Homeschool Buyers Co-op

Recently, I joined a group online called the Homeschool Buyers Co-op. It was free to join. What the co-op offers is a chance to join with other homeschoolers who are purchasing curriculum to try to get better prices with purchasing power. I would have loved to have something like this when I was first starting out with homeschooling. I spent countless hours trying to find good deals on appropriate and good curricular materials.

One in particular,that I wanted to get a few years ago was the Weekly Reader.

At that time I couldn't afford the subscription and looked for alternative materials. However, just last week the co-op offered an opportunity to power purchase Weekly Reader through the co-op.

As I haven't had a need for curriculum this year, I haven't purchased anything through the co-op so I can't say much on the intricate workings of the co-op but I thought I'd mention the opportunity. I think it is a great idea and if I was just starting out I would definitely be more active on the co-op.

Happy Homeschooling!

Oh, if you join the co-op let me know how you like it.

Phonics Download

I get really excited when I find great resources for homeschoolers, especially if they are for FRRRREEE. Ok, I love that line from the movie Bedtime Stories but I'll try not to overuse it.

Today, I stumbled across a website that has several free downloads and one of them is The Phonetic Reader by Charles W. Deane. It reminds me of the McGuffey's Eclectic Readers.

The site does require a free registration. However, it is a wonderful site packed with inspiration and resources. I definitely think The Christian Homeschool Hub is worth checking out. Once registered you can access the download page for The Phonetic Reader.

Hope you are enjoying your day!

Health: Eating Healthy

You've heard these quips-"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day" or "You are what you eat."

An Amazing Site for Science and Math Education

Having a rough day or two or are you not able to get through the lesson or explain it to your child so that she/he can understand it? I've had several of those days lately. However, I did come across an amazing site that has been more than helpful and even better it is all free.

The site is called Khan Academy. I don't know why I always think about Star Trek when I think of this site... but I do. Perhaps because it is a very logical, scientific and useful site and way cool!

Anyways, this site contains a multitude of links to videos. It is organized by subject and the videos load quickly and are of a high quality. The teacher explains the concepts quickly and in an enjoyable manner.

It is a growing open source project on a mission of providing a world class education to anyone or everyone. I admire the creators of this site that want to create a free classroom for the world! Thank you, Khan Academy.