Posted in Homeschool
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Bringing back a popular topic this time of year......
Starting a new school year is sometimes filled with high levels of enthusiasm and high levels of trepidation too....and that's just the average mother's state of mind! What can we as mothers do to encourage highly effective school years for our children? I'm starting my seven ideas just off the top of my head. But please join me, in encouraging one another, as we start the new school year. Add your seven ideas to your blog and leave a comment here so we can visit your blog too.
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The Seven Habits of Highly Effective New School Years:
Just for fun, mine is organized as a "literature approach":
1. Plot: Talk about the year ahead and the goals you and your child might have. Prioritize the goals to establish how time will be spent toward meeting them.
2. Setting: establish a learning-friendly environment. Be sure your student has all the supplies needed to complete their work, keep their work organized, and a work area supportive of their learning style.
3. Motivation: model enthusiasm and curiosity for learning in your own everyday life.
4. Conflict: minimize distractions to learning whether it be TV, extrinsic activities or noise, and any type of "time-waster".
5. Character: Teach virtues, manners and positive character traits as lessons more important than grades and getting ahead in the world.
6. Climax: plan to celebrate successes along the way. Outward affirmations from mom are often most meaningful.
7. Resolution: Rewards for high levels of effort, work ethic and academic progress at the end of the year are not bribes in my book. The corporate world is merit-based...offer your kids a concrete reward for a job well done. Visit participants at: Perspective From the Trail Less Traveled Related Tags: Seven Habits, planning, school |
Posted in Homeschool
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This week , instead of school shopping for the kids, I purchased my own new school book. I'm taking an online course called The Exceptional Child.
This course will focus on the following children: the mentally impaired, the gifted, the visually impaired, the hearing impaired, the emotionally disturbed, the speech impaired, the physically impaired, the health impaired, and those at risk. Each area of study will include a historical background, a study of characteristics, nonbiased assessment methods, and information about specialized services and educational adaptations. I'm taking the course for personal growth and curiosity....it bridges my past experiences as an RN and my current experiences as an educator. I finished my master's degree in 1991 and haven't taken a college course since then. I guess I'll find out whether I prefer reading/grading papers or writing papers! My kids may soon be attempting a few online college courses, so I thought I would explore the experience and technology platforms firsthand. We'll get a glimpse of how many hours/week need to be dedicated to online coursework, in addition to the technology requirements. Anyone else have experience with online college coursework? |
Posted in Homeschool
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The kids and I are on our way to the Illinois Catholic Homeschool Conference.
The kids are looking forward to the Teen Track and I'm happy for some inspirational talks too. I'll report on the conference when we get back. |
Posted in Homeschool
 Draft of co-op class: playing with c-mapping tools for the first time. |
Posted in Homeschool
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Our own Concert Youth Chorale visited Indianapolis to share a concert with the infamous Indianapolis Children's Choir. The kids really enjoyed performing for one another.
My daughter and son both sing in the Concert Youth Chorale. My daughter also accompanies the choir on flute for a piece in their repertoire.
But it wasn't all work and no play! We stayed at this hotel....FUN for all!
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Posted in Homeschool
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Focus on the Family hosts a panel discussion about homeschooling.
Sign petition in defense of homeschooling. |
Posted in Homeschool
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Math Team 2008
Our homeschool boys blew away the competition at the MathCounts chapter competition. They took the top individual places and dominated the Countdown Round. The young man holding the trophy won the Countdown round (and it was his first competition). Last year I blogged about our homeschool math team's win. Two of the returning team members are my sons. Congratulation boys! And a big thank you to Denise at Let's Play Math, who has been their devoted tutor, coach and cheerleader.
Now it's time to prepare for the state MathCount's competition. Want to try your hand at Mathcount's problems? See how far you can get HERE! |
From left to right: 4th place (tie) winner, 3rd place , 2nd place and 1st place winners. All top four place winners are members of our homeschool math team, competing with several schools throughout our region. Their team placed 1st overall and will advance to the state competition in Chicago next month.
Hey Team....we forgot to put the coach in the photo! Posted in Homeschool
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Classical Conversations is coming to a town near us! A Classical Christian Homeschool Service Information Meeting February 28, 2008, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Christ Church, PCA 1301 North Linden, Normal, Illinois The Foundations Program is for children 12 and under. This simple, yet complete program enables a mother to teach her children to master a subject easily and efficiently. For 24 weeks, mothers and children meet at one location where the students are placed in groups of 8 by age/grade and taught to learn classically by a trained tutor. Students participate in art projects, science experiments, oral and written presentations, and in a rigorous memorization program. A parent must attend. Foundations Grammar Topics
World History, American History, Science, Geography, English, Latin, Math Foundations Projects
Music Theory, Art History, Composers, Drawing, Science Experiments, Presentations The Essentials Program is for 3rd -6th grade students who want an intensive Language Arts program. They meet from 1:00-3:00 each week after their Foundations Program. The Essentials program meets one day a week for 24 weeks each school year. The students spend 45 minutes studying English grammar, 45 minutes on a writing assignment from the Institute for Excellence in Writing, and 30 minutes of Math Slam, a fun way of drilling math facts. The Challenge Program is for students 12 and older. For 30 weeks, they study six challenging subjects at home. Then they practice dialectic & rhetorical skills in a weekly 6 hour program along with tutoring in math, foreign language, and complete science labs. Students also receive suggestions for improving their written work. We call each level a Challenge rather than a grade as we want students to be at the level they are prepared to study. For Further Information, visit our website at www.classicalconversations.com To RSVP for the above events, email Sandra Haney at classicaledu.bloomIL@yahoo.com You may also contact Kim Cromer, State Manager at kcromer@classicalconversations.com |
Posted in Homeschool
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This video cracked me up! Turn up your volume. |
Posted in Homeschool
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This is my 14 yo daughter's favorite conductor, Dr. Shaw. She has played under his direction in the local summer youth band program since 4th grade. Recently she auditioned for our city's Youth Symphony Orchestra. This is a special program for "highly motivated" high school kids. Last night she found out she made it! And so we celebrate with her today .... atta Girl! |
Posted in Homeschool
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Even good friends raise an eyebrow when I answer their questions about homeschooling through high school. My general answer includes our love of learning using excellent literature, especially the classics. Not only do our Illinois schools not promote the classics as ideal literature, some of our districts are pushing smut on our children. Related Tags: literature, reading lists
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