Homeschooling App AT3N

Homeschooling just got easier.

[yuumii]

It’s 2017. I am not sure where to even begin. 

This photo is from a year ago. It was the beginning of the “school” year. Years 2, 4, 6. We were just back from an amazing summer in Canada at our little Cabin. The Children free ranged for 10 week. HEAVEN!  

The year that followed was 110% full on. We decided to start an alternative school disguised as a maker space. It has gone from an idea - to reality. We have 200 sqm over the Corso in Manly NSW. It’s full of equipment that is meant to help future proof our children. 3D printers, Robots, computers and engineering materials. We have several Mentors for professions that are forward thinking. We teach Design Thinking. Problem Solving. Collaboration. 

My Children have been part of this entrepreneurial roller coaster for 12 months. Are they over it? Are they bored? They must, surely, detest TinkerTank by now.  

NO.

They wake up super excited to get there and begin their day.  To help run the show, clean, organise, write challenges, and design curriculum with our team. Plus, they get to be with other like-minded kids in a super cool clubhouse.

I think we have done the right thing. Whether or not TinkerTank survives the Northern Beaches and beach life culture, or not, one thing we all have learned is that life is what you make it. We are loving this life!

[at3n]

a little bit of you, a little bit of me.... YuuMii is out home ed blog, its been neglected. Take a peak!

[at3n]

A great article written by our friends at Mulberry Magazine!

[at3n]

Homeschooling : Project Based Learning (PBL)

What is project-based homeschooling? It’s the same educational values applied to learning at home. It’s about combining personal interests with long-term, deep, complex learning. It is a way of learning centred on making, doing, sharing, collaborating, and acquiring real skills. - Lori Pickert, Project-Based Homeschooling

Our homeschool Journey has been adventurous. We have tried just about every interesting version out there! Yet, we seem to always come back to PBL. It has been a natural way for my children to focus and learn through integrating what they are doing for fun and to take control of their interests.  The fact that it encourages kids to follow their interests and teaches you to support that, really has inspired us all.

Lori Pickert ‘s book is a great way to get on your feet. Gain the confidence to guide their learning with projects of interest.

My Son (11) is manic for Lego - this has ENDLESS possibilities. 

My Daughter (9) is a designer, fashion, toy, game and interior. ENDLESS projects here. 

My Youngest son (6), is going to be a Cryptozoologist. We have read countless book, created fantastical maps, made Books, and studied folklore and history.

We don’t use PBL exclusively, but just as her book suggests, it has helped my children become self-directed learners, and they can lead their own Projects, which has been a wonderful way to glide into more of a “un-schooling” lifestyle. 

We made AT3N, our homeschooling App to help me record and track this eclectic way of learning we have forged for our family. 

How do I use it? As they work on their projects, I track the “Course” it may be classified under (sometimes several) and then make notes and take photos of the progress made during that session, along with the time they spent working on it. THIS really shows the children how far they have come, what they have accomplished, and I feel great that they are “ticking” the boxes required. 

How will you use it?

(NOT a sponsored post! I just LOVE the book!)

[at3n]

AT3N Homeschooling Schedule

One of the most asked questions I get is - How do I fit it all in?

Over the last 10 years of home educating, and sending them to school or activities, I have always been concerned that they NEVER feel overwhelmed. If I feel overwhelmed - then they certainly will. 

The attached,”YuuMii Clock” was our saving grace when they were all under 6. We homeschooled and wanted to make the most of the day. Since they did not really grasp the 24 hour clock, I made this chart so that they could, of their own accord, see what to do next. This gave them the feeling of independence and I could point them to it when they asked what time it was.

This has grown into a valuable tool. Which they eventually grew out of, so I created a weekly schedule, attached.  They are all over 6 years old, and can be self starters and move through their day without any stress. They know this is not a “MUST DO” schedule, but it gives them a plan. They love a plan!With this - I now can focus on the children, guide them, record on AT3N and not think about what’s next!

If you are interested in a blank copy of the weekly or the YuuMii clock, please let me know and I will send it to you. Contact me at www.at3n.com. I hope this helps! 

[at3n]

Planning your Days 

As a homeschooling family we have tried SO many different ways to move through our day, and for the most part, we have found the following way to be the best that works for us!

9-12: Scheduled daily workbook and projects.

12-1: Lunch and reading

1-3: Play, meet ups

3-6: Any lessons, dinner prep and reading or watching documentaries

6-9: Reading, games, socialising or movies.

However - the beauty of education all day is that a day can look VERY much like what is pictured. A day full of surprises. Morning at the Aussie Open, followed by an afternoon at the Aquarium... shadow puppet nights. No workbooks, or schedule. We like to mix it up. 

How do you move through your week?

[at3n]

Our Home Ed Space

When you all live, work and play together 24/7, things can get messy. Here is a very, very candid look at our home educating “set Up”. I *just* took all of these this morning - before the kids woke up.

We have an “art cupboard”- it’s a disaster right now, as it’s the last thing I organise, and it’s always in use.  It is a custom made shelf unit about 8 feet high, and strapped to the wall so it won’t tumble over. I used Ikea boxes and magazine boxes to store things, it’s cheap and easy. When it’s tidy it looks so organised! 

Our kitchen bench is where we eat and do out workbooks. It’s usually the space I like to have cleaned up after each activity and meal so that it’s always ready for action.

I store all the workbooks and activity books in these Ikea Shoe racks! I know it sounds strange, but it keeps everything in one place, the kids know where there things are. 

Our dining table is rarely used for it’s original purpose! As you can see - everything from Lego to games - to projects. It really needs to be organised!

Now that I have shared with you the warts and all of my HomeSchool Room - would you ever share yours?

[at3n]

Supporting Home Educators

The one thing that every homeschool family longs for, especially new homeschool families, is friendship and support. There are so many advantages to joining a homeschool support group.

Social skills and friendships, Shared experiences, Group activities, these are some of the benefits when you get together, even just once a week!

We are an eclectic group of Home Educators : Searching the internet for homeschool groups in your city or area. FaceBook and online homeschool communities like Northern Beaches Home Educators, Homeschool Australia, The Educating Parents, HEA, SHEN (and Here as well) can help you get connected. 

Also check out Yahoo Groups, Meetup.com and other websites to introduce yourself to a group before meeting in person.

There are homeschool groups in every state and in most cities as homeschooling continues to grow heaps over the last few years. There are large groups and small intimate groups. From big to small, by curriculum (Nurture Learning and here) grade level, religion or philosophy, we are an eclectic bunch! Find your group that suits your family’s needs and enjoy your new community! If you don't have a support group, you might want to consider starting your own. Building a solid support group, whether online or in your local community can be a huge task, but it will certainly be worth it! I know that when we first started home educating there were only 14 members to our local group, now it’s over 130!

Also check out Yahoo Groups, Meetup.com and other websites to introduce yourself to a group before meeting in person.

Do you know of some others?

[at3n]

On a late Monday morning in this rural New Hampshire town, Dayna and Joe Martin’s four children are all home. Devin, age 16, is hammering a piece of steel in the blacksmith forge he and his parents built out of a storage shed in the backyard. Tiffany, 14, is twirling on a hoverboard, deftly avoiding the kaleidoscope-painted cabinets in the old farmhouse’s living room. Ivy, 10, and Orion, 7, are sitting next to each other using the family’s two computers, clicking through an intense session of Minecraft.

[at3n]

This week the big news in the media is that home-schooled students perform  “significantly better” in almost all NAPLAN tests than students in mainstream school.

We know as parents, that when we learn with our children and guide them, it’s one on one. We don’t move past a unit because we "have to"; we will stay to really UNDERSTAND the subject or literacy. We stay because we want our children to fully comprehend the lessons to be learned; not just "tick the box".  

That being said, the Australian Educational system is lacking diversity and options. Where are all the STEM programs? Where are the co-ops and one room schools? What about Flexi-schooling? 

The public school system has blocked the creative flow and diversity of learning with red tape, approval battles and then of course, funding.

Given the circumstance of the public school system, the number of children taught at home in NSW has been ballooning each year, rising from 2802 students in 2012 to 3343 last year. The system is failing families.

“Up to three times as many children are home schooled in NSW than the state government knows about, prompting the state's first parliamentary inquiry into why parents abandon the public education system.

The latest figures show 3194 children registered for home schooling in NSW, a rise of almost 400 students in just one year. In the past four years, the number of children taught at home has risen 40 per cent.

But the true figures are likely to be much higher and the inquiry, announced last week, will investigate why so many parents do not register with the NSW Board of Studies, which has responsibility for school registration.”

The results are coming in and what we intuitively know as parents raising our children, we also know as parents guiding our children through life and it’s lessons. Home Educating can be successful, and less stressful.

Let’s see if this debate sparks a growth in registrations this year! What are your thoughts?

[at3n]

Home-schooled kids perform better in NAPLAN: report

Home-schooled students perform much better in NAPLAN tests than students in mainstream schools and they do as well as their peers in the HSC. School Certificate.

[at3n]

How would you record this with AT3N? #geography #history #civics #hsie #Australia #homeschool #home ed #unschool #puzzles

[at3n]

I think families deserve an easier, more convenient way to help kids discover and pursue their interests and achieve their academic goals. Sounds good, right? I am on the verge of launching a new app that I have created, AT3N, designed to archive of every kind of unique educational journey, while ticking the boxes of the curriculum.

Please check out our site www.at3n.com

[at3n]

Home education just got easier.

[at3n]

AT3N has many useful features that are simple to use, seemless to integrate into your daily routine. Try it out!

[at3n]

The Home Education Association Inc (HEA) was formed in April 2001 to promote and support the practice of home education in Australia.

Here is a great resource to get you up and running for 2016!

[at3n]

We can't wait to go this year!

[at3n]

Day 2 of playing our homemade games! This hits all the right spots. I am ticking off the boxes for English, maths, science, geography, art and history! #gamersrule #at3n #homeeducation #creativekids #storytelling #unschool