Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out

Frugal Homeschooling Book of the Week

Yesterday, I wrote about homeschool co-ops, so today's Book of the Week is devoted to that topic. Carol Topp is a homeschooling mother, Certified Public Accountant, and author of...

• Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out

It's a useful book at a bargain price, but you don't have to buy it to benefit from Topp's advice. Check out these pages:

• Sample Chapters
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Homeschool CPA Blog
• Articles & Tips from the Homeschool CPA

Highlights from this week's Carnival of Homeschooling

Be sure to check out The 134th Carnival of Homeschooling - The 12 Labors of Hercules.

"Most people (and especially most homeschooling families) have at least a passing knowledge of the 12 labors that Hercules had to complete for Eurystheus. I would propose that, as homeschoolers, we face a no less daunting set of tasks..."

So many interesting articles! Here are a few of my favorites, but remember, they are only a small taste of the smorgasbord:

• Alasandra is taking nominations for the 2008 Homeschool Blog Awards.

• Lydia offers a free pdf unit study, Treasure Island Homeschool Seminar: Literary Lesson Plans and Nautical Worksheets.

• Thomas J. West shares some great Music Practice Tips.

• Laureen made me laugh with Upside Down and Backwards.

• Jena goves Advice for First Year Homeschoolers.

• Lori speaks for (and to) many of us with What I Wish I Had Known.

• The Princess Mom weighs in with Advice for Newbie Gifted Homeschoolers.

Carnival host blog Life on the Road features the adventures of a full-time RV family --- homeschooling two kids, running a home business on the road, life in an RV, interesting travel and dining experiences, and cats. Tiffany writes, "Our intention is to travel the country doing some sightseeing, some educational trips, visiting our spread-out families, and working our business (everyone in the country has teeth, right?)."

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Related Posts:

• Writing to Learn, and Carnival Highlights
  
• Homeschooling: Take A Deep Breath - You Can Do This!
  
• You Can Teach Your Child Successfully
  

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Writing to Learn, and Carnival Highlights

Frugal Homeschooling Book of the Week

William Zinsser's Writing to Learn will take you on an adventure of learning. "Writing is how we think our way into a subject and make it our own," according to Zinsser. This book is not a how-to-write guide, but a wonderful inspiration for writing across the school curriculum (or anything else you want to learn). Find it at your library, and enjoy!

Check out the Homeschool Resource of the Day

Each weekday, the Homeschool Freebie of the Day posts a unit study, ebook, audio program, or other free resource that is available that day only. Scheduled for this week:

• Wednesday, July 16: Homestead Simplicity - A Guide for Homemakers
  An ebook of homemaking help from Lisa Barthuly.

• Thursday, July 17: 5 Minute Mysteries!
  An mp3 audio production. Can your kids recognize the clues and solve these classic mysteries?

• Friday, July 18: Kids Fun Recipes
  A PDF cookbook with 120 goodies kids can make themselves.

Highlights from the Carnival of Homeschooling

Life is moving slowly in the humid Midwestern plains, as the Red Sea Headmistress treats us to the 133rd Carnival of Homeschooling. Pour out some iced tea, pull up a chair, and treat yourself to a restful day of browsing. I especially liked the following...

Classic poetry and favorite books:

• Classic Poetry Read Aloud
  Two splendid resources for videos and podcasts of classic poetry.

• My Favorite Poem
  "My public library recently had a notebook propped up at the checkout desk. On the cover were the words, 'Tell us your favorite poem.' So I opened the notebook to the first blank page, and I did. Now I’d like to tell you, too..."

• What We Learned From Laura Ingalls Wilder, J.K. Rowling, and Diana Wynne Jones
  "It was like this: I had a book from the library. It wasn't getting read, by anyone. It was a good book - I was sure it was. I couldn't remember reading it as a kid, but I knew it had Potential. And it had to go back to the library. So after breakfast I started reading it to the kids..."

Hands-on learning activities:

• Homemade picture dictionary
  "It’s so much more meaningful when your kids’ personal dictionary reflects their own interests and vocabulary!"

• How to rescue a snow leopard
  "One morning your dear child goes to check the mailbox and finds..." an adventure in geography, cultures, and zoology.

• Friday Find: Kids Cooking Activities
  Cooking lessons with photo and video illustrations, from toddlers in the kitchen to the 16-18 year old Senior Chefs.

Planning, and implementing the plan:

• Grade Two: The Very Last First Time?
  "This is the year to tweak things--to remember what worked well and what didn't; to gather up and use the pieces that there never seemed to be time for."

• Fish or Cut Bait Before It's Too Late
  I, too, am much better at collecting books --- 12 tall shelf units, not counting those in the kids' rooms! --- than at actually using them.

• Habit Reformation
  "Getting back in the habit of doing our academic lessons after we have taken time off...is always like trying to keep all those bowls spinning."

Carnival host Red Sea School is the homeschooling blog of a Minnesota family, as described by the Headmistress: "We’re (almost all) Catholics, we’re Democrats, we love reading, ice skating, Prairie Home Companion, and the State Fair."

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Related Posts:

• Homeschooling: Take A Deep Breath - You Can Do This!
  
• You Can Teach Your Child Successfully
  
• Homeschool Freebie of the Day or Week
  

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Homeschooling: Take A Deep Breath - You Can Do This!

Frugal Homeschooling Book of the Week

Terrie Lynn Bittner's Homeschooling: Take A Deep Breath - You Can Do This! is the book I wish someone had given me when I started homeschooling. Bittner's encouraging, practical, works-in-the-real-world advice would have been just what I needed, if the book had been available back in the days. It is almost like having all the best posts from every homeschool forum I've participated in, all wrapped up in a single cover.

Chapters include:

• Overcoming Your Lack of Self-Confidence
• Recording Weird Things in Respectable Ways (Record-Keeping)
• Getting Supplies When You're Cheap...ummm...Frugal
• When Your Child is Behind or Ahead of His Peers
• Teaching Math When You Can't Even Do Percentages
• Science: You Mean I Have to Touch That?
• ...and many, many more!

Visit your local library and check it out! And if you know a new homeschooling family, be kind: pick up a gently used copy and pass on a blessing!

CurrClick Weekly Freebie

This week's free download from CurrClick is Study of Ancient Rome: A Multi-book Approach. This study on Ancient Rome covers daily life, architecture, warfare, science and technology, and much more, using both text books (or Internet research) and fiction to bring history to life. The 45-lesson course includes worksheet questions, additional writing assignments, and hands-on projects, which should help your 5-7th grade student build a deep understanding of Ancient Rome.

Highlights from this week's Carnival of Homeschooling

Be sure to drop by and visit the Carnival of Homeschooling #132: Let’s Go To The Ice Cream Parlor! It sure seems like this carnival gets longer ever week. There are so many interesting posts that it's difficult to pick out highlights. Nevertheless, here are a few that caught my eye...

Great Books:

• A Lesson from Frog and Toad
• Tasha Tudor, Former Homeschool Mom
• Owls in the Family
• Everyone “Knows” Shakespeare- Or Do They?

History:

• 25 Teachers Who Drastically Changed the World
• HBO's Series on John Adams
• Declaration! The Pursuit of Happiness

Useful tips:

• Encouraging Children to Journal
• 12 Surefire Ways to Prepare Your Middle Schoolers for High School
• Why College Students Should Apply For Student Credit Cards

And our family favorite:

• Wild Foods
  Day lily shoots are good, too, when they're young and tender. And absolutely nothing beats Poke greens!

Carnival host SuperAngel is an 18yo homeschool graduate and the oldest of 8 children.

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Related Posts:

• You Can Teach Your Child Successfully
  
• Blog Carnivals: Your Weekly Support Group
  
• DonnaYoung.org Printables and Resources
  

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You Can Teach Your Child Successfully

Frugal Homeschooling Book of the Week

Ruth Beechick's You Can Teach Your Child Successfully gives practical, nitty-gritty advice for homeschooling students in grades 4-8. It's one of the few books that I find myself going back to, year after year. I don't always end up following her methods, but she gives me plenty to think about. Look for this time-honored classic at your local library --- or even better, buy a copy for yourself at a bargain price.

Highlights from the Carnival of Homeschooling

This week's Carnival of Homeschooling celebrates Independence Day with wit and wisdom from homeschool teachers across the blogosphere, and plenty of facts about fireworks. (Did you know there are schools to train fireworks shooters?) Here are a few posts that caught my eye. Check them out!

Hands-on science fun:

• Building the water bottle launcher
  Cool! Looks like a fantastic weekend project.
• Suburban Taxidermy… Part I
  Sounds like a "let Dad do it" venture to me. (Actually, my dh and Chickenfoot have done this sort of thing with 'possums, and they found it quite a challenge not to tear the skin. I can't imagine trying it with something as delicate as a chipmunk.)
  

Opportunities for aspiring authors:

• The Book Arts Bash - A Summer Writing Program
  A wonderful opportunity for budding writers and artists. There are 20 categories to enter, with 5 age groups (including adults!), so everybody can find something fun to try.
• Publishing Opportunities For Children
  More outlets for your children's talents: A list of links to magazine publishers that consider work written by children.

Online resource of the week:

• The Ultimate Guide to Special Needs Teaching: 100+ Resources and Links
  Wow! What a resource! I will definitely be going back to explore this website.

Most inspiring post:

• 10 Things I Have Learned about Homeschooling
  These are things I need to be reminded of over and over, as I get caught up in the daily busy-ness of doing stuff.

Carnival host Beverly Hernandez is a veteran homeschooler of 18 years and is currently the Advisor of the Homeschooling Ministry at her church.

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Related Posts:

• Blog Carnivals: Your Weekly Support Group
• Homeschool Freebie of the Day or Week
• DonnaYoung.org Printables and Resources

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