#adventures in homeschooling

[redheadedgirl]

My son has decided that dams are his focus for the day, and we’re leaning into it for homeschooling.

Now I get to hear about him building a dam turbine, a dam structure, we took a dam walk to see the local dam. Now he’s wondering if there are dam hydraulics. He drew a dam diagram, did a dam coloring page, and we watched some dam videos. He’s got more dam knowledge in his little noggin than most 7 year olds and he’ll gladly explain to you how the dam water turns into dam power (it’s dam turbines and generators).

I am delighted and he has no idea that there’s a joke floating around in all this. He’s just excited about dams.

[eggbagelz]

We're doing waiting for godot later this year in drama i am VERY excited

[antiquepearlss]

You know what? Fuck it, they both have homeschool trauma

[deadmomjokes]

Bean has been going to Kindergarten for a month now and she freaking loves it. They don't assign homework or anything, but she assigns it to herself because she loves school, so if she doesn't finish something in class she will come home and practically pitch a fit until she gets to finish it. Like yesterday she brought home a little booklet they did for social studies about "American Symbols" and insisted we couldn't do dinner time until she had finished coloring the flag and the Liberty Bell. (But NOT the White House, because it's white.) And the one day she missed due to having a fever, her teacher sent home the learning activities they'd done just so she could have them, not even to get them returned for a grade or anything, but she was so excited about them that she skipped our evening walk so she could do them.

This kid just really loves school, and I really hope that never changes.

[jasontoddiefor]

me, reading The Immoral Duke’s Family Needs to be Homeschooled: oh this is such a banger I wonder if there’s a novel—

It’s written by the same author who wrote my author favorite rofan

[missdrummond]

I'm pulling this out if the AiO team ever tries making excuses for the complete lack of even one homeschooled child in the modern era

[theadventurezoneoftruth]

7 years ago, I started a group chat fanfic. People seemed to like it! I sure liked writing it.

But then life happened, yada yada, and I never got around to finishing it. To be honest, I thought I never would.

But I reread it recently. While it definitely has the strong Stench of 2017 humor on it, I found that there was still a lot to like about it. And it kept receiving a lot of very nice comments.

So I finally decided to finish the damn thing. I hope y'all enjoy.

[bingenotes]

Printable Busy Book🐯

Embark on a Wild Learning Adventure! 🦁🌍 Keep little explorers entertained with our Safari Adventure Busy Book! Packed with fun activities, from matching animals to counting safari treasures, it’s the perfect blend of learning and play. Perfect for road trips, quiet time, or any wild adventure! 🦒✨

[heelanhomestead]

Teaching my son to sew. So far he’s loving it and his first embroidery hoop is coming along beautifully. With the darker evenings closing in he’d like to have a go at some new crafts.

As well as sewing, he’s excited to try working with paracord, have a go at basket weaving and even have a bash at whittling.

Fun times ahead … 😃🪡 🧵 ✂️

[teachingenglishtokids]

Whole Word Recognition: A Reading Technique

Teaching children to read involves many approaches, and one effective strategy is Whole Word Recognition. This method focuses on helping children recognize entire words, especially high-frequency sight words, by sight. This article explains what the Whole Word Recognition technique is, how it works, and practical ways to implement it at home or in the classroom.

What Is Whole Word Recognition?

Whole Word Recognition is a technique that teaches children to instantly recognize entire words without decoding them letter by letter. This approach is particularly effective for high-frequency sight words that appear often in texts but may not follow standard phonics rules (e.g., "the," "and," "is").

By building a bank of words children can recognize on sight, this method helps improve reading fluency and confidence.

How Whole Word Recognition Works

1. Introduction of High-Frequency Sight Words

Begin with commonly used words like "the," "and," "is," "said," and "you."

Gradually introduce more complex sight words as the child progresses.

Focus on words that frequently appear in beginner texts and everyday contexts.

2. Repetition Through Various Tools

Use flashcards with the word printed clearly, along with illustrations if possible. Preschool High Frequency Word Flash cards Ready to Use available.

Create a word wall in the classroom or at home, displaying sight words in large, colorful letters.

Play interactive games like memory matching, bingo, or "word hunt" to reinforce learning.

3. Incorporating Visual Cues and Illustrations

Pair words with pictures to help children connect meaning to the word.

Use books with large print and illustrations where sight words are emphasized.

Include colorful posters or charts that combine sight words and images.

What You Can Do...

1. At Home

Label everyday objects around the house (e.g., "door," "chair," "table").

Practice reading sight words during storytime by pointing them out in books.

Use magnetic letters or sticky notes to create sight word displays on the fridge or walls.

2. In the Classroom

Dedicate a section of the classroom to a "word wall" that grows as students learn new words. Preschool High Frequency Sight Word Flash Cards Ready to Use, available now.

Start each day with a sight word review using flashcards or a group activity.

Incorporate sight words into songs, poems, and rhymes to make learning fun.

3. While Out and About

Point out sight words on signs, menus, and advertisements while shopping or traveling.

Encourage children to read short instructions or labels (e.g., "push," "stop," "open").

Create scavenger hunts where children look for specific sight words in their environment.

Benefits of Whole Word Recognition

Improves Fluency: Children learn to read common words quickly, making reading smoother and more enjoyable.

Builds Confidence: Recognizing words instantly reduces frustration and boosts self-esteem.

Enhances Comprehension: With fewer decoding efforts, children focus more on understanding the text.

Supports Early Writing Skills: Familiarity with sight words helps children spell and write these words correctly.

Suggested Tools

Sight Word Flashcards

Use colorful cards with a word on one side and an illustration on the other (e.g., "cat" paired with a picture of a cat).

Word Walls

Create a vibrant display of sight words in a prominent place. Use large fonts and bright colors.

Interactive Games

Design board games or digital games that involve identifying or matching sight words.

Themed Worksheets

Provide worksheets where children trace, color, and match sight words.

Sight Word Storybooks

Introduce books written specifically with high-frequency sight words for early readers.

Tips for Parents and Teachers

Be Patient: Some children may need more time and practice to remember sight words.

Celebrate Progress: Encourage and praise children as they master new words.

Mix and Match Techniques: Combine Whole Word Recognition with phonics to create a balanced reading approach.

Use Technology: Leverage educational apps and online resources that focus on sight word recognition.

Conclusion

Whole Word Recognition is an effective and enjoyable way to help children develop reading fluency and confidence. By focusing on high-frequency sight words and using tools like flashcards, word walls, and interactive games, parents and teachers can make the learning process engaging and successful. Combined with patience and encouragement, this technique ensures a strong foundation for lifelong reading and learning.

You might be interested to read other articles included in the Reading Skills series:

📚Unlocking Reading Success: The Power of CVC Words📖

The Phonics Approach to Teaching Reading

[vashti-lives]

Me: I love this yarn so much I’m so excited to turn it into sweater aaaahhhhh!!

Also me: I can’t decide what pattern to do I think I’ll just knit this cardigan that I already have a gage swatch for and a plan for.

[foxgloveinspace]

….

[diabolicflame93]

Highs (and Lows) of High School Ages 15-18 (Part 5)

My life throughout my high school years. Up until I leave for college. CW for SI, SA (mention of), Depression, and Purity Culture.

CW: SA, SI, Depression, Purity Culture A bit of Background The Deckerville First Baptist church was in the middle of a church split when we first started attending. Context of the church split, a mother had approached the new lead pastor Jed Willis about her son who was “living in sin.” What was this man’s sin? He was living with his long-term girlfriend. Jed gave this individual an ultimatum…

[idontwantrobyntodie]

“Get OUT of the washing machine”

-thing I did not thing I would be saying today

“Dig your brother out of that hole right now”

-other thing I did not think I would be saying today

[hefcumin]

I started reading what happens next and I need an update right fucking now

[missdrummond]

Found another AiO Podcast

Love the format for this podcast and have thoroughly enjoyed all the episodes I've listened to so far. However, I have a couple nitpicks on this episode. I am a homeschool graduate and am very passionate about the topic in AiO.

So two things: First Kristen isn't canonically homeschooled. Don't get me wrong Kristen is homeschooled, I mean look at her (I say pointing to the radio character) However, it is never out right stated in the episode or even referenced, so AiO could technically turn around and say she's public, private, or even charter schooled.

And completely ignored the other homeschool characters on the show. This might have been done for streamlining the episode however it might also have been in oversight. Either way I wanted to give a shout out to the canonical homeschooled characters in AiO.

The Shepherd girls: honestly a really genuine and real feeling homeschool family. I could write a whole essay about them but this is just a shout out.

That one kid from Rumor has It. He is not actually a character. I don't even think he gets a single line in the episode but I remember him so he gets a shout out.

Vance King: I can't remember if it was before he went to jail or after but his mom took him out of school to homeschool him. Honestly not great representation but I understand why it was useful narratively. A little disappointing though that this is the only major character post album 50 to fall in this category. That is until...

The kid in Bridget's band. (he might not have heard this episode before recording this episode but I wanted to mention him) I'm not going to get into major SPOILERS but a kid in Bridget's band is doing online schooling (yes this does count as a homeschooler because while not quite the same as traditional, online homeschooling has a lot of overlaps and they frequently hangout in the same communities) However the reason for this is what concerns me. He was basically kicked out of school for bullying and given number 3, I'm sensing a concerning pattern.