I feel like we should create a post to compile tips for Pedes that have had to deal with their kids be freed from indoctrination camps/schools.
So I'll start. Please fellow homeschool parents, jump in.
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Do NOT try and recreate public school. PS is designed to teach en mass, typically a one size fits all approach. Why do that when you can customize each child's learning to their personal strengths, deficits, and desires. A kid who excels at reading should be pushed to read more challenging stuff. A kid struggling at math should have more time and resources dedicated to that.
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Get a guide. Seriously, unless you are a teacher, we often dont know what to teach and when. Guides are helpful in setting benchmarks and giving ideas on how to approach it. You are not beholden to them, so you can and should alter it to fit your kid. We started with a book called "The Well Trained Mind" by Susan Bauer.
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Teach more than just academics. Everything is educational. Teach them about your faith, running a household, maintenance of vehicles, rhetoric, home repair, anything that we hear others complain that schools don't do.
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Seize the little moments. Use everyday things to teach an academic lesson. Cooking uses math and also teaches task management. Dinner time discussions become etiquette and rhetoric lessons.
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The internet has loads of resources for homeschool. Sift through them to find worthwhile ones. Some are trash or leftist influenced so be mindful of it.
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Get them involved in a sport outside of the home. Its easy to focus on the mental and neglect the physical, dont.
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Keep them connected to peers outside the home somehow. Kill the excuse that homeschool kids arent socialized (read: corrupted or groomed) unless they are in PS. By keeping them in positive peer settings, you get all of the benefits and none of the downsides. Ex: Church youth groups, Trail Life or American Heritage Girls, sports leagues, hobby groups, homeschool groups.
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Do not feel like you need to spend 8 hours a day on lessons. A couple of quality hours of lessons at home beatsa full day of PS. The rest of the day can be filled with little natural learning moments.
That's what I have to start with. What else does everyone else got?
Yep! Civics, actual civics, is woefully undertaught. Also make sure to live by it too. Those are the best lessons.
Also include financials like paying taxes, investments, loans, credit cards etc.
Too many people so heavily indebted.... My parents taught me that if I didn't earn money I couldn't spend money.
I'm not quite there yet, but good idea for the future.
Try a little budget system. Make a little redeemable store. Kinda like tokens for good behavior and accomplishments. Cash them in for stuff you were hoping to give them at some point anyway.
That way you see what they really like and it gets that itch going to work for themselves and take their life improvement in their own dirty little paws.
In Florida, it's an entire year long course in 7th grade and kids have to pass a civics exam as a graduation requirement. I do agree that in the commie states, it is ignored.
https://www.hillsdale.edu/educational-outreach/free-online-courses/
Free Courses from Hillsdale College!
Educate on why Communism has and will always fail. We got to many brainwashed kids coming up these days.
Don't forget pole dancing and vaping.
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And the word of GOD!
You are correct, but this is something that christian parents should have been doing before. Even if christian parents were sending their kids to a christian school, it's still their responsibility to teach their own children about God.
It really bothers me when the traditional conservatives bitterly complain about prayer or the Bible being removed from school, when that passing on of biblical righteousness falls on the parents not the schools. Having the Bible and prayer in the home make a far bigger impact on children than having them in school does.
But yes, maybe this will be a good opportunity for christian families to see what they can do to teach their children about knowing God.
Faith starts at home. If a kid does not have a Christian family but wants to become a Christian, lots of Christian friends can help.
Dr Art Robinson and the Robinson Curriculum is a worthy resource.
https://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/rc/homeschool-curriculum-excellence/
Get the GA Henry books. Excellent historical fiction with highly moral lessons. You would be surprised what can happen for the whole family if you turn off the tv and do nightly readings. Very fun engaging stories.
The books worth getting: “Writing road to reading”. This is for teaching your kids to really understand words, instead of just memorizing.
“Dumbing is down”. Good book for parents.
Also, “Weapons of Mass Instruction”.