Five things to try in your homeschool- part 3

(I've been working on a blog series about trying new things in your homeschool. If you missed part 1 or part 2, check them out!)

How do you get kids to follow directions, check their work, understand the step by step processes of math or even why it's important to brush your teeth before you put on your fancy shirt? Well by teaching them how to code, of course! I've written about teaching kids to code before, but it's even more popular of an idea and it's growing more popular each year.

Very, very few adults understand the processes going on inside your computer, tablet, phone or even your TV. Technology has changed so rapidly that only those studying coding, computer science and engineering really even understand it. To the rest of us, it's just this fun, magical thing! I turn on my computer and there's the whole world inside.

Part of the reason to teach coding is to demystify the magic. However, I think the most important is to give kids the skills they'll need for a future we can't even begin to predict. Skills that come through coding are life-long skills. Mitchell Resnik of MIT says kids aren't just learning to code, but coding to learn.  Kids learn to persevere through a frustrating challenge. They learn to create an idea and see it through to the end, even when it means asking for help or having to do considerable research. I've seen that kids who learn to code also learn to check their work in math problems and to be meticulous about the tiny details. Everyone who codes learns that one misplaced semi-colon can wreak havoc in your life!

How does that relate to brushing your teeth? Learning to code teaches process, order and structure. If you brush your teeth after you put on your shiny shirt, you might spill toothpaste on it. If you tell your character to run fast, before you've controlled the speed, he might just run right into the wall you coded for a challenge. Teach coding, then highlight the processes in everyday life that make sense. We have to preheat the oven, or the bread won't cook properly.

So how do you do it, particularly if you have no idea how to code yourself? The great news is that there are tons of resources available for anyone at anytime. You might even choose to learn along with your kids!

For little kids and beginning readers
Kodable (iPad)
Daisy the Dinosaur (iPad)
Hour of Code

Early Elementary
Move the Turtle (iPad)
Scratch (various platforms)
Code.org

Middle School 
Gamestar Mechanic
Code Combat
Tynker
Code.org
Made With Code
KidsRuby

High School and beyond

Codecademy.com

Khan Academy

EdX Computer Science

Five things to try in your homeschool this coming year- part 2

(I'm currently working on a series of five things to try in your homeschool this coming year. If you missed part 1, check it out!)

Now that you've chosen your online learning opportunity, it's time to look at what else you can maximize, change and create. The next idea is a challenging one for many parents and nearly every teacher I've ever met. Most of us grew up in a system of assigned reading, in books that the whole class read, including 45 minutes of read-aloud every single day for weeks on end to make sure "everyone was paying attention." I'm positive some great works of literature were utterly destroyed for me in this system. If you even mention The Great Gatsby, I shudder a little. So while this next idea will make many homeschoolers say "But but!" and dramatically raise skepticism, please give it a try. If you can't throw caution to the wind for the whole year, try a month or even two!

Let the kids read what they want to read

Seriously...

I said this before but I'm saying it again...

Do not assign another book. Or even genre. Or tell them to put away the magazines or comics.

Lifelong passionate readers are created by reading what they're passionate about. Not by assigning books.

There it is- the skeptical look and the "But But!!"

Research shows it again and again- let kids read what they want to read and they are far more likely to enjoy reading, pursue reading as a pleasurable hobby and to read outside of the classroom. Once you've made reading enjoyable, you can gently guide kids into other choices of topics or challenge levels.

If you cannot resist and absolutely must put some sort of assignment or requirement on it, I highly recommend The Reader's Odyssey: An Individualized Literature Program for Homeschooling Middle and High School Students as a way to help you choose great books, guide reading, writing and exploration.

Keep track of your child's pacing and reading. I keep a Google doc with the titles and dates he has completed the book. I also use this same doc to make recommendations to other families, to make sure I don't request the book from the library again and to compare how he's moving through genres and styles.

If you lose your motivation for this, think back to sitting in your dreaded high school or junior high literature class, listening to Billy read a paragraph as slow as possible in a book you hated. Remind yourself of the times you abandoned a book your friends all loved. That's your freedom as a reader! Give that freedom to your kids too!

Five things to try in your homeschool this coming year- part 1

It's nearly summer! My summer usually involves a little bit of sunshine, time at the pool, my personal professional development plans and tons of organization for the coming school year. The kid and I sit down towards the end of May or early June and try to imagine what the next year will look like and what direction we want to go. In general, we end up with about 50% of our plans sticking for the year. That seems to be an excellent success rate!

In planning for the new year, we try to think big and look at crazy ideas, not just choose a curriculum and a workbook. Recently, a family at school asked what have been our most successful big ideas and how we've incorporated them into our homeschool schedule. I realized that over four years, these ideas that were "big" in the beginning are now the regular part of our days and weeks.

What are those big ideas and what does it look like?


Part 1- Take learning online
It's no secret that we're big fans of online education and learning. We are living in a time where the whole world is at a student's fingertips. I personally feel that a fear of "screen time" is denying children amazing opportunities. I do understand the reticence of some families, but I promise- your foray into digital learning will be worth it.

For those ready to dabble, try these options:

• CurrClick- Totally free or very low cost, low requirements. Classes range from Lego Clubs and Magic Treehouse Clubs to high school science and math
  
• SuperCharged Science- Not sure you want to take an online class? Sign up for the email promotions and you'll receive several opportunities for free demo classes throughout the year.
  
• Athena's Academy- A fantastic resource for short and long term online courses. Students meet in a virtual classroom and discuss the topics of the course, as well as completing other assignments online. A short term 8 week class is a great way to get your feet wet.

Ready to go all in? Here are our favorites:

• Athena's Academy- Long term classes range from literature, history and science to philosophy and math for younger kids. Athena's specializes in elementary through middle school courses online. Your kids will love it!
  
• Gifted Homeschoolers Forum While we haven't specifically used GHF, it is well recommended among friends. The class topics are engaging, with subjects like "Beyond Percy Jackson" and "Minecraft Math". Your kids are sure to find one that looks exciting
  
• OnlineG3- I can't say enough good things about OnlineG3. We plan our entire school year schedule around the G3 schedule and what looks the best. Next year, the kid is tackling Writing From Sources in the fall and is hoping for a return of Science and Science Fiction Movies in the spring.
  
• Mr. Gelston- In a new partnership with OnlineG3 and Gifted Homeschoolers Forum, Mr. Gelston's One Room Schoolhouse is offering opportunities for older students and teens to study journalism, Algebra and to study data and statistics in a thoroughly interesting and tangible way. 

Each of these opportunities teaches digital literacy, online collaboration, online citizenship and encourages students to see beyond their own computers. As a homeschooling mom, it's extremely rewarding to hear your child having a thoughtful debate with other students all around the world!