Homeschool Inspiration?

[Saille]

What has really inspired you lately? I'm talking books, articles, websites with great homeschool reading..."light your inner homeschooler fire" kind of reading. I'm in the throes of next year's research, planning, and choosing reading assignments, and I need some bigger picture stuff to ground me. Someone recommended Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire last week, and I'm enjoying it, but I'll be done with it soon and it's ps-oriented, not hs specific.

 

Thanks!

[Night Elf]

I've been inspired by what I've been posting most about recently, SWB's writing lectures. I saw someone mention the middle school writing lecture and I remembered how much I loved her Writing Without Fear lecture. I also listened to Jesse Wise's lecture, If I could do it over again. I started planning our new year, which is starting immediately, a few weeks ago and had reread the sections of WTM that are relevant to dd12. The plan for teaching writing lectures just kicked it in for me. We haven't taken a significant break but I'm excited about our new stuff!

[Another Lynn]

I've been inspired by what I've been posting most about recently, SWB's writing lectures. I saw someone mention the middle school writing lecture and I remembered how much I loved her Writing Without Fear lecture. I also listened to Jesse Wise's lecture, If I could do it over again. I started planning our new year, which is starting immediately, a few weeks ago and had reread the sections of WTM that are relevant to dd12. The plan for teaching writing lectures just kicked it in for me. We haven't taken a significant break but I'm excited about our new stuff!

 

:iagree: I listened to SWB's Writing lectures over the last week (except the high school one) and they were very reassuring (yes, I can do this).

 

I may also skim through parts of When Children Love to Learn since I read it a couple years ago.

[Nancy Ann]

The Joyous Homeschooler by Mary Hood was great! She is into a very relaxed homeschool style, but I still found much of what she had to say inspiring. I also get inspired by just reading other peoples blogs and looking at all the neat stuff they are doing. It sort of kicks me in the butt to get things done and with 4 weeks left in our school year I need a good kick in the pants to finish off this year well. :D

[prairiegirl]

I recently read When Children Love to Learn by Elaine Cooper. It is a CM-based book that inspired me on how to put things together for next year.

 

This isn't a general homeschool thing, but I received Literary Lessons for LOTR and, WOW! I am so pyched about teaching this. I won't actually be using it until next year, but it has given me some ideas about how to teach this coming year.

[Abbysfriend]

We just got through reading "Why Johnny Can't Tell Right from Wrong" and it really inspired me because he really exposes the kind of morality being taught in government schools and it emboldened me to keep on track. He also lists books by grade that teach vitues by way of the old fashioned "moral to the story" format. Loved it!

[TerriMI]

1) Have you seen the thread on this board entitled, "What is NOT a Classical Education?" It's inspiring for me to read this! I've heard most of this before, but because it's all right there is kind of like an energy drink or a vitamen B pill for Classical Education.

 

2) I've also been reading ISI's "the Great Tradition: Classic Readings on What it Means To Be an Educated Human Being." ( http://tinyurl.com/55yube ) The essays, which are exerpts of longer works by the authors of Great Books, inspire me to continue journey that I began 13 or so years ago. They remind me what I am doing and why. This is kind of like meat and potatoes with marvelous desserts. The book is on a good sale right now, btw.

[Ann@thebeach]

I recently read When Children Love to Learn by Elaine Cooper. It is a CM-based book that inspired me on how to put things together for next year.

 

 

I'm reading this right now too. It's a little academic but lots of great info and reminders for me.

[Food4Thought]

It's not exactly a homeschool book, but "Honey for a Child's Heart" and Jim Trelease's Read-Aloud Handbook have both inspired me in the past year - just to keep reading and to keep finding good books to read with the kids.

[creekmom]

My favorite "homeschool inspiration" book is Home Sweet Homeschool. I can't remember the author- but I found it at our local library. I liked it so much that I bought it and found something to highlight on almost every page!

[swimmermom3]

I am currently reading Teach Like a Champion and while it does have me rethinking some of what I do and how I do it, it doesn't touch my heart and soul. The one thing that consistently inspires me are the threads written by some of my favorite TWTM posters: Jane in NC, Nan, 8FilltheHeart, mcconnellboys, Mommyfaithe, Colleen in NS, and several others that I am too tired to think of off the top of my head. When they dig deep and examine some of the harder issues of homeschooling and then share their experiences, I ultimately re-emerge energized and focused with plenty of fresh ideas and new solutions. When I am dragging my feet and spending too much time on the general board, I head to some of my favorite threads. Works like a charm.

[myfatherslily]

Last year I read and really enjoyed Home Educating with Confidence by Rick and Marilyn Boyer. It's definitely a Christian book, though, which may or may not interest you:)

 

I think you're right though, it's time for some new confidence and inspiration that's not about the picky details of planning. I'll try to check out one or two of the titles listed here!

[ncmom2dawters]

I recently saw Dr. Brian Ray speak about research related to home education. It was a great reminder about why to continue our journey.

http://www.nheri.org/

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

What has really inspired you lately? I'm talking books, articles, websites with great homeschool reading..."light your inner homeschooler fire" kind of reading. I'm in the throes of next year's research, planning, and choosing reading assignments, and I need some bigger picture stuff to ground me. Someone recommended Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire last week, and I'm enjoying it, but I'll be done with it soon and it's ps-oriented, not hs specific.

 

Thanks!

 

I will agree with everyone who mentioned When Children Love to Learn. I love it. No, it doesn't necessarily give you the warm fuzzy for CM the way all the other books out there do. However, it does put a CM education in practical terms and make you feel confident in selecting your own materials and living books in a way no other book did (and I own them all). I've started re-reading all my CM books and I never fail to feel at home with the basic tenets of her philosophy.

 

I've also enjoyed the Camp Creek Blog. It has lots of good stuff about project-based homeschooling there.

 

For nature study, I'm very inspired by Coyote's Guide to Connecting with Nature.

 

Finally, I am super inspired by all of next year's books coming in little by little. I'm pre-reading and loving so much of it. I'm starting to get really excited!

[cjbeach]

The one thing that consistently inspires me are the threads written by some of my favorite TWTM posters: Jane in NC, Nan, 8FilltheHeart, mcconnellboys, Mommyfaithe, Colleen in NS, and several others that I am too tired to think of off the top of my head. When they dig deep and examine some of the harder issues of homeschooling and then share their experiences, I ultimately re-emerge energized and focused with plenty of fresh ideas and new solutions. When I am dragging my feet and spending too much time on the general board, I head to some of my favorite threads. Works like a charm.

:iagree:I've actually made google docs of a lot of great threads and have put similar ones together on one doc.

[Corraleno]

I am currently reading Teach Like a Champion and while it does have me rethinking some of what I do and how I do it, it doesn't touch my heart and soul. The one thing that consistently inspires me are the threads written by some of my favorite TWTM posters: Jane in NC, Nan, 8FilltheHeart, mcconnellboys, Mommyfaithe, Colleen in NS, and several others that I am too tired to think of off the top of my head. When they dig deep and examine some of the harder issues of homeschooling and then share their experiences, I ultimately re-emerge energized and focused with plenty of fresh ideas and new solutions. When I am dragging my feet and spending too much time on the general board, I head to some of my favorite threads. Works like a charm.

:iagree:

with both comments — I'm also reading Teach Like a Champion, and I respect and admire the same posters, as well as others like Bill and Carmen and Library Lover.

 

I also found Liping Ma's book truly inspirational, on several levels: it re-sparked my interest in mathematics; reminded me what a huge difference it makes to have a really good teacher; convinced me that I can be that teacher, even in a subject that was never my favorite; and confirmed to me that the education I'm giving my kids at home is a million times better than what they'd be getting in PS.

 

Jackie

[johnandtinagilbert]

Reading the high school forum has inspired me greatly, not just b/c of great advice, not just b/c of wisdom and encouragement, but b/c I am "seeing" those who've gone before me and graduated children; dc in college or trade school; and those who've finished college and started families. These families were in it for the long haul, well before the plethora of materials available, and they not only survived, but the succeeded, conquered, and put out an individually minded next generation. I feel regenerated and ready for high school, even if still a bit intimidated, at least I know I can do it too. THANKS to everyone who has gone before me....I am richly blessed to share in your experience.

[nitascool]

I really enjoyed reading Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola. It's actually a nature study book. But it's one of those first time homeschooling mom, relaxed learning kind of books... which I need sometimes being that we do more of the rigor in our home.

[TechWife]

This has been a difficult school year for us for a variety of reasons. My resources are not specific to home schooling, but they did help me gain perspective on what we are trying to accomplish in our home school. Sometimes that was because of how much I agreed with the speaker/author and sometimes it was because I disagreed with them.

 

Videos:

 

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity from TED - I don't agree with everything he says, but it gave me a lot to think about as I have a very creative child. He would rather spend hours figuring out how something works than reading the directions and just doing it. He thrills over the process, not the final product. This has made math and science very interesting around here. I can't tell you how many incomplete projects we have around here because he figured out what the end result would be and just knowing that was enough, he didn't have to complete building xyz because he knew how it was going to turn out. This has been a hard thing for him to work through as we have discussed the importance of documenting research and working to the finish.

 

Billy Graham on technology and faith - this is another TED talk. It reminded me that we don't have all the answers, but we have an amazing capacity to tackle the hard questions and we need to keep them in perspective.

 

Temple Grandin: The World Needs All Kinds of Minds my son "thinks in pictures" a lot, so this helped me understand where he was coming from & inspired me to look at lesson planning and curriculum choices differently.

 

The Race to Nowhere helped me clarify the goal of teaching the thought process instead of teaching the test. It is an interesting look at how our culture perceives education & how some students function within the achievement culture. I am hoping to see the documentary when it is released nationwide.

 

Here's a really good book that I read recently, again, not about homeschooling, but it made me appreciate our school situation more.

 

And Still We Rise - a journalists observations of his experience shadowing a public school, inner city class of AP students and the challenges they faced during their senior year. This affirmed the value of an individualized education - one of the reasons we homeschool!

[Mommyfaithe]

Every year I get to this place and I need inspiration as well....SOOOOO...I have learned to put together a "teacher sabbatical" for me...aka...kids in pool...I am going to read and listen to homeschool or educational theory type books or lectures to relight my fire. I can never make it to our states HS convention because it is so far...so some years I buy the convention tapes and listen to them.

 

One summer I downloaded a ton of Veritas Press convention lectures. I bought a set from MP3 something or other...dumped them in my IPOD and walked while being inspired daily while my kids were at swim practice.

Some of the books/ websites/ lectures which were particularly inspiring...making me say..YEAH! I can do this...were those by Bruce Etter. He was so encouraging! The Well Trained Mind book, Charlotte Mason Homeschool series, IEW writing DVD's, VP Omnibus lectures, John Taylor Gatto's books, Teaching the Trivium, Ruth Beechick's books, etc.

 

Some years I just read books for my own enjoyment because I simply need a break from homeschooling....so one year I read the entire Ender's Game series (all 11 books!...LOL)

 

This year I plan on re evaluating our homeschool now that the ratio of students:Mom have changed :-) I also have a better grip on how these little ones of mine want to learn....so, I plan on reading a whole bunch on hands on learning, games for learning, and finding ways to organize our home to be more user friendly!! LOL.

 

I just downloaded SWB writing lectures and I plan to listen to those while I make my plans for next year as well.

 

~~Faithe

[TengoFive]

Reading here really helps me. In fact this winter we started a major remodeling project with me doing a lot of the work and a lot of the running for supplies. I knew I wouldn't have time to do school, so I didn't allow myself to even think about coming to this website. I knew I would get all fired up and wanting to do school. We ended up taking our long break during the winter and will school through August to make up for it, so now I'm letting myself read as much as I want on here.

[MrsMe]

The Joyous Homeschooler by Mary Hood was great! She is into a very relaxed homeschool style, but I still found much of what she had to say inspiring. I also get inspired by just reading other peoples blogs and looking at all the neat stuff they are doing. It sort of kicks me in the butt to get things done and with 4 weeks left in our school year I need a good kick in the pants to finish off this year well. :D

 

:iagree::iagree: