Why we homeschool

During my last seven years of homeschooling I have been fortunate enough not to encounter any major discouragement from non-homeschoolers. Most people are interested when they find out, and many ask questions out of genuine curiosity. I always enjoy talking about homeschooling, and it doesn't at all offend me when people want to know why or how we do it.

Ninjaschool homeschool

Homeschool planning

In my five years of homeschooling, I'm still constantly modifying my methods. That's one of the things I love about homeschool: you stick with what works for you, and if something doesn't work, you can change it! I love not having to be married to one specific method of teaching or planning or organizing.

That being said, I thought I'd share my current planning method. It's a conglomeration of several years' worth of different ideas, keeping what worked and ditching what didn't or what was too time-consuming. I'm quite happy with where I've ended up.  

January calendar

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

We've been visiting Grandma and Grandpa, aunts and uncles, in VA over Thanksgiving. Thankfully the flexibility of homeschool allowed us to do so! We skipped taking a fall break when all the local schools did, and instead took it during November while we were vacationing. We'll get back into the swing of things next week, once Mommy gets re-organized. In the meantime, I did manage to get the December calendar up.

November calendar

I found this great calendar at a yard sale for $1!! It was my best homeschool find yet! The numbers are held on by velcro for easy changing around. I made my own November sign for the top, and I also attached leaves all around the edges for decoration. (The leaves came from an art project we did weeks ago; I just KNEW they'd come in handy!) The calendar is laminated, so I can tape decorations to it and then easily remove them later to re-decorate for the next month. Oh, I also made a little sign that says "today" (which we'll move each day, obviously) to help Asher understand how a calendar works. I also put an airplane on the 22nd, which is the day we fly to Grandma and Grandpa's house. (After Halloween, Asher's world will revolve around this day!)


Here are the school boards over top of the new calendar. On the left is our Bible board; I have his current weekly Bible verse displayed, and then the next week I will hole-punch it and add it to the pile of verses he's already learned (hanging to the left of this week's verse). Asher also colors a picture to go along with the Bible story we've read, and after he colors it, he puts it on the board, too.

The blue board is our letter board, where I display the letters we are focusing on this week.

Finally, the festive-looking chain is actually a countdown to our Thanksgiving trip to Grandma's house!