Homeschool Recap & Update: Curriculum Changes | Orthodox Jewish Homeschooling Mom (Jar of Fireflies)

Its time for a homeschool recap and update! Big changes are happening and I AM SO EXCITED! Y'all know how much homeschool makes me happy, and this video is all about homeschool. I will update you on how last yer worked out, what I want to change (spoiler: it's basically everything), and what we are doing for homeschool next year. I will do another video coming up after I order all the curriculum we will be using next year so that you can see everything we are using, but till then this is a solid sneak peek. Thank you for watching! Also, does anyone read the description? If you do, comment: description. I am just curious :)
Homeschool Playlist: • Homeschool
Homeschool Curriculum Picks 2023/2024 • Creating My Own Curric...
Memoria Press Charter: charter.memoriapress.com
00:00 Intro
1:35 Last Year Recap
5:07 Group Lessons
8:35 Box Curriculum
9:30 Memoria Press Charter
11:40 Preparing the kids for change
13:00 Memoria Press Charter Curriculum Manual
14:48 Adapting Memoria Press Curriculum Manual
18:18 Closing
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Homeschool Recap & Update: Curriculum Changes | Orthodox Jewish Homeschooling Mom (Jar of Fireflies)
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Hello and welcome! My name is Chana, I’m married to my best friend, and we have four wonderful children together. We also happen to be Orthodox Jews and we homeschool our kids. This video is a sneak peek into our daily lives :) You can see how this particular Jewish homeschool mom sets up her days, rolls with the punches, and gets it all done. Thanks for watching!
Why I chose the name Jar of Fireflies:
• Answering Your Questio...
#homeschool #jewishlife #orthodoxjewishlife
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Instagram @jar_of_fireflies
Filmed on iPhone 11 Pro Max
Intro music on most of my videos: Blue Mountains by Gabriel Witcher
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p.s. Please like this video if you enjoyed it, it really supports my channel and helps me see what kind of videos you want to see more of. Thank you!

[@jaroffireflies]

And I am back! Thank you so much for stopping by!!! I am so happy you are here! Also, stay tuned for a questions post in the community tab for a future q and a video :) Or you can post your questions here in this thread under this comment :)

[@maryperry9556]

Why would you want to systematically eliminate all references to Christianity from your children's education? How would you feel if Christians eliminated all references to Jewish religion and culture from our children's education? Isn't the primary purpose of your channel to educate all people about the Jewish faith?

[@Sara88890]

@@maryperry9556 It makes sense for Christianity to reference Judaism because their Messiah is Jewish and the religion is built off of the Torah and Jewish teachings. It's doesn't make sense that Judaism references Christianity because we do not personally consider Jesus to be the Jewish Messiah, and we do not follow the New Testament. It is not to be rude, but having Christian references in math makes no sense, it's math not a Comparative Religions class.

[@tehilash7292]

Hi Chana, I was wondering why don't you use a jewish school currriculum like Chabad or other comunity jewish school curriculum?

[@suebecker9972]

How do you (or how will you) handle more advanced subject matter that may or may not be in your wheelhouse? For example: chemistry, trigonometry, etc. This is NOT a criticism of homeschooling, it's just something I've always wondered about.

[@andreagardner2335]

Wow! I am so impressed! When your kids are older, I hope you will develop a curriculum for Jewish home schooling. It’s important.

[@jaroffireflies]

I would love to one day :) Its been on my mind for sure!

[@autumfrench3624]

Ani ve Ami is a Jewish homeschool curriculum company

[@jennbidwelledwardson2885]

Homeschooling is an ever evolving process, and as your kids grow and change, you need to grow and change your approach. One of the reasons I homeschooled so many years ago was so my kids could pursue their passions and learn in the best way for each of their needs. You're right, homeschooling is a fulltime job and you're embracing the challenge with intelligence and wisdom.

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much Jenn ❤️ I really appreciate this so much.

[@martinelanglois3158]

I was raised catholic, so I was told that God is everywhere. But he was NEVER in our math books. Have a great week! 💙

[@jaroffireflies]

😂

[@SusanP674]

Your commitment to your children's education is evident in everything you do. I applaud you!

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much Susan!

[@Taversham]

I'm just trying to wrap my head around a non-secular maths programme, surely as long as you're steering clear of questions like "how many thousand people can you feed with 5 loaves of bread?" or "how many nights will one night's worth of oil burn for?" then maths should all be the same...

[@lisal5718]

Probably devotionals in the beginning or stuff like mentions of the holidays I hope. Non-secular maths really sounds wrong but if you are dealing with US evangelicals you always have to expect the unexpected.

[@StephanieMT]

They mention God or the Bible in the math. They sometimes say isn't God amazing or God did this

[@jaroffireflies]

It's a great question. In our experience its been using bible stories for word problems (can be problematic) or saying things like "G-d created so many beautiful flowers, let's sort them on a graph" (not problematic for my family, but could be for others). So a curriculum could contain "christian" content and be totally ok for us, or not.

[@tamarfischer283]

AS A religious person who is totally OK with G-d created so many beautiful flowers, I still don't think that belongs in a math problem

[@sandragallo2283]

What’s is up with G-d Vs God.?

[@karenjohnson5634]

“Homeschool isn’t easy”- so true! But it’s strangely addictive!!! 😂 There is something so satisfying about researching new curriculums and getting new books!!! Hope this curriculum works out perfectly for this season of your life!! ❤

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much Karen!

[@kirstenskog7809]

Hello, I'm a 50 year old Christian woman. I love your channel. I am also Autistic. I like the way you explain things so we can a!l understand. I also appreciate your reasoning of your curriculum. You do what's right for you and your family. I am learning alot. Thank you for all you do.

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much Kirsten! I really appreciate your kind words!

[@nancypettitt1211]

As a veteran teacher I am truly impressed at how you choose what works for your family and take the time to style it to each child and to your religion. Thanks and look forward to seeing what it is you have ordered for the coming year. take care.

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much Nancy!

[@boething]

I’m a retired elementary teacher, and I agree!! Every year was a little bit different from every other year, so even though we had to follow a curriculum, I managed to adapt it for each class.

[@Susanjoc]

I’m a Christian granny who has commented on your site many times. I watch many families who homeschool their children. In my opinion, Chana has the BEST program hands down. She tailors her program to necessary subjects as well as many subjects of interest. That’s the beauty of homeschool. You can model it to YOUR religion, culture, and learning needs of the child. I applaud you Chana for striving to be the best!

[@jaroffireflies]

You are so kind thank you!

[@lauramotola6231]

Loved hearing all about your homeschool!!!!!Thanks for sharing!

[@jaroffireflies]

You are so welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@Rebecca-zp4gm]

Totally agree with you sorting and planning for the next year. It’s amazing how quickly they are growing and learning etc.

[@welbornsh]

Another great video! I enjoy your home school videos. It is good to see/hear varying perspectives. Thank you for sharing!

[@jaroffireflies]

You are so welcome! Thank you for being here!

[@andersonkayla]

Chana, I love all of your videos but your homeschooling videos are some of my favorites. I’m so excited for this! 💜

[@jaroffireflies]

Glad you like them! Yay! Thank you!

[@lmmartin959]

I KNOW you must be a huge inspiration to homeschooling families. PS I LOVE your library set up. Wow!

[@jaroffireflies]

Aw thank you so much!

[@familiatischler4623]

Awww miss you so much! Glad you're back!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉 😊❤❤❤❤

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you!!

[@kristinmiller4779]

I always read the description just to know the content which I've loved!!

[@jaroffireflies]

You’re the best! Thank you! 😊

[@user-sn1ft4dg8r]

Glad you’re back❤

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you 😊

[@63Littlemouse]

Hi Chana, welcome back 😊sounds like you've got a good handle on your home school curriculum for the coming year, its a lot ! Though I don't have school age children, I still watched the entire video to give you my support, I found it very interesting & glad that your children have such a committed & wonderful teacher 🥰 Clare x

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you!! 😊 I really appreciate you Clare!

[@lindac3395]

Wowey Zowey, whatta mom🦸‍♀️! Have a wonderful week Chana, I sure do enjoy following your channel! 💕

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much 🤗

[@cindyhalpern3187]

This video was so interesting for me. Learning your thought process about what curriculum works and doesn't work and why is fascinating. You are so in touch with how your kids learn. And I am happy to hear Hebrew is part of your program. But you are open minded and accept that Latin could have a role once Hebrew is mastered. And you carefully examine how curriculum fits into your values, which I like a lot. You seem like you are on a good track with home teaching. Not everyone can do it, but I think you can, and you do it well!

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much Cindy! I really appreciate your thoughtful response to my video :) Latin is really cool and does come up a lot in reading / science/ medicine / etc. Plus as far as I hear, learning latin will teach you more about english than any English class lol So I am all in! But my Hebrew needs to improve more too first :)

[@kathy3178]

I am almost at the end of my homeschooling journey. Watching your videos reminds me of the excitement I had when picking out a new curriculum. It was so much fun opening the boxes and going through everything.

[@jaroffireflies]

Oh wow! Almost done! I can't even imagine.

[@cathy2142]

Awww sounds like a great plan❤

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you Cathy!

[@rachelreiker7228]

Hello Channah! Hope you, Mr. Firefly and all the little Fireflies are doing well! Thank you for being such a bright spot on the internet. 😊

[@jaroffireflies]

Aw thank you so much Rachel! ❤️

[@shawndavis824]

The flexibility of homeschooling is the best. I am excited to hear how Memoria Press works for your family. Our church’s new hybrid homeschool that is starting next school year is using Memoria Press. They will do 3 days in a classroom with a teacher and then 2days of work at home. We used TGATB also-loved the math and language/reading, liked the science units but you are right-there was no finish line to see what we actually learned as a whole. I did not care at all for the history. It was completely geared towards group learning and when you only have 1student it was difficult. I pray you have a great week and blessed Shabbat.

[@jaroffireflies]

That is so fun! It's I think pretty popular with church hybrid homeschool models. I hope you have a wonderful week too!

[@bettymaines6305]

Back when I first learned that home schooling was possible ( and yes this was about 100 years ago) I thought home schooling was a kid eating breakfast and reading the back of the cereal box. Well, I have learned more about home schooling over the years. And yes , it is a big job. Your kids are very lucky to have you as their teacher

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you Betty :)

[@victoriaheisser7137]

How very interesting! Thank you for sharing.

[@jaroffireflies]

So glad you enjoyed :) Thank you for watching!

[@chayastaub-krell6601]

Hi Chana! I missed you last week but I completely understand. Your family has to come first ❤! I do read the description while the ads are playing before a video starts. It gives me an idea of what to expect. Some KZbinrs don't have ads so I pause the video to read the description. I love the way you homeschool - all the research needed to choose the best curriculum for your families needs at that time! You're flexible enough even to switch things up during the year. I especially love the way you ordered a few books at your children's current level to explore what this curriculum will look like in your home. Such a great way to see if it could work instead of jumping in and ordering the entire curriculum times three children to begin the year only to find out that it doesn't work for you. I think I'll do that too for next year. We've already finished for this year but I may be able to pull my grandson away from his video games and friends for a little bit to try out something new for next year. For math, my daughters and grandchildren have always done better with hands-on manipulatives. I chose the Math-U-See program and it's been working really well for us. It's not cheap but the state expanded scholarships this school year and are continuing the program. You can either buy from their marketplace and the order is paid directly to the suppliers or you can buy stuff, lay out the payment and submit for reimbursement. Luckily, the math and science curriculums that I had chosen were available on their marketplace. I even got bookcases and all the supplies without paying upfront! Shavua tov! See you next Monday!

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much Chaya! I looked into Math U See but the price really put me off, it does look like an amazing program though!!!

[@chayastaub-krell6601]

@@jaroffireflies I agree about the price! I really wanted it for my granddaughter when I was homeschooling her but couldn't do it. The only way I'm able to get it now is because of the state scholarship and it's on their marketplace. That makes it totally free for us. It's one thing our state legislature and governor has done right lol.

[@jaroffireflies]

@@chayastaub-krell6601 that totally makes sense :) I’m so glad you could get the program you wanted!

[@susanhobbins3744]

Even though I never home schooled my children You explained the curriculum and the different homeschooled plans out there it was interesting..It was nice to see you today and as always have a great week and a peaceful Shabbat.

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much Susan! Hope you have a wonderful week too!

[@maliabeattie-butler500]

I love that you mentioned that homeschooling your kiddos is your first job. That is the way I feel about it too. I also homeschool and for this coming year we are stepping away from the unit curriculum and doing Oak Meadow yearly curriculum. I find that for my family this will be best, a continuous building of skills. The unit curriculum (which I love) was just too long for my Autistic visual learner. So in asking which was preferred Oak Meadow or units and Oak Meadow was the choice. It was mentioned from my learner that it was the easiest to understand. Thank you. You are an inspiration to me. I have been watching your videos for almost 2 years and I appreciate all of your down to earth insight that seems manageable.

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much for your kind words!

[@robinjanz2243]

Interesting update! Homeschooling is so great because of the flexibility and choices available! My hat is off to you with respect, as this is such a BIG commitment but so valuable and so worth it. I am a Christian, but would also choose secular materials at times (I only homeschooled one of my 3 children, and just for junior high), just due to theological differences of opinion of Christian materials.

[@jaroffireflies]

I hadn't thought of that before but it makes perfect sense!

[@giuliamotta628]

Chana I sincerely hope that this new homeschooling system works well for your family.

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you kindly!

[@macintyredunning]

Hey Chana!! You really are such an inspiration. I had to homeschool during COVID whilst doing my day job at home and honestly I nearly lost the will to live!!! I’m definitely not a school teacher ( although I am an accountant so we had the maths covered!😅😅) lots of love to you all x

[@sarahfarrell8214]

Hi Chana, I love how you plan your children's education, you put so much care into planning everything! You're such a great mom. You should be really proud of yourself! I'm looking forward to your follow-up video. Question: What subject do you teach first thing in the morning? Do you have a special order? Love your videos!

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you for your kind words! Great questions. I teach religious subjects first. I don't have a particular order, I am happy to let my kids make choices in their day as long as things are getting done :)

[@averibobaveri]

I would love to see a video about first year homeschool parent tips! My son is 2.5 and we’ve been going back and forth about homeschooling and what that will look like for our family. It all seems super overwhelming!

[@kristinmiller4779]

Good morning Chana and firefly kiddos I've missed seeing you!

[@jaroffireflies]

Good morning Kristin ☀️

[@TheLisaschaum]

Hi Channa, homeschooling mom of 3, 1 graduated. We've had quite the journey over the past 10 years. Changing curricula was a bit challenging in my first several years. I was too rigid at first. Starting with a rigorous religious boxed curriculum to a relaxed (for them) unschooling with CM influences to meet learning and other health challenges. I still like the group approach but like your situation when one is down it makes sense to use individual lessons. As much work as it feels like, when it comes to fitting the material to each child, you will see them thrive. It's one of the many joys as the teacher/mom. Happy planning!

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you for sharing your experiences :) Another thing that I didn't mention in the video about the group lessons, is that I felt like for us they were better for me, but not necessarily better for my kids.

[@kathleencasella4703]

So enjoyed your video and what you do to choose your curriculum. God bless you.

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much Kathleen!

[@llibrescuinaimusica7273]

Good afternon ☕🍪☺️ Be the teacher of your children must be a beautiful job, I'm sure when they will be old, they'll have amazing memories . 📖✨🌸💕 Thank you for share with us

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much!

[@janehall3910]

Hi Chana. That’s a lot of preparation! Do you ever share homeschooling with other families? I wonder how much Baby Firefly is picking up from his older siblings. Thanks for checking in, and have a great week!

[@jaroffireflies]

Hi Jane! I don't share teaching etc with other families. We do meet up with other families for activities, but homeschooling is so personal, it can be hard to share with other families. I have found it works best if we just do things on our own when it comes to book work :)

[@winnieewing7730]

Channa is there enough hours in a day for you 😂. I was exhausted just listening to all you have to do. 😊❤❤Ireland

[@jaroffireflies]

😁 I definitely like to keep busy!

[@bellafoxygobble3376]

We are also shifting gears for this coming year. I've graduated one, and after years doing co-op and piecing things together, we went boxed curriculum. I only have a few short years left with them and I would rather spend my time WITH them rather than planning for them.

[@jaroffireflies]

YES 🙌 this!!!!! Absolutely!

[@Trekkifulshay]

We have chosen to do Memoria Press The Book of Astronomy for science because I have a space kid. My kiddo is special needs & I've been looking at their special needs curriculum. We also ordered the book on Greek Myths we decided against the full curriculum but I will read the stories when the Astronomy book says to. I think that will be fun. Thank you for sharing about the Charter school site we are Christian but some Christian curriculum presents certain beliefs as something all Christians obviously share which isn't the case.

[@jaroffireflies]

That is such a good point! About not all Christian curriculums working for all Christian families

[@user-fb5ze9fx7e]

I'm Jewish and I've also used bits and pieces of Memoria Press. Next year I will probably be using their Traditional Spelling and one of their literature guides.

[@susanhobbins3744]

Thanks!

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much Susan! 💐💐💐❤️❤️❤️💖💖💖

[@lisafawbush74]

Are there programs that are geared toward the Jewish community? I know that there are plenty of programs geared toward Christians, but never realized that there might not be any for Jewish homeschoolers.

[@jaroffireflies]

I wish there were! There is very little directed to the Jewish community. I’ve considered creating one, but it’s not a huge market either.

[@uniquelyplanned443]

Description. Looking forward to hearing how this works for you. When we were homeschooling our math curriculum stayed the same almost the entire time. It took a couple years to find what we liked. Then in high school I had to make changes for my oldest who wasn’t as math inclined. I think pretty much everything else changed every year. Sometimes more than once in a year 😂

[@jaroffireflies]

❤️❤️❤️

[@jaroffireflies]

Love that you read the description! ❤️❤️❤️ Thanks for all your lovely comments ❤️

[@loriwallis832]

So nice to see you again. The new studies sound wonderful. Will your kids eventually start any type of sports, dancing, soccer, etc? That would cover physical activity, dealing with winning and losing and great interaction. Take care and have a wonderful week. 🤗

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you Lori! Great question. Some math curriculums insert Christian theology into the math curriculum by using bible stories to create word problems or introduce a lesson etc. Other times its as simple as "Look at all the flowers G-d created, lets graph them!". I don't have a problem with that last example, but some things we have come across are things I don't want in my child's curriculum.

[@loriwallis832]

@@jaroffireflies LOL. My questions were about sports and outside activities. Hahaha. 🤗

[@jaroffireflies]

I must have got distracted mid way through reading your question and came back and read the end of a different question! 😂 Life with kids right?!? At this point my kids are not interested in sports. We do a lot of hiking, swimming etc though, so physical activity isn’t a concern. They also do a lot of gaming and group play so I’m not worried about those other things either. Sports are great for all of that, but there’s other options too. ❤️

[@loriwallis832]

@@jaroffirefliesabsolutely. Lots of different ways. Take care.

[@laurenm.6320]

I felt the same way about unit studies.

[@jaroffireflies]

So glad I’m not the only one :)

[@swhitaker0311]

Math with Confidence is hands down the best elementary math out there. My third has been in the pilot test group since first grade. We’ll finish sixth grade next year. I’ve gone back through with my fourth who just finished first grade. There’s no reason math should include religious content.

[@jaroffireflies]

I’m so happy to hear that! I agree about religious content in math. It’s so unnecessary lol But to each their own!

[@manyalevine1017]

U r a great Mama!

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much!

[@catherineciferni1145]

Do you use the Dear America series for history with the children? I think they are a good resource. Also their is a “ choose your own adventure” style of history stories I have used Orphan Train with some students. It really sad so use with eldest and it prompt really great conversations

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much for the ideas! I had not herd of those

[@debbiestarks4975]

I am so impressed with your homeschooling. Your children will be so prepared to face this complicated world because of you! Have a great week!

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you so much! You are so kind Debbie!

[@debbiestarks4975]

@jaroffireflies I had one child, and that was A LOT of work. Watching you teach, cook, clean, get ready for Shabbos, be a wife and mother and teacher...whew! You are amazing. I love watching you and I love learning from you.

[@sharonlchambers3555]

I really enjoyed this video-as you described the various aspects of your family’s homeschooling, I could mentally picture how some of the hands on would be. Very exciting to hear that Little Dude is now reading!

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you Sharon! Yes, new readers are always some of my favorite things in homeschooling!

[@kimmykat9]

I think teaching one on one is an excellent idea...more for you but so good for them !!! Are your kids tested by the state at the end of the school year to make sure they are meeting goals ?

[@jaroffireflies]

No, our state does not require any testing. I get to set goals for each kid and I just assess by what I see them doing each day :)

[@silmarawilliams8404]

My family is Noahide, I don't know if I wrote it correctly (B'nei Noah) and we use the curriculum The Good and The Beautiful Math, Science and Language Arts. My daughter is in grade 7, and this year we decided to change to IEW excellence in writing, for Phonics, grammar and writing, because is good for secular family or not Christian family, I use it without any problems, we are really enjoying it, I recommend it!

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you for the recommendation! I’ve been looking into that one!

[@Ceelle2]

I just looked up and saw there is a Jewish-focused home school curriculum but you may have already explored that program. Each parent has to find what brick school or home program is best for their kid(s).

[@jaroffireflies]

Yes I have found a Jewish program also but it’s not a fit for us ❤️

[@sarastromseth-troy3323]

Hi Chana! I recently discovered your channel and am a new subscriber. I hope to convert to Judaism someday (probably Reform or Conservative given my life situation). That said, I am drawn to the idea of increased observance should I convert, so I have enjoyed watching how your faith informs your family life. I also really enjoy cleaning videos (they inspire me to clean my own house; is that weird? My husband thinks so LOL!). Anyway, I really enjoy your videos and look forward to your content!

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you for your kind words! And welcome! I’m so glad you’re here 💐

[@user-zw8zw3zo3q]

Hi channah!!! How are you all?? May you all be healthy and happy!. From. Shulamit in Israel. ❤

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you Shulamit! BH we are well!

[@savannahgonzalez2641]

❤❤❤

[@miriamghershenzon4599]

Hi,good to see you, hatzlacha raba,you should see lots of Yiddish nachat ❤

[@jaroffireflies]

Amen! Thank you Miriam!

[@aneliyageorgieva5352]

Hi, Chana! Very interesting and informative video. What does a non secular math program means? Math seems the most secular subject, it's hard to mix it with some religion or ideology.

[@jaroffireflies]

So glad you enjoyed! Yes, I agree it seems strange to find religion in math, but its done fairly often. Things I have seen are using bible stories to make math questions (this can be problematic for us when it is the christian bible) and I have also seen things like "G-d created so many beautiful flowers! Look at the page and sort the flowers onto the graph to see how many of each kind there are in the meadow" (this is totally ok with my family because we agree the G-d created the flowers).

[@mrenaep]

Can you do a more in depth video on your homeschooling life? Like a DITL but it's a typical homeschooling day, like with you teaching, your routine, and schedule? Basically, what it looks like in your home. It's so interesting to see other POVs because some parents are adhere to strict schedules and others are more "loose". Also, a homeschool room tour would be nice.

[@jaroffireflies]

Have you seen my homeschooling playlist? I have a lot of that sort of thing there. It’s linked in the description of this video 💐

[@mrenaep]

@@jaroffireflies Thanks! I'll check it out!

[@jaroffireflies]

@@mrenaep enjoy!

[@rachelcato1639]

I like your top that you are wearing in the video

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you! 😊

[@annettemurielle]

Hi! As you explained the changes you made to your son's curriculum you mentioned a course of studies your oldest was doing with "his various rabbis" and it started with a "g." Long-time Christian follower here, so while I am familiar with quite a bit, that one was new to me. Could you explain what it is? Might it have to do with preparing him for his Bar Mitzvah? Really enjoyed this video it's always a pleasure to listen to you. 🙂

[@jaroffireflies]

Sure! It’s Gemara. In English it’s the Talmud. It’s the oral Torah

[@annettemurielle]

Thank you! 💖💖

[@jaroffireflies]

@@annettemurielle you’re so welcome

[@silvanahurtadovares1528]

Hi Chana! One for your Q&A: My daughter is studying a much more advanced maths lessons at school and she is just 13 years old! I guess the curricula was not the best back in my days...My question is, how are you planning to tackle those subjects where your knowledge is not "advance" enough?

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you for the question! I will put it on my w and a list!

[@Milk427]

I feel like you should come up with your own Jewish based Homeschool curriculum. If anyone could do it, you could.

[@jaroffireflies]

I think that would be a super fun project! But maybe in a few years :)

[@Milk427]

@@jaroffireflies I realize right now is not ideal. I do think you have such a good understanding of what goes into homeschooling that from your religious beliefs you could write your own curriculum. You’ve got 4 kids of 4 different years. You don’t really have the time right now. Maybe eventually.

[@jaroffireflies]

@@Milk427 maybe one day :)

[@knighted428]

As a Jewish homeschool momma history is hard. I don't use a curriculum. I utilize the library and write my own. I love these updates tho you have some great ideas and resources. Ever think of making a Jewish homeschool community?

[@jaroffireflies]

We have done the too where I write my own curriculum. It's so fun to do right? I haven't thought of making a Jewish homeschool community. At least one exists on Facebook (though I am not on FB), and another lady local to me started one in person but I don't think it lasted beyond a year.

[@coosbaytech]

Description 😉 I might be the only one though 😂

[@jaroffireflies]

You're awesome! You are the second one I have seen so far LOLOL

[@ginagiberti9283]

Seems like we are on parallel paths this year. For a variety of reasons I'm largely separating my rising 4th and 6th graders. We are saying goodbye (for now) to BYL, and hello to a few new things including Memoria Press Charter.

[@jaroffireflies]

How fun! We really did love our time with BYL. I am so excited for Memoria Press charter though! The book lists are so good!

[@ginagiberti9283]

@@jaroffireflies the fbook Memoria Press buy/sell group is really active. It's a good way to save on the cost.

[@BrowneyedGirlmjd]

Chana you are a rockstar!!! Just sayin’. Do you consult or network with other families who homeschool and share ideas or books etc,? Or I think the better question is, do you get requests from other families to network with you because you are the rockstar?

[@jaroffireflies]

You are so kind! My homeschool friends and I often discuss curriculum especially when we have found a good resource.

[@mags102755]

I'm a huge fan of classical, secular education. Good for you! I always regret not learning Latin in my young years. I'm hopeful your kids will learn Latin after Hebrew. Always good to hear from you Chana. Lots of love.

[@jaroffireflies]

I am really hoping we do get to Latin with at least some of my kids because I would love to learn it as well!

[@dragondancer1814]

@@jaroffirefliesI was lucky enough to be able to study Latin throughout all four of my high school years, and I enjoyed it thoroughly! Both my kids wished they could have that opportunity (we live in a different county where Latin isn’t one of the foreign languages offered), but I’m hoping they can find a way to study it either in college or afterwards (one graduates college tomorrow, and the other will be graduating from high school next year). I homeschooled both my kids during their pre-K years, partly because the public schools here didn’t have pre-K then and partly because the preschools in our town were all run by conservative Christian churches. Since we’re Wiccans, that made them a no-go for us, so I opted for a Montessori-based homeschool concept instead. It worked great, and even after they started public school I found ways to supplement their studies at home. Good luck with your homeschooling!

[@swhitaker0311]

We’re switching to Chronos for history next. I’m a little nervous because it requires more prep on my part, but it’s designed to present all sides of history and teach kids to think through hard issues critically.

[@jaroffireflies]

That sounds great!

[@MrStan0630]

Hi Chana, At what grade do you plan to stop home schooling your sixth grader?

[@jaroffireflies]

We will homeschool for as long as it works for our family

[@itkathleen]

Why no secular MATH of all things?? Maybe I’m missing something, but if I had to list the subjects which would be easiest to divorce doctrine and education, wouldn’t math be the easiest?

[@jaroffireflies]

Math can be pretty hard to decide on. We went through several math curriculums before settling on the one we used the past couple years. The very minimal content that I found problematic for my family was so little at the earlier grades that it was worth it to continue with it. This past year, as I explained, I found the curriculum to be problematic for our family. The content I found problematic was still minimal, but it was enough and no longer a good fit for us for that and other reasons. I’m not sure if you ever chosen curriculum for a child, but it’s not easy :)

[@itkathleen]

@@jaroffirefliesFrom your video, it sounded like the program offered religious and secular options for all subjects except math, which was the concept I was reacting to. I have no doubt the work it takes to homeschool, especially when you have specific wants and needs, and I'm looking forward to more details in your next video

[@jaroffireflies]

@@itkathleen you can buy secular math for sure, but there is a surprising amount of Christian math curriculum. That said, secular curriculum can be just as problematic as Christian curriculum for us (even math). I spend a lot of time researching curriculum. Not every math program is good, and not every program is good for every child.

[@AmatiinBC]

Would you be able to share what you are using for Hebrew? Or point me to the video where you talk about it?

[@jaroffireflies]

Hello! In my past curriculum pick videos I discuss our history programs we have used, its linked in the description. I’m adding a new program for my oldest next year and will share that in my curriculum pick video coming up.

[@alexisheaslip5019]

I’m not sure if you’ve said in a previous video, but what curriculum do you use for Hebrew? Thanks :)

[@jaroffireflies]

I have said in previous videos. If you look back at the curriculum video that I linked in the description, you will see links. For next year, I have a new one and I can't remember the name off hand but I will show it (and the others) in the curriculum pick video hopefully next month :)

[@jaroffireflies]

I did share these in my other curriculum pick videos (you can see links and everything in the video I linked in the description), and I can't remember the name of the new one we are adding for my oldest for next year off hand, but it will be in my curriculum pick video coming up!

[@alexisheaslip5019]

@@jaroffireflies awesome thanks 🤗🤗

[@lizbrown3021]

We are Catholic and Memoria Press is phenomenal!

[@jaroffireflies]

So happy to hear that!

[@alternativeprovisioneducator]

Why not using the cgp maths, English, science, history and geography curriculum?

[@jaroffireflies]

I haven’t heard of that

[@alternativeprovisioneducator]

@@jaroffireflies it's uk based curriculum, but can be used for tutoring, I use them all the time. They're not religious based at all. Covers age 5-16 uk reception to ks4, alevel key stage 5. Worth using as a resource.

[@SebastianBlackwell94]

good morning

[@jaroffireflies]

Good morning ☀️

[@josephkavanagh5221]

Shalom! I wish that I had the same curriculum that your children have. I wasn't raised in the Jewish faith. I discovered Judaism in my adult life. Wishing you the very best!

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you!

[@kellibolen2847]

Description!💚

[@jaroffireflies]

Yay!!! Love it! Thank you :)

[@dawnbaker9274]

Unfortunately, due to circumstances, we are going with public school (or 'town school' as she calls it) next year. We are kinda scrambling to cram more math and reading which she struggles with. I am concerned because she is going to struggle with a stricter schedule and being quiet. (She would have done well in a blab school. 😁) It's a sad thing for me but life is happening..."but that's okay."😊

[@jaroffireflies]

I'm sorry Dawn, that must have been a hard decision. But as I always say in regards to homeschooling, we do what is best for our whole family. Hugs mama!

[@dawnbaker9274]

@jaroffireflies Thank you and I'm her Amaw (grandma). We are a 3 generation family. 😄

[@jaroffireflies]

@@dawnbaker9274 How beautiful!

[@clairecox8624]

im from the old school. I was wondering about math you teach the kids. is there a difference in math because of religion? sounds interesting. I thought math was the same for everyone. please enlighten me on the differences?

[@jaroffireflies]

Great question. Some math curriculums insert Christian theology into the math curriculum by using bible stories to create word problems or introduce a lesson etc.

[@sheliamaynus9869]

Thanks for sharing your home School journey. In the beginning when you said the math had Christian content, I'm trying to picture what that would be like. In other words, are they using christian symbols or something? Just being curious. I'm not a homeschooler myself. Your comment peaked my curiosity.

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you for watching Shelia! So for christian content in the math, what was problematic for us was the curriculum (mainly the video lessons in the older grades) using christian bible stories to introduce concepts and do word problems. That sort of thing.

[@jaroffireflies]

Sometimes its simple like "look at all the animals G-d created..." nd then goes into a word problem or something.

[@sheliamaynus9869]

@@jaroffireflies okay, I see what you mean now. It's not the math itself. It's how they present the math problems. And it's my pleasure to watch! Basically I look at this as I'm just hanging out with you on a Monday evening 🙂 and you're answering my question. "So what did you get into this week?" 🙂

[@jaroffireflies]

@@sheliamaynus9869 I’m glad I could be more clear about the math ❤️ Thank you for your kind words!!!

[@cr-iv1el]

Are there no Jewish home schooling materials?

[@jaroffireflies]

Not really. It’s extremely limited and most materials s offered to cover justice are meant for the classroom setting

[@patriciafrancis9134]

If my sons were young and in school today I would never send them to the public schools. I'm appalled by what is being taught. Honestly, do you think that you would be able to home-school at the level you do and have a full-time job too? I would have hated to give up on my job in Critical Care. I went to school 6 years for it.

[@jaroffireflies]

I think it depends on your job. Working from home it is totally possible. Much more difficult to homeschool younger kids while working outside the home, but I have known several families who have made it work. I know many mamas including myself who work and homeschool, but we work from home or primarily from home.

[@patriciafrancis9134]

@@jaroffireflies I worked only 36 hours a week as a critical care clinical specialist. I brought work home too. I was just wondering if times were different I would be able to do it justice like you do

[@marywilliamson1260]

Chana..could you be any more amazing? I think not!🥰

[@jaroffireflies]

Wow, thank you!😊

[@MaureenDrees]

I do always read your descriptions, sometimes before I watch the video and sometimes after. As a current substitute teacher (6 years) and a retired teacher (32 years), I really enjoy learning about your homeschooling journey. As I’ve always taught in a public school, but in many, many different grades and subjects, I was very surprised that math was the subject that you needed to find a secular version of. To me, that seems like the subject that would have the least religious content. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, algebra, geometry, etc. don’t seem like they would be different from one faith to another. I’m guessing that it is the content of story problems that was problematic.

[@jaroffireflies]

Yay for reading descriptions! Thank you for commenting :) Yes, content of story problems can be problematic.

[@nanarsg]

Kol HaKavod!

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you 😊

[@catgeel264]

description :)

[@jaroffireflies]

Love it! Thank you!!!! 😊❤️💐

[@sandysmith510]

hey channa. im so glad you have committed to homeschooling your kiddos. the situation in the world of public schools needs to stay away from.

[@jaroffireflies]

We have private schools available also here but I hear you

[@vanshikamalik7603]

love from INDIAN hindu mom

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you!

[@damealeta3541]

I know I've said this before but I don't know how you do it. LOL So glad I'm done worrying about my daughter's education. She made it out without too much "liberal brainwashing." However, her teachers left her with an avoidance of conversation and debate. Anyway, you looked lovey today. Hope you have a wonderful rest of your week as well. 💚

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you for your kind words! I hope you have a wonderful week!

[@cristinmccloud1980]

Liberal brainwashing? WOW.

[@terrysmith9501]

Hi there how are you doing today ma'am ❤️❤️💟😗

[@jaroffireflies]

Hello! I’m doing wonderful this morning! How are you?

[@TimeTravelMum]

Can I ask how maths isn’t secular? I can imagine the Christian content in science but not maths

[@jaroffireflies]

Great question. Some math curriculums insert Christian theology into the math curriculum by using bible stories to create word problems or introduce a lesson etc. Other times its as simple as "Look at all the flowers G-d created, lets graph them!". I don't have a problem with that last example, but some things we have come across are things I don't want in my child's curriculum.

[@TimeTravelMum]

@@jaroffireflies ah ok. Makes a bit more sense. I can understand why you’d rather not use that. To be fair, even as a Christian I think I’d prefer more daily life maths problems than bible based ones.

[@emmib1388]

​@TimeTravelMum curious as I am a Christian, why you would not want God as part of every part of your day?

[@user-do3gy4cr9l]

דרישת שלום מישראל🇮🇱💌

[@jaroffireflies]

Thank you!

[@lindanizamoff7981]

Maybe you should talk to your kids about what Christianity is and Christian beliefs and explain to them that this is not part of being Jewish and then when they see something that seems Christian, they will understand the difference.

[@jaroffireflies]

My kids do know basics of many other faiths including Christianity. I still won't be using a curriculum that teaches Christian (or any other religion's) doctrines to my children. It's not about keeping information from them, it's about raising them in our religion and not someone else's.

[@kimosburn9852]

God forbid there is something Christian involved.

[@emmib1388]

Your comment makes no sense. Why would she use the faith based parts if she is not Christian?

[@Rebecca-zp4gm]

Totally agree with you sorting and planning for the next year. It’s amazing how quickly they are growing and learning etc.

[@jaroffireflies]

Is fun to plan :) And so fun to look back on the year at how far they have come!