math

In homeschooling vernacular, expensive is a relative term. While the average cost is about $500 a year per child, this goes down a bit in families with more children, since resources can be shared, membership costs are not multiplied, etc. If your children have been in private school for $4,000–10,000 a year per child, you’re probably planning a vacation with your homeschooling savings and are only reading this article to kill some time! But if they’ve been in a conventional school setting or are just beginning school, it’s prudent of you to count the cost, to be prepared. You’ll want to invest in your core curriculum materials first, then add other items as your budget allows

It is possible to homeschool with just a Bible and a library card, but most of us will add a bit. I was able to homeschool seven children at a time for less than $100 in a year, once I had accumulated a few non-consumable resources. Here are a few ideas to homeschool on a shoestring budget:

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In the animal kingdom 50% of the animals are “right paw dominant” and 50% are “left paw dominant.” This has been observed when animals press a lever to get more food or water. Human beings are 50% right brain dominant and 50% left brain dominant, regardless of hand dominance.

As we know, the majority of school curriculum and teaching methods are taught in a left brain manner. This is particularly true of math curriculum. Left brain dominant children learn their math facts easily by repeating them orally, practicing them in timed tests, and working with flash cards. This is the sequential way that works for the left brain learner.  The right brain dominant child, however, likes and often requires a different approach both to memorizing facts and performing calculation procedures.

Let’s look at a model of the brain with its specialization of hemispheres:

LEFT BRAIN - AUDITORY
Details
Black & white
Data only
Repetition
Sequential

RIGHT BRAIN - VISUAL
Whole picture
Colors
Rhythm, pictures
...

Dear Friends,

If you are graduating a senior this month, congratulations! It's a milestone in your teen's life, but also an achievement in your life, too. We appreciate the time and effort you've invested in your teen, and we pray that the Lord blesses you both in this next season. (Watch for an upcoming article in HSLDA's Court Report magazine that will provide ideas and reflections on life after homeschooling.)

For those of you continuing to teach high school in September, it's likely that you are in the midst of choosing the subjects you will teach. In previous newsletters, we've discussed high school English, science, foreign language and history. In this edition of...