Homeschool Portfolios and Assessments - How to Do One, What to Include

Many states allow you to have a certified teacher look over a portfolio of your child's work at the end of the year. The teacher signs that your child is up to grade level and your homeschool year can be considered completed. Putting together homeschool portfolios can be an intimidating thought even to someone that has done it before. Really, it can be quite a simple process if you know what to include.

I collect my children's work into a folder that is on my bookshelf and add to it several times a week. When they have completed a book or written a story or picture I just put it in the folder. I try to make sure I put a date on each paper that I put in the folder. I don't have to organize it or arrange it until the end of the school year. Just before I meet with the teacher at the end of the year, I take out the folder of collected items and make piles by subject. Then I organize each pile by date. Some people like to make a fancy scrapbook for their portfolio. I just prefer to make piles by subject. You could put each subject into a nice notebook, but for the most part, this is not necessary.

Here are some items you might want to include in your homeschool portfolio:

1. Reading lists

2. Daily or weekly logs that your child has filled in.

3. Tickets or programs of events that you have attended.

4. Test results if your child took a standardized test of some sort.

5. Attendance records if your state requires these.

6. Pictures or videos of projects that your child completed during the course of the year.

7. Artwork - If you put dates on your child's papers, it's fun to look at a picture from the beginning of the year and compare that with a picture from the end of the year.

8. Any writing that your child has done. This can include poetry, journals, stories, essays, research papers, or any other writing that they have done. Again, comparing a piece from the beginning of the year with one from the end of the year can be quite rewarding.

9. Workbooks that have been used during the course of the last year.

Preparing a homeschool portfolio doesn't have to be a bothersome chore. If you have a place to collect your child's work during the year, then pulling together a portfolio can actually be fun. You can reminisce over all the activities you have done and marvel over your child's progress for the year.

Author Info:

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Homeschool using the Best Resources" at http://www.homeschool-how-to.com Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

Writing Skills for Children - Better Story Starters

'You're too early.'

This is probably not a phrase we use much with our kids. Wouldn't we love it if they started studying for exams, packing for trips and planning Christmas presents early?

However, when it comes to writing, kids often start early - and it is NOT a good idea. It probably means their writing moves too slowly and is full of padding. Here are three examples:

1) Story Starts

For some reason, people seem to want to start stories at the beginning of the day, or the start of holidays or even (for autobiographies) at the moment they were born. Yet, often this is a boring time.

TOP TIP: Start much LATER when things get interesting - not at the start of the day. Then 'backfill' who and why you are there as the action unfolds.

Before: I was really excited when I woke up because today was the first day of the school holidays and we were going to Sea World. I raced into the kitchen and gobbled down breakfast and then headed back to my room to pack. I put in three pairs of bikinis and two bottles of sun lotion. At last we all piled into the car and headed for the airport. I couldn't wait to see the dolphins and go on the Super Splash ride.

After: 'Buckle yourself in tight,' said the attendant. 'This ride goes at 120 kilometres an hour.'

I gulped and nodded. All my life I'd wanted to go to Sea World and ride the Super Splash roller coaster. Now we were here. [Note: Backfill]

My sister locked down the safety bar, raised both arms into the air and grinned at me.

'Dare you,' she said. 'We ride this thing no hands.'

2) Dialogue

Writing dialogue is another place when writers can start 'too early'. Normal conversations often begin with clichés and standard questions. This is a getting-to-know-you time, when people are looking at you, reading your body language and reacting to your tone of voice. Words and what you are actually saying take second place. How many times have you heard and said this:

'Hi, how are you?'

'Fine thanks.'

If someone actually answered the question with a list of their ills, you would think them very strange. In fact, I've even gone to a doctor and when she asked 'How are you?' I said I was 'fine.'

TOP TIP: In writing, we 'cheat' when we record conversations. We leave out all the getting-to-know-you clichés and cut to the core.

Before: 'Hi Jackie, how are you?' said Mike

'I'm really good. How are you?' said Jackie.

'Fine. What are you doing?'

'Nothing really, but I was thinking of going to the movies,' said Jackie.

'Good idea,' said Mike. 'I'd like to see a movie. Can I come too?'

After: 'Hey Mike, I was thinking of going to the movies,' said Jackie.

'Great idea,' said Mike. 'Can I come too?'

3) Skip the Travel

Ever noticed in the movies we never see the hero travel, the movie just cuts to the scene outside the hotel or the house when he/she arrives? We should try and do the same in our writing. Travelling is boring, you don't have to document it all.

TOP TIP: Don't travel - just arrive!

Before: We all piled into the bus and Michael told funny jokes all the way and Chris and Jeremy and I ate all the sweets we'd packed until we felt sick. Then we stopped at a roadside café and we all ordered hamburgers but the chips were cold and everyone complained. We drove for nearly three hours and we were all really tired when at last we arrived at the ski fields.

After: The snow lay thick and soft on the slopes. Three hours of travelling and I thought I was tired. Yet the minute I felt the crunch of snow under my boots, I could hardly wait to get moving.

If we detailed every single thing in our lives, from the time we opened our eyelids, yawned, turned over in bed, mumbled, yawned again... it would probably take a whole book just to cover a few days. Good writing focuses only on the highlights (and low times), of lives, not the boring and ordinary. Show your children this and see their writing skills - and their confidence - forge ahead.

© Jen McVeity, National Literacy Champion.

Author Info:

Print our Five Minute Fast Starts worksheet by going to http://sevenstepswriting.com/sample.php then clicking on the Sizzling Starts link.

The Seven Steps to Writing Success program, designed by successful author, Jen McVeity, is used in over 900 Schools. Suitable for the home school curriculum and gifted children, it has been shown to rapidly advance children's writing skills and enjoyment.

Visit our website at http://sevenstepswriting.com to learn about all the Seven Steps to Writing Success and to find more free writing resources.

Subscribe to our fast and fabulous Free Parent Newsletter, filled with top writing tips and activities. http://sevenstepswriting.com/newsletter.php

Writing Tips for Children - Learning to Write Suspenseful Stories

How to Write Tension Scenes

The tension scene is often overlooked in children's writing. This is the scene right before the ending where the hero or heroine struggles to overcome the big problem. In movies this is often the scene of the soccer grand final, the exciting car chase or the heroine fighting for her life in a raging river.

I thought it would be fun to look at Little Red Riding Hood for a classic tension scene. Red RH arrives at the cottage and goes into her Grandmother's bedroom. In bed is the wolf in granny's clothes. Red RH, (who obviously needs glasses!) says this:

'Oh, grandmother, what big ears you have!'

'All the better to hear you with.'

'Oh, grandmother, what big eyes you have!'

'All the better to see you with.'

'Oh, grandmother, what big hands you have!'

'All the better to grab you with!'

'Oh, grandmother, what big teeth you have!'

'All the better to eat you with!'

See how the scene slowly builds up to be more and more dangerous - and thus frightening? We don't start with the teeth, we start with the ears - and the wolf trying to coax Red RH to come nearer and nearer.

In a tension scene, a flood doesn't start with the damn wall bursting, it begins with a tiny trickle of water oozing from a crack. The trickle builds up, becoming stronger, and then a chunk of concrete falls, no bigger than a hand. The noise is growing. There is a crash as two blocks of concrete fall, and the crack is splitting, spreading relentlessly. Water is gushing out like a stream, stronger, harder, more powerful, forcing more concrete chunks to fall, more noise, more danger... and then suddenly the whole wall crumples and shatters and water bursts forth, raging in a towering wall of water down the river, sweeping away trees, houses and helpless, terrified humans in its path.

Emotion always takes time to build up. So in tension scenes, show kids how to start small and 'escalate' to a powerful crescendo.

Author Info:

© Jen McVeity, National Literacy Champion.

Print our Five Minute Fast Starts worksheet by going to http://sevenstepswriting.com/sample.php then clicking on the Sizzling Starts link.

The Seven Steps to Writing Success program, designed by successful author, Jen McVeity, is used in over 900 Schools. Suitable for the home school curriculum and gifted children, it has been shown to rapidly advance children's writing skills and enjoyment

Visit our website at http://sevenstepswriting.com to learn about all the Seven Steps to Writing Success and to find more free writing resources.

Subscribe to our fast and fabulous Free Parent Newsletter, filled with top writing tips and activities. http://sevenstepswriting.com/newsletter.php

The Home School - Project-Led Learning

Forcing a junior high child to sit chained to a desk eight hours a day, doing inane and pointless busy work, dribbling stuff they don't care about onto a piece of paper, is, in my mind, child abuse.

What a 12-year-old child wants to do, with all of his or her heart, is to explore the world in which they live. A child wants to make things, to work with his hands, to experience things. A child wants to fix a car, build a go-cart, cut mommy's hair, make a dress, build a dog house, grow some funny looking gourds, plant some flowers, ride a horse, spend a day deep-sea fishing, work a sail-boat, build a canoe, go fishing with Grandpa, show a steer at the fair.

In today's ridiculous mentality, a boy helping his dad build a go-cart is not "in school," but a child, dribbling pointless C-grade work onto a piece of paper is "getting an education."

Go figure!

Yes, disciplined academic learning is important to education. But academic learning separated from purpose does not really exist. Sure, the kid scrawled something on the paper. But the next day he forgot all of it.

Project-led learning is weaving the disciplined academic stuff around projects valuable to life. Valuable to life is critical. When I was in school, I hated the "projects" we were given in the classroom. Why? They were fake. It's not the same for all kids, but for me, a fake project was worse then listening to a dull lecture.

For example, a small garden plot could serve as an educational project, worked for the value of the family eating good homegrown food. All of the academic elements can be woven into that project, botany, soil science, business planning, even marketing the extra tomatoes, writing a journal, design and layout, math, the list goes on.

Don't overdo the academic stuff, though, or else it all becomes "fake." But when the work has value and purpose, especially that twenty bucks from selling the extra tomatoes, the learning is real and it stays.

But there should always be a variety of projects, especially at the junior high level. A project that is too large can consume all a child's time with the repetition - of weeding, or sanding, or whatever. A child needs to experience the world, intimately, with purpose and value, and with constant variety.

That is education. The stuff in the desk? Sad to say, a large part of it is simply a waste of a child's life.

Author Info:

A different model of education is at the core of what http://www.yguide.org is about. If you want to learn more about Project-Led Learning, visit us at http://www.yguide.org and click on "The Home School" to the left. Please sign up for The Home School Newsletter or take the surveys, I would love to hear of your experience with learning projects that are valued and that teach.

Copyright 2008 by YGuide. Freely use without changes, including links.

Homeschool Support Groups - Questions to Ask

Many veteran homeschoolers advise other homeschoolers to join a homeschool support group. They can provide encouragement, support, advice on state standards, and socialization. There are so many support groups available, chances are there is one meeting in your area. Before you join a homeschool support group you will want to ask a few questions to make sure this group is a good fit for your family.

1. When are the meetings held and how are they run? Do the meetings fit in with your schedule? Are they meeting during a nap time or when your husband doesn't want you to be gone? Are they regularly scheduled or just as needed? Do they meet too often, more than you have time to attend or just about the right amount?

2. What is required of me? Is there a membership fee or required time commitment? Do I need to sign a statement of faith or is anyone allowed to participate?

3. Do most of the homeschoolers have the same philosophy of homeschooling that I do or is there a variety? Do I have enough in common with the members of this group to feel comfortable or benefit from their input?

4. Do they have someone you can contact if you are new to homeschooling or need help along the way?

5. Do they communicate well? Is there a phone or e-mail system set up to relay messages about group events?

6. Are there enough/too many activities for you to participate in? If a group is not active in meeting or planning activities, you might not get the help or support you need. On the other hand, if the group is too active and make you feel that you need to be at most of the activities it, may hinder your homeschool year and cause you to burn out.

7. Is everyone doing their share or are just a few people doing all the work? If everyone does at least a little bit and contributes their special talent, then you'll find that the group and leadership are well run and satisfied.

As with anything in life, balance is the key to finding the right support group for your family. You need to know what you want and what you are willing to give to a support group. If you decide that this is not the right time in your life to join a support group, then don't let anyone make you feel guilty for making that decision. Sometimes one or two homeschool friends that you can call on for support or advice may be all that you need. If you desire to join a homeschool support group, then these questions should help you find a group that will meet your needs.

Author Info:

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Homeschool using the Best Resources" at http://www.homeschool-how-to.com Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

Algebra Can Be Hard If You Are Home Schooling

If you are home schooling, you are already facing an uphill struggle. In order to teach your children, you need to master all subjects to the point of being able to teach it coherently. Now you need to master algebra. It just doesn't seem fair does it? There is no need to panic, even if you didn't do well in algebra when you were in school, there are books out there that will help you teach algebra to your kids.

Algebra is the basic building block for trigonometry, calculus and other advanced math and science classes. If you want your children to excel in college, you need to ensure that they have a good understanding of algebra.

Like most subjects that you are home schooling, algebra builds upon each lesson. Therefore, it is important that you children master each lesson before they proceed to the next one. One of the best methods to ensure they have learned the basic concepts is by working practice problems. This ensures they understand how the problems are solved, and gives them confidence that they can solve other similar problems.

One of the most important things about algebra, it teaches a systematic and logical approach to solving problems. This is important regardless of what career field your children choose to enter. You need to determine what the known and unknown variables are and how they relate to each other. Then you systematically resolve the problem, one step at a time, until you have the solution.

Algebra is obviously vital for understanding science and engineering, but is it useful for any other things. If your child is not interested in being an engineer or an architect, but if they want to go into business, is algebra something that will help them? The answer is a resounding yes.

First off, if you want to get a college degree, you will need to take college algebra. Second, (and more importantly) algebra does teach how to systematically solve problems. This is useful no matter what your occupation will be.

Again, if algebra was not your best subject in school, and now you are trying to home school your children, don't panic. There are numerous great text books available to help you in your quest. Remember, take it in small steps and you, and your children, will do fine.

Author Info:

When you home schooling, learning from algebra books can be extremely intimidating. At http://www.algebra4fun.com you can find information that will help you learn algebra and teach it to your children.

Homeschooling - 6 Reasons Why You Should Home School Your Children

Here are reasons why you shouldn't send your kids to traditional school:

1. Out Dated Education Systems.

2. Oversized classes.

3. Continuous Budget Cuts.

4. Rising Criminal Activity in School.

5. Mediocrity.

6. Lack of Wealth Building Education.

Out Dated Education Systems:

The education that they are teaching the kids in school has not been changed since the baby boomers were attending. They are teaching industrial age education in this information age. The system really needs to be overhauled because we are living in a completely different world than the industrial age. What worked for Grand Daddy sure isn't going to cut it for our children when they graduate. More kids leave school these days deep in debt before they even get a job or a good start in life. Something tells me that they don't really want the population to get too smart. Something is definitely wrong with this picture don't you think? Right now they (authorities) expect us to be dumb enough to buy their excuse that the reason for the price hike in fuel is due to a supply & demand issue. Do you really think that there is not enough gas to go around? Then why are all of the automobile manufacturers overproducing gas guzzling SUV's including Toyota who used to be known for their small compact cars?

Oversized classes:

Class sizes used to be around 20 - 25 students not too long ago. Nowadays 30 - 35 seems to be the norm. Do you think that the teachers can handle a class that size? They can only handle what they can handle, period. Can you blame them? They only get paid so much to do their job. Most teachers will only work consistently with the main achievers in the class. Sure there are some teachers who really take pride in their jobs & are willing to the extra mile with their students but they represent the minority. If your child is a difficult learner then he or she won't get the same treatment that the achievers will.

Continuous Budget Cuts:

The government spends a lot more in war & space exploration than in educating your children who will be the taking over when & if we ever get to retire. When they do allocate money to education, most of it goes to the public schools than the higher levels. Cut backs are the main reasons why our average class size is 30 - 35 students. They are cutting back on hiring enough professionals to teach the students. They are even cutting back on books & supplies. I have even heard of schools without soap regularly in the rest rooms in many public schools throughout the US & Canada.

Rising Criminal Activity in School:

This has got to be one of the biggest worries that a parent could go through. We all heard stories of the Columbine Highschool Shooting; well this kind of thing seems to be a growing worry for authorities. Almost every month you hear of some kind of incident involving a gun in our schools.

Mediocrity:

They are teaching our kids how to settle with less than what they are worth instead of teaching them about how great they can be. Our children are not sheep to feed the economy. They deserve the best & it won't come from traditional school. The middle class is quickly disappearing in the US & Canada & the main reason is because of all this mediocrity that they are trying to get everyone to swallow. Maybe that's why there are so many people that believe everything that the media (the government's tool) tells them nowadays.

Lack of Wealth Building Education:

When was the last time you heard of a class that teaches you how to become a Millionaire? The closest thing that comes close to teaching success is maybe a course in business or managerial skills. Most of these classes are geared around working for a company instead of how to build an empire.

These 6 reasons should be more than enough to get you thinking about what they are actually teaching your children in school. I would encourage you to look in to these issues a little more before you even consider taking your kids out of school.

Teaching your children on your own can be overwhelming for someone without any experience but it is definitely possible.

Education is not a priority for the government. I don't think they really want the masses to get too smart.

What do you think?

Author Info:

My wife & I have been homeschooling our children for the past 4 years. The vice principal told us that we were making a big mistake. She said that we couldn't handle it. Well that was 4 years ago & it really wasn't haf as hard as we thought it would be.

See how we both are able to stay home with our kids:

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Home Math Tutor - Math Made Easy

How many of you cringe when you hear the following word problem?

"A train leaves New York at 2:00pm on a Saturday afternoon travelling at 60 mph and at the same time a second train travelling at a speed of 45 mph leaves Los Angeles..."

Fortunately, I was never that kid in math class sitting behind a desk hoping and praying that the teacher wasn't going to call on me for the answer. Math has always come easy to me (writing on the other hand isn't my strength, and yes I'm hoping and praying this article doesn't illustrate it too badly).

As I got older I realized that I was in the minority and that most people couldn't stand math, especially the dreaded word problems. What people needed was a tutor, and with the internet these days you can have your very own home math tutor. There are numerous websites in existence today that can assist students with many different facets of mathematics including fractions, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, even calculus and beyond. But for the sake of this article let's focus on the traditional K-12 math curriculum.

Today, more than ever, children are lacking in traditional computation skills, symbolic manipulation, and mathematic reasoning. In my opinion, this is partly due to the fancy calculators and other types of high-tech devices that promote more of a "math appreciation" attitude than studying actual math content. Let's face it, if a child that graduates from the 6th grade doesn't have a handle on general math skills (e.g. carrying, borrowing, long division, fractions) there isn't much hope. These skills are the foundation with which the student must build upon. Without a reasonable hold on these aforementioned skills the child will become uninterested in trying to learn anything further. This is where the breakdown starts.

What about the parents? I often here this argument from people when talking about a child's shortcomings. The sad fact is that the majority of adults hated math just as much as the kids and are unable to provide any further support. In this day and age of technology and with the next generation of computer savvy kids upon us the internet is an ideal arena to assist with this growing problem in our schools today.

Author Info:

If what I'm writing makes sense and you are looking for a home math tutor I would recommend checking out The Math Foundation. You can find them at http://www.mathwithjeff.com

The Math Foundation offers a clear, concise, and easy to understand product that enables students of all ages to learn math effectively. Take a peak and then get back to me on the word problem above!

Multiplication Bingo - Make the Tedious Task of Practicing Multiplication Tables Fun

Multiplication tables? What a yawn. Why not make learning multiplication tables fun? Multiplication Bingo is a simple game suitable for families and classrooms. Besides turning the tedious exercise of practicing multiplication tables into a joy instead of a drag, it actually introduces children to the concepts of forethought, planning, and strategy. Here's how to build a game and play:

1. Create one bingo card per round for each player. The cards should be five by five square tables with the center squared marked as zero. I have created a free template for the bingo cards on my website; you will find a link to it at the end of this article. If you laminate each card before playing, the cards can be reused to save paper. Players can then mark the cards using dry erase whiteboard markers during play. You can also let individuals decorate the back of the cards before laminating and add to the fun.

2. Create a copy of twenty-eight "playing numbers" on heavy cardstock and cut them into individual pieces. Again, if you laminate each piece, they will last longer. One set of numbers-0 though 13-should be marked with an "X" in the back; another set of numbers-0 through 13-should be marked with a "#" on the back. You will find a link to a free template at the end of this article as well as direction to help you create identical pieces. Once you have assembles your game pieces, play can begin.

3. Pass out the bingo cards and pens.

4. Tell the players which "X" pieces you will be using. For example, if you are working with very young children, you may just want to use 0, 1, and 2, until they get comfortable with those timetables. As players get comfortable, you add new "X" numbers until you are using the complete set each time.

5. Once you have told the players which "X" numbers you will be using, give them time to write numbers in the blank squares on their game card. Players may write any numbers they wish. Players may also reuse the same numbers as many times as they wish. For example, if you are only using 0, 1, and 2, a particularly savvy player might want to assign zero to more than one square. A particularly inexperienced player might use the number nineteen only to learn later that the answer will never come up. You can discuss these choices after the game and create wonderful teaching moments. Note: If you are not using zero at all, the center square can become an automatic free space.

6. Place all of the "call pieces" you will be using face down on a table. Note: You should be using all fourteen pieces marked "#" each time; however, you should only lay out the "X" pieces agreed upon at the start of each round.

7. The caller selects one "X" piece and one "#" piece, then calls out the problem. Any player who has written that answer on their card gets to mark off the spot. Important, if the answer is zero and a player has written more than one zero, they may only mark off one zero per problem and they may not change their minds about which zero to choose as the game progresses. Note: If you are playing in small groups, answers can be checked as you go. However, if you are playing with a large classroom, be sure to keep a record of each problem so the group can validate winning cards at the end of each round.

8. The caller returns both pieces to the table and shuffles them. A new caller selects one "X" piece and one "#" piece, then calls out the next problem. Game continues until one lucky and thoughtful play can call out bingo. Bingos happen when a player has five correct answers in a consecutive row, column, or diagonal.

9. Celebrate the winner and talk about any strategies that helped them to win. For example, I have been able to introduce the concept of prime numbers and factoring to very young children by asking them to tell me why certain answers tend to come up more than others. Tell players what "X" numbers you will be using on the next round and ask them to really think about which numbers they should include and where they should put them on their came cards.

10. Wipe off the bingo cards, write in new numbers, and play again.

Author Info:

For a link to the free game pieces template as well as printable game directions, visit http://www.navigatinglife.org, click on the galley and scroll down to fun stuff. You will find a link to Multiplication Bingo: Free Template there. While you're visiting the site, please feel free to look around and e-mail me with any questions.

Lynn Marie Sager has toured over two-dozen countries and worked on three continents. Author of A River Worth Riding: Fourteen Rules for Navigating Life, Lynn currently lives in California; where she fills her time with private coaching, public speaking, and teaching for the LACCD and Pierce College. She runs the Navigating Life website, where she offers free assistance to readers who wish to incorporate the rules of worthwhile living into their lives. To read more about how you can use these rules to improve your life, visit Lynn's website at http://www.navigatinglife.org

Practical Homeschooling Tips - Home Schooling And Its Pros And Cons

So you'd like to home school your child? Before you take a step in any direction it would be advisable to make a thorough analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of home schooling. When you set out to take a decision your would to take into consideration the good, bad and ugly of all section of home schooling. Proper education of your child is highly important.

Home schooling: The Pros and Cons

There exist numerous advantages of home schooling. Like you can choose the subjects that you'd like to be imparted. The family morals can be passed on in your presence. Additionally personal attention allows his to grasp subjects powerfully which is not possible in the classroom environment of the school.

Parents can maintain a strong relationship and you can keep a constant vigil on their progress. You can also impart high knowledge of your religion to the child. At home schooling you take decisions on what is taught and also how it is taught. You kids will be in an environment that has your view given preference.

You will be surprised to know that home schoolers fare far better than the kids at traditional schools on identical testing. It is the same result across all sections. Probably things like race, socio-economic status, or religious beliefs have no impact on home school test scores whereas at the same time such factors have shown to have an influence on scores of traditional school kids. It is not easy to explain this interesting phenomenon.

A high percentage of home schools need their children to be tested at specific intervals, there are proper rules and procedures for these tests & companies who carry out testing follow them strictly. May be the fact that home school kids do not face discrimination that traditional school kids face on a daily basis creates this wide gap.

Home schooling disadvantages too. What goes against home schooling is you have to commit time. Even if you have a single child it becomes a highly committed job of giving energy and time. You would be required to have lesson plans and keep yourself organized and then teach lessons and correction too. Side by side you must try and plan activities with other home schoolers or then with outside network of home school. This can prove to be expensive.

You would have to buy curriculums, and all this can pile up in case you aren't attentive. Anything you want to do will be charged like dance classes, soccer lessons and other activities too can be expensive. Once the child is learning higher grade subjects you will have to arrange for tutor to teach lessons of maths, physics and chemistry as your knowledge of today's teaching shall not be sufficient.

Family finances also do not allow home schooling. Mostly a parent will have to stay with the child in home schooling conditions. Not many families can afford to do that in today's world. This may lead to financial disturbances. Well if you still want you have home schooling then you might have to be prepared for a few sacrifices as most parents of home schoolers live life comfortably but certainly not extravagantly. Budget constraints might become a part of life.

Author Info:

Read more on argument essays on homeschooling and learn more on effective implementation of homeschooling exercise for children when you visit Katherine Miller's guide on homeshooling at http://www.homeschoolingfordummy.com

How To Motivate Through Tuition

Motivation and Learning

How Do I Motivate Students?

As a teacher, it is essential that you keep your students motivated. Tutors have also been through the educational system as pupils and know the importance of an enjoyable and rewarding educational experience. You may have known this all your life, or it may have become clearer later, when you started tutoring. Regardless of your own experience, motivating your students will always be one of your most important targets.

All students show improved motivation when they understand the reason why they are doing something, especially if they can see a direct positive outcome from studying. It is sometimes important for students to see the bigger picture. If a student must study a topic which he/she finds difficult, for instance to achieve a career aspiration, it can be a good idea to highlight the direct applications and pragmatic uses of this subject in a future professional context. Not everyone likes to study for the sake of studying; often, allowing students to see direct benefits motivates them to study. This provides a positive feed back and sets a goal; the more they understand, the more they can see the benefits, the more they want to learn.

It might not be so straight forward with younger students, as they may not have a specific idea of what they want to do later on in life. This being said, personalities form themselves very early on, and it can be a good idea to show the benefits of studying certain subjects. Let them know early, no matter what job they aspire to do, almost all jobs will make you sit some sort of entrance exams, usually covering some basic mathematics and English skills. Many subjects overlap, doctors need to be good with sciences, scientists need a good foundation in Maths, Biologist need a good understanding of statistics, a professional translator really requires more than just two languages, Computer related jobs often requires good mathematics and logic skills). For younger students, immediate benefits, and short term goals provide a much better motivation mechanism. Fun, games, and laughter often work as good tools for teaching children; however they are never wasted on adults!

Motivation and Relevance

Studying has to be relevant to be motivating; creating this relevant link is part of the tutor's job. Think of a student finding maths de-motivating because it's "too hard" or "it's useless in real life". Yet at lunch time, he likes to go to the gambling shop and places a few bets. He works out the odds in just a few seconds, yet when it comes to doing percentages and fraction in lessons, he fails miserably. The problem is not that this student finds maths "too hard", but rather that he cannot see the relevance and thus finds it boring. A bored mind is easily distracted, and a distracted mind finds everything hard: have you ever tried to read a book and watch the TV at the same time? It's not easy, and the activity that requires the least effort but most fun is usually easier to focus on and understand. So try and adapt your lessons to be as relevant as possible to each pupil. Make your tuition easy to understand, and make it enjoyable.

Motivation and Terminology

Many academic subjects use a terminology: although there's often no need to use complex words to understand these subjects, specific keywords are usually required by examiners. Academics within their own field often like to make things seem more complicated than they actually are, although this is not always compatible with good teaching practice. Try not to confuse new pupils straight away by throwing in too many complicated words; you are there to pass on your knowledge, not to show it off, however tempting it can be to "sound competent". As the subject becomes more familiar, you can then link the concepts to the terminology required by the examiners. Later, show that the use of these keywords is important when answering exam papers, and indicates through example what the examiners are expecting.

- Understanding 1st makes it easy to learn,

- Making it easy to learn makes it enjoyable,

- Enjoyable lessons are motivational

- Motivational lessons make the pupils want to learn further

Avoid De-Motivation

There is nothing more de-motivating than consistently being incorrect and failing at a subject. Avoid anything that can negatively affect the learning process. If your student is giving incorrect answers, it is best to avoid asking them similar questions or insisting heavily on a topic which they are likely to get wrong. You can make the questions slightly easier and lead them in the right direction by giving them clues. It is also a good indication on what topics need more work. These measures will have a more positive effect on your students that anything that will highlight their failure.

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What Is Needed To Homeschool My Child Effectively?

Today many parents teach their kids at home and many others are considering it, but what many do not know is if they can mentally handle the job of educating their children. The parents of a home schooled child may already know what it takes to not only make it through the day but also keep learning fun for you kids. However many parents who are new or are saying to themselves, i want to homeschool my child may not know if they are cut out for the huge and important task before them.

What Does It Take To Teach At Home

Enthusiasm: you have to be able to show your kids that learning is fun and keep it exciting. This does not necessarily mean jumping around and acting crazy it simply means learning to convey the lessons in a interesting manner that appeals to your kids.

Flexibility: Because you are teaching in the home you have to be able to work around things without getting thrown off course. If the plumber needs to come to fix the hot water heater you will need to find creative ways to keep the lesson going without getting frazzled or frustrated.

Discipline: Not falling prey to distractions around the home is another critical element to being a good teacher to your kids. Although It may sound like a no brainer but you need as much discipline as your children in order for the homeschooling to be effective. Unfortunately this is where many people fail in homeschooling.

Patience: Patience is probably the biggest asset a parent teaching in the home needs to have. Because you are in the home for learning and living you may feel caged in at times. Handling this calmly and effectively is a big part of successful home education. You also have to keep your cool when your child does not understand something and you have explained it for the twentieth time!

There are many things you will discover when teaching your kids at home no article or book can prepare you for them all. But if you feel you have the correct personality to instruct your children then tackle each situation with a level head as it happens.

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Learn more about Home Schooling Kids and what to expect in the Home School Daily Schedule at http://www.whyhomeschoolkids.com

Homeschooling Information - Your Questions Answered

Are you looking for homeschooling information? Here are answers to the top 5 questions about homeschooling:

1. What are the benefits to homeschooling?

Homeschooling has many benefits for both the student and the family as a whole. Children who are homeschooled have an opportunity to learn at their own pace in a method that suits their primary learning style. They also avoid many of the negative social interactions that take place in public school, and develop close bonds with parents and siblings.

Homeschooling statistics show that homeschoolers outperform public school students academically. Homeschool students are also more likely to be actively involved in their communities once they graduate from high school.

2. What are the disadvantages of homeschooling?

Parents who homeschool take on primary responsibility for the outcome of their children's education. They lack the free time of parents who send their children to public school, and they also have to purchase their children's homeschool materials in addition to paying school taxes.

Homeschool moms and dads must seek out social opportunities for their children instead of relying on school activities. In some cases, they may also face criticism from friends and family members. However, for most families, the homeschooling pros greatly outweigh the cons.

3. What about socialization?

Homeschoolers are able to avoid much of the peer pressure, teasing and bullying that occur in school, and instead focus on developing positive peer relationships.

Homeschool students can participate in a variety of social activities through homeschool co-ops, homeschooling support groups, community activities, sports teams and other organizations. Many parents begin homeschooling thinking they will have trouble finding social engagements for their children, and end up finding they have too many activities to choose from.

4. Is homeschooling legal?

Parents have the legal right to homeschool in all 50 states. Homeschool laws vary from state to state. For more information about homeschooling laws in your state, visit the Homeschool Legal Defense Association's website.

5. Are parents qualified to teach their children?

Parents are their children's first teachers, and are more than qualified to home educate. Research has shown that the level of homeschooling qualifications has little effect on the a child's academic performance. Many pre-packaged curriculum programs come with teacher's guides and lesson plans that tell a parent how to teach certain concepts. Parents who do not have teaching certificates and college degrees can successfully teach their children.

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Here is some additional homeschooling information.

Carletta Sanders is a homeschool mom of 3. For homeschool information and activities delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for her homeschool newsletter.

Home School Your Teen to Financial Success

Can you imagine a scenario where your child is in their mid-thirties and still buried in student debt? This is a reality for many parents. By including financial literacy in your home school curriculum you will have an instrumental role in providing a brighter future for your child.

In talking with parents that homeschool their children, most understand the importance of teaching practical money matters. Unfortunately, many parents don't know where to start. They never received a practical financial education in school and there is a shortage of homeschool financial education curriculum on the market.

If you do not currently homeschool your kids, you must when it relates to the subject of financial literacy! Financial literacy isn't taught in most public high schools and in recent surveys it has shown over 70% of young adults look to their parents as the primary source of financial education.

School curriculum is focused almost exclusively on the subjects need to get young adults to be accepted into college. That's important however; equally important is the need to be financially prepared for when they step on a college campus. The moment they arrive on many college campuses the credit card companies are right there offering free gifts for any student that signs up for a student credit card.

So that your home schooled child is prepared for the financial real world when they go off to college here are some simple steps that will help you feel confident that they can handle the temptation of easy credit and succeed financially.

1. Relate money to lifestyle. Most young people are not motivated by having a large bank account. It's what money provides them that gives them the encouragement to learn money management skills. It's the experiences they want to have, places they want to travel, the people they want to help and getting the toys they dream about.

Discover what your child wants, what they dream about and relate that to money. It's a great homeschool exercise that allows you to connect with your child on a deeper level while teaching them a valuable skill.

2. Develop a savings plan. Give your child a head start by developing a savings plan. As a part of your homeschool curriculum, have them manage their own finances and create a working budget. If your child still lives at home require them to save at least forty percent of the money they earn or are gifted for long term savings. This not only will get them started building a nest egg but will help them develop a good savings habit.

An essential element to include in your homeschool budget curriculum is to help them understand the difference between a 'need' and a 'want'. Wanting a $5 dollar cup of coffee everyday adds up to over $1800 per year. This essential homeschooling lessons will help to counteract the years of 'buy, buy, buy' advertisements they are exposed to.

3. Open Accounts. To have your child participate in a real world homeschool activity that will set them up for the future, have them open their savings and checking account. Your child will need them anyway so why not get them started early. Plus you will find that the longer relationship hey establish with a bank the more benefits they will receive.

Their student checking account is the center of their finances. It is suggested they open two student savings accounts. One for long-term savings and another student savings account for fun things they want to experience. The long-term student savings account will give them financial security while the fun student savings account allows them to fully experience life now.

4. Invest early and consistently. When homeschooling your child on of the most important math lessons you can teach is the power of 'compounding interest'. This allows your child to make money off the initial investment plus all the money the money that the investment already returned.

In your homeschool math curriculum, show them how fast a small investment can add up. Just a $80 investment made each month could mean over a million dollars in their account when they are in their fifties. Homeschooling your child with these practical financial lessons will give them an advantage that most people won't have.

Financial education needs to be a central part of your teenager's homeschool curriculum. With a practical financial education they will avoid the most common financial mistakes, be able to enjoy life more and will be well on their way to securing their financial future.

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Discover the first steps to providing your child a practical financial homeschool education by getting your free videos and books at http://www.FreeBy30.com. These lessons were developed by young America's success coach and author of 'Financially Free by 30', Vince Shorb.

Your Catholic Homeschooling Options

Catholic homeschooling is a homeschooling method designed to incorporate Catholic belief into the lessons that are taught. It isn't very different from Christian or Secular homeschooling. Both of these other homeschooling methods also integrate a doctrinal program.

If you are thinking about choosing a Catholic homeschooling program, there are a couple of different plans that use a Catholic technique. Here is a brief overview of a few of them:

Charlotte Mason Homeschooling

Charlotte Mason was a British educator known for her work in encouraging the use of literature instead of textbooks. She is often thought as the founder of homeschooling. Instead of the rigorous memorization mandated during her time, Mason's theories held on the idea of helping a child learn to love learning.

Many Catholic homeschooling parents use the Charlotte Mason method because her concepts relate to the home environment. She encouraged well-written literature that captivated a child's imagination. Mason supported an effective reading program that used "whole book" ideas. She also incorporated narration.

Classical Homeschooling

This homeschooling method is also highly used among Catholic homeschooling families. The theory behind the Classic method involves adjusting the instruction to the mental development of the child. For example, you would use a different teaching method to teach a six year old than you would a teenager.

For that reason, three programs of teaching are used through a child's education as they develop mentally: the Trivium, Analytical, and Abstract.

Montessori Avenue

This type of education usually used by Catholic homeschooling families was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori. Her theory of education relies on the challenges of everyday life, or the conditions that a child is raised in. This educational model allows a child to manipulate their setting and learn from it.

If you are interested in Catholic homeschooling, these are just a few of the programs commonly used. It is a good idea, however, to research these programs and learn a little bit more about them to see if one of them would work better for you and your family's needs.

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Discover How to Raise Your Child to Be a True Leader with Our Classical Christian-based Leadership Program. Great for Homeschoolers and Other Parents Who Want to Make Sure their Child Gets the Best Leadership Training Possible.

What Type Of Education Can Guide Our Children Well? Try Secular Home Schooling

Many parents from all walks of life are opting to home schooling as they recognize the benefits of homeschooling. There are some 5 percent of U.S. children are taking up the home schooling curriculum and lately it is increasing tremendously.

What is secular home schooling?

This type of home schooling is basically left to the child's interests based learning. These practices are supported by social community groups that have strong faith in religious beliefs. They just want to have a close bond with the children and share their values with these kids.

What are the benefits of secular home schooling?

* It allows them to create a bond with one's child as they grow.

* It allows the child the choice to express his or her desires and aptitude for learning what he or she has the most interest in that area.

* The child traditional values and beliefs remains with them.

* These premises have good safety and educational control.

What are the disadvantages of secular home schooling?

* Once you let the child do whatever he/she chooses, they may end up in nothing. If the children don't particularly enjoy studying, he might not able to survive in today's world without much knowledge by his side.

* Since the child are not able to deal with the outside world, he or she will lead into confinement in the community that is detrimental to the child's growth within the society.

* The child will not able to enjoy his day-to-day life routine. It seems like a child just lost his childhood and deprive of doing something that he or she loves to do.

* Children that attended secular home schooling education is like not having any read education. It is tough for them to find a proper job in the real world, even though they might have a diploma or college degree.

With more disadvantages than benefits attending a secular home schooling program, in which the child will see them sooner or later. However, there are still many embarking on this kind of education due to their beliefs, values, and the social communities they live in.

Secular home schooling usually occurred in many rural areas. Most families that take up such programs are not highly educated, but they have strong religious background. The reason why they are putting their children to such education is because they have their interests at heart by not exposing them to the outside world.

Getting in touch with nature is essential for us to grow mentally strong. We should never miss on that education is very important to us to understand the true value of life.

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Eddy Kong is the author of a website called, school for genius. This guide will be able to help more parents find alternative solutions to their home schooling methods so as to start the bonding the process. Drop by at his site now for more information.

Homeschooling Using Community Resources

Many homeschoolers depend on community resources for some of their learning especially if they use and unschooling or unit study model of learning. They say that the more senses you use to learn something, the more likely you are to remember what you are learning. Interacting with a person or seeing something demonstrated in person certainly adds to any learning environment. Here are a few ideas that you can use that you may have never thought of before:

1. Local industry - Some factories give tours or offer internships to students.

2. Public or private schools - Some schools offer classes or special services to homeschoolers. Public schools are more likely to provide free classes.

3. Experts in your area - Many local experts will offer lectures, private lessons or apprenticeships to students just to see their trade carried on to the next generation.

4. Bookstores - Take advantage of free workshops, book signings, and readings. Meeting a real author can inspire your child to pursue writing as a hobby or even a career.

5. Athletic leagues - Seasonal leagues and coaching opportunities are available in almost any area. Your teenager may enjoy volunteering their time to help younger children enjoy the sport they love.

6. Specialty Stores - Many offer workshops and demonstrations for free or a small fee to get people to come into their stores.

7. Church - Your church can offer drama, ministry opportunities, choirs, and bands that your child can participate in. If they don't offer them, then maybe your family can put one together.

8. Museums or Historical Sites in your area. This may be obvious, but worth mentioning. Are there any attractions that people come from a distance to see? Have you taken your children there yet?

9. State Parks, Nature Centers, Bird Sanctuaries, and Zoos are great places to visit.

10. Government agencies - Your state representative should have staff that would be more happy to take you on a tour of your state capital. Also, don't count out your local police and fire station, county or state agencies in the area.

11. Local Colleges and Universities offering courses, tutoring, library use, and special programs.

12. Special Interest Groups - You may have a scrapbooking, bird watching, stamp collecting, history, or other group that would be willing to mentor your child or at least give a demonstration of their craft or interest.

Homeschoolers have the ability to take advantage of the many resources listed, sometimes to a greater degree than public or private school students. Keep your eyes and ears open to many interesting opportunities your child can experience right in your own town or neighborhood.

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For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Homeschool using the Best Resources" at http://www.homeschool-how-to.com Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

How Does Home Schooling Work?

Getting involved in a home schooling plan is not complicated as you might have guessed. You need not have to pass through a series of activities to help troubled children. In addition, home schooling is an extremely essential method of the development of a child upbringing. Take care of a few steps to provide the best for shaping up a child career and life. It can be done with proper and careful planning and a clear understanding of today needs and requirements of a child. With a little alertness, you can create a growing home school curriculum very easily.

Many home schooling curriculum involve parents as a major part of the whole study process. It requires the help of a parent or any elder at home to assist the child go through the learning of chapters and help them with getting its adequate meaning and concepts. Often parents feel it a bit challenging to prepare learning strategies for their child to give him or her model of absolute growth. Home schooling skills helps you to understand the difficulties of students and helps you formulates effective solutions for this. Thus, by creating a daily schedule of learning on the weekly and monthly basis for future learning goals is always the first step.

Home Schooling Must be Entertaining

One of the success formulas for this whole process would be making it really entertaining and enjoyable so that a child would not get bored. A parent in assistance with a tutor can chalk out plans for integrating activities such as artwork, stories and hands-on training with a touch of different subjects in it. For example, if you like to provide knowledge of science, as a parent you need to discuss its usage practically. You can take you child to a nearby science museum and enjoy your time with the child.

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The aforementioned article has been contributed by the webmaster of orbitutors.com. An online tutor database where you can find a tutor as well as search tutor for all subjects in your local area.

Pre-Reading Instruction - Do You Know What's Necessary Before Teaching Your Child To Read?

The first step in reading is not the actual process of reading, but the pre-reading skill level. It's recommended not to rush into reading with a preschooler. It is better to take your preschoolers on outings, expose them to good music, art, nature, and science study. Teach your preschoolers about God and life. Read frequently out loud and surround your young children with books.

Some things you could do with your young child include, but are not limited to:

• Nursery rhymes

• Poems

• Fingerplays

• Songs

• Storybook reading and storytelling

• Book and print awareness (i.e. the direction we read in, parts of a story such as the title)

There was a research study done where one group of Kindergarteners received lots of reading instruction, while another group learned about science through hands-on activities and experiments. These two groups of Kindergarteners were tested when they reached third grade. The Kindergarteners who had been in the science group were a lot farther ahead in their reading scores than the group that had received lots of reading instruction. This was because of the more extensive vocabulary and thinking skills that the children in the science group had been exposed to as Kindergarteners. They could understand at a higher level due to their more varied experiences.

This is very important: a child needs to develop their auditory and visual short-term memory before they start reading. If they don't have this, they're going to have a hard time remembering what they've learned. The goal is to have your child remember five numbers, letters, words, etc... in a row both visually and by hearing them, spaced about one second apart. So for example, if you tell your daughter "Listen to these numbers and then repeat them back: 5, 9, 1, 3, 0," your daughter should be able to repeat them back to you without any mistakes. If your child cannot do this and you want to teach him reading, practice these exercises for a few minutes each day until he is successful. Remember, your child should be able to either see five items or hear five items (i.e. numbers, letters, things), and be able to repeat what they were.

In the pre-reading stage you also want your child to acquire phonemic awareness. Such skills as the following:

• Awareness of print and how a book is read

• Being able to separate words into syllables

• Able to orally blend syllables into words (i.e. "rab" + "bit"'"rabbit")

• Being able to produce rhyming words

• Awareness of speech sounds in words.

• The ability to identify, sequence, substitute, and move around sounds in words.

The final skill listed above has been shown to be the best predictor of a child learning to read easily. So the ability to identify, sequence, substitute, and move around sounds in words is very important. For example if you have the word cat, you want your child to be able to isolate and repeat the beginning sound and the ending sound in the word cat.

Pre-reading instruction doesn't have to be dry and tedious for your child, do a variety of things like playing word games to develop these skills. Enjoy your time together with your child.

Author Info:

Isa Skrobola received her teaching degree at the University of Michigan. She has taught in various settings and has studied the best methods of education for over 10 years. She is currently homeschooling her six children. Isa Skrobola wants to offer you more free information at http://www.childfluency.com