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