Homeschool Questions

Homeschool Questions

I was tagged by Family Fun Notebook.  Here are my answers...

One homeschooling book you have enjoyed:

Well, I'm 'homeschooling' a 2 year-old; therefore, it's more like 'rearing' a 2 year-old.  One of my favorite books so far is How To Raise An Amazing Child the Montessori Way by Tim Seldin.

One resource you wouldn't be without:

DVDs!  Probably not the answer most of you expected, especially since so many people frown on TV for young children.  However, I let L start watching TV when she was 4 months old and she watched Your Baby Can Read daily.  I really believe that it helped her to be able to speak at an early age, if not 'read'.  It also developed her ability to recognize text.  She held her books right-side up at a very early age.  Additionally, I'm a fan of the Leap Frog DVDs, specifically, LeapFrog: Letter Factory.  It was the main reason L learned her letter sounds and letter names.  Recently, she's been watching LeapFrog: Math Adventure to the Moon,LeapFrog: Math Circus, and LeapFrog: Let's Go to School which seems to be helping with learning numbers as well as days of the week and months of the year.

One resource you wish you'd never bought:

I'm pretty frugal when it comes to buying resources.  The web is full of great ideas and free printables.  Our public library is a great resource.  I usually check out a book and read it over before I make a purchase...even then I might just check out the book again when I think I need it.

One resource you enjoyed last year:

1+1+1=1 Tot School and The Adventures of Bear were my main inspiration for activities to do with L in Tot School.

One resource you will be using next year:

Hmm...we are currently using Hands on Homeschool 2 year-old and I'm very happy with it as a base curriculum, but I definitely add a lot to it.  I already have the 3 year-old curriculum, so I'm sure we'll make use of it to an extent.  I think we'll probably also utilize Confessions of a Homeschooler's Letter of the Week curriculum, and I'll definitely continue to have Montessori type works for her.  I don't have a solid game plan figured out yet.  I'll evaluate her during the summer to see where she stands on the basics and pick a curriculum based on that.

One resource you would like to buy:

Slow and Steady Get Me Ready is on my To Buy list.  It has a list of one activity per week for ages newborn through 5.  With Baby C arriving sometime within the next two weeks, Lord willing, it would be a great resource to use with both of my girls.  I really didn't start doing anything remotely structured with L until she was 12 months old.  I need some ideas for the first 12 months of life!

One resource you wish existed:

I would really really love it, if there were an exhaustive list of Montessori activities by age and the progression from one activity to the next.  I know that each child is different in regard to their sensitive periods for learn, but that the progression from one activity to the next should be fairly straightforward and I would LOVE a list!

One homeschool catalog you enjoy reading:

I've really only looked at a few...A BEKA and My Father's World have been my favorites even though they seem like polar opposites in style besides their Christian foundations.

Tag six other homeschool bloggers:

(These blogs have been great resources to me, and I would LOVE to hear their answers to these questions, if they have the time and desire.)

1+1+1=1
The Adventures of Bear
Our Family for His Glory
Home with the Boys
Our Country Road
Living Montessori Now (I know some of these don't necessarily apply to you, Deb, but I'd still love to hear your thoughts on the others.)