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Gabrielle’s Journey

November 19, 2014 By Dianna

by Kim Blum-Hyclak

My daughter, Gabrielle, graduated several years ago. She had been homeschooled from the beginning, not conforming to the boundaries of a typical education. As a family, we started our homeschooling adventure under the philosophy of John Holt, a pioneer in the homeschool movement. We agreed that children have a natural curiosity. Given the right tools, environment, and encouragement, children can learn what they need to know without much “help” from us. We allowed Gabrielle, as well as her siblings, to follow their interests and have not been disappointed in their academic endeavors. Sometimes frustrated, but never disappointed!

While not following a typical “college preparatory” curriculum, Gabrielle still managed to earn all the necessary credits for graduation, and more. She had always known that college was an option, but not the only one. Her interests and her heart had always been in ministry, and that’s the path her high school studies prepared her for. [Read more…]

My House is a Mess!

November 19, 2014 By Dianna

by Kim Blum-Hyclak

My house is a mess. I want to get down to the business of schoolwork with my children, but the clutter is getting in the way. Colorful Legos dot the floor like land mines ready to be stepped on. Books have escaped the prison of the shelves and lie open, hiding in freedom in the stairway alcove. The box of craft supplies exploded and the debris lies in creative concentric circles. The two dishes I left in the sink last night mated. Their offspring now enjoy the run of the table and the counter top. The piles of laundry I lovingly folded now lean like a famous monument, inching their way to the edges of the washer and dryer.

I survey the damage and feel overwhelmed. I yearn for the day when I can sit at the table with my kids and their lessons and open their minds to all the wonderful “stuff” the world has to offer, without the distractions that our daily living heaps upon us.

But after years of homeschooling, I know this is not the dream I want realized. I am living my dream. [Read more…]

Virtual and Lending Libraries

November 19, 2014 By Dianna

Looking for resources to enhance your curriculum? Here’s a list of virtual libraries and free streaming websites available to homeschool families in South Carolina:

South Carolina Libraries & Education Sites

One of my favorite resources is SCLends, a consortium of 20 county libraries and the SC State Library that share resources. If a book I want isn’t at my local library, I have 20 other libraries in SC to draw from. I just place a hold on the book online, and it’s delivered to my local library for me. If your library is a member – thank them! If they’re not, ask them to join.

The SC Public Libraries website lists contact information for South Carolina libraries, with website links to many.

DISCUS, South Carolina’s virtual library, is free for SC residents and includes many databases and online encyclopedias. Call your local library to get the ID and password.

KnowItAll.org is SC ETV’s K-12 educational portal. It contains a collection of interactive websites for students, teachers, and parents.

Free Lending Libraries

Books for the Blind is a library of Braille and audio materials circulated to eligible borrowers by postage-free mail.

Described and Captioned Media Program offers a library of closed-captioned media to students who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind. It includes streamed media and media delivered by postage-free mail.