The New School Year

One week and one day left...

Preparations have been a slow and steady process, rather than a quick rushed gathering of books and such. It's actually been quite a smooth process. I haven't been writing as much as I'd like to, but a little prep now will afford me lots of free time later.

I thought I'd put up a few of the homeschooling resources I've found helpful. So without further ado:

• HomeschoolReviews.com - Parents review curriculum and programs that they've actually tried. This is a great way to get info on which books would work best for your child.
• ColoringBookFun.com - Free printable pages with every imaginable characters/subjects you can imagine; from Hello Kitty to Bible stories.
• Used Curriculum Forum at About.com - A new forum and a great ebay substitute.
• Multiplication.com - Games, flash cards, printables, and more.
• Family Learning Organization (FLO) - This site will send standardized tests and supplies, score the results electronically, and get you the results in great time. You choose when to test and you are the "Proctor" while the FLO is the "Administrator." We used this last year - highly recommended!

Well -those are the only national sites I could really post, they're in my sidebar too. I've just joined a co-op in my area that does field trips, events, and something called Friday School. It's a parent taught program that meets every Friday. The kids can enroll in 3 classes, one hour each, for each session. The whole thing begins with chapel, which includes worship and a brief message. Then - off to class. The classes themselves range from horseback riding to horticulture. I think it'll be a really fun program for my daughter.

I also found a Yahoo group for homeschoolers in my area. I highly recommend trying to find an online group for your own area. It's great! Parents post events they hear of and provide helpful hints and tips, as well as giving you a safe place to ask those questions we all have rattling around in our brains.

This year will definitely be full of new adventures!