Kerry Beck's Blog

Today I have guest author, Michelle Caskey, sharing ideas on how to homeschool boys through making lessons fun.

by Michelle Caskey

As a general rule, the attention span of boys tends to be shorter than that of girls. Obviously this varies with each child. There are more boys who suffer from ADHD. And even boys who have wonderful powers of focus still have a tendency to move, bounce, fiddle with objects, look around, and generally want to be on the move.

Fortunately, it is possible to promote a healthy environment for your boys which will be more conducive for their homeschooling. Consider these lifestyle choices to better keep your son’s attention:

Organize your day – A consistent routine is good for all children and especially for boys and/or those who might struggle with ADHD.

Turn off the TV – Keep TV watching and listening to the radio to a minimum. Children need quiet times without background noise in order to think, listen, and read to their full potential.

Consistent Bedtimes – Set an early bedtime, one which will allow your child to get plenty of sleep. If your child is getting 8 hours of sleep per night or less, they are NOT getting adequate rest at night. Children need a surprising amount of sleep. See the chart below to determine what time your son should be getting to bed each night for optimum performance.

Breakfast – Make sure your child has a hearty breakfast and a multi-vitamin. Having a well-balanced breakfast will help them to think more clearly and not get as tired during their studies.

Discipline – Provide consistent discipline for your children. Set a few clear rules and stick to them. If your sons are well disciplined during regular life, they will also be much better disciplined during school hours.

Your son’s attention span should be at least 3-5 minutes long for each year of his age. So the typical kindergartener should be able to stay on task for at least 15 minutes. When we are homeschooling boys, there are several things we can do to help increase the attention span of boys as well as their enjoyment for learning:

Breaks – Take a break between topics and allow your boys to get up, stretch, run down the hall… even to run a few laps around the house. Including some activities for boys such as these will allow them to release their pent up energy will go a long way towards helping them to stay focused while they study.

Change it up – Boys get easily bored with the same information or the same methods. If they understand a topic, move on. You can go back and review later to make sure that they fully grasp the information. If you review over and over with boys they will become bored and their minds will disengage. Also, try new techniques with boys. If you usually do math worksheets, try having them answer orally or on the computer. This will help them to remain interested and will certainly increase the attention span of boys.

Control – Boys love to feel that they have at least some control over their studies. Give your sons several choices that you would be happy with and let them make some of the decisions. Or let them decide which subject they are going to tackle next. When boys are given this kind of freedom, you will find yourself struggling with them less throughout the day.

Interest Area – The greatest motivator for boys is to teach them something that interests them. Let your boys pick topics they are interested in and then allow them to explore them fully. They can do this in addition to their regular studies or during breaks. Their excitement for all of their studies will increase when they are allowed to pursue things they love as well.

Manipulatives – Give your boys objects that they can taste, touch, smell and see. Boys learn well with tactile and kinesthetic learning; so, the more of their senses you can incorporate into activities for boys, the more understanding and enjoyment they will have of their lessons.

Movement - Ensure lots of opportunities for movement. Boys have lots of energy. If you allow them to expend this energy in accepted ways, they will be less likely to act out when it isn’t appropriate.

Spread Out - Rather than keep your boys confined to a desk, let your boys spread out at a table, on the floor, or on the couch. If boys are allowed to move around a bit while doing their book work or papers, you will find that they will get their work done more quickly and with less resistance.

Silly Stuff - If you’re finding it hard to hold the attention of your sons, try speaking in a silly voice or acting goofy as you are presenting the information. Injecting a little bit of unexpected humor into your presentations can really grab and hold the interest of boys.

Talk Breaks – Provide frequent talk breaks for your boys to minimize disruptions. Boys have lots of questions – make sure you give them opportunities to ask these questions and to probe as deeply into a topic as they would like.

Visuals – Use lots of visuals to maintain interest. Most boys learn visually, so seeing the information will make it easier for them to learn that just hearing the information.

Incorporate these tips into your school day and watch the attention span of boys in your house increase. With a little bit of creativity, homeschooling boys can be a rewarding experience for both you and your sons.

Michelle Caskey is a homeschooling mom and the author of “Learn & Grow: Hands-On Lessons for Active Preschoolers” and “Teach Me About God: Hands-On Bible Lessons for Active Preschoolers.” For more information about
homeschooling boys or about her books visit her website at www.homeschool-your-boys.com.

I read this a few weeks ago and planned to put it on my blog before Father’s Day, but I forgot.  We’re in Turkey and I got my Sundays mixed up.  So, better late than never.

I hope it encourages you in your parenting this week.

Father Forgets:

Listen, son: I am saying this as you lie asleep, one little paw crumpled under your cheek and the blond curls stickily wet on your damp forehead. I have stolen into your room alone. Just a few minutes ago, as I sat reading my paper in the library, a stifling wave of remorse swept over me. Guiltily I came to your bedside.

There are the things I was thinking, son: I had been cross to you. I scolded you as you were dressing for school because you gave your face merely a dab with a towel. I took you to task for not cleaning your shoes. I called out angrily when you threw some of your things on the floor.

At breakfast I found fault, too. You spilled things. You gulped down your food. You put your elbows on the table. You spread butter too thick on your bread. And as you started off to play and I made for my train, you turned and waved a hand and called, ‘Goodbye, Daddy!’ and I frowned, and said in reply, ‘Hold your shoulders back!’

Then it began all over again in the late afternoon. As I came up the road I spied you, down on your knees, playing marbles. There were holes in your stockings. I humiliated you before your boyfriends by marching you ahead of me to the house. Stockings were expensive – and if you had to buy them you would be more careful! Imagine that, son, from a father!

Do you remember, later, when I was reading in the library, how you came in timidly, with a sort of hurt look in your eyes? When I glanced up over my paper, impatient at the interruption, you hesitated at the door. ‘What is it you want?’ I snapped.You said nothing, but ran across in one tempestuous plunge, and threw your arms around my neck and kissed me, and your small arms tightened with an affection that God had set blooming in your heart and which even neglect could not wither. And then you were gone, pattering up the stairs.

Well, son, it was shortly afterwards that my paper slipped from my hands and a terrible sickening fear came over me. What has habit been doing to me? The habit of finding fault, of reprimanding – this was my reward to you for being a boy. It was not that I did not love you; it was that I expected too much of youth. I was measuring you by the yardstick of my own years.

And there was so much that was good and fine and true in your character. The little heart of you was as big as the dawn itself over the wide hills. This was shown by your spontaneous impulse to rush in and kiss me good night. Nothing else matters tonight, son. I have come to your bedside in the darkness, and I have knelt there, ashamed!

It is a feeble atonement; I know you would not understand these things if I told them to you during your waking hours. But tomorrow I will be a real daddy! I will chum with you, and suffer when you suffer, and laugh when you laugh. I will bite my tongue when impatient words come. I will keep saying as if it were a ritual: ‘He is nothing but a boy – a little boy!’

I am afraid I have visualized you as a man. Yet as I see you now, son, crumpled and weary in your cot, I see that you are still a baby. Yesterday you were in your mother’s arms, your head on her shoulder. I have asked too much, too much.

- W. Livingston Larned

Reprinting a post from several years ago…Enjoy!

“I’m bored, there’s nothing to do!” I’m sure you’ve never heard that in your home!

Have you ever read the book by Peter Spier, Bored, Nothing To Do? It’s about two brothers who are bored so their mom sends them outside to do “something”. Out in the garage, they build an airplane and fly it…If you haven’t read the book, go to your library and grab a copy. Whether you’re 6, 16 or 36, you’ll enjoy it. I think I’ll go read it again!

The airplane “project” results from boredom. There are two solutions to your kids’ boredom I want to share with you. I think both have positive outcomes for your children this summer and hope you will share these with your friends & family.

Last fall I read an article by our local librarian. She made the point that boredom in children produces creativity. Think about it. When your children are bored, they often find something to do on their own. It takes creativity to imagine and invent your own “project”. Remember the 2 brothers in Spier’s book. They were bored and definitely used their creativity to build & fly an airplane.

With this in mind, you need to provide stimulating resources for your children. Resources can be as simple as the sticks in the backyard or more involved like craft baskets or lego boxes. When they are bored, they can use those resources as they spark their own imagination to overcome boredom. Usually, kids will find something to do because they don’t want to be bored.

Allowing your children to overcome boredom with their own creative projects allows you to see your children’s real passions and interests.

Another solution to boredom is pointing out places your children could go to cure their boredom. If your son simply sits on the couch staring at the ceiling, remind him of the boxes of legos in his closet or the race track pieces under his bed. When your daughter lies on her bed with nothing to do, mention the basket of art supplies in the family room. You get the idea.

I realize busy moms don’t always have time to remember suggestions for your kids to encourage creativity. Here’s a list I share every summer with my subscribers. Not only do I share it with my subscribers, I read it myself and choose a few I’d like to do with my own children.

You can print the list, cut them out and put each one in a jar. Let your kids choose one when they are “bored”. By the way, this list was sent to me years ago and I don’t know its origin.

You can print the list, cut them out and put each one in a jar. Let your kids choose one when they are “bored”. By the way, this list was sent to me years ago and I don’t know its origin.In no particular order,
1. ride bikes
2. roller blade
3. basketball
4. play board games
5. make a tent out of blankets
6. squirt with hoses
7. run through the sprinkler
8. jump rope
9. read books
10. blow bubbles
11. make homemade play dough
12. play with play dough
13. press flowers
14. do crafts with pressed flowers
15. write a letter to a relative, friend or pen pal
16. clean bedroom
17. vacuum livingroom
18. clean bathroom
19. make a craft
20. draw
21. color
22. paint
23. pull weeds
24. watch a movie
25. write stories
26. use binoculars
27. use magnifying glass
28. use microscope
29. bird watching
30. write a play
31. act out a play
32. invent circus acts
33. perform a circus
34. play card games
35. make art on the front walkway with sidewalk chalk
36. play catch
37. play baseball
38. collect rocks
39. collect leaves
40. collect feathers
41. play Frisbee
42. make Frisbee’s out of old plastic lids, decorate with markers
43. dust the house
44. brush the pet
45. write letters
46. read a magazine
47. play dress-up
48. play Cowboys
49. pick vegetables
50. play outside with the pet
51. build a fort in your rooms
52. build a fort in the backyard
53. do a jigsaw puzzle
54. play on the Geosafari
55. play on the computer
56. listen to a story or book on tape
57. do extra schoolwork to get ahead
58. do brain teasers (ie:crosswords,word searches,etc.)
59. cook
60. prepare lunch
61. surprise a neighbor with a good deed
62. play store
63. prepare a “restaurant” lunch with menus
64. hold a tea party
65. have a Teddy bear picnic
66. play with toy cars
67. play dolls
68. play house
69. chase butterflies
70. collect caterpillars and bugs
71. plant a garden or a pot
72. collect seeds
73. hunt for four-leaf clovers
74. learn magic tricks
75. put on a magic show
76. plant a container garden
77. sprout seeds or beans
78. make sock puppets
79. put on a puppet show
80. make Christmas presents
81. make homemade wrapping paper
82. make homemade gift cards
83. make picture frames from twigs glued onto sturdy cardboard
84. crochet or knit
85. make doll clothes
86. sew buttons in designs on old shirts
87. run relay races
88. make bookmarks
89. take a quiet rest time
90. take a shower or bath
91. bathe a pet
92. feed the birds or squirrels
93. watch the clouds
94. organize a dresser drawer
95. clean under the bed
96. empty dishwasher
97. vacuum under the couch cushions and keep any change found
98. write these ideas on pieces of paper and pick out one or two to do
99. whittle
100. whittle bars of soap
101. practice musical instruments
102. perform a family concert
103. teach yourself to play musical instrument (recorder, harmonica, guitar)
104. fold laundry
105. sweep kitchen or bathroom floors
106. sweep front walkway
107. sweep or spray back patio
108. sweep or spray driveway
109. wash car
110. vacuum car
111. vacuum or dust window blinds
112. clean bathroom mirrors
113. clean sliding glass doors
114. clean inside of car windows
115. wash bicycles
116. clean garage
117. play in the sandbox
118. build a sandcastle
119. work with clay
120. copy your favorite book illustration
121. design your own game
122. build with blocks or Legos
123. create a design box (copper wire, string, odds-and- ends of things destined for the garbage, pom-poms, thread, yarn,etc.)
124. plan a neighborhood or family Olympics
125. have a marble tournament
126. paint a picture with lemon juice on white paper and hang it in a sunny window and see what happens in a few days
127. finger paint with pudding
128. make dessert
129. make dinner
130. give your pet a party
131. paint the sidewalk with water
132. start a journal of summer fun
133. start a nature diary
134. have a read-a-thon with a friend or sibling
135. have a neighborhood bike wash
136. play flashlight tag
137. play Kick the Can
138. check out a science book and try some experiments
139. make up a story
140. arrange photo albums
141. find bugs and start a collection
142. do some stargazing
143. decorate bikes or wagons and have a neighborhood parade
144. catch butterflies and then let them go
145. play hide-and-seek
146. create a symphony with bottles and pans and rubber bands
147. listen to the birds sing
148. try to imitate bird calls
149. read a story to a younger child
150. find shapes in the clouds
151. string dry noodles or O-shaped cereals into a necklace
152. glue noodles into a design on paper
153. play hopscotch
154. play jacks
155. make up a song
156. make a teepee out of blankets
157. write in your journal
158. find an ant colony and spill some food and watch what happens
159. play charades
160. make up a story by drawing pictures
161. draw a cartoon strip
162. make a map of your bedroom, house or neighborhood
163. call a friend
164. cut pictures from old magazines and write a story
165. make a collage using pictures cut from old magazines
166. do a secret service for a neighbor
167. plan a treasure hunt
168. make a treasure map
169. make up a “Bored List” of things to do
170. plan a special activity for your family
171. search your house for items made in other countries and then
learn about those countries from the encyclopedia or online
172. plan an imaginary trip to the moon
173. plan an imaginary trip around the world, where would you want to go
174. write a science-fiction story
175. find a new pen pal
176. make up a play using old clothes as costumes
177. make up a game for practicing math facts
178. have a Spelling Bee
179. make up a game for practicing spelling
180. surprise an elderly neighbor or relative by weeding his/her garden
181. fingerpaint with shaving cream
182. collect sticks and mud and build a bird’s nest
183. write newspaper articles for a pretend newspaper
184. put together a family newsletter
185. write reviews of movies or plays or tv shows or concerts you
see during the summer
186. bake a cake
187. bake a batch of cookies
188. decorate a shoe box to hold your summer treasures
189. make a hideout or clubhouse
190. make paper airplanes
191. have paper airplane races
192. learn origami
193. make an obstacle course in your backyard
194. make friendship bracelets for your friends
195. make a wind chime out of things headed for the garbage
196. paint your face
197. braid hair
198. play tag
199. make a sundial
200. make food sculptures (from pretzels, gumdrops, string licorice, raisins, cream cheese, peanuts, peanut butter, etc.) and then eat it
201. make a terrarium
202. start a club
203. take a nap outside on your lawn
204. produce a talent show
205. memorize a poem
206. recite a memorized poem for your familyHave a wonderful summer!Please share this list as part of the entire article with the bio below. It would mean a great deal to me for others to have it.———————–

To get ready for the next school year, pick up Kerry Beck’s free audio workshop at Home School Material. This summer she also gives you a free report, “How to Get It All Done” at Homeschool Curriculum.
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We have lots of used books and curriculum. Instead of taking them to the used bookstore we want to help homeschool moms that read this blog.

Take advantage of these special prices by clicking the title of any of the items. That will automatically put them in your shopping cart. This is a first come first serve sale. Most items have only 1 copy. We will do our best to keep this page updated.

Feel free to share this post with your friends and family.

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Saxon Algebra 1 Kit by John H. Saxon Jr. — 3rd Edition – USED

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Includes the following:

Student Textbook
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Cambridge Latin Course: Unit 1 by Ed Phinney — 3rd Edition
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Saxon Advanced Math Set by John H. Saxon Jr — 2nd edition – USED

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Includes the following:
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Today I have guest author, Janice Campbell, sharing on time management.

by Janice Campbell

I love Monday– it’s my favorite day of the week!

From the pinnacle of Monday morning, there stretches before me a string of four perfect days at home. From now until Friday, I’m able to focus on home and to be with my family, doing the ordinary tasks of home life– setting the house in order, working on home and garden projects, making meals to nourish my loved ones, writing to communicate with others. This is my life, and I love it.

It’s not an accident that I enjoy four unblemished days each week. It began years ago when our children were small and I discovered that life went more smoothly when we organized our time. The most important things in our lives happened at home, so we made it a point to designate only one day of the week for errands. This left four uncluttered days for living, one day of the weekend for fellowship, and one day of the weekend for projects or family pursuits.

Time management makes life so much easier. Instead of a series of days broken and fragmented by disorganized errands, home days have a pleasant rhythm and routine that ensures that there’s a time for everything. Errand day begins with a list, and items are checked off one by one.

There was great wisdom in our grandmother’s weekly routine. It often looked something like this:

• Monday- Laundry
• Tuesday- Ironing
• Wednesday- Baking
• Thursday- Errands
• Friday- Yard Work

My own grandmother was amazingly organized in her homemaking tasks. Our home was always sparkling clean, but what I remember most was that every day after lunch she had time for a little nap, some handwork, a bit of reading, and time outside. Her time had been so well organized that she was never rushed or untidy.

If you’re struggling with days that feel fragmented, try setting aside only one day a week for errands. Then create weekly routines that will help you feel more organized and less stressed. We used to do school in the morning, and home tasks in the afternoon, and family time in the evening, and that is a simple routine that still works.

I’ll revisit this topic again, as I think it’s critical if you want to make time for things that matter. But now, it’s almost 2:00 p.m., and time for my daily visit with my grandmother. If you’d like to read more about planning and organizing, be sure to look at the reviews of organizational books in previous posts.

Monday is beautiful!