Well, almost. Last week, I shared our governor’s ground breaking proclamation, giving Nebraska homeschoolers their own holiday perhaps slightly less well-known than Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. Not to be outdone, Florida’s governor followed suit. Now, as I attempt to figure out what I can do in the real world to bring the deserved appreciation to homeschooling, I would like to give all of you the opportunity to participate in Home Education Week.
Modeled after both that most popular of holidays honoring America’s favorite sandwich and Randi’s Back to Homeschool Week at the beginning of the school year, I have put together a few writing prompts so that each day of Home Education Week, we can share different aspects of this adventure we have all embarked upon. I will also share a real world activity each day to celebrate home education with your family should you feel so inclined.
Now for my graphic, which you are free to use to help promote Home Education Week:
And the topics:
Please consider the following as writing prompts, not assignments. The ideas I list aren’t meant to restrict the topic in any way, but only to offer a starting point. Feel free to participate in as many or as few of the prompts as you like! I’ll have a Mr. Linky thing set up with each of the posts to make it easier for everyone who chooses to participate to share their posts. Also, since I can easily write most of these posts ahead of time, I will likely set them to publish the night before around 9PM central time.
- Looking Back Sunday, March 30
- Share your personal history…before you were a home educator. What was life like? Think about things you miss and things you and your family have gained. Activity: A card for you, and make your own!
- Profiling Home Educators Monday, March 31
- Describe yourself, your family or one of your children. What is it like to be home educated in your family? What is “normal” for you? Activity: A wanted poster (online or paper…click on “icebreakers” then “wanted poster.”)
- April Fool’s! Tuesday, April 1
- And we have likely all felt the fool in one way or another. Share your greatest challenge. Or one of those terrible, horrible no good, very bad days where the only thing there is to do seems to involve moving to Australia.
- Recipe for Success Wednesday, April 2
- It is also National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day! So share a recipe…figuratively, as in two parts love, one part creativity, or literally, as in a super quick, nutritious meal your kids scarf up. Think about what you do in the day, what helps keep it organized and you sane (or how you got past that need for organization and saneness!), and curriculum materials you find effective.
- Show and Tell Thursday, April 3
- Show off those talents. Share a story, a special moment, a piece of artwork. Any accomplishment, great or small, is fair game. Activity: Make a brag book.
- In Their Own Words Friday, April 4
- Share your children’s home education experience in their own words. What have they said about their education? What are their likes and dislikes? Share some stories, some quotes, or turn your blog over to your children for the day.
- Looking Forward Saturday, April 5
- What are your goals for home education? What do you hope to instill in your children? Are you planning any changes to how you educate your children?
I hope to see you next week, and look forward to some interesting reading!
[tags]homeschool, homeschooling, home school, home education, Home Education Week[/tags]
Principled Discovery is a place to stop and discuss news and information related to faith, family and particularly education. Pour yourself a cup of tea and join the conversation! 
Thank you Dana! Graphic is now on my blog. I’ll be blogging about Autism Awareness in April as well and so happens those two things collide in my homeschool. :]
A button! Oh, happy day!
This sounds like fun - thanks for hosting a Home Education Week that everyone can participate in!
~Andrea
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/andijeane/
I can’t wait until next week! Something to look forward to. Hopefully I don’t forget by the time Sunday comes around!
Sounds fun! I will give a try!
Lisa
I know what you mean…who needs to actually write anything when you can just make buttons?
Thanks, everyone! I am so looking forward to your contributions!!
Aren’t you creative? What great topics! I’ll see if I can get any thoughts out of my sugar comma. Between a birthday party and Easter I overdosed.
Dana!
Your site looks great! Thanks for the heads up on this next weeks holiday for home schooler’s!
Our children’s education should be celebrated everyday, mother’s day included! In the three years that my business catered to enrichment clay classes for kids of all ages, it was the home school student and parent who truly gave me great joy! Now I have transitioned into more of a production studio business plan.
I will be in Chicago this weekend as Samsphere 2008! I will share this with the bloggers there as well!
Dana, your one of the best! Keep up the great work!
~Chad Everson
I love the prompts- this sounds like fun!
I’ve made a post on my blog and put the image in my side bar. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to participate more than that or not. I’ve been sick again with another sinus/ear/eye infection so I’m still working on getting caught up. Congratulations to you and the rest of the homeschoolers in Nebraska!!!
Blessings,
DJ
Dana, I’m not sure if this is your state’s first Home Ed. Week, but it is actually Florida’s second year (at least that I know of….I’m not sure if there have been more).
We have fantastic advocates at the statewide level and I was just as excited this year to see the proclamation as I was last year (of course, last year, I saw it after the fact)!
The button graphic you made is so nice! I’ll be sure to use it and look forward to responding to the prompts as well. THANK YOU!
(And I hope that your daughter is doing well…..I subscribe to your blogs, but haven’t made it online to comment and wish you all well yet; so I hope it’s okay to mention it here. You’ve been in my thoughts. Take care!)
I think this is our first year…I was just being silly about Florida’s governor “following suit.” As if NE were the trend setting state.
I’m excited about everyone planning on participating…even if it is just a button from DJ! I know what it is like getting behind.
Great idea - I’ll post at least one of the days and more if I can muster up enough brain power and time!
Count me in! How fun! Thank you for doing this.
http://tonsofsons.wordpress.com/
This sounds like lots of fun. Thanks for hosting. I have the info on my blog.
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/pottershand
Great fun! I can’t wait
Stacy
I knew I forgot to do something. I meant to come here and thank you for these ideas! You must have a tracking system!
Blessings,
Laurie
How funny! It’s the little blog men in black coats.
Actually, I just finished surfing through my stat counter.
I will try to be around for this. Looks like there will be some interesting reading!
What a great idea! I look forward to participating in Home Education Week.
Coming over from Karly’s Indescribable Life; this sounds fantastic! I’m excited to participate.
Wonderful! It will be a nice introduction for me to a lot of blogs I haven’t noticed before and I’m looking forward to it.
Hi Dana, I followed you here from Southpaugh Homeschool. I posted the link and will be writing next week. Thanks for the prompts, I’ve not been writing much in my homeschool blog.
Hello there, I think this is a great idea and although I am in Ireland I have joined in! I have blogged about it and linked your blog from my own. Hope all goes well,
Ruth
http://maccarthaigh.blogspot.com
Ireland? That is so cool! I look forward to reading what you have to share!
This has been fun! It’s helped me think through some things as a 1st year HS’er. Sorry I’m so behind…it’s been that kind of month!
I’m so happy you are enjoying it! And believe me, it has been that kind of a month here, too. I can’t even log into my admin page right now so all I can do is comment on my site.
Think anyone will read a post if I post it in comments?
I hear ya! Wordpress has had more than it’s share of problems lately! The good part is that I can say it’s not my fault and it really isnt! LOL!