November 14, 2007 by KellyH.

Summer is a great time to veer off the normal path of study, but it’s also a great time to continue with Weaver. Studying weather? Spend time outside laying on the ground, watching the clouds roll by. Studying space? Stay up late and do some star-gazing. Wildlife, plants, history… it’s all accessible during the warm summer months!

Your children don’t have to know they’re still doing school. Lay the math books aside if you wish, but continue to point them towards God as you study His creation. Read books while sitting outside, learn to swim, take lots of nature hikes.

Spend a few days looking through the units you will be covering during the cooler months, and take time to touch on them while the weather is warm. When you get to that unit in Weaver, it will be a nice review for your children, regardless of the weather.

Life continues to happen, whether you are formally schooling or not. Take advantage of that and keep teaching–keep weaving God into your life!

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November 12, 2007 by KellyH.

What do explorers, composers, artists and presidents have in common? Leadership! In Volume 3 you’ll be studying about leaders in various professions. From George Washington to Fanny Crosby, from Michelangelo to Christopher Columbus, you’ll find many people who were unafraid to step out-of-the-box and be leaders in their field.

Perhaps you are the first generation in your family to homeschool. That makes you a leader, too! You have stepped out-of-the-box to educate your children. Your children will learn to be leaders from you because they won’t be “following the crowd” at school.

Use your time in Volume 3 to explore music and art with your children. Discover what it means to explore nature. View the world with new eyes, and see what God shows you!

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November 9, 2007 by KellyH.

Teaching character is big business these days. There are many books and “studies” that you can purchase to supplement your curriculum in this area. That’s not necessary with Weaver if you own Volume 2. While you immerse your child in God’s Word daily, you’ll also be given 9 different character traits to study, such as respect, humility, faith and joy. Why spend extra money on something you already have? Weaver is a great way to train our children to bring glory to God!

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November 7, 2007 by KellyH.

Homeschooling can be hard. There are many veterans out there who will tell you how “it’s a way of life” and it fits smoothly into their day. That’s wonderful for them, but it didn’t work like that for me.

I was active in my church and after awhile I had to give that up because I realized teaching my children had to be my first priority. I also put my desire to write aside. No easy task for me! I discovered that when there are children under the age of five in the home, each year is a different challenge. As the years went on, I also discovered that the high school years pose their own challenges, which also change years.
Now that I’ve come to understand the changes and challenges homeschooling poses, I’ve finally settled into a routine; I’ve begun writing again, and serving in our church. But, make no mistake: homeschooilng your children is equivalent to having a full-time job. Some days your laundry won’t get done. Some days your supper will be late. Some days you’ll wake up and wonder what you’ve gotten yourself into!

What’s my secret? Having a good support group of like-minded women has been a God-send for me. They know what I’m talking about! Many have chosen Weaver for the same reasons I have. They understand the challenges and changes I’m going through each year. Some have been there already, others are watching to learn from my experiences.

Year after year I watch as families in my support group graduate their children with Weaver. Those graduates are thriving not just in the work-world, but Spiritually as well. That’s what I’m after! Seeking to glorify the Lord IS the real world. It’s what God created us for!

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November 5, 2007 by KellyH.

I’ve been on my homeschooling journey for twelve years now… a little more if you count pre-school. My oldest is preparing to graduate this spring (May, 2008). A few weeks ago we completed Volume 5. Because of many interruptions and side-tracks, we’ve only been through the volumes once. I’m thrilled to be able to say we’ve accomplished that! But, we’re not ready to go back to Genesis just yet. We want to continue the journey of the New Testament churches in the Bible.

Some other Weaver moms have taken on the challenge of writing lessons that will take students through the remainder of the NT. My job is to edit those lessons, add activities where needed, and place everything into a .pdf document. I am having a blast! I spend every spare moment working on this, going over things again and again to be sure everything is consistent in formatting, to be sure there are no typos, and to make it user-friendly.

Unfortunately, my spare moments are few and far between–maybe an hour each day, or two if I’m lucky. But, I’m almost finished with the first unit. I have been teaching from the material as I go, so I have to get it done!

There is so much great stuff here, I have a feeling it will be a two-year program. But that’s okay. My youngest is in second grade this year. I’ll be on this journey for awhile!

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November 2, 2007 by KellyH.

I’m often asked, “Which volume do I start with?” or “Can I start in any volume?” Before I answer that, I need to explain something: The Weaver Curriculum was written in order–Biblical order. Volume 1 covers Genesis 11-50. Volume 2 covers Exodus and the Books of Law. Volume 3 covers Joshua, Judges and Ruth. Volume 4 covers the Old Testament Period of Kings and People. Volume 5 covers the Life of Christ.

If you are new to homeschooling, I highly recommend that you start with Volume 1 and work your way through the volumes in order. But, you know your child(ren) best. If you’ve already extensively covered the story of Creation, the Flood, and the Exodus and Laws of the Old Testament, then you may wish to start with Volume 3. Or, perhaps you’ve done an in-depth study of the Old Testament and you’re ready to study the Life of Christ–start in Volume 5.

Check the Volume Overviews listed at the Unofficial Weaver Pages to see what each volume covers. If you still have questions, leave a comment or contact me directly.

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