Tiny Libraries...

I read this very intriguing article in USA today a couple of weeks ago that I thought you might be interested in.

Tiny Libraries Have People Thinking and Reading Outside the Box.

This is such a neat idea--individuals are making little boxes, like a big mail box, and turning them into free libraries. They work on the premise of  "Take a book, leave a book," says Todd Bol the founder of the Little Free Library movement.

This idea has taken off and Little Free Libraries can be found across the world, spreading the love of literature far and wide. some of these little libraries with just a handful of books have a great turn over. In Madison, Wisconsin Jenna Hansen has a Little Free Library in her front yard. In the past year and a half she says that "literally thousands of books have been in and out of here."

I love this idea. We have a neat library system in our small town where books from the county library are delivered to our local "Library in a Box" which is like a block of 30 lockers. We can go online and chose our books and they are delivered to the box. We get a call when the books are delivered. then we punch in a code at the box, the door opens and we get our books and go home. It is a great system and I have increased my library usage considerably since it was set up a couple of years ago.

But, maybe you live in a place where a Little Free Library would be practical? Would you like to be a Little Librarian? You can go to Little Free Library to find out more information. I actually have a limited number of children's books and would be happy to donate a couple to get you started.

Take care,
Jill

I have my very own on-line homeschool and parenting library--if anyone is interested...

You can find it here: I copied some of it for those who may be interested.

Paths to Learning: ~ Jill's Homeschool & Parenting Library~

Please Scroll Down to see my
Homeschool and Parenting Encouragement Library
~~~May it be an encouragement to you~~~

I invite you to:

• To ask me for advice: I love to give advice!And since I have been parenting for over 127 years, and homeschooled for over 17, I have a lot to give! Just Drop me an email.
• NEW! Come listen to my one hour workshop [broken into 5 separate audio files] on How Living Books Teach

• To get to know me better ~"The Whistle" is a short article telling why we started homeschooling and it tells what our kids are doing today.I hope it will encourage you

Welcome to my personal Homeschool & Parenting Library
[ A collection of wit & wisdom gleaned from over 132 years of parenting]

General Homeschool Advice:

• NEW! The Good Ol' Summertime--Boredom busters and more

• NEW! The Right Tool for the Job--Why you don't need to re-invent the wheel when it comes to curriculum!

• NEW! Come listen to my one hour talk on How Living Books Teach [broken into 5 separate audio files]

• How can I homeschool? I don't know enough
• My Favorite Homeschool Websites and Books
• When Family Disapprove of Homeschooling
• The Great Experiment [Homeschooling] Works!
• Homeschoolers are Changing History
• Recycled Educational Philosophies or What the professionals are finally learning!
• Never Tease a Weasel [Character Training]
• Has your Homeschool Dream turned into a Nightmare? [audio teleconference between me and two other homeschool moms]
• Help for those with wiggly learners
• Check out Sonlight's Podcast Library [great topics to help and encourage every homeschool parent]
• The Whingdingdilly [or getting back to the basics, like reading, writing and arithmetic]
• NEW! Writing on the Walls [or ways to make learning more fun!]
• NEW! Socialization...should I be worried?
• NEW! Transitioning to College after Literature Based Learning

Preschool Tips and Advice:

• 
• NEW! The Top Three Things You Need to Know if You Have a Pre-schooler
• Results of a Scientific study-Why you should keep your pre-schooler home
• Play is work-Is Preschool Necessary?
• Tools or Toys? A lesson from my Dad
• How to tame your toys--Some practical advice
• Ideas to Keep Preschoolers happily occupied

Sonlight Specific:

• NEW! Sonlight Quest -Refer a New-To-Sonlight friend to Sonlight and earn a free book
• NEW! How can I teach two children together who are not the same academic level? [A discussion of Skill Based vs. Topic Based Education.]
• NEW! Come listen to Sarita Holzman give you a glimpse into the heart of Sonlight-a video clip

• Stretching a Core to last 1.5 years
• ESL English as a Second Language Where to start?
• A Novel Idea: Learning through Literature
• High School Credits for Sonlight Cores
• Ideas for supplementing Sonlight--extra books, movies, crafts
• Kinesthetic or Hands on Learners & teaching Wiggly Learners
• NEW! Teaching Lots of Children with multiple Core Programs: Part 1 and Part 2 [Two recorded teleconferences between me and Donna P., a homeschool mom of 8 [soon to be 9] children. Between us we have homeschooled 13 children and these recordings summarize our tips, experience and wisdom. Each recording is about an hour long, but I think well worth your time]

High School Helps

• NEW! High School Planning: Here are some great brochures and charts you can print off [Developing a Plan, Recordkeeping, College Bound, Off to Work, Time Line-Keeping on Track and You can Homeschool Through High School.]

• NEW! Narration for High School Students?
• NEW! Teaching a Teen to Drive? A time tested tip that might save a life!
• High School Credits for Sonlight Cores
• Grading High School Work-Contract for Grade
• High School Transcripts-What's a mom to do?
• 
  
• 

[Sonlight has the best microscope and awesome science programs. In college I majored in earth science and environmental science. I love good science--but until I found Sonlight Science my kids did NOT share my love of science. Sonlight's great books, science supply kits and day by day lesson plans helped me share my love of science with my children. From pre-school up, Sonlight Homeschool Science Packages are the best!]

[Kari Homeschool Graduate-Chad University of Kentucky Graduate]

General Parenting:

• NEW! All Chocolate Chip Cookies are not the same [Reading to your kids, learning through real books] and a recipe

• NEW! Heroes [What happens when our children find their heroes are not what they thought they were? How do we respond?]
• Inverse Parenting or Parenting is not as easy as it looks
• Mom I'm bored - Ideas to break this common whine!
• Sailing by Ash Breeze- You can do it, but parenting is hard work!
• Shepherding your Flock-tips on parenting with Charlotte Mason ideas
• It is all about me! [Raising kids who are not narcissistic]
• Never Tease a Weasel [Character Training]
• NEW! Come listen to my one hour talk on How Living Books Teach [broken into 5 separate audio files]
• I've been parenting for over 127 years!
• NEW! Conquering Clutter [A PDF brochure with an overview of how to conquer clutter using 5 boxes!]

For more encouragement and help, visit my blog:

• Paths to Learning...Taking the Road Less Traveled

• Why we started Homeschooling in 1990

• NEW! Illegal Punctuation and a Haitian Refugee

Photos, top to bottom:

1. My son Scotty at three--homeschooled from birth through graduation
2. My two youngest children working with Dad to build a playhouse.
3. Scotty--As a pre-schooler full of imagination and fun

It is my passion to encourage homeschool families so that you can find joy in being a family that learns together.

I have been married to the husband of my youth for 35 years and have homeschooled my five children for 17 years-most of the time with Sonlight Curriculum. Our youngest son graduated from our homeschool in 2007. I love the outdoors, baking, reading and, of course, chocolate-but mostly I love getting all my kids together in one place. Ahh, heaven on earth! I am currently enjoying my two new granddaughters.

Take care,

Jill

High School Help...

I had another high school question today, so I wanted to gather my high school posts in one location.

I will add to these as I have time.

• Transitioning to College from Literature Based Learning
• Using Dictation with High School Students
• High School Transcripts, Not as scary as you think...
• High School Credits for Sonlight Cores
• Grading High School Work-Contract for Grade
• Stretching a Core for longer than a year
  

Visit my Homeschool & Parenting Library...

For the past year I have been working on an on-line homeschool and parenting library. It is a collection of my thoughts and ideas on both subjects. There is even an audio file of a talk I gave in Frankfort in September, "How Living Books Teach," and a teleconference I did with another homeschool mom on how to use Sonlight to homeschool a large family.

You can find My Library here: Homeschool and Parenting Library

I hope you will find it helpful to see these posts in this easy to find format. In the past week I have had some phone calls from people asking many of the same questions that I speak to in this library.

Take care,
Jill