Homeschooling Curriculum - Have You Considered Sonlight? By Don Rodriguez

You have decided to teach your children at home. However, have you given thought to what curriculum you will adopt? This article will introduce you to Sonlight Homeschool which is worth considering, particularly if you want a Christian-based curriculum and homeschooling adventure.

According to its website, "Sonlight Curriculum is a Christian company specializing in literature-based homeschool curriculum programs" for preschool and grades K-12 and is based on what Sonlight's website describes as "Literature-rich homsechooling." By that designation is meant its textbooks tend to be filled with excerpts from literature, including movies and songs. Because of its dependence on literature, reading aloud to students is an essential requirement for parents who adopt this innovative curriculum. It would seem that such a requiremeYou have decided to teach your children at home. However, have you given thought to what curriculum you will adopt? This article will introduce you to Sonlight Homeschool which is worth considering, particularly if you want a Christian-based curriculum and homeschooling adventure.

According to its website, "Sonlight Curriculum is a Christian company specializing in literature-based homeschool curriculum programs" for preschool and grades K-12 and is based on what Sonlight's website describes as "Literature-rich homsechooling." By that designation is meant its textbooks tend to be filled with excerpts from literature, including movies and songs. Because of its dependence on literature, reading aloud to students is an essential requirement for parents who adopt this innovative curriculum. It would seem that such a requirement would make the homeschooling experience more time consuming. However, the school states that "Despite our emphasis on reading aloud to your children in the younger years, Sonlight takes a relatively small amount of time when compared to classroom school." It would have been more helpful if the comparison would have been made with other home schools.

This author reviewed several of the textbooks available through the school and noted that even in its American history text, it emphasizes God's providence in American history. Without a doubt, the school is true to its claim to offer a Christian-based curriculum.

Sonlight Homeschool also offers a wealth of information and resources to homeschooling parents. The school provides a website with numerous resources, including a parents' forum where parents can interact with each other as well as ask questions and share experiences. The school also offers materials to support homeschooling and while its textbooks and curriculum modules are designed to comply with minimum state requirements and more, this author did not see where the school advises parents on the requirements of laws in their particular states and thus parents will still need to join a homeschooling association to alert them to state law requirements for parents who teach their children at home.nt would make the homeschooling experience more time consuming. However, the school states that "Despite our emphasis on reading aloud to your children in the younger years, Sonlight takes a relatively small amount of time when compared to classroom school." It would have been more helpful if the comparison would have been made with other home schools.

This author reviewed several of the textbooks available through the school and noted that even in its American history text, it emphasizes God's providence in American history. Without a doubt, the school is true to its claim to offer a Christian-based curriculum.

Sonlight Homeschool also offers a wealth of information and resources to homeschooling parents. The school provides a website with numerous resources, including a parents' forum where parents can interact with each other as well as ask questions and share experiences. The school also offers materials to support homeschooling and while its textbooks and curriculum modules are designed to comply with minimum state requirements and more, this author did not see where the school advises parents on the requirements of laws in their particular states and thus parents will still need to join a homeschooling association to alert them to state law requirements for parents who teach their children at home.

If you would like more information about homeschool lesson plans as well as general information on homeschooling, please visit http://homeschoolingbasics.info

Keystone Homeschool - A High School For Today's Active Students By Don Rodriguez

Do you have an active teenager who is ready for high school? Think you are going to have a tough time finding a curriculum to interest your teenager? Is your high school aged child constantly using the B word (bored)? Then you should consider Keystone Homeschool, more properly named Keystone National High School, as your homeschooling school.

No doubt, one of the reasons you decided to home school your child is because you believed the school s/he was in was not keeping up with your child's interest and your child was not being challenged. You also probably did not like the fact that your child spent a lot of time waiting for other students to catch up. Well, meeting those concerns is one of the reasons that Keystone is reported to be the number one homeschooling high school in the USA.

Keystone promises to provide a curriculum which holds your child's interest while allowing your child to proceed at his/her own speed. The school has over 30 years experience offering a flexible and innovative approach to education which respects the values of parents who teach their children at home. In addition, the school doesn't just send you boxes of textbooks with lesson plans and leave you to the task of teaching your child. With two modes of delivery, correspondence or online, the school has certified teachers which assist you and your child. Further, you can choose from standard courses or honors courses or a combination of the two.

And, returning to your child's interests, in addition to the core classes, Keystone offers a host of electives, such as music appreciation and art. Keystone is fully accredited and allows your active teenager to earn a high school diploma which is widely recognized and in which s/he can be proud.

If you would like more information about homeschool lesson plans as well as general information on homeschooling, please visit http://homeschoolingbasics.info

Online Homeschooling - Something You Should Consider By Don Rodriguez

Deciding to homeschool your children does not mean you have to follow what the brick and mortar schools do in terms of the delivery of your educational content. Online homeschooling offers some compelling reasons why you should consider this mode of course delivery for your children. And one of the leaders in the field warranting your attention is CompassLearning.

CompassLearning provides online curriculum for preschool through eighth grade under the rubric of Time4Learning. According to its website, Time4Learning has been voted number one by homeschool.com and provides a unique, interactive experience for students. "Time4Learning's software is easy to use and is web-based so there is nothing to download and you can access it from any computer."This means your children are not confined to home but can go to libraries and other sites with an Internet connection.

Time4Learning provides ease of use, portability, and some degree of record keeping. Record keeping is critical in those states where annual progress reports are required for all children who are bing home schooled. Time4Learning promises to make those chores less cumbersome and confusing. Also, its curriculum is designed to comply with state mandated teaching requirements.

One of the great benefits of online homeschooling is it offers an innovative approach to teaching which allows parents to vary their teaching style and methodology so that their children's interest is kept fresh and active. Your children are not just reading books. They watch videos, participate in interactive exercises and have opportunities to express their creativity.

Another important advantage of web based learning is the avoidance of constantly having to buy new textbooks which have been updated, usually with only minor changes. Here updates are quicker and less costly.

CompassLearning provides a "risk free" money back guarantee to parents wishing to give their software a test drive. So what do you have to lose? If you are looking for an innovative, interest building curriculum for your children, then Time4Learning is well worth considering.

If you would like more information about homeschool lesson plans as well as general information on homeschooling, please visit http://homeschoolingbasics.info

Homeschool Program - How to Decide What's Right For Your Child By Don Rodriguez

You have decided to home school your child or children. No doubt, a lot of study, meditation, and consultations went into making this critical decision for your child's education. Unfortunately, your work is not done. Your next biggest decision is which homeschool program you will select for your child's education. Following are some important factors you need to consider in making a decision.

The first is which curriculum base you are most interested in using for your child. There are various curriculum sources: Montessori, religion based, classical, unit studies, Waldorf, to name a few. In conjunction with this consideration should be whether you will want a secular or religious-based education for your child. There are various choices within each category.

Next is whether you should acquire your textbooks from a school supplies store or sign up for a school and acquire your textbooks from that school. The first you make all the decisions as to which textbooks you will use and then order them. The latter offers certain textbook tracks and modules and you decide which one you will employ. However, the school will provide you with many more services and resources other than textbooks and thus there are compelling reasons for deciding in favor of a school from which to obtain your textbooks.

Finally, you want to give some thought to the ages of your children and the type of textbooks which are most appropriate for them at their particular age. Keep in mind that younger children learn differently than older children and so you might explore activities based textbooks for younger children and more critical thinking oriented for older children.

Once you have worked through the above concerns, you are now ready to consider the specific courses you will offer. That is a much easier task if you have done the above satisfactorily. No doubt, your state will require you to teach a core group of courses which ought to receive top priority. Only after making sure the basics are covered should you add other courses.

If you would like more information about homeschool lesson plans as well as general information on homeschooling, please visit http://homeschoolingbasics.info

Lifepac Homeschool Curriculum By Don Rodriguez

The Lifepac homeschool curriculum is a provider of Christian based curriculum for home schools which seek a more structured method of course delivery. The main focus of the curriculum is it's boxed sets of five core subjects: Bible, language arts, math, history and geography, and science. The courses come with tests to be administered by parents. There are also a number of additional courses available for being taught as electives so there would not be an urgent need to buy textbooks outside the system.

These five boxed sets of courses are the heart of the Alpha Omega home education curriculum, designed to be a complete track of courses for the entire 12 years of a child's secondary education experience. Its teaching methodology is primarily that of concept mastery in which a student masters one concept or topic before moving on to the next one. This mastery is assessed through the use of exercises, pre-tests, reviews, and examinations. Thus, both parent and student know at all times whether or not the student is making progress and to what degree.

There are also labs and independent projects to stimulate the student's interest and to help drive home the point of the lesson as well as allow both parent and student to be creative. Interestingly, some of the criticisms of the program are in this area as some parents complained the idea of boxed sets stifled creativity and was too rigid. Others complained they did not like the idea of having to proceed in a specified order of instruction. Nevertheless, there were just as many who praised the curriculum even if not with high enthusiasm.

If you are interested in a Christian based curriculum for your child, then you should consider Lifepac and give it a test drive. Its structured course delivery system might be just the right mix for you and your child.

If you would like more information about homeschool lesson plans as well as general information on homeschooling, please visit http://homeschoolingbasics.info

Save Time and Money With Free Math Worksheets By Debra Proctor

Why use free math worksheets? Easy. These worksheets can save you a lot of time and money and when you're a busy homeschool mom teaching several children, this means a lot.

Save Money

It's easy to see how free worksheets can save you money. If you want, you can skip buying math books and just use worksheets that you get for free on the internet. All you need to do is use a "scope and sequence" book that tells you what your child needs to be doing in math by age and grade. This book is essential when you homeschool.

I recommend getting one of these books when you first begin homeschooling and use it as a reference throughout your homeschool journey. Regardless of how long you homeschool, you'll always have doubts and questions about how your child is performing.A scope and sequence book can put your mind at ease.

Once you have a scope and sequence book, make a list of each area in math that he needs to work on for the school year.

For example for grades three and four, by the end of the year in subtraction, your child should be able to:

• Solve vertical and horizontal computation problems
• Review subtraction of 2 numbers whose sums would be 18 or less
• Subtract 1- or 2-digit number from a 2-digit number with/without renaming
• Subtract 1-, 2-, or 3-digit numbers from 3- and 4-digit number with/without renaming
• Subtract 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, or 5-digit number from a 5-digit number

When you have this list, begin searching online for free math worksheets that fit your child's scope and sequence for the year and the goals you have set for your child.

Save Time

Free worksheets not only save you money, they can also save you time. If you decide that it is best for your child to do worksheets especially tailored for his needs, by doing a little research for printable math worksheets found online, you don't have to make the worksheets yourself. This can save a lot of time. Worksheets aren't that difficult to make, but it can be time consuming.

So if you're a busy homeschool mom like me, save yourself a lot of time and money by using worksheets. For free math worksheets visit http://www.Home-Schooling-Haven.com

I'm a homeschool mom with 4 children and 16 years of homeschooling experience. I offer free advice and help for homeschooling families and am adding new worksheets and articles all the time to help you. Stop by for a visit!

Advantage of Homeschooling - Socialization By Randall Webster and Karen Webster

Homeschooling is an education option that is widely debated by comparing and contrasting it to public school. There are always two sides to every story, and there are many topics that always seem to come up in these discussions. This article will focus on one of the popular questions: socialization, by sharing our family's experience as it relates to this discussion.

Home school Kids Don't Have Socialization

This one pops up a lot. I find it hard to understand what people mean when they say this, or why it is usually the first thing they think of when the topic of homeschooling comes up. If they mean that sending your child to spend 8 hours a day with a bunch of kids their age in relatively unsupervised conditions is going to help develop their socialization skills, I am baffled even more.

Kids need much attention. When they are in a public setting, especially on their own, they feel the need for attention, but learn to seek it the way their peers do by example: whining, screaming, manipulation, hitting, etc. I'm not saying that my kids never whine, scream or hit, but we make it unfruitful for them to do so - they don't get what they want. To be consistent with denying their whining or screaming until they ask in a normal tone of voice or accept that no is your final answer may take 5 or even 15 minutes - for the immediate battle and a weeks to win the war. This requires a flexible environment that is rarely available in a public setting. Our experience is that being consistent in denying whining and screaming is that they quickly learn not to do it. Reinforcing this over time it then becomes a way of life.

In the public school setting kids are relatively unsupervised during activities such as lunch, recess, changing classes, gym class, bus trips, assemblies, etc. Anything goes to get what they want. They quickly learn that manipulation of various forms works to get the attention they seek. However, if they aren't one of the "group" they may suffer verbal and sometimes physical abuse that causes them to withdraw and not want to seek communication or relationship with anyone. It only brings pain. Kids can be so cruel to one another.

If you wanted your child to learn how to bowl would you send them to a group of kids their age, or would you seek a mentor who knew how to bowl? The skill of socialization is the same as any skill. They stand to learn a skill quicker and more complete when mentored by a few that are more mature in that skill. Kids learn more how to "survive" than how to properly socialize in a public school setting. They are more likely to get more loving, supportive attention at home than in a public setting. If you communicate with your kids in a truthful mature manner they will learn to get and receive attention the same way.

My wife and I both attended public schools growing up, and we have been enjoying the advantages of homeschooling our children for over 10 years. We understand that homeschooling is a choice, and that it is may not be for everyone. Hopefully this helped you see both sides more clearly. We hope to address some more of the debated questions in future articles by sharing more benefits to homeschooling.

Randall & Karen Webster have been enjoying the advantages of Homeschooling their 5 kids for over 10 years. For a FREE 5-part mini-course visit http://www.FrustrationFreeHomeschool.com

Homeschooling Kindergarten - What Do I Do All Day? By Heidi Johnson

Maybe you are just starting to think about homeschooling Kindergarten or maybe you just need some new ideas to keep from burning out on homeschooling or getting stale. If you realize that homeschooling is not rocket science, you can understand how to interact with your child in a simple and natural way and still help your child learn what he needs to know.

1. Reading and stories are always fun. If you don't have good books at home, a trip to the library always fuels a good amount of story time at our house. History is basically a collection of stories. Who says a Kindergartener can't learn about History from hearing stories in picture books? Adults can even learn a good bit about History from children's picture books.

2. Realize there are lots of ways to learn numbers and math. If you know your child's learning style or have some idea on how he learns best, you can use many fun methods to help your child enjoy math and still learn a ton. Some examples of learning about math could include: using flash cards, writing numbers, counting objects, playing with money, and playing games.

3. Learning how to read can be done many different ways. There are basically four phases of learning to read and your child might spend longer in one phase than another. Some programs work better for some children than others. Some children learn to read on their own with no program at all. Here again, learning style can play a role in how your child learns to read. If workbooks don't work, then sometimes flashcards or listening to CDs make reading click for some children.

4. Science is basically learning about how the world works. You can learn about Science by reading picture books, reading chapter books, doing experiments, cooking, taking a walk, and many other activities.

Stressing about getting a curriculum completed is not what homeschooling Kindergarten is all about. You know your child better than anyone. Think about how you have taught your child all the things you have taught him so far, and continue to apply that to Kindergarten homeschooling.

Check here for more ideas about Homeschooling Kindergarten.

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Homeschool using the Best Resources" at http://www.homeschool-how-to.com

Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

Homeschool Kindergarten - A Simple Natural Approach By Heidi Johnson

If you want to know how to homeschool a Kindergartner, you can start with some pretty simple thoughts and expand what you want to do with your child from there.

If you think back to your own Kindergarten experience you probably remember things like playing with play dough, learning to write your letters and numbers, and learning about the world around you.

Any child, including a Kindergarten child, learns best when using as many senses as possible. Many Kindergarten teachers know this and try to structure their classroom so that children can learn what they need to learn with lots of sensory stimulation.

When homeschooling, you have the advantage of being able to learn and enjoy things with your senses right along with your child. If you take into account your child's learning style, you can save yourself many years of frustration. By learning style , I mean, know how your child learns best. Some children learn best by filling out workbooks and some children learn best by doing experiments.

The main objective to remember when setting up a homeschool Kindergarten is to consider what is best for the child. Is it best for this child to have a structured curriculum with workbooks? Is it best for this child to listen to lots of good books with you or is it best for your child do something else?

You know your child best. Trust your judgement and instincts when deciding how you will approach your homeschool year. Some parents like having a homeschool kindergarten guide rather than a full homeschool curriculum.

Check here for more information about How to Homeschool Kindergarten with a Simple Natural Approach

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Homeschool using the Best Resources" at http://www.homeschool-how-to.com

Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

How to Homeschool Kindergarten By Heidi Johnson

When thinking about how to homeschool Kindergarten, you just need to think about your approach to education and what resources you are going to use. Once you know how you are going to homeschool and you have your resources in place, it's really a very simple age to teach.

Here are some of the basic supplies and resources you need to use for Kindergarten:

1. Paper and writing utensils. You should have all kinds of paper and writing utensils available all over your house readily available to your child. When there is a list to be made or a picture to be drawn, your child will be able to find those tools with ease.

2. Games - Children can learn many valuable skills from playing games. Make sure you plan some time each week for playing games with your child.

3. Reading. If you don't have a good supply of childrens books, you can always use the library. Nothing fuels a good reading time like a trip to the library. If you read to your child for at least 30 minutes per day, you will be surprised what he will learn both in knowledge and language ability.

If you think back to your own experience with Kindergarten, you might remember that much of your time was spend playing and learning about the world around you. Much of Kindergarten is spent using different learning styles:

Tactile - playing with play dough, sand, noodles and other textures.
Auditory - hearing stories
Verbal - asking questions and discussing the world around you.

If you use the resources available to you and enjoy the time you have with your child, you should be able to know how to homeschool Kindergarten. Focus on how your child learns best and build your activities with him from there. You can do it!

If you want more information - check How to Homeschool Kindergarten

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Homeschool using the Best Resources" at http://www.homeschool-how-to.com

Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

A Tutor's Perspective on SHSAT Applications By Jessie Mathisen

I've been a tutor in New York City since 2004, and since I specialize in working with middle school age children, I have become quite familiar with the high school application process. There are many categories of high school and the application process is by no means the same for each category - because of this, the whole process can sometimes feel even more complex and draining than applying to college. This essay will be about applying to New York City Specialized Public Schools. Other essays will address applying to Independent Schools and Selective, Non-Specialized Public Schools.

The most straightforward of the selective schools to apply to are the Specialized Public High Schools. As I write this, there are nine Specialized High Schools that base admissions on the SHSAT. Three of them are the old, storied behemoths: Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Tech, and Bronx Science. Six more are newer and (mostly) smaller: The Brooklyn Latin School, The High School for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at City College, The High School for American Studies at Lehman College, Queens High School for the Sciences at York College, and Staten Island Technical High School. There are only two considerations for admission to each of theses schools: New York City residency and SHSAT scores.

Applying is simple, but getting in is hard. The SHSAT is a 2 1/2 hours long, multiple choice test with a math section and an English section. The math section bears a distinct resemblance to the math section of the SAT. Granted, it only assumes an introductory knowledge of algebra, but the "flavor" is the same. The English section of the test is more unusual. In addition to challenging (but run-of-the-mill) reading comprehension passages and questions, there are also logical reasoning questions and scrambled paragraphs that students must unscramble. As far as I know, the scrambled paragraphs are unique among standardized tests.

Not surprisingly, the best way to prepare for this test is to be a good student. Kids who get in are virtually always kids who pay attention in class, do their homework thoughtfully, and study. Reading far beyond school assignments is also a significant predictor of success. No matter what anyone may tell you, no prep course, no prep materials, and no tutor can fully compensate if these factors are not already in place. (Beyond which, a student who is not academically inclined and interested in working hard is unlikely to be happy in a specialized high school, even if he or she did manage to get accepted.) Unfortunately, being a good student is not enough. It's an unfair, even tragic fact that many middle schools are not rigorous enough to give their students a fair shot at doing well on the SHSAT. I will address some long-term strategies for students going to sub-standard middle schools at the end of this article. If your child is already doing all of the right things, and going to a rigorous school, there are a number of steps you can take to further improve your child's chances of doing well on the SHSAT.

Your child can:

• Study on his or her own, using commercially available prep books;
• Take a prep class;
• Study with a tutor;
• Or, a student can do some combination of the above.

Each one of these study methods has its pros and cons. I recommend that parents and children look at the options together, and make decisions about how to prepare as a family.

Independent study is the cheapest way to prepare, by an enormous margin. All that is needed is a few test prep books- they're not expensive and they can even be borrowed for free from a library. For highly motivated students who have a strong academic foundation, this can be an effective way to study. I'd recommend selecting one prep book (Barron's is my favorite) and working through it, from beginning to end. You'll be able to gauge your progress and decide whether you are on track to meet your goals. Ideally, you would start this process in the spring or early summer before the test so that you have plenty of time and can add in other study methods if they are indicated. When self-guided study is effective, it's wonderful how students can really take full ownership of their success.

Taking a group class to prepare for the SHSAT is generally my least favorite option. There are many places you can go to take a group class, and some are obviously better than others. Unfortunately, the big players don't seem to get very good results and they do seem to take a big chunk out of their students' quality of life. Sitting through wearisome 3-hour classes with a bunch of other kids, slogging through huge piles of homework, and getting little personal attention is drill and kill in the worst sense. It's mind-numbing and not particularly educational. It's cheaper than private tutoring, but I would call most group classes a false economy.

On the other hand, there are a few group classes that are actually quite good. You should look for small groups (no more than 8 students per teacher) and individual classes that are a reasonable length (perhaps 1.5 hours). The teachers should be experienced and should be able to produce excellent references. Homework and practice tests should obviously be part of the program, but you should not feel that a class takes over your child's life or your family's life.

For most students, private tutoring will be the most effective option. The individual attention makes a big difference when working on challenging and potentially tedious material. It's more efficient, because a good tutor focuses on exactly what an individual student needs and it's easier to remain motivated when accountability is provided by one-on-one lessons. Unfortunately, tutoring can be quite expensive. Rates vary widely, but $85-$150 per hour is the general range you can expect to pay for an experienced, effective tutor. Tutoring is so expensive largely because tutors must spend a great deal of time traveling between appointments and you are paying for their travel and lesson planning time as well as the time they actually spend with your child.

If one-on-one tutoring is prohibitively expensive for you but would otherwise be your first choice, there are a few strategies you can try to lower your rate. If you know another family that lives very near to you who also wants tutoring, you might consider looking for a tutor together. If you can arrange to have lessons back-to-back, with only 5 minutes or so of transportation time in between, you'll very likely be able to arrange a discount. Likewise, semi-private lessons (with two or perhaps three students and one tutor) and be much more affordable and still very effective. Most tutors don't advertise semi-private lessons, but if you ask, you'll find that many tutors are amenable.

A note on what to do if your middle schooler goes to an academically weak school:

If your child is stuck in a school that leaves a lot to be desired, you can do several things to ameliorate the situation. Of course, switching to a better school is an ideal option, but that is not always possible. Assuming that switching schools isn't realistic, I strongly recommend that you make sure that your child is getting supplemental enrichment. Exactly what you do will obviously depending on your budget, time constraints, and interests, but you should start as soon after realizing that there is a problem at school as possible. The list that follows is not exhaustive, but it will give you a place to start.

• Read. No matter where your child goes to school, it's important for him or her to read independently. This becomes extra-important if the school is poor. For middle schoolers, a book a week is a reasonable rule of thumb. If your child doesn't like to read, read together. Let your child choose his or her own books, and don't be judgmental about them (unless you feel a particular book is morally unacceptable).

• Do math. Do actual math, not just test prep materials. If school math is severely lacking, consider working through a curriculum or enrichment materials at home. I very much like all of Edward Zaccaro's books- they are challenging and thought provoking, with good explanations for home study.

• Go to cultural events. Museums, theater, concerts, walking tours, poetry slams, and book readings can all be fun, cheap, and enriching. They are opportunities for exposure to literature, history, art, and science, all of which add to the store of background knowledge which is critically important for effective reading comprehension.

• Take up a hobby. There are a variety of hobbies that provide opportunities to use math and reading in meaningful, concrete ways. Consider robotics, model railroading, building radios, or working in a community garden. You may want to look into joining a club where you and your child can meet more experienced hobbyists and become part of a community.

• Take classes. It is sometimes possible to take classes that will help fill in the gaps that a weak formal education can leave. Be careful though, that these classes are thought provoking and useful rather than just a series of drills.

At New York Academics, we carefully evaluate each student and tailor ISEE Test Prep lessons to meet the specific needs of the individual. New York Academics also offer nyc math tutoring in your home, office, or in a public place.

Home School High School Latin- Can Parents Teach What They Don't Know? By Lee Binz

Many home school moms express disbelief when I tell them we taught Latin in our homeschooling. It is possible if you do it one step at a time. Even if you don't speak Latin casually around the dinner table, you are capable of doing this! Teaching Latin is like following complicated directions in a recipe.

The reason is the great curriculum that is available for home schoolers. Home school curriculum generally assumes that the parents don't necessarily have a background in the subject, so it is designed to be self-teaching. Self-teaching is a valuable life skill that we want to encourage in our teens.

Teens who learn to teach themselves in high school are better prepared for college life. In college, professors assume students can read and distill large quantities of information without a lot of hand-holding. Self-teaching curriculum gives students the responsibility to figure things out, using the tools at hand. Mom and dad take a step back and let their child work through the issues.

We used Latin Road, and they assume that 1) you're homeschooling and 2) the teacher is a mom who doesn't know Latin. We looked at Wheellocks' Latin and couldn't even BEGIN the first chapter in that one. I believe that Latin Road is for 5th and up, but you'd have to check the website.

We were afraid when we started Latin! I would look at the book and, well, it was all Greek to me! But we kept plugging away and we eventually "got it."

Now, looking back having graduated two sons from home school, Latin was a great idea. My oldest son loved it because he is mathematically minded and Latin is a very logical, mathematical language. My youngest son took his three years of Latin and was able to place into Junior year Latin in the university. He has continued to take Latin every quarter throughout his undergraduate career. The skills they developed in learning Latin on their own served them well in all their college studies - not just Latin.

Latin is a great subject for home schoolers. You don't need to be afraid of it at all! In addition to being the basis of many other languages, choosing a self-teaching Latin curriculum can provide benefits well beyond high school.

Learning Latin was a great way to prepare our kids for college. Failing to aim for college is one of "The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School." Learn how to avoid all 5 mistakes in my free e-mail mini-course.

My e-book, "The Easy Truth About Homeschool Transcripts" will show you how to create AMAZING transcript that will impress the colleges!

Lee Binz, The HomeScholar, is a home school high school expert. Both her two boys earned full-tuition scholarships at their first choice university. Learn how she did it on TheHomeScholar.com.

Printable Fraction Worksheets - Make it Easy on Yourself By Debra Proctor

Printable fraction worksheets can be a lifesaver to a home school mom. Think about it. Whether you're trying to save money on curriculum or your child needs extra work in fractions, these worksheets can really help out and make it easy on you at the same time.

Save Money

As a home schooling mom, you don't need anyone to tell you how expensive it can get. One way to save money is to use free homeschool resources when you can. Free fraction worksheets that you can print out can help.

If money is tight, many times you can find enough free worksheets to use for your math curriculum and you won't even have to buy a math textbook. By buying or checking out a "scope and sequence" book, you can see what your child should be doing in each grade level.

Once you know what your child should be working on in a particular grade, search for worksheets that fill those needs. Look for worksheets that have complete instructions that are easy for you and your child to understand.

Remedial Work

If your child studied fractions during the last school year but just didn't quite "get it", don't worry. Use printable fraction worksheets found on the internet to review with him. These worksheets won't cost you a dime and you can find all you need.

Consider having your child do one quick worksheet two to three times per week during the summer as a stress-free way to review his fractions. When the child doesn't have a full load of schoolwork, they often don't mind doing a couple of worksheets. This is an excellent way to review a difficult subject such as fractions and it keeps the subject fresh in your child's mind.

So whether you need to save money in your home school or your child needs extra help with fractions, try using printable fraction worksheets today to save money and make homeschooling just a little bit easier on you.

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