FAQ - Teaching

Q: Do I need to be a certified teacher to teach my own children?

A: No, you do not. There is nothing in either the CRS laws nor the Option 3 requirements that dictates the requirements for our teachers. The State’s homeschool laws require parents to have a high school diploma or GED to teach K-8 and at least a B.S. to teach high school. However, a CRS is NOT under these laws. Therefore we have set this teaching requirement: At least one parent-teacher living in the teaching home must possess a high school diploma or GED to teach K-12. This is not a requirement of the Church-related laws, section 49-50-801 of Tennessee Code Annotated. This is a requirement set by our board of directors. If you do not meet this HLA teaching requirement email admin@homelifeacademy.com or call (901) 380-9220 for information about Sponsorships.

If you are registered only with HLA and NOT with the state of TN this is ALL that is required to teach high school (testing is also NOT required. See Testing Questions). Operating exclusively under a church-related school is commonly referred to as Option 3. If you are registered with the State and with HLA (Option 2), or registered just with the state (Option 1), you ARE required to have a Bachelor's degree to teach high school and you ARE required to administer standardized tests.

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Q: How many hours a day do we have to teach?

A: The church-related law ( http://homelifeacademy.com/tca_49_50_801.htm ) states: "Church-related schools shall be conducted for the same length of time as public schools." Public school law states: "four hours a day, 180 days a year." However, the law does not dictate what is considered "time." Therefore, we consider ANY education activity, lesson, field trip, game, etc., as "time" toward the 4 hours a day and 180 days a year.

Our hope and prayer is that this goal will be easy to reach because learning is enjoyable. If, for example, your plan was to cover fractions one day but your son or daughter saw a picture of a skeleton in the dessert and you ended up on Biology and Geography for three hours that is perfectly fine. The teachable moments should almost always take precedent over the planned ones. This is the best way to ensure your students will retain a Heart for Learning ( http://www.homelifeacademy.com/heart_for_learning.php ). If you need or want to call it a day after only three hours because you have a doctors appointment or need to run errands (or something of this nature) that is fine. The next day you may go way over four hours learning a wide variety of things.

Bottom line is we do not want you to feel like the four hours a day or 180 days a year is something that is hanging over your head. We do not want the students to be thinking, “OK, I can make it...only an hour and 1/2 left.” Or, “OK, we only have 32 days of school to go and I'll be FREE!!!” Instead we desire that every student, regardless of their age, enjoy learning the same as they did when they were 3, 4 and 5 years old. And we desire that every HLA teacher be a guide and a friend on this journey.

“We were wondering how to count attendance? Somedays, we do everything I planned for several days in a few hours and other days we don't do as much but it takes a lot more time.

“Also, can other things besides just "books" count as learning? Sometimes our kids spend time counting, sorting, making shapes with different toys. With younger children, I know they need to do things like this, but wasn't sure if it should be classified play or schoolwork.

“Also, how much should we be keeping in terms of records?Thank you very much.”

We have many first-time home educators ask this question. Below, I've pasted a link from our FAQ that deals with this issue. Our Elementary counselor, Lynn Knowlton, answered a very similar question and posted her response. Please read this response: http://homelifeacademy.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=133. It is very good and really gets at the heart of home education: if you're idea of education is that all the world's your classroom, and your child is learning in every experience, then the 180 days will just fly by. In fact, you will end up with many more days! If you teach some days and take a few days off, that's ok too. That's the beauty of Home education!

I have a 2 1/2 year old (Nathan) and a 1 yr. old (Zachary). I consider everything that Nathan does "learning". When he watches Dora or Blue's Clues, he's learning thinking skills. When he's playing with his Little People play sets, he's letting them interact with each other, and is learning how to pretend and role play. (I've even noticed that Zack's starting to pretend to "eat" things and offers me whatever he's "eating".) We have a huge bookshelf in his room, and Nathan frequently goes over and "reads" books to me or his Daddy or to his little brother (even to the cat, if she doesn't run away!). All of this to say that, especially with little ones, play time is very important to their education. I would absolutely count this as teaching. Not all learning comes from textbooks. More often than not, it comes from real life.

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Q: How do we put what we did on paper?

“I am having such a hard time trying to figure out how to put what we did on paper. We are using the Charlotte Mason method. In March, we started using the Ambleside Online curriculum which has helped tremendously. I printed out the course descriptions and a college prep planning sheet. I'm going to dive into it, figure out what we all did this year and see how it all fits. After I register my daughter and get started on this, I pray you will be able to help me figure it all out.”

A: Charlotte Mason's methods are great, but I do admit, it is harder to document the courses. But the good news is, you don't have to document everything. When you fill out the registration form, for your curriculum, don't try to document everything and every book you used. I would just list the Ambleside Online curriculum as your daughter's main curriculum, and list any other pertinent textbooks (like her history, science, lit. books). For the HomeSchool Online Reporting page, just list the courses your daughter took for credit from the list they give. I know that with this curriculm, they do U.S. History and World History at the same time. If you continue with it, you would have to choose U.S. History for one year and World History the next. Since she's in highschool, your daughter will probably have to supplement science, because she will need one science/lab course.

Of course, you could just make up your own curriculum, deciding what books and resources you need to cover that subject. That's pretty much what we do in our History/Science Co-op Group. At HomeLife Academy you have the flexibility to choose whatever program works for you, but you still do have to make what you do at home fit into a preset schedule. Does that make sense? For example, we don't homeschool 4 hrs. every day or have 90 days in each of our semesters. But I automatically use that as my schedule for my grade reporting. Actually, we probably homeschool almost year round, but I take off days when we need to and we do "school" when we need to. Some days it's pretty much all day, other days very little or not at all, or we may take a fieldtrip. Always, our family vacation is like one big fieldtrip!

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Q: If we finish early do we have to find something else to do?

A: You can be "done" early, sure. The 150 hours per subject, 180 days a year, is just a guideline. Ideally, a student gets so interested in learning and understanding that you go right over those hours and days without even noticing. This can happen naturally with subjects the student is very interested in. For example, if a learner can't get enough of science then you do not have to worry, just keep feeding that desire to learn the thing he or she loves, knowing full well there's an "A" in there somewhere. (NOTE: You do not have to have a stack of averaged together grades to give a student an "A." Many times you just know.)

Other subjects the student may not like quite as well (or not at all). These you may have to force some, saying, "You know, when you finish the thing you don't like you get to do the things you do like more!" This incintive may lead him or her to complete a course before the semester ends (e.g. If they finish a Saxon book early). When they finish that book/curriculum they are done. There is no need for busy work in home education because we do not have to require you to "fill in" the time with something, just because there is time to be filled in. Instead, let the student fill in the extra time with the things he or she is interested in. Afterall, those are likely going to be revealed later as his or her gifts and calling in life. (And most importantly, in the service of God.)

We believe that God gives every child unique and wonderful gifts to use for His glory and honor. Our mission is to inspire and equip parents to help develop those gifts.

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Q: What if we use A Beka curriculum?

A: A quote from A Beka’s website:

"Three decades ago, God raised up A Beka Book to provide Christian schools with Godhonoring, high-quality textbooks and teaching aids to help each school fulfill the goal of its ministry."

A Beka is one of the largest homeschool curriculum providers. For many students and families Abeka may be just what is needed. Abeka is a very structured, organized and conprehensive curriculum which is divided by grade levels.

However, for other students the demands of a standardized curriculum like A Beka can lead to burnout. After talking with dozens of families over that last ten years who have experienced homeschool burnout I am convinced that many times the burnout is the result of trying to duplicate traditional school methods in the home. Therefore, we caution parents. Get to know your kids and their ways of learning. If they are very analytical and depend on daily structure a standardized approach may be just what is needed. However, if they are like many children -- high energy, can't sit still, needing lots of stimulation and resource exposure (NOTE: This does NOT mean they have ADHD!) a standardized approach may in fact lead them and you to burn out.

I won't lie -- we have lots of A Beka books on the shelf. They are wonderfully put together and full of colorful and useful information. But we only use them as reference materials. "Hey, I wonder what the A Beka science book says about that topic?" So we go look. If they are not serving your family as your overall educational plan, then perhaps this is a way you can use textbooks as well.

Again, get to know your kids. Feel free to explore. And never feel locked in to a set curriculum. Kids are not all the same. Life is not standardized. Neither should your educational plans be.

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Q: What if I'm burned out & think public school might be better?

A: The question is, will moving her to public school solve ALL the problems (assuming there is more than one). Or will it solve enough of the problems that it is worth risking other problems/difficulties which may be created as a result of moving her to public school? (And usually there ARE other problems/difficulties created as a result of moving a child to public school. Of course, it varies depending on the school and the school system.) It's a tough decision -- a trade off. Many have had to make it. Sometimes it is out of one's control. In which case I believe God will protect the child if we will pray.

Often the decision is clouded by so many things.

CLICK HERE FOR SOME GREAT IDEAS FOR AVOIDING BURNOUT: http://homelifeacademy.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=242

My advice is to make homeschooling MUCH more attractive than PS! Don't try to replicate school at home. Think of what his favorite activities are and incorporate these into your learning time. Does he enjoy building? Get him some wood and building supplies and build something together. Explain to him that THIS is school! If he enjoys cooking, cook together and explain to him that THIS is school! Hiking, playing kickball, playing Legos, going to a children's museum or science center, painting, etc. Be sure to remind him (with a big smile), when he's doing something like this that this is now school!

Most of our first year homeschooling (my son was then in 2nd grade), we spent reading. He could be playing Legos or drawing or just sprawled on the couch, and I would be reading wonderful books to him. We did other subjects, too, but I learned that when he balked at math or handwriting, that it was best just to step away and move onto something else. My kids most fond memories from our first year of homeschooling include making crafts to go along with the Creation and making "Wombat Stew" after reading the book by the same name. (We were studying Australia.)

My son missed 2 things about public school: having lunch there and writing in his journal. To fix the lunch distress, I would buy Lunchables once a week for him and also put soup into his thermos. To fix the writing journal--well, we did a writing journal!

Hope that helps some. Remember, most of all, that you are the mom!

Sarah in Blount Co.

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Q: What if my student does not fall into just one grade level but several, depending on the subject? What grade should I register him/her for? And how should I record the grades?

A: This is perhaps one of the most frequently asked questions we receive. The reason is because MOST students are NOT in just one grade level for every subject.

If you have listened to Are We Filling a Bucket or Lighting a Fire by Elijah Company’s Chris Davis you may be asking this question.

Or if you have read A Different Kind of Teacher by John Taylor Gatto you may be wondering how to teach to age levels instead of teaching to grade levels.

Because HomeLife Academy is a school we must use grade levels to keep track of records. However, our dependancy on grade levels DOES NOT mean you must be dependant on grade levels. Many of our parent-teachers do not teach to grade levels but to age levels. This shift in focus, to viewing your students by their age instead of their grade, can immediately release you from the trappings of the scope and sequence, or standardized schooling. I would quess that 80-90% of the counseling we do concerning "homeschool burn out" may be attributed to parents trying to teach in their homes using the traditional institutional models. Being overly focused on grade levels, i.e. concerned if he/she is not reading, writing, or adding by such and such a grade, is an indication that a shift in focus may be needed.

Many of our teachers do not tell their students what grade they are registered in. This is acceptable, even encouraged. This way they are released to focus on the content needs of each individual student. Of course, this shift in a philosophy of education/grading raises the obvious question:

"But if I'm going to teach to the age-level instead of the grade level what grade should I register my student for?"

First, look at the overall picture when deciding which grade level to place your student(s) in. Guess if you have to. Remember that, in reality, a child may be ahead of the average in one subject and behind the average in another. This is normal. We accept that there is a range in which children learn to walk. There is a range for all subjects, at all ages, as well. Grade levels can easily be changed. If the majority of their work advances to the next grade level we would change them to that grade during the school year. This is fairly common because of the one on one teaching provided. However, when reporting grades always choose the grade level in which he is currently registered.

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Q: Is there a special curriculum for young gifted children?

“I have a toddler, who has been identified as gifted as per her pediatrician. I'm not sure where to go with her at this point. I don't know how to organize my schedule to help her best. We learn new words every day, memorize a Bible verse every week, I read to her, she reads to me, we do some activities, and she is showing an interest in learning Spanish. Does such a curriculum exist for younger learners, and is there any sort of network in Memphis of gifted children/toddlers? Thanks, in advance, for any information you can give us.”

A: First, I think a Montessori program is a great start. And there are many more resources like that which can help her. Second, I seriously doubt the traditional "school" methods could keep her challenged like you can at home. In my opinion, with gifted child like this, it is not about finding a curriculum for young learners. It's about completely surrounding her with opportunities to learn. Some areas she will be way ahead while others, like writing, may actually be behind the average. This is normal for gifted children.

I would say (and this is probably alread true), just let your home be a rich environment of learning opportunities, microscope in the corner, telescope on the porch, science kits in the bedroom, musical instruments, pets, (critters?), games, gardening, arts and crafts and books on every subject in every room. That way you can say at anytime, “Hmm? I don’t know. Let’s look it up!” Make learning a lifestyle of asking how, when, why, and where questions...about EVERYTHING! She'll see how excited you are about learning and she will learn incredible things.

Finally, I did a Google search for and found quite a few very good articles, http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/weblinks/gifted.htm is my favorite, which is a link to dozens of great articles.

As far as registration you can register anytime, and can skip K5, 1st or even 2nd grade when she enters at age 5. This is perfectly legal. Or you may decide, like many parents not to advance her grades levels but instead continue the lifestyle of learning and just NOT tell her what grade she is in. This is also very healthy because then she is only focused on learning and not on what grade level she is in.

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Q: How do I teach capitalization and punctuation?

A: My daughter completed all the capitalization and punctuation pages in her grammar workbook but continued making the same mistakes over and over again. I wanted her spending time writing stories, reports and doing her copy work. I wanted her to be more conscientious when she was writing and I wanted her to be able to find her own mistakes in her writing. I wanted her to apply the punctuation and capitalization rules daily in a natural and practical way. So, here is what we did:

I went to our World Book Encyclopedia and looked up capitalization and punctuation. Right there were ALL the rules accompanied with examples. JACKPOT! This was exactly what I was hoping to find.

When my daughter finished her report, I sat down with her to review the paper. She naturally was expecting me to check her paper and make corrections the way English teachers did when we were in school. After all, this is how I usually do it. But not today! I gave the paper back to her. I started with the first capitalization rule and read it to her. I told her to check every sentence in her paper for any errors that applied to that rule and correct them. We did this step by step for every rule even if I knew the rule didn’t apply to that particular paper. Now she can take these rules and do this herself! Eventually she will memorize these rules from effortless repetition. She will learn to watch for these areas while she writes. She will learn to edit her own material. She will learn these things naturally through daily use. The goal is not to complete a set of grammar pages. The goal is to have a well written paper.

This same principal can be applied with punctuation rules and other parts of speech. They can add prepositions to the beginning of sentences to make a sentence more interesting and learn where to place the comma. They can begin adding descriptive words and quotations with the proper punctuation marks. They learn how to make their writing more interesting while learning grammar at the same time.

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Q: What should my 5^th graders master in math?

A: NOTE: This applies to more than just 5^th grade math.

Several books are available that will tell you "What Your 5th Grader Should Know". But I personally stay away from these books. I also try not to worry much about what other 5th graders know.

Let me explain why.

I was talking to a mom in the store one day who was looking for computer software to help her child learn multiplication facts for school homework. Her child was the same age as mine. I started thinking to myself, "I'm not doing that with my child, am I putting her behind?" I had to remind myself that memorizing math facts was not the most important to me. Understanding math was more important.

It is far more important for your children to understand how math works. Children can memorize math facts but these same children can not work story problems. The reason has to do with problem solving abilities that come only from understanding how math works. I have never required my children to memorize math facts. We don't really worry about finishing our math book on time. Sometimes our math lesson is while we are cooking, building or fixing something. I try to stay focused on them understanding what division means, why, when, and how we divide. The same applies to fractions, multiplication, addition, etc.

I don't know what math curriculum you are using but several good math

programs are available that emphasize how math works. You may already be using one. They generally will spend more time on each area but the payoff is worth it. Let me know if I can assist you in this area.

Here is what I would recommend if I were you:

Make up some verbal math situations as well as on paper and see what they can figure out. Then you will know what to focus on. Can they read and measure fractions. Do they know how to double or triple recipes? Can they tell you how many inches are in 3/4 of a yard or foot? Can they figure out when to add, subtract, divide or multiply? How well can they figure change and count money. These are just examples of course. The emphasis should be on their ability to problem solve. Find practical, everyday situations.

If you are not comfortable with this method then you can go to http://www.edutest.com. I think they have a math test you can give your children.

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Q: What are some good health curriculum ideas?

A: I am finishing 20 yrs of homeschooling, and have graduated 6 students so far, 2 from public school, 1 from private, and 3 from homeschool. We have used a variety of health curriculum with the 3 homeschool grads. A Beka has a decent curriculum, but there isn't a lot of meat in it, if you know what I mean. It's Christian and a good base for a health program in high school. You can surely find at least supplemental resources in lots of places on the internet, though I would recommend that *you* do that search, rather than your student, because of the questionable nature of some content in that subject area.

The best health curriculum I have seen is actually something one of my older students used at the local community college. When she was done with it, the bookstore wouldn't buy it back, so she gave it to me. It doesn't matter which particular curriculum it was, the point is that nearly any one-semester college text should fit the bill for what you need. It's not hard to fulfill this requirement. But you might want to scan it first for content, if you have strong Christian beliefs.

I hope that these thoughts have helped. Feel free to drop me a line if you need more information.

Blessings, Linda

I agree with Linda about Abeka - you can use it for basic content and then supplement. I liked the Glencoe Health textbook, and used it to supplement our other health books. I actually bought a very good health curriculum at the Memphis Curriculum Fair last year, lent it to another mom, and now I can't remember what the name of it is or anything about it. I would think that Alpha Omega would have a good health curr. that you would also want to supplement. When I say supplement, I mean that health shouldn't just be doing workbooks. When we did health, we went on field trips, watched videos, and had a year-end "Health Fair". Each student picked an organ or body system and did a science fair type project with the focus on health. They also had to have some kind of interactive aspect to their project. They were great and the kids and I learned so much.

Blessings,

Lani Carey

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