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Is there a book that can help me kindle my love of homeschooling for my middle schooler?


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Some kind of inspiration, maybe ideas, maybe out of the box thinking,....

 

I REALLY don't want to do a stack of textbooks next year.  My dd still loves to be read aloud to, and she still loves being with me, and she's social, and an extrovert.  I definitely want the next two years to be something special before high school hits...I can't necessarily spend the entire day with her, but being involved and making learning special again would be great.

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Let's see...

 

First off, you don't have to use textbooks. Except for math, and an occasional science textbook chosen by one of the kids, we don't. We still love read-alouds, and living books.

 

Some of my favorite homeschooling books, where you might find some inspiration:

 

The Year of Living Dangerously

 

Dan Riley School for a Girl

 

Project Based Homeschooling

 

 

What are her interests? Does she prefer books to hands-on projects? What about a curriculum that has a different focal point (such as Where the Brook and the River Meet, or world cultures, or ???)

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THanks for your answer!!

 

My dd's absolute favorite time (and mine) was the 3 years we did FIAR.  We absolutely Loved FIAR.  We loved that it was gentle, included mostly everything, had us starting our day on the couch together, and had a lot of variety.  

 

My dd was not excited about Where the Brook and River Meet because she felt an entire year of Anne and her world was too much.  We are big Anne fans, but she is not as big of a fan as I am.  

 

We've looked at SL but felt it was too full of drama, almost to the point of being maudlin.  We looked at Living Books Curriculum but felt it was too heavy on history and too heavy altogether.  We've looked at MFW and felt it was way to "young" and too heavy on history also.  ...Moving Beyond the Page just seemed very expensive and scattered.

 

I will check out the fun books you recommended!

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Let's see...

Beyond Five in a Row?

 

Homeschool in the Woods has both Project Passport and Time Travelers

 

Beautiful Feet maybe

 

Sidenote: the first two books I listed in my previous post are basically memoirs of homeschooling, from two very different parents who both took outside-the-box approaches with their kids.

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Maybe KONOS? Or various PBLs, like RFWP's Ferret Ecology or Plague? We're trying out Build Your Library next year, but I can't give any firsthand reviews yet. It's literature based and includes read-alouds, but I like the book choices better than SL's.

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Since you've worked together before in a way that you really liked, why don't you just make a book list around a theme and do it again?  I mean, seriously, it's 7th grade.  You can't screw it up.

 

The only book that comes to mind for me is Better Than School.  When you're ready to free yourself from your inhibitions, it's time to read about unschooling.   :D  You can read unschooling stuff and come to some balance, kwim?  I like to read a variety of voices, because that, for me, is inspiring.  I intentionally try to read books by people that are WAY outside my own experience to challenge myself.  If I'm reading things like I already do, well what's the improvement?  

 

I'll bet you would have no trouble putting together a book list that would suit her.  Then you'd just build around it with writing, projects, etc. just like the FIAR you miss.

Edited by OhElizabeth
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Could you fo Task Cards? They are quite fun (for me, the box checker who is beyond thrilled about an ever changing list). It would allow for interesting discussion, fun reading aloud, and still time management independence.

 

I think they are super great for middle school. Ds turned up his nose. Pooh on him!

 

Here is a link: http://www.creekedgepress.com

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What about Build Your Library? It is literature-based (but full of activity suggestions) and really has great books. There are some unit studies that could be a way to try out the program and there is a 20% off sale until the 15th (SpringFling). 7th is world geography, and 8th is the history of science.

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That's it!!! The Task Cards are perfect!! She's loves slightly open ended projects that aren't too long-term (a day or two)

 

I'm so excited...

 

Now to decide whether to add the recitation and Enrichment series...

I am beyond excited for you and will live vicariously through your homeschool! Part of me wants to get task cards just for myself.

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She hated them!!! Waaa!!! She said they seemed overwhelming, and would rather do Apologia General for Science....

The task cards samples looks too check box style for me and my kids.

 

Mine would be 6th and 7th this fall. We intend to do lots of hands on for science and then they can read up what they don't know. Math would be textbook based. Language arts and literature would be free for all. History would be short and sweet, and mostly reading and documentaries.

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She hated them!!! Waaa!!! She said they seemed overwhelming, and would rather do Apologia General for Science.... I'll

Have her look again later though...she's not a morning person

Bummer! Part of me wants to get them and just leave them about. I am often amazed at how much things hrow on Ds when he personally discovers them himself.

 

Probably wishful thinking. Meh.

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The only book that comes to mind for me is Better Than School.  When you're ready to free yourself from your inhibitions, it's time to read about unschooling.   :D  You can read unschooling stuff and come to some balance, kwim? 

 

I can't speak for the book, but I completely agree that reading up on unschooling adds some great perspective that can be applied to any situation.  It was a big deal for me, though I have no intentions of ever becoming an unschooler.

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That's it!!! The Task Cards are perfect!! She's loves slightly open ended projects that aren't too long-term (a day or two)

 

I'm so excited...

 

Now to decide whether to add the recitation and Enrichment series...

 

 

I was going to mention the Task Cards.

 

I think those middle school years need something different.  They are too big to sit on your lap, but not big enough to go without holding your hand.

 

The Task Cards, I think, give a good foundation for middle school level learning.  They can be done at the library, which can help fulfill social needs if you have a great children's librarian.  For some reason a book recommended by her has a different level of awesomeness than one recommended by mom.

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