| Is homeschooling something YOU could do?Perhaps | | | | Nile, and discuss whether you think the people in the |
| you are not happy with your other options, and you | | | | book behave like modern Americans or like ancient |
| are starting to toy with this idea. But you can't | | | | Egyptians. If you are Christian or Jewish, you can |
| imagine yourself doing it. After all, doesn't it take a | | | | work in Joseph and his story. You can give writing |
| superwoman to juggle lessons and all the other things | | | | assignments on Egypt appropriate to the age of your |
| Moms have to do?Take it from a homeschooling | | | | kids, and go over lists of spelling words for them |
| veteran, you can do it IF you love your kids. That's | | | | using the effective method outlined in a multi-age |
| the only qualification. As you move through the | | | | spelling book called Spelling Power.If this sounds like |
| homeschooling journey, you will develop the skills you | | | | more than you want to create on your own, just |
| need, as you need them. That's how jugglers | | | | look around for a published unit study on it. Go to a |
| start--juggling just one thing. Then they add another, | | | | search engine and type in "unit study Egypt |
| and after a while another. And here's another secret: | | | | homeschool," and you will see quite a few options for |
| homeschooling can actually be easier than the | | | | you.Structuring your day is a question for you to |
| standard soccer mom routine. Soccer moms are | | | | ponder. Many homeschoolers get all their less-fun |
| everywhere but home, juggling same-age activities | | | | schoolwork done in the morning, leaving the |
| that are different for each kid (unless you have | | | | afternoon for projects, goofing off, housework, or |
| twins). In contrast, when you homeschool, you focus | | | | whatever. If you want to include your child in an |
| on what you can all do together.Here's one option for | | | | organized activity, you can join regularly schooled |
| larger families. Homeschoolers look for activities that | | | | children in their sports teams in the late afternoon. |
| their kids can share, working with the fact that their | | | | But there are daytime activities too. You can also ask |
| ages are different. You can all study one topic, | | | | around--some of these activities providers are |
| peeling off different layers of it for kids of different | | | | creating daytime classes (in gymastics, for example) |
| ages. You can all study this topic and various aspects | | | | for homeschoolers. You do have to be careful to |
| of it for a month or so, and then move on to | | | | avoid burnout here, though. If you the parent are |
| another. This structure is called a unit study. You | | | | teaching in the morning, grading in the early afternoon |
| don't have to invent them, either--plenty of moms | | | | (or near bedtime), and operating weekly field trips in |
| who have invented one have published it.Other | | | | the afternoon, you have to watch how much |
| options include using workbooks and curriculum so | | | | soccer-mom running around you do. You can't do it |
| that each child has something to work on that is | | | | all.But you do want your children to be "socialized." |
| appropriate for his age, such as at . These all come | | | | Here's a question homeschoolers get all the time: |
| with an answer key--you don't need to be a college | | | | "Aren't you worried about socialization for your child?" |
| graduate to make sure your kid is getting the right | | | | Here's the answer: you have the ability to choose |
| answer. In fact, many homeschoolers do almost no | | | | whom your child socializes with, unlike parents of |
| direct teachiing--their kids learn from the book or | | | | schooled children. You do have to go out of your |
| workbook. (This is a great study skill for college!) | | | | way to set it up. And you can count socialization with |
| There are also correspondence schools that do all the | | | | adults--that's the best kind, after all. Adults are |
| teaching for you, if your child needs that. An example | | | | generally well-mannered and kind. Unsupervised |
| of that is For Christians, there is plenty of available | | | | schoolkids often are not. Homeschooled kids are |
| curriculum. Alpha Omega Publications produces a | | | | usually quite comfortable talking to adults! Don't you |
| broad range of workbooks, and they include activities | | | | want your kids to be like that?A homeschool co-op is |
| you can do together. Sonlight produces a curriculum | | | | one of the best solutions to the need for |
| that focuses on historical fiction. If you buy one | | | | socialization. If you meet once a week with other |
| module, you can use much of it for several children | | | | homeschoolers for class or field trips, your child gets |
| who are less than about four years apart in age. | | | | well-supervised social interaction, and can learn and |
| There are also curriculums that focus on high | | | | grow socially in a way that a schooled child cannot. |
| academic achievement, such as Covenant Home | | | | Bullying is simply not a problem for homeschoolers! So |
| Curriculum. I used both Sonlight and Covenant Home | | | | how do you find a co-op? You have to ask other |
| and was pleased with them. I used plenty of | | | | homeschoolers. If your area has a homeschooling |
| curriculum from A Beka to fill gaps as well. For more | | | | convention, by all means go to it, and go to |
| information on low-cost curriculum, you can try | | | | workshops if they have any. You need to network |
| .Here's an example of a unit study for Ancient Egypt. | | | | with other homeschoolers until you find or can create |
| You head to the library and check out lots of books | | | | a co-op.Lastly, how will you find support? |
| for the different ages of your kids, all about Egypt. | | | | Homeschooling is not for the faint of heart, and it's |
| You figure out math problems related to building | | | | not for the unsupported parent, either. You will need |
| pyramids--all about triangles, for instance, or | | | | to find someone to share your challenges with. Many |
| calculating the barley harvest in 2000 BC. For art you | | | | homeschooling parents support each other online. |
| can observe and copy Egyptian paintings, using | | | | There are plenty of discussion forums attached to |
| high-quality markers and background grids to help you | | | | homeschooling Web sites, such as at . There are |
| transfer the image (the Egyptians used grids too). | | | | plenty of e-mail groups for homeschoolers also. Again, |
| You can study hieroglyphics and what sounds they | | | | ask around until you find the right one for you.Here's |
| stand for. You can read about Egypt together. For | | | | the answer to the homeschooling question: You can |
| the older kids you can have them read a mystery | | | | do it! |
| about Ancient Egypt called Mara, Daughter of the | | | | |