The Coop Homeschool

What do homeschoolers do in summer? With research and fun we discuss the history of summer, the benefits of a summer break versus the benefits of consistency, as well as summer ideas for homeschooling families. In our Coop Questions segment we answer the important question of "Why do you homeschool?" Join us for some summer fun!

Sometimes it's a stranger, a friend, a family member, or even a spouse that disapproves of your choice to homeschool. Not only that, they are vocal about it. How should we respond to these disapprovers? We tackle this topic with some helpful tools to equip you to respond in a way that is true to you and represents your view and mission in homeschooling.

How do I know if my child is learning what he is supposed to be learning? What if I don't teach him everything he needs to know for his grade level? Will he know what's he's supposed to know for success in life? Frankly speaking, gaps are in every educational approach, whether or not you use state standards for your child's grade level. We dive in to this pressure point to release you of any self-inflicted confinement to a standardized education. In our new segment, Coop Questions, we answer the question about quality educational shows for preschool and elementary-aged children.

Sometimes we homeschool moms fail, but hopefully we learn from our mistakes and through them we grow. In this episode, we share our recent failures in overplanning our schedule and curriculum and how we can improve for next time. We also dive in to a recent social media post about judging and shaming homeschool children for their lack of knowledge about commonly accepted educational standards. It's a fun one!

How do I keep my kids motivated to complete their school work? And is that even something I can do? In this episode we discuss these questions and introduce a way to increase your child's internal motivation. Also, we introduce a new segment on our podcast dedicated to answering your questions. This week we answer, "How many worksheets should I do in a week?"

I don't know what to do all day! We continue our Hesitant Homeschooler Series with one of our most common questions that we get as homeschool moms, "What do you do all day?" Whatever we want! Let me just tell you, the freedom is pretty awesome. Your day can be as scheduled as a traditional school day, or unique for each child and family. We talk about the main essentials in a homeschool day and give a couple examples of what our days looks like.

Yes, we're tackling one of the hot button issues in homeschooling: socialization. We talk about what socialization is, what it isn't, and why it ruffles homeschool moms' feathers when questioned. Our biggest goal in this episode is to break down what we think people really mean by, "How are you going to socialize your children?" and whether it should be a valid concern for homeschooling families. 

For more information and resources, visit our episode page: https://thecoophomeschool.com/episode36

With all the enriching experiences and activities available to our kids, how on earth do we pick what to expose our children to? In this episode, we talk about maintaining a balance of interest discovery and pursuit with unstructured time at home.

For more information and resources, visit our episode page: https://thecoophomeschool.com/episode35

Grab your straw hat! Spring has sprung and it's time for flowery fun with your kiddos! We are excited for this new season of sunshine, so in this episode we discuss the Spring Equinox, theme days, Easter fun, and more ideas for homeschooling spring time.

For more information and resources, visit our episode page: https://thecoophomeschool.com/episode34

Homeschooling a single child can be a huge gift with the ability to customize your child's learning to fit his or her needs. However, since children do need regular interaction with other kids, homeschooling a single child has its share of challenges. We discuss the blessings and difficulties from one of our own experiences, and offer some ideas and fun solutions too.

For more information and resources, visit our episode page: https://thecoophomeschool.com/episode33