Organized Jewish Home

Homeschooling plans 2020-2021

August 6, 2020
August 6, 2020

(A few of these might be affiliate links, where I might get back a tiny (tiny!) piece of anything you spend. Most are simply links to the resources themselves.)

This year, my kids range from 1st grade to 11th grade. And as usual, they are all based at home. I started typing them out and goodness, but the post got long! So here is where I’m going to put some of the things we’ll do together, and over the next few days, I’ll be posting the individual plans for each child.

***If you aren’t interested in homeschooling, please just skip through these few posts. This is a hot topic in my neck of the world (and internet) right now!***

That’s one of the best things about homeschooling – each kid gets a specifically tailored experience!

A couple of things before we get into this in more detail. I work teaching undergraduate psychology from home. I tend to do my work at night, but it means that I need to watch how much I am expected to teach – I need to have some juice left in the tank for my undergrads! In addition, with 5 kids to work with, I prefer to double up or more when I can. You should absolutely take into account how much time and energy (and patience!) you have to do one on one work when you are planning.

Also, we are not going all in one curriculum here. My kids, like all kids, are somewhat uneven, and instead of trying for one, we let them work at their own level. Some kids learn better with workbooks, some like online options, some like classes, and choosing for each subject and each kid allows us to work with them on this. (If you are looking for a list of curriculum ideas and links try this post.)

Here are some of the things we are using for more than one child.

Story of the World – we’re up to volume 4 (again)

History / social studies: following the election (C-Span does some good classroom materials on this, and in 2016 sent out a great map, but there are a lot of options!), Story of the World 4 (The Modern Age) – we have the books, the activity books, the CDs (I haven’t seen audiobooks, but please let me know if you have!), and the tests and answer keys. If you want to start at the beginning, you can do volume 1 (Ancient Times), volume 2 (the Middle Ages), and volume 3 (Early Modern Times).

Teaching Textbooks is computer based math instruction from grades 3-12.

Math: Teaching Textbooks is our go-to math until we have to worry about accreditation. I love that it grades them for you and explains when the student gets something wrong.

Language Arts: Open Tent Academy classes (one per kid at their level and to their interests), copywork, Writeshop books, typing with TTRS Typing, and Spelling City. Other favorites for multiple ages are Brave Writer or Pathways of Exploration (this can be a complete curriculum for multiple ages – each older kid just goes a bit farther).

Music and davening (praying) with Behrman House

Music: Hebrew in Harmony and classical music studies

Physical Education / Gym: Tae kwon do practice (luckily we have a black belt in the house!) and running on the treadmill, jumping on the trampoline, and biking- just being active kids!

Art: Talya’s Art Studio (live classes for the whole family, only $39 per month for any classes/recordings you want!)

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Homeschooling questions? Here’s help!

August 5, 2020
August 5, 2020

The Torah Home Education conference is help for anyone who isn't sure about their school plans for 2020-2021. — https://torahhomeeducation.com/

I don’t know about you, but my summer sure has been weird. No camp, no fun trips, no friends. Of course, this weird summer follows a weird spring, and is apparently going to be followed by a weird fall.

And that means our school year is likely to be…well, weird.

Yes, we’re homeschoolers. You might think that means nothing changes for us. But it does! I have kids that are very extroverted and want to see other kids all day, and they are really missing those friends. No tae kwon do, no art classes, no in-person Judaic studies, no gymnastics, no co-op, no group nature studies…all of that is out. Our weeks will look totally different.

And yet, it’s probably easier for us because we have some framework for this already. I already work from home, and I already do the bulk of the school here at home, too.

Still, it’s hard. And the end is..uncertain. But not coming quickly!

Lately, my e-mail, Facebook, texts, WhatsApp, and all my other contacts are going crazy because it seems like half the neighborhood is joining us in our homeschooling. It’s great, because it means more friends will be around, but it’s hard because we still won’t get to meet up in person. And the percentage that hasn’t decided to homeschool is on the fence, especially since the schools around here are all going to be online and so many people didn’t like the virtual schooling they got last year.

All of that to ask; do you have questions about homeschooling? Are you considering it? Maybe you don’t know where to find good resources, or you’re worried about socialization, or you are nervous about the state of your house and mindset?

The Torah Home Education (THE) conference is coming! It’s going to be held virtually on August 16, 2020.

This year, the conference presents a full day of expert speakers and panel discussions covering topics that were selected from registrants’ requests. There will be discussions on:

determining if home education is right for your family
transitioning from school to homeschool
educating a child with special needs
online education vs parent-based education
the benefits of homeschooling your teen
and how to create balance between working, home education, and life
vendors and resources for secular and Jewish subjects

If you want to hear me speak, I’m going to be on several of the panels: homeschooling high school, homeschooling middle school, homeschooling multiple ages, working while homeschooling, and house management and homeschooling.

If you’re on the fence, it’s worth it to learn more about it. It’s affordable, too, at $35 for one ticket or $50 for two. (I’m not making any money from this – in fact, I’m volunteering to help set it up! But I am helping and recommending it because the need is great, and I want to help.)

If you’re a vendor who wants to advertise, please get in touch!

Check it out here.

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Jewish homeschoolers (and homeschooler-maybes)

June 15, 2020
June 15, 2020

One of our homeschool rooms in a previous house

My kids have been homeschooled for over a decade already. Wow!

I know that because I have been contacted by a lot of friends about how to do it since COVID-19 made its way into our lives. After a few more got in touch this week thinking ahead for 2020-2021, I thought I’d write out some of my advice. Please add anything else in the comments!

First, crisis homeschooling and planned homeschooling are different. Because you hated or loved crisis homeschooling, possibly involving innumerable Zoom or Team meetings, it doesn’t mean you will hate (or love) planned homeschooling. They are different animals.

That said, getting a taste of what it’s like to be at home more might have given you an idea of what works (or doesn’t) for you and your family.

Each kid is different, and each state/country is different. If you are considering homeschooling, the first thing to do is look up what your requirements are. Some states/countries are lenient and some are more strict, and that will absolutely affect your options.

The state I live in requires regular instruction in a core set of subjects. You can be supervised directly by the county or by an umbrella group. Then you have to notify your county of your intent to homeschool (or continue homeschooling) and track enough so you can meet the requirements. There are different options, but the point is that you have to choose! You can’t just skip this part. Once you’re official…

Think about your goals. For my high schooler, we want an accredited diploma. So he keeps his hand in some of our activities and learns history on his own for fun, but he also spends most of his time at the computer working. For my other kids, we do a lot of work together (with age-appropriate follow-up work), workbooks, projects, and classes. Different kids have different classes outside the house. I sit down and talk with each kid about strengths and weaknesses and we plan what to do. They are involved and it’s a team effort. But in general, how involved do can the adult be? How much movement does the child need? Do they learn well from workbooks? Do they need outside time or friend time? How much can you budget? All these things affect what you can do.

Things might look different next year. Their regular activities might be canceled. But it’s a cumulative thing, so some time off isn’t the end. While we will miss ballet, tae kwon do, sewing club, art, etc, we’ll have to figure it out as we go.

The benefit of this kind of eclectic schooling is how individualized it is for each kiddo. The detriment is that it can be overwhelming for new homeschoolers!

If you’re new (or feeling overwhelmed):

Reach out to locals and online for support. Even if you can’t see them in person, having someone who knows your situation and reading about others with similar situations can be an important resource. There are homeschooling groups everywhere!
Remember that you can course correct as needed. Give something a reasonable time, and if it isn’t working, try something else. Don’t be a slave to those workbooks!
Try starting small. Especially if your kids are small, what they need most isn’t boxed curriculum. You can work a bit more in at a time as you learn how your child learns best and what they need to learn. If they aren’t small, ease in with a couple of things for a week, then a couple more, until you’re doing what you need to do. The start of the year is always chopping because of the scheduling of the Tishrei holidays. You can make it work for you!
Whether homeschooled, ivy league schooled, or unschooled, know that there are always going to be gaps. It’s unavoidable. If you help a child toward self-sufficiency, they will be more able to fill in those gaps themselves.

With all that said, here are some (secular) resources:

For grades K-12 all in one secular curriculum, try Timberdoodle. I’m not an affiliate, but I really like their all in one packages, and it’s not just workbooks. When I was starting out, I used them, and it helps with anxiety over not covering the right things. (Note: they do have Christian curriculum sets as well, so be sure to select the correct option.)

An all workbook based curriculum bundle is available from CriticalThinking.com, too. We use individual books from them when needed, and they are great, creative workbooks – things like critical thinking, editing, Latin and Greek word roots, etc.

Other all-in-one options:

Power Homeschool: Online secular homeschool option -$25 per student per month! Accredited high school options here.
Easy Peasy All-In-One Homeschool (Something of a Christian bent as well, links from the website.)
Ambleside Online (Charlotte Mason style)
Calvert Homeschool Online (3-12) (Students are lead by a teacher, so less adult involvement)
Edmentum / EdOptions Academy Accredited K-12 (All online, individualized curriculum, done at each student’s own pace, less involvement from adult.)
Others listed on this site: Do some research and see what works for you.

If you are looking to gather your resources and cobble together an individualized curriculum, Cathy Duffy does widely recognized reviews of tons of options. Below are some places I recommend:

Secular

Timberdoodle (for workbooks, kits, games, art sets, etc. – their curriculum bundles are great!)
Handwriting without Tears (HWT) All my kids went through this as they learned to write.
Reading Eggs / Math Seeds (Game-ified reading and math for younger kids)
Art – try Talya’s Art Studio: All the live art classes you can take, plus recordings of past courses for $39/per month – that covers the whole family!
Open Tent Academy: Such a great bunch of classes! They are offered a la carte, but you can cobble together a lot for your kiddo of any age to love. We’ve done the writing (IEW, which is kind of dry but a solid foundation), history, Lego engineering (kid LOVED), Art, study skills, grammar, science, etc. Run by Jewish owners, but secular content that avoids the holidays!
Outschool.com for individual classes in all kinds of subjects.
Kids Cook Real Food – videos and books for your kids to learn to cook! (Or try the free download of 10 snacks kids can cook.)
Local schools – they will often let your kids join after school clubs and activities, and sometimes join for a class or sports team or music session, too. Check the local homeschool groups and lists, too.
Amazon – lots of workbooks and curriculum kits.

Jewish

Melamed Academy : We tried this, but it wasn’t a good fit for us. We needed more contact and different content. There are people who love it, though! Definitely worth a look. In theory, it’s all in one secular and Judaics.
Jewish Online School : Chabad flavor. Students are online at set times, so there is some sense of classmates.
Bonim B’Yachad: Full Jewish and secular curriculum options for 3-12 grade.
Gesher Judaic Studies: Online (live) parsha, reading, and chumash classes.
i-Kodesh: New for 2020-2021, seems to be full Judaic and secular.
Mizrahi Torah Academy: Live classes online, K-8th grade
Jewish Virtual Academy: New 2020-2021 option for Jewish learning for 5-8th grade.
Behrman House : Curriculum and workbooks to be taught. Some online and digital content.
Yahadus Living Lessons: Textbooks and workbooks on halacha and Jewish learning
Bright Beginnings: Chumash and Gemara workbooks
L’havin-u’laskil: Skills based Chumash
Torah4Children: Gemara, Chumash, Kriah, and Hebrew School books and support
Capit-It: Hebrew letters and reading learning
Tel-Am: A great way to learn Hebrew from a Hebrew speaking teacher.
Ani V’Ami: Jewish Homeschooling curriculum – only complete for elementary, but other ages in progress. Great list of books and resources.
Torahtutors.org: Hourly tutoring and teaching options.
Israel Bookshop: They’ll help you choose curriculum and get you sample pages. Great resource!
Local options (We had some local middle school boys meet with a Rabbi to learn 3-4 mornings a week. Put the word out in your community if you are looking for this and see if you can make it happen!)

There’s so much to be said on this, but it can get overwhelming. Start with the big picture and work your way down. And you can always reach out with questions! Homeschoolers are ready to welcome you to the fold for however long you plan to stay.

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Summer!

June 14, 2020
June 14, 2020

Summer 2020 is here! For those of us in the northern hemisphere, at least. After a kind of wonky spring, we were ready.

And it was wonky, even for us homeschoolers. Yes, our schedules were certainly less rocked than many others, but we scheduled our outings and classes to meet the needs of various kids (and their mama!), and we felt the loss of those classes and interactions keenly.

Now we’re off for the summer, but there are no camps as we knew them*, minimal if any trips, and likely no cross country visits to family and friends. So what does summer look like for us?

Every day, each kid has a list to complete. This includes their regular daily chores, a math lesson (we use Teaching Textbooks), 20+ minutes of free reading, and doing something kind for others. They also have a packet of customized math worksheets to do each week (mostly printed off of this site for free!) and a larger chore (e.g. mowing the lawn, edging the yard, leading a lesson for siblings, etc.).

We talked about doing more school through the summer so we could take a longer fall break. You know, when things would be back to normal. But it doesn’t look like things will reliably be back to normal then. My oldest is planning to graduate a year early, and he wants to work through the summer, but the rest of us are done. How to keep kids off electronics and from whining for a big portion of the day?

Enter my four younger kids’ idea to make their own backyard camp!

They made a list of activities and materials, and we are going to be doing a largely kid run camp. I will help with messier projects and with providing materials and oversight, but they want to do it themselves. They are going to be working through a free online cooking camp.I’m sure it won’t be completely smooth, but I’m down to try it out and let them run with it. Anything they come up with and have enthusiasm for is going to be better than other options.

Now if only we could get the library to open – or do scheduled pickups. We’re really missing our library!

*Several online camps are happening: (Add more in the comments if you know of them!)

We are attending this FREE online cooking camp. We have done parts of the course, and this is a push to keep working through it. Sign up quick – it starts on Thursday!
Creative Girls Unite is having an online summer camp from June 29- Aug 7. I don’t know anything about this other than I’ve seen it recommended in a few places. Sounds like fun!
Open Tent Academy is doing several weekly online summer camps – we had a LEGO camper, and he loved it! They also have once weekly classes for different ages (like a CSI Mysteries of History and different age book clubs).

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Sukkot – links, resources, and menu ideas (oh my!)

October 10, 2019
October 10, 2019

I hope everyone had an easy and meaningful fast! Now that we’re ended Yom Kippur, we are ready to jump right back into more mitzvot. It’s time to get ready for Sukkot!

Sukkot is a harvest festival where we live (eat, some sleep) in booths – flimsy, temporary dwellings with a roof where you can see the stars. We shake our 4 species (lulav and etrog) and remember that we are completely in Hashem’s hands. (For more details, check out this summary.) Sukkot begins after sundown October 13 in 2019. Here’s a link to a calendar for you to determine exactly when it falls for you (and times).

Here are my oldest two in our Sukkah in 2011 – I just love this photo! They are a lot bigger now.

Sukkot (or Sukkos, or Succos…)

Sukkot 2011 plan (and checklists)
Sukkot Menu Template (with total cooking plan, blank grocery list, and staples)
Sukkot Menu plan (2011), (2012) and (2013)
Sukkot checklist (for before candlelighting)

Here are some posts that might be useful for you:

While you are working on your menu, here are some other links that might help:

What do you recommend to read around the web for Sukkot? Anything exciting planned?

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Yom Kippur checklist

September 16, 2018
September 16, 2018

Yom Kippur is quickly approaching – in 2018, it starts Tuesday night (Sept 18-19). But preparations should start before that.

Of course, the biggest preparation is spiritual. We’ve been repenting and working on ourselves, especially these last ten days, but there is always more to do. This post will focus on the other things that need to be done.

Here is my checklist: Yom Kippur Checklist (free download in Word so you can adjust as you like – see the content below)

Starting a few days BEFORE the fast, DRINK! Get as fully hydrated as possible.
Spiritual preparation: ask forgiveness from those you have wronged, forgiving those who have wronged you, doing teshuva, and giving extra tzedaka
Clean/prepare white or light clothing for each family member, including kittel if it’s dh’s tradition to wear it, white kippot, and tallit
Set aside your gold jewelry (we don’t need to remember the golden calf now!), a common tradition
Set up any babysitting you will need, or register for that at your shul (here are ideas about what to do at home)
Find or buy machzorim for everyone who needs them, and tehillim or other reading material
Ask about shiurim or any other shailot you have
Yahrzeit candle (if needed)
Set up non leather shoes or slippers for each member of the family
Set up for kapparot if you do it, whether with chickens, money, or something else
If you/dh has the tradition of mikveh erev Yom Kippur, find out times or set up an appointment
Prepare three EASY, not spicy, not salty meals: two for pre-fast and one for post-fast (more ideas here)
Ask for honey cake (lekach) if it is your tradition to do so
Prepare food for kids on Yom Kippur in advance, preferably things they can get themselves or manage with little help from you. (I pack lunches for my kiddos.)
Set up your own candles
Bless your kids: Regular plus priestly blessing and the wish to be sealed in book of life

May you be signed and sealed in the Book of LIFE!

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Rosh Hashanah menu 2018

August 22, 2018
August 22, 2018

I’m finished planning my menu for Rosh Hashanah.

We do a lot of simanim, or “symbols,” (see this post about specifically what we use). I tend to leave a lot of these whole and recognizable, but this year, I’m branching out. Here’s my plan, including links to the recipes:

Challah (and honey, of course!)

Sauteed swiss chard (I do it like this)

Moroccan carrots

Leek and onion puff (Leek patties are another favorite)

Squash tartlets (something like this)

Banana (plain, although I might make banana bread since most of my kids love it)

Dates with couscous (something like this, but no nuts.)

Pomegranate salsa

Black eyed pea / Lubiya relish

Apples with honey

Gummy Fish (I used to do a real fish, but succumbed to this last year for the first time and loved it. It’s so much easier, and people actually eat them!)

Brown sugar rubbed chicken one night, Lamb stew the next

Meringues

Cupcakes

Second Night Shechiyanu special fruit.

——–

Lunches are going to be leftovers of these plus gazpacho and deli meats one meal, baked ziti for the other. Yes, dairy. 😉

I know it sounds like a lot, but it always is when there are so many symbolic foods. I’m not making many things that aren’t simanim to minimize what I can, and we’re sticking with a few things I know people around here will like and trying new recipes, too.

Now if only I could make the time to make that apple rose I’ve seen going around!

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Rosh Hashanah is coming in one month (2018 version)

August 15, 2018
August 15, 2018

Even though summer is still going strong and school hasn’t even started for most of us, it’s time to start thinking about Rosh Hashanah in more concrete terms. I’ve already seen the sale of seats and even lulav and etrog/esrog, so it’s not too early – we’re already in Elul!

For 2018, Rosh Hashana begins on the evening of September 9, which is a Sunday.

Here is what I’ve done or am planning to do in the next couple of weeks:

order seats for shul
pay shul dues (ours have always been due about now for the different shuls we’ve belonged to in our travels)
consider and probably order lulav and etrog for dh (still looking for less expensive “learning” one(s) for kids)
new tzitzit for boys (they always seem to need more)
order pjs for all 5 kids (our tradition–they are always needed around this turn of the seasons!)
order/find needed clothing for kids: new dressy outfits for all, more Shabbat pants for all boys – two outgrew, one ripped through 🙂
purchase new special something for kids–legos? clics? puzzles? Something to add to their simcha (joy).
order/find new something for me (outfit? tichel?)
check with dh about his clothing needs
find and check the kittel, if your dh wears one for Yom Kippur (mine doesn’t, but it’s common)
plan our Rosh Hashanah homeschooling lessons and projects
plan menu (but with all the simanim (special, ritual foods) we use, that’s a whole post by itself!)

This week, I’m also finishing up our yearly homeschooling plans, doing some writing, still teaching college classes, and doing all the usual things – laundry, dishes, feeding people, etc. And trying to squeeze more fun out of the last bits of summer while we can.

Happy mid-August!