Homeschool
We learn, not for school, but for life. ~ Seneca

Seems like just yesterday...

Are you interested in helping children learn at home? Whether you are a full time home teacher or a parent who helps your child with homework from a traditional school, the information and tips you find here can help smooth bumps in the educational road.

What makes this site different from all the other home education websites? Many bright children struggle or fail at school simply because they are being taught in a way that makes it harder for them to learn. They may be creative instead of logical or see the big picture and miss the details. These kids are sometimes classified as "right brained" learners. This site will help you discover if your child is a "right brainer" and will introduce you to activities that engage the right side of the brain as well as the left. (Most traditional school methods favor left brain activities.) If your smart, curious child is struggling with lectures, boring texts and worksheets ~ keep reading!

...but look at them now!

Are you a parent with a student who is struggling at school? Are you exploring alternative education options and ways to help with school assignments at home? Are you looking for information on the pros and cons of homeschooling? Maybe you have made the choice for home education, but are wondering how to start.

Perhaps you have been a home educator for year or two. You have enjoyed many of the benefits, but have also experienced some of the disadvantages of teaching your child at home. Are you looking for curriculum? Ideas to shake up your routine or supplement your child's traditional school curriculum ~ like field trips, or games? Keep reading, you'll find those things here!

Maybe you are a seasoned veteran. Your children are starting high school and you aren't sure what to do. If you've been a home educator for years, you might be just plain weary. Check out the burnout article by Deb Erbach Burger, "graduated" homeschool mother of four, for some encouragement. She also has some great tips for your high school student in the Time Management for Teens article.

Whether you are beginning your journey with a preschooler or a high school student, Homeschool-By-Design has great tips to inspire you in ways that will work for your creative learner.

Why do I call my site Homeschool-by-Design? Everyone has different goals, hopes, and dreams for their children. Every family has a different dynamic. Every child has different interests and capacity for learning. If you consider all the variable factors that effect a person's education, you will realize that one size doesn't fit all. That's the philosophy of the public education system. Homeschooling allows you to design a plan that works for YOUR child. Nobody is better equipped to do that than you.

My children are both "right brained learners" which means that although they did OK in school (while they were there) they didn't thrive and enjoy learning. Most school curriculums use teaching methods that require left brain processing tasks. Since my children have a left brain too (*grin*) they were able to learn the material, but it wasn't always easy. Once I brought them home and researched their learning style, I understood that learning is easier for them and they retain knowledge longer if I just use different teaching strategies.

For children like mine (and perhaps yours) home and the community provide a wider variety of real life learning opportunites that any traditional school would be hard pressed to provide. Homeschooling statistics show that parents can capitalize on that in a way that allows love and learning to go hand in hand.

Designing a plan for YOUR family is a constant learning and adjustment process. Each stage of the journey presents new questions, challenges, joys and milestones. What a joy it is to walk beside our children as they learn!

Alot of sites out there will tell you to get a cup of coffee or tea and spend a few minutes browsing. When I have a cup of tea, I usually end up leaving my computer for a refill or a snack to go with my tea. When I get to the kitchen, I get distracted, my kids get online and surf some other sites, then I can't find where I was when I finally get back! Please don't do that! Spend a few minutes exploring and if you like what you see, sign up for my RSS feed or my free newsletter by e-mail and visit often! Steadily increasing traffic is what sustains me in this endeavor, so please share Homeschool By Design with a friend!

Visit and follow my blog:www.homeschool-by- design.blogspot.com.