How We Homeschool – White Family

There are so many different ways homeschooling can work for individual families. Kaleidoscope strives to support each family in their homeschooling journey, and we understand there is not just one right way to achieve a well-rounded home education. In this “How we Homeschool” blog series, we will feature various homeschooling families and and give them a chance to answer some of the most common homeschooler FAQs themselves. By doing so, our goal is to help families see the variety that is available in the world of home education. This may help new homeschoolers get ideas for curriculum and the confidence to get started, as well as offer seasoned homeschoolers encouragement and inspiration to shake things up on their educational journey.For our fifth installment of How we Homeschool, we talked to Mallory, who is both a Kaleidoscope parent and staff member.Thank you, Mallory, for sharing your homeschool journey with us!

How many kids do you have, and what are their ages?

Four- 14, 12, 9, and 8.

In which community do you live?

Nisula.

How long have you been homeschooling?

I’ve been homeschooling since the 2020/2021 school year. After making it through the school shut down, I figured I could homeschool my children, my way, with fewer tears.

Is there a “type” of homeschool parent you consider yourself to be?

I’m very laid back. I tried to keep us on a “school-like” schedule and it just didn’t work for us. We have days where we do no school and days where all we do is school.

What curricula do you use currently? Do you like it, and why or why not?

My older two are in UPVA. I got to where I felt like I was unable to provide the math help that they needed. For my younger two, I mostly use “The Good and the Beautiful” curriculum. We also like to do random projects or build things for science.

What curriculua have you used in the past, and what did you like and dislike?

I tried Charlotte Mason. I enjoyed some of it, but all the reading wasn’t working for all kids. I also tried to piece everything together with Pinterest and Teachers pay Teachers… DO NOT RECOMMEND.

How do you track your children’s progress?

Because I’m sitting there with them during the whole process, I see every day the progress they are making. My older two, I just sign in and check!

How does Kaleidoscope fit into your homeschooling?

For one, I work at the L’Anse center, so we have to be there anyway. They get school work done between their classes. Then they are free to play, read, socialize, whatever.

Do you have any favorite homeschooling resources you’d like to share?

“Good and the Beautiful” is WONDERFUL. They teach a new concept and include review of previous concepts within that same lesson. It has really helped my 4th grader with his multiplication.

What advice would you give to a parent who is just beginning his or her homeschool journey?

Don’t get overwhelmed with all the information out there! I suggest finding a couple curricula to try first and go from there. If it doesn’t work for your family, try something else! Also, stop trying to make it like school. It’s not. You’ll get stressed out and that’s the opposite of what homeschool should be.

Why did you choose to homeschool, and how have your reasons changed over time (if at all)?

I’ve always wanted to homeschool. COVID gave me the opportunity. I’ve seen my children flourish and come out of shells they were previously hiding in. It feels safe. I love it.

If you missed our last installment of “How we Homeschool,” check it out here.

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Written by Erin Lempkowski, 19 February 2023
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