A Little Homeschooling Stuff

I just sent this email to a friend of mine who is thinking about homeschooling her daughter when she starts kindergarten next year. I realized that I was talking her poor ear off, and so we decided I should email her some things so she could do some digging on her own. I thought that someone else might want to find out about our homeschool life so I'm posting my email to her on the ol' blog. Most of the websites I gave her are also on the right-hand side of the blog, but I went into a little more detail so she could pick and choose what she wanted to read. Hope this helps anyone who's considering this option.

Okay, here are my favorites:

http://www.classical-homeschooling.org/v2/index.php?page=3

This website will give you a VERY in-depth overview of some of the main reasons we chose to homeschool. Todd was introduced to classical education when he studied at Focus on the Family. Two things to read further on this are: _The Lost Tools of Learning_ and _Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning_. I can help you find these...one is a book and the other is an article...we have both of them packed up "somewhere."

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/index.php

This is a website based on the book of the same name. This is kinda over-the-top, but follows the classical model (which I love) and has GREAT curriculum suggestions at the end of each grade-level chapter.

http://simplycharlottemason.com/home/

Charlotte Mason was an educator in England, and there is a book called _The Charlotte Mason Companion_ which condenses her 6-volume work into more understandable language. Also has some great child-rearing stuff in there. Her method is literature/experience driven and fits nicely with classical ed so I combine the two which I think lots of homeschool families do. Best of both worlds! This website actually provides a year-by-year curriculum guide which I consult. (I can show you how I combine all this later if you want.)

Now, when you've digested all that and are ready for curriculum websites let me know. If you want to go ahead and dig, I'll tell you that I use the following:

Saxon Math (going to use Singapore math with Jessie- tell you more later)
Handwriting without Tears
Winter Promise for readers
Ambleside online for read aloud material (it's free!)
Noeo Science (I've also purchased some stuff from Sonlight - they have an amazing catalog)
History Through the Ages for timeline figures
Mystery of History for their storybook (goes with the timeline - way cool)
I do a combination of things for phonics: Alpha Phonics, Explode the Code, McGuffy Primers, and one more book I just bought. I mainly use Alpha and McGuffy and fill in with the others if I feel E is getting bored. They're pretty old school so they aren't very colorful, but I LOVE how systematic and logical they are. If you watch Little House on the Prairie, you might notice that they are using McGuffy primers in the school, and they are really that old (which I also LOVE)! I know, I am so corny!!