homeschool Archives - My Blessed Mess

Evaluating and Filling Educational Gaps w/ IXL

02.20.2019 by myblessedmess // Leave a Comment

Please note: I received a free one- year membership to IXL for two students from IXL Learning in exchange for my honest review.

Ah yes, educational gaps - blank spots in our children's learning - one of the homeschool parent's greatest fears! How do we assess gaps and address them so we can be sure our children are getting a thorough, well-rounded education? When I received an annual membership to IXL for review, I was hopeful this would be an answer to a prayer for my family. In this post, I will share a bit about our experience in order to help you evaluate whether IXL would be a good fit for your children.

What is IXL?

From their website, IXL is "an immersive K-12 learning experience that provides comprehensive, standards-aligned content for math, language arts, science, and social studies." They also offer Spanish skills practice for those interested (and a spanish version of the entire program for spanish speaking families).

The continuous diagnostic - a tool for identifying problem areas...

Why I Don’t Keep Homeschool Grades

02.15.2019 by myblessedmess // Leave a Comment

Many long years ago, when I first started my homeschooling journey, our homeschool looked very much like "school at home". I used a textbook-style boxed curriculum, I graded every page of written work and kept meticulous records. I assigned grades and issued a report card every 9 weeks. I put a lot of pressure on my kids (and myself) to make sure they were doing things on the typical public school timeline, and keeping grades helped to show they were jumping through all those hoops.

We schooled this way for a few years. As I became more comfortable with home education and more knowledgeable about learning styles, educational methods, and how to foster real learning - our homeschool evolved. The way we "do school" now couldn't be further from the way things were done at the beginning of our journey! One thing I stopped doing was tracking and assigning grades.

Why not keep grades?

The Ultimate Homeschool Resource – (SchoolhouseTeachers.com Review) PLUS discount!

02.06.2019 by myblessedmess // Leave a Comment

As a busy homeschooling mom with kids of varying ages, I am always looking for resources that can make my days easier and benefit them all. Over the past few weeks, we've been enjoying reviewing the Ultimate Annual Yearly Membership from SchoolhouseTeachers.com. Let me just say there is SO MUCH INCLUDED in this membership! I won't be able to touch on all the wonderful, useful features, so I will focus instead on our personal favorites.

Overview - What's included?

SchoolhouseTeachers.com is an online educational resource for Christian homeschooling families, BY Christian homeschooling families. You will find self-paced, online courses and printable materials for preschool through high school, e-books, planning resources, an extensive video library, focused learning centers, and a whole area devoted to homeschool parent support - just to scratch the surface! They currently offer over 425 courses (both core subjects and electives) and are adding more every month! They offer both a monthly and a yearly subscription option.

Must-Have Tools for Homeschooling Families!

01.29.2019 by myblessedmess // 1 Comment

After homeschooling for over 14 years, I have accumulated a LOT of supplies. I have tried things throughout the years that I thought I would love, but ended up collecting dust. Then there are those items which I reach for daily. When starting out, it can be overhwhelming figuring out what the must have tools for homeschooling are and sifting through the many choices available. My hope is that this list might help both new and veteran homeschoolers alike! I will do my best to break these down by category for you. Read More...

Homeschooling Questions I am Always Asked – with Answers – Vol 2

01.25.2019 by myblessedmess // 7 Comments

Welcome to the second post in the "Homeschooling Questions" series here at My Blessed Mess! If you haven't already read the first post you can find it HERE.

After 14 years of home educating I have found that I am asked the same kinds of questions over and over again. What better way to address these “frequently asked questions” than in a post? Better yet – a series of posts I can add to over time. For this post, we will address five more questions I am often asked, let's get going!

How do you manage homeschooling your older children with a baby/toddler at home?

This is THE question isn’t it? I’ve had babies or toddlers in tow while homeschooling through the majority of my journey. It’s not an easy feat! I have learned some tricks and tips I can share but be warned - they don’t always have the desired results! We all know that sometimes the little ones just want all of mommas undivided attention and will settle for nothing else. In those cases, my advice is to allow yourself a cushion in your yearly schedule for days when you just can’t seem to accomplish much. Here are some tips I’ve had success with through the years: