Adding homeschool to your traditional school life

By Sarah Wilson / San Jose Homeschooling Examiner (CLICK to read more)

"Homeschoolers often incorporate aspects of traditional schooling into their curriculum. Whether it be workbooks, assigned reading, structured study time, or scheduled lessons, homeschoolers take what fits their child’s needs and adapt it accordingly.

So why can’t parents of traditionally schooled children do the same? The answer is, “They can!”

First, parents need to understand what homeschooling is not. It is not a simply explained teaching style. It is not an easily followed lesson plan. It is not something you 'do.'

Instead, it is a way of approaching learning that is impossible in a classroom setting crammed with 20 to 45 students. It is observing your child with the goal of understanding just how he learns. Some good articles can be found at A2Z Homeschooling. The point of this exercise is to figure out how your child needs information presented in order for it to stick. Perhaps she needs to gather it on her own. Or, he may need to experience it. Or, she may need to move around while hearing new information. Or, he may need to teach it to someone else.

Keep in mind that in order to maintain classroom management, children are often taught in one style. If a child doesn’t fit that style, she may create problems in the classroom or act out in other ways. If this is your story, you must look beyond what you’ve been told and really see your child. The schoolteacher is not the parent. The principal is not the parent. The school counselor is not the parent. The thick manila folder people keep slapping under your nose is not the parent. You are. Take some time to really learn what makes your child tick. It will make a world of difference in your lives together, homeschooling or not.

Parents always want how-to books to figure out this homeschooling thing. And there are loads of books out there to read. One good list is at A2Z Homeschooling (this is an excellent site). Another is on the Gifted Homeschoolers Forum site (many resources are not 'gifted specific). As your child is already in school with a curriculum being taught, do not bother with homeschooling curriculum books. The last thing a child who has been in school all day needs is more school."

Back to school shopping for an organized homeschool

By Jeanne Noorman / Grand Rapids Homeschooling Examiner

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"Plastic crates are inexpensive and portable storage for your homeschool books and curriculum.

We’ve all heard the saying, “A place for everything and everything in its place,” but what do you do when the everything outgrows the places?

Bookshelves and inexpensive plastic crates can become a homeschooler’s best friends, and now is the best time to buy them. With back to school and off to college sales going on, Meijers, Target, Walmart and K-Mart carry a wide assortment of shelves and school storage items, and the prices are reasonable, so if need be you can purchase several.

“The key to good organization is not a one-size-fits-all method,” says Karen Ehman, homeschool mom and author of The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized. While some homeschool families sell their used books each spring, it is common for homeschool families, especially those with children in multiple grades, to accumulate and keep a multitude of books from year to year."

Unraveling how children become bilingual so easily

Unraveling how children become bilingual so easily - Yahoo! News: "The best time to learn a foreign language: Between birth and age 7. Missed that window?

New research is showing just how children's brains can become bilingual so easily, findings that scientists hope eventually could help the rest of us learn a new language a bit easier.

'We think the magic that kids apply to this learning situation, some of the principles, can be imported into learning programs for adults,' says Dr. Patricia Kuhl of the University of Washington, who is part of an international team now trying to turn those lessons into more teachable technology.

Each language uses a unique set of sounds. Scientists now know babies are born with the ability to distinguish all of them, but that ability starts weakening even before they start talking, by the first birthday.

Kuhl offers an example: Japanese doesn't distinguish between the 'L' and 'R' sounds of English — 'rake' and 'lake' would sound the same. Her team proved that a 7-month-old in Tokyo and a 7-month-old in Seattle respond equally well to those different sounds. But by 11 months, the Japanese infant had lost a lot of that ability."

Office Deport CONTEST: Project Backpack

Here's a great way to keep an artistic kid busy this summer: Office Depot just launched a competition to design a backpack using Sharpie Markers. The winning entry will be produced and sold and there will be $10,000 in prizes.

Customers can enter the contest by creating a design on one of four Office Depot canvas backpacks that can be purchased ($14.99 each; available in blue, pink, olive and green khaki, that will include two free individual Sharpie markers of your choice) from a participating Office Depot store, or by downloading an official contest template from www.myprojectbackpack.com. After designing the backpack using Sharpie markers, participants can upload a photo or scanned image of their backpack to www.myprojectbackpack.com along with their official entry form.

The contest launches June 28th and all entries must be received by September 19, 2009.

VIDEO: Myths About Homeschoolers

Hilarious YouTube video put together by a couple homeschooled young ladies; very clever and entertaining AND definitely makes a good point! Nice job.