I keep it in mind, but I do not conform to the set grade levels. I'm more focused on mastery of knowledge before moving on to something new. I don't see any point on building upon something until it has a solid foundation. It only seeks to crush confidence and leave a child feeling confused if you push through. I also think that too much time focused on it can become really stressful for a parent, or even a teacher. It's more important in my eyes to follow the child and observe the child. You'll see when a child is ready for the next step, and that's when to show it to them.
@@ALChapps Following their pace is so important, and one of the best things about homeschooling. Amanda always says, "It's a tool, not the rule", and I think that applies to the Ontario curriculum. Yes, I can see some parents becoming stressed trying to stick to it. But why? When you are not required to follow, don't stress yourself out over it.
Finding the curriculum document itself was confusing! I looked into it and I was kinda of surprised by the dates of which each curriculum was updated! Just recently they added coding and upgraded the math curriculum!! Thank you so much your channel content is and is helping me immensely! I'm starting my first year as a homeschooling mom and I'm learning so much from you!
I am a recent education grad who is looking to get into homeschooling here. A lot of the homeschool youtubers and curriculum are US based so I love how you are speaking about Ontario, Canada specifically.
When I decided to homeschool, the first thing I did was print out the Ontario Curriculum, and I planned to design my own curriculum to cover all the expectations. But as I read through the expected learning (which was definitely vague!), I realized that I didn’t necessarily want to teach my daughter all of that content (other than math, reading and writing). I first thought that I needed a back-up plan (in case I failed as a homeschool teacher) but I have since realized that public school will never equip my kids better than I can, and out went the back-up plan!
You know your daughter best! 😊Everyone's learning journey is different and it's okay for people to learn different things at different times. Sometimes it feels good to just let go and do what you feel/know is right for your kid.
Taking my kids towards Homeschooling starting from next week. Called the school today and advise them , they asked for Letter of Content which will be sent to them shortly. Wish us luck!! We are excited :)
That's awesome. It can be a little daunting at first but it can also be a lot of fun! Take little baby steps and focus on a few subjects/skills instead of everything.
I’ve found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!! This is awesome and the music is a great touch but distracting at moments because I was feeling it so much lol!! Thank you for breaking this down.
Thank you so much for explaining so well dear, I'm considering to home school my kids ... my kids are bored a lot in classrooms and I don't want them to dislike school! Very helpful thanks again!
My kids honestly love being homeschooled and one of the reasons is they can pick what they learn and study and they can move at their own pace. And there's no busy work, so they get to move on to other independent learning or projects or play.
Well explained. That’s what my son’s teacher explained to me that she incorporates writing and language skills on learning social studies topics. Or sometimes she will incorporate reading and researching skills with science. She believes that the learning structure and critical thinking develops more when the student learns how to critically read and analyze a reading material regardless of the subject and topics.
The best learning is cross-curricular. So many subjects work so well together, and if you can stack them, all the better. Critical thinking is definitely a skill that can be learned and practiced.
This is perfect. My sons teacher referenced these during the Covid times and I was so confused. Thank you. I'm going to be homeschooling starting grade 3 for my son.
@@RaisingAtoZ yes. But I'm unsure if I'll be starting July 2020 or September 2020. I like the idea of all year round with breaks for trips, vacation, etc. I also like the idea of December off. We are so busy during this time. Such a great idea.
I had given up on the province's curriculum after seeing that the first strand in Math Grade 2 was called Social-Emotional Learning. Thanks for letting me know there is actual math stuff if I scroll down past that misplaced strand.
Thank you for Posting this!!! This is PERFECT!!!! I think you should share this on Ontario Homeschoolers On facebook...I see questions like this ALL The time on those threads. This helped me sooo Much!! I have been trying to find Ontario curriculum and found NOTHING now I know why!! Great video's!
Thank you so much! We're so glad you found it helpful. We posted it on the Ontario Homeschoolers FB group, however, sharing our own video links, they seem to get lost in the algorithms. They always spread better when other people share our stuff.... so, if you have a couple minutes, we would love and appreciate the share! Thanks again for the great comment!
Thank you for posting about this! The confusion around this word drives me a bit crazy :) As a fellow teacher, it took me a while to figure out what all of the homeschoolers were talking about when I joined that community. There are principals that will have bought a "program" for a particular subject that meets the ontario curriculum that he/she might expect their teachers to use. That happened to me once in a while. The program would include lesson plans, teacher guides, maybe some answer keys, blackline masters, etc. Unfortunately I cannot tell you whether or not your talk about curriculum is confusing, because I knew about it before and what you were saying makes perfect sense to me.
Well thank the almighty for finding you today!! This was great information! I am in Ontario and somehow I'm constantly following homeschooling advice from families over the border. I will now go binge watch some of your other content 😁 thank you!!
From a social aspect, do you know if there is a community of home schoolers in Toronto that we would be able to meet with from time to time for the children to continue to have that social experience with peers?
Yes! The best place to find homeschoolers locally is facebook. Search for groups in your area and surround areas as well as provincially to find groups and people to connect with. It's honestly the only reasons I have facebook.
I’m a teacher in Ontario and I have a teaching RUclips channel too! I have been doing a lot of “homeschooling” content lately as I have now started to homeschool my son who is in kindergarten. Yea, you did a good job explaining the differences in the definition of curriculum. I figured that out quickly when I started watching more homeschool videos. I understood they meant curriculum as “resources” and not a set of expectations as it is in Ontario. Do you know if it’s like that in other public schools in the states? (Their definition of curriculum the same as Ontario curriculum?) Anyway, great video. New subscriber here! Stay safe. 😄
Hi, Melissa. So sorry for the late reply. We missed some RUclips comments and are only finding them in the backend now... 🤦♂️ We're both teachers. I (Stéphane) teach high school and Amanda used to teach grade 2, but now stays home with the girls. I'm not sure how the term is used in public schools in the States, (or even state by state). Thanks for the support. We subscribed to your channel, too and have been checking out your videos! You, too... stay safe! 😁
As someone who lives in the states the official use of the word curriculum in schools is "standards" and standards differ in each state. Did this answer the question fully?
Which ones? If you are looking for curriculum documents, you can just google Ontario science curriculum and it'll come up. But remember that it's divided by elementary and secondary levels.
Great video Amanda. I have the books (probably not the revised ones) but I’ve always wondered about the rubrics they used and how they determine 3-, 3, 3+ etc. Do you do any type of rubric for homeschool? Maybe a video idea lol I thought your descriptions were clear and understanding. Much appreciated :)
Thanks! I'm always nervous that I'm not being clear enough. As for the levels, it's not really clear and up to the teacher. Sometimes it has to withe a child meeting certain parts of the criteria better than others. It's really confusing even for us teachers since we all have a slightly different system for it.
Tackling that is something that we want to tackle. We just want to make sure we do it right, especially since we don't live there. But it is on our list of topics for 2021!
What books do you use for homeschooling? For math, science, social studies, history/geography? I bought a whole set from calvert academy but it is US based.
We use Math Lessons for a Living Education for math and Chalkboard for language. We de a lot of reading, experiential learning, and unit studies for those other subjects.
Please! Help ! I’m a new homeschooler in Ontario! And am struggling with what I do for history, giving most of the great curriculumes are from the Us? I have a 1st grader and JK kindergardener
Hello! In the younger years, the focus is less on history and typically more about community, and cultures and relationships (social studies). Some good places to start would be, The Canadian Homeschooler ( thecanadianhomeschooler.com ) and Gather 'Round... she has a North American unit ( gatherroundhomeschool.com ). I hope that helps! Let us know if you have any other questions. All the best in your homeschooling journey! 😄
There are a lot of options for Christian curriculum (because the publishers have been around the longest.) We are currently using Masterbook (Math for Living Education) for math and loving it. I've also heard great things about the Good and the Beautiful especially for math and language arts (it's a little more expensive). I also know a lot of people like Gather Round for unit studies.
Hey there, thanks for the video very informative! Just have a few questions about how testing would work. Do homeschool kids do the same required standardized testing that public school does? or do homeschoolers have to follow any government testing guidelines at all?
Thanks, Stacey! Are you in Ontario? Every province or state is different. In Ontario, no. Homeschoolers are exempt from standardized testing. You don't even need follow the Ontario Curriculum.
That's not true at all. As a teacher, I can tell you that many homeschoolers who chose to go to high school do really really well. And many studies have shown that homeschoolers are actually better prepared for post secondary education because they are more sufficient and self-directed in their learning. Many universities actually have processes for homeschoolers and actively recruit homeschoolers because they do better in the long run, which is good for their numbers.
It's possible but I would connect with the universities that you want to attend directly since they each have their own pathway and process for accepting homeschoolers
Yes, there are lots! Search for your city or province's homeschool group. We're members of about 6 or 7 groups mostly focused on Ontario but a few Canadian ones too
Each university or college has their own process. Most require a portfolio or some classes adjudicated by someone else. The best way is to pick what schools they want to apply to and contact them for their requirements. But almost every major school does homeschoolers.
I don't know, but it's still good information and the difference between government's use of the word curriculum and homeschooler's use of the word curriculum.
Do you use the Ontario curriculum in your homeschooling?
I keep it in mind, but I do not conform to the set grade levels. I'm more focused on mastery of knowledge before moving on to something new. I don't see any point on building upon something until it has a solid foundation. It only seeks to crush confidence and leave a child feeling confused if you push through. I also think that too much time focused on it can become really stressful for a parent, or even a teacher. It's more important in my eyes to follow the child and observe the child. You'll see when a child is ready for the next step, and that's when to show it to them.
@@ALChapps Following their pace is so important, and one of the best things about homeschooling. Amanda always says, "It's a tool, not the rule", and I think that applies to the Ontario curriculum. Yes, I can see some parents becoming stressed trying to stick to it. But why? When you are not required to follow, don't stress yourself out over it.
Finding the curriculum document itself was confusing! I looked into it and I was kinda of surprised by the dates of which each curriculum was updated! Just recently they added coding and upgraded the math curriculum!! Thank you so much your channel content is and is helping me immensely! I'm starting my first year as a homeschooling mom and I'm learning so much from you!
I'm a new homeschooler and will be using it as a guide but wont be worried if my child doesnt meet all the objectives .
How should College accept homeschool students?
I am a recent education grad who is looking to get into homeschooling here. A lot of the homeschool youtubers and curriculum are US based so I love how you are speaking about Ontario, Canada specifically.
Thanks for checking out our video! We're glad you found us. 😁 Let us know if there are any questions you have or any video ideas you want to suggest.
@@RaisingAtoZ Could you make a video on how to save money / make the most of your money as new homeschooling parents?
When I decided to homeschool, the first thing I did was print out the Ontario Curriculum, and I planned to design my own curriculum to cover all the expectations. But as I read through the expected learning (which was definitely vague!), I realized that I didn’t necessarily want to teach my daughter all of that content (other than math, reading and writing). I first thought that I needed a back-up plan (in case I failed as a homeschool teacher) but I have since realized that public school will never equip my kids better than I can, and out went the back-up plan!
You know your daughter best! 😊Everyone's learning journey is different and it's okay for people to learn different things at different times. Sometimes it feels good to just let go and do what you feel/know is right for your kid.
@@RaisingAtoZI am about to teach Grade 9-12,not familiar with the curriculum,it is very vague. Any tips?
Taking my kids towards Homeschooling starting from next week. Called the school today and advise them , they asked for Letter of Content which will be sent to them shortly. Wish us luck!! We are excited :)
That is exciting! All the best! 😊
Thanks for the video. I plan to homeschool my girls next year but the thought of being responsible for their entire education is driving me nuts!
That's awesome. It can be a little daunting at first but it can also be a lot of fun! Take little baby steps and focus on a few subjects/skills instead of everything.
I’ve found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!! This is awesome and the music is a great touch but distracting at moments because I was feeling it so much lol!!
Thank you for breaking this down.
You can blame my husband for the music. lol... he doesn't put it in anymore. But I'm glad it was helpful!
Your videos are very useful! Thank you for your efforts! Keep doing!))) ❤️❤️❤️
Thank You!
Thank you so much for explaining so well dear, I'm considering to home school my kids ... my kids are bored a lot in classrooms and I don't want them to dislike school! Very helpful thanks again!
My kids honestly love being homeschooled and one of the reasons is they can pick what they learn and study and they can move at their own pace. And there's no busy work, so they get to move on to other independent learning or projects or play.
Well explained. That’s what my son’s teacher explained to me that she incorporates writing and language skills on learning social studies topics. Or sometimes she will incorporate reading and researching skills with science. She believes that the learning structure and critical thinking develops more when the student learns how to critically read and analyze a reading material regardless of the subject and topics.
The best learning is cross-curricular. So many subjects work so well together, and if you can stack them, all the better. Critical thinking is definitely a skill that can be learned and practiced.
Thank you for the explaination. I appreciate your time.
Any time!
This is perfect. My sons teacher referenced these during the Covid times and I was so confused. Thank you. I'm going to be homeschooling starting grade 3 for my son.
Thank you, Melanie! I'm glad the video was helpful. Does your son start grade 3 in September?
@@RaisingAtoZ yes. But I'm unsure if I'll be starting July 2020 or September 2020. I like the idea of all year round with breaks for trips, vacation, etc. I also like the idea of December off. We are so busy during this time. Such a great idea.
I had given up on the province's curriculum after seeing that the first strand in Math Grade 2 was called Social-Emotional Learning. Thanks for letting me know there is actual math stuff if I scroll down past that misplaced strand.
Yes! It's very confusing if you haven't been taught to read it. But there is more as you go through that is different and more subject- specific.
Thank you for Posting this!!! This is PERFECT!!!! I think you should share this on Ontario Homeschoolers On facebook...I see questions like this ALL The time on those threads. This helped me sooo Much!! I have been trying to find Ontario curriculum and found NOTHING now I know why!! Great video's!
Thank you so much! We're so glad you found it helpful. We posted it on the Ontario Homeschoolers FB group, however, sharing our own video links, they seem to get lost in the algorithms. They always spread better when other people share our stuff.... so, if you have a couple minutes, we would love and appreciate the share! Thanks again for the great comment!
Thank you for posting about this! The confusion around this word drives me a bit crazy :)
As a fellow teacher, it took me a while to figure out what all of the homeschoolers were talking about when I joined that community. There are principals that will have bought a "program" for a particular subject that meets the ontario curriculum that he/she might expect their teachers to use. That happened to me once in a while. The program would include lesson plans, teacher guides, maybe some answer keys, blackline masters, etc. Unfortunately I cannot tell you whether or not your talk about curriculum is confusing, because I knew about it before and what you were saying makes perfect sense to me.
The different lingo is a little confusing for sure, especially for us educators.
I've often heard the term "program" used in public schools for these types of materials.
yes! They use the word program, the way homeschoolers use the word curriculum
Thank you so much!!!!! I really needed to hear all of this
You are so welcome! We're glad it was helpful!
Super helpful video for this newbie homeschooling mom. THANK YOU!
You're welcome! We've got some other videos you might find helpful in our "Homeschool Help" playlist. ruclips.net/p/PLB6KZqLCU6P6yBU3GeY5bYowIDEUj-RyS
This was so helpful! I have learn the Quebec curriculum and have just moved to Ontario. This helped break it down so much easier! Thank you
Glad it was helpful! I know Quebec has some of the strictest educational rules, so coming to Ontario would be a bit of a shock.
Well thank the almighty for finding you today!! This was great information! I am in Ontario and somehow I'm constantly following homeschooling advice from families over the border. I will now go binge watch some of your other content 😁 thank you!!
Thank you so much! We're glad you found us! Are you new to homeschooling? All the best on your homeschooling journey!
@@RaisingAtoZ yes, due to covid I will be doing it this year until life figures out what "normal" is
From a social aspect, do you know if there is a community of home schoolers in Toronto that we would be able to meet with from time to time for the children to continue to have that social experience with peers?
Yes! The best place to find homeschoolers locally is facebook. Search for groups in your area and surround areas as well as provincially to find groups and people to connect with. It's honestly the only reasons I have facebook.
I’m a teacher in Ontario and I have a teaching RUclips channel too! I have been doing a lot of “homeschooling” content lately as I have now started to homeschool my son who is in kindergarten. Yea, you did a good job explaining the differences in the definition of curriculum. I figured that out quickly when I started watching more homeschool videos. I understood they meant curriculum as “resources” and not a set of expectations as it is in Ontario. Do you know if it’s like that in other public schools in the states? (Their definition of curriculum the same as Ontario curriculum?) Anyway, great video. New subscriber here! Stay safe. 😄
Hi, Melissa. So sorry for the late reply. We missed some RUclips comments and are only finding them in the backend now... 🤦♂️ We're both teachers. I (Stéphane) teach high school and Amanda used to teach grade 2, but now stays home with the girls. I'm not sure how the term is used in public schools in the States, (or even state by state). Thanks for the support. We subscribed to your channel, too and have been checking out your videos! You, too... stay safe! 😁
As someone who lives in the states the official use of the word curriculum in schools is "standards" and standards differ in each state. Did this answer the question fully?
Thanks, Victoria.
This is so helpful! I am a new home school mom.
Glad it was helpful!
Hi, Thank you for sharing. I'm trying to use some of the links provided but they don't work. Can you help with this please?
Which ones? If you are looking for curriculum documents, you can just google Ontario science curriculum and it'll come up. But remember that it's divided by elementary and secondary levels.
@@RaisingAtoZ the links under check our our video Playlist, none of those links are working for me
Great video Amanda. I have the books (probably not the revised ones) but I’ve always wondered about the rubrics they used and how they determine 3-, 3, 3+ etc. Do you do any type of rubric for homeschool? Maybe a video idea lol
I thought your descriptions were clear and understanding. Much appreciated :)
Thanks! I'm always nervous that I'm not being clear enough. As for the levels, it's not really clear and up to the teacher. Sometimes it has to withe a child meeting certain parts of the criteria better than others. It's really confusing even for us teachers since we all have a slightly different system for it.
This is so helpful , Thank you.
We're glad it was helpful!
Very helpful ty 😊
Glad it was helpful!
Hi could you make a video on different provinces and homeschooling rules etc. specifically Saskatchewan
Tackling that is something that we want to tackle. We just want to make sure we do it right, especially since we don't live there. But it is on our list of topics for 2021!
@@RaisingAtoZ thats great
Looking forward
What books do you use for homeschooling? For math, science, social studies, history/geography? I bought a whole set from calvert academy but it is US based.
We use Math Lessons for a Living Education for math and Chalkboard for language. We de a lot of reading, experiential learning, and unit studies for those other subjects.
Very helpful, thank you!
Thank you!
Great video ! Very informational
Thank you! We're glad it helped.
Please! Help ! I’m a new homeschooler in Ontario! And am struggling with what I do for history, giving most of the great curriculumes are from the Us? I have a 1st grader and JK kindergardener
Hello! In the younger years, the focus is less on history and typically more about community, and cultures and relationships (social studies). Some good places to start would be, The Canadian Homeschooler ( thecanadianhomeschooler.com ) and Gather 'Round... she has a North American unit ( gatherroundhomeschool.com ). I hope that helps! Let us know if you have any other questions. All the best in your homeschooling journey! 😄
How do I get started with Homeschooling.
My daughter is 3 and is going to start this year or I could start next year.
You can check out our playlist on How to Start Homeschooling! It's got tons of videos about starting. We also have a few videos about pre-school too!
Hi what Canadian Christian curriculum would you recommend? Thank you
There are a lot of options for Christian curriculum (because the publishers have been around the longest.) We are currently using Masterbook (Math for Living Education) for math and loving it. I've also heard great things about the Good and the Beautiful especially for math and language arts (it's a little more expensive). I also know a lot of people like Gather Round for unit studies.
Great video! Thank you!
You are welcome!
Hey there, thanks for the video very informative! Just have a few questions about how testing would work. Do homeschool kids do the same required standardized testing that public school does? or do homeschoolers have to follow any government testing guidelines at all?
Thanks, Stacey! Are you in Ontario? Every province or state is different. In Ontario, no. Homeschoolers are exempt from standardized testing. You don't even need follow the Ontario Curriculum.
Another great place for information is The Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents. ontariohomeschool.org/. All the best on your homeschool journey!
Wow. Good luck in university.
Many homeschooled kids are woefully prepared even for high school.
That's not true at all. As a teacher, I can tell you that many homeschoolers who chose to go to high school do really really well. And many studies have shown that homeschoolers are actually better prepared for post secondary education because they are more sufficient and self-directed in their learning. Many universities actually have processes for homeschoolers and actively recruit homeschoolers because they do better in the long run, which is good for their numbers.
Super helpful! Yay!
Glad you think so!
HI there, is possible for homeschooler to enter in a University for Civil Engineering program
It's possible but I would connect with the universities that you want to attend directly since they each have their own pathway and process for accepting homeschoolers
Is there a Canada Facebook Group for Homeschooling Mamas and Kids.
Yes, there are lots! Search for your city or province's homeschool group. We're members of about 6 or 7 groups mostly focused on Ontario but a few Canadian ones too
How they will enter into college?
Each university or college has their own process. Most require a portfolio or some classes adjudicated by someone else. The best way is to pick what schools they want to apply to and contact them for their requirements. But almost every major school does homeschoolers.
I love your content!! I've had a few homeschoolers recommend you so I checked you out!
I'd love to collaborate with your channel, please reach out!
What do you have in mind?
I’m not Canadian, why am I watching this
I don't know, but it's still good information and the difference between government's use of the word curriculum and homeschooler's use of the word curriculum.
Very helpful, thank you!
You're welcome!