5 ways to start homeschooling this fall

2020 has been a crazy year, I think we can all agree on that. Many parents are facing the difficult decisions on sending their kids back to full time school, or figuring out e-learning or a mix of both. It’s not easy task and while even homeschooling hasn’t been exactly the same for us as during the Pandemic, I’m so very thankful that we have the opportunity to keep going with it.

I have been a veteran homeschool mom for over 7 years now. I simply want to give you options and put your mind at ease for the coming months !

Here are 5 ways to start homeschooling right now!

No matter what, you still must check with your state laws, comply and follow the requirements of your state !

Best website to check for your local requirements and process :
WWW.HSLDA.ORG  

Depending on your situation, like if your child has been previously enrolled in school, you will have to give notice about homeschooling to your district. But again, this totally depends on the state you live in. So please check with your state. Also some of these methods mentioned might not be acceptable in your state, again check your guidelines. 

 

1.Workbooks: Go on Amazon and look through age/ grade appropriate workbooks! Yes, it’s that easy! Due to homeschooling becoming more and more popular in the recent years, there is a wonderful range of workbooks , History Pockets  and so much more available. Read the reviews, comments, depending on your kid’s age, look what seems interesting to them ! Remember you don’t exactly have to copy school life! It’s okay to put the fun back into learning! Check out all the learning board games! History memory! Color math! Add some cool documentaries to your queue while you are planning your year !!

   

 

2.Curriculum: You want more? Something solid that covers all the bases. Pick a curriculum. You can piece things together or you can pick a whole box curriculum! Be warranted, most of these don’t come cheap but depending on your state or your kid’s age, they can be amazing, literally ready to go, with little to no prep work for mom … Some states also offer umbrella schools and you could possibly pick your curriculum through them and have another hybrid version of homeschool. Check this link for some suggestions: https://cathyduffyreviews.com Of course if you have been following us you can check out all our previous posts about our favorite curriculum Moving Beyond the Page . Some other great curriculum are Bookshark, Build your own Library, Timberdoodle, Oak Meadows, Story of the World, Horizon, Teach Textbooks, Khan Academy….

3. Go full online: Online classes aren’t for everyone! Some little kids love it, some hate it! Same with big kids! Some kids can’t do their math that way at all, but some can! Sometimes you just must give things a try! There are many great homeschool courses that you can select individually, or there are still full online schools that will let you enroll!! Costs: $- $$https://www.varsitytutors.com or Outschool , Khan Academy

4.Un-schooling: Are you a rebel and want to completely try something new? Do you trust your kids and really let go? If all answers are yes 🙂 then read on… unschooling can be amazing, but I will say again it’s not for everyone, kids or parents! It will take a lot of trust and wanting to step away from the old methods completely. It’s not just letting your kid whatever he or she may want though! It’s discovering new and old things together but giving your kid permission to do it how and when s/he is ready! To go this route, you might want to grab a couple of these books and see if it’s for you … believe letting go is harder than you sometimes think but it can be rewarding ! More about UNschooling , Free to learn, Unschool Handbook

5.Project-based Homeschooling: You like some of these ideas but still want some reigns! This might be for you. This is great for middle school age range kids! Pick some subjects together with your kid…. let’s say Roman times, the human body, American history, volcanoes, the rainforest and a few novels on top of that… whatever he may be interested in. Start by making a list of sources for your kid.
Websites- make a YouTube list of videos, Netflix shows etc…. find some books to go along with it and then just let him go to town with all those materials! Create lap books and let him gather all his findings!!Books about PBL

 

The problem I see with the coming school year is that it will be very different from what you might know, and it will be challenging no matter what, for you and your child. Why not eliminate some stress and  give your children a safe environment. In addition, once meeting in public will be a bit safer again, the homeschool route will give you the power to say when you are ready to join the masses. If you have a small homeschool group for example, you might be able to meet in small circles rather sooner than later. Your group could hold meetings outside with safe distancing rules, at the park. Nature walks or hiking , art classes outside could all be a better possibility than sitting inside a dark, stingy classroom. On the other side if you have immune compromised children and want to wait just a bit longer, this will give you exactly that option.

Whatever route you pick, remember you can always change direction and try something a bit different if things don’t work out. Speak with your children, find out what worries them, talk to your spouse, friends and family ! But remember in the end it’s your family and just go with what feels right !

As always I’m just sharing my personal views and opinion here. I speak from the experience that I have had through my years of homeschooling my children. I hope that this information helps you out and that you can figure out a way that works for your family this coming school year ! Best of luck, stay healthy, happy and let me know if I can help further !

 

 

2020 Spring Fling Moving beyond the page !!!

The annual Sale at MOVING BEYOND THE PAGE is live and only for a few more days ! If you want to take advantage of a great sale, it’s the best of the year with 10% for any of their full curriculum sets ! I just got done making our purchase for the year. While the higher levels can easily take 1 1/2 I only had to put in one order for one kid this year.. yay…   We are still going strong with the curriculum but I haven’t been able to update the blog much. I am very active on Instagram, if you want to come find us there 3_little_goslings !!

I’ll be back soon, follow the link to your 10% savings with code DAISY
spring fling sale !!!

Bolivar eats New York | Kids review |

We received the most beautiful children picture book about food and culture in New York ! I absolutely love books that bring this subject closer to young children and this book was truly an enjoyable read for the the whole family ! Many kids ( and even some adults) are picky eaters and won’t try something new how often do we all go our old ways instead of trying something completely new ?! The book inspired us to venture out and find other restaurants from different cultures in our own area… but here is my daughters review !!!

Bolivar eats New York by Sean Rubin

Bolivar is a cute dinosaur that lives with his friend Sybil in New York. The picture book starts out with the two of them going to their favorite Deli downtown. Bolivar orders his favorite, just like every other time ! Sybil tries to encourage him to try something new and ends up taking him all across New York to find new exciting food ! Bolivar gets to try all kinds of new food from different cuisines and cultures like many Jewish favorites, Italian, Chinese and Street food from all over the world.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s beautifully illustrated and while the story is a mix between comic and traditional story, the explanations about the food and cultures were a great addition and taught me lots of facts about New York, it’s history and people.

I think this book is a great addition to anyone’s library !

{ Book Review } The good thieves

Love a good adventure story ? Then you might want to check out this quick review and give this beautiful book a try, I admit… it had me with it’s cover ❤ 

The good Thieves is a heartwarming novel that takes place in the early 1900s about a girl named Vita. She comes to New York to visit her grandpa after her grandma dies. When Vita learns that a rich businessman has bought her grandpa’s castle underneath his nose, she secretly devises a plan to get the castle back and retrieve her grandma’s necklace from a secret safe inside. She knows she can’t do it alone, so she goes out in the city by herself to recruit other children. She meets Arkady, a boy whose parents own a circus. He has a way with animals. His close friend Samuel wants to be an acrobat, but his parents want him to follow in their footsteps. Then she meets Silk, a girl who is an experienced pickpocket.

The four children devise a plan to get inside the castle and get back the necklace. They form a unique troupe: an animal whisperer, an acrobat, a pickpocket, and Vita, who is also an amazing knife thrower but never uses them to hurt anyone. Instead, her weapon is her cleverness and emotion.

I really enjoyed this novel. I especially liked how well the historic elements were written in. Historical fiction is one of my favorites. The drawings were very nice and showed the characters perfectly. The plot was quick-paced and exciting. When the book ended it was very satisfying. I would recommend this book to kids who like historical fiction and adventure books. Great book for ten and up.

{Picture Book Review} Before we eat

It’s almost Thanksgiving time. A time in which most of us indulge in lot’s of food, and we try to be thankful for it. No better book than this one ! It’s perfect for young readers, with large pictures and short and to the point explanations ! A beautiful read before Thanksgiving indeed !

But here is my Kiddo’s review 😉

Before We Eat is a picture book about the journey of food from the farm to our table. The book shows all the different steps of growing food, plowing, sowing seeds, watering, and weeding. At harvest time, the farmers pick the produce, even in harsh weather. It also tells the journey of dairy products, how pigs get fed, how eggs are collected, and even how commercial fishing is done. From wheat farming to honeybees, all these are described in beautiful yet easy to understand ways.

Explanations and illustrations continue the journey of food through the warehouses, the truck drivers, the grocery workers, and the people in our families who finally bring the groceries home. At the end of the book, it shows a family giving thanks to those hard workers all over the world.

I really liked this book because it shows how foods get into our kitchens. The pictures were unique, and if you look in the back of the book, you can read how the illustrator made these by carving images on wooden blocks backward, then painting them and using them like a stamp. I also liked the info on how to plant a garden–it happens to be one of my favorite activities. I would recommend this book to anyone four and up as a great read-aloud.

Very Rich { kids book review }

This was such a beautiful book that we reviewed last year and haven’t had a chance to post about yet. It is the perfect winter read and also along with the Christmas time. If you enjoy Roald Dahl , or magical adventures don’t miss this one 🙂 

Very Rich is an entertaining book about ten-year-old Rupert who lives with his large but poor family. One morning on Christmas, he begins his walk to school only to realize it’s, of course, closed on Christmas. On his way home, he passes one of the largest mansions in his town. Not paying attention, he suddenly stumbles into the large gate of the house. He feels a jolt of electricity going through his body and he faints. When he wakes up, the Rivers, the richest family in town, invite him for Christmas dinner as an apology. Everything Rupert has ever dreamt of is nearly offered to him. The Rivers invite him for a day of family games, where he wins some amazing prizes, he hopes to share with his poor family. But instead of being able to keep the prizes they get taken away and he gets taken on some other crazy adventures.

The book reminded a bit of some Roald Dahl adventures. It was magical and adventurous and very fun to read. The story also reminds you of being thankful for the things you have. This would be a great book for kids ten years old and up.

Reading books in your second language, tips and tricks ..

Reading books in your second language can sometimes be tricky. For kids it can feel intimidating and less fun especially if they don’t know the story. When I was younger my favorite way of learning English, was to re-read the books I already knew. So after reading them in German I read them in English.

Tons of authors are known around the world and many classics can be found in any language ! Why don’t you give it a shot and find one of your favorites ?! I’m sharing some of my favorite German/ or well known around the world classics  and also how you can find them if you live abroad ! 

Astrid Lindgren  

Ronia the robbers daughter has always been one my favorite ! Many of Lindgrens books have been translated into 107 languages !! Maybe you haven’t heard of many others than Pipi Longstocking, but there are so many others by this fascinating author ! She was seriously one of the pioneers of modern children’s literature, with a wish for children to grow up loved, free and respected.  The children of the noisy village, Mio, my son, The brothers Lionheart   are all pieces of beautiful literature that are timeless and full of magic and deserved to be read by anyone all over the world !

 Otfried Preussler

has written some beautiful children’s book and are definitely great classics. The little ghost and the Little witch were also made into a few Tv series and great movies ! The little ghost movie is available on amazon prime   and the Little witch is as well !!

Most of his books were translated into 55 languages !

J.K Rowling

 

One of the latest language editions to Harry Potter is Scots  ! Which is spoken by 1.5 million people in Scotland and is a disappearing language. Harry Potter has been translated into more than 80 languages ! And of course audiobooks and the movies are available in lots of options too . You can find it in german , french, afrikaans and many other beautiful languages !!

Cornelia Funke

Cornelia Funke has written almost 50 books, which have been translated into 37 languages, selling more than 26 million copies worldwide. In 2005, Time Magazine even included Funke in their annual list of the top 100 influential people in the world. Her books are full of adventure and make believe, a joy to read for young and old ! Our favorites are dragon rider, the ghost hunter series, chix ( die wilden Hühner) , ink heart trilogy and so many more….

Eric Carle ( for the littles ) everyone knows the very hungry caterpillar! Indeed because it’s been translated into over 62 languages worldwide ! In fact quite a few of his books have, and they are a joy for little ones to read and look through ! Because we all know the beautiful art work that comes along with each one of his titles ! How about the hungry caterpillar in Russian  ?

Or rather Chinese

Roald Dahl

Another around the world known author from the UK with books translated into around 60 languages around the world ! Charly and the chocolate factory, Matilda, James and the giant peach ( spanish)… all beautiful books we all know and would make it easier to read in a second language !

Enid blyton

I’m always surprised when many Americans don’t know Enid Blytons books. With over 90 languages that her books have been translated to, you would figure she is known around the USA as well. A true classic of adventure stories, fantasy and make believe! Famous five, the faraway tree… seriously go google her and you will fall in love with her stories…

Michael Ende

Never ending story ranks at the top of the Bestsellers of all times ! 35 books sold a d over 49 languages you can find them in ! Jim Knopf und die Wilde 13 (Jim Button and the Wild 13) Momo, Der satanarchäolügenialkohöllische Wunschpunsch (Translated into English by Heike Schwarzbauer and Rick Takvorian as The Night of Wishes and many others

Erich Kästner

is one of the pioneers of children’s literature and has been given many awards and prizes because of it. Some of the most beautiful stories include

Emil und die Detektive, 1929 (Emil and the Detectives) ,Pünktchen und Anton 

Das fliegende Klassenzimmer, Das doppelte Lottchen or in the US known as Parent Trap

Usborne Books are often also available in different languages but only mainly available overseas. ( amazon.de)

Finding the titles in your language of preference can be tricky but not impossible. I always check on amazon first. That is in the US and Germany. They ship books from Germany relatively cheap and I bet you can find many other European languages in their selection. It’s the easiest and most uncomplicated way to find them, but maybe not the cheapest. You can find used book sites, like abebooks, book depository . I have gotten very lucky over the years there. Also check your local facebook market place or search for flea market groups on facebook. In your local communities of native speakers, someones children might have outgrown the books and are getting ready to let them go. Or you could arrange a switch.. and exchange books every so often with someone near you ! Also don’t be shy to ask your local library ! Many are opening up their doors and minds to multilingual books ! So make some suggestions and you might be surprised what they are willing to purchase for you !

There are amazing authors around the world and we are lucky that nowadays so many do get translated into other languages ! Reading books from another part of the world can teach us and our children so much ! It explains culture, history, way of life, empathy and more ! If it’s because you want to learn a second language and re-read some of your old time favorites or if you got curious what other authors from around the world have to offer, go find one of these classics ! Maybe talk to your library too and see if they can add some of they do t have any. Share the love and have fun reading !

Amelia Fang and the barbaric ball { Kids review }

It’s almost Halloween, time for a spooky read. Amelia Fangs fits right in there, and my kids were pretty excited to review this fun series !

Amelia Fang and the Barbaric Ball is a funny book, that takes place in Nocturnia city in the kingdom of the dark. Amelia Fang’s Mom, Countess Frivoleeta, is holding the annual Barbaric Ball again. Amelia hates the ball but she might finally have someone her own age, Prince Tangine. The King and the Prince have not left the palace since Prince Tangines Mom was eaten by a fairy. But when Tangine comes to school he’s a spoiled sprout! Amelia is put in charge of the Prince and is supposed to show him around the school but he’s late for school every night! Prince Tangine and his father (The King) come over to Amelia’s house (The Fang Mansion) to eat dinner with her and her family. Prince Tangine steals some stuff from her house even Amelia’s pet pumpkin, Squashy! Amelia and her friends Florence Spudwick (Hates being called a beast ,she is a rare breed of yeti!) and Grimaldi Reaperton (Is a Grim Reaper ,deals with small deaths ,like squashed toads.) go on a mission to go get Squashy (Pumpkin, Dislikes being away from Amelia) back from Tangine . . .

What I liked about this book was that it was funny and the pictures were outstanding. I recommend this book to ages 8 and up!

I also give this book five stars.

{ book review } The Magic Misfits: The Minor Third

I first spotted this new series at our local library and thought, oh this must be a fun new read. We actually got it as an audio book and started listening to it all together at breakfast and we all laughed and enjoyed the story so much. After that we couldn’t wait for book two and three ! I surely hope there will be many more adventures by the misfits and more books from this great author ! Read what my girls had to say !

The Magic Misfits, the minor third  is the third book in the series by Neil Patrick Harris. Theo and the other misfits are back in another summer adventure and they are performing on a talent show. They make it all the way into the finale and then they can’t decide who should perform. The misfits start to fight, but then the weird ventriloquist with a doll comes to Mineral Wells, and he looks exactly like the one from Carters old pictures of the evil “ emerald ring” gang!
The kids also meet a new kid in town, Emily. She comes to help the group of friends one afternoon while they are all playing at the park and the locally bully tries to anger the group. But Ridley isn’t too sure about Emily, is she really who she says she is?
Will Callahan, the leader of the Emerald ring”, who we met in the first book, come back? Who is the weird ventriloquist, really?
I absolutely love this book series, and this third edition has been a wonderful read once again. The author has a wonderful way of mixing great storytelling, humor, and magic all into one amazing story. Even before you start reading the story.. it makes you laugh out loud, because of how he named all the chapters. I love that there are magic tricks to learn all throughout the book. All the characters are very well thought out and portrayed. Each character plays an important part in the group of friends and with each book, you get to know them a bit better. The illustrations were also lovely once again.
I would recommend this book to any kids 8 and up that love a great adventure….

{ Book review } Killer style

Got a kid that loves fashion, history or culture ?  This might be an interesting read for a bit older kids. My daughter (13) was shocked about some of the facts portrayed in this book.  But read for yourself below…

Killer style is a dark nonfiction book about how horrid trends in fashion, throughout history and even today, have harmed the people following them.

The book has three sections about heads, middles, and legs. It talks about different kinds of harm; the culprit could be an extremely harmful chemical or the fabric used. Killer style opens your eyes to the great crimes manufacturers, trends and designers have committed.

Some cases are more well known than others, like Queen Elizabeth I using white lead to cover up her scars or “Mad Hatter” using mercury, a poisonous substance to fabricate hats. Others have been covered up like factories in unregulated countries, sandblasting jeans to give them a worn look but the particles in the sand will clog the worker’s lungs and kill them.

Surprisingly, there are recent happenings as well, for example in 2016 a company that sold “waist trainers” was being promoted on social media. These were very much like the corsets of the past which could cause shortness of breath and common fainting.

This book was extremely informative and I was very shocked by some of the articles. My dream is to become a fashion designer when I grow up and I swear that I will never harm the people who wear my clothes. I would love to help prevent more accidents and harmful trends. I have never read a more honest book about fashion and I recommend this book to ages eleven and up.