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Home Schooling Resources |
28 August, 2008
The teenage years can be quite a challenge, however you decide to educate your child. If your child has been home educated for at least a few years before reaching adolescence, then they will probably be accustomed to the lifestyle. If you are lucky, your teenager will also have learnt how to educate themselves with support from you and others and will be reasonably self-motivated and confident in their abilities. But what if that doesnt happen or if, for whatever reason, you decide to withdraw your child from school once they reach their teenage years? Many parents who approach me when they are in this situation feel they are in crisis and that there are many obstacles to their ensuring a suitable education for their child. This article identifies some of those challenges and explores how to move from crisis to opportunity.
What are the challenges and opportunities?
Changing responsibilities
Deciding to home educate your teenager changes the way you handle your responsibility to ensure that they receive a suitable education. Rather than delegating a large part of that responsibility to a school, you are now directly in control of all of it. Or are you? How do you do that when your teenager knows exactly what they do or dont want to learn and it bears no resemblance to your ideas of what constitutes an education? What about if your teenager doesnt appear to want to engage with anything? Parents in the latter situation have told me that this seems to be a normal reaction to stress. Many teenagers go through this when they are first removed from school as they need time to de-stress and find themselves again. A few may react in the opposite way and study manically, because they feel they ought to and will need additional encouragement to take a break for a while.
If you find your teenager happily occupied but in activities that you do not consider to be educational then I believe this is another one of those opportunities for us to reassess our perspectives as parents. What is education? What constitutes a suitable education for our child? If you question your own assumptions on this then you may well find that your beliefs stem from how you yourself were educated. Many parents equate gaining an education with gaining qualifications and exam success. Do you still want to hold those beliefs now? How have your ideas changed with the benefit of your experiences as an adult?
From my experience with working with many parents, the key here is to reassess your role as parent/educator/facilitator and keep the communication between the two of you going. Educate yourselves on learning styles and methods and broaden your horizons beyond what was expected by the schooling system. Above all, remember this is team work. Between the two of you, you will find a way to proceed which suits you both.
Battle of wills
One of the challenges of living with a teenager can be that they seem to be programmed to rebel! Its at this point in their childhood when just about all our values and beliefs as parents can be put in the spotlight and questioned by them. Discussions can become heated and personal and may lead to large amounts of stress for all concerned. This can be tough enough to deal with when our teenagers are attending school and being supervised by others for a large part of the week. Once we are home educating them, however, the thought of spending much more time around them can seem very daunting to say the least!
The opportunities that can arise from these situations are many. Perhaps we ourselves havent examined our behaviour traits, beliefs and values for a while and having them highlighted is proving painful! Reassessing how we lead our lives can be a very enlightening and fruitful endeavour and may well lead to some positive and useful changes.
Whilst many teenagers may not be adept at communicating with compassion and respect, these are qualities we can model for them, once we let go of our immediate reactions to being challenged. When we are consistent in this approach, our children will learn these more acceptable and wholesome behaviours from us and they are much more likely to do so by interacting with someone who models the behaviour than just by being told thats how they should conduct themselves.
We can use these time to develop our listening skills. When teenagers feel they are being heard, they are more likely to feel loved and respected. We can view this as an opportunity to strengthen or re-establish a bond of trust with our child and encourage their self-confidence.
Emotional and Physical Growth
Of course, at the same time as your teenager is engaged in learning and studying, they are experiencing marked growth both physically and emotionally. Just about any book on the psychology of learning will emphasise that your emotional state is critical for you to learn effectively. This is something many of us will have experienced as adults. Our teenagers may not be sufficiently self-aware to acknowledge or understand all of their feelings and physical strengths and weaknesses. This is another opportunity for us to aid them with their self-awareness and to model it ourselves. By cultivating self-awareness and self-motivation in yourself and in them, you will help them to empower themselves.
Conclusion
The prospect of home educating a teenager can seem daunting and indeed there may be many challenges we are asked to face.\r The opportunities are the learning experiences embedded in those challenges. For those who choose to embrace those challenges, the rewards will be the emergence of a happy, self-confident and well-adjusted teenager, whatever!
Further Reading
Unqualified Education. A Guide to Learning at Home for 11-18 year olds.Gareth Lewis
The Teenage Liberation Handbook. Grace Llewellyn
Parent-Teen Breakthrough. The Relationship Approach. Mira Kirshenbaum and Charles Foster
Non-violent Communication. Marshall Rosenburg
Listening to our Children. Sally Lever (see Articles page on my website).
Free-Range Education and its Lessons for the Adults. Sally Lever (see Articles page on my website)
Sally Lever 2006 http://www.sallylever.co.uk
Sally Lever is a Sustainable Living Coach who specializes in supporting those who are downshifting or otherwise moving towards a more sustainable way of life. She offers one-to-one coaching, teleclasses in How to step off the Treadmill and a free email newsletter.
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Home Schooling Resources |
28 August, 2008
Many parents who are thinking of homeschooling and even those that already educate their children at home often wonder if they should maintain a set schedule for homeschooling their children. While many beginning home school parents sometimes feel that a regular day that mimics a public schools day is the best route it can sometimes have the opposite effect.
At the very beginning of your in home education program you should develop your schedule. Once this schedule has been developed you should stick to it and not alter or re structure it. By having a set routine in the home your child will learn easier and it will also help them set aside a certain time period for studying and academics. But the most important point of a set schedule is that it to the children that the parents are still in control and serious about home school work!
How many hours in the day you actually devote to study time is entirely up to you and should be based around the planned curriculum and learning potential of your child. So if your child is a math whiz but struggles in English you may want to devote more time to English studies and less to math. That is part of the beauty of home schooling, total flexibility and maximum learning potential for the child.
While you may feel that the amount of time you spend homeschooling is not adequate or does not compare to public school you should realize that just being somewhere longer does not mean learning more. One of the biggest problems in the public school system is that time is used inefficiently throughout the day. Many classes focus on non relevant topics and even topics of little importance. In fact when you look at how much time is spent settling into class, walking between classes the amount of time a child actually works on essential school work is around three hours.
When compared to the wasted time in public schools homeschooling is a great option for many parents who feel their children are not getting a good enough or targeted enough education in the public system.
Learn more about Home Schooling and get useful tips for planning a Home School Curriculum at http://www.whyhomeschoolkids.com
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Home Schooling Resources |
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A rich vocabulary is admired in a child and or teen. You can easily boost your childs vocabulary by employing some very simple techniques.
First, encourage your children to read. Reading builds vocabulary like nothing else. It is best to read unabridged versions of classic texts. It is amazing how much of a difference there is when comparing the abridged to the unabridged versions. Common practice for abridged versions of text is to eliminate the back-story. Unfortunately, this also eliminates highly descriptive phrases which give a perfect opportunity for learning new words.
Start a vocabulary notebook and use a dictionary. When your child encounters a new word he should look it up then write the word and definition in his vocabulary notebook. Using the dictionary and performing the act of writing it down reinforces the word and its meaning.
Another way to reinforce new words is to incorporate them into your vocabulary. Read through the notebook daily and pick out a few words to use in conversations with your child.
I have seen my childrens vocabulary improve by leaps and bounds by using these techniques. They like to see if they can stump me with a word I dont know. Stump the Mom games always encourage learning for my kids.
For more homeschooling tips visit http://www.hslit-collections.com
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Home Schooling Resources |
26 August, 2008
The ability to remember is important to a students success in school. Having a strong memory will pave the way for knowledge, confidence and understanding in the classroom. A student that cant remember the names countries, provinces or cities on a map will struggle with geography. Not knowing the times tables will hold a student back in math. A student that cant remember the spelling or definition of words will have trouble comprehending text or writing creative stories in language. Although there are other important skills that follow, there is no doubt that a strong memory is crucial.
People who have a strong memory often share common skills. One of these skills is the ability to see things in pictures. The name Angela might be visualized as an angel. The word parallel might be imagined being a set of railroad tracks. The concept of education may be visualized as an apple.
To show that images rather than abstract symbols (for example letters or numbers) are remembered more readily, here is a perfect example. Anyone who has heard the story The Three Bears knows who ate the porridge. On the other hand, if you ask someone what symbol is above the number seven key on a computer keyboard, most people wont remember. What is peculiar about this is most people havent heard the story in years yet they use a computer on a daily or weekly basis.
By turning a word or concept into an image, we instantly make it easier to remember. Although this seems easy, this is a very specific skill which can be refined and defined with practice and understanding. There are a few simple guidelines to follow.
Images should be things you can see or touch. Imagining oxygen as being air or wind will not be as effective as an oxygen tank or a windmill. Things are more easily remembered when it triggers our senses. For the word retrieve using a Labrador retriever that we can clearly see, feel and even touch in our minds eye will be a strong memory. Many of us have vivid memories of a childhood toy or a family pet for this reason.
When choosing an image to represent a word or concept, a variety of techniques can be used. You can use a symbol such as a heart to represent affection or a sword to represent courage. You can use an image that sounds similar to the word such as a hippo and a noose to represent hypotenuse or a man and a tuba to represent Manitoba. Some people trust their mind and use the first image that comes to mind such as a kite and a key to represent electricity or a St. Bernard to represent Beethoven.
Some images should be avoided. An image should be unique and not get confused with other images. People shouldnt be used as it is easy to mix up people. This is one of the reasons why it is often hard to remember a persons name when we meet them after years of not seeing them. Using a brand name is tricky as often it is tough to differentiate between similar products. For example using an Accent car (by Honda) to represent the word accent allows for the possibility of thinking of other similar mid-sized cars in its place such as a Toyota Tercel or a Ford Escort.
Building a strong mind doesnt happen by accident. It is very specific, but it can be done. Having taught some of the skills to elementary students, I have seen some amazing results. A grade four student memorized the first fifty elements of the periodic table in less than 30 minutes. A grade five student memorized the Academy Award winning movies from 1928 to 2000 in less than an hour. Ten year olds were able to memorize a list of 100 random objects (in mixed order) in less than 5 minutes and were able to list them in the correct order and note numbers that were skipped.
There are more skills that can be learned to improve memory. If you have never been taught how to use mnemonic devices (memory techniques), hopefully this will introduce you to the possibilities.
Darren Michalczuk is the founder of the Brick School. He is an experienced classroom teacher who has developed many programs and resources for math, language and music. The Brick School offers quality educational posters, programs and worksheets online for elementary language arts, math and music. Materials are designed to promote effective learning strategies in an easy to understand, straight-forward format. They offer both practical solutions to learning problems and leading edge technology and techniques. It reaches both struggling students and those who need extra challenges in class.With the latest software and leading edge learning strategies, our materials are paving the way for learning. User-friendly porgrams give students instant feedback while they practice important basic skills. Lessons and study guides also include proven learning strategies and memories techniques. Please visit our website.
http://brickschool.ca
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Home Schooling Resources |
26 August, 2008
Many coaches and parents struggle with teaching kids to skate. It is a tough skill to teach since when they first learn they are scared to fall. They hang onto the boards, step instead of glide across the ice, and often stand in one place hoping for the nightmare to end. Though these students are confident and easy going in other situations, wearing poorly fitted skates in a cold arena turns them into whiny and miserable kids. Hopes of someday being Olympic figure skaters or NHL drafts picks quickly fade.
The answer to this situation seems cruel and off the wall but it does work. Having seen it with class after class of elementary students, I know it works. Children quickly become fearless, confident and skilled skaters in a short amount of time. They step away from the boards, build up speed and are no longer scared of falling. Whats the secret? Teach them how to fall.
When you teach children to fall, two things start to happen. The first is that they begin to realize that falling is not the end of the world. Being praised for a good fall gives them a sense of pride, especially since it is something they can do. Asking them to score a goal in hockey may not be doable, but a fall is easy. The embarrassment and stigma that goes with a clumsy skater is suddenly gone.
The second thing that happens is they lose their fear of falling. A big reason many adults are scared of snakes is because they dont know much about them. Children who are exposed to snakes in a controlled environment, like a zoo, are not likely to develop a fear of snakes. The same is true for skating. Being on a slippery surface that is both very cold and very hard can be very unsettling. When you show them what it is like to fall safely, you take away the fear of the unknown.
Once the fear is gone, you get skaters who have fun on the ice. They are ready to feel the speed of the blades, to take part in games or keep up with their friends. Soon they can learn specific skills like stopping, gliding or changing directions and have success with them. They will become easy to coach and eager learn. In short, they will skaters.
So how do you teach them to fall? You be patient. You tell them to bend their knees use their hands to soften the fall. Give them practice falling frontward, backward and to the side. Show them what it feels like to fall or begin to fall. Have them practice falling from standing still, while they are skating and when they try to stop. Though it seems like a lot. Youll be surprised how easy it is and how little time it takes. Soon theyll be gliding across the ice with a smile on their face.
Darren Michalczuk is the founder of the Brick School. He has desined many programs and materials for elementary students. He offers practices and strageties proven effective in the classroom with a wide variety of ages and abilities. He believes every student can succeed if given the right skills.
Please visit his website.\r http://brickschool.ca
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26 August, 2008
Remember back when you were in school. Did your science teacher just stand there and present you with a bunch of facts and figures? Was looking at the pictures in the textbook the most fun you had in your science class?
This is probably how your child is feeling right now about his or her 2nd grade science. It is not because they hate science in and of itself, but that he or she has not be introduced to it in a way that sparks the imagination.
Make Science Come Alive:
Although you will want to use your textbook to understand the basic material you will want to cover, make science multi-dimensional by always having a fun activity to go along with each lesson. Science experiments are by far the best way to get a child interested in science.
One thing you can try is to have your child plant a seed in a cup with some soil and watch as it goes through the life cycle of growing and sprouting. My favorite 2nd grade science curriculum would have to be Apologia Science. This is because Apologia teaches children science through activities and they are successful at making science come to life.
Children, especially 2nd graders, love interaction. Let a chick hatch from an egg and let your child care for and observe it. This is a great way to teach your child about both science and life itself.
Children Need to Be Allowed to Think for Themselves:
When a child asks you how something works, your natural instinct is to explain it to them. While thats fine, you might want to try answering their question with a question. This will teach your child that he or she can rely on their own thinking abilities to figure out how something works.
For example, if your child is curious about what certain fish eat, you can ask a question like, Well, what kind of snack do you think this fish likes the best? Show the child what that fish has in its environment, and encourage them to give you their thoughts.
Teaching your child to think this way about 2nd grade Science will better develop his or her scientific mind and thinking skills. Children are naturally curious, and the more you allow them to rely on their own thinking, the more confident they will become about 2nd grade Science. After your child has given you his or her thoughts, you can explain what happens. A great curriculum that practices this method is the Noeo home school curriculum.
Some Tips For Enjoying 2nd Grade Science:
- Let your child to make a mess with his or her 2nd grade Science lesson. Take them to the backyard and let them dig in the dirt to plant a seed, or find small creatures crawling around in there. This is something every child loves to do.
- Show your child some amazing things that will get them really excited, such as the way magnets will attract and repel each other, and how the sun will burn paper when magnified.
- Teach your child through 2nd grade Science stories. You can tell a story that has to do with the food chain from the perspective of a frog or of a fish.
Getting your child interested in 2nd grade Science is easy when you use your creativity, and relax. We all want our children to learn well, and if we take a deep breath and let ourselves stop worrying, things will work out just fine. Remember to have fun with science and with your childs curiosity and amazement.
Want to save money on your homeschool programs? Visit Used Homeschool Curriculum to snatch up great deals on used curriculum and to discover more about different homeschooling options.
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Home Schooling Resources |
25 August, 2008
Is home schooling such a great ideas as when you first thought about it? There are many things to consider before taking this decision especially because it is about your child and his future. There are advantages and disadvantages of studying at home so you better check all of them in advance.
One of the good things about home schooling is that the child receives the attention he needs. It is a well know fact that pupils are not equal n terns of understanding the material they are being taught. Ina class of twenty children it is much more difficult for the teacher to stop and explain everything from the beginning to a single child that is falling behind while at home this is absolutely possible. Moreover the child that needs additional attention will not feel bad about asking for another explanation of the lesson in front the whole class.
Speaking of attention to one child only it is worthed to mention that home schooling gives the freedom to have a lesson as long as appropriate. Some children cannot stay focused for a long time. In any school the lessons are with fixed duration so the child will have to stay until the end although there is no point in this. At home the teacher can estimate if the child is capable of listening and remembering the lesson and adjust the lesson duration in accordance. Moreover subjects that are interesting for the child can be extended and this way the child will actually learn something extra.
Another significant advantage of home schooling is that there is much more additional recourses for your child when it comes to learning a specific thing. For example it is easier for you to take your child to the museum when teaching history as it is for the teacher in school. The same applies t any other subject as long as you want you can buy much more tools and have your home school equipped much better than a school.
Finally the safety issue your child is much safer in your home than going and being at school.
Of course hiring a home schooling professor has disadvantages as well. The main disadvantage is the lack of socialization. Still your child can meet his friends and play with them but the impact is not the same as the social influence he will have in school. The team spirit of child that studies at home cannot develop as well. To overcome thing you will need to find another way of socializing your kid you can arrange him to attend dance or sport classes or anything else that ill bring him into contact with kids of his age.
Another disadvantage specific to parents who are the teachers is that in theory a teacher is much more prepared for the subjects taught and that he has specialized education to help him handle kids. There will be many times when your child will have to overcome hard subjects and it is during these periods when a parent should be very patient and strong. Of course hiring a home schooling professor will fix this immediately but it is also much costier than teaching your child alone.
Keith Londrie II is the Webmaster of http://becomeahomeschoolingprofessor.coffee-info.info A website that specializes in providing information on become a home schooling professor that you can research on the internet. Please Visit http://becomeahomeschoolingprofessor.coffee-info.info now!
Home Schooling Curriculums
So, youve decided to home school your children. Youve weight all the pros and cons and know you are making the right decision. Now, you need to decide on various home schooling curriculums that will help you and your children get the most out of the experience. When it comes to home school education, the curriculum is your key to making sure your child stays on track.Ask your local school system for advice on developing a home schooling curriculu...
Home Schooling
More and more children are studying at home instead of going through the conventional school system. Sometimes circumstances make home schooling necessary. If you travel or move a lot as a family, it can be too much to transfer a child in and out of schools. Some children respond better to the individual attention. Others cant maintain a regular school schedule for medical reasons. Whatever the reason, home schooling is proving to be a great opti...
Important Resources for People Considering Home Schooling
There are a good many resources available to those who are considering home schooling. This has not always been so, and that is the good news to say the least. There has been a surge in recent years that has brought about the advantages that so many are finding when it comes to home schooling and the overall experience. For those that are looking for home school information all you need to do is go to the net. There are literally thousands of...
Christian Home Schooling
There are many different reasons you could choose to home school your children. Some choose it because of lifestyle. Others because of medical problems. Christian home schooling presents yet another option. Christian home schooling has increased in popularity, because this gives parents a way to monitor what their children are learning and to instill Christian values in them.Are you a Christian and wondering if home schooling is right for you? W...
Home Schooling Online
When you are home schooling your children, getting support from your local school system isnt always possible. Nowadays, there are many options and resources online that can be utilized. Since most people have an Internet connection, home schooling online is a good way to make sure your child is getting the education needed to develop real world skills.There are many ways you can home school online. Some traditional high schools offer online prog...
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Home Schooling Resources |
24 August, 2008
Playing a musical instrument is a skill that is often looked at as being reserved for only a select few. From my experience of teaching years of elementary music I have found that the number of students who can be successful with an instrument is far greater than most people believe. In fact, I have yet to find a student who couldnt make an instrument sound good.
My results may be biased, however, for two reasons. First of all, I teach elementary aged students who dont have the hang-ups or mental obstacles that many adults have. They give music an honest try and believe they have the potential to be able to play well. Secondly, I am passionate about what I do. I truly believe that anyone who wants to learn music can, if they are taught the right way.
Learning a song can be broken down into three easy steps: listen, read and play. If these steps are down properly and patiently, the songs will flow.
Listening to music is an important step that is often skipped over. To play a song properly a student needs to be familiar with the notes. The song should be listened to a minimum of 4 times. I often play a song that we will be learning in other classes. While students are quietly working on math problems or reading, Ill play the song in the background. It is important that they listen to the song played as perfectly as possible which means a digital or professional track of the song is much better that listening to someone who is only still learning to play the song. If listened to enough, the song will become familiar and easily recognized.
The second step is to read the music. At first a student will have to look up notes on a note guide, but with practice this will become automatic. Finding the notes can be easy if note guides are clear and easy to use. Any music shop will offer a variety of choices.
The third step is the most obvious one; playing the instrument. When an instrument is played, it should be played along with an accompanying CD or experienced player. This will help the student play in tune and in rhythm. Repeated playing along with a model version of the song will encourage a high level of skill.
These steps will take a student down the path to being a skilled musician. As many parents already know, the gift of music will last a lifetime.
Darren Michalczuk is the founder of the Brick School. He is an experienced classroom teacher who has developed many programs and resources for math, language and music. The Brick School offers quality educational posters, programs and worksheets online for elementary language arts, math and music. Materials are designed to promote effective learning strategies in an easy to understand, straight-forward format. They offer both practical solutions to learning problems and leading edge technology and techniques. It reaches both struggling students and those who need extra challenges in class.With the latest software and leading edge learning strategies, our materials are paving the way for learning. User-friendly programs give students instant feedback while they practice important basic skills. Lessons and study guides also include proven learning strategies and memories techniques. Please visit our website.\r http://brickschool.ca
Homeschool Lessons Made Easy - The Importance of Learning for the First Time
There is a First Time for EverythingThe first time a student learns a skill is the most important. This is the time when the path for learning is established. There are many examples of this. When we accidentally call someone by the wrong name, our mind will always go back to the time we thought a persons name was Dale when it is actually Dave. We often spell the same words wrong over and over and have to make an effort to spell them correctl...
Homeschool Math Lessons: The Secrets of Learning: Give Them the Answers
Give Them the AnswersTo help struggling students succeed, we need to give them the answers. This goes against our desire as teachers to keep the answer key hidden from them as if it were a sacred chalice or holy grail that we must protect. The truth is that students do better when they have access to the answers. Remember that most of our time spent in the classroom should be teaching, not testing. On those few occasions when we need to measu...
Homeschooling - How To Maintain Discipline?
Homeschooling provides both yourself and your child with immense levels of freedom, and there will be temptation to stretch this freedom. Certain rules and practices need to be implemented at the beginning stages. If your child is too young to take an active part in the decision, set aside a few hours of the day for the various activities, and stick to it. Without a distinct plan, it will become easy to neglect your overall goals. If your child i...
Homeschool Math Lessons Made Easy - The Secrets of Learning - Understanding Math Games
Math GamesGames can be very effective tools for teaching math to elementary students, especially if they are designed properly. Those who are familiar with the game of Cribbage know how quickly you can learn to add numbers up to 15. A game that is fun enough to be repeated over and over again can give a student a chance to practice their skills. If played enough, these skills can become automatic. Learning basic skills for math can be fun rat...
Homeschool Lesson Plans Made Easy - The Secrets of Learning - Focus Your Attention
Secret Two: Focus on the IdealYou get more of what you focus on.For anyone who has been in a kindergarten class, it is clear that what you focus on increases. If you tell someone to stop running, you will be repeating yourself over and over again. If you tell a child to stay away from the toys, other children will instantly be drawn toward them. If you ask a girl to stop talking, youll be telling most of the girls and boys to stop talking. Wh...
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Home Schooling Resources |
23 August, 2008
Making the Decision to Learn from Home.
Although it has been a predominant form of education throughout history, many people consider homeschooling to be a new concept. They might be surprised to learn that our Founding Fathers were educated at home. A homeschool once only included the idea of parents assuming the responsibility of educating their own children. Today, the modern homeschool has evolved to include the use of computers and other technically-advanced equipment that simulate the real classroom in a household setting. Online homeschools cater to the needs of elementary, junior high and high school students.
Benefits of Homeschooling
1. Low Teacher-to-Student Ratio - With anywhere from 15 to 35 students in a class, teachers in a traditional classroom have limited time to give students one-on-one attention. When students are homeschooled, they have a greater chance of getting the individualized attention they need. Teachers can focus on one student at a time.
2. Instant Feedback - When students participate in a homeschooling program, they can get immediate feedback regarding their assignments, quizzes and exams. Likewise, they can let their teachers know if they do not understand a concept or need extra help. There is two-way communication.
3. Customized Curriculum - Homeschooling allows students to get an education that is tailored to their needs. For those students requiring extra help or needing additional challenges, they can participate in a homeschool curriculum that focuses on specific areas. A customized curriculum also enables them to set their own pace. They can navigate a lesson as slow or quick as they choose.
4. Less Distractions - Homeschooling programs enable students to solely focus on the task at hand. They can pay 100% attention to their studies, without any worries, social distractions or pressures of a regular school setting. When students learn at home, they can also schedule their classes to suit their schedule.
5. Time Management - At home, students can sit down and get right to work. There is no wait time before they can read a lesson or start an exercise. They are no longer bound by a school schedule as a teacher performs role call, attends to another student or handles a discipline problem.
6. More Flexibility - Learning in a home environment enables students to have greater flexibility than in a traditional classroom. They can set their own schedule. If they want to study or take their tests at night, they have the freedom to do so. Families can take a vacation in the middle of the week, or use their kitchen for a chemistry lesson. The possibilities are endless!
Homeschooling provides people with an option to traditional educational methods. Whether students are homeschooled by their parents or take homeschooling online, they can be in charge of their education and make decisions about what is best for them. They have the freedom to create an education that is customized to their needs. It provides them with choices.
For information on high school homeschooling or additional homeschool resources, please visit www.alliedhighschool.com
Heather Brunson is copywriter and editor for Allied Business Schools.
The Benefits of Homeschooling
I am the product of successful homeschooling. After completion of my high school courses I went on to college, where I excelled in my studies to such a degree, that I was on the deans list. I have now been teaching for 16 years. I began teaching at 16 by assisting my mother in the schooling of my sisters, brothers and other children. Later I taught at a private school until I had my own children.I started to homeschool my own children at young ag...
The Legal Requirements For Home Schooling
Homeschooling has become a popular type of education in the past few years. Parents can educate their child in their own homes, free to set their own study schedule and education curriculum.If you are planning to home school your child, it is important you know the legal requirements for homeschooling in your state before proceeding.Currently in the united states, homeschooling is legal in all 50 states. However each state has their own requireme...
How To Start Homeschooling?
Choosing to homeschool your child is not an easy decision. There are many considerations to keep mind when deciding to go the homeschool route.So how do you get started after you have made the decision to go homeschooling?Here are the list of things you might want to find out and prepare before even starting your first homeschooling session.1) Homeschooling RequirementsEach state in the US have their own homeschooling requirements. So be sure to ...
Free Homeschooling Curriculum
Most people think homeschooling is expensive and is only for the well off. Homeschooling need not be expensive, for example free homeschooling curriculum materials can be obtained quite easily if you know where to look.Free homeschooling curriculum does not just means a set of books but more than that, it should be part of your homeschooling plan.Here are some points to take note when choosing a homeschooling curriculum.1) Your childs homeschooli...
Guide To Homeschooling: How To Start With Homeschooling
To homeschool or not to homeschool is a tough choice a parent has to decide on. And once the decision of homeschooling your child has been made, the next step is to start homeschooling and to start it right.Let us say for example that given the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling, after having considered the amount of work, creativity and patience it requires from the parent, you decide that homeschooling is, indeed, what your child ne...
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Home Schooling Resources |
23 August, 2008
Any first time homeschooler can recount the details of their first homeschool convention. Some may have wonderful experiences, but the many that I have come into contact with, come away feeling hopelessly overwhelmed and confused by the availability of choices. The families who go to homeschool conventions and come away with the right fit or mix of curriculum normally have a well thought out plan.
Perhaps you are the type of homeschooling parent who does not attend homeschool conventions. Possibly you prefer to order your homeschool curriculum from various catalogues that you request by telephone, mail or over the internet. Here you are selectively contacting those curriculum providers that you feel will best suit your needs.
You could possibly be part of a third group the homeschooler who enjoys surfing the web and sifting through the maze of homeschool curriculum advertised on line. This was where I found myself about 10 years ago. Not being in a country where annual homeschool conventions were the norm all those years ago, I needed a strategy to survive the curriculum hunt.
Here are my top 8 tips for choosing the right curriculum for your family, whether online, via catalogue or at a homeschool convention.
Tip no 1 Know your children well.
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Here I am not talking about learning styles. This is knowing their particular bent their interests, their heart, their hopes and dreams.
Tip no 2 - Family focus
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Here you consider what you as a family are about. Are you a missionary family? Are you a family with special needs children? Perhaps you want to travel more. All these issues need to be taken into account.
Tip no 3 - Learning styles
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Knowing your childrens learning styles (and your teaching styles) is an important consideration but it should not be the only thing that you consider when purchasing curriculum.
Tip no 4 - Long term goals
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What are your long term goals for your family? What are your childrens goals for their own lives? The answer to this question may only become clearer as your children get older. But if you desire that your children are self employed then you would look for curriculum and resources that aid you in this goal.
Tip no 5 Cost
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This is an important factor. While there are many homeschooling families who feel alright with photocopying and borrowing material, I have never thought it fair to rob others of their income. This does not mean that buying a homeschool curriculum need to bankrupt you, but planning in advance can make all the difference if you know what your budget is.
Tip no 6 Philosophy
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Research what homeschool philosophy appeals to you. There are a large number of differing schools of thought. Briefly they are: Literature Based, Unit Study, Textbook, Unschooling, Accelerated, Catholic, Classical, Delight Directed and Charlotte Mason.
Tip no 7 - Time available to mom
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This is an important factor to take into consideration. Do you have lots of children? Perhaps you work part time? Do your children pursue lots of activities and have other co-op classes? These need to be thought through as you prepare to purchase any curriculum.
Tip no 8 Know your childs preferences and weaknesses
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Part of choosing curriculum is finding the right tools to build up your children in their weaknesses so that they achieve an acceptable standard. It is also good to have a general knowledge of all scholarly disciplines, but this is not necessarily the only goal. Make sure you also choose things in which your child can delight in.
Finally before starting out to the homeschool convention, surfing the net or sending out catalogue request, be sure that you have prayed about your choices, sought your husbands counsel and that you have your guidelines in place. Happy curriculum hunting.
Submitted by Wendy Young from http://www.homeschool-curriculum-for-life.com\r
Wendy is a homeschooling mom to four children aged 12 to 5. They have always homeschooled. She has been married for 17 years and seeks to serve God in all she does.
Tips on Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum
Now that youve made the choice to homeschool your child, youre faced with thousands of curriculum choices. How do you know what is right for your family? Here are some tips to help narrow down your choices and guide you to the best curriculum for your child.Consider your objectivesThink about why you chose homeschooling. What is the most important benefit in your estimation? Are you concerned about the quality of your childs education? Do you wan...
Free Homeschooling Curriculum
Most people think homeschooling is expensive and is only for the well off. Homeschooling need not be expensive, for example free homeschooling curriculum materials can be obtained quite easily if you know where to look.Free homeschooling curriculum does not just means a set of books but more than that, it should be part of your homeschooling plan.Here are some points to take note when choosing a homeschooling curriculum.1) Your childs homeschooli...
Homeschool Lesson Plan
Homeschool lesson plan can be something you come up with. Depending on the state in which you live, this can vary. Some states will require you to follow a public school system lesson plan, while other states let you homeschool as you see fit. You first need to check with the local school board and see if there are requirements or if you have the freedom to teach as you see fit. But if you still need help with a homeschool lesson plan, then there...
Homeschooling and Working From Home
Many work at home moms homeschool their children, as do many mothers who work outside the home both full time and part time. If you believe homeschooling is the right thing to do for your family, you can make it happen.Heres why. There really is no right or wrong way to homeschool. Theres no right or wrong time of day to homeschool. There is no right or wrong time of the year to homeschool. We all do what works best for our own families. The meth...
Homeschooling Statistics: Numbers Do Not Lie
Homeschooling statistics show the obvious advantages of homeschooling. In fact, any form of home schooling, whether it is Christian homeschooling or even homeschooling online with homeschooling software, research shows that all homeschooling programs will benefit children greatly. Read further and see just how much homeschooling will help a child.The Homeschooling AdvantageStatistics show that a student who is partaking in homeschool will outpe...
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