Homeschool Spotlight: Tyler and Start Right Workbooks
Sally MangaiWe recently had the pleasure of chatting with Jodie, a homeschooling parent, to gain insight into her family's experience homeschooling with Start Right Workbooks. Start Right Workbooks are enaging write-on A4 resources aligned with Levels 1-4 of the New Zealand Curriculum (Years 1-8+). They break down learning into bite-sized sessions for one sitting, aiding learners in mastering key subjects.
Join us as we learn more about how Jodie and her son Tyler have used LearnWell resources as the core part of their curriculum.
Hi Jodie - can you tell us a bit about your family and why you choose to homeschool?
Our family chose to homeschool because of our faith. We wanted to be able to integrate Bible study into the children's daily lives and to be able to spend more time together as a family.
How do you select resources that you’ll include in your curriculum?
I chose based on what I know is going to contribute to the children having a great foundation in learning. These subjects include maths, reading and writing. This then gives the children space to choose any other topics that allow them to explore what they love and want to learn.
Homeschooling with Start Right Workbooks
Sounds like you put a lot of time and thought into the components of your curriculum. What made you choose Start Right Workbooks as a homeschool resource for your children?
- They were based on the New Zealand curriculum
- LearnWell are a New Zealand business
- Start Right Workbooks are available at a great price point.
Can you share an example of a particular workbook activity that your child enjoyed or found especially beneficial?
For one English lesson, Tyler was asked to imagine being in four different spaces: the park, classroom, outside, or a supermarket. He needed to record what he heard. Instead of just imagining, we took Tyler to these places. He experienced firsthand what he was hearing and we noticed how well he was able to anaylse the different contexts and how they changed what he observed. Tyler took away valuable lessons on the importance of listening and the skill set required to be a good listener.
Encouraging independent learners
It's wonderful that homeschooling gives you the flexibility to reinforce learning through different real-life contexts. Have you noticed any positive changes or developments in Tyler's learning habits since homeschooling with Start Right Workbooks?
Tyler is forming a habit of checking his schedule and getting the books he needs independently. I put this down to his enjoyment of the textbooks and his learning.
How do LearnWell resources enhance Tyler's learning compared to other materials you've tried?
As Tyler continues to grow and go up in year levels, the level of learning expectations has also grown and I've been feeling a bit out of my depth. LearnWell resources give me the confidence in knowing I'm teaching my son what he needs to know for his age and school level.
Keeping the interest up
It's great to hear how Tyler is growing in his learning and in independence. What features of Start Right Workbooks do you find most effective in keeping him engaged and motivated?
The lessons themselves are not too long. It is much easier to keep him interested than with others we have tried. Start Right Workbook pages are also colourful and engaging.
How does the flexibility and adaptability of LearnWell resources support your family's unique homeschooling schedule and lifestyle?
We love that we can pick up and start learning whenever and wherever we go.
That's a really great benefit of homeschooling. Would you recommend Start Right Workbooks to other parents?
Absolutely! I'd recommend them for their flexibility, ease of use, the fact they're based on New Zealand curriculum and written by New Zealand teachers.
Advice I would give would be to keep it fun and think outside of the box. There are many ways to approach a lesson. New Zealand-specific books like Start Right Workbooks give you plenty of opportunities to do more than just sit down in front of the pages. The learning opportunities are literally everywhere.
Ka mutu pea! That's so great! Many thanks to Jodie and Tyler for sharing a bit about their homeschooling journey with us.