When Reading Isn't As Easy As ABC: Dyslexia and Multi-Sensory Reading Instruction

by Shelia Hunt

I write this with my daughter's permission, because it is her story, not mine.

I was not sure what to expect as I began homeschooling our daughter Grace at age three. I remember how quickly she learned to count and to recognize different colors. Shapes were another matter, and those took much longer for her to grasp. By the time she reached kindergarten, she still struggled to identify some shapes or letters of the alphabet. It would be another two to three years before we understood why.

By the time she reached the end of second grade, Grace's vocabulary was notably above grade level, and she was able to remember and answer factual questions during her co-op classes. We knew she was bright. Yet, she struggled to read or spell simple words, and she could not legibly write her own name.  

It was at this time that we contacted a reading specialist for an evaluation. We met Mrs. Brenda McCray at her home, bringing with us samples of schoolwork and standardized test results that we had on hand. She then met with Grace for a detailed evaluation, which revealed what I had suspected for quite some time: our daughter has both dyslexia (a condition affecting her ability to read) and dysgraphia (a condition affecting her ability to write). In order for Grace to read, we were told, it would require a whole new approach than we had ever used to that point.

Hearing these words was a relief in many ways. For Grace, the word dyslexia meant there was a reason behind her challenges besides her fear of being "dumb". And for me, it meant that there was hope that we could eventually overcome this hurdle. 

I soon realized that my basic understanding of dyslexia as "getting letters backwards" was misguided, or incomplete at best. Dyslexia is more about phonological awareness, and the ability to hear and distinguish sounds and the written symbols used to represent them. And for some people with dyslexia, transposed letters are a reality. For others, it is not. This is only one aspect of dyslexia, and not everyone experiences it in the same way or to the same degree. In a nutshell, my daughter's brain works differently when it comes to reading. So she would have to learn in a new way, and I would have to teach in a new way. 

With Mrs. McCray's help, Grace began learning to read in a multi-sensory manner, using what reading experts call the Orton-Gillingham method. From forming letters with clay to using magnetic and color-coded alphabet titles, we began working our way through the alphabet. She slowly learned all the possible sounds each individual letter and combination of letters could make. She learned to recognize and divide words into syllables. And she learned the many different jobs of "silent e" within words. 

And now, for the curriculum: the All About Reading program was one of the greatest tools I could have ever found to make this happen. 

Just prior to learning of Grace's dyslexia, we had stumbled upon and purchased All About Reading. Because it is aligned with the Orton-Gillingham method, we continued to use it, even though Mrs. McCray strongly recommended the Barton Reading Program, which she has used to help many other students learn to read over the years. 

While we respected her advice, my husband and I decided that since Grace was enjoying All About Reading, we would take a "wait and see" approach before switching. I fully expected the curriculum to work for a while and fail eventually, so I planned to purchase the Barton reading program when that happened. But it never did.

Over the years I have learned that both programs offer excellent multi-sensory instruction, and are two of several well-respected reading programs for children with dyslexia. The key, I have found, is in the Orton-Gillingham approach already mentioned, and the best programs begin with and build on this foundation. 

I have worked with Grace at home using the All About Reading curriculum for three years. In this review I will focus solely on our experience with the All About Reading curriculum, and I have asked Mrs. McCray to provide a separate curriculum review for Barton, as it could be used in a homeschool setting.

All About Reading

Ideal for dyslexics, the All About Reading program utilizes a phonetic, multi-sensory approach to reading instruction, as well as spelling instruction (I will leave that review for anyone who wishes to share their experience, since we are using a different spelling curriculum).  

I admit, the cost was a bit daunting at first glance, as we needed to buy not only the written materials, but also the interactive teaching kit. This kit works with all four levels of the reading program as well as the All About Spelling program. To purchase Level 1, the cost ranges from roughly $160 to $185, depending on whether the basic or deluxe interactive kit is purchased. The deluxe kit includes a storage box for flash cards and a tote bag, which we have found useful, but could have easily done without. As the program becomes more popular, it also is possible to find the books for sale at used prices.

The materials include a step-by-step, scripted teacher's manual, flash cards, illustrated, hardcover readers, and a consumable student workbook with interesting activities and tools such as "word flippers" which can be used for review as you go along. The interactive kit includes self-adhesive magnets and laminated letter tiles, index card dividers for the flash cards, and a free app that lets students hear the sounds of each letter. A 2 X 3 foot magnetic whiteboard is also needed for using and displaying the magnetic tiles. By the time we reached level 4, there were so many tiles on the white board that there was very little room left for other subjects such as math.  

A recent offering, the All About Reading app saves white board space and provides the same color-coded "tiles” in an electronic, touch-screen format. We have both now, and we use the electronic app regularly. The app is available for android and iPad tablets, but does not work on an iPhone. It is $19.99, which is about the same price as the basic interactive kit.  

We begin each lesson by reviewing the phonogram sounds. We then use the flash cards to improve fluency with new words. They are stored behind the "review" tab until she can read them without pause, and then they are moved behind the "mastered" tab. Lessons alternate between new skills and fluency development using the readers. Most lessons provide an exercise in dividing words into syllables and then labeling the syllable types to reinforce lessons learned. 

I am pleased to say that Grace is beginning the fourth and final level this fall, and her reading has improved tremendously. It is still hard work for her, but she is gaining new ground every day. Reading will never be as "automatic" for her as it is for me. She must process the letters and sounds each time she sees them, and the time it takes to decode words can be as mentally exhausting for her as long division is for me. 

For this reason, we have learned to accommodate her needs by allowing her to use audio books and textbooks available on a program called Learning Ally. She also uses a portable C-Pen reader, which is a small handheld device that allows her to scan and listen to texts. These are helpful for subjects such as history, science and literature. This has allowed her to work at grade level in these subjects, despite the need to catch up with her peers in reading skills. The C-pen works fairly well, but is not always accurate. Despite the glitches, the C-Pen allows her to have more independence with her schoolwork.

If you have a struggling reader, I hope this information helps you as you search for the right path for your child. If the struggles are persistent and your "gut" tells you something is not right, I recommend getting an educational assessment as soon as you can, so that your child gets on the right path as early as possible.

Additional Information:

Website: Homeschooling With Dyslexia

Local Contact: Brenda McCray, Dyslexia Consultant, brendamccray2014@gmail.com

The Alveary and Charlotte Mason: a Curriculum Interview

I am so excited to be back with another curriculum overview! Today we are learning about the Charlotte Mason approach with momma of 6, Shannon. Shannon has one in college at the University of Michigan, 2 middle schoolers attending SCAPA Bluegrass, and she’s homeschooling 2 ½. Her 4 year old is the “half” who comes and goes as he pleases and gets a few brief “formal” lessons in reading and math as time and interest permit. The other 2 homeschoolers are 7 and 9. All but the college student have been homeschooled at some point with the current 9 year old being the one who has been homeschooled the most, and she will be attending SCAPA as a 4th grade strings major in the fall.

Read on to learn more about Shannon’s current curriculum and how it has worked for her family.

What curriculum are you using? How long have you used it?

I am currently using the Charlotte Mason based curriculum offered by the Alveary. We’ve used this curriculum plan for 2 years, but we did skip a year in between and were surprised by the development and changes within that year. For math I use Singapore and for writing I use a mixture of WTM Writing With Ease and narrations.

What special features, if any, are offered by the curriculum you are using? Do you use these features if available? Why or why not?

Alveary is accessible online.  The plans are available through various fashions on the website. You can choose the LEVEL, which includes all subjects and tailored lesson plans for that level OR you can choose individual subject PDFs. This allows for flexibility and control. Another feature I have grown to like are lesson plan scheduling tools which are pretty navigable and easy to use. A few other features I like are webinars and tutorials in addition to an adjacent online community.

What attracted you to this curriculum?

I have been interested in the Charlotte Mason based model for a while having followed discussions and readings over the years. I like the idea of brief but DEEP lessons and I do like the idea of spreading the feast as well to foster the connections made across disciplines. The offerings are really what attracted me to ALVEARY which include Art, Artist Appreciation, Music Appreciation, Literature, French, History, Geography and Science/Nature lore. Additional offerings, which we’ve not been able to get into, include handiworks in sewing, Sloyd, and crafts.

Is this curriculum flexible with substituting different course materials for a subject if you prefer one thing over their recommendation?

Yes. For example, MATH. Alveary doesn’t offer MATH lesson plans and allows for whichever program the parent chooses. However Alveary does recommend Math U See or Charlotte Mason approach. I feel comfortable following Singapore myself, so that’s what we use. Also, in lesson plans for history or nature study/science and geography, literature you are free to substitute living books you prefer, you just have to try to fit in a schedule that works. Some books may not be suitable in terms of your child’s temperament or maybe they may not the world view your family follows or perhaps the book is out of print, unavailable or cost prohibitive. Alveary works to find and use books that are widely available and within normal budgets of families, but when desired by the parent, allows for substitutions and often will provide ideas for possible substitutions as needed or requested.

Is there a religion component as a part of this curriculum? If so, do you use it or prefer something else? Is it Catholic or non-Catholic Christian?

The religion component is basically Bible readings daily. The readings alternate between NT and OT throughout the week. I’ve taken breaks from these when Advent or Lent happen in order to bring in some of our Catholic identity and I’ve added rosaries and saint readings here and there. This is TOTALLY flexible and up to mom. The Bible readings we use are from our Catholic Bible.

What do you consider to be the strength of this particular curriculum?

There are many strengths besides the flexibility and possibilities afforded by online situations. I like that the lesson plans are written out and are available for download and printing, but I can also make school “mobile” with a laptop or an iPad simply by viewing PDFs on the screen. I kinda use a hybrid approach where I link the PDFs in my google doc, but I have printed out lesson plans with 2 pages per side folded and used as “bookmarks” in our books we are using so that I’m not always tethered to a screen. This allows us to move at our own pace as well.

What has been the most positive result for your family of using this curriculum?

Increased awareness of different things, making connections across subjects, as well as applications in REAL LIFE. Also, spending more time reading scripture has been wonderful for ME as well as my children.

If there is something you could improve upon in this curriculum, what would it be?

It can be cumbersome starting out. To address issues, the team developed some awesome tutorials. I think they continue to tweak and develop a seamless curriculum that is accessible online, but can be used easily offline as well.

If someone is interested in learning more about this curriculum, where should they go?

https://charlottemasoninstitute.org/alveary-membership/

Besides this curriculum, what other educational type activities are your children involved in?

My children receive violin lessons weekly and up until COVID19, we were attending Forest School in the Red River Gorge every Friday. Forest School is basically a nature co-op/drop off for 4 hours where the children are engaged in guided play, song and open lessons involving nature study, science, and art. In addition to those, my daughter has been involved in local youth orchestra, MUSIC WORKS every day in the afternoons for three years until COVID19. My boys began wrestling in the fall and through winter (before Covid19) with Central Kentucky United Wrestling Club. Boys and girls have also been in t-ball and baseball through rec leagues, but those are also on hold due to the pandemic.

Anything else you feel is important to share with someone looking into using this for their own homeschool?

I don’t think you can beat the pricing for all that is available. Membership is $299 a year and this includes however many children you have. You get webinars, tutorials, links to articles and lesson plans for this membership as well as special pricing for Charlotte Mason courses for mom. The Alveary is offering something new this year...for co-ops. Info is available on the link above.  

Mother of Divine Grace with a side of Seton: a Curriculum Interview

Our curriculum interview today is with Brooke who uses Mother of Divine Grace (MODG) with some supplementation from Seton Home Education. Brooke and her husband have 4 children. Currently two of her children are being homeschooled, a 7 year old in 1st grade and a 4 year old in Preschool.

Brooke discusses her use of both MODG and Seton in our interview questions today. We hope this shows how flexible homeschooling can be.

What curriculum are you using? How long have you used it?

I’ve used Mother of Divine Grace (MODG) since the beginning (for 3 years and love it). I also supplement with Seton books.

What special features, if any, are offered by the curriculum you are using? Do you use these features if available? Why or why not?

I believe both of the curriculums (MODG & Seton) offer enrollment which includes support, grade tracking and transcripts. I do not use the services because I like the freedom of not having to submit certain assignments by a certain date - we have a very flexible schedule!

What attracted you to this curriculum?

I had several friends who recommended MODG based on its incorporation of the Catholic faith and classical design. I was attracted to Seton because of its academic rigor.

Is this curriculum flexible with substituting different course materials for a subject if you prefer one thing over their recommendation?

I have substituted and supplemented while using Mother of Divine Grace and found that it was quite simple to do so. Again, I am not enrolled so I am not sure if it is as easy if you are enrolled.

Is there a religion component as a part of this curriculum? If so, do you use it or prefer something else? Is it Catholic or non-Catholic Christian?

Both Mother of Divine Grace and Seton are Catholic curriculum, both containing a religious component. So far I have incorporated religion materials from both for our religion class. I do like them both but prefer MODG for the Preschool/Kindergarten age as it familiarizes the children with the Bible stories as well as the skill of narration.

What do you consider to be the strength of this particular curriculum?

Seton is very academic and does incorporate Catholicism throughout their books which I like. I would say the strength of MODG is its flexibility, it is a curriculum that focuses on helping the children love to learn rather than keeping them busy with worksheets.

What has been the most positive result for your family of using this curriculum?

With Seton the Art books have been a wonderful way to incorporate liturgically appropriate crafts throughout the school year. MODG has definitely helped me to see what is important while homeschooling and what does not necessarily need to be included. I have found that it gives the child freedom to explore their interests.

If there is something you could improve upon in this curriculum, what would it be?

I do wish that both of the curriculum would start with cursive instead of manuscript or at least have an option of cursive for the younger grades. I’m also not a fan of the math programs either curriculum uses.

If someone is interested in learning more about this curriculum, where should they go?

Here is a link to the MODG curriculum page: https://modg.org/curriculum.

Seton’s homeschool page can be found here:  https://www.setonhome.org.

Besides this curriculum, what other educational type activities are your children involved in?

We are involved in a co-op once a week at our church, Regina Pacis. In the Fall, the girls also took an Irish dance class.

While I am still figuring out the practical application of Paul Lockhart’s Mathematician's Lament and Math Recess by Sunil Singh, I have found the Tiny Polka Dot Game to be a wonderful way for my children to “play” with numbers.

Anything else you feel is important to share with someone looking into using this for their own homeschool?

Last year I found myself feeling as though the MODG curriculum was not enough school for my children and that they needed more. However, after this year of supplementing with Seton I discovered that I added too much busy work into our days and not enough actual learning. I love the flexibility of MODG but would encourage you to keep it simple. I would encourage supplementing in courses where you child is craving more (but nothing more)! For example, my 1st grader (7 years old) is an avid reader, she just LOVES to read. The MODG reading curriculum begins with Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, which is what gave her the tools to read, however, she completed the lessons much sooner than the curriculum recommended. That’s when I started exploring what Seton had to offer and have bought many additional reading books for her from their bookstore. Lastly, I would say purchase the syllabus for each grade. They are not too expensive and give you a great idea of how to implement the coursework. 

Sonlight: A Curriculum Interview

Today we have another interview about a curriculum one of our St. Joseph Homeschool Association members uses with her girls.

Cassie G. and her husband have been married almost 10 years and have 4 girls ages 8, 6, 3, and 15 months. They have been homeschooling for about 5 years, since the oldest begged to learn to read at 3 years old. Cassie shares, "I never thought I would be homeschooling and give complete credit to a calling from God while discerning whether to continue my career as a bridge engineer or stay home with our kids. We love homeschooling very much, and it’s hard to imagine NOT homeschooling now."

Below is my interview with Cassie as she discusses using Sonlight in her homeschool.

What curriculum are you using? How long have you used it?

The curriculum we use is Sonlight. Currently, we are using History/Bible/Literature (HBL) C, which is Year 2 of World History. Towards the end of summer, we will start HBL D and brand new HBL K (both are American History). We have been using Sonlight for almost three years.

What special features, if any, are offered by the curriculum you are using? Do you use these features if available? Why or why not?

Sonlight is not accredited and that made me nervous at first, but now, it’s not a concern to me after doing some research. The main thing I love about Sonlight is their IG’s (Instructor Guides), which make it very open and go. There is very little prep work and planning for me. Also, they have amazing advisors that you can email or chat with, and of course call. I have called the advisors a few times and they are always super helpful.

What attracted you to this curriculum?

I love that they use books that I read when I was younger. I wanted to read books like Winnie the Pooh, Charlotte’s Web, etc. to our kids and those are the kinds of books they use. They also schedule books that I wouldn’t normally pick up and they have all been good. They have helped us try out various genres. I like that they schedule everything for me, yet the curriculum is flexible, and I could use it with all of my kids - they can do most subjects together (except skill subjects).

Is this curriculum flexible with substituting different course materials for a subject if you prefer one thing over their recommendation?

They are flexible - they offer various options for math, spelling, handwriting, etc.

Is there a religion component as a part of this curriculum? If so, do you use it or prefer something else? Is it Catholic or non-Catholic Christian?

Sonlight is non-Catholic Christian. We use their Bible curriculum, but we add in our own Catholic catechism, which varies year to year. We have used Brother Francis DVDs, Faith and Life, and saint stories. Next fall, we will be using the Friendly Defender cards and the Youcat for Kids, along with American saint stories. I like that they schedule Bible readings every day. We have had some amazing discussions from reading it, and it helps my kids become familiar with it.

What do you consider to be the strength of this particular curriculum?

The curriculum makes learning history and science fun with their amazing books. You also get all the books you are going to need, which makes it nice when you didn’t make it to the library (or like now if the library is closed). Also, the science has experiments scheduled for it and they even send you a kit with most of the items you will need. If you don’t have time to do the experiments, they are on DVD for you to watch!  

What has been the most positive result for your family of using this curriculum?

Our kids love reading and enjoy the read alouds we do together. The kids enjoy doing school together, they are all learning the same history, Bible, catechism, and science.

If there is something you could improve upon in this curriculum, what would it be?

Hmm…. I don’t think I could! Unless it would be to make it a Catholic curriculum.

If someone is interested in learning more about this curriculum, where should they go?

https://www.sonlight.com/

There is also a FB group for Catholic Sonlighters that is useful and the Sonlight Connections FB group is also helpful.

Besides this curriculum, what other educational type activities are your children involved in?

Our kids play soccer, do ballet, and also go fishing/hunting with their dad. They are involved in American Heritage Girls and love our parish’s Vacation Bible School and Totus Tuus program.

Anything else you feel is important to share with someone looking into using this for their own homeschool?

I was leery of using Sonlight at first since they are not Catholic. But, when we started using it, I was amazed that they would define Catholic terms used in stories or would schedule stories that were Catholic. So, if you are looking for a good curriculum that uses amazing books, then try it out!

Kolbe Academy: A Curriculum Interview

A couple of weeks ago we published a post on Crisis Schooling and promised that we would have some future posts coming on various curricula that our members use. I am finally getting to the first of these interviews. I have at least two more in the wings and hope to have plenty more in the future.

Our first interviewee is Erin P. This is actually her first year homeschooling. She has 3 kiddos, the oldest in Kindergarten this year and the second will begin Pre-K next school year. The youngest is a year and a half, and "generally wreaks havoc." Homeschooling with a little one around is always interesting, a topic maybe for a future post. Erin's oldest started homeschooling this past fall with Kolbe Academy. 

Erin answered 11 questions for me about her choice of curriculum. 

What curriculum are you using? How long have you used it?

For my oldest I use Kolbe Academy, I will be using Seton for my second starting in the fall.

What special features, if any, are offered by the curriculum you are using? Do you use these features if available? Why or why not?

I like that Kolbe is a classical curriculum with Latin and Greek starting in later elementary school. All of the curricula can be found online and can be recorded online as well, I personally use paper lesson plans and grade sheets because it’s easier for my mind to focus on something tangible. A new feature for Kolbe is an elementary online program with multiple options, this would be great for parents who are intimidated by homeschooling and want a lot of instructor involvement. I have not signed up for the program myself because it is quite costly. The program is accredited and you can always contact an advisor for any questions that may pop up.

What attracted you to this curriculum?

I loved the depth of information with Kolbe, I was so impressed when I looked at sample lesson plans, especially for high school, at the high expectations that students were held to. I was also attracted to the classical curriculum and the fact that it was flexible enough to modify and really individualize curriculum for each child.

Is this curriculum flexible with substituting different course materials for a subject if you prefer one thing over their recommendation?

Yes, the curriculum is very open to substitutions and parents’ autonomy is encouraged at the primary educator of their children.

Is there a religion component as a part of this curriculum? If so, do you use it or prefer something else? Is it Catholic or non-Catholic Christian?

There is a Catholic religion class included in the curriculum and it is the one that I use. 

What do you consider to be the strength of this particular curriculum?

I think the biggest strength of this curriculum is that it’s easy to implement, but still challenging learning for students. 

What has been the most positive result for your family of using this curriculum?

For us, it has been great to really adapt the curriculum for our son’s needs. He is young and wouldn’t be able to go to public or private school yet, but we have been able to begin his education when he was really mature enough and interested in beginning. Also, we found that the kindergarten curriculum for math and English wasn’t challenging enough and were able to move ahead to the first grade curricula for those classes while keeping him in a kindergarten classification.

If there is something you could improve upon in this curriculum, what would it be?

I would like to see the cost of the online program decrease, particularly as we move toward middle and high school levels. But, I do believe the price tag is even still worth it. 

If someone is interested in learning more about this curriculum, where should they go?

Kolbe.org is the official website. I don’t have a Facebook account, but I know that there are parent groups for Kolbe on there.

Besides this curriculum, what other educational type activities are your children involved in?

We have participated in sports leagues for the past 3 years for soccer and basketball. We will start Cloverbuds through 4H in the fall with my oldest. We also love the story times at the library and the crafts that they offer. 

Anything else you feel is important to share with someone looking into using this for their own homeschool?

There are other box programs for homeschooling available, but I like the flexibility and depth of learning that I have found with Kolbe Academy, while maintaining a deep Catholic identity.

Crisis Schooling and Homeschool Considerations

Let's talk about this time of "crisis schooling " that we are all dealing with. Whether your kids are in public schools, privates schools, part-time schools, or you homeschool, we are all dealing with what I see many people calling "crisis schooling."

Crisis Schooling: What are we talking about?

Being home, nowhere to go, schooling must still happen, but all in-person instruction is gone. We're all trying to educate our children without resources we have gotten used to having. Whether those resources include brick and mortar schools or "schools" of your own making through homeschool co-ops or other activities, we are all doing without.

And for many working parents, they are also working from home, or juggling working out of the house as an essential employee while also managing their children's schooling and figuring out who is watching young kids while day cares are closed. Definitely not an easy thing to do.

Crisis schooling has our children on Zoom meetings, doing work in Google Classroom or some other platform, studying at the kitchen table, submitting everything online, and learning new concepts from a combination of emails/texts with teachers, Loom videos, learning from mom or dad, or figuring it out on their own. Just tonight I scanned eight assignments or quizzes for teachers from our part-time school and submitted them through Google Classroom. It takes a surprising amount of time!

Anyone else counting down until the last official day of school?

Is this what homeschooling is?

In my perusal of my social media networks I have come across various posts about homeschooling. I have many friends who have made comments regarding their new-found respect for homeschooling parents. Or, I have seen friends comment that, given this experience, homeschooling is not for them. And I'm sure there are many more experiences out there.

I get it, I really do! This is hard. But I do want all those parents to know that crisis schooling is not the same as homeschooling. Not by a long stretch. This crisis schooling is hard for us homeschool parents, too.

So if you are looking at this new schooling situation and comparing it to what you think homeschooling is, let me reassure you that it is not a fair comparison. We usually have much more fun!

So what is homeschooling?

Homeschooling takes a myriad of forms! For every family you know that homeschools they do things different from all the others. For every homeschool curriculum that is out there, there are a number of ways to adapt it for each family's unique situation. There is definitely no one way. Plus what works for one family may not work for another, and what works for a family one year may not work another, resulting in changes or modifications year to year.

In general though, most families come up with a curriculum to follow. They either buy it from a homeschool curriculum program in whole, or they piece together curricula from different programs, or they create their own through free resources online and pull things together from various sources. It's amazing what you can do with library resources, the internet, and local programs designed for homeschool students (like, this year I learned about Forest School when a fellow homeschool mom mentioned her children would be doing that once a week!).

The typical homeschool family has some sort of curriculum they are following, they will have their subjects to study, activities to do, they will have field trips, family discussions, lots of reading, and plenty of extra-curricula activities (4H, sports, music/dance lessons, horseback riding, and so much more). A homeschool family can choose to get work done over 4 days of the week and use the 5th for field trips, a co-op meeting, or a chance to explore other areas of interest. Some families can get all their work done in the morning and have time in the afternoon for other activities (art, music, baking, etc.). In some cases, maybe mom is the homeschooling parent but dad teaches one subject, that one subject may be taught in the evening or on the weekend. Some parents tag team everything because they both work and can work out their schedules so someone is always home. The options are endless!

It's difficult to define homeschooling because there are so many different ways to do it. Also, every state has some sort of rules about homeschooling that parents should know for their state. For the basic rules on homeschooling in Kentucky see this HSLDA page.

A word regarding Homeschool Curriculum

From observing my social media outlets, I've also seen an uptick in people expressing interest in homeschooling next school year, even if just to try it out. The first step is deciding what curriculum to follow. Will you create your own or buy an "out-of-the-box" curriculum? Or will you piece it together from a variety of sources? It takes research, plus also discernment to decide what will best fit your family and your child/children. And a word to the wise, a piece of advice I see shared with new homeschool parents in homeschool forums all the time: if you try to recreate a brick and mortar school experience at home, you and your children will likely end up hating it. Get to know the homeschool groups on Facebook, our local group, ask questions, lots and lots of questions, and find information on homeschooling to read and help you formulate what homeschooling should look like for you.

With that in mind, I am hoping to start posting some "interviews" with various members of our St. Joseph Homeschool Association featuring whatever curriculum they are using. So if homeschooling is something you are thinking about, watch for these posts. And consider following our Facebook page to keep up with our posts and activities (when we are allowed to do activities again).

To everyone out there crisis schooling, let's pray for each other. This is abnormal, it's hard, and we're all missing the ability to see friends and explore the world around us.

Adapting Holy Week for the Domestic Church: Holy Saturday & Easter Vigil

How did your Holy Thursday go? Where you able to do any kind of Seder meal, abbreviated or not?  Eileen and I attempted the unleavened bread; as we went, it brought up many questions. We mixed and kneaded, and asked ourselves--temperature seems to be important as various points, such as the instruction that warm water be used--of course, how warm is warm?--so what about the butter? Having it warm(er) makes it easier to mix, but no temperature is specified. So could we warm it up, for ease of mixing, or keep it cool? Of course, the author could be working on the assumption that the butter would be warm(ish), if, she, like my husband does, keeps butter at room temperature anyway. The best instruction, of course, after the kneading, was to put the bread under a "hot bowl" for half an hour. What kind of bowl? How do you keep it warm for half a hour? What temperature is "warm," and how do you distinguish between 'hot' and 'warm,' and does it honestly matter? So many questions! But we tried it, and we produced something that feels like we recreated Pillsbury's pre-made crossaints at the stage when you remove them from the can but before you roll them up into crescents. So we had our Seder "meal," with unleavened bread, wine, and horseradish mixed with a little bit of olive oil for our version of bitter herbs. We were going to attempt a more traditional rest of the meal, for the adults, at least. Since it was Thursday, our traditional pizza night, we ordered Little Caesars for the kids. Unfortunately, (or fortunately, I leave it to you), Door Dash was confused, and we ended up with, instead of a pepperoni pizza and a cheese pizza, three different kinds of pepperoni pizza (thin crust, deep dish, and regular crust). I did not know that all of the kinds of pepperoni existed. In light of this bonanza, and the fact that we won't be eating the leftovers today, it was pizza night for everyone! Not the most traditional of Seders, I feel. But it did feel harried and of the moment, so I feel that the spirit was kept, if nothing else. Ready to eat and run, indeed.

The blessings were good--blessing of bread and wine together, around the table, by candlelight. Kids complained of the taste of the bread, of course, but we had a discussion of what we were doing, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well the kids seemed to understand. Especially the nine year old and the eight year old (my first communicant this year), who answered questions very thoroughly about the Last Supper/first Mass, about the bread and wine becoming the Body and Blood of our Lord, and the words of Consecration said by Jesus and then, of course, said at every Mass. That was a blessing too.

So now we are in Good Friday mode and getting ready for our Good Friday commemoration. It makes me wish that we had at some time purchased a wooden clanger; it is this sound, more than any other element, that always brings Good Friday home to me in a visceral, chills down in the spine sort of way. The replacement of the welcoming bells with the dolorous thud of the wooden blocks. But we have plans. Christopher is going to teach the kids the Stabat Mater; I look forward to seeing how that will go. The kids are downstairs currently coloring pages with the Stations of the Cross; at 3:00, we will feature them in our makeshift Stations. We will have fourteen candles lit, and we will show the kids' Stations as we pray each Station, and extinguish the lit candles until we reach the end, and no light is left.

It feels like that is where we are caught right now, in that limbo between where the light is out and we are looking to the light resuming on Easter. This pandemic, like all crises, serves many purposes--it reveals the cracks, the things we try to hid and paper over, and gives us the chance, in a way we don't have in ordinary time, to ask big questions and try to create big answers. It is such a time for our society, and for our church. Why, with this rich society, and the society that devotes so much money and resources to the medical system, are we so terribly unprepared to deal with this emergency; why do we not have the doctors, nurses, and supplies we need? Why do we cut essential things to the bone? It shows what we value as a society, where we spend our money; where has all our money gone, when we don't have the PPE that we need?

It also calls on us to ask what it means to be church itself, when the sacraments are being kept from us, supposedly for our own good. But the church is there to provide the sacraments; at the most basic level, that is the point of the church. But fear has locked the doors, and even when practices are developed to let us have the Mass, with precautions taken, such as drive-in Masses, we are denied even these comforts. I have long feared this development, seeing that if such a situation arose, our leaders would take the choice of fear, rather than standing up for us. There is a divide in the church, I see, that we don't talk about, and what all the other arguments we have are proxies for, fundamental differences that boil down to the question of: what is the purpose and meaning of church? Is it justice--what our society deems and calls justice--or is it charity--caritas, love--of which justice is the handmaiden? Justice, after all, can only flow from charity, the highest purpose; if we aim for justice, we will not achieve charity. If we aim for charity, though, we can achieve justice. What is the center of our lives? Does the church offer us God's grace in the sacraments, or does it serve the goals of the society it finds itself in? We have to ask ourselves that question. We need to discuss how to answer that question. And we need to determine how we build that church, because when the initial, present, crisis is done, we are going to be in a deeper, longer crisis, where the old answers won't hold anymore, because we have seen the cracks and we know we can't paper over them anymore. Our job, as women, mothers, laity, is to see the church that we need to have, to hold that image in front of our church leaders, and work with them to create that church.

In light of living the church which we want to create, then, here are ideas for Holy Saturday and Easter Vigil. Holy Saturday itself feels pretty self-explanatory; preparation, decorations, removal of purple cloth on all of the icons and pictures (we de-purple the house!), the annual dying of the Easter eggs. But for the Vigil: no Mass, no Easter water, no welcoming rite of baptism. Maria von Trapp makes me feel emptiness, as the majority of her ideas for Easter Vigil revolve around the liturgy itself, with the lighting of the Paschal candle, and all the candles, the baptismal service with lessons, Litany of the Saints, and blessing of the Easter water, followed by midnight Mass.

Light, though, of course, is the predominant metaphor for this day, the Light of the World reborn. We are putting out the lights in our Good Friday Stations of the Cross, and so for our Easter Vigil, we welcome light back in. To my husband's sorrow, I think that we will have to have a blessed fire in the backyard. Do you have a fire pit handy? We got one last summer; it is quite inelegant, a little metal bowl placed on bricks, with a couple of metals benches surrounding it. I wanted a fire pit for a while, and while it is not fancy, it gets the job done nicely. I have taught the nine year old the joys of fire building, and he is getting quite proficient on his own. And we have learned, through many years of vicissitudes in trying to celebrate St. John's Eve, with a blessed bonfire (the whole point of the feast, right?), that it is possible to have a blessed bonfire with a layman if necessary. (I will include the blessing for a fire at the end of this post.) So, a blessed fire, burning our impromptu branches from Palm Sunday (they were blessed with holy water, so burned they must be). We can recite a Litany of the Saints. We can read the Gospel and lessons if small children are patient enough. Maria von Trapp points out that Easter fires are traditional celebrations in Europe, "innumerable bonfires ... lit in honor of the Risen Lord." (She also mentions the Boellerschiessen, where the young men shoot their "old fashioned heavy rifles" and the "echo takes up those cannon-like detonations," but unless you are really isolated up in the mountains, maybe skip this particular celebration.) Mary Reed Newland suggests reading the Gospel, renewing of baptismal vows that are normally part of the liturgy, the blessing of fire and of the paschal candle. I think having the blessed fire, reading the Gospel, reciting the Litany of Saints and maybe, the renewal of the baptismal vows, sounds lovely.

I am also very tempted to create my own Paschal candle; we will see what Christopher will let me get away with. Mary Reed Newland offers these suggestions: cutting the design into a candle, with a cross with the alpha and omega signs on top and bottom and the numerals of the year written out, (so 2020), one number per quadrant of the cross. She suggests, after the cutting, painting them with red oil paint. At the four points of the cross and at its center, pierce with a hot skewer and insert a clove (looks like nails). I include the blessing for the paschal candle below as well.

Blessing for a New Fire
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray. O God, who through Thy Son, the corner stone, hast bestowed on the faithful the fire of Thy glory, sanctify this new fire produced from a flint for our use; and grant that by this paschal festival we many be so inflamed with heavenly desires, that with pure minds we may come to the feast of perpetual light. Through the same Christ Our Lord.
R. Amen
(Sprinkle fire with holy water)

Blessing of the Paschal Candle
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray. May the abundant infusion of Thy blessing descend upon this lighted Candle, we beseech Thee, almighty God: and do Thou, O invisible regenerator, look down on it, shining in the night; that not only the sacrifice that is offered this night may shine by the secret mixture of Thy light; but also into whatsoever place anything of this mystically blessed object shall be brought, there the power of Thy majesty may be present, and all the malice of satanic deceit may be driven out. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen
(Sprinkle candle with holy water).

I hope these reflections help you in celebrating Holy Saturday and the Easter Vigil in your domestic church, as we work together on our common task of building the church. Please let me know how it goes!