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kristinannie
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Joined: Jan 27 2011
Location: West Virginia
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Posts: 1363
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| Posted: Nov 04 2011 at 12:32pm | IP Logged
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1) What originally motivated you to do homeschooling? I felt like God was working in my life and preparing me for something big. I talked to my husband about it and told him that I hoped he would support whatever big thing was about to come from God. The next morning I got it loud and clear, "Homeschool!!!" I was shocked and unsure, but started doing research and praying about it. I pretty quickly decided that this was the perfect situation for our family!
2) What favorite books have you read on homeschooling? Elizabeth's Foss' book has been indispensible to me. I also am working my way through CM's books. When Children Love to Learn was a great intro to CM and my first CM book I read. I have also benefitted from Well Trained Mind.
3) Must have references? Ones you return for refreshers?
Mostly the books listed above along with this message board and the Well Trained Mind message board.
4) Favorite saint? Patron of your homeschool?
My favorite saint is Saint Teresa of Avila. She speaks to me more than any other saint. We don't have a patron of our homeschool, but the patron of our house is Blessed John Paul. 
5) Favorite picture book authors and illustrators.
There are really too many to list! I have used lots of the suggestions from Sonlight and Mater Amabalis and love them, especially the story compilations! The two favorite books we have used this year that were completely unexpected were Akiak and Togo. Both books are about dogsledding and are by Robert Blake. The stories are amazing and the illustrations are incredible!
6) Favorite subject to teach; favorite subject of your children
The CM style unit studies we do are definitely everyone's favorite! I also really enjoy teaching math and reading!
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John Paul 8.5
Meredith Rose 7
Dominic Michael 4.5
Katherine Elizabeth 8 months
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SallyT
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Joined: Aug 08 2007
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| Posted: Nov 04 2011 at 1:02pm | IP Logged
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1) Our oldest daughter's school experience was tanking -- she spent four years in a state school in the UK, and while the first two years were fine, in the last two we spent time first worrying about the quality of her education ("When is it ever going to be better than OK?"), and then about her happiness. Watching your child cry herself to sleep regularly is, or should be, an impetus to thinking that something has to give. It didn't seem to us that a change of schools would really solve anything, either, and it was then that I began researching home education. We stuck school out for the last year we were in England, but when we moved back to the U.S., we didn't bother signing anyone up for school. Eight years later, here we are.
Oh, and we were not Catholic at the time, nor did we begin homeschooling for religious reasons. I did pray extensively about our decision and feel that God was, and is, leading us to it, but the primary motivation was to provide what my husband and I felt an excellent education *should* be, and wasn't, at school. Of course, we quickly came to realize that homeschooling meant that we could celebrate the liturgical year without having to shoehorn it in in the after hours, and all that . . . but this was something homeschooling revealed to us, not a reason in the first place.
2. Books? In the early days my most influential reads were The Unschooling Handbook, David and Micki Colfax's Homeschooling for Excellence, and a huge stack of back issues of John Holt's Growing Without Schooling. I also read some of Charlotte Mason (still haven't read her in her entirety) and a lot about the Trivium and the Classical method. CM spoke to me the most, but in the beginning and for quite a while, we were essentially unschoolers. Now I'd say we're about as eclectic as that list might suggest, but with a marked emphasis on living books.
3. Must-have references? This message board, plus the Mater Amabilis site and yahoo group. Those are my daily go-to resources, anyway. I also couldn't live without Maureen Wittmann's For the Love of Literature.
4. Favorite saint? Homeschool Patron? As a family we have a special devotion to the English Martyrs, and our homeschool is St. Thomas More Academy.
5. Favorite picture books/authors:
Hm. We love Brian Wildsmith's Jesus; the same author's St. Francis; Tomie de Paola's saint books; Dare Wright's Mr. Bear & Edith; an edition of East O'the Sun, West O'the Moon with gorgeous Celtic illustrations, but I can't seem to find it right now to tell you who the illustrator is; anything by Robert McCloskey; the Frances books by Russell Hoban.
6. Favorite subjects . . .
Well, I have one son who loves algebra and history (especially military history), one son who loves geography and history, and a daughter who rather to my surprise says she likes math best.
My favorite *way* to teach is via read-alouds, which cover any number of subjects, and for older kids, making reading lists. I teach by pushing books on people! This year I'm also enjoying teaching math with the scripted MEP lesson plans.
Sally
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Castle in the Sea
Abandon Hopefully
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Erin
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Joined: Feb 23 2005
Location: Australia
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Posts: 5814
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| Posted: Nov 04 2011 at 3:49pm | IP Logged
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1) What originally motivated you to do homeschooling?
I was introduced to homeschooling when my mother began home-educating my younger siblings. By the age of 17 I had decided this was what I wanted for my own children (and when time, made sure my dh knew this too   )
So many motivations really, we are committed to; a solid Catholic education, the joy of teaching our children and the possibilities of individual learning, family closeness, children with strong self esteems and a healthy sense of self identity.
2) What favorite books have you read on homeschooling?
Read so many in the earlier years, John Holt etc, Raymond Moore, Maria Montessori, Valerie Bendt, Ruth Beechick, Charlotte Mason and later Real Learning. I can't pick one favourite as they were all important in forming our family culture.
3) Must have references? Ones you return for refreshers?
Our whole family library and 4Real.
Oh so hard, different ones refresh for different needs. Probably Charlotte Mason at this stage of life refreshes.
4) Favorite saint? Patron of your homeschool?
We are under the patronage of Our Lady of the Immaculate Heart. But also have a love of St John Bosco and St Mary McKillop.
5) Favorite picture book authors and illustrators.
Tricky to answer, we enjoy any well written picture book, we tend to be drawn towards beautiful illustrations. The children really enjoy Catholic picture books. Mostly though they enjoy re-visiting ones that to them say, "memories". I read to the younger ones and older ones get nostalgic and join in, "I remember this one, I love this one."
6) Favorite subject to teach; favorite subject of your children
History, Literature and Language Arts. Fav of children varies, all love literature, most like language arts but some enjoy maths whereas another doesn't, another enjoys science and others aren't that interested.
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Member Retreat: Homeschool Meme pt 1
