Roadschooling Is Homeschooling While Traveling
March 3, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Roadschooling is a fairly new idea - combining travel and homeschooling. Homeschooling has now been accepted as a successful and effective way of educating children, and parents are getting creative in how they approach it. Many parents are now opting to take their children on the road and are taking advantage of educational opportunities throughout the world.
Roadschooling is typically managed by a parent while traveling full time. It provides lots of opportunities for hands-on, personal experience in learning environments. Roadschooling parents must deal with the same regulations homeschooling parents do, so be sure to check the laws in your home state. In some states, like Idaho, there are no regulations whatsoever. In others you’ll have to provide extensive documentation.
Education is not limited to classrooms only and does not have to occur only between 8 and 3. Roadschooling families have learned to take full advantage of that fact and have made learning a lifestyle. When you visit a battlefield in Pennsylvania, learn about the Civil War. When you watch ships pass through the Panama Canal, study the physics involved in raising and lowering the water levels in the locks. Learn about geology and erosion at the Grand Canyon.
Each family will take their own unique approach to roadschooling, depending on the parents, children, and circumstances. For some families, a more rigid, structured approach works best. These parents plan out units well in advance, know which historical sites they’ll visit, which books they’ll read, and what writing skills they’ll work on. Other families find a more relaxed attitude works better for them. They provide lots of unique experiences for their children and expect the kids to learn what they need to know.
Regardless of the approach you take for the education of your children, roadschooling is the best education your children will ever have!
Learn more about traveling with children. Stop by Nancy Sathre-Vogel’s site where you can find out all about extended travel and how it can work for your family too.
Speed Reading
February 24, 2010 | Leave a Comment
What have you been reading lately? At a meeting, you can soon see who the broad-spectrum readers are, since wide readers are often quick thinkers and good public speakers too. They quickly win the adulation, respect, and fellowship of others. After all, reading expands the mind and many people see it as one of the most satisfying pleasures known to mankind, being a combination, as it is, of mental agility and physical relaxation well above the level offered by television or the cinema.
The act of reading is primarily a mental activity, since you read with your mind and use your imagination to paint the storyline of the action thriller you are reading. You use your mind to imagine the pain that the characters in the story are experiencing as the plot unfolds; or you contemplate the various arguments and ideas introduced by the author of that self-help book you are studying.
Being able to read effectively helps you to develop an extensive vocabulary through reading different styles of books. A skillful reader recognizes a wide range of vocabulary. The reader may not know exactly what every word means, but he/she will have a good idea of what the sentence means.
The act of reading makes you more aware and more interested in new words. Some readers even develop ‘the dictionary habit’, which means that every time they come across a new word, they attempt to work out what it possibly means from the context. If they are stumped, they refer to a dictionary.
In the same way, reading develops intellectual curiosity by exposing you to different subjects. You learn to read by reading books of increasing difficulty and variety. Just as in other forms of education, you are learning by actually doing and while you are reading you are automatically learning about the subject matter of the book too - like a free by-product!
Reading trains you to have an active and open mind. Just grasping the writers idea is not really good enough, you must have a reply to what you read. Be an active, not a passive, reader. Try to develop the habit of drawing your own conclusions, the habit of active thinking, of agreeing or disagreeing with the writer. Always keep your mind open; understand and weigh the ideas that you read. A practical part of active reading is the development of one’s own conclusions.
Now let me introduce you to the idea of speed reading. All of the above applies three, four, eight, nine, even ten times over, because speed readers can read that much faster than the average reader! Imagine that … being able to read, comprehend and remember all those books. You would certainly become well-read in your subject far more quickly than others. Just think how that could help you at work or in school or college …
Let me share four primary rules for effective reading and better comprehension:
1) Try to read more and more every month. Remember the saying that practice makes perfect. 2) Develop the habit of reading for main ideas, ie look for the subject and predicate - the main ideas 3) Learn to read with focus and concentration. Think of what you are reading. Good readers read with understanding. 4) Learn to budget your time. Experiment with your reading time. Try purposely to read faster. Give yourself a time limit on a specific article that you are reading.
Reading is a fantastically stimulating mental activity. It expands your reality and capability. You have so much to gain in discovering the joys of reading. So, go ahead and take down a book right now.
Are you interested in speed reading for yourself or a dear one? If so, please hurry over to our website called Speed Reading.
Make Math Fun: Things To Do To Give Your Child Extra Help
February 23, 2010 | Leave a Comment
When looking in educational forums where parents can share their concerns, they will probably find the question, “Is there any advice on what to buy for my child who needs help with math?” For a parent this can be anxiety producing as their desire for their child to do well is mixed up with the helplessness felt when not knowing what to do. This is complicated even more by the natural desire a parent feels to keep home a safe place. This article will explore three ways to make math fun and simultaneously provide that extra practice you child needs .
One simple way to make math fun is to start early, when they are young, and involve the child in those everyday situations that use math. This is not a drill opportunity, but a way to use math, so if they still need a multiplication chart, let them use it. One common situation is when you are baking and need to double the recipe. Ask your child how much flour or butter to use. When you have children help you fix a meal, you can use basic math vocabulary and ask them to use 3/12 of the ice cube tray to put in iced tea. That will also work with eggs, hot dog buns or anything like that. By simply using math terms in every day conversations, it will give the extra exposure without making a big deal.
Another way to give extra practice at home and still make math fun, is to use the flash cards the teacher sends home, or tells you to buy, when playing board games. Play a favorite board game that involves a spinner or rolling dice. Roll the dice. Before moving, the child must read that number of fact cards. Be sure they state the entire problem, not just the answer. There are also printable math board games available to buy that can be covered with an acetate sheet or laminated.
Parents can also create some fun packets of game-like worksheets that their child can use while waiting in the dentist’s office, for a sibling’s practice to finish or while riding in the car. These worksheets should be challenging but fun riddles, puzzles or even some patterns and designs that can be found online, stored on the computer and printed as needed. These are simple ways to provide extra help and to make math fun without making it look like punishment and creating a fuss.
There is a good reason there were no suggestions for computer games. Kids already spend a lot of time at the computer, so pencil and paper games will be something different. In addition, they can work at their own pace and not feel the pressure that many computer games provide by not letting you move on to a new game until you meet a speed requirement. Use these suggestions to begin to make math fun at home and provide much needed extra fact practice.
Learn more about how to Make Math Fun. Stop by Sue Fegan’s site where you can find out all about Making Math Fun and look for some free teaching tips on creating a fun classroom.
Things For Parents To Consider About Preschool And Their Child
January 16, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Preschool is a very important time in your child’s life. This is a time for them to learn some independence from you. As parents it can be difficult to let our babies grow up but it is not something we can stop so we must adjust. Some parents do not realize it but they are likely to have just as hard a time as their child on the first day at your Frisco preschool. It can be difficult to leave your kid for the first time and it will be just as hard for your child to let you leave them.
You may want to prepare yourself for a tantrum or at least some crying. I’m sure this will make leaving your child even harder but you must do it. When your child becomes upset and starts to cry if you simply take them home and do not leave them they will start to believe that is all it takes to for them to be able to go back home. When children start liking preschool they would still much rather be home with their parents. You should be prepared to be strong. Simply tell your child how much you love him or her and that you will see them soon.
You may find that telling your baby this with dry eyes is quite difficult when they are crying and asking you not to leave. After you leave the preschool feel free to call as many times as you like to check up on your baby to see if they are calming down.
After a little time has past and your little one is still upset then by all means go get them. They wont associate this with their crying so you should be safe from that. Usually the second day is better for most children and parents. Do not worry if your little one is still crying it will get better shortly.
Usually by the end of the week most children are adjusting nicely and you should be able to leave your little one without much crying. Some children may cry on occasion when they get dropped off but the initial screaming and tantrum throwing should die down after the first week.
It is perfectly normal for children to not be happy when first starting a preschool. If your child continues to be unhappy with the preschool it may be time to look at other options. You should do something to change the situation if you think your little one is still unhappy after some time has passed. You know your little one and what things upset them.
They are not use to being separated from you especially not for the whole day. If this is too much for your child you may want to consider a preschool that only goes for half a day. This could help them to adjust before being away from you the entire day.
There are parents that have found that even if they do not work it can be beneficial to have their children attend daycare one or two days a week for a few short hours. This helps them to adjusted to the idea of being left for an entire day without you. Finding out what works for your kid is important before it gets to be time for them to start kindergarten. The law requires that all children attend school so if your little one is not happy you can not just pull them out.
Learn more about Frisco preschool. Stop by Julie Jones’s site where you can find out all about daycare and what it can do for you.
Homeschooling Pros and Cons
January 10, 2010 | Leave a Comment
If you are considering homeschooling, it is important for you to gather as much information as you can. This decision is going to impact your entire family. Below I will discuss the pros and cons of homeschooling.
First you need to evaluate your knowledge base and your teaching skills. Will you be able to teach your children everything they would learn in any other school? Lots of people feel comfortable homeschooling young children but are out of their depth when their children reach middle school. Some parents are knowledgeable about advanced subjects but have no idea how to teach so that children can understand. You must honestly review your strengths and weaknesses.
Another consideration is time. It can take a lot of time to plan lessons, acquire needed materials, and correct your child’s work, not to mention the daily “classroom” time. Can you afford to quit your job to do this? Do you want to spend so many hours per day in such close proximity to your little darling? If not, this does not make you a bad parent! We all have different needs for personal time.
Finally, you need to realize that the lifestyle of your whole family will change. When you give up your employment, you will also give up your colleagues. If you take your children out of their present schools, they will no longer see their friends every day. There will be people who say you and your kids are weird!
But don’t be discouraged by all these negatives. Now let’s list some of the positives of homeschooling.
Choosing to homeschool your children does not have to isolate your family. You can find thousands of co-ops, support groups, and websites for homeschooling families. You can get together with local groups of homeschool parents to discuss ideas and questions, and to plan events, field trips, etc. You children will meet new friends with whom to play and study.
There are also loads of homeschooling curriculums that take the burden of planning off of you. Some are yearly program bundles and some are delivered to you weekly or monthly. The beauty of using these programs is that you can move through them at your own pace, depending on the needs of your child. Be sure to choose a program that includes a guide that gives you teaching instructions and an answer key.
Finally, parents who homeschool their children say that their relationship with their children are much closer than before and that it was the best decision they have ever made!
Looking to find the best deal on homeschool curriculum, then visit Homeschooling Choice to find the best advice for you.
Choosing A Secular Homeschool Curriculum
January 4, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Many people prefer to leave out the teaching of God from their home school curriculum. Choosing a secular homeschool curriculum may be the best solution for their child. This way the child is being taught not from religious doctrines, but on other material.
As there are many different Christian curriculums you can find just as many that are secular homeschool curriculum for your home scholar. But you also need to decide what sort of program you want, do you wish for them to learn off a CD. Or maybe you want to get textbooks instead and have them do home school that way.
Decide if you want to have your child learn about religion in general including other religions from around the world. Or do you want them to have nothing with religion mentioned in it. At times it may be best to try and include a bit of religion into your homeschool program.
Depending on how you wish your child to be taught will make a difference in choosing which secular program you want your child involved in. Many homeschooling products and textbooks can be found online at various websites. You can either purchase them on sale at discount prices, used, or even at full cost while they are new.
As long as you make sure that you’re getting all the different areas that are needed for study you should be able to set up a very good program. Make sure that you’ve checked the state laws to see what curriculum is needed for your state.
Find out where tests will need to be completed, either at the school or possibly another location and what you will need to do to help your child prepare for them. There are many support groups that provide assistance and answers to frequently asked questions for new homeschooling parents as many parents are choosing this schooling route.
It won’t hurt to start researching for the perfect homeschool curriculum choice for your child now.
Want to find out more about Homeschooler Reviews, then visit Stacy McDonald’s site on how to choose the best konos homeschool curriculum for your needs.
Improve Your Typing Skills With Typing Games
December 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Typing games of different approach are now getting more and more popular especially in the internet. It is being used by many individuals to hone their typing skills. This is because of the fact that games of this kind are so interesting to play with and makes it easier to learn and enhance typing skills in a much entertaining manner. It is indeed a good way to enhance your typing skills.
It is not anymore hard to look for typing games that will perfectly fit for the kind of personality you got. It is important to look for this kind of software for it to work the way you want it for you. It should be that way in order to ensure having your money’s worth for having it.
You should therefore look for typing games that would not cost you much but are equally efficient and entertaining like the ones which are on the high end lists. After all, learning and having fun are two different things that also go along together well. It is pretty important to have this kind of typing games so you will truly learn while having fun.
Studies even showed that having fun with some educational stuff that is entertaining is one of the best and fastest ways to learn things the easy way. This is probably the premise of many educational games that are now proliferating in the market just like the now becoming famous typing games. Learning a thing can be boring hence, it must be done in an entertaining manner like playing games while you are in the process of learning something.
If you already know the basics of typing these games could further enhance your skills as you are having fun with it. You do not have to worry about spending much on it as mostly these are inexpensive. Learning while having fun at the same time is basically the concept to deal with for having typing games. Hence, if you wish to learn or further enhance your skills in typing try to maximize the powers of typing games.
You will find that through learn to type software; learn to type is as easy as ABC. You enhance your speed in typing and at the same time, learn to use the correct fingers when typing. You can also derive other software that suits what you really need like educational software.
Learning German Has Never Been So Easy
November 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment
The well known Fairfield Language Technologies has developed new language software that can help you learn how to speak the German language in no time at all. It is called Rosetta Stone and its ease of use and high quality ensures that anyone will feel comfortable using this program. Just few a minutes a day is all it takes to learn German and speak it fluently by using Rosetta Stone!
Before You Begin
In order to empower the learner in an effective manner, the Rosetta Stone German program uses a distinct concept to teach the student how to speak German with ease and great understanding. This program uses the connection between images and words. Through the preview availability you are able to be aware of the goals placed before you begin each lesson in this program to get you a fair idea of what to expect. In several videos of German lessons and classes, the features of this “Learn German” software are shown in in-depth detail.
Repetition and practice are key pedagogical principles in all learning, but most especially in language acquisition. For students who want to learn German, one program that stresses these principles is the “Learning to Speak German” series produced by Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta Stone’s reliance on German tutorials provides a unique advantage to this competitively-priced language teaching software.
High Recommendation
Big thumbs up to this German language program overall. It has a speech recognition program included with the package which is also one of the great things about this German language software program. What makes this program a hit is the fact that it contains writing, grammar, audio and visual images. On your computer the program is fairly easy to install. In whatever way, the means of support for this software is excellent. This software program’s self-help menu covers its bases along with a limited paper manual. In this German learning language software program an easy-to-access help button is present on every screen and there is also a toll-free number and email address for live support.
Other Things to Note
This program has plenty of advantages and hardly any drawbacks. For instance, it’s hard to find better speech-recognition software. On the downside, the manual is not very thorough, a headset is unfortunately not included, and you need to use two discs rather than just one to install and then run the Rosetta Stone German software package. However, these problems can be surmounted without much trouble. The purchase of a separate headset will allow you to use the program to its fullest extent. Alternative means of support, despite the subpar manual, are outstanding. And while the use of a single disk instead of two would have been an improvement, it results in very little inconvenience.
Miriam Price has had a marked interest in various languages and language software programs for many years. For further information, notably on the Rosetta Stone German Tutorial and other Learn to Speak German products, visit her online web site today.
Educating your Adopted Child at Home
November 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Two summers ago, as we struggled to parent our newest family members I never would have guessed that I would have the time, much less the inclination to write an article about home schooling adopted kids in just two short years. However, because of the techniques we’ve learned from books such as “Beyond Consequences, Logic and Control”, and “The Connected Child”, seminars like the one we attended in February of 2007 with Juli Alvarado, and the incredible support and prayers of our family and friends-our family has stabilized and our home has become a haven instead of a war zone.
One of the biggest challenges (but also one of the biggest joys) I’ve ever attempted is home educating my three children. At the ages of 11, 9, and 8 a big mountain to climb is teaching not only to their intellectual ages, but also to their emotional ages, which can change from day to day and sometimes even hour to hour. My key phrase these last few years is “routines with flexibility” because that is the secret to teaching to a child’s developmental needs without sacrificing academic content. I will be giving you a glimpse into what that looks like and sharing some curriculum choices we’ve made that have been integral in helping our special needs kids thrive.
So how does a person maintain consistency while still remaining flexible? Control can be a big issue here for a parent because adopted children are so needy, they can often “take over” in a sense and it leaves us parents feeling like we need to excersise some authority! Alternately, it can leave us in a constant state of pacificity, trying to placate a child that never seems happy. And being the parent and the teacher can make these tug of wars seem even more daunting. You have to have a plan to combat this.
Become a student of your children. Observe their habits, their preferences, and try to shape your routine around those observances. If you have a late riser–don’t worry! You don’t have to mold them into the employee of the month just yet. Get things done with your other kids in the morning while that child sleeps and then be ready with a cheery smile when they emerge on the day. Figuring out how your kids tick will go far in helping you to prevent severe behaviors and will also promote healing. If you do that, you will make relationship your top priority and you will, by default, be able to educate them.
Teaching to a child’s emotional level when it may be changing on a daily basis is one of the hardest things to deal with in traumatized kids and one of the best reasons to homeschool them. Our family found the most effective way to approach this challenge is through unit study. Mom gets to plan one lesson for all the kids in the family to participate in and when your unruly child loses interest, let him play with legos while you move on with the others. Why beat a dead horse anyway? What child is going to learn once their attention span has been spent? We use Konos but there are others, like My Father’s World that are also good choices. If you want more information about specifics of what we use, you can sign up for my free mini-course below.
Generally speaking, my kids know what to expect from our days and this makes a huge difference in their attitudes and behavior. There are some basics that make up the skeleton of our days that don’t change much. Morning routines, mealtimes, reading aloud, rest time, and bedtime routines are all essential to a successful day. Other parts can be lengthened; shortened, changed around, or eliminated altogether if need be according to what is going on in our home at the moment. Our day isn’t regimented; it just has a flow to it.
Schooling all year helps this type of lifestyle tremendously. I don’t have to be concerned if we spend five days out of one month cuddling on the couch or recovering from meltdowns. Because I study them and make sure they are in the right “place” to learn, I can gauge how far I can push them and what subjects they can handle that day. Mainly, I’m trying to build trust, character, and teach them to be good readers. Eventually, the other things will fall into place when their brains have had time to recover from their experiences.
Sandra Nardoni is the home educating, adoptive parent to three children. She also does private consultation with homeschool families educating adopted children. For more information on home educating attachment challenged children visit the link for a free 5 part mini-course.
Online School
November 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment
You may have heard of the advantages of enlisting your child in an online school. You may also have considered enrolling your child in this kind of education. Today there are millions of people enrolled in some kind of online school and this option may be right for you too.
There are actually different kinds of online and virtual high schools. The online public schools are publicly-funded and are cheaper to residential clients. The best kind of online school is that which is affiliated with a university. Because they offer higher quality courses due to the support they receive from established colleges.
An online school has a lot of advantages. It offers a lot of flexibility, especially to students whose schedules are erratic and inconsistent because of their work (i.e. actors, singers and athletes). The students are allowed to learn at their own pace so they can either take more time to absorb their lessons, or they can go on a faster pace so they can finish sooner.
A virtual high school allows parents to take on a greater role in their child’s education. Several of these online schools allow students to work at their own pace. A slower pace so they can master the material at a speed they are comfortable with, or a faster pace so they can graduate earlier. Students are rarely held back by their class with online school.
Students who have unfixed schedules, like athletes or celebrities often take advantage of online schooling because of its flexibility. They are free to choose their study time for the day, as long as there is regularity and as long as they complete the required hours and homework.
But an online school has its flaws too, and does not benefit everyone. Almost all of the students who are enrolled in an online school tend to miss out on the peer interaction provided at a traditional high school. For some students this can have a great impact on their learning. The students of a virtual high school are also not given the opportunity to participate in athletic teams or join in clubs.
Now, if you believe that a virtual high school is the best option regarding your child’s education, take the time to study all the online schools on your slate. You’ll want to choose a properly accredit virtual high school so that you will not face any problems in the future.
You can choose an online school and search the internet for virtual high schools accredited in your region. If you want to save more money by choosing a public online school found at the state-by-state list of virtual high schools. Sooner or later, you will find a virtual high school that will suit you and your child’s needs best.
Attending an online school or taking classes over the internet is becoming more and more popular. Do your research and find out if a virtual high school is right for you.