I have a soft spot in my heart and wallet for picture books. I own a lot. I love reading them with my children and Halloween is no exception. This article is a compilation of my 14 favorite Halloween Picture Books. Top 14 Halloween Picture Books Room on the Broom This fun story is about […]
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When I taught in a self-contained public school setting, I worked with an excellent OT who introduced me to a multi-sensory approach to handwriting. Although I do not have nor remember her original multi-sensory handwriting program source, the just of the program was to start with gross motor practice, move to fine motor practice, and […]
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I have wanted to make a couple of homeschool tables for my children to use for school work. For a while we used the kitchen table, but it just is not the right height for young children. I decided to build them myself for two reasons: 1) Furniture made from 2 x 4 wood is […]
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When I taught in a self-contained classroom for autistic children, one of the speech therapist introduced me to Matt and Molly stories. These are officially called, Autism & PDD Picture Stories & Language Activities by Patricia Koski. This article reviews the 5-pack set of language activities for social skills for children ages 3 to 8. […]
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During homeschool time, we usually end up on the floor. This is fine for the moment; however, an upright position with a table at the right height is a much better position for writing activities. I have wanted to make or acquire some child-sized tables and seats for a while now. I got to the […]
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For 1st grade math, I am using Mammoth Math Light Blue Series. I like mammoth math for a lot of reasons. It is an open-an-go type of curriculum, it is sufficiently challenging, and one of the most affordable homeschool options available. CLICK HERE to read my full review of homeschool math curricula. The downloadable version […]
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Playing games can be a motivating way to work on social skills. Most board games require turn-taking, following rules, and good sportsmanship (accepting both winning and losing gracefully). CLICK HERE to read about the procedure I use to help my children learn to tolerate losing. My husband bought this 4 Game Shopkins set last week. […]
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Homeschooling laws and requirements vary from state to state in the US. Some states only require notice of homeschooling. Other states require careful documentation of attendance and student progress. Test scores, portfolios, or other documentation may also be required. Regardless of the requirements of each state, documentation through homeschool planning pages are helpful for keeping […]
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Physical Education (PE) is included as regular part of a child’s education. PE classes help children improve their physical fitness, develop motor skills, and may also promote psychological well-being. In a homeschool setting, participation in regular PE activities can provide these same benefits. This article reviews two homeschool PE curriculum options. Homeschool physical education books […]
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In reading, children can learn phonetic rules and sound out words or they can learn through whole-word methods. Similarly, there are two paths in learning to spell. Spelling skills can be taught through the phonetic rules for encoding words or though memorizing the sequence of letters for an entire word. Traditional spelling activities require copying […]
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