Sarah's 12 Steps!
How to Flip to FUN-Schooling with Thinking Tree Books
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1. Choose a Main Curriculum Journal - For Library Based Homeschooling These are the most important Thinking Tree books and usually have over 300 pages, you will use them with library books, documentaries, audio books, tutorials and any books you have on hand that your child can use for research. This will be the CORE of the child's learning experience. They should use this book at least 3 days a week, along with a collection of books and videos. How to Pick a Journal: Let your child choose the one with the cover that inspires them the most. Just make sure the age level is correct. If the child chooses they will feel ownership of the learning experience. 2. Choose a Spelling Activity Book, or Vocabulary Book The spelling books have poems, activities, and specific words that the children practice. The spelling books introduce each word in about seven different ways. The student will master these words without memorizing. We make sure we cover sight words and commonly misspelled words in our spelling books. The Main Curriculum Journals have spelling games and copywork also- Students will learn to spell many random words this way. They will learn many words from their library books, this way they will be able to spell words associated with their "Major" and special interests. 3. Choose a Theme, Special Interest, or "Major" and Make a Fun-Schooling Basket. They should study the "Major" for at least ONE full day per week. Let them study and explore their passion without distraction from other subjects. They need to dig deep. You can find lots of themed learning books at your library or choose to use Usborne Books. Thinking Tree does cover many popular themes here: Fashion Theme Animal Theme Horse Theme Bible Theme Cooking Theme Nature & Wildlife Theme Minecraft Theme Travel Theme Drawing & Doodling Theme Musical Instruments Theme Cat Theme 4. Choose a Fun-Schooling Math Book on Your Child's Level This will help your child to get over the fear of math, and maybe choose a math curriculum after they overcome the fear. Include math 2 or 3 days a week, math can really mess with the mind and cause children to have learning issues in other areas, so don't push it every day if your child is struggling: 5. Choose a Creative Writing Journal for Kids 10 and up Choose a Copywork Journal for Kids Under 10 There may be enough creative writing and copywork in the Curriculum Journal, but for some kids these books are fun and inspiring! MOM TIP: Do not correct your child's grammar or spelling when they do creative writing, BUT do correct the copywork. 6. Start Your Mom-School Be an Example to Your Children! Choose a Mom Schooling Journal and make a Mom-Time Basket. You may need a Mom-Schooling Journal & Fun-Schooling Planner. 7. Choose a Few Subjects to Study as a Team Add Important and Required Subjects and Choose Books to Use with the Family as a Team - If you want to add in "required" subjects the fun-school way, add some of these awesome books, maybe one day per week, they are very deep and intensive, yet fun. We use one book for multiple kids, and work as a team with these. Don't use these on the same day that your child uses the homeschool curriculum journal, unless they want to: Science - Nature Study Science - Experiments & Research United States - Geography & History World History - Make Your Own Timeline World Geography & Social Studies - Travel Dreams Money, Business & Economics for Teens Occupations for Kids 8. Document Your Child's Work if Needed This happens automatically if you use a Curriculum Journal. If you live in a state with strong requirements, or if your child is collecting high-school credits, you can use our 10 or 12 Subject Portfolio for your child's best work in every required subject: 9. Relax and Enjoy Homeschooling If you are stressed out or confused, read my book "How to Homeschool" 10. Get Help and Learn from Other Fun-Schooling Moms Join over 4000 Fun-Schooling Moms in our Private Facebook Group. We love to encourage each other. If you have a questions ASK them. Moms who are experienced with fun-schooling will answer. Visit Linda's website to learn more about each Thinking Tree Book, and watch videos about each book: homeschooling6.com - 11. Help Your Child Overcome Serious Reading and Writing Problems If you have a child with symptoms of ADHD, Dyslexia, or has reading delays, memory issues, attention problems, and writing problems, reading confusion, letter reversals, or a fear of reading aloud - use www.DyslexiaGames.com 12. Let It Go! Let It Go! Here are some Ted Talks on Education that will Help! If you are doing something that doesn't work, brings stress, is confusing, makes your child cry, or is boring... DUMP IT. How and Why to allow your child to choose a Major at a young age: When helping your child choose a major, remember, each topic is important and if your child is passionate about a topic set them free to go deep and research all aspects of the topic. The goal is for the child to begin learning in a deep and joyful way, where they will indulge their curiosity through passionate research that leads to creativity and excellence. Parents and Educators often allow children to only scratch the surface of the things that interest them, because we want them to be "well rounded and normal". Perhaps we pull them away from art to force them to focus on memorizing math facts or learn about the Civil War. I challenge you to just choose two themes for your child to "Major" in and go very deep, opening all the doors and windows that lead to deeper discovery and expertise. Don't raise a well rounded child. Raise a child that is very skilled and an expert in their chosen fields, that is the foundation of a life of learning. Twelve Ways to Help Your Child Master their Major: 1. Help your child choose books on the topic they love. 2. Take your child to the bookstore or Library, and don't limit them by only visiting the children's section. 3. Build a fun-Schooling Basket with items that represent your child's interest. 4. Learn about jobs that involve your child's favorite topic. 5. Use these topics as a theme when choosing books for the Main Curriculum Journal. 6. Encourage the student to meet people who are experts in the field your child loves, go on a field trip to a relevant location. 7. Choose films and documentaries about the topic. 8. Allow your child to take lessons or watch tutorials about the skills involved in the topic. 9. Find ways to use the skills and knowledge your child is developing in practical ways at home. 10. Allow your child to volunteer in a related field. 11. Help your child to study the history related to the subject of interest. 12. Allow your child to study the life and biographies of people who are also passionate about the topic. Once the child becomes an expert in one area they will be able to build a future in that area, or use the skills they developed in researching that topic, and apply those skills to ANY topic they want to unlock and master for the rest of their lives. When we homeschool we are FREE to spend five years majoring in film-making, fashion, the arts or horsemanship. Can you think of a topic your child might choose that does not involve history, science, mathematics, politics, social aspects, literature, geography, economics, and art? You don't have to study each subject independent of the child's passion. To fully engage the child and make the most of their time - let all things spring from the passion of their heart and mind. Embrace the Natural Process of Learning: When a child explores their passion first they will be curious, next they will play, next they will explore, next they will research, Next they will question, next they will copy, next they will communicate, next they will seek mastery, and in mastering they will apply the learning and create. Allow your child the joy of EVERY phase of true learning. when we try to control the learning process we do it out of order, and seek results. Allow the child to spend as much time as they need in each area, and bounce back and forth between the stages. Play (not practice) is actually the most powerful form of learning, creativity is the expression of learning and looks a lot like play. Let go of false expectations... and hold on tight to what you know is true. Children are born to learn, just look at how they learned to speak! They are able, we only hold them back with our limiting forms of teaching that seek to mold them into the shape of society, and give them a watered down education that is irrelevant and brings no joy. Learning is playful, creative and joyful, and if you have a hard time believing it, you need to listen to a bunch of TED Talks on this topic. If people close to you are being critical, send them the TED Talks. Teach your child from a place of rest, through your example, not through guilt. When you fun-school there are no gaps, your child will be equipped to learn everything they need to know when they need it. You don't need to strive for standardization, there are millions of standardize students, the world needs more creative people. Do not education through fear, have faith in the natural learning process and trust in the way your child is designed. There is need to restrict or limit your child with educational fluff and educational walls. You are free to equip and empower your child though the careful facilitation, and nurture, that comes only through the love of a mother who truly knows her child. |
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