Recently I mentioned my excitement at all the connections my children and I make in our homeschooling. It started me thinking about all the different kinds of connections we homeschoolers make. Back when I first considered homeschooling (after reading this book), I immediately made connections with the homeschoolers I knew in church, and I pumped them for information. They, in turn, connected me with curriculum choices and state laws and networking opportunities. Once we got going, I found that our family was making stronger connections with each other, and together we connected with history, literature, science, math, and so on. And, because of all of these connections, I know I'm not alone. In fact, here are plenty of other homeschoolers who are making connections:
Check out how these homeschoolers connect with history...
From Apollos Academy comes a link to a very cool visual history of the Middle East in 90 seconds.
Dana at Principled Discovery has connected history with some thoughts on education in her Holocaust Day post.
Okay, here's a sentence I never thought I'd type: Help! I'm holding a haggis! That's the catchy title of this post at Field Learning. They're connecting with history -- specifically with Robert Burns.
And here are some homeschoolers making science connections:
What do you get when you connect a battery to a nail? K T Kat at The Scratching Post has the answer.
APMFormulators posts a link to a radio broadcast, "5 Advantages for Homeschoolers Who Study Family Medicine".
These moms are making math connections:
Mama Squirrel at Dewey's Treehouse says that to "just make cookies" doesn't go far enough in teaching math. She explains some math connections that go beyond cookies.
Sprittibee posts a hilarious cartoon and links to a video on new math trends.
Percentages are the topic at Let's Play Math!. And that's timely for my own PalmGirl who is not enjoying that particular math topic at the moment.
These homeschoolers are speaking my love language -- grammar! ;-)
Someone over at SmallWorld is speaking my love language with her post on 11 Essential Rules of Grammar. ;-)
Rusty at New Covenant has connected grammar, reading, and thinking with understanding God's Word. We homeschooling parents have a huge -- and, oh, so important -- task, don't we?!
Reading opens a whole world of connections. See what these homeschooling parents have to say:
Alasandra at The Homeschool Cafe shares six very practical ways to get your children to read and enjoy it.Jason at Antioch Road reviews Christopher Klicka's Home Schooling: The Right Choice.
At My Domestic Church, find some family pictures and a review of Mary Kay Clarke's Catholic Homeschooling. It's no surprise that homeschooling has made their family closer. (I had the wrong link before. Sorry about that!)
Henry Cate at Why Homeschool shares one of the things he loves about homeschooling -- teaching his daughter how to mark up a book.
These moms are making connections with geography, the arts, and other activities:
Michelle at scribbit shares resources for teaching kids geography.How do you have a successful trip to the opera with a first grader? Find out over at Little Blue School.
Beverly Hernandez of About Homeschool links to Ground Hog Day printables, activities, and a quiz.
You can't homeschool without making some connections with the educational "establishment":
Stephanie at Adventures in the 100 Acre Wood shares her frustration with the local school district bureaucracy.
Did you see this article in Newsweek questioning putting so much pressure on young children? Kat at No fighting, no biting! did and she shares her thoughts and experience.
Melissa at A Familiar Path shares her recent standardized testing anxiety -- and relief!
These folks are connecting with educational philosophy and methods:
Tammy at Just Enough, and Nothing More answers four questions about homeschooling.
From Beneficial Learning for Outstanding Generation comes the age-old question, Why Must You Study?.
The folks at SharpBrains connect brain exercise and lifelong learning.
They're reflecting on Alfred North Whitehead's The Aims of Education and the stages of education over at Eide Neurolearning Blog.
Shaun at Red Sea School reassures fellow homeschooling moms with her explanation of The Learning Buffet, or How All Students Are Like Picky Toddlers.
The Bluedorns are looking to connect new homeschooling parents with those homeschoolers who have had experience in teaching the trivium. They're asking for those of you with such experience to contribute an article to their ebook.
At The Needle in a Haystack, they're connecting the dots. Read how day-to-day learning helped her children to question, find answers -- and careers!
Read about a successful homeschooling co-op, among other things, at At a Hen's Pace.
Celeste at Life Without School has a clue (sorry, couldn't resist the pun). She reminds us that one size, or one educational method, doesn't fit everyone.
Ragamuffin Studies is making a connection with God's creation, and she's thankful for the time homeschooling affords to slow down and look at the world around us.
Patti at All Info About Home Schooling answers the question all of us homeschoolers have heard, "What do you use?"
Russ at The Student Help Forum makes the case for why students should blog.
Headmistress, Zookeeper at The Common Room explains that in education less can be more, and she shares some of the connections her children have made.
Read the thoughts on Mea Culpa: Masterly Inactivity over at Dominion Family. She beautifully connects Charlotte Mason, rest, and parenting and education.
More thoughts on, and appreciaton for, Charlotte Mason are at U Krakovianki.
Kristina at at home, on fire is remembering her humble beginnings and connecting that with homeschooling.
Barbara Frank, The Imperfect Homeschooler (and aren't we all?!) , writes about how repetition has worked for her children.
Sagerats at High Desert Hi-Jinks reviews a chore chart computer program.
Julee Huy at Homeschool Daze Blog lists 5 ways to fit shool into busy days.
Megan at Half Pint House has lots of questions and she's wondering if she's cut out for homeschooling. I think all of us wonder that at times, and, honestly, I think that if you're questioning yourself, that's a good sign.
Gena Suarez links to some disturbing current events and connects that with education.
Here is one mother's account of the special blessing of a special needs child.
The connections we homeschoolers make are really endless, aren't they? That's because we're living life as we educate our children, and that's where the connections happen -- in real life. Consider making some connections in the next Carnival of Homeschooling hosted at About Homeschool. Click here for more information. Mahalo once again to the Cates for coordinating and organizing the Carnival of Homeschooling. And thank you to all who participated.
(Please let me know if any of the links are broken or if I've missed someone. A couple of the entries went to my junkmail folder, but I caught them. I'd hate to miss anyone, so please speak up if I've left you out.)
********UPDATE: Judy Aron's entry was apparently eaten by my junkmail folder. My apologies for missing it. She writes a post that's quite encouraging and helpful to this mother of a 7th grader and a 9th grader -- "Homeschooling: Do I Have to Teach Algebra?"
********UPDATE II: The Thinking Mother's entry never made it from the Blog Carnival submission to the carnival's gmail account, and apparently that's happened to a few other folks recently. Here is her contribution -- Self-Initiated Educational Activities her children are doing since she intentionally slowed down her family's schedule. It's amazing what a little breathing room can do, isn't it?
Related Tags: Carnival of Homeschooling, homeschool, homeschooling, education, parenting, math, science, reading, Charlotte Mason, grammar
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