Response to a Comment || Of Homeschooling and What It's Like

A while ago a commenter suggested I post about what it's like to be homeschooled, what I use, and how I/we do it. 

So, what is it like? For me, normal. I've been homeschooled since I was five years old, and have never been to school, so I don't know any different! But that's not very specific so here goes. I love the flexibility it provides. We can get up, start, finish, and eat whenever it suits. We can visit places or go on holiday during less busy times while most people are at school; it's so much easier to get jobs done quickly if there isn't a maze of people to work your way through! I can easily book appointments or music lessons during school time and study before and/or after them.

What do I use? I love Apologia science (Junior series by Jeannie Fulbright, high-school texts by Dr. Jay L. Wile). The books are written in a conversational style, which I find much more interesting than a bland presentation-of-facts approach, making it easier to remember the content.

For my other subjects I use publications from BJU Press. Before I started their English curriculum (during intermediate), I certainly didn't find workbooks on the subject easy! I think I may have known nouns and verbs, but adjectives and adverbs were foreign to me. Although my inherent English was, I think, pretty good, I had little understanding of the mechanics behind the subject. I've since completed their grade 12 (NZ year 13) text, and for the past several years, English has been my favourite subject!

How do I/my family do it? Well, it's in my nature to be independent, so once I learned to read it wasn't uncommon for me to work alone. Basically, I (and now also many of my siblings) complete various textbooks as our core curriculum (much the same as school students complete homework I suppose). While we generally work alone, Mum is available to assist in either providing or locating a source of help if need be. We regularly use the library and internet for research projects. 

And extra-curricular activities? All but two of us currently take music lessons of some sort, and some of my siblings regularly take swimming lessons. Throughout the years we have enjoyed gymnastics, pottery and art classes, athletics, soccer, dance, and attended a knitting club, homeschool sports club, and book club at a local library.

I think that about sums up my thoughts on the topic for now. Thanks for reading!

Day 3 ~ Wednesday ~ Fishing

Wednesday started out a beautiful sunny day. Dad decided we should go down to the i-site before lunch; we took the car down and I parked up ‘round the corner with my laptop to make use of Telecom’s free wi-fi. Lol.

Back at the camp we searched the fridge (no kidding, we actually have one in our tent! :P), chilly bin, and several boxes to find food for lunch. (Yep, organisation around here is lacking a bit.) Afterwards I took a chemistry test (from Dr. Wile’s textbook :)), dictation from some of the little ones for their diaries, and photos {for my blog}. And I read a bit from my book – Generation Change by Zach Hunter.

Since we hadn’t managed any ‘activity’ that afternoon (it got a bit late after the others had been in the camp pool), Dad said we should all go fishing. Well, that was his plan. I went ‘fishing’ with my laptop (excellent internet connectivity – woohoo!! Lol) sitting at one of the picnic tables on the waterfront. Hehe :P We got back around 11pm and Maria and Laura weren’t so happy. Maybe that’s why the people in the tent across from us only stayed one night . . . haha

: : Bryce and Maria : :

We don't have any great photos of this,  but you can see a few lights and things in this one.

: : Monique with here catch : :

Day 2 ~ Tuesday

On Tuesday morning, children began to wake up all too early considering the time we went to bed the night before. With us all in such close proximity, there isn’t much chance of sleeping for long once people start getting up!

We spent most of the day at the campground, setting and tidying things up. I did some school work (yeah, I brought some down with me), tried to play our ¾ size nylon-string guitar – which is seriously out of tune and I didn’t bring my tuner :/, watched Dr. Wile’s Where are they now? session from the 2011 Science by Design Conference in Auckland – it was the one session I didn’t go to when I attended the conference; but maybe I should have gone, because it was really interesting. Then again, there ended up being HEAPS of different talks at that conference, and no doubt all of them would have been good! This session was about homeschool graduates, and what they were doing in life as young adults; how homeschooling affected their lives later on; and, as Dr. Wile loves to do, refuting common misconceptions about homeschooling. Oh yes, and I better not forget the statistics he said the scientist in him wouldn’t allow him to leave out of the talk!

After dinner we went for a walk, bought trumpets {and I bought a study help to go with my school work . . . caramello chocolate :D}, and went to the beach. Of special interest to me was that all the telephone boxes down here provide free wifi!!

PS: More photos to come as I've just found I don't have as many as I thought I did :(

Science by Design Conference Part 1

Earlier this year Dr Jay L. Wile (blog.drwile.com) came to New Zealand to speak at several conferences throughout the country. The Auckland Science by Design Conference was held on the evening of Friday, 10th June, and all of the following day. On the Friday night Uncle Pete and I went together. First up was a variety concert with most of the performers being homeschoolers. The performances included pieces played on various instruments, with and without piano accompaniment, a ballet dance, Scottish Country Dances, poetry recitals and so on. Well done to all participants, you did awesome! =)

Then came keynote address #1: “Creation versus Evolution: Religion versus Science or Religion versus Religion." Here Dr Wile discussed how attempts to fit the Genesis account of Creation with evolution fail, and how the facts point to the Genesis account. He also mentioned that evolution requires faith, just as Christianity does.

Next on the schedule was a light supper, also a great time to say hi to everyone you know!

The second and last keynote address for the night was entitled “The Bible: A Great Source of Modern Science." With facts such as many of the rules and regulations set out in the Old Testament being in perfect agreement with modern science, Dr Wile shows in this lecture that the Bible clearly was not authored by men.

After the conference had finished for the evening I remembered/realised that I needed to get some stuff for lunch the next day, so I convinced Uncle Pete to take me to Countdown (actually it wasn't that hard!)...then at home I, of course, had to prepare what I had bought and pack it so it was ready to grab first thing the next morning..so much for my early night! lol