Cyberschool Kids Are Cool

I've changed homes

2008-11-30T06:47:00.001-08:00

My new home is An ATC Addict. I hope you'll join me there.

One of those days...

2008-10-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

It's one of those days...

We're between materials from cyberschool. This means that for the past week (going on 2 now) I've been searching online for work for my daughter to do. It's been really hard to find anything worth doing so we've only been doing about 30 minutes of work each day. Now after a busy weekend, I've reached a point where I just want to curl up on the couch and chill. After all, what difference is 30 minutes of schoolwork going to make today? So, here we are, enjoying a day off.

That's one of the greatest benefits of homeschooling year around though. We take days off when we need them, not when the school district tells us to take them. Of course, there are times when we take more time off than at other times. Like this week we won't be doing a whole lot. Between me being bloody tired today and my daughter's birthday being Thursday, we'll probably only do about 3 days of school this week. However, come Thanksgiving time or winter/spring break, we'll probably be doing school while others are enjoying a break.

In the end, I'm sure this all works out but I do feel guilty sometimes. Today is one of those days that I'm feeling a bit of the guilt but not feeling as though I can do much about it. So, I'm putting the thought aside and chilling out instead.

Homeschooling days

2008-10-07T11:25:00.000-07:00

OK so I took the jump and sent in the paperwork for my daughter to skip a grade. She finished all the tests and now we wait...

We have spent a total of 60 minutes on school work this week. It feels so odd but I don't have any materials to use while we're in transition. So, we haven't been doing much. Nevertheless, it seems that my daughter is doing her own unschooling type of thing around here, which is very neat to see. Yesterday she was learning how to spell new words and today she's looking through an Ocean Atlas.

I'm glad that I keep educational materials around the house. It's so hard for me to figure out what to teach her right now but she's finding her own interests to teach herself about. I'm glad because I thought she'd be doing nothing intelligent, so to speak. Just a nice glance at something good that's going on this week...

Skipping Grades

2008-09-25T06:28:00.001-07:00

I contacted my daughter's instructional supervisor yesterday after having another difficult day of homeschooling. I told her how much I hate Calvert curriculum and how crazy it is that my daughter is doing the same exact work that she did last year. To my surprise, she told me to go ahead and just do the tests with my daughter and she'll move her into second grade. We were going to do this at Christmas time but it seems that none of us are going to be able to last that long LOL I enjoy the fact that we have the freedom to do this now and I am proud of my daughter's academic abilities but I'm not so sure what I think about skipping grades. So, I'd really like to know: What are your thoughts on skipping grades?

Educational Games

2008-09-19T08:42:00.001-07:00

I love educational games but I love them even more whenever they allow you to donate to those in need. Here is one that I've found for all the cat lovers of the world...

Explaining School Days To Others

2008-09-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

I cannot seem to understand or even begin to wrap my mind around why some people seem to think that just because you homeschool you can go whenever and do whatever at any time of the day. Otherwise sensible adults seemingly take it for granted that just because I choose to homeschool my daughter, that I can be at their beck and call whenever they want to meet with me. Then when I try to explain that it's too disruptive for our school day they're kind of like, "Huh?!?!?" It's as if we're not meant to have a schedule and that because we school at home we can do whatever we like whenever we like. I'm growing really tired of trying to explain this to people too. I'd love to hear what your thoughts on this are...

{Sorry, / end rant LOL}

Doing it all

2008-09-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

Being a WAHM can be hard enough but add to that cyberschooling your child and you may feel as though you're about to drown, literally. I should know because that's how I feel most week days. While neither of these roles are easy, put them together and you have a near lethal combination. That is unless you are able to do what I've done and find jobs to do that don't require you to maintain a set schedule or to really have to answer to anyone. Thankfully I don't need to make a ton of money every month in order to survive. I only actually need to make a few hundred dollars. This is something that the jobs I now have should easily allow me to do between the couple of jobs that I now have. I'm doing transcription for a company (soon to be 2 companies if things work out right), data entry, Cha Cha and still writing for a few clients occasionally. While it takes a lot of energy to jump on and off the computer to do all of this, the reason that I share this with you is to simply say: It IS possible to be a WAHM and a cyberschooling parent at the same time... And "Oh yeah!" did I also mention that I'm a single mom too? :D

Trying to get it all done

2008-08-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

When I finally thought that I had a pattern going and that everything was going fine, yet another thing of curriculum shows up! This time it is a science kit. It is filled with goodies to use in doing science experiments this year. The problem is, when do you have time to do everything? Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that it's not important. I'm just saying that there's not enough time in the day to do everything. Between activities at night and school during the day and my working - a single parent simply runs out of time. However, I'm sure that this is not just an issue that single parents face, so I'm wondering how you get it all done? Care to share?

P.S. This is one of the many blogs that can be found on this week's Homeschool Carnival of blogs.

Sunday Morning Link Love...

2008-08-24T06:39:00.001-07:00

I'm sure you'll find some great new blogs here that you'll love visiting:

I'm sure you'll find some great new blogs here that you'll love visiting:

World of Mom
Drizzly Blog
WICBlog
Green 'n' Pink
Reading Writing and Reloading
Feelings Just Are
Not Just In Your Head
Kateedyd What?!
Mommie’s Marbles
Confetti by: Kateedyd
Pure Jade Home
Luxury Lifestylez
The Fuzzbutt Files
Kimmi's Krazy World
My Weekly Beef
My First Steps With Jesus
Good News
I Love my 3 Boys
Secola‘s Space
Left Hand in Right Mind
Thrifty Mom Ramblings
Tupperware
My So Called Blog
Remotely Mommy
Vibrant Healthy U
Photos For The Fun of It
Nusring Home or Home?
The Art Of Criticism
World of Homemaking
Mix World
Have Your Health
Money Relations
A Christian Marriage
That‘s What I am Talking About
Spiritually Grounded Mind
A Break From Parenting
Florida Travel Spots
All in a blog
Blog About it
Different World
I feel like a woman
Easing Chronic Pain
Momas Life
Bahama Berry
Wah and Loving it
My Big Fat Battle
Liz’s So Called Blog
Secret Thoughts and More
Kathleens Brand Buzz
The 40 Life
Photos for the Fun of it
The Geeks Girl
NES Nintendo
The Mighty Scribbler
Domesticated Diva
A little bit About Nothin
The Cajun Blogger
Wahm Adventures
House of Bargains
Coodas Corner
My-Junk-Drawer
Fat Girl Goes Fit
Mommy Mias World
Vanilla Country Store
Thrifty Thoughts
Godly Woman
My Special Place
Work from Home Options
The work from home blog
Women Of Faith
Cypress TX Mom
Momas Life
Success Factors
Savvy Business Moms
Here On Columbia Avenue
Da Boss And Bryguy
4 Cats Make Me Crazy!

How much time do you spend on homeschooling?

2008-08-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

I know that there are some parents who spend all day doing homeschool. However, we're simply not one of those families. We have found a comfortable way in which to only spend 2 to 3 hours doing schoolwork each day and yet my daughter is beyond her grade level. I know that I can't be the only one who doesn't spend all day homeschooling. So, how long do you spend homeschooling your child each day?

Writing Lesson Plans

2008-08-14T20:16:00.000-07:00

This is our first year cyberschooling, our third year homeschooling. So, you'd think that I'd be a semi pro at writing lesson plans by now. However, at first I was really finding it difficult to write out these cyberschool lesson plans for my daughter. Tonight there was a great turn of events: I wrote out the lesson plans, while tired, without cursing once. I'm happy to say that at least this part of things is getting easier. I hope that if you have this same struggle that you'll find things getting easier too.

Are you a cyberschooling WAHM?

2008-08-13T20:06:00.000-07:00

If so, you may be able to relate to my days lately...

It seems that lately I'm unable to get into a "groove." I am a freelance writer and I really want to keep things that way. I'm also a single mom and want to cyberschool my daughter. Nevertheless, for some reason I've not been able to make these things work together lately. It seemed easier whenever I was doing homeschooling and picking the materials. Now that the school is dictating what my daughter needs to use for materials it's become difficult to say the least. Now we're not big on schedules and I'm sure that'd help but we've never had to have one up to now, so why use one now (LOL) Instead, I'm finding that I'm having to work later at night in order to stay caught up. I don't know that I'm the only one juggling this but I'd love to hear any ideas except for schedules as they just don't work for us. I'm determined to make this thing work out and keep reminding myself that we're only at the beginning of this new school year. Things will look up soon, right?!?!

And then i stop to think that not all of my daughter's activities have yet to begin either...

I Will Survive (the first year of homeschooling)

2008-08-10T06:11:00.001-07:00

While I found this on another blog, I really felt the need to share it with you here. The original song was originally written and produced by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris and originally performed by Gloria Gaynor. However, it's now been altered for us homeschoolers.

First I was afraid
I was petrified.
Kept thinking I could never teach
’Cause I’m not certified.
But we spent so many nights
Reteaching homework that was wrong.
I grew strong,
so now I teach my kids at home!
We study math
and outer space.
I just kept on despite the fear
with a big smile across my face.
I bought a set of Base Ten blocks.
I bought books with answer keys.
My parents think we’re nuts,
but they don’t even bother me

Come on, let’s go walk out the door.
We’re on the road now,
'cause we’re not home much anymore
My friends would laugh and say we’d be unsocialized.
I heard one mumble
that I’d give up by July.
Oh no, not I!
I will survive!
As long as I know how to read
I know we’ll be alright.
I've got all my life to learn.
I've got energy to burn.
and I'll survive.
I will survive.

It took all the strength I had
not to fall apart.
Decided to attend
a play date at the local park,
and I met oh so many moms
who offered eagerly to help.
They used to cry.
Now they hold their heads up high,
and so do we!
My kids are cool!
They’re not those chained up little people
stuck inside at school.
So if you feel like dropping by
and just expect us to be free
you’d better call ahead first
’cause we’re probably busy!