Homeschooling Pros and Cons

2011-01-03T08:03:00.000-08:00

Homeschool Preschool - 5 Reasons to Teach Your Child at Home

2010-12-20T08:03:00.001-08:00

Many parents are homeschooling preschool instead of sending their young children to preschool away from home. Here are 5 reasons you should homeschool preschool.

1. Children will learn in their own time, and many 3 and 4 year-olds aren't ready for a structured classroom environment. Forcing preschoolers into strict learning environments can produce anxiety and reduce a love for learning. Young children learn best in an environment that is free from competition and pressure to perform.

2. We have all seen children clinging tightly to their mother's leg, begging not to be sent into the classroom alone. Some preschoolers aren't ready for large amounts of time away from their parents. Many children still need one on one attention, frequent hugs and a familiar lap to sit on.

3. Negative social behaviors such as cliques, teasing and bullying can begin as young as age 3 or 4. Many preschoolers internalize these negative experiences, and become insecure, shy and withdrawn. When parents homeschool preschool, they have an opportunity to observe and coach their children during difficult interactions and teach their children positive social skills.

4. By homeschooling preschool, parents can model positive behavior for their children. At home, preschoolers also have plenty of opportunities to learn to share with siblings, manage feelings and serve their family members. These early years are an excellent time to build good habits and reinforce family values.

5. The preschool years pass much too quickly, and once those moments are lost, they will not return. Parents who homeschool their preschoolers have more time to spend time bonding with their children. Homeschooling creates special family memories that give children the security and confidence they will need to thrive when they leave home.

Author Info:

Here is some additional information about homeschooling preschoolers.

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

Homeschool Parents & Kids - Learn How to Find Others Who is Homeschooled in Your Area

2010-12-13T08:03:00.000-08:00

Homeschool parents, or those considering homeschooling, often wonder if they're the only ones in their area. With the latest Department of Education study citing over 1 million homeschooling families, that is not likely. Finding other homeschoolers, however, may not always be easy. You need to know where to look.

One common place where you might find other homeschoolers are local churches. While not every homeschooler is Christians, and it obviously isn't a requirement, many homeschoolers are. Even if you aren't a regular church-goer, you might consider attending some services to see if there are other homeschoolers there. Of course this can apply to a synagogue or mosque as well.

Libraries are another good place to seek homeschoolers. Many homeschooling parents use the local library as a source for learning materials. If you go to the library and see children there during normal school hours, it's very probable they are homeschooled children, and a parent is probably nearby. You could also ask the librarian if she knows of any homeschoolers. Most likely she will because they are probably some of her best patrons.

Try bringing your kids to the park during normal school hours; you may run into another homeschooling family there enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. They may even be doing something to related to school projects. In any case, local parks are a great place to find homeschoolers.

Keep your eyes open while shopping at the grocery store; many homeschoolers use real life activities like grocery shopping to teach rather than just depending on books. If you see children standing around the produce isle with calculators, it's likely they're working on their math lessons.

Of course, the Internet is a great place to find homeschoolers in your area. Try doing a searchs for "homeschool groups (your county or city name)" As there are homeschoolers in every state of the union, you'll almost certainly find some close by. If for some reason you don't find anyone locally, you can still find support online through any number of Yahoo homeschooling groups.

As you look for homeschooling families locally, don't be afraid to approach parents that you see out and about during regular school hours. Most homeschooling parents are used to being asked why their children aren't in school anyway!. They won't be offended, and asking questions is a wonderful way to find other homeschoolers, not to mention just meeting new acquaintances. Chances are very good that you may find there are more homeschoolers in your area than you first thought.

Author Info:

Great resources and answers to your homeschooling questions - pick up The Complete Homeschool Guide at: http://www.CompleteHomeschoolGuide.com

Best Home Schooling Resources - An Introduction

2010-12-06T08:03:00.001-08:00

Statistical records suggest that home schooling has gained a lot of popularity since past few years. It is likely that you are one among several parents interested in home schooling. There are a few information resources,considered as the best home schooling resources. You will certainly find them useful.

The one great benefit of providing home schooling to your children is the amount of quality time you will able to spend with them. Just remember that it is a time that you can never get back, which makes it all the more vital benefit.

Another benefit of getting a good home schooling resource is that your desire to care about your children will be prominently registered in their mind. Your children will realize that you are doing everything possible to ensure happiness for them.

A search on the internet will get you links to some useful websites about home schooling. One of the better ones is a website about the Teach at Home Company. It is full of home schooling information, including subjects such as lessons, money, software, supplies and materials, homework helpers, books and video, and more.

Another good source is The Home school Company. This company claims that home schooling provided by them is great for a number of reasons, like

*their learning style will be identified

*all material will be presented in a format that honors their style

*each child will be encouraged to follow his or her interests

*each child will be honored as an individual

*each child will be encouraged to play and be a kid.

Then there is one more by the name Time 4 Learning, which offers a mix and match of activities. It makes a valid point about how important choosing the right home school material is for your children to make the most of home schooling.

It is time for you to get started and begin teaching your children from home, once you have decided about the best home schooling resource for your child.

Author Info:

Laxmi Keshav does research in many topics. Get started now, visit here - homeschooling versus public schooling and chrisitian schools international home schooling

Home Schooling Reflections

2010-11-29T08:03:00.001-08:00

Coming to the end of our 8th year of home schooling causes me to look back with reflection. How are we doing, how have we done, and would I have done anything differently? These are the questions I ask myself.

I think we are doing fine. As a matter of fact I think we are doing great! But we are not the same as when we started. We have changed over the years. I think most home schoolers would agree.

It is the nature of home schooling.

If I were to do something differently I would have started from the beginning. Both of my girls went to public school for kindergarten and first grade. That is a precious time. A time that can be spend exploring nature, planting gardens, watching birds, visiting zoos and museums, visiting libraries and curling up with books, cooking with Mom, and doing craft projects. Do these things and you've got it covered. There's no need to have a strict schedule, sit at a desk all day and then have to come home with homework!

If I were to do something differently I would not have used a Charter School. Tracking every assignment and staying on schedule even when Egypt calls for more time than a week is not what home schooling is suppose to be about.

Home schooling is about learning at your own pace in your own way. If you start reading at 5 great, if you're not reading until you're 8 then that's okay too. If you can't write paragraphs in the 2nd grade who cares? And please don't sweat spelling; it really does come with time...with or without a spelling program.

If I were to do something differently I would not have done school at home.

Many of us start out doing "school at home". We make it the way we remember it to have been. That usually doesn't last long.

Now this is all fine and good, but I must remember not to be too hard on myself. I probably had to go through the steps I went through in order to get to where I am today.
I needed to see that public school was not right for our family and I needed the security blanket feeling of a charter school when I started home schooling. Life is about growing and growing is a process and we have to go through all the steps.

So why am I even writing this article? Well two reasons. Maybe you are thinking of home schooling, but not sure you can. Maybe reading about my experiences will give you the strength to skip some of the steps along the way. Or maybe you, like me wish you had done some things differently. I needed to remind you and myself that the path we took is the path we had to take and that it really is okay.

Author Info:

Linda Tyler a home schooling mom in San Diego, CA. Please visit my home schooling how to web site. How to get started, how to choose curriculum and how to save money.

http://www.home-education-works.com

Home Schooling Math - Why You Can Teach Math

2010-11-22T08:03:00.001-08:00

Math is one subject that scares a lot of home schooling parents, especially as their children get older. Usually this is because the parents didn't do well in math when they were in school.

The main problem with math, is that math is a very "sequential" subject. The new material always depends heavily on what you were taught before. If you have a problem (i.e. if you miss a few things because of sickness, a bad teacher, or other problems in a particular school year), you have to go back and "fix" the problem, or you will have difficulty understanding things after that point.

If this happened to you, even only a few times during all the years you were in school, the chances of you having done well in math, are very low.

Many people have a problem at some point, in school. Then they end up trying to learn the previous material and the current material at the same time. Normally this means they learn it more poorly. They struggle a lot with it, and they don't learn the current material fully. Then the next material is difficult, too. Then they conclude they are poor at math.

In my family, when someone had a problem with math at school, they were helped at home until they got caught up. We all got very good at math, and this is why. It was also because of the effectiveness of one-on-one tutoring, just like when we are home schooling our children.

Also, having helped adults who were "supposedly poor" at math, I know that their ability is usually not the problem. They just were not taught every thing they needed, to do it well.

Just because you found math difficult at school, doesn't mean you can't teach math to your children. And if you are starting off with the lower grades, you probably know most of that math by now, anyway. Get good materials, and learn the few details you missed, as you go through it with your child (also, go over it the day before you teach it, and you should be fine).

And, check out our home school math teaching tips, on our site, listed below. Many of these tips are not even used in schools yet (to be fair to teachers, some of these tips would be more difficult to implement in a classroom environment, with lots of children in a big class, but home schoolers don't have that limitation).

Combine these tips with a good curriculum, lots of determination from you, lots of love, and getting the occasional outside help when you need it, and you will build a great math foundation in your child, that will serve them well, as they advance to more challenging math, and through out their adult life.

You may also want to read "If You Did Poorly in Math," on our site, listed below.

Author Info:

Jim McGinn has many more home schooling articles on his site, here:
http://www.homeschool-guide.com and make sure you sign up to receive his free home school tip each week by e-mail, here: http://www.homeschool-guide.com/hs-tips-request.php

Jim McGinn is a home schooling dad. He is the primary home schooling parent in his family, and has been home schooling formally for 7 years. Before that, he owned and ran a computer school for senior citizens, for over 10 years, where he learned a great deal about teaching from the most experienced people alive.

What You Can Uncover From Homeschool Curriculum Reviews

2010-11-15T08:03:00.001-08:00

There are a wide variety of reasons why parents choose to homeschool. More and more children are being educated at home.

What is the reason for this increasing number of homeschool? It varies from family to family. But you'll find that there are usually three major reasons why parents make the decision to homeschool their children.

I've been reading lots of different homeschool curriculum reviews. What I found is that the biggest reason parents take their children out of public school is because the system is not giving their children a quality education.

The public education system of America is struggling to give our children an adequate education. Much of this struggling is a result of out-of-date textbooks, inferior equipment, and unfit buildings.

When parents decide to homeschool their children, they have hands-on control over what kind of education their children will get.

By reading homeschool curriculum reviews, I also learned the second reason why people choose to homeschool: They want to control the influences their children are exposed to.

This is often based on religious preference, though not always. But in any case, the homeschooling environment gives your child the best chance to learn values important to the family. Families are also able to decide to when their child is ready for certain information.

Public schools are known to not encourage good disciplinary measures. Because of this, kids know they can get away with a lot: Students are known to disrupt and sabotage classes, showing complete disregard for teachers and the learning of their peers.

Discipline is one of the most important components in a homeschool environment.

If you read homeschool curriculum reviews, you'll learn a third reason why parents teach their kids at home: Safety. Just watching the news or reading the paper illustrates that violence is a common problem in the school system.

This problem is not getting any better. Increasingly, the acts of violence are becoming more and more deadly. The Columbine High School shooting isn't an isolated case: There have been other firearm-related incidents around the nation.

Schooling your children at home gives them a safe learning environment, whereas at school they are at great risk for harm.

There were also some disadvantages I read about when going over homeschool curriculum reviews. Some of these disadvantages include how the state decides to get involved when you decide to educate your children at home.

There are some states that require all homeschooling parents to be certified teachers. They also require that the children learn using state-approved materials.

Sometimes parents are afraid that by homeschooling their children, they might block from them athletic and musical opportunities.

Socialization is one of the most commonly voiced fears. People are often afraid that children will lack social skills if they don't interact with peers.

There are obviously ways to work around these disadvantages. Still, you'll want to weigh the pros and cons that are revealed in homeschooling curriculum reviews, and especially learn what your state requires.

Author Info:

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.

Home Schooling Is It For Your Family?

2010-11-08T08:03:00.001-08:00

Almost 1.1 million children were home schooled in 2005, according to the National Center For Education statistics, At one time, homeschooling was something radical, similar to a declaration of independence. Conservative Christians first advocated the idea of homeschooling in 1980s and had it legalized in every state.

Today, the typical home schooler is not motivated by religion. The fact is parents are fed up with public school systems. They see the schools as places where too much learning is compulsory and superficial. Parents also have concerns about the negative and sometimes dangerous school environment, which has problems that range from abuse to drugs to unsavory peer pressure.

The homeschooling advocates of today represent a mix of people from all walks of life. They come from all religious and regional borders with the goal of providing productive and meaningful education to their children. They want their children to learn in ways that strengthen family bonds as well.

Modern homeschooling families are committed to the sanctity of childhood. Children are the primary focus for these families. Many feel that homeschooling lets them raise their children in a more natural and nurturing way. Public schools make these parents nervous, and they believe their children could be come anxious or mean by attending them. The children who receive homeschooling are protected from such negative influences until they are of an age to handle them.

The whole family is involved with modern homeschooling. The practice has a role for everyone. Parents bond with their children, and all experiences can become educational ones. Both mothers and fathers know exactly what their children are doing during homeschooling periods, and they have more control over the type of moral and religious values that impact the children. With homeschooling, even a simple act like watching a movie can become a learning activity. Things like going to the library become educational and recreational alike.

A family that is involved with homeschooling is generally dependent upon the income of a single 'breadwinner' who brings in the money. This fact tends to bring family members closer together because everyone in the family is involved with the process of saving money.

One of the advantages of homeschooling is that one parent is always at home to supervise the children, and to care for and nurture them with love. Every member of the family is involved with the activity of homeschooling, and there is no time for boredom.

There may be problems from time to time, and parents may feel moments of self-doubt and misgiving, but homeschooling families have the satisfaction of knowing that they are always there for each other. Homeschooling represents a very rich experience for the family.

Author Info:

To find more advise about home schooling visit http://family-tips.com

Tips For A Kindergarten Homeschooling Curriculum

2010-11-01T08:03:00.001-07:00

Do you want to create a rewarding and interactive homeschool curriculum for your child? Is this your child's first year in school? Are you interested in creating a positive homeschooled educational experience for your kindergarten student? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you will benefit from the information listed here. You will be introduced to what you need to know about an effective curriculum for having your kindergarten student homeschooled.

When creating a homeschool curriculum for the kindergarten student, it is important to understand that it all starts and ends with you. It is important for you to tailor the home-schooling lesson plans to match the interest level, and maturity of the child. Children who are in kindergarten must have a lot of interaction. It is also important for the homeschool curriculum to have plenty of room for play and creativity. These three elements - interaction, play, and creativity are the components to success when it comes to curriculums for kindergarten homeschooling.

Kindergarten Studies

We all remember our days in kindergarten. This is one of the most important years of school that your student will take part in. Many ideas, skills, and lessons are taught during kindergarten that will help shape the success that your student experiences in other grade levels. When creating a successful curriculum for kindergarten homeschooling, you must include information from a variety of subjects. Being similar to more traditional school's curriculum these homeschoolers subjects include art, social studies, music, science, geography, home life, writing, reading, activities, physical education, and more.

Creative Implementation

There are a number of creative measures that you can use while teaching your homeschool student that is in kindergarten. Math manipulatives, such as shapes, play money, and similar items can be used to reinforce basic math skills. Implementing the use of foam letters to reinforce tactile learning in language development can be a fun and interactive teaching method. Purchasing a world globe that talks and interacts with the child is a great creative implementation of teaching geography skills. Purchasing pictures that can be painted by the child is a great way to spark creativity.

Curriculum Goals

When creating a curriculum for kindergarten homeschooling, it is absolutely essential to have a set standard, or a set of curriculum goals in mind. The best way to create these curriculum goals is to find out the state standard as far as what a kindergarten graduate should know. Once you have discovered this standard, raise the bar a bit. This will ensure that the transition from kindergarten to first grade is a smooth one for your student. In addition to curriculum goals on academics, there are many life skills that should be implemented during this year of school.

Conclusion

Creating a successful curriculum for kindergarten homeschool can be a challenging task, but with the proper amount of research and consideration to the matter, it can be easily done. The main thing to remember when teaching a kindergarten student at home is that it should be fun and interactive. This will allow the child to keep a positive perspective on the educational process, and it will allow you to complete the goals that you have in mind. These components will ensure that the curriculum for kindergarten homeschooling is a success.

Author Info:

Terry Graves discusses How To Home School so you can understand it. Learn how home schooling works. To receive more information visit the How To Home School website.

Questions to Ask Your Personal Tutor

2010-10-25T08:03:00.001-07:00

Is your child having difficulty coping with school? Are you looking for a way to improve his grades? Even if you did want to tutor your child yourself, chances are you may not have as much time on your hands. One of the best options to help out your child with school as well as you with your busy schedule as a parent is to hire a home tutor for your child. Personal tutors or private tutors have been proven to be effective in helping kids improve on their school work, as well as helping parents monitor the progress of their children.

Before you start hiring a personal tutor for your child, here is a quick list of questions you need to ask or check with your tutor of choice. Because children have different learning needs, it is imperative to clarify these details with your private tutor. These questions will help you gauge the skill and capabilities of your tutor, so you and your child can gain maximum benefits from private tuition.

1. What educational background do you have? - Whether you are hiring a high school student, college student, or a graduate, this helps you know what level of knowledge your tutor has. Inquire about specialties in subjects, or major courses taken in college.

2. Have you had prior experience tutoring? - Though it is always a plus to get an experienced tutor, most parents do not see this as the only criteria for choosing. Sometimes fresh graduates or newbies who are zealous, reliable, and who want to try out jobs as personal tutors can work just as effectively as seasoned ones.

3. What tutoring method do you employ? - Not all home tutors work in the same manner. It is good to know if your personal tutor uses various forms of media like books, magazines, the internet, and others as part of his teaching routine. Variety is effective in helping children grasp information faster, as well as to keep their interest in the task at hand.

4. What is your schedule? - Perhaps one of the most important points to clarify with your private tutor. Specify how many times a week you wish to have your child tutored, and what times your child is available to start the private tuition. Along with this question comes the per hour rate and payment terms.

5. How do you deal with a difficult child? - There are instances wherein a tutee is non-receptive to the assistance given by his or her personal tutors. A child may be too shy, is aggravated by the added school load, or simply does not want to participate. In this case, ask you tutor how he deals with such tutoring obstacles. It is ideal to choose a tutor that is firm but at the same time understanding about your child's personality and academic needs.

These are only some of the questions you can ask with your tutor. Don't hesitate to make everything clear with your home tutor, so you can both be sure that your child will be well-aided towards a better academic performance in school.

Author Info:

You can learn more on how to get a home tutor, personal tutor or private tutor when you visit UK Tutors.

Home School Curriculum - Should I Buy a Packaged Curriculum?

2010-10-18T08:03:00.001-07:00

There are many home school curriculum's available and sometimes it can be hard to know which one to choose or whether to choose one at all. Here are some features of ready-made curriculum that you should consider before buying:

1. You may tend to spend more time on desk work and not feel the freedom to take advantage of home school support group activities, outdoor projects, or community activities.

2. Packaged curriculum tends to be expensive and leave you with less money for field trips or other supplies you might want to purchase.

3. You may tend to keep using the curriculum even if it is not working because you spent the money to purchase it.

4. Some packaged curriculum requires a great deal of teacher preparation and reading through manuals before you are able to teach the material.

5. There is a higher rate of burnout on homeschooling when people purchase a ready-made curriculum. It may cause you to grow weary of the preparation and your child to grow weary of filling in workbook pages and not engage his curiosity.

6. Packaged curriculum tends to be one-size-fits-all and is based on the average student. If your child is advanced or delayed, you may be disappointed with your purchase.

Packaged curriculums were originally designed for private school classrooms, but they do have their place in some home schools. If the parent and child enjoy structure and advanced learning, then a packaged curriculum could work for them. Many people adapt the curriculum to fit their needs and goals and some follow it exactly and have success. Once you assess your goals for homeschooling and take into consideration your child's learning style, you will be able to make an informed decision on what you need to purchase for homeschooling.

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.

Teaching Sounds in Reading - Uncover Some of the Most Successful Methods in Teaching a Child to Read

2010-10-11T08:03:00.001-07:00

In a previous article I covered the pre-reading activities and skills needed as a first step in teaching a child to read. The second step in the reading process is teaching the letter sounds to your child. This step is the foundation of all reading and should be emphasized.

Keep in mind that a child doesn't have to know the letter names before he is taught the letter sounds. In some children teaching the letter names first will produce greater confusion because the letter names are different from the letter sounds. You will have the most success when you teach the sounds if you have a multi-sensory approach that includes writing the letters, seeing the letters, and saying the letters.

Make sure each sound is said in a quick short manner which involves clipping the sound (you can have your child use a scissors like motion after saying each sound to remind them that the sound cuts off). To teach the letter sounds, you can use:

-A sand tray where the child writes the letters in the sand while saying the sound

-Flashcards without a picture to make sure your child is actually learning the sound of the letter and not the picture

-Glue letters or sandpaper letters where a child traces the letter while saying the sound

-Skywriting where a child writes the letter in the air while saying the sound

-Table writing where a child writes the letter on a table while saying the sound

-Walking around a letter outlined on the floor while saying the sound

-Forming the letter with the body while saying the sound

-Any other activity that will combine having the child saying the letter while writing it and visually seeing it or experiencing it through movement

Remember that the fastest way to teach letter sounds is by combining a multi-sensory approach so that your child is speaking, writing, reading, and spelling all at the same time. This type of approach will ensure that children with different learning styles will all learn the sounds equally well.

There is a method of teaching reading that encourages having the child initially learn all of the sounds each letter makes, as opposed to just learning one sound per letter. If you use this method, you would teach a child that the letter a has three sounds (a as in hat, a as in made, and ah as in water). The idea behind this method is that you give the child all the tools they need to crack the reading code from the very beginning instead of waiting. Once you teach all 26 individual letters, you would go on to teach the rest of the 70 written sounds (phonograms) in the English language. I personally prefer this method and have been very successful using it.

Teaching the letter sounds can be a fairly straightforward and pleasurable task if you remember to use all of a child's senses in the learning process while using a method that presents the sounds in a logical way. By teaching the letter sounds to your child, you'll be opening up a world of many possibilities.

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, and wants to offer you more free information about reading fluency at http://www.childfluency.com

Use Historic Locations To Learn Conceptual Social Studies

2010-10-04T08:03:00.001-07:00

I was thinking about Walt Whitman as Steven and I walked along the red sand road to the Rose Bud Hill Pioneer Settlement. This tree lined forest lane was our road less traveled as Steven started a new adventure as an independently schooled kid. Steven was running ahead checking out all the informative signs along the trail. This was his first day as an independent learner. I wanted him to realize that he could learn easily so I set up this little trip to the Rose Bud Hill historic settlement.

Being a typical 14 year old he didn't want to look like a geek carrying a notebook. To tell you the truth I wouldn't have done it either so we took a digital camera instead. Don't make a kid feel embarassed. The fact is that you can do as much or more with a digital camera than you can with a notebook. He took an absurd number of pictures but in the process he documented everything there was to document. He photographed the information signs along with anything else that caught his attention so they could be placed in a PowerPoint. Make use of technology. Remember we are dealing with a species we might called technokids. A 14 year old has never lived without cell phones. There is no reason to take copious notes when photographs can illustrate everything.

We walked a few hundred more feet when I was almost scared to death. Suddenly a deer jumped up out of the bushes. I reacted as if it was bigfoot. But what a beautiful animal. After I realized I wasn't going to be Bigfoots lunch I kept thinking about food. "Steven, what could that animal be used for by the people who lived here?" He immediately said "you can eat it". "What else can you do with it?" He thought for a minute and then said "you can make clothes with the skin." Then he decided that you could dry the meat for the winter.

Then we heard a furious commotion in a tree. We looked up to see several squirrels jumping from limb to limb in the top of a huge Red Oak. He ran over to the base of the enormous tree. He bent over backwards trying to look at what was creating the problem in the treetop. A loud chattering sound could be heard. Then I heard him yell squirrels. Look they're fighting. I asked, "can you eat squirrels." He made a horrible face while saying I guess so. "Yes, you can", I said. Lets see what you've learned so far. This particular forest can provide two things you need to succeed in making a settlement; food and clothing. He ran over and took a picture of the tracks left by the deer. Without really trying Steven had learned that sources of food had to be in place for settlements to work.

He kept taking pictures and carefully photographed all the explanatory markers. Soon he yelled John come here. I walked over as fast as my arthritic knees would carry me and he said look at this. He pointed me to a sign that explained the Sassafras plant. The sign explained that he could create tea from the roots. I told him that I had drunk Sassafras tea as a child. Steven wanted to know what it tasted like. I told him it was kind of like root beer. So we had found more food. But the more important thing is that he was learning these concepts with no effort while having fun in a relaxed, enriching environment. He was deeply, intrinsically motivated to learn. He soon came up with the idea that you could actually make a meal from the forest.

Finally we made it to Rosebud Hill. We stood at the entrance to the peaceful farmstead looking at the log buildings. Steven walked first to a one room cabin. The cabin had a rope bed on one side and a table. Over the table was a hanging candle holder. There was a log stove that would have provided heat and a way to cook. The walls of the cabin were chinked with a mixture of mud and pine straw. I asked where did they get the materials to build this cabin? Steven thought about it for a moment then said well, duh, from the forest. "Exactly", I said, "that's another thing that has to exist for people to survive; building materials for shelter". We walked out of the cabin over to the fenced garden where we could see the rich soil. Various greens were growing along with other winter crops. Then on to the chicken yard, the pig pen, the outhouse and, finally, the main house of the farm which consisted of two rooms. The large room was the center of all the family life; eating, socializing, sleeping along with protection from the elements. The second room housed another rope bed for the parents of the family. After we examined all the features of the demonstration farm we walked behind the homestead to the Akokisa indian village.

As we walked through the village we talked about the need for people to trade with each other. We also talked about the need for people to establish mutually beneficial relationships to survive. Steven brought up the idea that the indians probably helped the settlers by teaching them ways to live in the forest. "True enough, I said, "and they also probably traded with them." Steven said "I bet that is another reason people settle somewhere." We sat down on a log. "Let's go over some things. What do we know now about why groups settle at a location?" Steven thought for a while then said "well they had to have food. They had to have material for shelter. They had to have somewhere to trade for things they wanted to use. But, don't they need water?" I said "well, let's see what they had for water." So we walked down a trail that led us to beautiful Spring Creek.

More pictures were taken along the way. When we got to the creek Steven realized another important reason for settling here. Not only was there water but he saw a pontoon boat in the creek. He said "they could travel on this couldn't they?". Without opening a book, hearing a lecture or doing a google search he had realized that there was a need for transportation. Looking at a map posted there we found that Spring Creek drains into the San Jacinto River. Then the San Jacinto River drains into the Gulf of Mexico where, at least hypothetically, the whole world could be reached from the Rose Bud Hill settlement.

Later that day after we arrived back at the house we sat down to debrief. "Ok, I asked, what can you say about why settlements are placed in particular locations?" Steven spent the next ten minutes telling me that there had to be natural resources to provide food and shelter. He talked about the need for adequate water. Another quality of an area he mentioned was easy transportation to other locations. And finally he talked about the ability to trade with other people. But that wasn't all he talked about. He mentioned having good soil to grow food. he told about the need for animal resources to provide clothing and meat. But then he surprised me a bit when he talked about the politics that had to work between the population of native people and the settlers. From there we talked about how relationships are established between groups of people. I found that I was able to motivate him to make a list of things to study as an extension of what he had learned. He wanted to do a study of the plant and animal biology of Jones Park. That evening I found him looking up more local indian populations on the computer.

A couple of weeks past. I walked past his table where he was working. As I passed I casually asked him "what kinds of things have to exist for a human settlement to exist". He thought for a minute then said "it's like Rosebud Hill. You have to have some food, some water, transportation, trade, materials to make shelter and you have to be able to get along with the other people who live there". The novelty of the way he was taught those concepts burned them into his brain with no effort.

Don't ever be afraid to abandon the books for the real world. Just get out there. Look around you. Everyone lives in a place where there were natural resources, trade opportunities, transportation to other places available and shelter when your city was established. Get out into your community with your kids. Show them your world and why people came to live there. Keep in mind that local historical demonstration parks are nothing less than time machines. They provide a lens directly to the lives of the original people who came to live in your world. They teach through direct contact with all the senses of a child. They show through true experiential learning why every city and community in the world exists. Get out there in the world. Rescue your kid from the four, square walls of a classroom. Move on to the future of learning. Take your child on a time machine to see why your present world exists. The whole world is waiting to teach your child.

Author Info:

John McGeough is a professional teacher, change agent, and child advocate since 1973. John has had the career of a renaissance man. He has been a professional trumpet player, a professional conductor, a successful music instructor, a biology teacher, an outrageously successful middle school music and science teacher. He is now a youth pastor serving children of all types from his ministry. He is committed to making the world a better place for children from all backgrounds. John believes that the era of mass education is dead. It just hasn't laid down yet. John believes in the all American concept of the independent American responsible for himself, making decisions for himself without the help of pervasive government interference.

How To Choose A Good Tutor For Your Child?

2010-09-27T08:03:00.001-07:00

If your child is not faring well in school and you need to get him a home tutor, you need to take your time to find the right person for him. Choosing the right home tutor for your child is very important if you want the tuition to be effective. There are things that you need to take into consideration when looking for a home tutor. Let me share with you some guidelines that you should follow:

A good home tutor must know how to interact effectively with your child. He is someone that your child feels comfortable with and can encourage him or her to work hard. A good home tutor need not be the one who has good educational background and highly recommended by a tuition agency. Yes, these aspects are important but they are not everything. To be able to communicate effectively and bring the best out of your child is something that a good tutor must possess.

When you hire a tutor to teach your child, your objective is to expect the tutor to impart his or her knowledge to your child so that your child can pick up the subject that he or she has problem with. Therefore, a good tutor must be able to communicate clearly to your child and make sure that your child picks up what he or she is teaching.

You should also look for a professional and reliable home tutor. Punctuality, patience, responsibility and dedication are important aspects that a good home tutor must have. If you can find a reliable tutor, you can expect good returns from your effort.

However, sometimes it is very difficult to determine whether a tutor possesses the qualifications and the characteristic aspects that you are looking for. To know a tutor's qualifications, you should ask for references and qualification papers. With these documents, you will be able to know whether he or she is qualified enough to teach.

To find out whether a tutor is reliable, there are 2 methods. One is to talk to your child and ask him to express his likes and dislikes towards the tutor. Second method is to physically keep an eye on the tuition session. Overtime, you should be able to know whether the tutor that you have appointed is a reliable and trustworthy person.

Sometimes, to get a good tutor is not easy. There will be times you need to get rid of poor tutor before you can find a quality one. Just do a bit of research and get involved with the selection process. Once you see a tutor is not performing to your expectation, do not hesitate to fire him or her. When the bad one does not leave, the good one will never arrive.

Author Info:

Find professional home tuition services from the website below:

Click Here --> Home Tuition services in Singapore.

Feel free to publish this article on your website, or send it to your friends, as long as you keep the resource box and the content of the article intact.

Homeschooling - Do You Have What it Takes?

2010-09-20T08:03:00.001-07:00

Many parents who are thinking about homeschooling wonder whether they have what it takes to homeschool their children. While you don't need all these qualities to be a successful home schooler here are some qualities to consider when making the decision to home school:

1. Do you love books on a wide variety of subjects? Can you get interested in a subject and find the information you need in a book?

2. Are you eager to learn and have a sense of wonder when you discover a new fact or concept? Can you take a walk and enjoy your surroundings? Can you look at the world around you and enjoy learning about what you see?

3. Are you flexible? Can you get interrupted without being totally annoyed? Can you change your plans for the day if needed?

4. Do you enjoy spending time with your children? Do you enjoy reading to them and learning about what they are interested in?

5. Are you determined to follow through when you set a goal? Can you focus on a goal and have the confidence to do what needs to be done to see the goal accomplished?

6. Are you willing to change what isn't working when you find that your original plan didn't turn out like you thought it would?

You know yourself and your children better than anyone. Homeschooling can feel like moving into uncharted waters, but then parenting can feel like that too. You know your children's interests and how they learn best. When you homeschool you have to trust your instinct to some extent too. If you feel that you are supposed to homeschool, then I encourage you to go for it. There are many support groups and fellow homeschoolers that can help you along the journey if you get stuck.

Author Info:

Florida Online Driving Courses - The Ultimate Online Solution to Clear Your Traffic Tickets

2010-09-13T08:03:00.001-07:00

Florida approved traffic school is sometimes required by a judge as sentence for a moving violation. It may also be possible to have a traffic ticket dismissed or points removed from your license by taking such a class. Luckily for Floridians, Florida is one state that has granted approval for courses such as these to be offered over the Internet. That means that you can take Florida online driving courses rather than going into a traditional classroom.

Florida online traffic school is far more convenient than the old-fashioned method of looking for a course and finding a location and date that will work for you, then showing up at the right time and day and sitting through a live instruction that may or may not be worth your time and money. With a course that is designed for online delivery, you've got the benefit of dozens of revisions and constant updates, so you know you're seeing the latest laws and regulations, and the latest conventional driving safety wisdom.

The other great thing about taking a Florida approved traffic school over the Internet is of course the convenience of scheduling. You don't need to be there at a specific time, or on a specific day. If something comes up, there's no need to reschedule. If you find yourself with a little extra time, you can log on and work on the course right there on the spot, no need to talk to anyone first or clear it with anyone. Just find a computer with web access and you're ready to jump back in. Some courses will even save your place within the material so that when you return you can go straight back to the page or section where you left off, and continue quickly and seamlessly.

Not all Florida online driving courses are created equal, however, nor are the providers who offer them. One important thing to look for is superior customer service. Customer service is one of those features that nobody thinks is particularly important until they suddenly find themselves needing it. With a web course, you might be online at any time, day or night, when you have a question that needs answering. There are providers who offer 24-hour live customer service, through a toll-free phone number or even a chat window, and those are the providers who understand the nature of web service and the fact that a class delivered over the Internet is always in session, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If they understand that aspect of customer service, you can be confident that they understand the other things unique to online education, such as keeping the student involved through interactive quizzes, animations, and videos rather than creating a book on a screen that doesn't encourage active participation in the material.

Author Info:

Mathew,
Is a promotional/hobby writer for Florida Traffic School When you are looking at taking a course in Florida to satisfy requirements for safe driving, whether through a court mandate or an insurance company, go online first, and go with the best online course once you're there.

Practical Homeschooling Tips - When In Need Of Receiving Home Schooling Tax Credits

2010-09-06T08:03:00.001-07:00

Wouldn't we like to know about the available home schooling tax benefits? Home schooling lessons could turn out to be expensive. Traditional schoolteachers are liable to receive tax credits from federal governments but is it the same case for home schoolteachers? As usual, home schoolteachers it seems do not find the same favor with those making the laws. Let us find out whether home schoolteachers come in the tax credit category.

Teachers are liable to received tax benefits of $200 against federal taxes. That surely is a wonderful law, but only if you are teaching at a private or public school. But here's where the party ends, parents teaching their own children do not have access to similar benefits of tax credits. The law is clear in this context that you should be working in an accredited school (federal agencies check for either W2 or 1099) and this checks for unpaid, out of classroom supplies pocket expenses budget.

In case you do not have direct employment by a school and you are a home schoolteacher, and as it is in most cases that the school isn't an accredited one either. Then sorry to say but you come under any such category that qualifies to receive any such tax credits. Do not make any attempts to gain the same thinking you will go scoot free. The IRS is like a police and they know home schoolers are after this thing. It makes for you being caught and then you made to pay the taxes back.

For those people having kids with extra needs then such parents can take tax credits advantages. Those kids having some small leaning problems to not qualify, such tax credits are meant for those kids who have severe problems that make them highly dependent on others for even there basic needs. Children who cannot do without health care assistance, who need specialized caretaker teachers and who have other special needs come in this category.

There are few variations in the tax credits, in case your child suffers from muscular dystrophy, severe autism, downs syndrome or other disabilities like deafness or blindness, then application for tax credit should be granted. This should come, as a relief to most as providing these kids with proper care is a humongous task. Such credits are applicable for medical as well as home school cost as well.

Apart for these credits there are a few more that can be received from the state to a home school. For this you need to verify the tax code of your state before you apply for tax credits. One sure way to qualify for tax credit is by opening a 529 account for your child's post secondary education or college education.

North Carolina allows you to pay less in 529 contributions till $7500 for the financial year of 2007. Find out if the state you live has some other benefits as well. Credits are for parents as well as grandparents so do check for information. 529 accounts is not limited to just home schools but even grandparents or for that matter anyone having a child can have such an account.

If you look at the broad picture then home schools find it tough to receive tax credits. Of it all very small sum is there to get so be sure to take the guidance of a professional to secure your tax credits.

Author Info:

Download the best home school curriculum for your kids and know the secrets of getting tax credit for your homeschooling affair when you visit http://www.homeschoolingfordummy.com

Is Online Homeschooling The Future of Homeschool?

2010-08-30T08:03:00.001-07:00

Online homeschooling programs are great ways of making sure that you child is learning the necessities. One of the greatest reasons why parents choose to homeschool is due to the fact that the values that your child learns are directly learned from you.

It is also important to teach your child academically. Sometimes you may need a little bit of help doing this. Sometimes developing your own curriculum from scratch can be overwhelming and too time consuming. Online homeschooling programs can help you achieve this.

Online homeschooling programs offer well thought out and tested curriculum. This curriculum is not the same stuff taught in public schools. Even though some of the same subjects will be taught, such as Language Arts, Math, History, Geography, and Science, you can also get additional subjects from an online homeschooling program.

For example, if you want your child to learn about the Bible, you can find a program that incorporates Biblical applications to the lessons. You can also choose electives in online homeschooling programs. You can find college prep courses, or even a state's individual history class.

Online homeschooling programs provide a challenging course of study that your child needs to become a great thinker. That is one way in how they differ from regular public education. They also help a child use technology and develop skills that they will most likely need in the future.

Usually online homeschooling programs will provide you with a CD-ROM and the software training to make the educational experience wonderful. You can download all the software for the courses and make backups of your work. Most programs will also aid you in completing projects.

One great thing about online homeschooling is that you can adjust the lesson plan to meet the needs of your child. Or, you can find an online homeschooling program that works with your child's strengths and weaknesses. This is one of the great advantages of homeschooling.

Don't think that you have to do everything alone. There are some great companies that are providing online homeschooling programs that are beneficial to you and your children.

Author Info:

Flexible Home-Schooling Time

2010-08-23T08:03:00.001-07:00

Some home-schooling models lend themselves better to flexible time than others. Traditional "school-at-home" is the worst, where the kids follow the same rigid structure and time periods that they do in traditional schools. Some children enjoy the predictability and structure I suppose, although I have yet to meet any of them. Please don't feel that you have to (or even should) follow that model. Even for kids in public schools doing independent learning programs, there should be nothing wrong with finishing up the day's assigned work in less than 5 hours. So much traditional schooling is busywork anyway and a hurry-up-and-wait mentality.

For every model except un-schooling, the below approach to a flexible home-school benefits both kids and working parent. Stop thinking in terms of 30 minutes for this, 45 minutes for that, 15 minutes for the other thing. If a child needs or wants to spend a longer time on a subject such as reading, then let them. Ask them oral questions if you want to test their comprehension, or have them tell you a story from the book. They should not have to write formal book reports on each book they read, talk about ruining the love of reading!

When it comes to math, if you have a child who is utterly bored at the concept then let them take 15 minutes a day. Why not? They turn off after 15 minutes anyway. This is one subject by the way that you should take time from work to help with. Short sharp bursts do the trick. I know that I am a math underachiever. I just don't get it. But by "helping" my son with his math in short bursts and distinct lessons, we both learned something!

And why do you have to teach the same subject every day? Unless you are in a lockstep charter school program, you don't!

Another way to do this is to change subject concentrations. For example, spend the first semester on reading classic children's books. The second semester, concentrate on ancient history. This works very well for kids who prefer to go more deeply into a subject, and you are still teaching them what they need to learn. You don't have to do it on such a lengthened schedule of course, but can do language arts three days a week and history or art or science two days a week. Whatever works best for your child and you - whatever is the most flexible - is what you should choose.

Another way to be flexible is to remember that you don't necessarily have to standing over them all the time, especially if your kids are older. If you are homeschooling your 7 year old and 9 year old and you're working full-time from home, that can be a challenge. Consider letting the 9 year old "play teacher" - she might surprise you! And remember too that sending your kids into the backyard to look for certain plants or bugs (gulp!) isn't a cop out, it's a science lesson.

If your kids are older and/or capable of teaching themselves then this will also make your full-time working life much easier. For example, my middle-school-aged son and I sit side by side on the couch with our computer keyboards on our lap. Any time he needs help I just need to glance at his computer screen or at the book he is reading and help him. We do this in our living room because we frankly prefer the room's size and light to the upstairs office. Oh well. It works for us! It will work for you too.

Author Info:

If you liked this article and want more information on how to work from home and home-school, then visit http://workfromhomeandhomeschool.com and get my free report "Saving Time and Money for Work-at-Home Parents."

Help! How Can I Convince My Husband to Let Me Home School the Kids?

2010-08-16T08:03:00.001-07:00

I always knew I wanted to home school our children. When I was in high school, I babysat for a home schooling family, and they had such exciting projects going on. Later, when I was student teaching in university, I discovered a more important reason to home school. It simply wasn't possible to meet every child's needs in a classroom setting.

My husband, however, took some convincing. He hadn't had any exposure to home schooling families, and thought teaching our two kids at home would put too much responsibility on me.

We ended up putting our eldest child in a public school, but three years later, he was so unhappy, we were ready to try anything. We took him and his younger sister out of public school and tried schooling at home instead. It's made such a positive difference in our lives, we plan to educate both our children at home all the way through high school.

After home schooling for five years, my husband has become one of the strongest advocates for home education I know. In fact, when I feel frustrated and suggest that we consider public school again, he completely shuts me down. He sees what a difference this way of life has made in the lives of our children and our family.

Now, none of this is to say that I believe public education is not as good as home schooling. Teaching your children at home is not the answer for everyone. However, home schooling is the right choice for my family.

If you believe home schooling is the right choice for your family too, but your husband doesn't agree, there is no magic pill that can make him change his mind. I do, though, have some suggestions that may help.

1. Pray. One of my favorite Christian authors, Stormie Omartian, says in her book, Power of a Praying Wife, that before talking to your husband about anything, you should talk to God about your husband.

If you believe that God wants you to home school, spend time with God and ask Him to reveal that to your husband as well.

2. Get involved in your child's school right now. I had always been involved in our children's education, but when our son's problems became more serious, I volunteered in his classroom every week. I got along well with his teacher, and she was concerned about him too, so this arrangement worked very well.

I was able to see the classroom environment first-hand, and see how my son's behavior compared to the other students. Because I was in the classroom so frequently, I was able to explain to my husband what was happening, and where the problems lay. This helped him understand my desire to home school our children, and why I believed our son would do better in a home environment.

Volunteering in a classroom isn't always possible, but if you can, I recommend it. If you're thinking of home schooling, watching how your child functions in a classroom can help prepare you for what's ahead. And, if you're ultimately not able to educate your children at home, you're building important relationships with your children's teachers and showing your children how much you value their education.

3. Explain to your husband why you want to home school. Does your husband know why you want to home school? Or does he think your desire is a passing whim? Present your reasons and try to explain what's on your mind.

This is where I found volunteering in my son's classroom so helpful. I could explain to my husband what I observed in the classroom, and how home schooling could make a difference in our son's learning.

4. Explore other educational options. No matter how much you want to home school, it's important to remember that this approach to education is not for everyone. I've met several moms who insisted on home schooling their children, and a year later, realized it was the wrong choice for their family.

Home schooling is hard. Being unhappy with your current schooling arrangement is not a good enough reason to home school. Explore your other options as well before deciding home schooling is the only alternative that will work for you.

Consider private schools, online schools, or maybe even an after school tutoring program. If your husband doesn't agree to home school, perhaps he'll be more open to one of these options.

5. Find current research about home schooling. Gather facts about home schooling to show your husband. Not to shove in his face and prove your point, but so you can be prepared when he does ask questions.

Find out how local home schooled students perform on standardized tests; learn if they're admitted to your city's university (usually they are); look for groups you can join to meet other home schooling families, and for your children to make home schooled friends. Then, when your husband does ask questions about home schooling, you'll have all the answers you need at hand.

None of these suggestions will guarantee your husband will change his mind about home schooling. But they will help you communicate with your husband about both your desires for your children's education, and help you make educational choices that will work for your entire family.

Author Info:

Would you like to learn more about homeschooling? Visit http://www.WAHM-Articles.com to read articles written by real homeschooling parents about their own home school experiences.

K12 Virtual Education - Parent Teachers And "Fear" In The Teaching And Learning Process

2010-08-09T08:40:00.001-07:00

Consider this:

"Free Children are not easily influenced; the absence of fear is the finest thing that can happen to a child."

A.S. Neill, (1992) Summerhill School, A New View Of Childhood, Penguin Books.

We are all afraid of something. Whether it is the dark, small spaces, falling in our dreams or the neighbor's dog! When faced with these our bodies can react to the perceived fear of the situation.

Authority or perceived authority is sometimes a huge fear provoker. Who remembers the fear of facing a teacher without the homework finished? Or the fear of a parent finding out you had not done so well in French as they might have expected. Inadvertently we bring this fear with us into adulthood. As adults we become the feared and oddly enough we almost feel "entitled" to repeat the process without thinking. We fail to think of the repercussions this type of "authority" had on us as people.

In the world of teaching and learning it is common to perceive the "teacher" as a position of authority. Parent - teacher meetings can often leave some parents in a bit of a tizzy. When teaching in the home this can tend to back fire - a lot! In one instant you are mum or dad and the next you are the teacher. Your past experience of both these roles will dictate the way you view your own role of authority in your child's life.

Fear is a part of life. The trick is to not let it drive us in the decisions we make. Especially decisions we make for those we love very much! Here are a few things you may want to avoid doing.

What to Avoid:

Avoid making fear-based choices in education for your student - this leaves you as a parent/teacher in a very vulnerable place. Teaching a program without being 100% that it is the best fit for your student leaves room for doubt by both parties! Fear of the alternatives should not be the only thing that drives your home program. Fear cannot sustain a balanced educational program.

Avoid making your students responsive to fear only. It may be very difficult to ignite intrinsic motivation if they are only triggered to participate through fear.

Avoid living with the fear that your student's natural intuition will uncover your weakness. It is often very powerful to share with our students that which we find difficult. This gives our learners an opportunity to offer their help and ideas. It also brings them closer to understanding we are all human.

Do not fear to be human. Your child's perception of your authority will not change if you show natural human frailty. This doesn't mean you have them running all over the place like wild animals.

Avoid letting the opinions of others affect your ability to prepare and teach your students in the way you believe best fits their needs. Our fear of what others think can interrupt the natural flow of creative ideas we may have. Opinions of onlookers are just that. As parents and 24hour caregivers we must own confidently decisions we make for our children.

Having said all that here are a few things you might consider doing to be sure you are staying conscious about where fear may be lurking in your program.

What to do!

As Arthur Costa shares in "Habits of Mind" (2000), it is important to share with your child the importance of persistence, thinking flexibly, managing impulsive behavior, using humor, listening and understanding with empathy, thinking, questioning, applying past knowledge to new situations and remaining open to continuous learning. Moving away from decisions made of fear, towards thinking solutions can ignite a lot of creativity and intrinsic motivation in your student.

Let your child know that he or she is loved and accepted. Behavior comes and goes. The true spirit of your child is a constant!

Celebrate all that makes your child unique. After a public outburst of truth from my rather vocal 4 year old a passerby quietly shared with me - "What appears to be obnoxious at 4 is rather attractive at 24!"

Choose a program where you believe you and your student can be at your best. Choosing a program out of fear of the alternatives can leave both you and your student feeling frustrated and lonely.

Always be open to continuous learning. Our students/children are changing everyday. A huge advantage of teaching at home is we are able to understand and make room for these changes. Our teaching can be most effective when it grows with the needs of the child.

Throw caution to the wind and fear out the window! There is less to be fearful of when we learn and grow together.

Author Info:

Margit Barreras

2Think2Learn.com

Let us help you discover the "magic bullet" that engages your student in learning. 2Think2Learn.com offers many helpful tools for parents who teach in the home. Our "Guest Virtual Classroom" contains lots of ideas that you can integrate into your home program. Come see us for interactive and innovative alternatives in teaching and learning!

Are Homeschool Textbooks Really the Best Option?

2010-08-09T08:03:00.001-07:00

While homeschool textbooks may appear to be the best way to go, they are usually the most expensive and least flexible routes.

If you have homeschooled your children before, you know that you have immense resources available at your local library.

Not only can you have access to free books, you can usually also use the library's videos, CD's, audiotapes, and sometimes even software to help supplement your homeschooling experience.

If you are looking for other free education materials, there are great resources out there that go beyond the "boring" homeschool textbooks.

It is not that difficult to build a year's worth of social study's curriculum around quality television programs, such as: The History Channel, Discovery Channel, and A&E Network.

Some of the shows may not be appropriate to show youngsters, but many of them are quality educational material, especially shows that are part of the A&E Classroom, A&E Biography, and Assignment.

You can simply check the websites for these networks and/or series, and surprisingly, they offer free teacher guides and schedules for upcoming shows.

When you incorporate these shows into the historical literature you are reading, it is easy to create a quality education with no expense.

Plus, children find that this type of learning is exciting and interesting, compared to homeschool textbooks that can be dry.

The Internet is also another resource where you can find free educational materials or sites. It is important that you use discretion and make sure that these sites are indeed child-friendly.

You can even run Google searches together with your child on various topics of study, such as science, math, history, and literature.

You can often find sites that have interactive problem-solving games to help develop specific math concepts.

Instead of just using math homeschool textbooks, I decided to complement my son's math education with some of these games. That way, we didn't have to use a textbook everyday. Using the computer is usually fun for children and can be considered a reward for working hard earlier in the week.

In addition to resources at the library, on TV, or on the web, you can also find free samples of worksheets, workbook pages, and puzzles from educational sites before you decide to make any purchases.

You can visit these educational sites and download free material. You will want to try them out before you give them to your child, or before you purchase an entire workbook.

Before you make any kind of investment in homeschool textbooks, you want to make sure the participating company has some kind of guarantee.

If you are like most homeschooling families, you are living off of one income and have a few children that have different learning styles. That is why I like to try to find as much quality material I can for the least amount of money.

Author Info:

Unleash the power of a Leadership Education and join the Raise a Leader Revolution. Your child can be a True Leader and finally you don't have to worry about affording the best education for your child.

Making the Most of a Homeschool Convention

2010-08-02T08:03:00.001-07:00

The homeschool convention is almost here! Are you ready?

Whether it is your first convention or your fifteenth, the annual homeschool convention can be an overwhelming event. With dozens of workshops, over 100 vendors, and thousands of new and used books, it can be a challenge to know what to do first. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your convention experience.

Before the Convention

Register

In order to maximize your time and money, start planning well before the day of the convention. Pre-registering online is amazingly convenient, and it will save valuable time when you arrive at convention. Members of the sponsoring organization often receive a generous discount on full registration, and pre-registering by the early-bird deadline can save even more. That is extra money to spend on something that will make your homeschooling easier!

Plan

First, know why you are going to convention. What do you want to accomplish? Do you want to:

Find out about homeschooling in general?

Learn techniques for teaching toddlers or teens?

Gain encouragement for educating your special-needs child?

Get a hands-on preview of new curriculum?

Stretch your dollars by buying used curriculum?

Hear encouraging truths from veteran homeschoolers?

Make a few dollars by selling your used books?

Give back to your homeschool organization by volunteering for a few hours?

Save shipping costs by purchasing your textbooks?

Attend an inspiring graduation ceremony?

You can do all this and more at the convention if you plan your time wisely! If you spend time thinking through your goals for the coming year, and deciding what you need from the convention before you go, you are well on your way to making the most of this exciting weekend.

Make Your Lists

The sponsoring organization maintains a list of workshops and vendors on its website, and the preliminary workshop descriptions are usually included in the latest issue of the newsletter. Use these resources to plan your time at the convention. As you study the workshop schedule, you will begin to see workshops that you absolutely want to attend. Check them off on the preliminary program, and begin to prioritize.

Inevitably, there will be more than one workshop per session that you would like to attend. This is not a problem! Virtually all the workshops are recorded, and you may purchase tapes or CDs at convention and listen at your convenience later. This way, if you decide to spend all your time in the curriculum hall or the used book sale, you will not miss out on all the encouraging and informative workshops that are scheduled.

Plan for Children and Teens

While convention weekend is a wonderful opportunity for some special "couple time," the convention is family-friendly if you prefer to bring everyone. A glance at the program will reveal many workshops that are of special interest to teens. These teen-track workshops may include topics such as "Technology and Computers," "Creation vs. Evolution," "College Options," and many more.

Children ages 5-12 may have the opportunity to enroll in a special children's program, where they can enjoy skits, songs, stories, and crafts focused on the development of good character qualities. The children's program usually runs for the entire convention, except for meals, for which your children may join you to talk about all the things they've learned.

Read Ahead

If you are new to homeschooling, or are entering a new phase of home education, such as high school, you may want to do some reading before you arrive at the convention. You may wish to order books such as The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling by Debra Bell, For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macauley, or 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Cathy Duffy. There are many other wonderful resources available, and whatever you read will help you prepare for the convention, as well as for the coming school year. Ask a veteran homeschooler for her recommendations, and she'll probably be happy to share some of her favorites.

Make a List

If you write your shopping list on a business size or 7x9" envelope, you will be able to place all your receipts in the envelope as you make purchases. You can jot notes about what you see on the back of the envelope, and keep a running total of what you spend on the inside of the flap. Just be careful not to lose your envelope!

At the Convention

When you arrive at the convention, you'll receive a program booklet and a bag of literature from vendors. The program will contain a map of the convention hall, speaker and graduate profiles, listing of vendors, and a final schedule of workshops. It pays to sit down for a few minutes to get acquainted with this valuable resource. First, check the workshops you want to attend and verify the time and location. Second, locate the bathrooms, concession stands, bag drops, and other conveniences, and locate the booths of vendors or speakers you particularly wish to visit. Now you are ready to plan your day!

As a point of courtesy, if you spend a lot of time with an author or vendor who patiently answers your questions, please remember that it would be very rude to go across the aisle to save a couple of dollars on the same curriculum from a vendor who has not given so generously of his or her time. Most authors and vendors are at the convention, not only because they truly want to help other homeschooling families, but also because they need to make a living.

If This Is Your First Convention

If this is your first convention and you are able to come more than one day (I highly recommend coming for the whole time, if at all possible), don't buy anything until the last few hours you are there. Use your first day, or first few hours, to attend the introductory workshop sessions offered for new homeschoolers, then browse the curriculum hall, picking up catalogs and brochures. If you know you have a bag full of information, and will be able to order anything you see later, after you have had time to make a careful decision, you will not feel pressured to decide too quickly on anything you see.

Take all the literature you have gathered back to your hotel, or out to lunch if you are there for only a day, and look through it. Focus on things that fit your needs now - elementary curriculum if you have young children, high school curriculum if you have teens. Get acquainted with some of the things that are available, so that when you return to the curriculum hall, you can go directly to the items that seem most interesting or useful to you. Write down questions you would like to ask different vendors, and do not forget that the homeschool organization probably has a table is staffed with veteran homeschoolers who would be happy to answer questions for you. Remember that you do not have to make any quick decisions, but that you may order virtually anything, including workshop tapes, after the convention.

If You Are A Veteran Homeschooler

If you have been homeschooling for years, but have not been to the convention in a while, prepare to be astonished and delighted by the amazing array of high-quality curriculum options that are available. You will find many resources for the high-school years, as well as a great deal of information on helping your student make the transition to college, the military, or a career. There are encouraging new books and resources, as well as workshops and vendors that can answer many of the questions you may have as your students grow older.

Veteran homeschoolers are probably also aware of the many opportunities available for volunteer service at the convention. The convention takes place only with the help of the many volunteers - both new and veteran homeschoolers - who donate a bit of their time to make it happen. You may choose to help in the exhibit hall, graduation, security, hospitality, registration, publicity, used curriculum sale, or as an office volunteer or speaker host. As a special thank-you, volunteers often receive special privileges such as first admission to the used curriculum shopping area, or a free workshop recording.

After the Convention

When you reach home after the convention, you will have much to digest. Make time to read the books and catalogs you bring home, and listen to the workshop tapes you have purchased. As you put all you have learned into practice, you will be thankful you took time to learn more about home education. Your new knowledge will help you experience joy in the journey!

Author Info:

Janice Campbell, author of Get a Jump Start on College! A Practical Guide for Teens, Transcripts Made Easy: The Homeschooler's Guide to High School Paperwork, and the forthcoming Excellence in Literature series, has been writing and speaking in central Virginia since the late 1980's. She homeschooled her four sons from kindergarten into college, using the principles she now shares in her books, blog (http://www.Janice-Campbell.com), workshops, and her free e-newsletter. Sign up for it today at http://www.Everyday-Education.com

Scheduling Home School in the Summer Months

2010-07-26T08:03:00.001-07:00

I have heard many moms say that one of the best things about getting back to school in the fall is getting back to a schedule. Even though the summer months are a time to loosen up our schedule, I have learned that we lose too much momentum if we throw out the schedule completely in the summer! My home runs in a much more orderly, peaceable way and we remain productive if we stick to a schedule during the summer months, even if it is less structured.

I do plan school for the summer months, but it is more in the form of mini family projects. Saving the things that I find too time consuming to incorporate into the regular school year for the summer months works well for us. Another reason I like a summer schedule is that it encourages my children to manage their time well on a consistent basis. I have also found that it is not profitable for my children to have too much free time. It seems that free time evolves into bickering, laziness and the typical "I'm bored!" Keeping a schedule tends to keep these problems in check.

If you have never scheduled summer before, or at all, here are some simple steps to planning and implementing a summer schedule:

1. Seek the Lord

Remember to go to the Lord in all things, even our schedule! Seeking Him in this will help us to gain perspective for our days and keep our priorities in order.

2. Get your husbands input

I encourage you to always seek your husbands input when scheduling. Many times my husband will mention something that he would like us to do that I never would have thought of. I would not have known about this if I didn't ask for his input! He also helps me keep reasonable goals and a reasonable perspective on our days. Since I have a tendency to want to do too much, I appreciate his help immensely with this.
This is also a great time to discuss areas of weaknesses in our children that we would like to help them overcome. The summer months allow more time to hone in on things in my children that need some additional training, and also allows us to spend more individual time together to study God's Word and grow spiritually. This is also a great time to review our school year, and I can share my struggles and victories with my husband and he gives me so much wisdom on how to practically solve my problems and encourages me to continue in the good things.

3. Ask yourself "How can I bless my husband with our summer?"

When summer comes, there are often additional chores around our home that need to be done. Don't leave chores for your husband because it is a "man's job", but seek to relieve his workload around the home by helping or even completing these jobs for him.
Again, ask your husband what he would like some help with. He may not want his toolbox organized by you, but he may need help with other projects! One example is our garbage. We do not have garbage pick up where we live, so on the weekends or sometimes during the week my husband has to load up the garbage and take it to the dump. One day I thought, why am I leaving this up to him? He really doesn't like taking care of it, especially after it has been sitting for a week! Now I am purposing to take a bag or two to the dump when I leave the house. Since the dump is only a few minutes down the road it is a simple chore that blesses my husband.

4. Brainstorm a list of things that you have been wanting to do with your children, your home and any other areas.

As a homeschooling mom, most of my day is taken up with school. I often don't have time for bigger home projects, and I find that I have to eliminate many things I would like to do so we can stay on track with our studies. The summer months are a great time to tackle those big (and little) projects that always seem to get pushed to the side during the school year. This summer, some of the things I would like to accomplish are:

Clean & organize basement

Set up the sewing room

Scrapbook with children

Rubber stamping and card making with the children

Embroidery projects with the girls

Painting the children's bedrooms

Hold a yard sale

Complete a bird unit study

Gardening and learning about harvest and preservation

I have also asked my children for some ideas for things they would like to do this summer. They have all kinds of things they would love to do with mommy! This allows us to complete fun projects and spend time together in a way that we do not get to do during the school year.

After you have this list, you can easily prioritize what you want to have done, and schedule them into your day. You will be amazed at how much you can accomplish by doing this!

4. What are some routines in your school year you want to keep in the summer?

Keeping a morning routine helps us from getting into the Saturday morning attitude, where we lounge around, eat at no particular time, and the day goes by with nothing completed. While that works well on the Sabbath, it doesn't work well every day of the week! Our schedule will continue to include quiet time for my children to spend with the Lord, our family Bible reading and Scripture memory work. I also have afternoon and evening routines to keep us on track.

Just listing five things in order that you want done during these times can help keep your momentum through the day. The reason I do morning, afternoon and evening routines is because I noticed we had a tendency to follow the schedule at full pace in the morning but somewhere around 10 am we would begin lose sight of our day. By having these routines in place, it keeps us on track and provides some accountability to all of us. Also by keeping these routines the same all the time seems to make it easier to get back into the school year and I do not have to retrain the children each new school year.

Our morning routine looks something this:

1. Awake/Eat Breakfast

2. Get dressed

3. Brush Hair and teeth

4. Make bed

5. Clean bedroom

Our afternoon routine looks like this:

1. Wash hands before lunch

2. Help with lunch and eat

3. Clean up after lunch

4. Get ready for story time with mom

Our evening routine looks like this:

1. Family Devotions

2. Pick up anything around the house

that is yours and put away

3. Get pajamas on

4. Brush hair and teeth

5. Mom will tuck you in

Because these things never change, we find our children often do them by habit and without reminders, which was the goal for having these routines in the first place :)

5. Set some goals for you children and yourself

As I mentioned before, my husband and I often discuss areas of strength and weaknesses in our children. We try to take an area to focus on in each child and discuss how we can help them. We will pray over these areas and seek the Lord and the Word on how to help our children overcome this weakness. Depending on the ages of our children we will also include them in discussing this weakness and will set a plan for working on it together. Of course, this is good practice to do all year long, but in the summer we have more time because we do not have our regular school work in our day. It is best to fill that time with the Lord instead of activities that are of no eternal value.

I also find that I have more time to spend with the Lord in the summer. It is a good time for me to refresh spiritually and even work on my own areas of weakness through spending more time with Him.

To me, the summer is a great time to focus on organization in my home as well as reading more. I like to read books on educational methods, research and evaluate what worked and what didn't in the past year, search out curriculum, and find new resources to use in my schooling. For some reason during the school year, books about schooling are the last thing I want to read! But in the summer, I love to read as much as can to encourage and prepare me for the upcoming school year.

The summer can be a blessed time of refreshing and opportunity! I look forward to those warm sunny days, when we can grab our books and read outside, or head to the park for a picnic. A schedule doesn't restrict us from having fun, but rather creates time for more fun because we know each day the important things are still getting done. I can go to sleep at night with a feeling of accomplishment, and my husband can safely trust in us because he knows our days are planned and purposed.

6. Seek ways you can bless others with your time in the summer

Do you have friends or family that you do not get to visit with often? The summer months offer a great time to invite others over for lunch, or even to visit those you may not see often. Be careful that you do not fill your time with busyness outside the home, however, be creative in seeking to find ways that you can be a blessing to others with your extra time in the summer.

One way we have done this in our family is to have a visiting day every other week. We make a list of friends and family and plan a route to visit them. My children often make a card or draw a picture for the person we are visiting. We try to focus on those who are widowed, elderly, or needing encouragement.

Pray about this extra time that you have when school is on break in the summer, and ask the Lord to show you how to use this time wisely so that you can bless others. I am sure He will show you many things that your family can do.

Lastly, have fun and enjoy this short season of warm sunny days with your children! You can have a purposeful and fulfilling summer that will be enjoyable for all and avoid boredom with some time planning ahead.

Author Info:

Stephanie is a homeschooling mother of 3 and owns A High And Noble calling, a blog to encourage and inspire women in their noble callings as homemakers, wives and mothers. You can read articles, find resources, and inspiration for your high and noble calling at http://www.ahighandnoblecalling.com

Self-Directed Learning - The Seven Benefits of Designing Your Own Education

2010-07-19T08:03:00.001-07:00

Taking the initiative to design your own education may be a foreign concept to us who live in a society that has accepted institutionalized education as the only means to acquire knowledge.

Nevertheless, self-directed learning has not lost its power to yield a high quality education that will not only bring joy and fulfillment, but also lead to a fruitful life that will benefit the student himself, and be a blessing to many others.

Self-directed learning is a very natural process. All of us are continually engaged in one self-directed activity or another.

It's undeniable. The human race was created to live a creative life. Whether it's on the computer, pursuing a hobby, sport, or even designing our home, we are constantly striving to increase our expertise in some area of our life.

Strangely enough though, most of us do this only in our free time. We separate our work from our passion. Our daily aim is to accomplish the requirements imposed by others, and in our free time we pursue the requirements of our heart.

It doesn't have to be that way. Your passion can become your career. You can be an expert in anything you want to if you learn to master the art of self-directed learning.

Self-directed learning has a lot of benefits. These are only seven of them:

You choose the content. Contrary to a curriculum designed by experts, you can pick and choose what you are going to learn, and who you are going to learn from, according to your personal level of knowledge and unique preferences.

You determine the schedule. You can adapt your learning process to your personal agenda, without depending on time schedules imposed by others.

You learn with passion. Since you are pursuing the topic that has always burnt in your heart, there is no place for boredom. Your main occupation in life should be fun!

Self-directed learning produces a deep sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. You are engaged in what you were created to do!

Self-directed learning will eventually lead to a productive life. After a season of delving into a subject with passion, the fruit will start to show. You will have gained a level of expertise.

At this point you will naturally develop entrepreneurial skills. Now that you are an expert in your field, others will look to you for help, and be willing to pay for it too!

The inevitable step is financial freedom. Voilá, your passion has become your career!

Author Info:

I'd like to invite you to go for it! Visit http://www.Self-DirectedLearningForSuccess.com for tips and tools for creating and growing in your own learning process. Learn how to teach yourself in my FREE e-book: "The Power of Self-Directed Learning", and my FREE e-course: "Seven Steps to Consistently Change Your Life."

From Bettina Langerfeldt, who teaches people how to pursue their God-given gifts and talents by designing their own education with self-directed learning.

Homeschool Statistics - Over 1 Million Homeschooled Kids in the US Alone!

2010-07-12T08:03:00.001-07:00

The latest homeschool statistics show that over a million children in America are currently homeschooled. The popularity and success of home education is growing larger each year as the public school system experiences crowding, more violence, and a decrease in the education levels for students. It proves to parents that homeschooling is very important and might be an education choice to consider for the upcoming year.

Homeschool statistics indicate that children who are taught at home receive higher scores on their standardized tests than children who are taught through a public school. The point average for homeschoolers was, in some cases, almost 70 points higher than the national average for public school children. This is a positive indication that individual teaching time makes a difference as does a quiet environment to study in. In home discipline is also important in being able to study in a more controlled environment.

It takes less time to homeschool a child than it does for the child to go through a regular day in public school changing classes and doing extra activities. Homeschool statistics show students who are taught at home are more mature in their level of learning and socialization skills than those who are not. The studies also show a higher level in spiritual growth, cognitive skills, academic skills, and social skills.

It has been shown through homeschool statistics that religion is not a deciding factor in the decision to homeschool a child as it used to be. Many parents who are not religious have decided to homeschool their children simply because of how bad the public schools are becoming. The household income for homeschool families is about $50,000. With regards tot he budget, it only costs about $500 a year to home school one child. It could cost more to purchase uniforms, field trips, lunches, and gas to take a child to and from public school.

The parents who were included in the homeschool statistics stress that it is very important to teach children morals and values along with math, reading and the other core subjects. The entire point behind the innovative idea of homeschooling is to provide the child with a better means of learning and teaching environment. This is definitely not something public school instruction provides. While these statistics are important in showing the benefits of homeschooling, it is necessary for parents to get together to decide what is best for their children.

Author Info:

Click here to find out more and get the Complete Homeschool Guide!

Home School Curriculum - Mistakes to Avoid When Purchasing

2010-07-05T08:03:00.001-07:00

Homeschooling involves making some decisions. At first, many of those decisions involve purchasing curriculum or books. Here are some common mistakes people make and the solutions to help you avoid them:

1. In a hurry to buy curriculum - When you decide to home school you may be excited to go out and buy everything you see. The most important thing you can do to avoid this mistake is to get to know your child/children. Watch them for a while when they play and interact with others. Do they like to be alone or with others? Do they enjoy reading? Do they enjoy filling in notebooks or workbooks? Do they hate reading? These are all questions that will help you determine how your child learns best. You can also look into having them take a learning style assessment to see how they learn best. While you are observing your child, start exploring the different home school approaches and how they might fit in with your personality and that of your child/children.

2. Buy a curriculum because someone else likes it - Have you ever gone to a restaurant that someone else just raved about and you didn't think it was all that special or you hated their food? Making curriculum choices are certainly more important than choosing a restaurant, but the point is that just because someone else likes a curriculum, it doesn't mean that it is right for you and your family or that you will like it. Accept the recommendation from that person and then research it fully to make sure it fits in with your personality and the learning styles of your children.

3. Buy more than you need - Realize that not every subject needs a curriculum and that you don't have to purchase every part of a curriculum. Science and History can easily be taught from good books and life experiences. Math can be taught using workbooks, but can be enhanced with money, M&Ms and other hands on resources. If you have taken some time to write down your goals and what you think you need for each child, you can avoid buying too much and getting frustrated. Remember that less is better. You can always buy more later or add to what you have. If you have too much to work with you will get frustrated and might frustrate your children by piling on too much work and causing them to lose their desire to learn.

Everyone is going to buy at least ONE thing that they didn't need. You can't avoid all purchasing mistakes, but with a plan and some guidance you can purchase more of what you need and less of what you don't need. Sit back and determine your goals for your children and what you want to accomplish taking into account their learning style, and you will avoid many mistakes when it comes to purchasing home school curriculum.

Author Info:

Homeschooling For Success - Learn a Way to Easily Have Your Child Memorize Necessary Material

2010-06-28T08:03:00.001-07:00

There are a variety of ways to achieve fluency. One such way is called SAFMEDs ("Say All Facts a Minute Each Day"). This method relies on making up flashcards with the material that a child is supposed to memorize. It is a quick and easy method to ensure that a child masters the information he is supposed to memorize.

The first step is to decide what you'd like a child to master. Then flashcards of the material are made up with one possibility being that both the concept and answer are put on one side and just the concept on the other side. When a child is ready, he times himself for a minute while flipping through the cards. The total number of cards should be limited to 50 because that is the most that a person can easily handle in a minute. If a child is having problems flipping the cards, he can set out all the cards on the floor or a table. Then instead of having to handle the cards, he can just point to the card he's on while saying the answer.

A funny incident involving SAFMEDS occurred during a professor's (Lindsley) final evaluation of his student's knowledge. Professor Lindsley set as a requirement that each of his students had to achieve a fluency of vocabulary definitions at 20-30 per minute. Each student was required to meet individually with Lindsley and go through vocabulary flashcards in one minute. If a student didn't achieve fluency, he would have to go home and keep practicing until he was in the fluent range. One day another professor approached professor Lindsley's door and heard a student speaking really quickly and loudly. He thought better of going in thinking that Lindsley was being berated by this upset student.

The reason for doing SAFMEDs is that it is an easy method for obtaining quick results in memorization. A child will most likely see it as a fun and challenging activity that takes very little time and helps him to memorize the necessary material.

Author Info:

Why Choose Private Tuition?

2010-06-21T08:03:00.001-07:00

Private tuition, or hiring or personal home tutors, has been both a successful business venture and a helpful academic tool. Many schools encourage volunteer tutoring programs for students' exposure, and many parents choose to hire home tutors for extra help for their children when it comes to school work.

Private tuition works like this: you hire a personal tutor, arrange for a definite schedule to work with, and your tutor comes to your home to tutor your child at the specified times. In many cases, personal tutors are paid per hour, and may have varying study schedules with their students, such as after school hours or at night.

One can only begin to count the ways of how ideal and helpful a tutoring program can be, for any student as well as the parents concerned. Basically, the benefits of private tuition or hiring personal tutors can be summarized in five P's: Parent help, Performance, Progress, Peers, and Profit. Below are some short descriptions of each.

Parent help - There are many moms and dads who admittedly are too busy with work to monitor their children's school work first-hand. Getting a tutor to keep track of your child's homework and grades can be a big help, especially if you have little time on your hands. Your tutor updates you on what is being done and how well your child is doing with academics. In a way, you assist your child with his school needs through the guidance of your personal tutor.

Performance - One of the most common reasons why personal tutors or home tutors are hired is to improve the academic performance of a student, whether he is a child, teenager, or adult. In cases wherein a student is unable to catch up with current lessons, or needs to focus more on specific school topics, home tutors can definitely be good guides to have.

Progress - Not all cases of home tutoring programs or private tuition involve a student who is having difficulty catching up in class. Even when a student is performing fairly well with regards to grades, private tutors can still be hired to monitor the progress of a student. At times, advanced reading or extra exercises can be very useful in sharpening the skills of a tutee.

Peers - As mentioned before, there are people who opt for private tuition even when they are in their college years. Many schools and universities offer private tuition programs, both voluntary and paid, for students who need additional help in class. These peer to peer tutoring sessions have actually been proven effective in most instances, because of how easy it is to relate academically to fellow students of the same age.

Profit - There are many students as well as professionals who sign up for private tuition to be able to get extra income. There are a lot of private tutors who work part time or full time in home tutoring programs. It can be a good method of earning money while at the same time helping children and fellow students.

Author Info:

You can learn more on how to get a home tutor, personal tutor or private tutor when you visit UK Tutors.

Creative Home Schooling Makes a Difference

2010-06-14T08:03:00.001-07:00

When many individuals think about teaching their children at home, they wonder if they are going to be able to make things interesting enough for the child throughout the entire educational process. The fact of the matter is, creative home schooling is something that is well within the grasp of anybody that wants to take on the responsibility. It not only has to do with making sure that your child is healthy and balanced, it has to do with making sure that they move through the curriculum at their pace without getting bored in the process.

Most of us can remember going through the school system and the fact that the entire group of children move through the curriculum at the same pace. This can be very destructive for children and boredom is usually manifest in a number of different ways, most of which are unwelcome. Although you are going to have to follow a particular curriculum whenever you teach your child at home, creative home schooling really comes through whenever you are able to allow the child to move through that curriculum at will.

It is going to take a lot of effort on your part to make sure that the education your child receives helps to mold them into a well-balanced and healthy adults. Being a little bit creative as far as helping your child through this process will go a long way in making sure that this takes place. It will all be well worth the effort once you recognize the fact that your child is better off because of what you put into it.

Author Info:

Many more Creative Home Schooling tips can be found at http://www.homeschooling4you.com

Practical Homeschooling For You and Your Child

2010-06-07T08:03:00.001-07:00

If you have decided to forgo the school systems and to teach your child at home, a little bit of practical homeschooling advice may help you to do so successfully. After all, homeschooling is something that has really only entered into the mainstream in the past decade or so. Before that time, many parents would never have thought about teaching their children at home but now, it seems to be one of the healthiest choices that is available.

Although you may be able to get some good advice from the practical homeschooling magazine, there are plenty of ways for you to get tips that will help you to raise a balanced child. Many parents find that teaching their children at home presents some challenges, especially when it comes to learning the curriculum. Other than that, however, it can be one of the most pleasant experiences that a parent and a child can enjoy together.

One of the things that your child may be missing to a certain extent whenever you are teaching them at home is interaction with other children. For this reason, many parents of homeschooled children will seek out other parents who have like ideals. This will give the children the opportunity to enjoy the company of others their own age. There are many other practical homeschooling tips that can be found both in the magazines and through a variety of websites on the Internet. Take the time to learn as much as you can about it so that your child will grow to be balanced and healthy as a result of their home education.

Author Info:

Many more practical homeschooling tips can be found at http://www.homeschooling4you.com

Buying Used Home School Curriculum - Mistakes to Avoid

2010-05-31T08:03:00.001-07:00

Buying home school curriculum can be expensive. Many people resort to purchasing their curriculum used, which usually works out very well for the buyer and seller. Here are a few warnings to watch out for to make your purchase of used home school curriculum, just what you need:

1. Do your homework - Check eBay and homeschoolclassifieds to see what the going rate is for the book or curriculum you are looking to purchase.

2. Check editions - What edition do you want to purchase? If it doesn't matter, then make sure the books in the set you are purchasing are all the same edition. If you want a particular edition, then make sure you ask questions before buying.

3. If you have any allergies be sure to ask if the books come from a pet-free, smoke-free home. You would hate to start sneezing or coughing every time you opened a used book that you purchased. Even if you don't have allergies, it's usually a good idea to buy a book or curriculum that doesn't smell like animals or smoke.

4. Ask the condition if not stated. Most people state the condition of the book(s) they are selling. If you have any questions about the description or if the description is incomplete - always ask!

5. Complete set - Make sure you ask if all the lessons are in the set if this isn't mentioned in the ad or auction.

6. Set your price. When bidding on an auction for your book or curriculum, make sure you decide ahead of time how much you want to spend. This will keep you from spending more than you want to at the end of the auction when the bidding can get a little crazy.

7. Check the seller's reputation. Make sure you look over any complaints at the site you are purchasing from. On eBay check the seller's feedback ratings and make sure you are dealing with a reputable seller.

Purchasing home school curriculum can be fun and rewarding. I have bought and sold quite a few home school books and have met many wonderful people. Hopefully these tips will help you have a positive experience with purchasing used home school books and curriculum.

Author Info:

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Home school 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.

Grammar For Writing In College - Is Your Teen Ready?

2010-05-24T08:03:00.001-07:00

Your teens drilled on college grammar, did worksheets to identify common grammar mistakes, practiced SAT questions to correct common grammar errors. They have grammar for writing down cold, right?

Possibly.

Standardized "bubble tests" don't test whether students can apply writing conventions like correct spelling and grammar in their own writing. What counts in the college classroom is the students' own writing. No matter how well students do on standardized tests, if they can't write grammatically, they will have a tough time in college.

In 1992, Connors and Lunsford did a study of the most common errors in the writing of college students. The researchers found 20 specific errors accounted for over 91.5% of all the errors in college students' writing. Here, in descending order of frequency, is their list:

1. Missing comma after introductory element
2. Vague pronoun reference
3. Missing comma in compound sentence
4. Wrong word, especially a wrong homonym
5. Missing comma(s) with nonessential (nonrestrictive) element
6. Wrong/missing verb ending
7. Wrong/missing preposition
8. Comma splice
9. Missing/misplaced possessive apostrophe
10. Unnecessary shift in verb tense
11. Unnecessary shift in pronoun
12. Sentence fragment
13. Wrong tense or verb form
14. Lack of subject-verb agreement
15. Missing comma in a series
16. Lack of agreement of pronoun with antecedent
17. Unnecessary comma(s) with restrictive element
18. Fused (run-together) sentences
20. It's/its confusion

Nothing on the list of common grammar mistakes should be above the ability of a sixth grader, should it?

If you can teach your students so throughly that they rarely let an error from that list slip into their writing, you will have equipped them with the grammar for writing required in most college and workplace situations.

Author Info:

Linda Aragoni is a writer, writing teacher, and editor of You-Can-Teach-Writing.com, the guide to enabling students grades 7-12 to become competent writers. Get a free copy of all five articles in the series "Is Your Teen Ready for College Writing? just by signing up for Linda's free monthly ezine by Aug. 1, 2008. Details at http://www.you-can-teach-writing.com/ezine.html

Early Reading - Is it Necessary Or Possible?

2010-05-17T08:03:00.001-07:00

When you have your first child you may dream of them being a child prodigy who can read when they are 2 years old. While there are some children who read very young, others don't "get it" until they are a little older. Here are some tips you can use to help your child learn to read when the time is right for them.

1. Read to children whatever age they are. This will help them the most in developing language and reading skills. Even when your children learn to read, you should still read to them if they enjoy it. Everyone loves a good story.

2. Two and three year olds aren't ready to sit down and learn letters and writing, but you can do some activities that will help them develop their reading readiness. Children of this age are not able to connect between concrete and abstract. Focus on the spoken word at this point in their lives. Encourage your young child to talk about the story you have just read to them.

3. Children who are four or five years old can show a greater readiness for reading. Teach the child sounds and letters when he is most interested in learning. Keep their curiosity alive and don't worry about how fast they are learning. Use every day activities to help your child understand the concept of letters and writing. Help him learn to write his name. He will be most interested in this word than any other word you can teach him. Then move on to teach him how to write and read words like "Mom", "Dad", and the names of everyone in your family. Give them a sense of wonder of how much they can learn just by being able to read.

When your children learn to read early they certainly have a head start in their journey of learning. If your child doesn't learn to read until they are 8 or 10, as long as you have encouraged them and helped them to progress at their own speed with a little bit of progress each week, you know that they learned to read in their own time.

Author Info:

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Home-school 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.

Homeschool Writing - 6 Ideas For Getting Your Kids to Write

2010-05-10T08:03:00.001-07:00

Getting homeschool students to write can be quite a chore, but it doesn't have to be. Usually getting started is the hardest part. Here are some ideas that can spark your child to write and maybe even enjoy writing:

1. Make an album - Find some old or new pictures and have your child paste them on a page and write a caption or description for each picture so they don't forget who the person is or what they did when they look at it years later. Sometimes baby or toddler pictures can spark your child even more to want to write about what they did.

2. Write letters - Your children can draw pictures and/or write letters to friends or relatives. If they are very reluctant you can write a letter and let the child add a sentence or two or a drawing. These letters can also be to imaginary figures like Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.

3. Retell a popular story - Use your child's favorite fairy tale and have the retell the story from a different perspective. If they like little red riding hood, have them tell the story from the point of the wolf.

4. Make Lists (lots of them!) - When you're in the car, ask a child to write down your grocery list as you dictate it to them. When you are going on vacation, have your child make lists of what they need to bring. Make Birthday lists, Christmas lists, favorite book lists, what they want to do this summer lists, and many more.

5. Take Turns Telling a Story - Have each person in the group write a paragraph of a story. One person can start and then pass it on to the next person to add another paragraph until you have gone around the group a couple of times or until you think your story is done. This could provide some hilarious entertainment.

6. Take Turns Writing a Poem - Along the same line, you can adapt the previous example for writing poetry. Each person writes a line of a poem and you keep passing it around until you feel your poem is complete.

Homeschool students can enjoy writing. You might need to be a little more creative with some students than others. Learning to express their ideas can aid them tremendously, especially as they become a teen and then an adult.

Author Info:

Catholic Home Schooling Curriculum - How To Help Your Kids Strengthen Their Mental Foundation

2010-05-03T08:03:00.001-07:00

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ brings happiness in human lives. The Roman Catholic believes that without him, everything would not be possible; we are all nothing in this world. Only through Jesus Christ we can reach our ultimate potentials including our education.

What are the schools teaching THIS

Today there are schools that are exclusive for those who are member of the Roman Catholic, some also are the Baptist church, and so many more.

There are so many Christian schools, although they are different, but their goal in teaching is the same, they all teach about the divinity of Jesus Christ.

If you choose to study in a Catholic school, part of the curriculum or subject is the Bible study, Christian living, Each student will be assigned in designated area, to preach gospels, retreats, every Friday it is compulsory to attend the Friday mass, this are some of the activities that is part of the curriculum of the school.

What is the mission?

The Vision, Mission, and Goal of the Catholic Home schooling curriculum is to provide an adequate knowledge about Christianity, the center of the subject is all about Jesus Christ.

That every student, while they are young will able to comprehend the purpose of Christ here on Earth, that they will live and practice the good values of Christianity, that they will become an example to their respective community.

In Catholic home schooling curriculum, every subject will be incorporating the values and teaching of Jesus Christ, like for example Science Biology.

Before discussing the subject about human life, the introductory part of the subject is pertaining life Creation or which is called The Creation of the Lord Jesus Christ, mainly focus is the seventh day creation, which is the crucial part of his creation is the human life.

The main objectives of a Catholic home schooling curriculum are to ensure individual understanding knowledge about the purpose of life here on Earth.

Each parents must take part to develop their kids' spiritual aspect that someday somehow they will become a strong person, because right in their early stage, they start to build a life with a strong foundation of Jesus Christ.

Catholic home schooling curriculum is for the parents to facilitate their child in their studies, whether in matters of academic, religious aspect, they must ensure that they're child is heading in the right way.

Author Info:

Eddy Kong is the author of a website called, Catholic Home Schooling Curriculum. 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.

Homeschool Curriculum - Where Do I Get It?

2010-04-26T08:03:00.001-07:00

Now that there is so much home school curriculum available, there are equally as many places to purchase it also. You can purchase it from the author or major retailer or you can purchase your home school curriculum used through various sources. Once you have a list of what you want to purchase for your home school, you can use the list below to find the books and resources at the best price.

1. Internet - The world is open to you on the internet. You don't have to drive all over your state to find a good deal at a home school fair or garage sale. Ebay seems to be the most popular place to purchase home school books, although it is not the cheapest place. I have purchased home school books at book sales and then sold them for much more than my purchase price on eBay. Homeschool classifieds is another good place to purchase home school curriculum online. It is a well organized site with good prices.

2. Library - I used to get some books at the library but didn't usually find exactly what I wanted there. Now many libraries are using a resource system where they can get almost any book you want from another library. I do this all online. I order the book from my library's internet system and have them send it directly to my local library. Then my library calls me and lets me know the book is in. I can manage my account online and see when my books are due and even renew online. This system has also helped my daughter do lots of research on making her own spa products. She orders the books from all over the place and has a huge host of information to use in her research.

3. Goodwill/Thrift Stores/Garage Sales - If you enjoy browsing over used books you can find some great deals at these stores. They might have resources you can use, but I have also found home school curriculum in these places.

4. Retired Teachers - Many times elementary teachers that retire will have a garage sale or put an advertisement in the classified section of the newspaper selling off their classroom resources and books. Many times they have paper, art supplies, pens and markers too that any home school can use at any time.

5. Used home school Curriculum Sales - Depending on where you live you can find some great deals from other homeschoolers that want to sell off the books they are no longer using. If the sale happens year after year you can pick your favorite sale and put it on your calendar each year. This way you get a chance to look over many types of books. I know I have thought about purchasing a curriculum and then after looking at it at a home school book fair realized that it wasn't for us. I enjoy being able to look at many different curriculums that other people have used. If I keep seeing the same unused books over and over again I can tell that not many homeschoolers where happy with the books.

6. Retailers - Obviously you can purchase directly from the author or developer of a curriculum. I would think that you could get more support for the product if you purchase this way. They should be willing to answer any questions or give any support from someone who purchased directly from them at the retail cost.

Sometimes the maze of home school curriculum can be overwhelming, but if you make a list of each child, the subjects they need to study and the books under each subject then you can at least work off that list. If you know your child's learning style and your favorite style of home schooling that will help you make a more informed decision about what curriculum or books you need to purchase.

Author Info:

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

Homeschool Math - How Do I Teach Math and What Should I Use?

2010-04-19T08:03:00.001-07:00

If you struggled with Math at all when you were growing up, you probably don't feel adequate to teach home school Math. The truth is, though, that we use Math all the time in our day and you can use those opportunities to share Math with your children. Help your children develop a love for math using these tools:

1. Play games - Card games and board games are great tools to use to teach number concepts. You don't have to say anything about numbers or math, just play the game and have fun.

2. Use your time in the kitchen to work with numbers. Have your children count silverware, cut pizza into fractions, measure liquids and solids in a recipe, skip count items that come in packs, subtract items from a group as you eat them, and count anything else that they may see there.

3. Show them in daily life how math affects them. Show them how to look at a calendar and count the days until a special day. When they receive money help them know the value of the coins or dollars and show them how to count it. You can even divide the money into different envelopes with them.

4. Teach them that counting by one is not the only way to count. They can use skip counting to count by twos, threes, fours, fives and more. We have made up our own skip counting songs with popular children's songs that we know. Now my 6 year old knows how to skip count by two, three, four, five and six, not because he is a super intelligent child, but because those numbers have been put to music in a fun way.

5. Read books that enforce math concepts. Books like "How Much is A Million" and "How Much is a Billion" can show children how enormous numbers can be in a fun and entertaining format. For younger children there are many counting books that you can get from the library that teach them about numbers.

6. Use the calculator to show them how large numbers are added. They certainly need to know how to do the basic concepts of math operations, but they can also have fun using a calculator occasionally for large numbers.

Use as many senses as possible to teach math. Different children will understand certain concepts of math using different methods than others. You can use workbooks, manipulative, math games, real life, computer software, and more. Attitude is everything. If you have a positive attitude about Math, then they will be more likely to accept that attitude.

Author Info:

Homeschool Curriculum - What Do I Need?

2010-04-12T08:03:00.001-07:00

Most people who begin homeschooling think they need a huge amount of curriculum, books and resources. Having too many resources to choose from can be overwhelming. It's best to keep things simple. Here's how:

1. A Plan - Before you start buying anything, decide what you want your children to study and learn this year. Do you want them to enjoy learning? Do you want them to complete a certain workbook? Do you want them to know all the Presidents names by heart?

What has worked best for me is to list all the subjects across the top of a sheet of paper. Then list your student(s) names down the left side. Under each column for each student write some ideas of what you want them to study or accomplish for that year. This can be done by you or with your child. Once you have filled all this in, then circle one or two item(s) for each subject and focus on getting resources to support. The other items not circled can be used for another year or if you run out of material for this year.

2. The Basics - Homeschoolers need some basic reading, writing and math materials. No matter what your finances, the internet and libraries provide some incredible resources. Don't disregard them just because they are free. Your children should spend time doing math and language each day. They should either read on their own or listen to you or some combination of that each day. For writing they can draw if they are younger. If they are over 8 years old they can write a page for you each day. Once children know how to read they should be able to teach themselves with a little guidance.

3. The Supplements - Once you have the basics covered you can add other subjects from your original plan such as science, Bible, foreign language, art, music, etc.

Books can be purchased new or used. Since so many people are homeschooling there are plenty of places you can get what you need from someone who either used the item gently or decided it wasn't for them and didn't use it at all.

If you plan what you want to do, cover the basics and supplement subjects that fit in with your plan, you should be able to have a great home school year.

Author Info:

Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Homeschool using the Best Resources" at http://www.hjresources.com/freehs

Is Homeschooling Without a Set Curriculum Right for Your Family?

2010-04-05T08:03:00.001-07:00

"How are my children going to learn?" This is one of the first questions families who homeschool must answer. Should they choose one of the pre-packaged curricula sold by companies that provide supplies for homeschoolers? People who have an academic background in education usually put these curricula together. Homeschool families who go this route have a set course of study for their child to follow.

However, many families decide not to use any set course of study at all. These families choose to create unique learning experiences based on the child's interests and personality. This creates an environment where the child has great freedom, and the parents have almost complete responsibility for what and how their child learns.

There are some great reasons for creating unique learning experiences for your child, without the benefit of a pre-arranged curriculum. Some of those reasons are:

There's great freedom in what the child studies. Parents can build learning experiences around the things that interest the child. That means the child is more likely to be an engaged, active learner. Engaged, active listeners learn more!
It's cheaper than buying a pre-packaged curriculum. The initial expense of purchasing a prepared curriculum can be considerable. Homeschool families who create their own learning experiences save that expense, although they are likely to spend money on books and supplies as the school year continues.
You control and create the learning experiences. Parents can personalize learning to fit the temperament and learning style of the child. Plus, parents learn quickly that they are charge of the child's education. Many parents mistakenly feel that their child's education is the responsibility of "experts" in the educational system.
You have flexibility in planning learning experiences. A child can learn anytime. With some forethought, parents can use a trip to the store, a park visit, or a library outing to teach math, science, and history.

There are also drawbacks to this approach to educating your child. Some of these are:

The fear your child might not be learning enough. Many parents fear that if they don't follow a pre-packaged curriculum, their child won't learn the right skills at the right time. That is a possibility, but there are resources, in print and online, that help parents know their child is on the right track.
Some kids (and parents) need a more structured environment for learning. That isn't a bad thing; it's the way some people are made. For some, a pre-packaged curriculum offers the structure and guidance they need to thrive in a homeschool environment.
There's more preparation time for parents. Parents who choose not to use a set curriculum need to spend more time and effort planning what their kids learn. Some parents might find this type of learning requires more time than they can give.

Generally, families that choose to teach their children without following a set curriculum experience great freedom in choosing learning experiences. The drawbacks include the lack of an outside authority "approving" the child's education, and the increase in preparation time needed for parents.

Each family must decide if they are ready to homeschool their kids without following a set course of study. Whatever choice they make, the children benefit from the commitment the family makes to home-based education.

Author Info:

Richard and Jennifer Jarman are parents of 3 great kids and avid homeschoolers. They publish Wholehearted Parents, a free e-mail newsletter for parents. The newsletter features short articles on subjects that parents care about, and news about toy safety and other parental concerns. Subscribe today and receive a FREE report, "The Right Way to Discipline a Child," by going to http://wholeheartedparents.com/Newsletter.html

16 Super Science Supplements

2010-03-29T08:03:00.001-07:00

Science. Your kids probably either love it or hate it. I know few kids who are in between. For those who love it, the suggestions in this article will thrill them to no end. And for those who would rather take a trip to the dentist than perform a science experiment, these supplements will help to put the fun into science. In fact, they'll be having so much fun they'll forget they're actually learning something about the subject they can't stand.

Here are 16 suggested supplements to turn your child into a science "love it" kid, after all.

1. HOWS AND WHYS OF SCIENCE. This complete "lab" is perfect for the child who loves to discover how things work. Explore spider webs, how to make a rainbow, and many other HOWs and WHYs of the world. Conduct experiments and draw conclusions. Recommended for ages 8+

2. MAGIC SCHOOL BUS JOURNEY INTO THE HUMAN BODY. Fasten your seatbelt and join Ms. Frizzle and the gang on a trip through the human body. Includes a life-size poster with 8 sheets of sticker body parts. Recommended for ages 5+

3. VEGGIEHEADS GAME. A fun board game for older kids that teaches about health, body basics and making good food choices. Recommended for ages 12+

4. MY FIRST THREE NATURE GAMES. Three games in one box! Includes Baby Animals Memory Game, Who's afraid of the Fox, and Hide-and-Seek Dominoes. Recommended for grades PK+

5. TASTY SCIENCE. Combine snack time and science with this tasty kit. Includes ingredients, lab equipment, and recipes. Recommended for ages 6+

6. THE INVENTION GAME. This is a wild game of wacky inventions. Think you can guess what each invention and gizmo does? Choose the most correct answers and you win! Recommended for ages 12+

7. THE SOLAR SYSTEM GAME. Explore space and learn interesting facts such as which planet could float on water and which planet has the highest mountain. Game features actual NASA photographs. Recommended for grades 3+

8. BUGGO. Adults might rename this game YUCKO. But kids will love digging for bugs in the sand. Enhances memory and counting. Recommended for ages 5+

9. OCEANOPOLY. Swim around the board as your favorite sea creature. Teaches fascinating facts about the ocean and everything in it. Recommended for ages 8+

10. TOTALLY GROSS! Yes, some science is, indeed gross! Stretch your slime around the board and perform various totally gross antics. Recommended for ages 8+

11. ICE CREAM KIT. Your kids will scream for science with this yummy kit. Learn about solids, liquids and gases while inventing your own ice cream product! Recommended for ages 8+

12. REACTION. This competitive game tests chemical reactions. The player who builds the most molecules, wins! A great introduction to chemistry. Recommended for ages 10+

13. SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET. 6 fun games in 1! The first player to assemble their skeleton wins! No bones about it! Recommended for ages 7+

14. DECK OF DOGS. Perfect for pet lovers! Learn about various breeds of dogs and interesting facts about them. Includes 2 versions. Recommended for ages 7+

15. HA CHOO! Exciting board game where all players start out with a fever and set out to reduce their temperature to normal. Teaches the principles of good health. Recommended for ages 4-6.

16. PEARLY WHITES. Make them smile with this fun game. Helps kids learn or brush up on their oral hygiene knowledge and dental health. Recommended for ages 6+

This gives you a few suggestions on how to put the fun back into the subject of science. Now it's time to experiment with which of these supplements will become their favorite!

Author Info:

Lynn Powers is a staff writer for FaithReaders. Access any Bible Stories and Inspirational Stories at FaithReaders.

College Writing Source Use - Is Your Teen Ready?

2010-03-22T08:03:00.001-07:00

Students are not usually expected to write a source paper until the high school research paper. As they learn about citations, cover pages and other details, one essential topic often is overlooked: appropriate use of source materials to support an opinion. Yet even middle school students can master this essential college writing skill in the course of writing persuasive essays.

Using sources correctly, whether in middle school or in college writing, means following a simple three-step strategy for each piece of evidence.

1) Prepare readers to understand the evidence

In speaking we say, "My mother says," "my boss told me yesterday," or "the weatherman said" before we present that person's ideas. In academic writing, writers also identify their source before they use the source's information.

Next, writers identify the source's credentials for speaking on the writer's topic. The head of the Mayo Clinic may not be as well qualified to speak about bunion pain as Aunt Irene, who has bunions.

Finally, writers tell readers what to look for in the evidence, supplying a keyword or context that the evidence may not provide.

Writers need not make a big production of preparing the reader for the evidence. Many times they can introduce the source, the source's credentials, and set expectations all in one sentence. Sometimes they can give the evidence in the same sentence.

2) Present a summary of the evidence.

Using paraphrases and quotations is frowned on in college writing. Writers are expected to summarize.

Readers assume that all the ideas borrowed from a source are between the source's name and the end of that sentence.

To avoid plagiarism, writers have to be very careful to leave no doubt about which ideas are theirs and which ones are someone else's. Savvy writers present all the source's information in one block, even if that information runs several sentences. Then they make their comments on that material.

3) Explain the relevance of the evidence to the thesis.

More often than not, writers have to explain how the source material is relevant to the topic sentence of the body paragraph in which it appears.

An example will show what I mean.

Let's suppose Josh uses this information in an essay: WFYI meteorologist David Dope predicts Central New York will have unusually snowy winters for the next 10 years. Josh could be writing about global climate change, the town's highway department budget, or why his dad should buy him a snowmobile. Unless he explains how the information is relevant to his case, readers may not see the connection.

The standard five-paragraph essay format calls for three pieces of evidence in each body paragraph. That means the writer would use the presentation strategy nine times (3 x 3 = 9) in a single persuasive essay. It won't take too many essays before even slow students have the process down pat.

Students who learn this simple strategy for presenting evidence will be ready to handle the source papers college writing demands.

Author Info:

Homeschool Basics, For Those Parents Overwhelmed With Questions About Homeschooling

2010-03-15T08:03:00.001-07:00

Anyone thinking about homeschooling starts out with a zillion questions and overwhelmed by choices. What are the laws regarding homeschooling in my area? How do I prepare for the school year? What about a homeschool curriculum; should I buy one? Do you even need one? The following guidelines might help to make the process easier.

1. Find out your state's specific homeschooling laws. Each state has different laws concerning educating your child; you must understand and adhere to the laws in your state.

2. Define the educational goals for your child. This will help you decide which curriculum will best meet those goals. It will also give you a guide to see if you're on track throughout the year. Writing them down on paper will help you define them clearly.

3. Consider your "educational philosophy", or what you believe to be important. Are you mostly concerned about academics, or is character development most important? Do you want your child to test well in preparation for college, or do you want them to learn to think for themselves?

4. Consider your family's "personality" - do you normally plan or schedule everything, or are you more spontaneous? This alone can make a huge difference in choosing the style or method of homeschooling you select.

5. Do you Know your child's "learning style"? Do they learn best by seeing, or doing? Knowing their learning style will help determine what materials you will need to best meet their abilities to learn.

If your children are very young, you might not need the latest curriculum. Instead, you can spend much time with them helping them learn their alphabet, simple math, and prepare them to learn to read. You can usually find small workbooks at discount stores. Use beans or candy to teach math concepts. Teach them to form their letters properly using cereal, shaving cream. or rice on a cookie sheet. You don't necessarily need to spend a lot of money to teach the basics.

It's also important to make sure your child has an opportunity for fun. Get involved in a support group with other homeschoolers. Plan play days or field trips; let the children run and work off some of their pent-up energy. Having a support group helps parents as well, and can be especially helpful when you need guidance or have questions.

Author Info:

Consider the many online homeschooling resources, such as Complete Homeschool Guide; you can even pick up a homeschooling guide that will answer all of your questions in depth.

Stressed over questions about homeschooling? Before you make ANY decisions about homeschool, visit The Complete Homeschool Guide!

Paralegal Home Study Course - Advantages Of Paralegal Home Study Course

2010-03-08T08:03:00.001-08:00

The paralegal profession is much sought after today, and the number is growing with each day. Home study courses are offered for those who cannot attend regular college, and if people are working. The right education is a must with anything and so it is with the paralegal profession. These paralegal home study courses will cover all the necessary areas of the legal profession.

By studying these paralegal study courses, all graduates have the opportunities to get posts in good private law firms. Legal writing as well as legal research will be covered among other topics such as legal investigations and interviews. There are two main parts of law, civil and criminal, and both fields will be covered. All this can be learned from the comfort of the home with the help of paralegal study course.

All the students have to do is request for free information, and they will receive it by mail. The home study course is much preferred to the other courses because of its flexibility. Payments can also be made in installments. All students who study these home study courses will get a good platform for the paralegal career, as the material will consist of everything required.

This profession offers exciting assignments, and these courses will do justice. Everything will be taught in a way that a person will be ready to begin the paralegal profession. The paralegal home courses will help anyone succeed in this profession, as the material is as good. Besides the exciting work, the paralegal will enjoy a very important position in the law firm.

They will learn how to write legal reports and also learn everything there is to about law. Various paralegal study courses can be hunted down before applying and paying the fees in any of them. Most of them will be recognized, and will have the due respect wherever the student applies for a job.

Author Info:

Discover where to find the best paralegal correspondence courses online. Visit Ricky's site at http://www.onlineparalegalcourses.org for more information.

Motivate Your Children - Setting The Example Is The Most Effective Way to Increase Their Motivation

2010-03-01T08:03:00.001-08:00

"We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own." Ben Sweetland

True education inspires, bad education requires.

Requirements force children through their learning experiences. Force kills the passion and stifles the spirit. It destroys the very life of learning.

Nevertheless, most parents and teachers really prefer to assign and demand instead of inspiring their child to get a great education.

They have been conditioned to believe that this is the most effective way of teaching.

The reason for this is very simple: "requiring" demands much less from the teacher or parent than "inspiring."

To inspire the child the parent has to find out what he really needs and then creatively encourage him to pursue it with excitement and interest.

It's not that hard if you go for it yourself! The best and most natural way to effectively inspire a child to learn something is by setting the example.

It's a fact. Children who read a lot come from homes with lots of bookshelves. They probably saw their parents read with joy since they were little.

Likewise children who love to write were inspired by a mentor whom they saw passionately expressing his or her thoughts with a pen in his hand.

Wherever you find a parent or teacher who is pursuing a great education with exuberant enthusiasm, you'll find a child who is inspired to learn and study hard as well.

The truth is, the best mentors are continually learning and pushing themselves. Instead of just giving assignments, they pay the price in their own study by also accepting them.

Let's face it. Whenever education is the subject, we always want to talk about how we can get the kids to learn. It is easier to talk about their education than to improve our own.

In reality, you are unlikely to pass on to your children a better education than you have earned yourself, no matter how much you push them.

That is why the most effective way to ensure a quality education for your child is to consistently improve your own.

I know this sounds overwhelming, but don't worry. You don't have to be all that far ahead of them to effectively lead them. Just come alongside them and learn together.

Your compromise with your own education will propel them to a new level of learning. Their advantages of youth and available time, coupled with your maturity and life experience, will allow them to achieve amazing results.

You can be the lever that moves their world.

And, who knows? Once you're at it you just might rediscover that area of interest you were always passionate about and never took time to pursue any further...

Together, you can experience that learning is fun and powerfully life-changing!

Author Info:

I'd like to invite you to go for it! Visit http://www.Self-DirectedLearningForSuccess.com for tips and tools for creating and growing in your own learning process and that of your child. Discover how to teach yourself and your child to love learning in my FREE e-book: "The Power of Self-Directed Learning." Additionally you will get my FREE e-course: "Seven Steps to Consistently Change Your Life."

From Bettina Langerfeldt, who teaches people how to pursue their God-given gifts and talents by designing their own education with self-directed learning.

Homeschooling Young Children? Here Are 5 Key Benefits To Adding A Good Art Program

2010-02-22T08:03:00.001-08:00

Homeschooling your children? I assume this means you want the best for your kids. An opportunity to give your children a rich multi sensory, personalized type of education.........Is art included in your curriculum?

If you want the best type of education for your children then ART must be included in your day to day curriculum activities

When I say good art I am not talking about the standard traditional arts and crafts that is done in so many preschool and kindergarten classrooms all over the world. That may be something you do do with your kids on a spur of the moment thought when a Holiday is coming up, or you need to make something for Grandma.

But that's not what I'm talking about.

Nope ,you left that. You left that along with the traditional world of education because you wanted something better for your kids, something that they cant get in most traditional classrooms with upwards of 20 kids.....

You probably spend quite a bit of time looking for curriculum on line for your homeschooling curriculum and that's great because you get to choose what and how your kids will be learning.

You do not however realize how necessary and valuable it is for your kids to make sure that there is a solid art program being integrated with the rest of your homeschooling curriculum.

Many parents have some kind of vague ideas about why we give our kids art and some of its benefits.

Oftentimes traditional preschool teachers have just as vague ideas and below are some of the reasons I've heard from some traditional educators, preschool teachers as to why they give their students arts and crafts

They need the children to remember their lessons and figure that an art project will help them do that
They want them to learn to follow directions so they give them step by step directions on how to follow cookie cutter art projects
They need to fill up time in the day, so what better way than an art project
They claim that this is what the Mothers want

So tell me Moms, you are some of the mothers they are talking about (well maybe you're not exactly really not since your kids are being home schooled) but is this really what you want?

Do you want your kids to follow cookie cutter instructions that turn them into little robots for them to make projects that look exactly like everyone elses?

No! I didn't think so.

But I do think that you may not know any alternatives and in working so hard trying to put together some good homeschooling curriculum for your children sometimes art gets lost in the shuffle and that's too bad.

That's too bad because art gives adds such depth to any curriculum that it would be a crying shame when you have the opportunity at home to give such great activities to have your children lose out on these experiences.

Art is not only fun, it's lifesaving and life building and I would like to share with you 5 reasons for you to include really good art into your homeschooling curriculum

Art helps build physical coordination. Art is good for both gross motor coordination AND fine motor coordination. Gross motor coordination, the development of large muscle is not only helped by things like ball playing and beam balancing but young children also use their arms during art with wide sweeping movements ans they paint and draw that help build those large muscle. Of course fine motor coordination is better understood as benefit ted from art.. Cutting, gluing, painting, drawing. Your child's small fingers are developing each time they use these art tools
Emotional development- There is no question that art can help a child through many difficult emotional experiences. If a child is jealous of a new baby sibling, she or he can pound on some clay and color furiously instead of pounding on the baby herself. Children also end to use art to work through issues that bother them such as a death in the family, a fire or other disturbing event. (I once taught little girl who had a fire in her home and for weeks that's all she talked and drew and painted about until she calmed down.)
Intellectual development (often known as cognitive development). Children learn to make sense of their world as they use art to count, classify, sort, make their own decisions and learn to follow directions without doing cookie cutter art.
Creativity...Of course children's creativity takes a flying leap if they are allowed to do art that allows them to create at their own level, which allows them to be creative in more ways than one
Integrating curriculum And last but not least art in a home schooling curriculum can help integrate the curriculum and help them learn. Children learn best through their senses and the more art is integrated with the homeschooling curriculum the more their learning will stay with them.

Author Info:

Don't let your children lose out...if you are homeschooling, then you should definitely be homeschooling with art.

Faige Kobre a former preschool teacher and director for many years is a graduate of Bank Street College Of Education probably the foremost graduate school in the area of progressive education. Aside from her teaching and directing experience she also runs workshops for teachers specializing in non crafts art for the preschool classroom She is also the creator of Creative Art Solutions for kids, teaching parents how to empower their children through art http://www.notcraftsforkids.com (She is also the proud mother of 6 and grandmother of 1)

99% of America's Parents Home-School

2010-02-15T08:03:00.001-08:00

Yes, it is true. According to many other parents, and from personal experience, the average child in today's public schools brings home two to four hours of homework each day. Some teachers expect parents to go over the homework and make sure it is correct, before the children take it back to school. Now, of course, we need to be helping our children, but there is a big difference between helping them and walking them through their homework. Are we not schooling our children after school when we do this?

I schooled my son at home from kindergarten through second grade with a wonderful virtual academy and the K12 curriculum. For third grade, he was adamant about trying the local public school. My husband and I agreed to let him have the experience so it would not later be a 'what if' in the back of his mind.

The first day of school, he brought home a planner with daily calendars. The calendars listed the homework he should complete every night. He explained that his teacher said for me to initial beside each assignment to show that I saw him complete it. Sure, that sounded like a good idea to keep parents involved.

The second day of school he brought the previous day's homework back home. His teacher noted on one of his worksheets that I had missed a mistake he made. My first thought was, "How do you know where his weaknesses are if I am correcting his work?" My next thought was, "Isn't it part of his teacher's job to catch the mistakes?"

I decided to pay a surprise visit to the school and sit in on my son's class one morning. There was a large white board on the wall with the list of classes for each day. The mornings were three hours of language arts classes, and much of the afternoons were math classes. I wondered if this what they meant by "teaching to the test". Those are the subjects on the third grade standardized tests. It was obvious where the focus was in the classroom and why they were bringing home so much homework. Where were the science, history, and cursive writing lessons?

I have since been informed that if the school does not do well overall on the aptitude tests, it may not get the federal funding it needs and it may be put on academic probation. That status has to be reported and many parents opt to send their children to other, higher-ranking schools. We all know that the money follows the child.

I wonder what would happen if more public schools were to teach some test-taking skills and focus less on teaching to the test. Perhaps the teachers would have more time to actually teach the academics our students need to become successful adults. That would then cause less stress for our children and teachers. They might possibly have the attitude, "I'll just show what I know". Is that not what the exams were meant for in the first place?

For several reasons, we are back with our state's virtual academy. We did our state testing this spring, just as the public schools did. We recently received the report, "First scores are out and they are wonderful! Reading scores have been published and we rocked!" Guess what - it IS possible to just teach, and the students do well on the tests, and no stress. Also, since we have no evening homework, we have more time for family and extracurricular activities.

Now, the 99% figure makes more sense, does it not? I do not believe all public schools are poor or teach to the test, although it is happening more often each year. This issue is just one of many reasons why more and more parents are turning away from the public school system. They are searching and finding better alternatives to give their children a quality education and home life.

Author Info:

Anna Hodges has a passion for writing and has been an entrepreneur for many years. She is also an affiliate marketer. You can check out her blog and site here: http://annasversatilewriting.com While there, take a look at her blog roll for very interesting business resources, as well as healthy alternatives and other great links.

What Kind of Homeschool Teacher Are You?

2010-02-08T08:03:00.001-08:00

Rosemary Vincent, probably in her fifties at the time, was my science teacher in the seventh and eighth grades. Although she made science interesting, at the time she was my not my favorite teacher. She made us "toe the line." It was no problem for her to handle our class of 34 students who eventually graduated from eighth grade. She demanded good behavior, insisted that we learn great quantities of facts and ideas, and quizzed and tested us constantly to make sure that we were learning what she told us to learn. Although not a Christian, she required that we bear the yoke and expected us to obey them that have the rule over you. Lam. 3:27 Heb. 13:17 Mrs. Vincent's attitude toward us was, "This is what we are doing, this is how we will do it, and this is what you will be required to know when we finish. There are no options given, no excuses allowed, and no arguments accepted."

Mrs. Vincent believed that the teacher was the expert, and she taught us what we were to learn. We didn't get to "discover and learn on our own." But, we were children, and even though this was back in the 60's and discipline was more severe, our foolishness was alive and well. A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. Prov. 18:2 Acting the part of the fool, we had no delight in understanding, and we were experts at discovering ourselves- thinking of those things that just might please our fleshly nature. Somehow Mrs. Vincent figured us out every time. We couldn't eat in class, talk to each other, chew gum, go to the bathroom during class, pass notes, or slouch on our hard wooden seats (this really made us suffer, because most of us were very active outdoors and consequently a bit bony). Mrs. Vincent didn't even allow us to vote or voice our opinion on class procedure, to decide which textbook we would use, or to decide what area of science we wanted to study! The classroom wasn't set up as a "coffee house" so that it fit our young teenage desires and so that we felt welcome. Everything seemed against us - she thwarted our every move to make life in science class more bearable.

We actually thought she was unconcerned about us and that she only loved her subject. She was pleasant if we behaved ourselves, but she wasn't syrupy sweet, and she didn't even seem concerned about us if we got light-headed during a dissection (and she gave us no option to escape either). We didn't get to make any choices on our own, and we got nowhere if we went home and complained to our parents. You see, I'm sure we tried our best to twist the truth just a bit so that our parents would call our teacher and "straighten her out" in order to make life a little more bearable for us. Unfortunately, our parents were well pleased with her, and even if not, she was not to be manipulated in this way.

Worst of all, Mrs. Vincent didn't even make an attempt to soothe our tender little feelings by assuring us that, "It won't be hard. This will be fun!" She had no interest in the "sing-along science," which we would have enjoyed, and she had no use for the "slow and steady get me ready" style of material. She was actually rough on us- even forcing us to memorize masses of facts such as the chemical symbols for the elements on the periodic table. This was not a one time occurrence, but she forced us to work hard all year, and she even required science projects! Oh, how most of us hated to study and learn these things! How she tried our patience, denied us our comforts, and refused to let us be lazy!

As I look back, as your children will also do someday, Mrs. Vincent was the best teacher I had in Junior High. Mrs. Vincent, as I see now, was the teacher who loved us the most. It was her love for us which motivated her to prepare us for the difficult "other side of life"- the adult world. This was a life she knew all about, but we didn't have a clue about what was coming and what was to be expected of us as adults. She ran head on into our old nature, and she was victorious. We didn't know (and wouldn't have cared if we had known!) that she was building into us self-discipline, the ability to manage time (through homework and studying for tests), the work ethic (1 Tim. 5:8), study skills, determination, knowledge, and yes, a love for learning!

There is a false idea today that if children have fun while they learn then they will want to learn all their lives. What is wrong with this idea is that what is fun in childhood is usually left in the past. What a child is forced to do habitually is eventually what he enjoys doing as an adult! I've lived over a half century now, and still buy science magazines, get science books out of the library, research scientific topics on the internet, and love learning more about God's creation (although Mrs. Vincent did not tell us it was God's creation). Mrs. Vincent knew what we needed, and although she understood that we would not enjoy it, she knew that forcing us to fight against our own personal "good feelings" was what would make us stronger and more prepared for the adult life.

Today we think it almost cruel to make children learn facts, but that idea is playing right into the devil's court. Those who are ignorant in the area of science (as many Christian adults are) are those who see very little of the power and ability of God through the creation. A dumbed-down population easily falls for the idea of evolution! A dumbed-down population knows so little it must follow someone who "appears" to be wise, like the devil - and someday the world will gladly welcome the rule of the anti-Christ who will seem to have ability, power, and intelligence. (Rev. 13)

Mrs. Vincent helped to prepared me for high school and six years of college. When chemistry came along in high school, I was ready for this advanced learning because I knew the symbols for the important chemical elements and knew some characteristics about them. Without that I would have "gone under." In addition, thanks to my other Junior High teachers, algebra wasn't a desperate struggle because I had been forced to learn all of the multiplication tables (and we didn't even get to use calculators - they hadn't been invented yet). English was bearable because I had already been forced to learn hundreds of rules of grammar. All of the public schools of today promote the religion of humanism (mankind is the god), so education becomes man-centered instead of Christ-centered. The child is a little "god," and his feelings are considered first at the expense of behavior, the teacher, and the things that need to be learned. Hopefully this does not exist in the Christ-centered homeschool!

Copied from ANCIENT LANDMARKS by Gary Maldaner.

Author Info:

For more articles and for books to help children and parents please see our web site. http://www.plainpath.org Gary Maldaner is the Director of Plain Path Publishers, a non-profit ministry established in 1985. His past experience includes teaching for three years in a public school, twelve years in Christian Schools, and homeschooling for ten years. He is the author of Christian Manhood, Christian Character, Christian Leadership, Polite Moments, Ancient Landmarks, What Saith the Scripture, and The Prodigal Son and His Elder Brother.

College and the Home School Report Card

2010-02-01T08:03:00.001-08:00

Despite the success of homeschooling programs in recent years, many parents remain concerned about future opportunities for their children who are home schooled. Among the most common questions asked by parents who are considering homeschooling, the possibility of attending college remains a primary concern.

Many people who have not looked extensively into homeschooling are surprised to learn that homeschooling children have done very well in recent years. Many perform better than the average public school student, and some have even attended the most prestigious schools in the country.

With this success in mind, parents should not be afraid that their children will not be admitted into college. Nevertheless, it would be wise for parents to investigate college requirements long before the child is ready to graduate from high school. Most colleges require a transcript, and at first glance this may seem like a difficult task for a home schooler.

However, if the homeschool program you follow has a good structure, it shouldn't be too difficult to record grades and form some sort of transcript record to use with college admission applications. In addition, all students are able to take standardized tests such as the SAT, and homeschooled students typically do better than the average student taking these tests.

In addition to transcripts and standardized test scores, the personal essay allows a student to demonstrate his writing ability along with what areas of study the student may be interested in. Taking advanced placement courses is another way to demonstrate the student,s potential. The standardized test scores, along with the personal essay and any advanced placement scores, help to independently verify the students' achievement in the homeschool program.

Despite the challenges, parents should not shy away from the possibility of homeschooling because of fear for their child's future. If they take adequate steps, their children's education will undoubtedly be enriched, not devalued, through homeschooling.

Author Info:

If you would like more information about college and the homeschool report card as well as general information on homeschooling, please visit http://homeschoolingbasics.info

Using Home Schooling to Teach Children Responsibility

2010-01-25T08:03:00.001-08:00

Teaching children responsibility is the goal of education whether it takes place in a regular school setting or through home schooling. Many parents feel that the regular school can do this much better than they can, but this is not so. Parents are the child's first and most important teachers and it is through the parents that children learn the quality of responsibility. This means that all parents are responsible for providing this education for their children.

In order to teach responsibility to their children, there are certain things that parents must do. These include:

- create an environment where responsibility is an expectation

- become role models for the children in the area of responsibility

- teach children to be responsible for their own actions at an early age

- let the children know that responsibility is the norm

- reinforce any responsible behaviors with praise rather than rewards

- provide consequences for irresponsible behavior to deter any future episodes

How can parents create an environment where children know they are expected to be responsible? In a home schooling situation, the parents demonstrate responsibility by making sure they pay attention to the children's needs in education and have times when children are expected to complete their schoolwork as well as their regular chores around the house. They should provide the children with time when they can work on their own and times where they can help the other children of the family.

Parents that admit when they make a mistake and take steps to correct it show their children that they are willing to take responsibility for their actions. They should not try to hide their faults from the children and if there is something that they cannot do or do well, they should say so and find another person that can help the children.

Even as toddlers, children should learn right from wrong. They should have rules set and know that when they break these rules, there will be consequences. Toddlers can learn to put away their toys when they are finished playing with them. Children can learn to speak politely at home and to ask for help when they need it. Teenagers usually have an allowance that they can spend as they wish. They will learn quickly that if they waste it or spend it all at the same time, they will have to do without until the time of the next allowance.

By breaking large expectations of responsibility into small manageable chunks, children can comprehend the concept better. Instead of assigning a large chunk of material to be completed by a certain date, parents can divide the material in manageable sections with a date of completion for each section. Then as the child gets older, the sections can become larger.

Every time a child shows responsibility, the parent should recognize it with praise. Praise is it s own reward by making the child feel good about himself/herself. When you provide rewards for showing responsibility, the child may get the idea that he/she should be paid to act in this way and may not do so when there is no tangible reward presented.

Author Info:

For more on teaching children responsibility, home schooling as well as home school lesson plans visit http://www.HSIdea.com

Write A Source Paper - Is Your Teen Ready?

2010-01-18T08:03:00.001-08:00

College instructors expect students to develop informed opinions about important issues in their disciplines. To assess student progress, colleges require students to write source papers, that is, papers that draw on other people's reasoning and evidence.

Instructors may require students to use a combination of published sources (like books and databases) and unpublished sources, such as the student's own experience or an interview the student conducted, as evidence for their opinions.

Most college libraries offer classes in research skills to help students to use the library's resources to find published evidence for assignments. However, it's not the librarian's job to find Caitlin a topic for her sociology paper or tell Josh how to limit his biology paper to manageable size. Those are writing skills they should know before they get to college.

If you want to your youngsters succeed in college, make sure they have mastered the process of planning a persuasive paper before they hit campus. Specifically, they need to know how to

Develop a thesis statement that expresses an opinion on a topic.
Write supporting points for the thesis that are reasons for believing the thesis to be true.
Systematically identify evidence they already have for each supporting point.
Identify key words to use in searching for evidence they do not already have.
Summarize in a sentence the main idea of a chapter, article, TV program, etc.
Record enough information about a source that they can easily find it again.

These are skills students can learn in middle school and practice all through high school. They are equally appropriate for "paragraph essays" and for 10-page research papers.

Knowing just these few writing skills will enable students to develop the research skills necessary to write source papers for their classes.

Author Info:

Texas Homeschooling - What You Need To Know

2010-01-11T08:03:00.001-08:00

If you are trying to set up Texas homeschooling, there are some things that you should know about. Even though Texas is considered to be one of the most lenient states for homeschools, you should become familiar with some of the standards that are expected.

Even though it is not legally required of you to contact the school district, it is very likely that you will be visited by an attendance officer. To prevent this, you can simply write a letter to the principle of the school that your child was attending stating that you are withdrawing him/her. It is best to send the letter through certified mail so that you can receive proof of delivery.

With Texas homeschooling, all you need to do is obtain a curriculum and get started. I think it is wise, however, to find local support groups to help you get started. If the school contacts you and says that you need to do more, all you need to do is go to the central office and fill out a form.

In order for you to have a legitimate Texas homeschool, you must have a curriculum that incorporates reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and a study of good citizenship. This curriculum can be obtained from any source and can include books, workbooks, other written materials, and electronics.

One of the great advantages of Texas homeschooling is the fact that you don't have to have your curriculum approved. Homeschools in Texas are considered private schools and are not regulated by the state.

If you are developing your curriculum and you aren't so sure about what a "study of good citizenship" is, it is basically the study of civics. If you teach your children U.S. and Texas history, government, the pledge of allegiance, and other similar activities, you will easily meet this requirement.

Texas homeschooling abides by private school attendance laws. In public school children must attend 170 days out of the 180 days per year. Because homeschools are considered to be private entities, they do not need to meet any attendance requirement. The state of Texas doesn't regulate the number of days of hours of private schools.

Even if your child attends school at home, he/she still has the opportunity to participate in public school classes and extracurricular activities. However, due to attendance rules, your child will not be able to participate in competitions or contests.

Texas homeschooling parents also don't have to worry about standardized testing.

Author Info:

Homeschooling - How Does it Work?

2010-01-04T08:03:00.001-08:00

If you've ever thought about homeschooling or just wondered what people do that homeschool, here is a basic outline.

1. Parents decide to homeschool their child or children. They use their own resources or purchase books that they want to use to educate their child. Some states have online programs that can be used at home. When you use an online school you are still enrolled in your local school. You just do your work online at home. Parents who don't use an online programs are free to choose the books and resources they think they will need. Students can also have input here on what courses of study they want to pursue.

2. All students must meet the state guidelines. Depending on what state you live in, your guidelines will be different. Some states just require you to take attendance. Some require a letter declaring you will provide 900 hours of instruction and a list of what you intend on teaching. And some states require even more than that. Some states require testing at the end of the school year and some just require an assessment by a certified teacher. Again, it depends on what state you live in and what they require for homeschoolers.

3. Education is now the responsibility of the parents. Just as some public school teachers do a better job than others, some parents do a better job of homeschooling than others. Most parents know their children very well and can do a very good job of helping their children learn.

4. Different learning styles and personalities can now be addressed on a more personal level. Public school classrooms tend to have to cater to the masses, while homeschooling can be more of a tutoring environment. Just as no 2 public school classrooms will be the same, no 2 homeschools will look the same. The personalities of the students and parents will determine what is taught and how it is taught.

Overall, homeschooling can be a very positive experience for both parent and child. The relationship is the most important factor in determining how positive an experience it can be.

Author Info:

Ten Ways to Know When it is Time to Home School

2009-12-28T08:03:00.001-08:00

Many parents are worried about the quality of their child's school. Thousands of families each year leave the public schools forever to educate their children at home. The renowned Cato Institute finds that there are as many as 1.23 million home schooling families. Those numbers are growing each year. The number of families who decide to home school is a good barometer for the general dissatisfaction they have with the public schools. As a result, thousands of parents decide to take their kids out of school. There are ten conditions to watch that will help you make this critical decision.

Watch for signs of unusual boredom in your child. Learning is not boring. What schools now call learning is often excruciatingly boring. Schools are rapidly becoming one size fits all education factories. Much of the work now designed for the classroom is written for a statistically average child. That child does not exist.

Watch for changes in your child's mood. Children can be depressed in the best of conditions. However, no child should be routinely apprehensive or depressed about school. Be sensitive to any long term changes in your child's mood. This usually indicates a systemic problem in the child's learning environment.

Watch for a high number of office referrals. Increasing numbers of office referrals indicate that the school is not connecting with its children. This one is harder for parents to determine. Listen to your child. Talk with other parents. Listen to your child's friends. Become a nosy parent. Show up with the intention of visiting in the office for a time. You may be amazed with what you see.
Watch for an obvious police presence. Even many elementary schools will have an armed police presence. Problem schools use the police as a not so subtle means of enforcing discipline. Police officers walking the hallways of a school with a loaded sidearm indicate the expectation of violence. This is a symptom of something more ominous.

Watch for high teacher turnover in your child's school. There are several possible reasons for high turnover. None of them are good. Teacher morale is at an all time low across our great country. The work load is tremendous in the best schools. If more than a very small number of teachers leave a school at the end of a year this is a symptom of something that is negatively impacting teachers. If teachers do not feel that a school is worth working in you should wonder if it is worth your child attending.

Watch for any sudden change in the physical health of your child. One of the most common complaints will be stomach aches, headaches and ill-defined symptoms. Be responsive to a child who wakes up sick every morning. If a child wakes up each day physically sick first see your doctor to eliminate some serious problem. Then look to the school as a reason. A child in a good school should look forward to the day. Don't depend on the child being able to tell you exactly why he feels ill. The child may be responding to the general conditions at the school. Or, the child could be responding to some specific problem such as bullying. In either case parents should regard continuous illness as a serious indicator that something may be wrong at school.

Watch for an increase in fighting or violence in the school. Every school will have a fight from time to time. Such is human nature. But, believe what your child tells you about the events at the school. At least assume there is something that needs to be investigated if she reports regular instances of violence. Too many parents dismiss their children's stories as the simple exaggerations of a child. Good teachers will tell you to pay attention to your child's stories.

Watch for the use of the courts to enforce discipline. Schools that have lost control respond by using increasingly draconian measures to attempt to control students. Teachers report that students are being ticketed for talking in class, chewing gum, and ordinary behaviors that should be taken care of casually in class. Tickets can run from to as much as five hundred dollars or more. Ask your school administration to tell you which courts take children from your school. Visit the court on a day when the docket includes students from your child's school. You may find, as other parents have found, that a local court may have to give an entire day's docket to one school.

Watch for a lot of drill and kill kinds of work. Some parents find that their children bring home worksheets that require them to do things such as write material repetitiously with no attempt to help the child understand the material. If the child always brings home assignments that are just questions in the back of the chapter then there is a problem. In order to learn students must be given assignments that lead them to use information in creative ways. Mere repetition is inappropriate.

Watch for obvious emphasis on state tests. Visit your school unannounced. Go by the office and ask to just walk the school. As you do this look carefully at the material on the walls. When you see numerous signs that may tell the students to "tackle the TAKS" the school may be so concerned with test scores that learning is compromised. The state tests as they are designed now carry so much weight that many schools have thrown out most other content. Many schools take time away from instruction to teach questionable "test taking skills". Most give constant "bench mark" tests to determine how well students have done on some discrete set of facts often taught out of context with the larger discipline. Student who miss certain questions on "bench mark" tests find themselves placed in special classes where they drill more and more on less and less. To paraphrase Albert Einstein some of the least important things can be measured with tests while some of the most important things cannot be measured with a simple test.

Any combination of these indicators may mean your school is failing. Learning is a process of ever increasing sophistication in understanding that results from allowing a child's creativity and curiosity to engage. Every child is born with a natural inclination to learn. They absorb information naturally like sponges. By the time many children have gone through a few years of traditional schooling the desire to learn is just destroyed. Take control of your child's education. If you find these indicators or even a few of these indicators present in your child's school you should seriously consider home schooling.

Author Info:

John McGeough is a professional teacher, change agent, and child advocate since 1973. John has had a diverse career. He has been a professional trumpet player, a professional conductor, a successful music instructor, a biology teacher, an outrageously successful middle school music and science teacher. He is now a youth pastor serving children of all types from his ministry. He is committed to making the world a better place for children from all backgrounds. John believes that the era of mass education is dead. It just hasn't laid down yet. John believes in the all American concept of the independent American responsible for himself, making decisions for himself without the help of pervasive government interference.

Why Online Home-Schooling Can Open Up a Whole New World

2009-12-21T08:03:00.001-08:00

Before becoming comfortable with the Internet, I always thought that homeschooling needed to involve textbooks or workbooks. This past summer I started looking around online to see what kind of resources were out there. I was surprised at the multitude of resources that are available.

Most of the resources that I found were free or really cheap. I realized that homeschooling doesn't have to be expensive at all. Not only did I realize that homeschooling could be affordable, but also fun.

Here are some reasons for researching for online homeschool supplements:

You don't need to buy any plane tickets to become a world traveler. You can find ways to tour foreign countries, museums, and parks around the world. These types of activities could be great for learning about other cultures or geography.

You can find images of animal and plant species that you would never really be able to see in person. You can find video tours of historical places, demonstrations of science experiments, and interesting phenomena that you wouldn't even think existed. These types of online homeschool helps would be great for enhancing a history or science lesson.

Interactive quizzes and courses online can also be a great resource for online homeschool ideas. You can find just about any kind of game for learning language, understanding math concepts, playing an instrument, and even using maps. I like using these kinds of games for Fridays as a reward after a week of hard work.

If you are looking for an additional online program for teaching values and other important Christian Classical education lessons, take a look at programs such as Raise a Leader.

One of the greatest things about using online homeschool resources is the fact that you can save money. When you purchase curriculum or textbooks from publishing companies, you end up spending a lot of money. Not only are the resources online usually free, or of low cost, they are also fun and rewarding.

The Internet doesn't have to be complicated. Even taking time to explore with your child the many possibilities that there are online will aid you in finding the resources that are out there.

Author Info:

Unleash the power of online homeschool and join the Raise a Leader Revolution. Your child can be a True Leader and finally you don't have to worry about affording the best education for your child.

Homeschooling History - A Method That Improves Retention and Makes Learning Fun

2009-12-14T08:03:00.001-08:00

I'm convinced that there is no bigger waste of time in a traditional classroom than memorizing lists of names and dates only to forget them as soon as you complete the test.

History can go beyond memorization to the study of the lives of famous people and the significance of important events. Homeschooling history provides an opportunity to learn about the past and different cultures. It also gives us a framework for understanding why the world is the way it is.

To successfully homeschool history, begin by following your child's interests. Is your child interested in sports? Put a map on the wall and mark the locations of favorite teams. Track a team's travel schedule, and read biographies about the lives of past and present athletes.

Learn about the history of the sport. Where did it originate? Who invented it? What else was occurring in that country at the time?

A child who is interested in baseball can learn about the Negro Leagues (history), congressional hearings on steroid use (government) and favorite pastimes in other countries (geography). This concept can be applied to any area of interest from horses to dance to inventions.

In addition to following your child's interests, take advantage of the learning opportunities that present themselves daily. Have conversations about current events. Check out interesting books from the library. Read historical fiction, and watch documentaries as a family.

Ask questions like, "Why do we do things this way?" and "Where did this familiar saying originate?" Look for the answers together. Give your child access to homeschooling resources like a history encyclopedia, an atlas, a map and a globe.

As for those names and dates, learn them within the context of your discoveries. Your child will remember more from these exciting adventures than he or she will from outlining a chapter from a history textbook.

Author Info:

Carletta Sanders is a homeschool mom of 3. For additional ideas about homeschooling history, visit Carletta's website Successful Homeschooling For homeschooling information and monthly activities delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for her homeschool newsletter

Which Homeschool Curriculum Is Right for You?

2009-12-07T08:03:00.001-08:00

If you have attended a homeschooling convention to choose your homeschool curriculum you may have come away feeling refreshed about the many possibilities that are on the market.

Or maybe you came away feeling overwhelmed and more lost than you were previous to attending.

Or you may be the type of parent that likes to browse through catalogs and choose what you think is best. You like to order your purchases by mail, phone, or Internet. You would rather contact the salesperson instead of them contacting you.

Or, you could possibly be the type of homeschooler that likes surfing on the web to find what you need.

Regardless of how you shop for your homeschool curriculum online, through a catalog, or at a homeschool convention, here are some important suggestions to consider when making your choices:

* Know your children's strengths, weaknesses, and interests. This will help you determine some of the materials you should get. You shouldn't only augment your child's strengths, but find a variety of resources that will also help turn weaknesses into strengths.

* Understand what your family is about. Are you a religious family? Do you have special needs children? Maybe you would like to travel more. When choosing a homeschool cirriculum, it is essential that you take these factors into account.

* How does your child learn? Knowing your child's learning styles are an important consideration when making curriculum choices. Is your child a visual, auditory, or hands-on learner?

* What are your family's long-term goals? Does your child have goals for him/herself? If you and your child have a goal for him/her to run their own business, you should look for resources to help you accomplish this.

* Cost of materials is an important factor. Some homeschooling families feel okay about photocopying material, or "borrowing" curriculum. Personally, I feel it is not fair. This doesn't mean that the curriculum you choose has to be expensive or make your broke. If you plan in advance, you will be able to budget in the costs.

* What homeschooling philosophy appeals to you? There are a variety of homeschool cirriculum philosophies. Some include: literature-based, unit studies, textbook, unschooling, accelerated, Christian, and Classical.

* If you have lots of children and work part-time on the side, it is essential that you take time into consideration. As you purchase a curriculum, you need to think about the time that is also put into your child's activities and co-op classes.

Before choosing any homeschool curriculum, I find it important to pray about your decision and talk things over with your husband to seek his counsel.

Author Info:

Unleash the power of a leadership homeschool curriculum and join the Raise a Leader Revolution. Your child can be a True Leader.

Working and Homeschooling - Essential Information For Work at Home Moms

2009-11-30T08:03:00.001-08:00

Working and homeschooling is becoming more popular as many parents need to earn income while educating their children at home. Some parents who work at home while homeschooling need a full time income. Others need supplemental income to pay for homeschooling activities, curriculum and supplies.

Here are five tips for homeschooling and working:

Find the right work at home moms opportunity. Think about the needs of your children and how much time you have available. Figure out how much income you need to earn. You may be able to arrange telecommuting in your current position. If that option is not available, consider working in a virtual call center, starting your own business or joining a direct sales organization.
Set specific, measurable goals. Set clear goals in the areas of work, homeschooling and family. Know what you want to accomplish and what you will have to do in order to achieve the results you desire. Don't let your aspirations in one area overshadow those in others. Limit work to certain hours to make time for family fun and personal pursuits.
Find a curriculum that works for your family. Some moms who work and homeschool prefer prepackaged curricula that offer structure and allow children to work independently. Others prefer a more relaxed homeschooling method that involves learning through everyday life. In addition to finding the right program, teach your child good work habits and time management skills. Set small goals that can be reached independently. Use audiobooks, educational videos and computer programs to supplement direct teaching.
Find a schedule that works for your family. You don't have to conduct lessons during typical school hours. Consider teaching during evenings or on weekends, and teach science, history and electives one or two days per week. Schedule your work hours for times when your children are napping or engaged in independent activities. Be flexible. You may have to try several arrangements until you find a schedule that works.
Develop a support network. Allow relatives, friends and other homeschool parents to help you with child care and transporting children to and from events. You don't have to be your child's only teacher. Take advantage of educational opportunities at homeschool support groups, museums, libraries, co-ops and other activities.

Author Info:

Here are some additional tips for working and homeschooling.

Carletta Sanders is a working homeschool mom of 3. Visit her website, Successful Homeschooling, to find additional advice for moms who work at home.

Virtual Homeschooling - Getting Started with Online Curriculum for K-12 Students

2009-11-23T08:03:00.001-08:00

Here we cover the Beginners Guide to using online curriculum and retain your initial excitement for this novel approach to learning!

3 Ways to get started with your online curriculum.

1. Always read over the scope and sequence section of your online program. This will give you information about what will be covered for the next semester/year. With this in mind you can relax and understand that one day at a time you and your student will cover what is laid out. Referring back to this section will help you understand where your student may need more time to solidify his or her learning.

2. Use your curriculum as a resource base. Logging in to find answers to questions raised by your student will give the understanding that the curriculum materials are helpful in learning. If answers are not found encourage further research to reach a conclusion. Your online curriculum then becomes an active part of the learning process leaving room for much needed creativity generated by the student. Working as detectives with the guidance of a solid knowledge base is a more innovative approach to covering curriculum content.

3. Discover the approach built into the curriculum that resonates with your student. Online curriculum is designed to cater to all learning needs, not just those of your student! In knowing this, duplicate the approach best suited to your student and present lessons that are engaging for your student. Using the curriculum as a resource in a flexible way engages your creativity as a teacher. Modeling flexibility in your thinking encourages flexible thinking in your student. Always take the learner into consideration when planning how you might share the curriculum during a learning experience.

Using the curriculum and your student as a guide you will certainly have a successful experience with teaching online curriculum in the home.

Author Info:

Find you online curriculum needs at http://www.k12genius.com Have your Virtual Student engaging and excelling in response to your improved teaching skills. Visit us at http://www.2Think2Learn.com for more interactive approaches to implementing K-12 Virtual programs in the home.

The Many Benefits of Home Schooling - 3 Reasons Why Home Schooling is Better

2009-11-16T08:03:00.001-08:00

For parents, the choice of teaching your child at home is becoming an increasingly popular one. Although it is going to take a lot of work on your part to make sure that things go smoothly, there are some benefits of home schooling that will make it all worth your while. Here are three different reasons why teaching a child at home is better than allowing them to go through with the mainstream schooling.

Environmental Reasons - One of the main reasons that people decide to teach their children at home is because of the environment that exists in many school systems. It is difficult enough to raise a child to be a balanced adult without the influence of other children whose parents may not share the same ideals as you.

Lack of Supervision - Another thing that is difficult for the school systems in general to monitor is the behavior of the children. Since one adult is generally responsible for a large group of children, they can be difficult for them to keep a handle on the situation. One of the benefits of home schooling is that you are able to supervise the situation and to control it to the extent that it is possible for you to do so.

Custom Tailored - One more of the benefits of home schooling your children is that you can custom tailor the curriculum to the child. This will help to reduce boredom, especially when it comes to subjects that your child may excel in. Since you will not have to stick with the rest of the group, you are free to move along as quickly as you desire.

Author Info:

Learn more about the many benefits of home schooling at http://www.homeschooling4you.com

Home Schooling - The Benefits

2009-11-09T08:03:00.001-08:00

There are many benefits to homeschooling. Some of the benefits are purely practical, such as not being tied down by school hours and vacations; others have to do with your child's education. Homeschooling gives you more control over the influences that affect your child. You can decide what it is you want your child to learn. The curriculum can be adjusted to suit the needs of your child. This is obviously one of the most important benefits of Homeschooling.

What are the benefits?

1. You have control over what your child learns.

2. The curriculum can be adjusted to suit your child's needs.

3. Your child will be getting individual attention.

4. The time spent on each subject can be tailor-made to suit your child. If your child needs more attention in one subject but find another very easy, more time can be spent on the difficult subject. The amount of time needed to learn each subject will depend on the abilities and interests of the child. This allows your child to learn all subjects without unnecessary pressure.

5. Your child's schooling becomes part of the family's activities and the parents are involved in every aspects of the child's learning and fun family activities can incorporate valuable lessons. Family closeness becomes the focus here. The child is also free of any negative peer pressure while making choices and decisions.

6. Your child is free from unnecessary competition and only has to compete with himself/herself.

7. Because the parent understands the child's strong points as well as weak points, the day can be planned in such a way that difficult subjects can be followed by a fun activity to give the child a chance to relax and rebuild his self confidence.

8. Learning becomes fun.

9. Parents can also tailor the curriculum to suit the learning style of the child.

10. The parent has control over the moral as well as the religious aspects of the child's learning. This is a very important reason why many parents do homeschooling, as especially religious learning is often not included in the school curriculum or the curriculum differs from the beliefs at home. This can confuse a child and make him very unsure of his moral roots.

11.Very often parents are also very worried about discipline in the school system and feel that there is too little discipline. Parents have better control over discipline at home and can also use discipline in a way that suits the personality of each child.

12. Parents also feel they have a problem with ethics and homeschooling also solves this problem.

13. Many parents repudiate the educational philosophy of grouping children solely on the basis of their age. With homeschooling the parent can have better control over the people their chills mix with and the decision can be made on other criteria than simply the age of the child. Because of this children learn to socialize with people from all ages, there are no artificial borders based on age alone. This is a model that is more true to real life as in real life one has to be able to mix with people from all ages.

According to research homeschoolers normally do better academically than their counterparts in normal schools. A national study, entitled "Strengths of Their Own: Home Schoolers Across America," found that homeschoolers, on average, outperformed those in public schools by 30 to 37 points in all subjects. For parents who have the means and the time to invest in their children's education, homeschooling will always be an option they have to seriously consider. It can be difficult financially, because one parent normally has to stay home to do the main part of the homeschooling. If the family cannot manage on only one income, it may not be possible, although there are more and more opportunities these days for work at home moms.

Carefully consider the pros and cons before you make a decision on homeschooling.

Author Info:

Magriet is a work at home "Gran" with websites on family related matters. Visit her insightful site about homeschooling at http://www.homeschooling.topknacks.com She also have a site on Kids Crafts that is very related to homeschooling at http://www.kidscrafts.topknacks.com You can also visit her fun website with easy science projects ideal for the homeschooler at http://www.learnerscience.com

Keeping Track Of Your Students And Your Progresses

2009-11-02T08:03:00.001-08:00

Keeping Track of Progress: Keep a Journal

Plan Lessons Ahead

Keeping a journal has many advantages, you can plan lessons ahead, with a clear view of your schedule and avoids panicky situations when realizing how much tuition work you have to do for the following week! It will help you plan assessments and prepare your tutoring. If you are a new tutor, it is strongly recommended that you prepare every lesson carefully, with a structure and lots of examples. This will give you confidence, support and will look professional in the eyes of your student. It is especially useful if you are starting your tuition career and do not necessarily know the tricks of your profession. The advantage of keeping track of your tutoring lessons reflects on your results as a tutor. You can note the particularities of each student, which tutoring method worked with them, which method definitely did not, whether they require more homework guidance or simply someone to discipline their revision time. You might think that you do not need a written reminder of this information, but you could most certainly find a use for it, especially if you have a fair number of students, or if you have students hiring your services for a few weeks only, every year before their exams.

Organized for Booking Tutoring Sessions

Another advantage of a journal is the ability to book in students quickly, by identifying available slots of time in a glance. If you are a freelance tutor, you should have available sessions and have a specified time to call back your potential clients. This can be easier if you keep a clear record of your schedule in a journal. You can organize your days, note the time required from the transition of one student to another, and therefore give reliable information on any available slots to your client.

Tracking The Students Progress

Keeping a journal will help you keep track of your students' progress. It is important to know their weakness, strengths, what topics you have covered with the student, topics you plan to cover with them next, and areas where the student doesn't require tutoring. The students are paying for your time, and you are also using their time, often near exam periods where time is most valuable, so it is important you use both your time and their time effectively. Avoid going over areas where they do not need tuition, this will frustrate them, and not aid their studies. Create a personal one to one tuition plan with the individual, and make a note of what you have covered in each lesson, and what you intend to cover next.

As your tutoring business picks up, it will almost be impossible to keep track of all the information for each pupil. Before each lesson, make sure you go through you journal, review what you taught in you previous lessons, and what you planned to teach in your next. Be prepared, and have your notes and examples available for each individual lesson. .

Tracking You Own Progress As A Tutor

As a beginner tutor, it is important to track your own personal development. What teaching methods have you found most effective with most pupils, where have you made mistakes in the past, what have you found works, and what hasn't. Although you will find some methods work better than others depending on the individual, there will also be universally 'good' tutoring methods and universally 'bad' tutoring methods. Make sure you keep a note of your effectiveness, at the end of the tuition get some feed back from the student. Towards the end of the tuition, it might be useful to hand out a Q&A to ask what they found most useful, and what they found least useful, you maybe surprised at the results, and restructure your future tuition plans.

Above all, your journal is a personal tool, so it is really up to you how you use it or what best applications you can find for it. Whether you use it as a simple log entry to record your appointments, schedule and lessons plans, or whether you use it a a more introspective tool is for you to discover. Either way, a journal is a necessary step to take to start your professional career as a tutor.

Next >> Motivation and Learning

Author Info:

Local tutor, a free friendly Tuition resource for Tutor and those looking for Tutors

Facing Home Schooling Opposition - The Question of Socialization

2009-10-26T08:03:00.001-07:00

Countless times I have heard the question, "But what about socialization?" And I want to respond, "And what about Columbine? Were those shooters appropriately 'socialized?'" Schools did not teach them kindness or forgiveness. Actually, really it was the school system and the other children that made them bitter and full of hatred. I know that from personal experience.

Someone else said to me, "But how are you going to keep your kids from being annoying?" I went to school, and I had many classmates who were annoying. School did not make us "cool." Somebody somewhere is going to find us annoying because not every personality jives with every other personality. That is just the way it is, so why worry about this? Who cares about the popularity contest?

Someone else was concerned about our children not having the ability to stand against peer pressure and being able to make the right decisions. However, experts say that it is those children who have strong relationships with their parents that face these problems and overcome them. It is self-confidence instilled by a loving parent that gives a child the ability to turn away from peer pressure. The anti-drug campaigns on TV say, "Talk to your children because parents make a difference."

So school does not magically make a person "socialized." In fact, I really feel like it does the opposite. I cannot remember where I heard the quote, but someone once said that there is a difference between socialization and socializing. Socialization is the process of learning appropriate social behaviors, and socializing is the opportunity to mingle with other people.

Where in life are you going to be stuck in a place where there are 30 other people just like you, same age, same race, and same social class? School is a "false" social arena because you are not often faced with diversity, different ages and different cultures.

In life, there are many opportunities to socialize. Church, family gatherings, the neighborhood children, the local park in the summer, the play area at the mall in the winter, and play dates with friends are some of the ways that we find ways to socialize. The truth is that you really cannot stop children from socializing unless you lock them up. Children are naturally more outgoing than adults. Children do not see race or status. They just enjoy playing even when they do not know their new friend's name.

However, socialization is a careful and determined plan that a parent teaches their children on appropriate, mature behavior. Children need opportunities to face conflict or to make new friends, but even more, they need a chance to look back at those moments with their parents and see things from a new perspective. They need to be taught social graces by their parents, not by another six year old.

My oldest daughter Makani tells me about playing with her friends, "This little girl said that I was not allowed to play with this other little girl." So we talked about it: how it made her feel, how she should handle it, what she should say. Another time, she came home from a play date with a new attitude problem that we needed to discipline, and yet another time, she faced someone telling her that she was trouble. We had to show her that she was not trouble, and she felt renewed in her self-confidence, ready to face another social outing.

My middle daughter Rowena comes back from the park, saying she did not make any friends, and we talk about how to make friends and what to say and do to be friendly. The next time we go to the park, she exults by telling me, "Mommy, I made three friends." I have watched her come out of her shell, willing to initiate conversation.

With both girls, I find that it is much easier to correct the negative input from others when I can invest more into them than others do. Other children can be quite nasty in how they treat others, and children need time to recover from bullies and verbal abusers. I teach them something new about how to act and then give them another opportunity to face the social arena again.

Here are some of the important character traits a child needs to learn to be mature adults someday:

(1) how to recognize and deal with their own emotions

(2) respect for others, including others' space and possessions

(3) self-respect as well as self-confidence

(4) kindness towards others

(5) problem-solving and conflict resolution

(6) autonomy.

Author Info:

Rita Webb is a homeschooling mom for three young children, aged two, four, and six. Rita researches many homeschooling resources and writes reviews on these materials in her blog: http://mrkreview.blogspot.com

Disadvantages of Home Schooling

2009-10-19T08:03:00.001-07:00

In the recent news, there have been so many problems in school, such as Columbine, the teaching shortages, overcrowded class room and the no child left behind program, and parents are turning to home school. The media has gone out of its way to point out the disadvantages of public school. But how many people have taken a look at home school disadvantages, some situations may not be appropriate for the child when home schooling.

While the concept of home schooling is great, there are a few situations where home schooling may not be a good thing. Some parents don't have adequate education, they have busy lifestyles, and they have limited financial resources. Although in certain situations home schooling is a good option for parents. But in most of the cases, the home schooling issues can be a disadvantage. There are lots of advantages for the kids when they go to a school. Home schooling may not be able to bring out that perfect level of confidence in the kids. Thus you must pay attention towards selection of the home schooling program. The wrong kind of program can be really disastrous for your kid. Make sure that you select the right one for your child.

One of the major problems are adequate education of the parents, most don't have a degree and are unsure how to do the new math, history is extremely boring and science is not one of their strong suits. In this situation it is not a good idea for the parents to teach their children at home. They will have a hard time making sure their children are able to keep up with the Joneses. In the technical age, children need all the education they can get.

Another problem is parents who have many children, busyness is a big concern, and a home school parent must be able to make time during his or her busy day to make sure the child gets the adequate education. Education is key to their survival; parents must have the time to give them a structured education.

The biggest of these problems is the limited financial resources of some parents, low income families rarely have the extra money to pay for books, curriculums and teaching supplies. There are some great resources to lower the prices of those items but they are still expensive items. People who want to home school should be able to afford a quality education for their children.

There are many problems with home schooling programs. The problems are numerous. You can only come up with the solution by either not opting for the home schooling program or by finding the right one for your kids. This is your responsibility.

Author Info:

Robert Grazian is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about disadvantages of home schooling visit Home Schooling Children for current articles and discussions.

Vital Information on Home Schooling

2009-10-12T08:03:00.001-07:00

Effective Strategies For Home Schooling That You Can Use Starting Today

The concept of home schooling is widely accepted these days, there are many factors involved in deciding to home school, one of these could be, if you feel your child is not showing any improvement in the school system and needs your attention, but there are many more. So what information on home schooling do you need.

There are not many guides which you can follow to make home schooling easier and so you will know how to start a home school and proceed further with your objectives here is some information on home schooling.

Before you get approval from the local and the state authorities, first decide whether you are qualified to teach your child. Home schooling will not be limited to the basics but would include all the essential subjects that would be covered in a traditional school, only the set up differs. You would also need to meet the requirements of the local school officials to make your home schooling legally recognized.

Also, do not impose your decision on your child, just because you think you can teach better. If your child's records show that they are more comfortable in the school environment, you might need to reconsider. This is because changing the way they are taught might affect their potential and mindset thus hampering their progress. If you have finally made up your mind, several other points have to be taken care of. You would have to prepare a list of the subjects to be taught depending on whether the child needs an elementary level education or a high school level. The fundamentals to be covered in higher grade levels will include complex topics.

Another important piece of information on home schooling to be kept in mind is what are your state laws related to home schooling, these might occasionally vary in different areas. Get in touch with the local government officials to find out how it works and what needs to be done. Your child's education is only recognized when it is approved by governing bodies.

In the United States and Canada, the trend of home schooling has been increased tremendously as a matter of choice. This provides an opportunity for the contact between home schooling parents through the Internet for networking and support and to obtain more information on home schooling. Here, they can share tips and express their opinions regarding various aspects of home schooling. Such interchange of thoughts will be beneficial for you and your child. Another advantage is that it will support you toward your goal.

It is understood that when a child is home schooled, they can enjoy a certain level of freedom. This is not possible in an educational institution. Still, it is recommended that you get your child engaged in a schedule and projects which will be an aid to the learning process. You will thus understand where and how further improvement can be made.

There are various ways of teaching a child. However, the same learning mode might not be applicable to everyone. So, you would need to try various methods and decide which one yields the best results. If your child is not learning or improving, all your efforts will be in vain. Now, here you would be required to apply your knowledge and gain an insight as to what basic tools are needed for home schooling. The concept is similar to a class in a regular school which would have a proper set up. While teaching at home, there should be sufficient area where the classes can be taken.

The last but not the least piece of information on home schooling I would like to touch on is the financial aspect which should be within your limits. When you have made a list of all the essentials, estimate the overall cost and whether or not it suits your pocket. There are certain ways to lower the cost; however, it will require some tactics and research. Browse the net and check if you can avail yourself of any rebates or discounts on books or other items needed. Another way is to shop in bulk when you know that the materials will be utilized in the future.

Author Info:

For a mass of helpful information on Home Schooling visit http://www.homeprogramschooling.com/

You may copy this article on your web site provided you include the resource box with active links and this notice.

How to Expertly Home-School Your Children

2009-10-05T08:03:00.001-07:00

If you have decided that homeschooling is the way to educate your child, you will need to prepare yourself for the ecstasy and the anxiety for the amazing journey ahead -- sure, as all new adventures are, some may be a little bit bumpy, but the rewards will more than make up for it. Producing a well-adjusted and well-rounded personality in today's complex society(ies), requires special handling of their educational environment.

it is important to learn more about your state laws on home schooling. Some states need an affidavit filed with the State's education department. There are 3 categories for homeschooling laws in most states. These are: private school laws, home education laws and equivalency laws. There is no way around it - you will need to first, find your state laws. You may also need to maintain a portfolio that records the childs educational progress but that is so with any educational process. It is smart to look into the legal requirements before you start homeschooling your child. Some States also stipulate a minimum educational qualification for the parent or teacher - wouldn't you want that to be the case? Imagine someone educating their children who are not really capable of doing so? That would be taking a step backwards and defeat the purpose.

Next, I would suggest that you look for support groups. Online there are many, and offline too. If you live in a friendly neighborhood, well-meaning friends may try to dissuade you but that stands to reason - anytime you try to do something even slightly out of the Status Quo, people want you to fit right back into it again - but that really is the core of Home Schooling - isn't it. If they do not try to dissuade you, they may put a lot of uneasy questions in your mind which may be their concerns more than yours. A support group that consists of like-minded people will insulate you from the criticism, and keep your eye on the ball - this can help relieve the peer-pressures and questions of regular school-goers. Many groups organize fun events like visits to the zoo, theatres, camping trips, museum tours even a friendly romp to the ice cream shops etc. And if your children hit it off with other homeschoolers, they will be able to build lasting relationships that do not fade when their friends change schools because there is something very special about this kind of learning. Support is important in any new endeavor - so groups of people helping each other develop a new way to do things really can be a key source of inspiration and provide an important avenue for socialization.

Next, another important thing to do is to select a curriculum - I suggest taking time with this - it's the foundation that you will build your educational empire state building on :).

Depending upon the method of homeschooling, you may choose various tools that aid you in this discovery and creative process. The internet is also a rich resource for homeschooling. Do some research and look into the material that is available.

Some Important Things to Remember:

Set certain ground rules. Homeschooling requires a lot of self-discipline and hard work. Here is a comprehensive list of the things you will need:

A) Discipline

B) Hard work and effort

C) Eagerness to learn

D) Time and patience

E) Enthusiasm

F) Flexibility

It would be a good idea to consider why you want to opt for homeschooling to begin with. Your motives and your reasons are important pillars on which the whole edifice of your child's lessons depends. Also, consult with your children and ask them how they feel about homeschooling. Let them answer honestly - don't sway them in either direction - it's important to know - because if they have any apprehensions about it, you may be able to legitimately alleviate them before and during the homeschooling process.

Select a curriculum or create an individual curriculum that best suits
your child's needs and style of learning. Record keeping is an important part of homeschooling.

Look into the various methods of record keeping that exist - like computer programs, and other sources you may know about. Set up a schedule so that your child does not have to learn 6-7 hours a day. Allow your child to dictate the time since homeschooling is not set in stone like Public Schools are forced to be. Flexibility and having fun are the cornerstones and great benefits of homeschooling. Do not pressure them, or put too many skills into a single term or year. Remember one major purpose for homeschooling is to help a child work at their pace, find their needs and meet them, and allow real growth to occur - which cannot be forced or rushed. Prepare a skill list or any other kind of list that you feel will help you focus on what needs to be introduced and developed and be ready to modify it as your child shows growth in any direction - another great benefit of homeschooling. Make the child learn the skills that he is ready for, not what you want them to be ready for; if you are going to take that later approach, you might as well keep them in public school they are great at dismissing a childs real needs, because they have to focus on the lowest-common denominator, and, they have to meet quotas set by their administrations and so forth - all counter productive to learning.

Gentle parenting and great listening is the secret to successful homeschooling. Children make great advances in learning and show more enthusiasm.

They also turn out to be surprisingly well balanced and well informed when they are taught at home.

Homeschooling has many elements you really need to know before you get involved with it. It's important to read and learn as much as you can before and during this process - really it's your job.

But where do you look, and searching online or even in a library for information can be confusing.

We have prepared a high-quality e-book and also an MP3 audio of the e-book so you can sit with your children and listen to it together. It is titled "Parents Guide to Homeschooling" that covers many important topics, as well as offers a solid resource guide so you have a strong foundation to research from.

You can read about it here, and also peruse the first two chapters as well as the Table of Contents. We hope this helps you whether you are considering homeschooling or are already involved in it, to make it the best learning experience for your children.

The world changes when better choices are made. Better choices are the direct result of personal awareness, and that can only come from quality education.

You can read more at the link below. Best of luck to you and your children!

Author Info:

Please Visit:
http://www.how-to-homeschool.net/
and
http://homeschooling-resources.info

TO LEARNING:

John Monteleone
PublicationShop.com
info@how-to-homeschool.net

Homeschool Geography - 5 Tools You Need to Teach Geography

2009-09-28T08:03:00.001-07:00

We hear statistics all the time about how people on the street are asked simple geography questions and aren't able to answer them correctly. We certainly don't want our home school children to be part of those statistics. With the right tools, any child can learn a great deal about the world around them and how it functions. Here are the tools you need to teach home school Geography:

1. When you hear of countries or places that you haven't heard of before when listening to the news, reading stories or just hearing others talk, get out a good map and find that place with your children. There is no reason to be ignorant of other places in the world when we have some of the best maps available in our country.

2. When going on a trip allow your child to plan the route and find interesting places along the way. Have them keep track of how many miles you travel. You can even do this for shorter trips in your area. This helps your child be more aware of the world around them.

3. Talk about geography terms. When you or your child encounter new words like plateau, delta, or reservoir, find out what they mean. You might even be able to find a picture of this geography term to better understand the definition. Geography is not only about locating places. You can also explore statistics for a certain area, photographs, and type of land in your study of geography.

4. Use the Internet, computer software games, and even board games to teach geography. Games teach a tremendous amount of knowledge, sometimes without the child even knowing it. When competition is involved, many children will do or learn anything to win. Games make learning fun. Use them once a week or so to spark a love for geography.

5. Get maps and geography tools like atlases and almanacs. Children always want to know where they are on a map. You can start there and point out where other family members live in relation to them. When you are reading a story about a far away country, look it up on the map so your children can see where it is in relation to where they live. If you go on a long trip, when you get back show them how far you traveled on the globe. This will give them a good understanding of how big our country is.

Take advantage of the many great resources and ideas and enjoy your exploration of geography. When you are interested in the world around you, your children will catch that interest.

Author Info:

What Families Who Homeschool Can Learn at a Farmers' Market

2009-09-21T08:03:00.001-07:00

In many parts of the country, spring means farmers' markets starting again. Farmers from all over the region come to these open-air markets to sell fresh fruits and vegetables to customers. These markets offer a great opportunity for families to buy produce that's often fresher than what they can get in stores, and at great prices.

Farmers' markers also offer a great opportunity for homeschooling families. In fact, a full day of learning can happen for homeschool kids who go to a farmers' market. One of the great parts of homeschooling is that learning doesn't just happen in the classroom. It can occur anywhere.

So what can homeschooled kids learn from this outing? Here are just a few of the concepts that can be taught or reinforced while visiting a farmers' market:

Science. Talk to a farmer about what it takes to make the fruits and vegetable grow. Growing produce takes the right combination of soil, water, sun, time, and human care. No one is better equipped to tell your kids about the process than a farmer.
Math. Homeschoolers can practice several math concepts at the market, depending on their grade level. Young children can practice counting fruit, or simple addition (as in 3 apples plus 2 more apples equals 5 apples) or subtraction (take 5 squash away from this group of 8, and what's left?).

Older kids can work on more advanced math skills. They can estimate weights (how many apricots in one pound?). They also get an opportunity to handle the money during the trip. This also helps solidify the idea that we exchange money for the things we need and want.

Social sciences: Money-handling is also part of social science learning. Money is an essential part of many of our social interactions. For example, a farmer's job is to grow crops he can sell. Kids can answer the question, what do people in my family do to make money?
Language arts. Kids can match pictures of produce with the words that go with them. That week's spelling words can have a connection to the farmers' market. Children with journals can write numerous entries about the sights and sounds of the market.
Physical education. A trip to the farmers' market is a perfect opportunity to talk about the role of good nutrition in our lives. Children can do research on the food pyramid to find out how many servings of fruits and vegetables they need every day.
Social skills. A market is a great place for children to learn how to ask questions politely. (How much does this cost? May I have 2 of those?) Kids get an opportunity to practice waiting for their turn. Also, they can work on behaving well in crowds, and especially the importance of listening to their parents in a crowd.

This is just a small list of what kids can learn at a farmers' market. Possibly the best part of learning in these situations is that it isn't just theory, like doing worksheets, or reading information from a book. It's using the ideas and concepts that kids are learning at home in real-world situations.

Kids who see the connection between what they are learning and how they live are more likely to remember what they learn. So plan a homeschool "field trip" to a farmers' market near you!

Author Info:

Richard and Jennifer Jarman are homeschooling parents of three great children, and they publish a free e-mail newsletter for parents. The newsletter features short articles on subjects that parents care about, and news about toy safety and other parental concerns. Subscribe today and receive a FREE report, "The Right Way to Discipline a Child," by going to http://wholeheartedparents.com/Newsletter.html

Homeschool Curriculum - Tips For Choosing Books Or Curriculum - Is This What I Should Buy?

2009-09-14T08:03:00.001-07:00

Knowing what home school curriculum books or resources to purchase can be an overwhelming task. There are so many things to choose. How do you know which one to choose and whether it will be right for your family? Here are some questions you can ask yourself when looking at different home school resources:

1. What is my child's learning style? Does this book or curriculum fit in with how my child learns?

2. Is this resource a formal textbook, workbook or unit-study support material?

3. Do I know anyone else that is using this book or curriculum? What do they have to say about it? What positive and negative comments do they have about this book or curriculum?

4. Does this resource look like it's easy to use? Can I just pick it up and teach from it or do I have to spend some time reading through the manual to prepare?

5. Can I view this curriculum at a bookstore or homeschool conference?

6. What does my child say about it after they have looked over it? You don't have to put as much stock in this answer as the others, but sometimes your child has some insight into whether you should use this or not. Children tend to want to have the easiest work possible, so you will need to use your judgement about whether your child should ultimately use this curriculum or not.

7. Is this book or resource secular or Christian? Is this fact important to you or not?

8. If you get confused or frustrated with this resource, is there parent support available?

Once you answer all these questions, you will have a better idea of whether this book or resource will fit in with your educational and family goals or not. You will invariably purchase some things that you don't need. Every veteran home schooler has purchased books or resources that they didn't like or need at some point over the years, no matter how closely they looked at what they were buying. You just move on and learn from those purchases. But, for the most part, these questions should help you make an informed decision of what you should purchase for homeschooling this year.

Author Info:

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Home school 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.

Homeschooling - Do It Right or Don't Do It At All

2009-09-07T08:03:00.001-07:00

When it comes to homeschooling your son or daughter, it is important to realize that you are assuming a huge responsibility in the shaping and molding of his or her education. You really do not have that much time or flexibility to try out a hundred different approaches and programs until you hit on the right one. You need to have some guiding mechanism which insures that you are achieving your objectives. If you don't, the one who suffers is your son or daughter.

Homeschooling has to be one of the most challenging and all-encompassing responsibilities of our modern world. To think that a parent would rather assume this responsibility than to leave it in the hands of our educational system says a lot about just that---our educational system. Yet I think there is more of an implication here: with moral depravity and negative societal influences at unprecedented highs, it is easy to understand why a parent might want to assume the educational caretaking role until at least the formative years have taken place and the child's mind is on the right track. Too many children, by attending ordinary middle and high schools, get caught in the peer pressure track, and suddenly engage in negative behaviors that have serious ramifications on both their emotional development and ultimate educational success.

Thus if you decide to take the plunge and homeschool your child, more power to you. Just make sure that you do it right---or don't do it at all. Be mindful that less is sometimes more: don't try to cram too much information down your kids' throats. Understand that you would be better off getting to the heart of the matter with every subject and topic you teach them. Twenty-five years was the time it took me to fully understand this concept. Yet however long this indoctrination took, it was well worth the time. For now, I have the ability to teach and help others with methods that have "ripened" like a sweet fruit in the most precious of groves.

To reiterate: hone the basics. The three R's are not what they are for nothing. Reading, writing, and arithmetic are essential to any child's education. You would be surprised at how many people tell me they are struggling in their math course, which may be precalculus at the college level, because they never learned the fundamentals. They sought of slip through the cracks, one at a time, and then find themselves struggling more and more. Hone the basics and the rest will be easy.

Once you have your child on strong academic fundamentals, they will be ready to steer a long way, using the previously learned tools to guide their way. Once your kids are on the right track, there is less likelihood that, should a bump in the ride occur, they are suddenly derailed because of faulty learning.

See more on my ebooks, which can help steer that ride, at these links:

Cool Math Site

and

Homeschool Math Ebooks

Author Info:

Joe is a prolific writer of self-help and educational material and an award-winning former teacher of both college and high school mathematics. Joe is the creator of the Wiz Kid series of math ebooks, Arithmetic Magic, the little classic on the ABC's of arithmetic, the original collection of poetry, Poems for the Mathematically Insecure, and the short but highly effective fraction troubleshooter Fractions for the Faint of Heart. The diverse genre of his writings (novel, short story, essay, script, and poetry)-particularly in regard to its educational flavor- continues to captivate readers and to earn him recognition.

Joe propagates his teaching philosophy through his articles and books and is dedicated to helping educate children living in impoverished countries. Toward this end, he donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of every ebook. For more information go to http://www.mathbyjoe.com.

Homeschooling Parents Can Avoid Burnout and Shine On Instead

2009-08-31T08:03:00.001-07:00

You know how it is. You hear something and then it seems like everywhere you go, you hear it again. Well, burnout seems to be the topic du journal lately. I don't know how many blogging, homeschooling moms I've read recently who are either burned out, about to be burned out or worrying about burning out.

I've noticed that it's particularly prevalent amongst the ones who also practice attachment parenting, gentle parenting, co-sleeping and extended breastfeeding. Many of them feel like they're going to snap if they don't get a break from their kids, but at the same time, they feel that this conflicts with their lifestyle choices.

Oddly enough, this theme is really apropos for me this week, because I just dropped my kids off at day camp this morning. They're going for five days and this is the first time in over a year that we'll be separated for most of the time. My youngest is 9 and my oldest is 17. Most of our waking hours are spent together and I have no problem with that. I don't like labels, but if I had to label myself, I'd say attachment parenting would fit what we do.

When my kids were babies, they were with me constantly, in a sling, on my hip, against my shoulder. Not for me those dratted car seats with a handle that everyone seems to carry their babies in lately. (Mutant baby ninja turtles? That's what they look like in their little upside down shells.) My kids got plenty of body contact and until they were two or so, Dad or the grandparents had to practically pry my fingers off them to get a little time alone with them.

Of course, in Geekdaddy's case this was only common sense on my part. After all, this is the guy who once took a kid all the way to the city and back, with him strapped into a carseat that wasn't strapped into the car's seat belt. (That the kid didn't just end up as a hood ornament, carseat and all, during one of Geekdaddy's sudden "whoa there's another car on the road and it's stopped in front of me" screeching halts is pure geek luck.) I won't even mention the time he left his son on the windowsill of the laundramat or the time he took his two yr old daughter into the women's bathroom and almost got arrested.

I know from burnout, because we were also therapeutic foster parents to more than one kid who had special needs. Hospital stays with a very sick infant, a very active toddler and an attachment disordered pre-schooler to consider aren't covered in most attachment parenting guides. Luckily, with a modicum of supervision and lists to help him remember how many kids he had at the time, what they ate and what medication kept them ticking over, my partner could take up the slack.

That's when we established the anti-burnout system that we still follow today. (It's also a pretty effective anti-divorce system if you want to present it as that.) I take a day off every week to do what I want to do. I also take two weeks off every year to take a child-free vacation. (I don't want to stay away from my kids for two whole weeks, so I take them about six months apart.) Most often, I go somewhere on Saturday with my brother or a friend. Sometimes, Geekdaddy takes the kids somewhere all day, so that I can have the house to myself. Sometimes, I just go off by myself.

The point is that I know that I have a block of time to do what I want in. You'd be surprised how much easier it is for me to ignore petty sibling squabbles, housework that just has to be done again and again and having a kid constantly talking to me. It also helps me appreciate my kids more when I'm with them. The ol' "absence makes the heart grow fonder" or if you prefer "how can I miss you if I never go away" motif.

If I didn't have the geek, I'd still find a way to have a day out a week. When he's unable to do it, usually because of work or union duties, I have a backup. My good friend runs a daycare and has known my kids forever. So my daughter goes there. (My son is old enough to take care of himself, but he usually goes to a friend's house just to give me an empty house and to give himself a day out.) This is also where my daughter goes on the rare occasions when the geek and I go out.

I realize that a lot of people feel that attachment parenting means never leaving your kids with anyone until they're able to take care of themselves, but I don't see it that way. Once kids are past the breastfeeding as their main nourishment phase (which even with extended breastfeeding is usually not past two), it's not going to hurt them at all to have you gone for a few hours or even a whole day. As long as they're with someone they love and trust and have a good relationship with , they're probably going to enjoy the break as much as you do.

Look at it from your kids' point of view. How healthy is having a mother who sacrifices her life to her kids' lives? That's a good role model? Do you really want your kids to grow up thinking that when they become parents, they give up all the other things they did before they were parents? I totally agree that kids should be the center of a parent's universe. But they shouldn't be the only thing in that universe, just like the sun isn't the only thing in the universe. (Boy, talk about burnout. That'd do it.)

I grew up in the fifties and sixties. My mother had never heard of attachment parenting, but she was too busy working and being a single mother to worry about it anyway. She practiced DE-tachment parenting. She threw us out in the morning, called us in for lunch and supper, then threw us out again until it was bedtime. She often had trouble getting us in too, because we loved the stuff we did outside.

Outside is a good place for kids. If more kids spent more time outside, alone in a safe place like their yard, with an older unschooled kid (even if you have to hire one) to supervise them or with a parent, maybe they wouldn't be so apt to do the things that leads to parent burnout. Maybe they'd burn off some of their tremendous energy instead of using it to burn out Mom. Maybe they'd do just as well thinking of freeform ways to amuse themselves, rather than needing someone to initiate and organize "learning experiences."

Even if you just take a few hours to go to the library, sit at a coffee shop with a book or your journal or sketchpad, window shop at the mall, sit on the beach and dig your toes into the sand, let your partner give the kids supper and put them to bed once in awhile, or read them a story or watch a video with them instead of you, it's all good. It's variety, something we try to give our kids because we know how stale life can get without it.

Don't get stale. Don't lose the joy that we all start out with as parents. Call a friend and offer to trade off childcare, so that you can each have a day off. Make a note to talk to the guy that got into this parenthood thing with you about how he needs to work on HIS relationship with his kids. If you have to, remind him that a day of fishing is cheaper than a divorce, even with the cost of bait these days. How about a baseball game, a picnic in the park, a bike ride,a long walk, a Harry Potter festival in the living room, just hanging out with a pizza and some video games?

One of my tag lines is "Shine On." I know it's hokey, but I have private reasons for using it and I really mean it when I say it. So I'll say it now and remind you - and most of all myself - that we can't shine on, or help our kids shine on, if we burn out.

Author Info:

Lill Hawkins lives in Maine and writes at News From Hawkhill Acres. It's a mostly humorous look at home schooling, writing and being a WAHM, whose mantra is "I'm a willow; I can bend."

Tips For Evaluating And Grading Home Schooled Kids

2009-08-24T08:03:00.001-07:00

In a home schooling situation the parents grade their children's schoolwork and not a teacher or teachers aid. Some parents have discovered that grading their own children can come with its own set of difficulties. because your child is not being compared to others in the classroom it may be hard to assess their progress compared to other children their age or grade level. The next few paragraphs will touch on how home school grading can be evaluated and modified to suit your child's learning abilities.

The first step when grading home school work is never grade with your heart and only with your mind.If the child is doing sub par work you have to make them aware, no matter how hard it is for both of you. And never give into your child's emotions or reactions to being told this. Giving into a child's possible sadness or resistance to certain aspects of home school learning will hurt the overall process. Remember it is your duty to your child that they develop the required skills to survive in the world.

Whenever you are grading and evaluating your home taught child your first matter of importance is to make sure they completely understand what was taught to them. If the child does not fully comprehend the lesson you can reteach the points where they are having trouble. This is something that does not happen in public education and benefits the child many ways. For instance the child knows that they can learn until they understand and the class will not move ahead without them. Additionally your child will know that because of their persistence and failure to give up they will receive full credit, hard work and persistence is an important life lesson that will benefit your children for the rest of their lives.

Some states may require you to have your child tested to measure their abilities against public and private schooled children. The results of this test are also a great way to evaluate your child's learning. If the test shows weakness in some areas you can discuss them with your child and change your curriculum to compensate for the deficiencies.

However you decide to evaluate and grade you child's in home education always make sure that you do so with complete honesty and never form opinions based on emotional reasoning. And if you feel you cannot do this yourself you will need to seek out additional assistance from friends, family or other sources.

Author Info:

Learn more about Home School Education and get more tips to help Home School your kids better at http://www.whyhomeschoolkids.com

Home Schooling Computer Program - How To Use This Alternative Tool For A Better Education

2009-08-19T11:45:00.001-07:00

We are living in a world of competency in this 2st century, there is such a software called a home schooling computer program for every parents that are home schooling their kids. It is a widely accepted tool for every home student.

Some of the children finds that school environment is not conducive for learning. So by shifting to interesting lessons that can be done with the help of computer, more or less children will find it more comprehensive and accessible way of learning.

What choices are available for the home student?

#1 It includes different curriculum

#2 It provides on-going lessons.

#3 Of course, it has programs in it.

#4 There are also websites for the users.

#5 Worksheets are provided for the users.

From these choices, it provides and keep children involves in a different and unique manner of learning.

Computer programs which we can refer on the internet, which provides a combination of choices and information. The home schooling computer program assists the curriculum with:

#1 Multimedia environment.

#2 There are games to be learned.

#3 There are assessments with reports.

#4 There are interactive lessons for the users.

#5 The worksheets can also be printed.

Aside from the choices above, home schooling computer program is available for every subject like: math, reading, spelling, science and a lot more.

Why parents need this software?

In order to facilitate their kids using this software, all parents must learned and take part in this program. Parents must provide a proper time management for their children upon doing so, to have a better flow and systematic way of learning.

Parents must act like a teacher in school to their kids, set a planner for them to follow, so that they will be guided accordingly.

The quality of learning by engaging children and motivating them to learn better. It is not about teaching less per se, but teaching differently.

Feedback from this program has shown that they are motivated to learn more and are able to apply what they have learnt. Based on previous records and analysis of children's performance, the program will introduce remedial lessons to address learning gaps from the previous year.

There might be some who may need closer attention or learn at a slower pace. Remedial lessons is planned to help such children learn better and consolidate what they have learnt.

With such a program in place, both parents and kids tasks will be much easy as it provides everything what a learner must learn. It also provides a teaching bonding relationship between parents and kids.

In conclusion, home schooling computer program is a great plus point for both the parent and their kids so as to improve one's knowledge and experience. Having home schooled your kids at the comfort of your own homes is going to be the trend of modern education. I believe it is going to stay for good as most government is facing shortages of teachers.

Therefore, Eddy has started a information guide on how to help parents home schooled their kids and also recommend some tips and techniques to home schooling for the kid in developing him to be a genius.

Author Info:

Eddy Kong is the author of a website called, Using Home Schooling Computer Program. 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 Your Children If You Didn't Graduate Or Even Do Well In School Yourself!

2009-08-17T08:03:00.001-07:00

The whole idea of home schooling can seem very intimidating, especially if you didn't do well or complete school your self. Is it really necessary to have been a college graduate, or even to have done well in school you are self in order to homeschool your children?

The answer, fortunately, is that it doesn't matter whether you have a GED, a Ph.D., or dropped out of high school. In fact, one significant side benefit of homeschooling is that you will brush up on many of the things you didn't do well with when you were in school, as you homeschool your children.

Mathematics is one of those topics that parents stressed over when considering homeschooling. Remember, there are materials, workbooks, and plenty of help available, as you teach your children. You will also find other homeschool parents, willing and able to help you in any area of difficulty.

English can be another topic that causes concern. Many of us hated reading and writing in school. Does this mean you can't teach English to your home schooler? Certainly not, just as for math, and every other subjects find plenty of resources and support.

Science is yet another topic that can war he homeschool parents. This is one topic, where there is a real over abundance of material available on the Internet. You will be surprised by what you will find online. In fact, your children can actually dissect a virtual frog online. No mess, no chemicals, no worries about what to do when you're done.

It really doesn't matter whether you completed or did well in school your self. Don't let this concern sway he your judgment when it comes to homeschooling your children. Spend some time, online and in the library. Visit some of the homeschool. Websites such as The Complete Homeschool Guide. Willingness and desire are the only "must haves" this were successful homeschooling.

Author Info:

Questions or concerns about Homeschooling? Find answers, resources, and more in the newly-revised Complete Homeschool Guide!

Homeschooling Objections - When Your Spouse Doesn't Want You to Home School

2009-08-14T03:15:00.001-07:00

You want to home school, but your spouse is against it. What do you do about this? Do you keep nagging and questioning until they change their mind? Do you leave articles about homeschooling laying around the house?

Here are some suggestions to help you in your dilemma:

1. If you have any religious beliefs at all, your first option should be to pray that God would work out the situation. If God can change the hearts of Kings, he can certainly change the heart of your spouse if you are meant to home school.

2. Read as much as you can about homeschooling. Talk to parents who home school and attend a home school convention if you are able to do that. You will gain a great deal of knowledge and perspective of what is involved with homeschooling and what types of resources you would need.

2. Write a list of pros and cons with your spouse. Many people look at the negatives of a situation without even considering the benefits. Sometimes if someone sees the pros and cons written down on paper, they get a clearer picture of what they are dealing with.

3. Keep in mind that the needs of your child should be the most important goal that you and your spouse have in focus. Both of you love this child and know him best. Make a list of the needs of your child. Then compare that to what each schooling option has available to meet these needs.

4. Establish a trial period for homeschooling. Take 1/2 of a school year or a whole year to commit to homeschooling and then evaluate at the end of that period. This will give you both a chance to give homeschooling a try without making it a permanent decision.

Realize that your child was given 2 parents for a reason. You provide the balance that your child needs to succeed in life. Your spouse may be right in their opinion. Life is a journey and this is one aspect of the journey where you need to make some very crucial decisions. Keeping your child and his needs at the forefront of your decision making will help you make the best decision for his education.

Author Info:

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Home school 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.

What Is Saxon Math?

2009-08-13T06:23:00.001-07:00

John Saxon, the inventor of this method, created the Saxon Math as a really original option, by achieving the mixture of old and new, represented by the traditional ways of learning and by the modern techniques. So we may consider that the Saxon Math is one of the most pleasant methods of learning math and this fact was proven by the numerous experiments made to show the reliability of this method.

According to the principles of Saxon Math, children are encouraged to learn a new mathematical element and rule every day by constantly repeating the old concepts. There are a few reasons which prove the real efficiency of the Saxon Math and among these we may note the most important of them which is the opportunity given to learn everything logically and accurately. Other benefits offered by this method are related to the great capacity that the child develops towards an also efficient memorization of the theoretical information and so on.

The Saxon Math has indeed become popular for the ones who discovered its advantages and its great efficiency.

Most teachers who tried this method have changed their orientations towards the Saxon Math exclusively as the numerous advantages that it offers are really notable and noticeable after only a short period.

So in an attempt to define Saxon Math we may state that this method is characterized by accuracy, reliable implementation options and the most important, by the great importance that it provides to memorization and to the revival of previously learned concepts.
It is commonly known the fact that children must be encouraged to learn the theoretical information first, so as to be able to apply this into relevant exercises. And this is the exact aim of Saxon Math: to provide kids with accurate information every day, by also repeating the old concepts that they previously learned.

Saxon math may easily be considered as a reliable incremental method for learning mathematics and all of its characteristics were established by its creator in order to achieve the best math results and skills from the students who use this method. Saxon math is hence one of the most reliable and accurate methods to be used in schools and in homeschool as well and that is why there are so many opinions that note the real accuracy and reliability of this particular method.

Workbooks, textbooks, sets of CDs and special kits are provided for the ones who want to start studying maths with the Saxon method and so the definition of this technique is self-eloquent through its great efficiency and success.

Author Info:

Pedro Silva has been a math teacher for most of his life and uses the Saxon math method since it was adopted at his school. Visit his blog, Saxon math books to learn what he's discovered about saxon math books.

Home Schooling 101

2009-08-12T11:45:00.001-07:00

Why bother home-schooling?

Why bother? Well, if you are thinking it is a bother, you might re-think your decision right there. To educate your child at home is not a bother, but a wonderful, richly rewarding experience that benefits you and your child. So, take the "bother" word from your vocabulary if you really would like that opportunity. Yes, this is your opportunity and your child's opportunity.

If you are a stay-at-home mom or dad, then you have the opportunity to have wonderful learning experiences by home-schooling your child. In most states, home-schooling is legal, a legal option. There are some guidelines and rules and regulations that you need to follow, but after that everything rocks! (In some states, there are a certain amount of days that you have to notify the Board of Education that you intend to home-school your child).

You cannot simply keep your child from school and decide to home school. You must, almost always notify the School Board or the Board of Education. You can find out the rules and regulations through your government officials or through some wonderful home-schooling magazines and literature. Once you find out the rules and regulations, you are set to go.

Are there benefits to home-schooling?

Time, Balance, Growth & Togetherness

When home-schooling is done in the proper way, your child will have a fully-balanced education and will become a well-rounded good student. The rewards are unmeasurable. First, one of the benefits is that you both spend more time together and give each other more attention. The average student sees their parent for probably a few minutes a day during the week, or at most an hour or two. However, the average home-schooling parent or guardian sees their child on a regular basis for a few hours a day (when that parent or guardian is teaching). You will learn together! Now that's one of the biggest and best benefits of home-schooling. The teacher and the student learn from each other. You grow together. And you can look back on this experience in years to come and both of you will be happy about your choices and decisions. Children get to spend more time with their siblings, and the younger ones will learn while the older ones are learning also.

You will have more time for each other. You can make practically any life-lesson an education lesson. Going to the supermarket or going to a department store is a lesson in buying, purchasing, finances and product comparison. Going to a fast food place is a lesson in food, health, and in purchasing and even a lesson in customer service. The fast food process shows the children very valuable marketing lessons. So things in every day life add to your home schooling experience.

Good Education

Another benefit is a great education. You see first hand what your child is learning without the need for PTA meetings and without the need for a strangers' report on your child's progress. You choose your child's education. If you want to teach your child spiritual lessons, you can do that. You can teach religion as history and history as religious lessons. (Look at all the Christians in history and look at the impact they made in our land). You can teach fun science lessons and math lessons. A trip to the bank and to the ATM will be a great business math lesson.

You can even take a trip to the Treasury Building and other related places. Your child will benefit first hand so much more in seeing and doing rather than relying on mostly book-based education. (Yes, you need books and you use books, but you do not depend on them solely as your only education tool). Socialization happens just as easily with home-schooled children as it does for children who attend school in school buildings. Many times when we do television shows, we invite the home-school children, parents and guardians to come into our studio, take a tour and be on the show. So, your options are wide open and your world is your education. Another benefit is a focused education. You are the teacher; you are in charge. That gives you lots of options and lots of opportunities.

What are the problems related to home-schooling?

There are few problems to home-schooling, and these are some:

Your child might miss the classmates if your child started out with regular education and now switched to home-schooling.

How do you solve those problems?

The way to overcome this is to have your child interact as much as possible with the children from the other schools. Invite the children (with parents' permission) to come on some day trips with you . Or invite them over after school. Have your child enroll in a hobby that he or she likes . (Children take up piano or bowling, or art , and in these hobbies the children make new friends and have interaction with children their own age). Use your own imagination and you will find ways to have your child interact with other children and still be home-schooled.

Testing

Most school districts require specific tests for home-schoolers. But the tests are no harder than those given to regular school children. So, prepare for the tests. They also usually require that a licensed teacher observe or give the tests. This can all be arranged. If you are determined to home-school, there is nothing that should stop you from at least trying this option of education.

Stigma

Years ago, there used to be a stigma attached to home-schooling. Years ago, most times farmers and poor people and migrant workers home-schooled. Sometimes children and even adults made fun of home-schoolers. But today, that is all changed around remarkably. And this was especially noted when one year, the home-schooled child won the National Spelling Bee on national tv, proving that she was the best speller in the nation. Even after that so many came forward on television stating they had been home-schooled and were now attending college or had graduated from conventional colleges.

What if you change your mind? If you change your mind about home-schooling, you have a right to have your child attend public school. Check with your school district. Most times in most cities, every child is entitled to a free public education, and most likely you live in a city or town like that. So don't worry about changing your mind -if you find that home-schooling is impossible for you to do.

Where can I get supplies or books if I educate my child/children at home?

Look online! Do a search for everything related to home-schooling. There are entire companies who focus on nothing but home-school supplies, books and videos. There are plenty of companies out there for you to become educated about home-schooling. You can become an expert in home-schooling if you want to be.

For art lessons, contact the Pearl Paint Store in New York City. They have a mail-order company also and you will find every single item you need for any arts or arts and crafts lessons that you choose to give. For math and business and finances, write to the Treasury Department, the consumer department, you will be amazed at what is available for free. Write away to Pueblo and ask for the government information catalog. This catalog is a hub of wonderful ideas, books, booklets and pamphlets, many that you can use in your school.

Should I home-school my child?

This is the hardest question that you ask. The answer is obvious. Only you and your child know if you should home-school your child. Know that this is hard work, mixed with lots of fun and great together times. So you must be ready for hours of hard work if you choose home-schooling. If you are ready for that and if you have the time for that , then you know what to do.

Our Experience

In the past I have home-schooled my three children (before they became of school age), and every one of them went into school way ahead of the class. By the time one child was in second grade, that child was tested and found to be able to read college journals. So home-schooling works, even when it is 'unofficial" home-schooling. The tools that I used were everything that was around. . For example, before my children learned to read, we both would be walking down the street and come to the stoplight. The light was marked with the word, "STOP", and that , to me, was and is a reading lesson. We would read all the words that we passed as we walked down the street. I was doing the home-schooling thing as my child and I walked along the sidewalk. That was "Reading 101".

Simple and fun as this was - this game of reading, this was the game that enabled my children to enter school reading years before their classmates learned to read. So home-schooling, even basic home-schooling works wonders in children's lives.

You have probably read about home-schooling and you might have talked to other parents or guardians who have home-schooled their children. But no matter what you have heard, there is more to home-schooling than just reading. When you check with your local school boards you will have the details about government regulations (and there are many) regarding home-schooling. When I first thought about home-schooling, my

second child was in the older grades. I thought about it lots because the school was polluted and it had to be shut down temporarily. We went back to conventional schooling after the building was almost re-built. My child and I learned so much from just observing nature and from visiting parks.

Your Experience

Only you know what your own experience will be like. You know yourself and you know your child better than anyone else knows them. So decide according to your needs, wants and lifestyles and your time schedule. Only you know the answer to whether you should home-school or not. Some home-school through a temporary need; perhaps a child has a broken leg and cannot attend the local school. They begin home-schooling and find that both the parent and guardian and the child like the experience, so they apply to home-school on a regular basis and everyone is happy.

One thing for sure, do not let anyone make this decision for you, and do not let anyone make you have negative feelings about home-schooling. If this is what you want, this is what you should do. Try it, you'll like it. And if you do not like it, or if you feel it is too much of a responsibility, then it is your decision to change your mind. You will never know unless you try. You might want to try it during summer vacation or during the holidays. This offers you the opportunity to educate your child and yet neither of you miss any regular schooling or regular work

You should try home-schooling if you have the time to do it. And you? So, what are you waiting for? Now is the time to investigate, prepare for and begin to home-school for your child if that is what you both want to do.

Author Info:

Here is one website you can begin with - check this out, many lessons are here , lessons in nature, lessons in history, lessons in art. You name it and it's here. Click this website for your very first lesson in home schooling, http://www.nps.gov and here is the Home Education Magazine link. Almost everything you need to know is here: http://www.homeedmag.com

If you have an interest in being on television and showing the benefits of home-schooling, please write and let me know what you feel about the subject of home-schooling and conventional schooling. Write to me at towriteus@yahoo.com

The author is a creative, individual artists living in the United States of America. I have home-schooled children before they went to conventional school. I find that a mix between home-schooling and conventional schooling is best for all students. Presently I am working on a nationwide creative works project. Anyone interested in joining should email me.

Home School Methods - What Do Parents Use To Homeschool?

2009-08-10T08:03:00.001-07:00

There are as many ways to home school as there are people out there that home school. Basically most people will range somewhere in the broad spectrum between "school-at-home" and "let the kids play all they want and they'll learn what they need to know". You need to know your style and the temperaments and learning styles of your children to be able to come up with an educational philosophy that you can both live with.

Children can learn with workbooks and they can learn with games. Some children love to work through a textbook and don't want to be bothered with games while other children may complete a workbook but not remember anything they did.

There are all kinds of terms that are used to describe the styles of home schooling such as Eclectic, Classical, Unschooling, Traditional, Montessori, Charlotte Mason, and Unit Studies.

Homeschooling does stretch a parent but it doesn't have to bend them out of shape. Each parent needs to evaluate what type of learning methods they feel comfortable with in teaching their children. Some people wouldn't feel comfortable using anything but a structured curriculum that tells them exactly what to say. While others would feel very stifled to have to be tied to a curriculum that told them exactly what they had to do.

Homeschooling is mostly about relationships. If you have a great relationship with your child or work on relating with your child, you will be able to work through any curriculum struggle by communicating.

Children need some boundaries in their day. They may not learn anything by playing around all day, but then they may not learn anything by completing a workbook page either. They need some structure that they are required to follow and be held accountable if they step outside those boundaries. When you have some "have tos" in your life it builds character and makes the unstructured times more fun.

Author Info:

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

Should You Use Homeschooling Programs?

2009-08-07T03:15:00.001-07:00

Parents are finding that homeschooling is becoming a more popular choice day after day. Every year there is a growth of about 7 - 15% of parents who decide to teach their children at home. Presently, there are about 2 million children who are learning from homeschooling programs.

Even though homeschooling is a widely debated topic, the evidence proves that homeschooled children thrive. And more than often do better than their public educated counterparts. Homeschooled children excel on standardized tests and have no problem in college. Homeschooled children are encouraged to continue learning through life. Attending college is usually a goal set for all homeschooling families.

Homeschooling programs offer families flexibility. Children not only learn skills and knowledge, but they master it. With the pace set by the child, there is no time constraint to have a concept finished within a certain period of time. Children who are homeschooled only compete with themselves. They don't have to worry about keeping up with others. They also have the luxury of more one-on-one time with the teacher. Lessons can also be adjusted to fit the child's needs.

For example, if your child is really knowledgeable in English but struggles in Math, you can establish homeschooling programs that allow you to spend more time in Math and less time in English. This is one of the greatest success secrets of homeschooling programs. Not only can you factor in your child's learning pace, but what they are good and poor at.

Another great thing about homeschooling programs is the fact that there are no time schedules. Because homeschooling is usually done at home, parents have the option of choosing when to have lessons.

This doesn't mean that the discipline of paying to a schedule isn't important. It just means that you have the flexibility of starting and ending a lesson when you want it, or whenever your child is through with his/her work. One of the luxuries of homeschooling programs is being able to teach in a safe and well-known environment. Parents, however, have the choice of being able to create a learning environment where a child feels comfortable.

For example, if you are learning about certain animals or plants, wouldn't it be great to have your lesson inside a zoo or museum?

With homeschooling programs you have the flexibility of incorporating more field trips that help with learning. Sometimes these are more practical than lecturing as if you were in a traditional classroom.

Author Info:

Visit our site for a free report on How to Raise Your Child to Be a True Leader in Perilous Times and try our ground breaking Raise a Leader Program Free for an entire month! Only available through this article. You will not find it on our site.

Home Schooling - What Happens When Parents Don't Understand the Difference Between Skills & Content

2009-08-06T06:23:00.001-07:00

Whether it's your little preschooler whose just starting to read, or your teenager son on his way to college, you want to be sure they learn to love their education and become self-directed learners.

Both of them have been endued with a remarkable capacity of learning virtually anything they propose themselves to.

Nevertheless, their attitude towards learning will depend on their mentors and the teaching methods they use.

That is why it is of vital importance that parents understand the difference between teaching skills and teaching content.

And they can kill their child's motivation if they don't.

Traditionally all the subjects are assigned according to a curriculum chosen by the parent.

Different guidelines and hours of study are neatly predetermined and the student only has to follow the step-by-step instructions to acquire all that knowledge and - voilá!- he is educated!

Is he really?

I mean, it would be great if education were that easy. Just stuff it all down their throat in 12 one-year chunks and off they go to an adult life with a fabulous education.

Judging by the vast majority of teenagers and young adults that are bored to death with their education nowadays, this method does not work.

The key issue here is the difference between teaching skills and teaching content!

Skills require daily practice and discipline. It will take years and years of practice, perseverance and consistency for a student to reach a level of excellence in a certain skill.

Math and language arts are skills. Parents have to require daily practice of these with difficulty levels and time schedules carefully designed according to each child's need.

This way the student will develop excellent character traits like perseverance, diligence, responsibility, rigor and excellence.

Learning content, like nature or social studies, is a whole different story. It should always be fun and be chosen according to the students prevalent interests.

Don't ever choose content for your child. Let him use his acquired skills like reading, writing and math to study the subject of his own choice.

Let him experience his favorite area of interest with books, practical experiments and real life situations.

Don't worry if his chosen subject isn't very academic to start with. Just let him enjoy learning about it. He will very naturally get inspired to use his language and math skills while he is enraptured by his topic of interest.

This will catapult him into a study habit that will eventually lead him to love learning.

Author Info:

And you can be the mentor who allowed it to happen! No idea of where to start? Visit http://www.Self-DirectedLearningForSuccess.com for tips and tools for creating a vibrant learning process for you and your child. Learn how to teach your child to teach himself in my FREE e-book: "The Power of Self-Directed Learning", and my FREE e-course: "Seven Steps to Consistently Change Your Life."

From Bettina Langerfeldt, who teaches people how to pursue their God-given gifts and talents by designing their own education with self-directed learning.

Home Schooling - Think It's Too Much of a Challenge? Think Again

2009-08-05T11:45:00.001-07:00

Why Home School?

Why do some parents consider switching from traditional school attendance to home schooling their children? For the most obvious reasons you need to keep up with the national news. In one place after another, there is increasing crime and violence in both public and private schools. Institutions of higher education don't exactly escape the bad rap either. It seems almost every year there are more and more problems in colleges and universities with abuse of drugs and alcohol, rapes and other types of sexual misconduct and excessive acts of violence at rallies, sporting events and even seemingly for no particular cause during the normal scholastic year.

The "Problems"

Many "problems" are commonly associated with home schooling. Some of these may include:

Quality of education

Availability of high-level teachers and tutors for areas where parents may lack knowledge and skills

Reduced interaction of home-schooled children with their peers

Boredom

Lack of motivation

Parental fears over the home schooling process

Difficulties with local, state and national laws and requisites

Financial concerns

Availability of adequate texts, resources and other materials

Bilingual or multi-lingual education concerns

But for each of these concerns, although initially valid, has several viable solutions within the means of virtually every household. One increasingly difficult aspect of home schooling, however, deals with providing children with a bilingual or multi-lingual education.

Bilingual or Multi-Lingual Education

While in many parts of the world a bilingual or multi-lingual education is desirable or even an essential in many cases, it is quite possible to provide a quality bilingual education for home schooled children. Speaking a foreign language can be a tremendous asset in many walks or life and career paths. The same can be said concerning knowledge of a foreign culture. In a number of locations, education which includes elements of foreign languages is easily incorporated in the child's everyday educational life, providing them with a solid basis for foreign language acquisition and practical use. A broad spectrum of foreign languages can be included incorporating languages such as:

English (varieties from regional America, Britain, Australia, Jamaica, etc.)

Spanish (spoken and written forms of Castellano can vary widely between the 21 countries where Spanish is spoken as a first or official language)

French

Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese, or other forms)

Arabic

German

Italian

Portuguese

Russian

Greek

Turkish

And a host of indigenous or local dialects, Creoles and patois

Help, Resources and Assistance are Available

In most countries which allow home schooling of underage children there are programs available to inform and provide parents with information, curricular requirements and other types of assistance to help make the home schooling process a much smoother, effective and rewarding one for both the parents and the children. With home schooling too, parents are able to provide focus and direction in areas of which the child may have special interest, talents and abilities. It is possible to insert an increased number of field trips or attendance at inter-cultural or related events, seminars, conferences, workshops and special activities which may be unavailable to children and learners at traditional institutions. Home schooling parents likewise have the option of integrating learning alternates into their home schooling program.

Consider the Children Too

Rather than allowing themselves to be overwhelmed by the challenge of home schooling, parents should embrace the concept. The first step is to seek out those government agencies, resources and organizations which can provide the quantity of information and guidance needed to effect an intelligent decision on whether or not to home school, why and how. Home schooling is not too much of a challenge to be considered once proper investigation has been conducted on the part of the parents in consideration of the wishes, desires and attitude of the children. Parents could also use teaching and learning techniques not only with their children but also with themselves to make themselves smarter. Now wouldn't that be nice?

Author Info:

Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an EFL Teacher Trainer, Intellectual Development Specialist, author and speaker. He has written ESP, foreign language learning, English language teaching texts and hundreds of articles used in more than 80 countries. Get your FREE E-books, English language teaching and learning information at: http://bettereflteacher.blogspot.com Need a blogger or copywriter to promote your school, institution, service or business or an experienced writer and vibrant SEO content for your website, blog or newsletter? Contact the author at the above blog address for more information.

Teaching Children at Home - What Are the Advantages?

2009-08-03T08:03:00.001-07:00

There are a number of advantages in being taught at home, both for the development of the student and the parent/teacher. There are also a number of drawbacks, not the least of which is the lack of appropriate peer interaction both during class and in leisure time.

Parents take the decision to teach their own children for a variety of reasons. Some live near schools which they have deemed, for whatever reason, to be unsuitable to educate their children. Some just believe they can do a better job themselves.

In my own family, the decision to try home education was taken when my brother decided to travel through Europe for a couple of years, taking his family with him. To spare the children constant upheaval being transferred from one school to another, he and his partner decided to take on the responsibility of teaching classes themselves.

They did not go to Europe in the end but the home education method turned out to be so successful, they continued with it. The children are bright, receptive and have certainly not suffered one bit for having been taught at home.

There are a few ground rules which must apply if you are considering teaching your children at home. Class discipline is ultra important, so if you are the type who cannot control your children and discipline them into a school routine, you are wasting your time. Faithful observance of the curriculum is imperative. Remember the subject matter will be covered during formal examination at a later date.

School outings can be a bit of a challenge. Such occasions may be taken for granted in the usual school routine, but when you teach at home you still need to expose your children to the same round of museums and places of interest. Taking your children on skiing trips to Austria can be a bit pricey without the usual school bulk discount!

Another disadvantage is the interaction which takes place between children in the process of classroom learning. This interaction is not always favourable, admittedly, but sometimes it is and its absence can leave gap in the educational experiences of your child. Alternatively, the less than pleasant elements of school life are also absent, such as playground bullying, having to share bathroom facilities with one and a half thousand other people, and school dinners.

For those of us who send their children to a private school, not having to pay school fees would be welcome relief.

Author Info:

Jan Gamm writes reflections on life with an emphasis on world travel. She has lived in many countries and traveled extensively in the Far East, the Middle East, America, South America and throughout the South Pacific. She writes for fun and for money whenever she can manage it.

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

2009-07-31T03:15:00.001-07:00

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:

Writing Skills for Children - Better Story Starters

2009-07-30T06:23:00.001-07:00

'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.

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

2009-07-29T11:45:00.001-07:00

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:

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

2009-07-27T08:03:00.001-07:00

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.

Homeschool Support Groups - Questions to Ask

2009-07-24T03:15:00.001-07:00

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:

Algebra Can Be Hard If You Are Home Schooling

2009-07-23T06:23:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-22T11:45:00.001-07:00

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:

Welcome to Network Opportunities. This Business Model is geared towards the Entrepreneurial Minded Individual who seeks to Replace & Increase Their Income from home.

There are many people who are truly living a life BEYOND Limits right now with this Opportunity. There are people from both white & blue collar backgrounds here. We have EX: Doctors, Police Officers, Truckers, Franchise Owners, Corporate Executives, Real Estate Agents, Computer Techs, Mechanics, Butchers, Cooks, Waiters, Car Salesmen, Retail Workers, Hotel Managers......The list goes on & on.

Learn How to: Take control of your financial future & Change your life and your lifestyle starting this week!

Visit: http://www.networkopportunities.net today!

Rory Singh is a Home Business Development Coach and Professional Marketing Consultant. To learn how to set up & run your own online business successfully & efficiently visit: http://www.networkopportunities.net

This industry has created more millionaires than any other career in the US & Canada.

Home Math Tutor - Math Made Easy

2009-07-20T08:03:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-17T03:15:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-16T06:23:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-15T11:45:00.001-07:00

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.

Author Info:

Local tutor, a free friendly Tuition resource for Tutor and those looking for Tutors

What Is Needed To Homeschool My Child Effectively?

2009-07-13T08:03:00.001-07:00

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.

Author Info:

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