Teaching Tuesdays - Sharing Our Homeschool Resources

A Homeschool Meme for Teaching Tuesdays

Nadja, from Path O'Dirt Farm, who inspires me with her faith, homeschooling, photography and family life, has tagged me in a meme. In fact, she tagged me long ago...sigh. We've been "blog friends" for a while now, so I hope she'll forgive my tardiness. I did think it was an interesting meme and have enjoyed reading other's responses over the days, as it made its way around the Catholic homeschooling blogsphere.

Okay, eight questions having to do with home schooling:

One homeschooling book you have enjoyed.
I can't say there was just one. I read a few at the same time and each gave me an ingredient the support I needed. So the recipe would be -

Dr. Mary Kay Clark's Catholic Homeschooling - for it's Church Document support for homeschooling

Sally Clarkson's Educating the WholeHearted Child

Laura Berquist's Design Your Own Classical Curriculum and Teaching Tips

Kimberly Hahn & Mary Hasson's Catholic Education: Homeward Bound - for the Heaven not Harvard focus

Keeping it Catholic 's The Foundations of Catholic Home Education Vol.1

Karen Andreola's Charlotte Mason Companion - for the gentle art of learning and focus on living books

These books have framed my perspective.

One resource you wouldn't be without.
Easy, the Internet!

How did homeschoolers survive without it? I have access to curriculum, curriculum reviews, the online services of my curriculum supplier, other homeschoolers and support groups, youtube and other educational sites for answers and videos.

I would be impeded without all that it adds to our experience. It's my teacher's aide and then some!

One resource you wish you never bought.
Hmm...this one has me thinking.

While my kids liked starting with Math-U-See dvds, knowing now that we'd be using Saxon as they got older, I wish I had used Saxon and Saxon Teacher discs for them at younger ages, like 4/5. Prior to that, we use Teaching Textbooks and before 3rd grade Seton or MCP math. Also, I recently purchased Art Reed's DVDs to go along with Saxon Algebra 2 . My student liked Art Reed but found that his way of solving the problem was different than the way that the Saxon Teacher DVD solved it. That became confusing and frustrating. So we're sticking with the Saxon Teacher since Art Reed doesn't have DVDs yet for solutions, like Saxon Teacher does...and we need!

One resource you enjoyed last year.
We used Kolbe's Prentice Hall Biology last year. While we missed the ability to have a TA or LS class via Mother of Diving Grace, we did like the multi-media offerings of this program. There were online labs and links suggested and testing that could be graded with the discs.

Also, I am glad I purchased Christopher Baglow's Faith, Science & Reason book for Catholic Science. It's a great reference for when Science and Faith issues intersect.

One resource you will be using next year.
Next year I would like my 10th and 12th grader to take this Formal Logic class online with Homeschool Connections. We've had a summer webinar with them before and want to use this Catholic option again.

One resource you would like to buy.
No hesitation....Ipads, for all.

Also, I would like to have a way to project my laptop screen on a big screen to my students.

One resource you wish existed.
Like my friend, Nadja, I would love for my kids to have piano and guitar lessons that easily fit in to our schedule...a home gym, and a Catholic Church with a daily Latin Mass within walking distance...

One homeschool catalog you enjoy reading.
Emmanuel Books. When I need to look at curriculum, I really appreciate their reviews and they are like no other. The owner, Paola, has used the curriculum and a phone call with her is like having a homeschool consultant. She can uniquely guide you.

Tag six other homeschool bloggers!
I have the feeling that, at this point, many have answered this meme. So, if you haven't please receive this tag and let me know. I'll look forward to your comment so I can come read your answers.