From the Editors - January 2008 Edition

Hello and welcome to the first edition of the Heart of the Matter's online home schooling magazine. We are so excited that you are joining us today so grab a cup of coffee or tea (sweet tea if you are a southerner like me) and enjoy the articles that our team has written to encourage you in your home schooling journey.

As always, if you would like to submit articles, photos, printables, links, or projects, please email us at homeschoolinghearts@gmail.com. Please be sure to read our guidelines before submitting.

Comments are moderated to insure that they meet the guidelines for posting on Heart of the Matter Online.

In This Issue:

A Tale of Two Home Schools by Darnelle / Fill In the Blanks
Darnelle discusses learning difficulties that children can have and the struggles that homeschooling parents face. She invites you to give your input.

How Did That Happen? by Lee / HomeScholar High School
Lee talks about graduation and how to prepare for college.

Why Bother? by Christine / The Finer Things
In this article, Christine addresses a common concern with home schoolers about the involvement of the fine arts in day to day lessons.

Diagnosis and Bringing Them Home by Sallie / A Square Peg
Diagnosis and treatment of disabilities in children. Focus: Asperger Syndrome

Just What is Co-Schooling by Stacey / Standing In the Gap
Stacey brings to light another rapidly growing form of home education in this article about co-schooling.

Learning Is What Happens, Naturally by MandyMom / The Natural Noggin
Myths are dispelled and creativity emerges in this article from MandyMom about their decision to unschool their children.

How To Make It To High School by Gina / Reaching High
13 years worth of homeschooling brings Gina to this place in their journey. Learn how you can make it there too.

So, Why Do You Do What You Do? by Kristine / Ducks In A Row
With this question in the forefront of you mind, Kristine will offer some sound biblical principles to help you decide.

Garden of the Heart by Heather (Sprittibee) / Heartstrings for Homeschoolers
This is a timely message about God's love and the heart of the family. Heather brings it home with this heart tugging lesson about the true heart of homeschooling.

The Daily Balancing Act by Dianne / Blueprint for Balance
Let Dianne help with a new perspective on the balancing act of motherhood, homemaker, and homeschool mom. Printables included.

Coupons, Coupons, Coupons by Heather H / Practical Penny Pincher
Heather knows what it is like to have a want to save money. Learn from her experience with these tips on using coupons.

Of Public Education, Politics & Homeschooling by Dana / Homeschool In the News
Dana gives an objective point of view on Mike Huckabee and the effects of appointing Kristin Maguire, a homeschool mom, to the Board of Education.

Let's Start At the Very Beginning by Lori / Raise Your Hands
WooHoo! If you need a homeschooling pick-me-up then start here. Lori will inspire you to homeschool while feeding you the Word of God.

Deciding to Homeschool a Preschooler - Where To Start? by Mandy Z / Knee High Homeschool
If you are contemplating a decision to homeschool your little ones then Mandy's article is for you!

Discover the Biggest Mistake Made by Homeschoolers by Robin / Sowing Seeds
Robin reveals the mistakes that can be made unintentionally and she will tell you how to overcome them.

Through the Microscope by Amy S
Science at it's most magnificent is God's handiwork. Amy will provide you with a biblical lesson alongside experiments using common household items.

We Are All Different by Amy B / The Open & Closed Book Education
Amy gives you a look inside the home and heart of an eclectic homeschooling family.

Projects:
Thanksgiving Project
School Ideas
Paint Cans, Loose Leaf Binders, & Index Cards

Cover photo courtesty of Christine from Fruit In Season.

Enjoy!

Of Public Education, Politics and Homeschoolers

Kristin Maguire took her seat on the South Carolina Board of Education in 2000 after being elected by local legislators and was reappointed by the governor in 2004. She was voted chairwoman-elect in December, a position that likely would have not gained so much attention were it not for the fact that she homeschools her own children. State Democratic Party Chairwoman Carol Fowler said of the election,

Having Kristin Maguire chair the State Board of Education is akin to Dick Cheney teaching a gun safety course. What does a woman who home schools her four children know about South Carolina public schools? aikenstandard.com

Criticism seems to be focused on a perceived inability of a homeschooler to "support public schools." It was her commitment to her position on the Board, however, that seemed to draw support from those who nominated her above Trip Dubard, the man recommended by the Board's nominating committee.

Board member Rick Adkins, of Anderson, said he voted for Maguire because she is so well prepared to discuss agenda items at the board's monthly meetings. He credited her with successfully pushing the board to approve more stringent math standards that require third graders learn their multiplication tables to 12, rather than to nine. "That hit me personally," said Adkins, the father of third-grade twins. "Her personal views and what she does with her children is her choice." Ibid.

The selection of a homeschooling mother to lead the South Carolina Board of Education is interesting for more reasons than the discussion about what role homeschoolers should take with regards to public education. The first governor to appoint a homeschooler to a state Board of Education appears to have been Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, a nomination which figures strongly into HSLDA-PAC's endorsement of him as a presidential candidate.

Mike Huckabee, as governor, was the first to appoint a homeschooler to the Arkansas State Board of Education, and to our knowledge the first to do so in any state. He is adamantly opposed to the United Nations Convention on the Rigths of the Child and is committed to stopping the erosion of parental rights. He is pro-life. He supports traditional marriage. He believes that the Internal Revenue Service should be abolished and replaced with the Fair Tax--a move that we strongly support because it would greatly benefit homeschooling families. He believes and is willing to say that Islamic extremism needs to be understood as a theologically driven threat. He believes that our borders must be secured not only from illegal immigration but from the growing trend among American judges of "illegally importing" international law into our American judicial systems. HSLDAPAC.org

This endorsement has been received with both approval and consternation among homeschoolers. It drew homeschool advocate and popular blogger Karen Braun (Spunky) out of blogging retirement specifically to question Huckabee's stance on education issues. The first in her series of postings looks at Arkansas' "unique distinction of becoming the first state in the nation to add restrictions to its existing home school law," as it is described by the HSLDA Court Report. One Mom, a homeschooling mother supporting Mike Huckabee, presents a "rest of the story" sort of post after a conference call with Huckabee in which she was able to ask him specifically about this law.

While the endorsement may be controversial among homeschoolers, even conservative Christian homeschoolers, it has been attributed to Huckabee's rise in the polls from almost a complete unknown two months ago to the winner of the Iowa's caucus. And this despite being outspent by former front-runner Mitt Romney who has spent three times Huckabee's entire campaign budget thus far on television advertising alone.

Huckabee's name is no longer a mystery to Iowa's Republican voters, in large part because of an extensive network of home-schoolers like Roe who have helped lift his underfunded campaign from obscurity to the front of a crowded field. Opinion polls show that his haphazard approach is trumping the studied strategy of Mitt Romney, who invested millions only to be shunned by many religious conservatives such as Roe, who see the former Baptist preacher from Hope, Ark., as their champion. The Washington Post

While much of the reporting has presented a stereotyped view of homeschoolers, the ability of a few impassioned homeschoolers to affect Huckabee's campaign so dramatically is a testament to their resourcefulness, creativity and organization.

Twin teenage boys from Oregon wrote a letter which got to Chuck Norris, prompting him to take a closer look at Huckabee and influencing his endorsement and the production of a successful campaign ad. Julie Roe, a homeschooling mother from Iowa launched her own campaign for Huckabee without the benefits of buttons, professional signage or glossy literature. Instead, she got out her paper and scissors as well as emails to her homeschooling group to craft her own campaign. While homeschoolers are far from unified on support for any candidate, the organization coming behind Huckabee is impressive.

"I would say it's an informal network. It's not a secret database somewhere we all go to," said DeSaulniers, whose wife Diane teaches their children. "It's regular, ongoing relationships." Des Moine Register

It is the same kind of person-to-person, private organization that has helped liberalize homeschooling laws across the nation, protecting the rights of parents to direct the education of their children. It is this kind of grassroots activity that made Arkansas' step backwards in homeschool freedom an anomaly in state politics, despite powerful and respected foes such as the National Education Association (pdf), the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Who ever could have guessed that placing a homeschooler on the Board of Education could have such far-reaching consequences?

Dana is a fourth year homeschooling mom to three girls and a boy. In her column, "Homeschool, In the News," she will be taking a look at homeschoolers who have affected the news and news that affects homeschoolers. Visit her blog, Principled Discovery.

Discover the Biggest Mistake Made by Homeschoolers

Too many homeschoolers make the mistake I made in my first years homeschooling--setting aside Bible time for academics.

We can so easily get anxious about the academics that we miss wisdom. Education must contain more than facts, theories, and objectives. God's written Word provides the principles and wisdom we need to live lives that are pleasing to Him. True wisdom rests in our knowledge of and relationship with Jesus Christ, God's incarnate Word. A focus on studying God's Word will transform both the teacher and the student by the renewing of their minds.

No matter how solid the methods of Bible study, you should purpose to study every single day. "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word in all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11).

Our important objective in homeschooling should be, as Jesus summed up the entire Law and the Prophets, to encourage every person to love God passionately--with all of his heart, soul, and mind--and to love his neighbor as himself. A.W. Tozer said, "We are called to an everlasting preoccupation with God."

Our goal should be to live effectively by seeking His wisdom, and becoming hearers and doers of His Word. It is my prayer that all who read my writings will, at a minimum, take away this advice: Commit to begin each school day in God's Word. Make a promise to yourself that you will make God's Word your first priority, and never even open another book before you have spent time in prayer and Bible study.

A Command from God

We worry about state requirements but what does God require? God commands you to diligently teach your children His Word. Deuteronomy 6 says, And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart.And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Read the Amplified version of these verses: And these words which I am commanding you this day shall be [first] in your [own] minds and hearts; [then] You shall whet and sharpen them so as to make them penetrate, and teach and impress them diligently upon the [minds and] hearts of your children...

Do you see how efficient God's plan is? While you are teaching the Word to your children, you are learning. Once you begin to read the Scripture for yourself (instead of relying on a pastor to teach you) you will understand more and more of the Biblical truths on a deeper level.

Daily Bread

The Word of God is nourishment like milk or meat (Hebrew 5:12). To help you really grasp the importance of this truth here is a disturbing photo of a poor, starving child's hand. Now imagine that there is a bottle of rich nourishing milk on the table that would save his life and comfort him, but his mother leaves the bottle sitting on the table because she thinks it's too much trouble to give it to him.

Would you skip feeding your child a meal? Visualize that image every time you feel tempted to skip Bible study.

Paul told Timothy that we are nourished by words of faith and good doctrine (1 Timothy 4:6). God's Word contains nourishing life-giving power--don't withhold it.

Imagine the Potential

you imagine the potential results if every Christian homeschooler in America began devoting the first part of each school day to studying God's Word?

Time spent in God's Word can produce a spiritual transformation. Christ's prayer in John 17:16-17 was that His followers not follow false loves or the values of this world, but that they would be holy. It is possible for us to produce an entire spiritually mature generation comprised of young men and women trained and equipped to feed themselves the Bread of Life--and to be able to discern the sacred and spiritual from the profane and carnal--a generation that would know Truth and be able to boldly answer a false teacher by saying "That's not what that verse means. You are taking it out of context."

George Muller read the Bible over 200 times in his lifetime. He said,

The most important thing I had to do was to read the Word of God and to meditate on it. Thus my heart might be comforted, encouraged, warned, reproved, and instructed... As my heart is nourished by the truth of the Word, I am brought into true fellowship with God. I speak to my Father and to my Friend (although I am unworthy) about the things that He has brought before me in His precious Word.

It often astonishes me that I did not see the importance of meditation upon Scripture earlier in my Christian life. As the outward man is not fit for work for any length of time unless he eats, so it is with the inner man. What is the food for the inner man? Not prayer, but the Word of God--not the simple reading of the Word of God, so that it only passes through our minds, just as water runs through a pipe. No, we must consider what we read, ponder over it, and apply it to our hearts.

... Through His Word, our Father speaks to us, encourages us, comforts us, instructs us, humbles us, and reproves us. We may profitably meditate, with God's blessing, although we are spiritually weak. The weaker we are, the more meditation we need to strengthen our inner man. Meditation on God's Word has given me the help and strength to pass peacefully through deep trials. What a difference there is when the soul is refreshed in fellowship with God early in the morning! Without spiritual preparation, the service, the trials, and the temptations of the day can be overwhelming. (George Muller, Autobiography, 139)

How much more would we know our Lord if we read the Bible like this man?

You should also have the necessary Bible tools so your entire family can learn about biblical culture, historical settings, and language in order to fully understand God's instruction for life. There are some that won't hesitate spending $25.00 on a video or game but won't invest in a good Bible atlas or Bible dictionary (useful for a lifetime).

Seek and be Filled

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Mathew 5:6

God gives us a relationship with Him through His Book. The Creator of the universe wants to speak to you and your children. He wants you to understand the depths of the knowledge of his love, his grace, and the gift He offers to us through the sacrifice of His son, Jesus Christ.

Feed your children daily.

You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. -James 4:14

Related Posts:

• Balancing the Three Rs and the Bible
  
• Coffee with God
  

Robin has been homeschooling for 20 years. She and her husband Ronnie are blessed with a “yours, mine, and ours” blended family of eleven children (ages 6 to 34) and thirteen grandchildren (ages 1 to 12). She is actively teaching the two youngest children still at home. Robin is also and author and business owner. Please visit her at Heart of Wisdom.

We Are All Different

Homeschooling can seem so overwhelming at times. With so many choices in curriculum and teaching methods how can you be sure that you have chosen the right one?

You can.

When I first began this journey I had it all figured out. I did extensive research on the internet, bought and read several highly recommended homeschooling how-to books and I even counseled with some ladies that I deemed to be pros at homeschooling to get their input. I used placement tests with each of the boys to see where they were academically in each subject. I observed them to figure out what their learning styles were. I set out on a mission to teach them art, music, two foreign languages and structured PE! Keep in mind that all of this was in addition to their core subjects and trying to catch one of them up to his grade level (he was previously in public school). I had lesson plans for the entire year all mapped out. I would spend 2.3 hours per day and per child teaching them. Things were going to be great!

Was I reaching too high?

Around this same time we began going to a homeschool group where everyone had so many great ideas. I also found wonderful online groups that had, you guessed it, more great ideas. I wrote them all down in a notebook. I was going to implement them in my classroom at my kitchen table. The more I gleaned from these women, the more I implemented into our day to day activities, and the more my children became irritated with me and I with them.

I have a confession: I can’t do it all by the book and other's expectations.

Then I did a smart thing. I prayed about it. Yes, I know it was a bit late but hey, better late than never, right? God began to show me some things about my children and He led me to a website that was offering a free book in exchange for a review published on my blog. That book was Robin Sampson’s Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach. My eyes began to open. I began to see things clearly and the path before me became easier and easier to navigate.

In the book she was persistent in saying, “every child is unique and every home is different and you need to take what works for you and leave the rest. Combine them all for a perfect fit. Let your child lead you where he wants to learn but, keep it Christ centered.” -paraphrased

Christ centered? Use what works from each method or approach and combine them? Look for the spark in my child’s eye to see what he wants to learn? Wow! sigh

You mean, I don’t have to use the entire boxed curriculum just because they recommend it? I don’t have to buy the manipulatives that come with this text book because I can use something we already have around the house? Everything they learn doesn't have to come from a book? I don’t have to follow every step of any method or approach because all of it may not work for our family? I don’t have to homeschool just like anyone or everyone else because their needs are not the same as ours? Yes! What a revelation!

I spent a period of time after that asking the boys what they wanted to learn about and my notebook that was once filled with the ideas from other moms began to be filled with ideas from my boys.

The following was not edited for authentication purposes. ;o)

My baby Brennan told me, “I want to be a knight because they are strong and have swords and have to fight for their horse and their woman girl!”

“I want to learn about CSI stuff and chemicals and all that and I want to work for Mr. Yancy so I can use his lab and stuff,” says Gevan the analytical thinker.

And my sweet Jacob… “Mom. I just want to be smart but I don’t want to have to do a lot of work. Oh, and I want to be a artist and make money.”

I started there. Yes, right there with those three things. They spoke volumes.

Jacob has always loved to draw and write stories. He doesn’t like to take the time to use manipulatives for math and other subjects because he gains understanding even without them. They slow him down.

Gevan loves science. Anything to do with science: ant farms, hydroelectric plants, chemicals, and all of that other stuff. He needs to use manipulatives to understand. He must look at it from every angle.

Brennan loves heroic stories about knights and soldiers. He loves his momma (his woman girl) and he is interested in most anything to do with animals. Of course, he is only 6 (almost 7)!

I prayed some more and finally decided on the parts of the methods that I would incorporate from all that I had learned, a bible study that was fitting for my boys, Konos as our launching pad, Math U See for Jacob (he is already done for this year) and Saxon for Gevan and Brennan, and a reading program called Christian Light that taught them the about the love of God as well as how to grow to be a man of integrity. I also use a variety of other sources here and there to supplement as their interests in a subject peaks. This was personalized education.

And it’s working.

It is my goal over the next few months to give you ideas and inspiration on how you can personalize your child’s education with a variety of different ideas, materials and approaches and in away that may even save you a dollar or two. I recommend that you begin asking your children what they would like to learn and watch and observe them as you teach.

And pray.

Father, we thank you for the gifts that you have given us in our precious children. We ask that you would open our eyes to see your will for their life and how I as a parent can encourage them and train them in the way they should go. Father, I ask that you would help us to always remember to keep you at the center of all things including education. It is my desire for my children to grow in wisdom and stature just as Jesus did. Please instruct me as to how to accomplish that. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Amy is the happy wife of one amazing man and she is a 3rd year homeschooling mom to three energetic boys. In her column “Effective Education”, she writes about the eclectic teachings that bring a glimmer of curiosity to the eyes of her sons. Be sure to visit her blog, In Pursuit of Proverbs 31.

"The more I study science the more I believe in God," Albert Einstein once remarked. I couldn’t agree more with this eccentric scientist.

This monthly column will be geared towards elementary level science (K-5). I will be sharing projects and experiments, incorporating nature, and trying to show God's hand through the miracle of everyday elements and processes. Science is not a scary subject. There is beauty in science, we just don't tend to see it.

Vinegar and Baking Soda
Two everyday household ingredients. Both have been used since ancient times. The Sumerians used vinegar as a medicine, a condiment, and a detergent. They made this invaluable solution by leaving wine in an open container until it turned sour. The ancient Egyptians were known to use baking soda as a toothpaste, a body wash, and as the main ingredient for the mummification process. Baking Soda is pure Sodium Bicarbonate, which is a component of Natron. Natron can readily be found in many mineral springs throughout northern Egypt.

With these simple household materials, you can create what is known as “Fizzle Stones.” The beauty of these stones is that they “dissolve” to reveal a treasure inside.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

When we allow Jesus into our hearts, we become much like these Fizzle Stones as Jesus dissolves away our ugly and sinful outer covering, uncovering the treasures of our heart.

Fizzle Stones
What you need:

• 1 ¼ cup baking soda
  
• 4 T water
  
• Plastic jewelry, coins, small plastic toys or anything you can pass off as treasure
  
• 4 cups white vinegar
  
• Large clear bowl or pitcher

What to do:

• Mix baking soda and water in a small bowl to form a stiff dough
  
• Make a “stone” by molding the dough around one of your “treasures”
  
• Let the stone dry overnight or bake in a 150 degree oven for 30 minutes
  
• Drop the stone into the bowl of vinegar
  
• Watch as the stone fizzles away to reveal the treasure inside

"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord God looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

Want to have more fun with vinegar and baking soda?

Blow up a balloon
What you need:

• vinegar
  
• baking soda
  
• a bottle
  
• a balloon

What to do:

• Pour the baking soda in the bottle.
  
• Pour the vinegar in the bottle.
  
• Quickly put the balloon on the top of the bottle. My husband created this little stopper to help quickly get the balloon on top of the bottle. It is simply a small piece of cardboard, rolled up, and taped to fit perfectly into the bottle.

When the vinegar (an acid) reacts with the baking soda (a base) it forms the gas carbon dioxide, which exits the bottle and inflates the balloon.

Volcano
What you need:

• 6 cups flour
  
• 2 cups salt
  
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
  
• 2 cups water
  
• Plastic bottle
  
• Red food coloring
  
• Vinegar
  
• Baking Soda

What to do:

• Mix the first 4 ingredients until smooth and firm (more water may be added if needed).
• Fill the bottle halfway with baking soda and add a few drops of red food coloring.
  
• Stand the bottle in a baking pan and mold the dough around it into a volcano shape. Don't cover the hole or drop dough into it.
  
• Slowly pour vinegar into the bottle. Watch out - eruption time!
  

It is easy to become a scientist! Its as easy as combining two ordinary materials to make one very unusual chemical reaction. I hope you’ll have fun experimenting with your kids!



Amy is a Classical homeschooling mom to a five-year-old Superhero. In her column “Through the Microscope”, she writes about the beauty of science and finding God’s handprint through the miracle of everyday elements and processes. Be sure to visit her blog at Milk and Cookies.

A Tale of Two Home Schools

Picture it.

It's 8:30 a.m. The sun is shining in a cloudless sky. The birds are singing. The house is spotless and dinner is already started. Breakfast dishes are put away and you are dressed and perfectly made up. The children have already started their school work - on their own of course - and you begin the first lesson with the first child. It's effortless as usual and your perfect student has no questions or problems. He/she skips away with excitement to finish his/her school work independently. As the day progresses the scenery stays the same. Every child understands every lesson perfectly. School is peaceful and happy and satisfying - especially for the students. Quite often you overhear your home schooled children discussing how fortunate they are to have you, their very own saintly mother, as their teacher. The children excel academically and in every other way. All of your high school offspring routinely blow the lid off the ACT's and SAT's. Colleges are knocking down your door, begging your high schoolers to take their many offers of scholarships. Your in-laws brag about your teaching savvy and your beautiful, perfect, genius children. Your husband walks in at the end of the day with roses - just because. Later that evening, the children suggest that you relax and put your feet up while they clear the dinner dishes and then study in their rooms. And of course, the birds are still singing.

Anybody buyin' this hooey? Didn't think so. Now, all together, let's chunk the rose colored glasses and get real. Try this on for size. . .

A crying baby woke you 106 times last night so you've already hit the snooze button 9 times. At some point, you manage to rise and feed the bad-hair-day army gathered at the breakfast table. As your mental fog begins to lift, you remember that today will be the 5oth time you'll attempt to teach your second grader about place value. You're really just not sure if you can take that blank stare one more time. You'll begin to think about the spelling test that you have to re-do today for your fifth grader - a child who has memorized the entire NBA roster, but who has NEVER been able to correctly spell more than two words in a row in his life. Then there's your high school student who dry-heaves every time you reach for the Algebra book and swears that she (still) doesn't know how to isolate the variables on one side of the equation and anyway "variables are stupid", she declares. And, no matter how hard you try, you can not hear a single bird singing - anywhere!

Now THAT'S a little closer to reality, isn't it?

The truth is that there are few perfect students. At some point, many will struggle just a little - at one time or another - academically. The causes of the problems are as varied as the students themselves and quite often parents find themselves at a loss when trying to figure out how to remedy these issues. In "Fill in the Blanks", we will attempt to address some of the most common academic problems that students experience. Here is just a short list of some of the issues we will cover in the coming months:

* chronic inability to progress in reading skills
* comprehension issues
* spelling difficulties
* wide range of math related concerns
* written expression
* attention problems
* academic "readiness"
* memory related limitations

Again, the root causes, as well as the symptoms of learning difficulties are widely varied and run the gambit from visual processing issues to auditory processing to focus and attention problems. And the causes of those situations can seem limitless as well when we realize that any one single learning difficulty can be caused by physical, emotional, cognitive, maturation or dietary reasons. In upcoming months, after we've investigated enough of these issues, I'm sure you'll relax and agree with me that homeschool is often the very best place for a struggling learner to be. Who knows them, understands them, loves them, and is more dedicated to their success that a parent? Who will move heaven and earth, and not give up until her baby succeeds? It's you!

Over the years, I have found that though many academic "struggles" seem to be complicated in nature, they are very often just a symptom of some missing piece of the puzzle. When you find the missing piece, the puzzle makes sense. When you "fill in the blanks", math, reading and everything else begin to make sense. When you discover the small problems and missing skills and then correct them, learning can cease being a painful uphill battle and instead becomes a joy. You might even begin to hear birds singing!

I invite you to comment and let us know what kind of struggles your students are having. We'd love to help you walk through this valley and come out on the other side - where the birds sing! (Though I can't guarantee that the kids will ever do the dishes!)

Remember, God's plan for our children is ". . . to give them a future and a hope!" You are a part of making that plan happen and He's already equipped you to do it! Be Blessed!



Darnelle is a wife and a mother to 5 children: 4 home schoolers currently in 3rd, 7th, 9th, and 11th grades and one college sophomore. All 5 children have been home schooled from preschool. She has experience teaching in public, private, parochial and special schools but her favorite . . . is home school! Her certification is in the areas of special education and remediation. In her column, "Fill in the Blanks", Darnelle aims at assisting parents in finding and then correcting trouble spots that often cause academic problems and struggles. Children - and their parents - who are free from the burden of academic struggles, can begin to love learning again, just like God intended! Visit her blog, All Things Work Together.

How Did That Happen?

Two summers ago my two sons graduated from homeschool high school. This fall they both started college. Both of my students were awarded full tuition scholarships to their first choice university. I find myself wondering, "How did that happen?" I believe we received scholarships because of four advantages: curriculum, SAT preparation, documentation, and character. These advantages are available to all families that homeschool through high school.

Many homeschoolers have a very rigorous academic plan. It doesn't matter if they choose to unschool, or if they follow a classical education model. Homeschoolers will succeed when they learn on purpose. They will succeed when they do the "next thing" - when they keep moving forward in their homeschool journey. They can invest their money and their time in their weaker areas, as well as their areas of strength. Homeschoolers have the advantage with curriculum. We can make sure ours is tailor made to suit our students. We can make sure they are always challenged, but that they completely understand concepts before moving on. We can provide broad exposure to a variety of subjects.

My sons had great SAT scores because we studied for the SAT test. I read that increased test scores meant increased scholarship money, so we studied two or three times a week. Each time we would do one section from the "10 Real SAT's" book. It's not a waste of time to study for the SAT. Students learn vocabulary, get a great math review, and learn essay writing skills. Halfway into his first quarter of college, my son said "I'm so glad you taught me how to write a quick essay! It really helped me on my midterm today!" Again with test scores, homeschoolers have the advantage. We can use SAT prep as part of our homeschool curriculum, and study it during school hours.

When we applied for admission, I gave the colleges a lot of information. Many homeschoolers prefer to keep their educational information private. It's okay for colleges to ask us for our information because it's an exchange. We give them information about our homeschool, and they give us admission and possibly scholarships. The minimum information they need is a transcript. I chose to provide more information than the minimum, and it really helped. For everything on our transcript, I wrote a course description, listed the books we used, and documented how I graded the class. Homeschoolers have the advantage regarding educational information. We control our homeschool records and we can determine exactly how much information we provide to colleges. Check out this site to see samples of what we submitted to colleges that helped us win the full tuition scholarships.

Character is the fourth reason I believe we were given great scholarships. My sons were chosen to participate in the scholarship competition at Seattle Pacific University. I'm sure they were invited to compete because of their transcript and their SAT scores, but that's not why they won. The competition had over 100 students who all had great transcripts and SAT scores, but only 10 were winners. I was nervous about them competing in something so intense, but the kids had fun. When the boys came home that day, they both said, "I don't know if I won, but I had a great time! All the kids were so nice!" Later I was told that the evaluators were looking for character. The students were observed when they walked between events. Were they friendly and kind to others? How did they interact with their peers? When character and socialization are evaluated, homeschoolers have the advantage. We can mold and shape the character of our children while they are at home with us, instead of allowing them to be conformed to their peers.

So how did that happen? How did both our children get full tuition scholarships? Simple; we homeschooled them through high school!

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Lee Binz is a veteran homeschooling mom of two and the owner of The HomeScholar, "Helping parents homeschool through high school". You can sign up for her free email newsletter The HomeScholar Record and get your daily dose of wisdom via e-mail from The HomeScholar Blog.

Why Bother?

“The pursuit of truth and beauty
is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted
to remain children all our lives.”
-Albert Einstein

As all par