Daily Archive for "Friday, April 4th, 2008"



Home Kayley Kenzie on 04 Apr 2008

What to Look for in a Homeschool Curriculum

by Kayley Kenzie

Have you ever attended a homeschooling convention to choose homeschool curriculum? The experience can be quite refreshing, since it introduces you to the many possibilities available on the market.

On the other hand, it could leave you feeling more lost and overwhelmed than before you ever went.

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.

No matter how you choose to shop for your homeschool curriculum–whether it’s online, through a catalog, or a homeschool convention–there are some important things to keep in mind when you’re making your decision:

* 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.

* Know what your family is about. Is your family religious? Do your children have special needs? Would you like to do more traveling? When you choose a homeschool cirriculum, it is important to consider all these factors.

* 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 philosophy appeals to you when it comes to homeschooling? There are many different schools of thought when it comes to homeschool cirriculum philosophies. Some examples include unscooling, Classical, Christian, accelerated, literature-based, textbook, and unit studies.

* What are your time constraints? If you have a lot of children and also work part-time, it is important to take time into consideration. When you buy curriculum, you need to consider the time that you’ll also be putting into co-op classes and your child’s activities.

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.

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Home Dr. Noel Swanson. on 04 Apr 2008

Child Behavior: Consistency is a Virtue that Pays Rich Dividends

by Dr. Noel Swanson.

The importance of consistency in parenting can never be over-emphasized. It is the most essential requirement as far as child discipline is concerned. Any lapse will cause heavy damage in terms of reverting to bad behavior by the child. Yet, it cannot be denied that maintaining consistency is also the most arduous task. After all, parents are but human and children can sometimes drive you up the wall. Nonetheless, if you, as a parent, can get over the initial hurdles to being consistent, there are a number of benefits waiting for you.

You will need an unshakable determination to deal with children; children can be exasperating at times. They will test your will power. Older children will be defiant and younger ones will just not remember the rules. Your task is to go on repeating the same rules over and over again until they are well established. During the course of this drill, you may encounter sudden bursts that will catch you unawares and off guard. You need to be conscious of such moments and have a back-up strategy to deal with the unanticipated situation. Basically, you should be able to pre-empt your child’s moves and have a solution.

The younger the children are when you start and maintain consistency, the better. There are some steps that might help you get started on the road to providing consistency.

1. Sit down and communicate. This talk should be between parents and involve laying out a planned course of action for establishing child discipline. Take a look at areas where consistency is lacking and develop a plan for establishing consistency.

2. Don’t quit half way. The worse thing you can do as a parent when attempting to establish consistency in child discipline is to stop half way. You will have to start over from the beginning just like with any habit-breaking tactic.

3. Flexibility: There are no hard and fast rules of parenting. Parents learn as they go along all the time. So, don’t be afraid to change and adapt as the situation demands. Life can’t be lived by the book. Make changes in the action plan if you think it is not working.

4. Back each other up or have a support system. It is a good idea to have a support system. This can be a close friend, family member or professional who can provide objective parenting tips and view point.

5. Ask for parenting help, if you need it. No one knows everything about parenting. There isn’t a manual or how to guide. If you get stuck, ask around or do research.

Being consistent with child discipline isn’t easy. As parents, following the tips of sticking together, communicating, persevering, supporting and being willing to ask questions - you can establish a routine of child discipline that works for everyone.

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Home Kayley Kenzie on 04 Apr 2008

Texas Homeschool - Homeschooling the Texas Way

by Kayley Kenzie

Contrary to popular belief, it is perfectly legal to take your children out of public school and to teach them at home. However, there are some laws directed toward homeschooling and you should understand these before you begin teaching your children at home.

Education is not even discussed in the Constitution. The Department of Education is the entity that impacts the rules that govern educational services.

It is important to understand that each state creates and oversees educational laws of its own. From state to state, you could find great differences in the laws and practices.

Let’s say you wanted to establish a Texas homeschool, for example. The educational laws in Texas are relaxed. Parents just need to be sure they treat their homeschool as if it were a private school.

The only subjects that are required include reading, spelling, grammar, math, and good citizenship. There are no attendance requirements, no parental qualifications, no recordkeeping necessary, and no mandatory testing.

Even though homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, some states are easy-going like creating a Texas homeschool, while others are stricter. Some states demand state approval of your child’s curriculum and submission of student achievement test scores. Sometimes home visits are even required. In severe cases, one parent must be a certified teacher.

Over the past few decades, there have been many endeavors to discontinue homeschooling. There are many parents who fear the possibility of homeschooling to be illegal in the near future.

Fortunately, the courts continue to rule in favor of homeschooling. The history of homeschooling law gives us reason to be optimistic.

If you live in Texas and can enjoy the easy Texas homeschool requirements, you’ll still want to be informed of all the legal aspects regarding homeschooling in the state.

The Home School Legal Defense Association is the source of legal rights for homeschooling. The association, founded in 1983, fights battles for parents who want to protect the right to homeschool their children.

If you’re seriously thinking about teaching your children at home, don’t let the legalities intimidate or overwhelm you. It’s vital to learn all about your state’s laws and how they will affect your freedom to homeschool your children.

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Real Estate Shopateer Worldwide on 04 Apr 2008

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by Worldwide Publishing

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