kids who get their work done without being told to do so, this book has some wonderful techniques for you to implement to continue nurturing their independent spirit when it comes to their education.

We are about to stop schooling for the summer (and don't get me wrong, I've been looking forward to relaxing this summer), but I'm already looking forward to implementing many of the techniques discussed in this book.

The Discount

The paperback version of this book is $14.95 on Amazon. BUT between now and June 15, 2022, you can get the eBook for just $.99! Don't wait. If you have a collection of books about homeschooling or teaching, this is one is a must-add.

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Monday, February 21, 2022

What is Unschooling? How to Get Started

This post is part of a new series that dives deeper into the different homeschooling methods that families follow. For a brief overview of the different styles, check out my post on homeschool method descriptions.

Parents often start their homeschooling days by giving their children a schedule with specific subjects to learn such as math, science, and history. After attempting to do this, the parents recognize that their child isn't interested in any or all of them.

At this point, many homeschool parents begin to question themselves thinking perhaps they don't have the ability to teach their children and their child is struggling in school.

But what if you were to step back and take a look at things from a different perspective? What if you didn't see it as not being able to teach your kids but that they just weren't ready for those subjects? Or maybe they just weren't ready to learn in the style you were using?

This is when many parents begin to think outside of the box. They start looking at other options for homeschool education, such as unschooling.

What is the unschooling method?

Unschooling is a form of homeschooling in which students are given more freedom to learn on their own terms. They may pursue whatever interests they have and ask questions when things don't make sense, rather than following specific curriculum plans with set lessons for each subject area like many other forms of schooling do.

Homeschoolers who unschool their children focus more on the experimental process of learning and becoming educated rather than on "doing school." Unschooling is an active method for these learners as they are given control over what will be learned in each particular lesson or project.

The child decides how much information he/she wants to absorb from each source; this sometimes leads them outside traditional avenues where knowledge has been prescribed by teachers without discussion starters such as lectures.

Unschooling is a natural curiosity-driven way of homeschooling. It means not placing artificial time constraints on your child like the introduction of certain subjects at specific ages, or structuring their day in any particular way that might be familiar to them from school settings. Instead, unschooled kids explore everything they are interested in without restrictions.

How to Start Unschooling

Now that I shared what unschooling is all about, you're probably wondering how you can start unschooling your children. The first step is to determine if this process is allowed in your state.

While homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, some states are stricter about the approach to education than others. It's best to research your state's homeschool laws at HSLDA.org before making the switch to unschooling.

Once you know that your state is a region that allows unschooling to work for your family, it's time to get started unschooling:

Research and talk to other families who unschool to start to get feel for options that work for other children.
Talk to your children to see what goals and interests they have. Use this information to help mold your first unschooling attempt.
Make a choice if you'll incorporate any mainstream homeschool education options, such as workbooks or formal curriculum-based studies.
Start with an unschooling method that feels right for your family.

Do unschoolers learn math?

Yes, unschoolers do learn math. Math is a part of everyday living and experience and can be integrated into your child's interest areas.

For example: If your child enjoys cooking, you could work together to make up recipes and do measurements together as well as follow specific recipes provided in books or online.

You could also introduce counting by completing activities that involve counting out objects, such as silverware for a picnic.

Is it possible to unschool through high school?

Yes, many unschoolers continue their learning right through high school. Although some homeschooling families may switch educational methods during the children's high school years if the child is interested in attending a university or college.

Unschooling is a less formal way to make certain that your children get an education without the stress that comes from the other traditional methods of learning. Some people hear the term “unschooling” and think that the children aren’t being educated. This thought process is incorrect.

Children are always learning. They learn from real experiences, rather than through artificial means of introducing subjects to them during specific times periods at school.

Many families who unschool use the relaxed educational approach as a way to teach their children about everything they need to know without feeling restricted by time or curriculum restraints.

Is unschooling a good idea?

In all honesty, only you can determine if unschooling is right for your family. However, if your children are struggling with traditional methods of homeschooling or in-person schooling then it may be time to try the unschooling approach.

One of the most popular reasons for unschooling is to see your children thrive. Children are curious by nature, which means they will soak up everything around them if they are allowed to do so. This type of learning can help unleash their creativity and potential in a way that many traditional schools cannot offer.

Just to recap unschooling is a natural curiosity-driven method of homeschooling that encourages your children to learn through interest-based methods. The unschooling method may change throughout the duration of your child's years of homeschooling, but one fact remains true; unschooled children lead the way for their parents to encourage a love of reading, learning, and living through everyday experiences.

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Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Homeschool High School Transcript Program

The following is a sponsored post in collaboration with Fast Transcript and MommyMaestra. All opinions are my own.

This is my first year homeschooling a high schooler. My eldest decided to go to a private high school when she started 9th grade. But my middle child started 9th grade this fall. Up until now, I haven't had to worry to much about keeping track of grades or credits. But as we look to the future and plan for scholarships and college, both are heavy on my mind.

When your homeschooled child graduates from high school, they'll need a high school transcript. Why? Because a transcript is required for pretty much every college application. It's like a resumé that gives admissions officers an overall look at your child's accomplishments in a straightforward, concise format. A transcript can make or break your child's acceptance into the college of their choice.

Some homeschool parents are super organized and detail oriented so creating a transcript is easy. But for the rest of us, help is needed. I've already attended one lecture about it, but I'm not sure I walked away feeling any wiser or more confident about it. So I've been looking for additional resources, and I'm excited that I had the opportunity to review FastTranscript.com.

How it works

When you first sign up, you're prompted to begin creating the transcript for your student. It's very straightforward and provides a form for you to fill out with all the basic information, such as your student's name, birth date, address, etc.

You can then choose to fill out the information for your child by grade. This information includes the year(s), course, grade, and credits earned. If you need help figuring out how many credits each class counts as, the sidebar has course suggestions and how many credits they are worth for each subject. And you have three options to select from:

General High School
General College Prep
Rigorous College Prep

The form also automatically calculates your child's GPA and the total credits they've earned as you fill in the information. And it provides a cumulative summary of your child's work over the entire four years.

Finally, there is a section for writing additional important information, such as their ACT/SAT scores, awards, club involvement, etc.

The one-page transcript will include a space at the bottom of the page for a signature when it prints. And you can preview what your transcript will look like at any time with the press of a button. Here's a sample:

Fast Transcripts - high school transcript service

What makes Fast Transcripts special

There are two or three sites that create transcripts for homeschoolers, but there are a few things that really make this site stand out. First, they have developed an error-catching algorithm (audit) that flags 703 common mistakes often made when putting together a transcript.

Second is that they send secure watermarked or digital transcripts directly from their Homeschool Clearinghouse to 4,397 colleges & universities! This is really an amazing deal. It makes applying to a LOT of colleges so much easier - especially by saving you an incredible amount of time that you would otherwise spend hunting down emails for each college.

And finally, the program includes automated course names and course descriptions. This is a HUGE timesaver!

Overall, this is such a great program that takes the guesswork out of creating an outstanding transcript for your homeschooler, and relieves the burden of trying to figure it all out without any mistakes.

Try it yourself first

I ALWAYS encourage you guys to try samples or free trials before you purchase anything homeschool related. So I love that you can try the program first free for 30 days with NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED.

Try it out! Sign up for the free trial.

Pricing

Fast Transcripts offers three monthly subscription options. The Essentials package ($11.99) lets you print the professional transcript and provides the transcript audit. And the Guidance Counselor package ($18.99) gives you the option to include class rank and access to a real transcripts library. And the Expert Review ($84.99) includes all this plus expert advice, a final review, and offers phone-in support.

Other homeschool high school resources

You may also find these high school materials helpful.

Transcripts Made Easy: The Homeschooler's Guide to High School

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Teens

Homeschooling: The Teen Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 13- to 18- Year-Old

Homeschooling for College Credit

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Evaluating Your First Semester of Homeschooling

If your homeschool year started last fall, then you are getting ready to start your second semester of lessons. Before you do, I want to encourage you to stop, grab a pen and paper, and take 10 or 15 minutes to think critically of your homeschool.

All well-running machines need routine assessments and tweaks. Now is the time to take a moment to sit and think carefully about how the first part of your year went. What are you going to keep? What are you going to change?

Start by writing out the subjects in your homeschool. Leave space to make comments under each one, like this:

Then start with the first subject. Ask yourself these questions:

Is my child loving it? Why or why not?
Is my child learning and growing? Why or why not?
Am I having trouble teaching the material because of the way it is presented?
Is the problem (if any) one that can be easily resolved by making simple changes?
i.e. - changing the order of subjects, changing the way in which they answer, etc.
Does the curriculum we're using teach the concepts in the way my child learns best? (If not, you may need a different curriculum.)

Write your thoughts down in the space below each subject. Do the same with each subject. Your final page should look like this:

And then stop and think about your homeschool day. Most homeschool families I know are super busy. Flexibility is key to success. But if you have a set routine, then maybe look at it critically and see if it is working.

For example, I put the subjects that we need to move more quickly through on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Right now our schedule looks like this:

Monday - Wednesday - Friday:

MATH
Science
History
ELA

Tuesday - Thursday:

MATH
Civics
Geography
Grammar
Spanish
Art

Notice that math is the only subject done 5 days a week. That works best for us. Grammar and civics don't take very long, so although he does more subjects on Tues-Thurs, it doesn't necessarily take up more time.

I'm sure YOUR homeschool days look much different. Maybe you homeschool in the evenings or on weekends. Maybe mornings are reserved for play and time outside. Perhaps you are early birds who like to knock out the lessons as soon as you wake up, or you only do a 4-day school week.

Don't be worried about moving subjects to different days or doing one or two every single day. Time may make a difference, too. My son likes to do math last, but I always make sure that it is after lunch so he's had some fuel after the other lessons for him to tackle the algebra equations.

Remember, don't try to force your family into a mold that doesn't fit right. Make homeschooling work for YOUR family.

Sunday, August 2, 2020

MommyMaestra's 2020 Back-to-School Fiesta!

Hola, MommyMaestra Readers!

August is here and that means that it is time for my annual Back-to-School Fiesta! And I'm so excited about the lineup! Several Spanish-learning curricula for different age levels, music albums, science kits, books and more are on the list. You don't want to miss this.

Normally, this comes after a quiet summer spent with my family, but it has been nonstop busy for me this year. Still, I'm excited about the upcoming weeks. During my BTS Fiesta, I share new, helpful, or just plain fun products and services that will help you make your coming school year more effective and/or enjoyable. You'll find resources for homeschoolers, parents, and teachers. So keep an eye on this website because I have a wonderful lineup for you every Monday through Friday this month.

A few notes on important things I want to sneak in today because the other days are already full.

First, don't miss the TpT Back-to-School Sale this coming Tuesday & Wednesday, August 4th and 5th. Everything in my shop will be on sale at their maximum 25% off... including new products. This is the perfect time to go through your wish list and stock up on items that you've been waiting for!

The coupon code is also good for my shop here on MommyMaestra.com, but it doesn't have all the items that are listed on TpT. However, the discount will be good through the end of the month!

And finally, if you aren't already signed up for my newsletter, please consider doing so. There will be a few freebies available only to my newsletter subscribers. This month's free download is an updated version of these Back-to-School Labels. I use them to make the first day special for my kids. I leave them a little gift to open, usually fun school supplies and books. I wrap them up to make it a little more exciting and leave one of these labels being sure to write the grade they're entering in the space provided.

If you are shopping for the coming school year, please check here because you might win something!

Good luck to all and ENJOY!

Monday, June 22, 2020

Homeschooling vs. Distance Learning: What's the Difference?

I can't tell you how many times I saw people complaining on Facebook toward the end of the school year about how much they hated homeschooling. But upon further reading, they talked about how stressful the zoom meetings were or how they didn't understand what the teacher was expecting or couldn't figure out the assignments.

This isn't homeschooling. It's distance learning. And the two are VERY different.

Distance learning is any form of remote learning where the student is not present at school but is being taught through communication with the school/teacher. Correspondence courses are a typical form of distance learning. They typically grade the assignments and keep track of all their grades.

Homeschooling is when a parent or other caregiver is physically present in the home and actively teaching the student. It is HOME education and the biggest difference is that the caregiver (usually a parent) is the primary educator.

Oh, sure, homeschoolers can take online courses or even attend classes outside the home (in a co-op, or at a museum/zoo/gallery, etc.). In fact, most homeschoolers have very active schedules outside the home. For example, last year, in addition to his school work at home, my homeschooled 14 yo had Civil Air Patrol meetings on Tuesday nights, taekwondo classes on Wednesday mornings, and we attended a homeschool co-op on Fridays where he took Texas History, World Geography, Drawing, and Spanish. When it was closed because of COVID, he finished the first two classes on Zoom.

But the difference is that I remained his primary teacher, overseeing all of his classes, teaching the majority, making sure that he completed assignments for all of his classes, and keeping track of all his grades. His main schooling was done at home.

Many of you are thinking about keeping your kids home this fall. And you are thinking about how your kids are going to learn.

If you enroll your child in an online program (a public school course that teaches everything), then you'll be doing distance learning.

If you yourself, buy a curriculum that you will teach or help teach and you are keeping track of your child's assignments and grades, then you will be homeschooling.

To be clear, even if you have a high schooler, who can pretty much do most of the work on their own, you'll still be homeschooling if you are keeping track of grades and assignments and oversee their transcript (even if you have someone else put it together).

I hope this clears everything up!

Friday, June 19, 2020

3 Things to Do to Start Homeschooling

It's time to talk about beginning homeschool. So many people are looking ahead to the fall and realizing that given the current state of things with the pandemic, there's a good chance that schools may not reopen and many don't feel safe sending their child to school.

If this sounds like you, then it is time to start preparing to homeschool. Here are the steps that I recommend you take to get started.

This post may contain affiliate links.

1) Research

Once you have decided to take the leap and homeschool your kid(s), then the first thing you need to do is a little research so that you can make some decisions.

The most important thing to do first, is find out what the laws are in your state regarding homeschooling.

Buy my book

My newly revised and updated book, The Latino Family's Guide to Homeschooling, is FULL of information on homeschooling. You can find everything quickly at your fingertips.

Or, if you have the time to do a LOT of searching on MommyMaestra.com, you can find many of the chapters from my book in blog posts. Here's a list of the posts I wrote right after I started MommyMaestra. These all reflect the things I thought about or learned when we were starting. And there are also some posts from guests who contributed their perspective and tips for navigating homeschool as Latino parents.

So if you are thinking about homeschooling your child, these are all good posts to read to prepare yourself.

2) Decide on a Homeschool Method

Or a combination of methods. Don't worry. It isn't set in stone. You may discover that what you thought you would enjoy most isn't actually what works best for you and/or your child. But we all have to start somewhere, no? So carefully review my post with a brief description of homeschooling methods. Think about what your child enjoys and see if you can find one that appeals to you. You might even ask your kids what they think and include them in the decision.

3) Look for a Curriculum

Honestly, THE BEST ADVICE I got when I first started was to get a complete curriculum. I can't remember if I bought one gently used on eBay or if a homeschooling friend lent me theirs after they were done. But either way, this absolutely 100% helped ME understand my child better and made teaching so much easier. I learned what was a realistic amount of time was for my child to spend on any one subject - it was WAY shorter than what I was trying to make her do! I also learned how to teach and what to teach.

If you pick a particular homeschool method, you can easily Google it plus the word curriculum. The one thing I want to recommend is that you ALWAYS download the sample pages that the program offers so that you can see what it is like before you buy it. Even if you buy it on eBay, go first to the publisher's website and download the samples.

For a complete curriculum, here are some of the more popular ones with curricula for PreK - 12th grade:

Calvert Homeschool (Secular) This is what I started out with!
OakMeadow (Secular)
BookShark (Secular)
Sonlight (Christian)
Abeka (Christian)
Memoria Press (Classical Christian)

Again, these complete NEW curricula can be very expensive. But homeschoolers often take good care of their curricula so that they can resell it as soon as they are done. So look for gently used ones available on eBay or also on Facebook homeschool buy/sell/trade groups.

4) Familiarize Yourself

I know. I know. I said three things. I'm sneaking in a fourth, but really it could be part of #3.

This is actually just a reminder. After you've purchased your first curriculum and received it in the mail, go ahead and open it and look through it yourself BEFORE you start teaching. Don't be surprised. Read through the first few lessons in their entirety so you can get an idea of what will be happening.

Con mucho cariño...

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