We Are Not Alone

Used with Permission
Written by Katharine Trauger
katharinetrauger.wordpress.com

Place yourself, for a while, in the shoes of a homeschooling mother named Sarah, wife of a horse breeder, raising four children in Massachusetts. The War of 1812 is near its end, and you feel such relief, lately, as your family has somehow survived and the British seem to have given up attacking your area. Finally, all seems right with the world around you.

Imagine yourself as Sarah, if you can. Although you are aging and wearying from the trauma of the war, your youngest is ten years old and you realize with satisfaction your children are rapidly becoming self-sufficient. As you dare relax, life returns to normal.

Then you discover you are expecting another child. (more…)

5 Ways to Help Teach Your Child With Autism How to Read

Used with Permission
By  Heather Laurie
specialneedshomeschooling.com

A child with autism can present a number of unique challenges in homeschooling; I never thought that learning to read would be one of them. I am blessed with four children who are high-functioning autistic. Over the years I have learned a few tips that may help you teach your autistic child to read, and I’d like to share those with you.

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Overcoming “Grader’s Block”

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By Melissa Campbell Rowe
www.TOSMagazine.com

Writer’s block—the dreaded white page—is experienced by all writers. Then there is “grader’s block,” which begins with a homeschooling parent sitting with a neatly typed paper in hand: There are one-inch margins and five paragraphs. It looks great. The title is even underlined. The parent knows her child spent hours composing this essay. The kid even used the thesaurus! There are some great sentences. The parent has to determine if the writing is good and at grade level . . . but “grader’s block” gets in the way.

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