Organization Tips (And Guest Blogger Line Up!)

I will make this short and sweet because a) i'm exhausted b) it's hot and c) my kids are currently covered head to toe in mud.  I am working on a new homeschool room.. and no, I cant share yet because of the move and such but promise to very soon so I thought it would be nice to post some other ideas I have come across along the way:

The best organization tips Ive found so far I found here - http://organizedhome.com/family/ties/homeschool-storage-strategies


Some of the best rooms Ive found so far I found here -
http://www.houzz.com/Homeschool-room/


And somehow I ran across this lady's YouTube channel and couldn't get enough of her adorable classroom fit for all of her growing kids -
Homeschool Room - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQe_0-trKqI


So far the tips that seem to stick out the most are color coding instead of labeling everything by name and using unordinary "school room" items like dishpans and shoe boxes for your school instead of the normal everyday items you would find in an actual classroom.  Hope this helps some of you stocking, finishing, or just getting started on that new homeschool classroom you have been dreaming of!

I also wanted to let you all know about my two guest bloggers - Kristy Payne and Destiny Potter.  They are two hometown gals that I have known for awhile and both are new to the homeschool process just like me.  I thought it would be a lot of fun to bring different folks in to see how all of us differ from day to day!  Welcome them with open arms and feel free to leave questions or comments that you may have if you want to! Happy Schooling!!

   

The Start Of Summer! (and a rambling post to prove it.)

 

 

Well... it's officially Summer 2013.  So far not too hot, but the mosquitos are eating my alive and I remember why Fall is my favorite season and not this hot ole mess that we can barely breathe nor walk or function in! 

 

First thing I want to talk about on this random blog post is my kids doing this:

 I think it may be the most annoying thing in the world to here the words "whhhaattt?"  followed by that crazy face - although the minion above looks really cute while doing it, right?  The age old question of "what?" is sometimes even replaced with "why" or "how" and that is no better.

I can feel the gray hairs growing as I type. 

 

Onto my next rambling post photo... I wish that I could tell my sons this everyday and they knew, without a doubt, that I meant it:

 

Blaze has been showing some major signs of depression or low self esteem and I just wish I could show him who he is in the eyes of the people that love him.  Who he is in CHRIST.  But, as his mother I simply cannot.  That is something he will have to figure out on his own in his own time.  For now, all I can do is boost his self esteem, praise his work ethics and endurance, and teach him what my parents never taught me - that vision plus energy plus faith equals success. 

 

What will be the next random post photo on this post.. well here it is:



I would like to sell or trade the following books if anyone is interested.

I have books for Pre-K through second grade and I am looking for books up to fifth grade.

Contact me via ashleywilsonjackson@gmail.com if you are interested. 

 

 

Next random photo... we "skipped" our homeschooling lesson for the day when we heard that the Titans were in town.. just one of many pros to homeschooling I suppose!

 

And next on my random list are these books that I would like to giveaway to one lucky winner.  If you are interested in winning this prize pack, please email me, FB, or tweet me before July 5th.  I will choose a winner on July 6th.  Some of the items in the giveaway are Quick Math Quiz drills for third and fourth grade, a teachers notepad that sticks of your fridge, a large Science Is Fun book for ages 7-12, a Math Unit book for ages 6-8, a Reading Connection book for 3rd grade, the new children's book by Tiki Barber, and this ugly hotel bedspread! Okay, just kidding on the bedspread..

 

If you are still reading this long, crazy blog post then THANK YOU.  Now it's time to talk about something very near and dear to my heart (and a lot more serious than above.)  This little girl below is my precious angel of a God-Daughter named Karissa.  She has brought such joy to my life as well as my husband's.  I have been around her since she was born and I love watching her learn and grow - but as we watched her, we realized that she was not progressing like most little girls here age.

 

Her mother, my dear friend Tiffany, took her to a specialist who sent her for futher testing and diagnosed her with Lissencephaly AKA Smooth Brain.  It has a horrible prognosis and very large death rate with the average age of death being 3 years old and the longest anyone has ever lived with it being 22 years old.  Obviously, this is a devastating blow to all of those who love her.  We would really appreciate prayers and support as we walk this journey with her mom and the rest of her family.  I just know that if anyone can kick butt it's Karissa and I have faith that God's mighty healing hand will help this little girl have a happy and healthy life. 



So, as my random but wonderful blog post comes to an end, I want to leave all of you with this.  Please never change who you are and let people love you exactly where you are at in your life.  We can never be perfect, there is no such thing as perfect people... but good news! There is a perfect God, he loves you, and he sent his son to die so that you would have everlasting life.  My challenge for you this week is to stay positive, read your bible, pray, and just smile a whole lot.  I love each and every one of you and I would love to pray for you too! Leave a prayer request in the comments and I will lift you up in prayer this week. 

 



 

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present or things yet to come. nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the Love of Christ! - Romans 8:38

A New Direction For My Blog...

 

 

Over six years ago, I ventured into the wide world of blogging.  The day I started it was snowing and I had been stuck in the house for eight days straight - with a screaming baby, two kids I was babysitting, and a 4 year old with the attitude of a 20 year old.  I sat down and the words just flowed.. and flowed.. and flowed.  As I wrote, I had people come to me and tell me how their words lifted them up or helped them through a time in need.  To say that I have wrote everything from tragedy to triumph would be an understatement.  I had to write about my daughter's death, the disconnect between my family including my in laws as well, and even the rumors that can hurt when you live in small town America.  I had to tell my readers about the death of my Nana, then of my grandmother, and then for DJ's Granny.  But, along the way I felt that I was touching others.

 

It wasn't until I met a lifelong friend Courtney, all over a blog post, that made me realize just what the blogging world has done for other people - and what it does for your soul to write it all down.  I wanted to start this new blog with the new chapter in my life of homeschooling, so I shut my other one down and put my personal writing aside.  Since then, almost daily, I am asked why I no longer blog about personal stuff and only share my homeschool life now.  The answer is that I felt I was violating other people's rights and feelings or invading their privacy by sharing my stories.  Some of the things I said really hurt the people that I wrote about - but unfortunately, it was my story, the truth, and couldn't be edited to fit in the box certain people liked to keep themselves in. 

 

Today, however, I picked up my journal and began to write and somewhere along the way God put it on my heart to share my stories again - the good, the bad, and yes, the ugly but truthful.  Ashley's Little Classroom won't just be about my homeschool life anymore, but also about my real life.  The real, very unperfect life, that will be featured in the book I plan to release in 2015 titled "Picture Un-Perfect: From Tragedy To Triumph."  This book will include a lot of my blog posts that are featured on my old blog beautifullifeofashley.blogspot.com.  You are more than welcome to go to that link and read the words for yourself.  They are very deep and very personal, but have helped many people sort through their own emotions and for that, I am very grateful.  God does a beautiful thing when he gives us a gift and I truly believe that it's a slap in the face to him if we do not use that gift for his glory so I will not let my gift go to waste anymore. 

 

I'm looking forward to this journey and to writing again.. and to meeting and sharing with a lot of you what life is really like behind my closed doors.  Hope you will be there to read along the way...

 

See Ya Soon.  

Ace is 7 Years Old Today!

I want to wish my youngest son a very happy 7th birthday!

His only wish... a tweet from Josh Freeman, QB of the Tampa Bay Bucs.

(He got his wish, yall.  Huge mommy moment for me!)

 

 

And somewhere in the middle of Mr. Landon Ace Jackson turning the big 7, he began to look

a lot more like his mama.  I kinda like finally having a kid that looks like me. :) 

 

Baby boy, I cannot begin to tell you how much joy you have brought into my life.  I couldn't even put the words onto the blog.  I will always love you, protect you, and care for you.  You will always be my baby boy, my youngest son, one of the three loves of my life.  I hope your birthday was the best one ever!  Now, stop growing please.  Love, mommy 

Warning: Moving While Homeschooling Isn't Fun!

When we first decided to move, I completely forgot that we were continuing to

homeschool until August and I would have to try to find a way to figure it all out.

Silly me, right?

 

Homeschooling is not the easiest thing in the world but if you add moving into the mix

you might as well shoot off your big toe! It would be a lot less painful, trust me.  However,

I am learning to find the positive in things so look at the picture below and you will

see my beautiful fixer upper I have purchased and plan to gut and remodel inside

and out - and yes, all while I continue to homeschool.  In the summer.  With two wild boys.

And no mommy friends, And still no church family.  Again, let's shoot off our big toe...

 

 

To be honest, we made a bold move of moving before DJ found a new job..although

he had a few offers before getting here, we still weren't sure what we would do for money,

But, as always, God provides much more than we could ever imagine,,

and my husband just happened to have a friend that had purchased a home after being hurt

while in the military, but due to unemployment still did not have the funds to live there.

He wanted someone to come in and rent, fix the place up, and then possibly either sale it to that person or move back in it and credit them 75% funds of what they had spent on the remodel.

Either way, it will be a very good deal - but of course we hope that the Lord puts it in our landlord's heart to allow us to purchase the home after we put in all the effort to make it "ours". 

 

We would love to have prayers on that from our wonderful blogger friends.  :)

 

So now you get to see the bright orange room that I will attempt to turn into a homeschool room.

And I get to tell you the story about how a mom couldn't wait to get a 3 bedroom finally

so she could have her own office.. and somehow, still did not get an office.

They convinced me to allow Ace to have one room (post on his room to follow along with the before pictures of the rest of the home) and then Blaze to get this bright room.  In return, I could use 25% of Ace's room for my babysitting needs (playpen or baby stuff) and 25% of Blaze's room will

be for homeschooling (mainly just one wall to hang stuff up plus room for two desks".

 

I will also have my own space in the living room, in a small corner, to fit a corner desk

and hopefully some bookshelves and plenty of extra space for those crazy homeschool days you all non-homeschooling moms love to hear about.  It is going to be a long, stressful summer but

it will also be full of blessings and joy .. and I simply intend on focusing on the good. 

 

I will leave you all with a photo of my life, my world, my three boys.  They are why all of this work seems like just another day in paradise :) 

"May" We Have Joy In Our Hearts!

For May, we really wanted to focus on God's love and how it applies to everyday life.

Children have a hard time applying life principles just by hearing them over and over..

or sitting in a classroom and being "taught" about them. 

I decided it was time to teach my children that not all children have a loving home, a faith based church, love and support from family and friends.  Not all children have a home, have a roof over their heads, or have a car to get to and from the store or where they need to go.  We learned about kids all over the world whose only wish is to go to school. 

My kids were floored.

The thought that there were children in the world who wanted to go to school is something my kids just didn't want to believe.  But, we got on the Internet, started exploring, and my kids learned fast I wasn't just trying to get them to enjoy school more - they saw they were blessed.

 

Sure, it didn't stick and ten minutes later they were whining that homeschool was running over time and that their brains were freezing up from all the things of the day, but the lesson was learned and I know that it stuck with them so that is the best I can ask for. 

 

 

One thing that we learned about that most public school kids probably didn't was - the NFL draft.  My friends thought I was crazy that I would use this as a teaching tool, but we actually found it very beneficial.  The kids watched as adults cried over finally seeing their dreams come a reality.  They quickly said "I can't wait to be up there" and that was the start of our discussion.

You can't get anywhere in life without working hard.  And sometimes you will fail.

After all, did you know that Micheal Jordan couldn't even make the varsity basketball team at his high school? (You're welcome for that bit of info!)

I think instilling in the kids that they have to work for everything and chances are not going to just fall into their lap is just as important, if not more so, than doing all of our school work.  Sure, we need to know Math, but what will Math help if you do not even know how to act in society? Especially in today's world.  And that leads me to my next topic...

 

How have you tackled the manners situation? Although my children have been taught from birth to say please, thank you, maam, and sir, my kids are around children all the time whose parents do not have the same standards for their own children.  It has made playdates awkward and babysitting a real challenge, not to mention it gives me less and less hope for this generation.  I am not sure why people don't feel the need to teach their children to use kind words.  Why is that such old fashioned values? I couldn't tell you how many times this month alone I have been stopped by older people telling me that my child held the door for them, said a kind word, or did something nice without being asked.  They seem so surprised that a kid in today's world would even act like that - and that really hurts my heart.  To think that my children are growing up in such a cruel world with low standards and getting worse by the day makes it hard for moms and dads really trying to live by the standards of the bible and our moral beliefs as a family.  I will tackle this situation again heavily in a future post. 

 

As we are now halfway into May, we have been working on Money.  Of course, the boys love to wear their money PJ's so we wore them while learning how to count money and give the right amount of money back for change.  We plan to have a yard sale this summer where the kids will do all of the work and have to count their money and give back their own change.  I hope this further teaches them what we have spent about seven days learning this month.  Blaze has excelled and is counting money much faster than a third grade level and Ace is right on his level as far as the public school standards are concerned - not that we follow those anyway :) 

And, sometimes, you've just gotta pull out some board games and bribe your children to be good for the week to get what you need done.  A housewife's work is never done, then throw in stay at home mom and she has two full time jobs, but then as you finally throw in that final job of 100% homeschool teacher, and somedays we are just overworked and underpaid.  I just keep saying "I Am Blessed, I Am Blessed, I Am Blessed" 

 

 

And, because of the hard times my family seems to be going through right now, I leave this post with my favorite verse.  God has made a promise to his people so if you are one of his children then hold tight to that promise and if you are not, please know that the best thing that could ever happen to your life is Jesus and accepting him is so simple yet life changing.  He wants to carry your burdens, he wants to take away your pain, He will listen even when nobody else cares.  Nobody else in your life is going to that for nothing, but he will.  All he asks is that you give him your heart and that you live the right life.  So, do it now :)

 

Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you, Says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  

Grades For Winter and Spring 2013

 

The boys asked me to blog about their amazing grades the last two semesters! They are so proud to now both be honor roll students! What a difference homeschool makes for our family!!

 

 

Blaze - A in Math, A in Reading, A in Bible, A in English, B in Social Studies, A in Science (Spring 2013) and in Winter 2013 Blaze made Straight A's!! Way to go buddy!!

 

Ace - B in Math, B in reading, A in English, A in Social Studies, A in Science (Winter 2013) and in Spring 2013, Ace made all A's except for a B in Math!

 

We are now starting our Summer semester which will end on August 16th.  If the boys continue to do this well for the rest of the year, they will both advance to the next grade.  We will continue with my own home made curriculum as that is what seems to work the best for our family.  If you are here reading and have questions, comments, or concerns about the grading process, I am here to chat.  I want to help others that are attempting homeschool and need help!  You can also e-mail me at ashleywilsonjackson@gmail.com for help! God Bless!!



All About Our Umbrella School, Daniel One Academy!

I have had so many people ask me a million and one questions about homeschooling that I thought it was important to give direct details and information that pertains to the way we choose to educate our children.  We have had some legal issues (post to come) but overall this has been a wonderful experience all the way around.  I stand firm on my decision to homeschool and my decision to use the umbrella school, Daniel One Academy, of Cookeville, Tennessee. 

The website to the school directly is www.d1academy.org .  Here is a little info about the school provided by the website -

Daniel 1 Academy is a church-related school committed to enabling parents to educate their own children. Parents can register their children with D1A to satisfy Tennessee’s legal requirements for homeschooling. Daniel 1 offers its parents opportunities to help themselves and their children make the most of their home education experience.

Daniel 1 Academy is a member of the Association of Christian Schools International, ACSI, and is a Category IV (private) school. The founders and administrators are Jack and Cindy Holman. The Holmans have 2 grown children that they homeschooled K-12 grades. Together they have been helping other families homeschool since 1992.

I know firsthand just how wonderful that Jack and Cindy are.  We had some issues with paperwork due to a move, a death in the family, and some communication issues.  There was some missing information that was very valuable and the school could have easily either turned us away or just given up.  My grandmother passed away on March 30, 2012 as most of you know and she had me put all of my family's most important paperwork including birth certificates, social security cards, health insurance forms, life insurance forms, etc, into her safe.  After her death, I had completely forgotten about the items.  When I removed the children from their former school, I was under the assumption that their former school would help get the necessary paperwork to their new homeschool, but I was unfortunately very wrong.  They had me do a Withdrawal check list including paying lunch fees, returning books, talking to teachers, and picking up all of their purchased items.  I signed them out and completed the list assuming that they would help me help my children get the very best education possible.  I never expected them to be so difficult with anything and everything pertaining to children.  When a school boasts that they want to help the children, doesn't that include the process to help the children exceed even if they are no longer at that school? It floored me as I was told it was my responsibility and not the former schools.  They had access to this paperwork, yet instead chose to withhold it thereby delaying my children being legally enrolled in this school program... but as always, D1 stepped in, stayed calm, listened to my concerns, and helped me with anything and everything I could have asked for.  Cindy was especially helpful while listening to my concerns and guiding me in the right direction.  I cannot thank them enough for their positive attitude and willingness to help us get the most of our homeschool experience.

If you are considering enrolling your child for the 2013-2014 school year, their enrollment will be opening on June 1st.  They give discounts to those who enroll early so if you are able, go ahead and do it now!

The thing that I found the most wonderful about this school is their basis for starting the program.  It's all about JESUS!  Everyone who works for or is on the board is a Christian and professes their beliefs.  This was something very important to me as I want my children being raised on the morals and beliefs I stand and build my family upon.  On the school website they discuss their beliefs by saying:

D1A is a Christian organization meaning it was started by a group of Christians, the board members are Christians as well as the staff. It is run on Christian principles and uses and promotes Christian homeschool materials. We do not allow things in the newsletter, on the website or taught in workshops that would contradict Christian values.

If you are wanting to homeschool but possibly not interested in the Christian faith or not a believer, D1 will not turn you away on that alone.  Even on their site, they say this in regards to those who believe in homeschooling but may not share the same faith values:

However, we believe all children are given to their parents by God and therefore, all parents, regardless of religious beliefs have the God-given responsibility to educate their own children. We do not require parents to sign a statement of faith in order to homeschool under D1A. We do ask that all parents respect the Christian foundation of Daniel 1 with appropriate behavior at all school events.

If only all people of this world could profess that same statement and love one another without judgement! What a wonderful place this world would be!!

So, for those of you who were asking me to blog about our homeschool choice, I hope that this post will help you find the school that we have chosen.  For those of you who do not feel D1 is a good fit, I will try to find more school resources and post them at a later time! For now, I must go because we are studying the sun and it is about to set for the evening!

The Easter Story

At my children's request we have studied The Easter Story and all of the questions and comments that then opens up in their hearts.  As important as an education is to me for my children, I feel that it is just as important for me to teach them about Jesus, Christianity, and the faith that I stand on and have since I was a little girl.  I strongly believe in homeschooling because it allows us to discuss our religious beliefs and opens doors for the children to allow Jesus into their heart and to possibly open doors for them to become active in their faith or in our church. 

I did a lot of research before discussing the story and struggled with how much they were able to comprehend for their age and maturity level.  I found the video that I posted below and it seemed to plainly explain the story in a way that they were able to fully understand. 

We also used eggs for counting (Math), We nailed our problems to a plastic cross (Bible/Religion), we learned the timeline in which all of this occurred (History. Social Studies), I had them read aloud to each other the Easter Story (Reading), and we used certain words for our spelling words for the week (Spelling).  I have learned that picking something of interest to them and then exploring that in all subjects is the best way to get them to successfully learn!

Feel free to use the video below for your own learning or teaching purposes and as always, leave questions, comments, or concerns if you would like to discuss. 

Happy Easter to all of our family and friends supporting us on our homeschool journey.  He is RISEN! Amen!!


The Easter Story

A Day At The Park

Nice weather means park time! Who says school has to be inside??

 

 

 

As schoolwork becomes the everyday norm for us and we are quite a ways into our homeschool experience, we have decided that once a week, weather permitting, we will do school work at a local park.  The fresh air seems to do them good - and they made wonderful grades on what they did outside! 

 

When we take our school work outside, we normally just do our review workbooks instead of worksheets, lapbooks, or curriculum.  I have been working on an outside bag that is packed and ready to go with both things to do that are educational and the necessities we need such as bug spray and sunscreen so that we can just get up and go.  I am learning that the more organized you are, the better.  

 

A little tip from one homeschooler to another: Just because it is called homeschool doesn't mean it always have to be done in the house.  By picking different scenery and things outdoors, it takes away from the repetition of everyday school work.  As the boys seem to struggle or stress on certain days, I try to find other ways to make it unique, challenging, and fun.  My little classroom moves from place to place and we never do the same thing twice.  I have decided not to follow as strict of a schedule as I had once planned so hopefully that will also allow the boys to explore the world and learn from other things than just books.  

Adventures In Homeschooling: Feb 2013

We were off and running full speed in our homeschooling adventures.  We may have been moving and having to transition but we didn't let that stop us from learning!

 

February was a big month for our homeschooling adventures!

It was our second month.. and the kids were starting to get used to the schedule - even liking it and not complaining! (Thank you Jesus!)

 

 

We had packed away some books that we really weren't able to read.. until now!  What a joy it is to see your children be able to read a book without help - and Blaze is now reading chapter books!! 

 

Someone sent me this picture and I had it blown up and then posted it above my desk.  Sometimes we really need a reminder about just how important our job is as a mother.  Some days I get up and wonder why I chose homeschooling or why I chose to stay at home with these children since the day they were born.  There are days that I question my abilities as a teacher, a chef, a maid, a nurse, a mentor, and everything else we as mothers have to be.  But then, something little for most happens like my son scrapes his knee or one of them learns to read a word they never have before, or they get a 100 on their paper and the excitement in their eyes leaves them happy the rest of the day, and I realize that this is what I was made for.  This is what is best for my children.  Nobody is going to love them nor educate them better than me. I wholeheartedly believe that choosing homeschooling was the right thing for my family and I still stand behind that now.  The proof is in the pudding!

 



 

This month, Landon Ace Jackson, has learned short and long vowel sounds completely.  This was one thing he seemed to struggle with in school.  We have done research on bullying as he was bullied while at his former school.  He has learned about Jesus and shown interest in the bible so we have started reading it every night as well.  He has mastered addition and subtraction and we are starting multiplication.  We are working on cause and effect and he seems to grasp the idea, but needs more work to really master this.  His grades has been very good for the most part and he is now an honor roll student.  He has done exceptionally well with his behavior, sitting still, not talking while I am talking, and following simple and complex directions.  He found his interest in the weather so we worked on things such as tornadoes, rain, clouds, and the sun.  We have also been graphing the differences of the moon.  He loves homeschooling and seems to mention not going back to public school at least once a week! 

 

This month, Colton Blaze Jackson, has learned more about synonyms and anonyms. He has learned more about cause and effect and also differences of opinion.  He dove right in to the bible and seemed the most interested in the new testament especially Revelations.  His favorite thing to do during our homeschool time is tutor his brother.  Ace says that Blaze is his second favorite teacher - behind mom of course!  We have continued his learning about the life cycles of plants and animals like what he was learning at public school before he left.  He had already planned on doing a science experiment and had already turned in his syllabus so we decided to go ahead and finish it as well!  We did our experiment on which Nissan vehicle gets the best gas mileage!  I may let Blaze do a future guest post on this blog to talk about what he learned - and what this means for his future!  We picked right back up on long division and multiplication and we finished up learning the multiplication tables through 12.  He started reading chapter books and also the bible every night.  His favorite thing to do at night is read to his little brother, Ace, and this seems to help both of them with their reading and comprehension skills.  Blaze has done wonderfully in homeschool so far and is also now an honor roll student!  Way to go Blazey!! 

 

We were trying to find some fun ideas for snack time and something that the kids would find creative but also could grab on their own and we found these adorable butterfly snacks (pictured above).  We made 28 so that each child would have one snack bag per day for 2 weeks.  When they are at "school", they are allowed one snack and one lunch.  Sometimes if we get into something deep enough where we go over our time, I will choose to grab a quick snack or play a movie pertaining to what we learn during dinner.  DJ (their father for those who do not know) has also jumped into homeschooling!  He is now doing their physical education and jumping into History when we find something of interest to all of us!  He was so skeptical at first about the whole homeschool process (post on that to come) so to see him come around has made me so happy!  I think, in time, everyone of my family and friends who first thought homeschool was wrong or weird will join the bandwagon of homeschool lovers and see why I pushed and believed so much in this process!



So, As I finish this post I had to post the picture above.  Two years ago when I first even thought of homeschooling, I had a severe misconception of what it was all about - and now I am finding out that many who have not seen it firsthand or have not done their research believe these lies as well.  I have seen teachers, family members, friends, etc. not believe that this is what is in the best interest for my children.  They do not believe in the homeschool process or that a child can learn as much at home as they can in public school.  I feel that cannot be farther from the truth!  But, this picture tells the story of what society thinks of homeschooling and how it effects everyone along the way.  Our neighbors think its weird that their kids are at school and our kids are not.  They ask what reason our kids are sometimes out playing before school is out or how they learn in a short time frame each day.  Well, first of all we are not outside just playing, we are actually learning.  Everything is a learning process when you are in homeschool.  Even our grocery store trips become a learning experience!  As for the short time frame,  I teach two kids instead of thirty and that leaves alot of time to learn without it taking a full 6 hour school day.  We still learn at least 3.5 hours each day, but many days we end up discussing things or finding interesting things on the internet and some days, we are 8 hours in and realize we are way over time!  Today's society seems to think that we are either hillbillies or crazy religious, that we make our own clothes and soap, and that we do not use technology or watch television.  This could not be further from the truth!  I do not believe that I have to do it all to be successful as a mother, wife, or homeschool teacher, and we use alot of technology to learn different things at different times.  Don't be so quick to judge just because we took our kids out of public school,  Look at some of the horrible things going on in today's schools and you will see why! I can tell you firsthand that the public school system still does not support parents who choose to remove their children from their schools.  I have seen this in our situation on more that one occasion.  They seem to think that they are better equipped to teach my children than I am and I will tell you, that is a huge misconception on the school's part.  As a mother who has been home with her children since the day they were born, nobody knows them or their way of thinking better than me!  And then there are your friends and family who think you are crazy or that you are making a big mistake!  I had family members tell me I was being lazy, that I was making a poor decision, and even so far as that they wanted to call the school board and report me because my kids deserved an education!  Well, Yes, I cannot agree with that enough, but what I disagree with is how they are to be educated.  In my first post I discussed the straw that broke the camel's back for our family but it is happening all over the world.  I can say two words to help you understand one main reason my childen are at home today - Sandy Hook!  When your children are terrified of school or have to walk beside an armed officer to get into the building, this leads the children to feel unsafe and therefore prohibits them from learning to the best of their ability anyway!  My kids belong with and to me and I am teaching them to the best of my ability with the help of our wonderful umbrella school.  I believe in this process and I look forward to continuing this for years to come. 

 

I truly hope that this blog sheds light and opens more minds to the possibility that if I can do it, anyone can do it.  I am here to help and to answer questions for anyone who is thinking about homeschooling and what is best for their family.  I believe this is right and nobody so far has been able to persuade me otherwise.  Thank you so much for coming here and reading my blog and helping me to make my homeschooling dreams come true!  

A Quick Update!

I started this blog in hopes to blog every single day for a whole year of what life is like as a newly homeschooling mom with no homeschool experience, however, quickly I realized just how hard that would be... and then we made a quick move, my stuff was in two storage buildings, and the boys were already burnt out on it all so that's when it hit me... this is what homeschool is all about.  The fact that we had to give ourselves a week in which we called Spring Break so that we could move and get settled is OKAY.  I know what is best for my children, not a school that barely knows them by name.  I saw my kids learning other things like random kindness, work ethic, and organization tips they can use for life.  I have seen Ace, my wonderful first grader, learn how to read in leaps and bounds! For a child that was previously labeled "less than" and put in special classes, he sure seems to be doing just fine at home!  The boys were responsible for keeping up with and packing their items including their classroom and homework stuff and make sure that it got to our new place.  Now that we are all settled in, I'm hoping that we can get right back into everything.  Some things I have decided since our move -

1. I will take breaks throughout the year when the kids are burnt out to give me time to adjust my curriculum and also to keep the boys working and having fun at the same time.  This is their life and I want them to enjoy it.
2. I will not be taking the summer off like originally planned.  My children seem to best learn when we do not take a substantial amount of time off.  Hopefully, in the next few years, we will be able to get on a normal public school routine, but for now, I will do whatever I can to ensure my children are learning to the best of their ability even if that means giving up my Summer or even more of my time.  Being a homeschool mother means giving up a lot of your freedom, but you are giving an incredible gift to your children and it will help ensure they have a better future!
3. I am good at homeschooling and I am proud of myself!! All of my planning, preparation, and research have truly paid off!

Homeschooling 101: Internet Resources

Below is a list of some of the sites that I have used or are currently using to further help my homeschool experience.  I am 100% on my own with the curriculum and I prefer it that way for now.  In the future, I may choose to do a program, but that just isn't in my budget right now.  So, for those of you who homeschool or want to, here are some great sites that will help you for free!

http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/

http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/

http://busyteacher.org/

http://www.theteacherscorner.net/
http://www.schoolexpress.com/
http://www.abcteach.com/

http://pinterest.com/kiboomu/teacher-worksheets/

http://www.softschools.com/

Homeschooling Is The New Normal!

To Whom It May Concern,

For years, I have done extensive research on homeschooling and what it would mean for my family.  We heavily weighed the pros and cons and many nights I tossed and turned thinking of any and all what ifs possible.  Would my kids still get a good education? Would I be able to give up all of my free days and time to teach my children? Can I keep up with housework and chores - and homeschool to the best of my ability? Is it right for us? Can we afford it? Is homeschool really better than public school? Will my children get enough social activity? Will people think we are weird or question my reasoning?  Trust me, I pondered it all.  Once I finally came to the realization in 2011 that I wanted to begin the homeschool process,  I knew not a single soul who chose this path nor did I know enough about it to even know where to start.  I put it off and put it off knowing that it would be a battle, especially with my family - especially my husband.  It wasn't until I sat in front of a TV listening to the news of the world today that I decided I had to do something.  There were children being murdered, shootings in every city, chaos all over the world.  People were not allowed to pray or bring bibles to school, faith became something nobody had much less proclaimed, and bullying was at an all time high.  I knew what I had to do.  So, I sat for three weeks and did nothing but digging about my options.  I got all of my stuff together and presented it to my husband in a way he just could not say no.  The statistics speak for themselves - homeschooled children seem to be all around more successful than those in public school settings.  Some of the world's most successful people had been homeschooled by a parent.  More parents each day were choosing this lifestyle and for the first time in decades, homeschool was growing in leaps and bounds. 

Two weeks later, my husband finally caved and said okay.  We made the decision that next year would be our year to pull them out and start them at home.  I had every intention of allowing my kids to continue their education via the local school system.  Then, the worst thing possible happened...

On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza, 20, fatally shot twenty children and six adult staff members in a mass murder at Sandy Hook Elementary School in the village of Sandy Hook in Newtown, Connecticut.  It left every single person in the world feeling empty, but for me, it made me feel like I had to make a decision.  That day as I sat and listened to people over and over crying in sadness and speaking out in fear I thought of what my life would be like if it happened at my children's school.  I thought about how many of those parents may have sat and thought about homeschooling their children and how those parents must have had huge regrets in their heart over making the decision not to.  My children were almost out for Christmas break so I decided to send them back and then make the change over Christmas break if possible.  We were in the middle of a move and I was dealing with some health issues, but I pushed myself to figure out a plan.  As my children got off the bus and ran up the hill, my eyes filled with tears.  I don't think I have ever hugged my kids that tight and they knew about my concerns because the children at school and on the bus had been discussing the shooting every single day after it occurred.  Both children began to ask questions and make comments that little boys should not have to say or worry about.  They began to question their safety and their life.  Death became a huge topic in our home and it only got worse.  Sometimes, the boys would wake up in the middle of the night with horrible nightmares or get up and come into our bed because they didn't want to be alone.  The last straw came one morning when my husband went to drop off the kids at school, just as he always did, and there stood an armed officer at each entrance surrounded by kids and parents that looked curious and sometimes even fearful.  Our children began to scream, especially my youngest son, and he refused to get out of the car.  My husband pulled over into the parking lot and demanded that they both get out - but they simply refused.

I think everyone in their life when faced with a tough decision has that moment where they realize exactly what choice it is they should make.  My husband got the boys out and hugged them then put them back in the van, buckled them in, and brought them back home.  I was used to hearing him come back in and I went to greet him only to find my sons standing in the doorway also.  They didn't have to say anything for me to just know - public school was no longer the place of safety and peace that my children went to and enjoyed each day.  It was now the place in which they felt scared, worried, and unsafe.  They truly wanted to be at home.  I wasn't going to ever send them back and I felt like it was the a judgement call that I have never once looked back and regretted.  I knew that I was still not sure of what school or how to get there or what to do, but I knew I had to learn.  So, I spent all of our stashed away money in our safe on lockers, curriculum, and school supplies and started a homeschool on a strict budget.  Thankfully, I then found D1 and they seemed to fit our need, but either way, they weren't going back. 

Looking back I feel that had Sandy Hook not happened, we may have been able to wait, but we couldn't hide the scary fact that it did happen and it could happen anywhere, even the wonderful small town loving school that my kids once loved to be a part of. 

Since that day, I have done my very best to ensure that my kids get the best education possible while at home with their mother.  From the week that I found out I was pregnant with my son at the young age of 19, my decisions have been solely those that my whole family would benefit from.  Other than going to school and obtaining a degree in Nursing, I chose to never work outside of our home.  I instead made it my life duty to educate my children at home and be a good housewife and mother.  I gave up my free time, my social life, my tanning sessions, and my freedom to better the lives of my children.  Those close to me that felt I was making the wrong decision voiced their opinion loud and clear.  They were truly ignorant to what homeschool is like today and felt that I was making a bad decision.  One by one they started coming around.  They heard the boys reading in leaps and bounds.  They saw the kids feeling safe and loved.  They noticed the hard work and effort that I put into giving them a place inside the comfort of our home.  Sure, some of them still to this day do not agree or understand, but I am not here to please anyone.  I am a mother on a mission to give my children the best education possible - all while them being safe.  I will not debate whether it was the right decision for everyone because I am not everyone's mother.  I am Blaze and Ace's mom and I did what was best for them.  This is something I have never once looked back and regretted.  My only regret is that I didn't do this much sooner. 

At the end of the day, this is my job and I take it very seriously.  If I never do anything else with my life, this is what I was asked by God to do and I do it with pride.  I believe in my children, I believe in myself, and I believe in the homeschooling process.  I believe in our umbrella school, I believe in my choices, and I believe in my family.  We are blessed and thankful to have this chance and we will never take it for granted. 

Sincerely,
Ashley Jackson

Scheduling and Curriculum

I wanted to do a seperate post just on my schedule and the curriculum I have chosen.  I am new to the blogging process when it comes to education.  I have had a personal blog for years, but this is completely different.  I want to share my journey and help other people and I also want to be able to look back and see all the great things my children have done and learned.  This first post still will not be as detailed as I will do in the future.  I will try to highlight some of my favorite books and curriculum so that some of you can make the decision as to whether or not you will use it also.  I may choose to do a Friday post every week about a different book or just use a week to highlight different things I'm using and loving.

  I am hoping that this blog shows other moms that homeschool life is not as scary as it appears at first.  I feared every single thing about being a homeschooler and that my children's education rested solely on my shoulders, but now, for the first time, I feel so confident in the teacher that I am becoming and the choices that I am making and I know all of you out there following this blog, will feel the same way, just give it time.

This is all of the stuff that I have purchased within the last week.  I am trying to do homeschooling on a budget but I am finding that to be a struggle.  I never realized how much stuff teachers have to have just to keep everything going.  I have found some great deals at Books A Million but for the most part I am trying to either swap for free or buy used.  Hopefully I can get a group of moms local that I can try to trade off items so that we stay under budget.  I am also doing some babysitting on the side on some days to try to counter the money that is being spent because we have to stick to a budget.

I went to a local book store called Mr.K's Books in downtown Oak Ridge and I got a great deal on some older books.  I have been reading the book below when I have some down time.  It has given me some good ideas, but I am learning that I just have to do what's best for us and not what everyone else does for them. 

For good behavior, I have chosen to do Incentive charts and "Free" Days.  Once they have filled up one chart with stickers, they get a prize from a prize box.  I have gotten toys mainly from the Dollar Tree and most of them are educational such as puzzles or coloring books.  I also added crayons, markers, and pencils because the kids seem to really enjoy getting new supplies also. Once they have both incentive charts filled with stickers (see below), they can turn it in for a "free" day of no work.  The ways that they receive stickers are -  Random Acts of Kindness, being good a full school day, completing homework and turning it in on time, making an A on a paper, or exhibiting good behavior while outside of the home.

 For bad behavior, we chose time out, sentence writing, paper erasing, and losing free time.  Time out normally last 7 minutes per child in a corner during the time that we are doing something fun such as art or recess.  Sentence writing seems to be the thing they dislike the most.  I normally have the sentence either contain spelling words or something from the bible.  Paper erasing is an idea I got from a local FB page.  You find papers that you would like to reuse that have pencil writing and you make the child sit and erase all the writing.  Normally I do five pages per time, but since I just started, I don't have much to be able to use this as often.  In the future, I hope to have something better than all of this because the children are really outgrowing time out. 

And now to our schedule:

Monday:  9am to 2pm

Tuesday:  9am to 2pm

Wednesday:  9am to 3pm

Thursday:  Noon to 4pm

Friday:  9am to 5pm (outside of home)

Curriculum:

Monday:  Science, Critical Thinking, and Lapbooks

Tuesday: English, Handwriting, and Reading

Wednesday: Math, Spelling, and Review

Thursday: History, SS, PE, and Health

Friday: Field Trips, Library, and Make Up Work

Our First Week Of Adventures!

Our first week went very, very well.  The kids were quiet and followed the rules pretty well.  Due to the local schools being closed for weather, we still didn't get a chance to tell our friends good-bye or let the school know we wouldn't be coming back.  I have emailed both teachers and made things clear, but we still must do the formal paperwork to make things legal.  This is all going on while we are packing and attempting to move into our new home... let's just say hectic but blessed and move on!

We found some "locker blocks" at Walmart on clearance for $4 and I felt it would be the easiest and most organized way to keep their stuff together and make them be accountable for their own books.  I used name tags I got from the Dollar Tree and attached them to the top of the locker.  I also found some blankets on clearance for $2 and decided to allow the boys to buy one and put in their locker for days they are cold or maybe don't feel as well.  Both of my kids are blanket boys and need something to cuddle some days.  My school, my rules.  I will be bringing my blanket as well :)

I struggled to figure out how to incorporate our lunch time within our required hours because we are on a tight schedule.  I will post more about that in the next post.  I do five hours of homeschooling a day so that we do not have to do actual work on Friday's and can focus on our field trips or Library trips.  This may not work for some people and some days we will have to rearrange, but for now, that is what works for us.  The boys have decided they want to watch movies during lunch time and I think eating in the classroom and staying focused will be better than allowing them to go eat in the kitchen and then try to come back to class.  This way if I have a video for that day, they will still be working on something educational and if not, I have alot of videos that I want them to watch about bullies, religion, sports, etc..

I found a tornado maker at Rite Aid on clearance for $3 and it even came with a Storm Chasers video so we chose to work on that this week.  The maker is so awesome!  It has real sounds and you can turn it to different sizes and it looks so real.  You can even

Our first week turned out to be so much fun!  I loved the light I saw in my children's eyes as they began to realize that the world is their classroom and we don't have to put limits on what we can learn about!  I look forward to doing this for many many more days to come! :)

Welcome!

Welcome To Our Homeschool Blog! My name is Ashley and this is my first time homeschooling.  I cannot believe how easy it was to get started, but I got lost in all the different designs, curriculum, and suggestions.  I had to just take a step back and see what was best for my family.  I know there are so many people out there, especially stay at home moms, who wish they had someone to talk to about the ins and outs about getting started.

This blog is in no way, shape, or form supposed to tell you how to homeschool or what is right for your family.  Only you will know that!  This will just tell you the good, bad, and ugly of my experience with it in the first year.  We are getting started mid-year due to school and health issues and just not wanting to wait any longer.  If possible, I recommend you start at the first of the year.  Some places will give you discounts if you pay and register before summer is over.

We are going through Daniel One Academy in Cookeville, Tennessee.  This was recommended to me by a dear friend.  They have different types of curriculum or you can do all of the homeschool planning on your own (which I what I felt was best for us).  They have a website at www.d1academy.org if you want to check them out. 

I did not purchase a curriculum and instead, I have just put together work of my own.  I am getting free worksheets from different places and putting them together accordingly.  I have purchased a few books used from the East Tennessee Homeschool group on FB and also new but discounted books at Books A Million.  That is enough to get me started for now. 

As I am posting this, we are starting our first day.  I still have many things to do including paying all my fees and formally withdrawing the kids from school, but I wanted to get started on the blog as soon as  I could.  I will try to share all the moments with you all so you have something to go by.  I will be back later to talk about our first day and how the school responded. 

Thanks For Reading! The World Is Our ClassRoom!!