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Google can only go so far when you’re looking for supplementation and curriculum ideas as a homeschool parent. When you have a gifted or 2e kiddo, the selection process becomes even more difficult. An 8-year-old gifted child who is highly interested in history can easily soar to a high school level ability, and that presents it’s own social-emotional problems when looking for material that would be appropriate. Then there are the dollar signs that quickly add up when looking for creative and interesting ideas. Not to mention the fact that who has time to do all that looking?
Enter ClickSchooling.com with hand-picked resources that let you and your child take a virtual tour that explains how milk is made from cow to carton; get history period resources for ages 8-18; watch archeology videos; play interactive, fun, and challenging math games and logic puzzles; learn Mandarin Chinese basics—all for free. The people at ClickSchooling.com do all the research and give you reviews and information on what each recommended site offers. They, of course, recommend parents preview the sites, but they also include things that a parent would need to investigate properly like what entity supports the site and whether the information presented is accurate. It’s free to sign up, and it will also include curriculum opportunities available on Homeschool Buyers Co-op, the sponsors of this daily newsletter. Find them at http://clickschooling.com
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As gifted/2e homeschoolers, we know that every child is different and requires a different approach to learning. As consumers, we know that capitalism assures a certain level of diversity as well. (How else can we explain the vast wall of breakfast cereals that torture our decision-challenged kiddos?)
Another thing we know as gifted/2e homeschoolers is that one could go bankrupt amassing all the materials we’d like to offer our amazing students. Microscopes, math manipulatives, libraries, and so much more for little minds that go lightening fast. Consider, then, the challenge of finding all those curricular options, putting them in one place, and making them affordable. As it happens, there is a resource out there that does that well. Homeschool Buyers Co-op researches homeschooling curriculum options and chooses a handful of the best. Then they negotiate deep discounts on those chosen few to offer their members. Beyond that, they maintain a database of free homeschool resources, a summer reading program, and a list of field trip destinations throughout the US and Canada. They even have a frequent buyer point program. Check them out and let us know what you think. Our children didn't come with manuals, and neither did our choice to homeschool them. We have taken our uncommon kiddos down a path that isn't the common public or private school choice, and no state entity is tasked with making sure we have the help we need to make things run smoothly. But, even if there aren't gifted or 2e kiddos at home, Washington homeschooling parents need to be kept up-t0-date on important information like state laws, student opportunities, education resources, and much more.
With that, though, there is one group out there who can help. Washington Homeschool Organization is a nonprofit organization intent on providing assistance and information to the state's homeschooling families. I don't know about you, but, while I would find it very interesting, I just don't have enough time to "keep abreast of legislative developments" that would affect me as a homeschooler, and my circle is too small to provide enough assistance to "parents who are considering homeschooling" or "resource information and support" to those already homeschooling. Washington Homeschool Organization can and does do that and much more. Check out their website and Facebook page, and, next month, check out their conference. I'll be there as well, manning the NWGCA information table in the Exhibit Hall and stepping out to give two workshops. Be sure to stop by and say hello! |
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