Back to Home

We are back to our studies once again looking forward to a fun year of learning, exploring, discussing, pondering and discovering! It's hard to believe that this will be our 5th year homeschooling and sometimes I feel like I have it figured out but more often than not, I feel like I don't. 

Do you ever feel that way? I think one thing this year that is different for me from the previous years is the realization that I don't have to be perfect, have the "perfect" curriculum (by the way, it doesn't exist), have the "perfect" schedule or anything else - I just need God's grace and His direction and trust that "He's got this!" I need to wake up every day and get my "marching orders" from Him. And that sometimes the distractions of our day (or things I think are distractions) are just what was planned all along. I've known this in my head for years but I've finally let it sink into my heart.

A book that has helped me come to this realization is called Teaching from Rest by Sarah Mackenzie. I started this book earlier this summer and this handy little book has helped me SO much! Whether you're new to home school or have been homeschooling for years, this is a must-read book. Mackenzie gives so much insight and truth about why we are homeschooling (raising Christ followers), who we are living and homeschooling for (Christ alone), and how we can do all that from a state of rest (Yes! It is possible with God).

So, every morning I seek Him. Every morning I surrender my plans, my agenda, my "to do" list to Him. Some days I cross off items on my list, some days (actually many days), I don't. Many days there are distractions and that's OK. I'm resting in His plan. His direction. 

So, we are back to home once again. Embarking on a new year of learning, growing and seeking. I know we'll have set backs and troubles along the way but with and through Christ we are going to have the best "Back to Home" year yet!

I wish you all the best on your Back to Home journeys! And, if you would like to start your own Back to Home educational journey, there are a ton of resources on my Database of Resources page to help get you started. It's the most rewarding, challenging and beneficial journey you'll ever take! 

Home School Benefits - Sharing My Faith

Even though sharing and teaching my faith with my children wasn't my main reason for homeschooling when we started, it sure has become my main reason for keeping them home. 

I'm thrilled with so many resources that incorporate Biblical truths into our studies - everything from our math to our history to our science curriculum and more. It was so refreshing when we were studying ancient Egypt history that the stories from the Bible were included (like Moses leading the people out of Egypt). 

I attended public school and growing up it seemed to me that I had two different sides of myself - the one at school and the one at home/church. Not that I led two completely different lives, mind you, but I learned the Bible at church and all the other subjects at school. Never did the two worlds truly meet. How sad.

Now I feel like I can share with my children the wonders all around them and discuss together how all subjects are created by our Creator God. I feel like we can live it out and talk about God in all areas of our life and learning.

I love the scripture verses from Deuteronomy 6:6-8 that say, "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

And, being at home with the kids, we do just that. The hours of time that I can "impress them on my children" at home is invaluable. I just think of the many hours of time that would be lost if they were away every day, all day at any other school. What a blessing to have them home so I can share my faith and beliefs with them - 24/7!

Happy homeschooling,
Christi

Welcome!

Welcome to Education Resources DFW! I started this blog as a resource for families in the Dallas / Fort Worth who are looking for alternative ideas to public schooling.

Not only do I list a ton of resources on the "Database of Resources" tab, I'm also here as a resource to support you on your family's educational journey. 

A public school teacher turned homeschooling mom and advocate - that's me. 

I was a public school teacher. My kids were in the public school. I could not have imagined the freedom and flexibility we found in homeschooling! My only regret is that we didn't homeschool from the start.

It might help to read about our family's educational journey on the "My Story" section of this blog.

My Calling is To:

• Help guide and educate families on the wealth of educational opportunities (other than public school) that are out there, specifically in the Dallas / Fort Worth area and specifically about homeschooling.
  
• To share what I've learned over the years from both being in the public school and now having been a home educator for 4+ years.
  
• Share my story with as many families as I can. I tolerated and even worked in a broken system for years in hopes of change. I finally came to the realization that the system will not change but families can.

You have a choice in your child's education. Don't just accept the notion that public school is all there is.

There's a whole host of support and resources out there awaiting you and your family! And, I hope I am one of them.

It's time to take back the education of our children!


Email me, leave a comment, let me know if I can help direct your family to the education option that works best for you. 

If you have additional resources you'd like to see added to the database list, please contact me.

Here's to a new direction in education for your children!

-Christi

You Have Choices in the Education of Your Children

My kids were in part-time childcare when they were in preschool. We loved our little school - such loving and caring teachers and staff, a great big outdoor area for the kids to explore, lots of hands-on learning and creativity, and it was Christ based with God's word being taught. We couldn't have been happier.

I had always had in my head that once those few years were over, my kids would be attending public school. I had mistakenly thought that public school would be similar to the childcare center they were enjoying. (Boy was I wrong.) The plan was for me to go back to teaching wherever they attended. So, I asked a few friends where their kids attended and if they would recommend any schools in the area. I did very little research into the schools in my area but never really investigated all my options (and I have since learned that there are a lot of them out there).

As I look back, I realize I never took the time to really investigate ALL my education options out there (I honestly didn't even know I had options). I just looked at schools. I focused mainly on public schools in my area never realizing there were so many more options available to me and my family. And, any time a friend recommended a private school, I blew it off knowing that the cost would be too much (without diving deeper to find if financial aid was available).

Now I'm wondering, how many other parents approach the school years the same way? We make a short, quick attempt to find out the "best" schools in the district or the "best" districts in our area but never really uncover ALL our choices. Did you know you have a choice? A ton of choices, actually.

Just a Couple Thoughts to Consider: 

• Be open to a new way of thinking about education. Don't simply enroll your children in public school because that's "just the way it's always been". And the argument, "I attended public school and I turned out ok." has no weight here. Public school nowadays and the issues families are experiencing is no where near what it was when I was in school in the 80's and early 90's.
  
  
• Consider your definition of "education". How do you define it? What does "education" look like to you? How about "learning"? Is "learning" the same thing as "education"? We, as parents, need to define these terms and then line up our definition with the education option that fits best.
  
  
• You owe it to yourself and your family to really investigate all your options.
  
  
• If you try something for a year (or sometimes even for a semester) and it doesn't seem to be a good fit for your family, try something else. Don't just suffer through it. You are not locked into one education option. This applies to whether you're not pleased with your public school and would like to switch to something else or whether you are home educating and you'd like to change curriculum or any other education choices you're trying to make.

Here are the choices I'm covering in today's post:

• Home Educating (even under the 'home educating' umbrella are a whole host of different education options)
• Public school at home
• Private schools
• Charter schools

Home Educating
By far, my number one recommended option is to home educate. Now, let me make the point clear - being "at home" doesn't actually mean you have to be at home, solely with your children all day every day, teaching all the subjects yourself. Far from it! 

There are many wonderful resources that you can turn to for curriculum ideas, support groups, and classes. Our family is a part of several home school groups in our area and through the field trips, parties, sports activities, support groups and different clubs, we have a rich education. Beyond what I ever thought was possible when I first brought my kids home.

Resources:

• Center for Home Education in Watuaga
  If I had to pick just one place on my list of resources to recommend, the Center for Home Education is it!
  
  They offer classes, a bookstore full of curriculum and other home educating resources, a coffee shop, kids and teen events, summer camps, theater productions, family support groups and more!
  
  Both my kids have taken classes and summer camps at CHE and loved it. My son even took a dissection class there as well as a General Science class (they did a ton of experiments). Science is not my favorite subject so taking the classes at CHE was great!
  
  If you have questions about homeschooling in general, they are more than happy to help. CHE was (and still is) my "go to" place when we first started and I am so grateful for their guidance.

• University Model Schools
  Want a two-day or three-day a week program? That's where university model schools fit in. Students attend the program and then complete the teacher-prepared assignments on the other days at home under the guidance of the parent or sometimes even grandparents.
  
  The National Ministry Dedicated to University Model Schools and Families has an entire directory of schools listed by state. See what your state has to offer.
  
  Mosaic Academy is a private part-time school for home educators and many of our friends attend there and love it.
  
• Additional Options
  Be sure to take a list of the part-time and full-time class options on the Database of Resources page for even more options to fit your family. Even if you work full-time, there are places to meet your needs.
  

Many parents think that since they work full-time, they can't home educate. That is simply not true. One family I recently heard about at a conference I attended had a college-aged friend who was with the kids during the day and the parents did the schooling with the children at night. One of the speakers at the same conference is a work-from-home single mom who home schools her 4 children. If you have grandparents willing to help out, ask them. With so many options, there's sure to be a fit for you and your family.

It can be done!

Public School at Home

If you are unsure about home educating yourself, you can always give public school at home a try. This is how we started our 'at home' journey. 

We chose the Texas Virtual Academy / K12 program. All the books and curriculum were shipped directly to me, my son did his work and then logged in the time online. He had an online teacher and online classes he was required to attend.

Even though you don't get a choice about the curriculum, being at home gave us flexibility and freedom. Flexibility about when my son completed his work (and what order) and freedom for us to continue to teach our faith alongside his academics.

A few drawbacks: 

• It was difficult for me to have two kids in public school online. Each child had their own set of textbooks, topics, tests, and online classes to attend and all I did all day long was flip flop between the two of them. I was doing so much work yet I had no choice in what they were learning, when they were learning it or how they were learning it.
  
• Students still need to take the state required test (STAR test).
  
• No choice in curriculum and schedule. Textbooks are dry and boring and it was hard to really go deeper into any topics simply because we had to keep up with the schedule and check things off the list every day.

Because of these reasons, after a year of doing public school online, we decided to take the plunge and home educate 100%. Now, we get to choose which topics we want to learn more about and which topics we just read about and move on. We have the flexibility to travel when we'd like, take classes when and where we like, and set our own schedule that works for our family.

Private Schools

There are so many private schools in the Dallas / Fort Worth area. Many of them provide scholarships and financial assistance. When I first started looking at school options, I dismissed many private schools based on cost alone and didn't consider asking about financial assistance.

One school I'd like to make mention of is Wedgwood Academy. They are a non-profit school for children with learning differences and ADHD (and, may I add, they are way more affordable than I'd originally thought). Had I known about them sooner, we might have made this choice for my son.

Do a search for private schools in your area and make some phone calls. You might be surprised what you find!

Charter Schools

Charter schools seem to be popping up quite a bit these days and I was curious about how they operate. In her book, They're Your Kids by Mrs. Sam Sorbo, charter schools are called the "Trojan Horse" of school reform. She continues:

"But looking more closely at the charter system, we see the government handing out money to people (that charter's board) who have no standard of accountability. Currently they'rs no requirement for elected boards for charter schools. That's called taxation without representation."

Charter schools are still also bound to state testing.

As with any option you choose, do your homework. Ask lots of questions. If you're currently considering a charter school, ask about funding and who is on the school board (and how were they selected to be on the board).

Because of the close similarities with public schooling, I felt this wasn't a good option for our family.

I hope today's post, if nothing else, has helped you to see the variety of choices open to you and your family! Public school isn't the only option any more! Thank goodness for choices!!

Happy Homeschooling,

Christi

Are You OK With That? Question #2 - Common Core

Being a Christian in a non-Christian institution is just the tip of the iceberg of problems that families face when it comes to public schools. Common Core, standardized testing, worksheets, political agendas - these all play into the lives of the children in public schools as well. (And, I haven't even touched on a whole host of other issues that face our children as they get older such as teen pregnancy, sex, drugs, peer pressure, etc.)

But, I digress. Today's "Are You OK With That?" question is about Common Core.

What is Common Core? According to her book, They're Your Kids, Mrs. Sam Sorbo defines it this way: "Common Core is the name of the new standard, and although proponents insist it is not a curriculum, it imposes conformity on curricula while promising improved learning and more standardized materials."

Mrs. Sam Sorbo also goes on to relate some interesting facts about Common Core:

• It was primarily designed by non-educators.
• It's the biggest overhaul of the education system ever.
• Forty-five states adopted it before it was written because of the money promised by the federal Race to the Top funding program. The standards were not tested first because it was adopted before they were even written.
  
  Would you pay a contractor before he completes the work you've hired him to do? What about paying him before he even submits a bid? That's just nonsense.
• Common Core also involves changing the way in which topics are taught.
  
  Mrs. Sorbo goes on to share in her book that, "Common Core insists on teaching young children very complicated ways to solve multiplication problems that older generations performed with the simpler standard algorithm." My friend shared her son's math paper on Facebook asking for someone to help her figure out the problems. I wish I could say that I was able to help her but I couldn't figure it out myself.
• With Common Core's expected level of standardization, students who move from one community to another may expect the same education - the same subjects, covering the same materials, taught the same way. 
  
  Is all this "sameness" a good thing? Just think about it. Do all kids learn at the same rate at the same time in the same way? I should think not.

Follow the Money Trail:

I recently read an article titled "When Education is All About the Money, Not the Kids" and it confirmed for me that Common Core is all about corporations making money. Follow the money trail and you'll find the real reason behind why states adopted this program before it was even published. The states were not only promised federal money (aka our tax dollars), the corporations selling the materials were making tons of money - a "$9 billion dollar revenue stream" according to the article. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was one of Common Core's key financier. They have "millions of dollars at stake in Common Core testing technology and computers".

The article also mentioned an undercover video where journalist James O'Keefe interviews a prominent publishing executive from Houghton-Mifflin who claims to "hate kids" and declaring that Common Core to be a moneymaking scheme.

This is the actual video that was published in January 2016:

James O'Keefe was also interviewed on the Alex Jones Channel. He brings up very points that all of us, as parents, need to be aware of.

I bring up these "Are You OK with That?" questions simply because families need to be informed. I know they are hard to answer because I really struggled with all these issues when we decided to take my own children out of public schools. Answering these questions may also leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed and unsure about what your choices are when it comes to your children's education. 

What Can YOU Do?
That's where I come in! You have MANY choices and you can find support, direction and encouragement throughout your education journey (it's not only your child's journey, it's yours as the parent, as well and that's exciting!).

I've begun the "Database of Resources" section of my blog to help you get started. Think outside the box a bit and realize that learning doesn't always happen 8 am until 3 pm Monday through Friday. I know of one homeschooling family whose children stay with a friend during the day since both parents work and then they school in the evening. I've also met a single mom who works from home and is homeschooling her 4 boys. There are many Christian private university model schools where the children attend two or three days a week and then they complete the work at home with the parent, friend or family member.

It's not so much what you know. It's what you're willing to do on behalf of your child. 

• Be informed.
• Research your educational options and choices.
• Be open to new ways of thinking about learning. 
• Choose a better education for your children (whether that be home school, private school, university model schools, and everything in between!)
• You can do it!

If you'd like to know more about Common Core and what you can do to stop it, read more on the Home School Legal Defense website here.

Your desire for change must be greater than your desire to stay the same. ~Unknown

Happy Homeschooling,
-Christi

Home School Benefits - Socialization

"What about socialization?" This is by far the #1 question I get asked by well-meaning parents when I tell them that we home school.

I think this question comes from simply not knowing what life is like for a homeschooling family. The word "homeschooling" has the connotation that we are home all day, every day. However, between church activities, home school PE classes, horseback riding lessons, time with friends, YMCA sports and other activities, we are out and about "socializing" with a wide variety of people. Many of the families that we get together with have many children of all ages and my kids learn how to get along with the toddler, the teenager and their parents. 

I also ask these parents to consider this question: "When in your life are you only surrounded by people your same age?" That usually gets a response of "Hmm. Good point." It's true. When you're at work, are you only surrounded by people your same age? Why, then, has socialization come to mean being surrounded by your same-age classmates?

I want to share a couple experiences that I think will bring home the point.

I was with my children at the Apple Store one afternoon trying to get my phone repaired. The kids asked if they could hang out over by the headphones while I was getting my phone issue taken care of and I told them they could. After about 15 minutes, my phone issue was complete and I started to make my way over to the headphones section. There was my son, talking to an adult and I stood back, watched and listened in to what was going on. I heard the woman say, "You're hired! Thank you so much for helping me."

At that point, I walked up and asked what he was hired for and she promptly told me how helpful my son was to help get her phone synced with the wireless headphones. She went on to say that he was very polite and well spoken and she recommended that he get a job at Apple. He was 12 at the time.

Now, I guess some might think that my son is simply outgoing and just naturally talks to people. That might be part of it. However, if he wasn't given the opportunity to be around a variety of adults (and people of all ages) on a consistent basis, I don't think he would be as willing and open to just strike up a conversation with someone or ask if they needed help.

Another experience was during our home school PE class. 

Our PE classes include children of all ages from 4-year-olds to 17-year-olds. The group does the warm-up and cool-down part of the class together. During the activity time, they are divided up in to two groups: "olders" and "youngers". My daughter is technically in the "olders" group. However, she loves to play and help with the younger group. So now, she helps lead the younger kids group and loves it. She's getting her workout for sure and she's getting an education in socializing with younger kids. I love that!

If she were in public school, would she be able to work with the younger kids during their PE time? Maybe, but highly unlikely.

According to Oliver DeMille, author of A Thomas Jefferson Education, "The actual curriculum of the public school system is about 75% social and 25% skills." So, it's no wonder that I get that question quite often. 

Let's consider the same question but at a deeper level.  DeMille offers this definition of socialization (page 28): "The highest level of socialization, the ideal, means the ability to effectively work with people of all backgrounds, stations, and positions, of really caring about them and being able to build and maintain long term, nurturing relationships." 

That's the definition I want to work and live by. How can that be accomplished when children are grouped by age and they spend all day in an environment run by adults that require respect and unfailing obedience?

This past Saturday, I attended the first Tarrant County Home School Symposium and one of the presentations, "Home School Myths Busted, given by Tricia Rosas addressed socialization. She began to list all the ways that as homeschoolers we socialize our children:

• Sports (horseback riding, gymnastics and football in our house!)
• Logic Clubs
• American Heritage Girls
• PE classes
• Home school co-ops
• Church activities
• Boy Scouts
• Horseback riding lessons
• Volunteering in the community
• Chess clubs
• Lego clubs
• Choirs
• Theater 
• Music lessons
• Field trips
• Time with family and friends
• Vacations
• And so much more!

I'm sure I'll still be asked many times "So what about socialization?" and I'm OK with that. I see it as an opportunity to share my stories and talk about all that homeschooling has to offer our family with socializing just being one of the many benefits.

If I can raise Christian communicators and leaders by achieving the goal that DeMille writes about (page 30), then I will feel our home school has been a success!

"Homeschool is natural to socializing future leaders who don't feel compelled to follow the crowd or bend to social pressure, but who do feel at ease with others and work well in society."

Happy Homeschooling!
-Christi

Are You OK With That Question #1

Are you OK with a non-Christian secular view being taught and promoted in public schools?

This first question in my "Are you OK With That?" series is one that didn't even cross my mind before sending my kids into public school. I had simply accepted the fact long ago that the school would teach the basic academics and my husband and I would be instilling in my children the love of Christ and what it means to be a Christ follower.

Trying to separate these two areas in a person's life is pretty much impossible simply because who I am in Christ affects all areas of my life, at home and outside my home. If I'm teaching my children what we believe to be truth according to our faith at home and then they are being taught an entirely opposite agenda at school, how do we as Christian parents combat that? That's a big conflict we're asking kids to face every day when they enter the doors of public school.

Recently I listened to a talk by Andrew Pudewa titled "Conquering Corrupt Culture By Raising Christian Communicators" and I had a huge "Ah ha!" moment. I was finally able to put my finger on what exactly the conflict was. According to Pudewa, it's the non-gospel of "relativism" being taught in schools: the belief that there are no absolutes when it comes to truth; that people can define their own truth. In other words, every student can have their own "truth" and we have to agree that everyone's truth is equally valid. How can we have two contradictory truths and have them both be true?

Think about it this way - every discussion with the teacher, every interaction with peers, every textbook that is approved is based on this fundamental idea that truth doesn't really exist, it's all just a matter of opinion. 

Pudewa goes on to give some rather startling statistics based on the book Already Gone. According to the book,of the "self-professed, Bible-raising church-going Christian families, 60 to 80% of their kids within one year of leaving home will stop attending church and will leave their faith".

Interestingly enough the statistics are opposite of those who home school their children. 80% of these children are still practicing their faith and sometimes even involved in missions work of some kind.

What do you think is the difference between the two? It's the programming of the public schools.

Well meaning parents think (like I did), "I'll put them in public school but then teach them the truth at home." But did you know that if a child goes to public school from kindergarten through grade 12 they will have had 14,400 hours of this "relativism message" being taught?

That's 14,400 hours, in my opinion, of the wrong message. How could I possibly undo that message with just a few hours of Wednesday night activities and Sunday church service? We can't.

My husband and I were handing over our children and thousands of hours of their time (and our time) for programming we didn't even believe in. Oddly enough, we didn't even see it at first. 

When I first withdrew my son from school, my number #1 reason was because I was tired of the battle. After spending countless hours volunteering at the school, in meetings with the school teachers and administrators, in PTA meetings and such that it finally dawned on me - why am I wasting so much time and energy when I could have him home with me and spend quality one-on-one time with just him? What a revelation!  And, getting all those hours back to include teaching him to understand and appreciate our faith in Jesus Christ was a bonus!

Now, teaching our faith to my children is my #1 reason for having them at home with me. I want my children to do all things for the glory of God. Whether they're learning math, science, history or any other subject, it's all created by Him for Him. 

Our history books include Biblical stories. Bible stories are no longer disconnected from history but they are part of history. (You'll never find Bible stories in public school textbooks.)

Our science books include the book of Genesis and explains how the world was formed and the different theories on how the world was formed. The "Big Bang" being taught as a theory, not an absolute truth (it's being taught in many schools as truth).

So, the question still remains, "Are you OK with a non-Christian secular view being taught and promoted?"

I would be remiss to not ask you one other question as well: "Are you OK with giving thousands of hours of your child's life (and your time) to the public school for their programming?"

I found that answering these questions with a resounding, "No" was easy for me but finding the solution of what to do next was more challenging.

That's why I've started putting together a Database of Resources for other families that might be looking for better education solutions. There are SO many out there! Take a look and begin to discover the joy and freedom in making a choice - don't just accept that public school is all there is. You have a choice on how you spend your time and your child's time. You only raise them once and you'll never get those hours back. How do you want to spend them?

I welcome your comments and feedback. If you have questions about resources, specific curriculum, or if you just want to know how to get started in homeschooling, please let me know.

I hope you'll take the time to answer these tough questions and then plan a course that is best for you and your family.

Blessings,
Christi

Are You OK With That?

Towards the end of the "My Story" page, I pose several questions that I think every family should answer; actually NEEDS to answer before even considering public school.

I think you will find that once you carefully and prayerfully consider each one, you'll become disheartened, disappointed, dissatisfied, and sometimes even disgusted with the state of public education in the United States. 

So let's take a look at the questions:

• Are you OK with a non-Christian secular view being promoted and taught?
  
  Kids who attend public school from kindergarten through 12th grade will have logged thousands of hours of public school programming. No amount of church on Sundays and Wednesdays or parental influence can compete and counteract those numbers.
  
• Are you OK with Common Core?
  
  Common Core contends that every child should learn the same material at the same time during the same grade level across the board. Are all kids the same? I should think not! What happened to individualized learning styles and interests?
  
  Just check out these 8 Problems with Common Core as stated by the Washington post article.
  
• Are you OK with state standardized tests?
  
  Watch this short video from a teacher titled "I'm Sorry Students" (posted March 4, 2016). Then decide if you're OK with these tests. 
  
  
  
  
  
  Check out the words of a veteran teacher of 33 years in the article 11 Problems Created By the Standardized Testing Obsession by the Washington post. 
• Are you OK with worksheets, packets and hours of homework?
  
  I had my kids doing these packets and I, unfortunately, was one of the ones assigning the work. What are they doing all day at school if I then need to spend an additional 2 to 3 hours every night doing homework with my child? If you're doing that amount of work every evening with your child, guess what? You are already 'schooling at home'! Interesting, huh?
• Are you OK with transgender bathrooms and other politically driven decisions infecting and being dictated by the schools?
  
  This decision was recently dictated by the superintendent of schools in Fort Worth ISD to all the teachers, staff, principals, students and parents without discussion, debate or vote. 

It was so ingrained in me that once my kids were 5, they would be going to the local public school. I only considered "which" school, never realizing the real question I should have been asking was "if" I should send them at all. I wonder how many other families out there have made the same mistake.

I will be taking a further look at each one of these questions in my "Are You OK With That?" series of posts. If you have kids in public school or will have kids getting ready for school, I highly encourage you to answer these questions for yourself. 

If you want to get a head start with an in depth look regarding these and other issues facing public schools today, I highly recommend the book "They're Your Kids: An Inspirational Journey from Self Doubter to Home School Advocate" by Mrs. Sam Sorbo. 

The first half of the book looks at what's wrong with our current public school system (and the list is a lot longer than I've posted here). The second half then "guides you through implementing a better educational approach for your family, one that is tried and true." (excerpt from Amazon description).

Do the research for yourself. Do a quick search on these topics and others then ask yourself (and your family), "Are you OK with that?"

Celebrate 'Leeper Day'

Celebrate Leeper Day? When I saw this heading on a Facebook post, I thought to myself, "What in the world is Leeper Day and why should I be celebrating it?" Well, it only took me a couple minutes (and a couple clicks) to find out why!

June 9, 1994 - In the Leeper v. Arlington ISD court case, the Texas Supreme Court legalized homeschooling in the state of Texas!

Wow! Who knew that a court case from 1994 that I knew nothing about would have such an impact on my family today?

June 9th is a Day to Celebrate:

• The freedom to educate at home without testing, age requirements, registering or compulsory attendance.
  
  
• Choice in curriculum - choose what works best for you, your children and your family.
  
  
• The flexibility to set your own "school" calendar.
  
  
• The relationships we're building with our children through homeschooling.
  
  
• The families that have gone before us to pave the way to make homeschooling possible and to remember the adversities and trials they had to overcome.
  
  
• So we never take granted the freedom we have in the Lone Star State to home educate (hey, that rhymes!)

To all the homeschool families who have paved the way for us, I'd like to THANK YOU! We will be celebrating and remembering you today - June 9th.

Happy Homeschooling,
-Christi 

Writing Doesn't Have to Be a Chore (or Bore)

Writing has never been a strength of mine - both trying to write personally and then also trying to teach writing. I spent 3 years as a writing teacher to fourth graders but I, along with my students, struggled through it. I tried my best using writing webs, outlines, engaging story starters and more! Maybe part of the issue was the stress and strain of knowing that my ultimate goal was to get my room full of 24 fourth graders to pass the state standardized writing test, not so much the goal of helping them become excellent communicators (although I knew that's what I should have been striving for).

So, when we started homeschooling, I still held onto these feelings of being an inadequate writer. How was I going to impart a love of writing in my kids? Well, maybe a "love of writing" was too much to ask for. Just as long as I didn't instill feelings of writing being a chore or a bore, I'd call it a success.

Then one day I was talking to my friend, Jeannie, and she began to tell me about an amazing writing program that she and her son used from Andrew Pudewa and the Institute for the Excellence in Writing. She raved that for the first time her son was writing more and was actually enjoying it!

I figured why not give it a shot? I still remember that first day of this new writing program - the kids each set up a t.v. tray in the living room and we began watching the videos. In one of the first lessons Andrew said that in writing, we don't use pencils. Messy papers written in pen with corrections and changes and edits were the kind of papers he wanted to see. My kids promptly followed his instructions and threw their pencils on the floor! What a hoot! This is how our year of using the IEW writing program began! 

We used the program this past year and guess what? Since I was at home watching the teaching DVD's with my children, I began to do some of the assignments for myself. I was learning a whole new way of writing that totally made sense (to me and my kids).  I love the way he teaches writing by first reading quality literature and then mimicking the way something is written. For once, I actually enjoyed writing and my kids created some amazing written pieces. I was floored and hooked!

Back in May, my family and I were at a homeschool convention and who should we happen to meet in person? Andrew Pudewa himself! 

Do I consider myself an excellent writer and communicator? Nope. Am I better and more confident in writing? Yep. 
Do I enjoy teaching it? You betcha! (With Andrew Pudewa, and his program!)

My goal isn't to become a published author. My kids don't have a goal of writing a book (and I'd support them if they did) either. My goal is for my children to feel confident in what and how they're learning. To know that if one program doesn't work or isn't fitting their learning style, we can try something else. We don't have to stick with a particular curriculum for the entire year (like public schools do). Writing is no longer a chore and a bore!

One thing I want you to learn from all of this - no matter if you feel inadequate about teaching your children (we all do at some time or another!) or don't think you have the level of education you need, you CAN teach them at home. 

What matters is what your willing to do on behalf of children rather than your level of education or feelings of being inadquate.

I've started a list of resources on this blog to help you along the way. Most of the resources are in the Dallas / Fort Worth area but several are also online. If you have questions along the way, I'm here to be a resource to you and your family as well. Just ask!

Here's wishing you lots of fun learning and growing WITH your kids!

Happy Homeschooling!

-Christi

Welcome to Education Resources DFW

Welcome to Education Resources DFW! I started this blog as a resource for families in the Dallas / Fort Worth who are looking for alternative ideas to public schooling.

Not only do I list a ton of resources on the "Database of Resources" tab, I'm also here as a resource to support you on your family's educational journey. 

A public school teacher turned homeschooling mom and advocate - that's me. 

I was a public school teacher. My kids were in the public school. I could not have imagined the freedom and flexibility we found in homeschooling! My only regret is that we didn't homeschool from the start.

It might help to read about our family's educational journey on the "My Story" section of this blog.

My Calling is To:

• Help guide and educate families on the wealth of educational opportunities (other than public school) that are out there, specifically in the Dallas / Fort Worth area and specifically about homeschooling.
  
  
• To share what I've learned over the years from both being in the public school and now having been a home educator for 4+ years.
  
  
• Share my story with as many families as I can. I tolerated and even worked in a broken system for years in hopes of change. I finally came to the realization that the system will not change but families can.

You have a choice in your child's education. Don't just accept the notion that public school is all there is.

There's a whole host of support and resources out there awaiting you and your family! And, I hope I am one of them.

It's time to take back the education of our children!


Email me, leave a comment, let me know if I can help direct your family to the education option that works best for you. 

If you have additional resources you'd like to see added to the database list, please contact me.

Here's to a new direction in education for your children!

-Christi