Homeschooling Middle School

Classroom Help, Informative, Organization

Written by Jimmie
http://jimmiescollage.com/homeschooling-middle-school/

Homeschooling Middle School Years jimmiescollage.com

My daughter’s middle school years are over, and although there were not as many cutesy lapbooks or hands-on projects as in the elementary school years, we still achieved a lot of ground both in terms of academics, practical life skills, and character.

I went into the middle grades with clear goals. I actually wrote them down. You can read them in my middle school goal setting post. I think setting goals is a very important task for every homeschool year but especially as you enter a pivotal time such as sixth grade. (more…)

READ MORE

Homeschool Basics – Tips and Helps for Homeschool Families

Classroom Help, Informative, Organization, Preparing for College, Preschoolers, Single Parents, Special Needs

Written by Jolanthe
http://www.homeschoolcreations.net/homeschool-basics/

Homeschool Basics - tips and helps to homeschool your child

“I want to homeschool, but where do I start?”

This question and many others from parents considering homeschooling show up in my inbox each week and this series began in hopes of helping answer them. While I don’t claim to have all of the answers to the questions, I hope to give some direction to helpful resources available and a little more of a peek at how things are in our homeschool time.

If you are thinking about homeschooling, this series may be a help to you as you begin – or an encouragement to you as you continue your homeschool adventure. Posts are still in the works for several topics, but those completed are linked below.

Ready to start? (more…)

READ MORE

Play Your Way Through Learning

Classroom Help, Informative, Just For Fun, Special Needs

Published with Permission
Written by Jan May
www.newmillenniumgirlbooks.com
www.TOSMagazine.com

As homeschool parents, we look for creative ways that make learning fun for our children without sacrificing quality education. A child who can participate in all three learning styles: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic, has a distinct advantage. Most educators agree that a higher percentage of learning occurs when there is interaction. A great way to incorporate all three learning styles into your lesson plans is by using puzzles and games.

Puzzles and games are not just fun; they are educational too, right? Actually they are. Some day little Noah may use these skills to become a burgeoning astronaut and here’s why: Experts are saying puzzles are powerful.

According to Istar Schwager, Ph.D., an educational psychologist and Consulting Editor of HighlightsParents.com (www.HighlightsParents.com) there is strong connection between brain development and the problem-solving skills used to solve puzzles.1 Problem solving requires two types of mental skill: analytical and creative. Analytical skills include ordering, comparing, contrasting, evaluating, and selecting. Creative thinking uses the imagination to step outside of the box of logical answers to find a larger range of solutions. Children need to develop both. (more…)

READ MORE