Homeschooling High School

Classroom Help, Informative, Preparing for College

Published with Permission
Written by Lisa Trombley
thehappyhomeschoolmom.blogspot.com

Two words that are likely to strike fear in the heart of a homeschooling mama “High School.” For some reason we (and I am speaking of myself too) consider ourselves perfectly capable of teaching during the younger years, but start to get worried somewhere around the 8th grade that we will not be capable of teaching our children. Maybe it’s because we just don’t remember that much from when we went to school (like Algebra that I hadn’t done in 15 years!) Or maybe our child has a talent/interest in something we know nothing about. Maybe it’s because we have several younger children also and are worried about being able to spend the proper amount of time teaching High School, or that we won’t prepare them properly for the college they want to attend. I remember the first year I started homeschooling and I asked a dear friend, “What am I going to do when her knowledge surpasses mine?” Whatever the reason that we get nervous about this time period in our child’s life, it is entirely possible to home school successfully though the High School years, and your children will be much better off for it.

What I was told when I asked the question about what to do when her knowledge surpasses mine is (more…)

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Top 10 Home School Websites

Classroom Help, Informative, Technology

Published with Permission
Written by Kimberly Williams
www.untilthedaydawn.wordpress.com

A generation ago, the homeschooling movement was considered to be at best cutting-edge, eccentric, and alternative.  At its worst it was considered strange, rare, and in some states illegal.  But today the movement has become more main-stream.  Currently with over 2 million home educated children, homeschooling may be the fastest growing form of education in the United States.  I consider being able to teach my children at home a wonderful privilege, a huge responsibility, and an awesome calling from God.  With the loving support and encouragement from my husband and the amazing grace of God, we have been homeschooling for over 10 years.  Each year brings new experiences, creates wonderful memories, and brings our family closer together.

Each fall as we start back to school, my husband and I have spend weeks pouring through our curriculum, praying for wisdom, and writing out schedules and lesson plans.  I also spend a lot of time online so I thought I would share my Top 10 Favorite Homeschool Websites with each of you.  Hope you enjoy! (more…)

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Dyslexia: How Do I Teach This Child?

Classroom Help, Informative, Special Needs

Published with Permission
Written by Dianne Craft, MA, CNHP
www.diannecraft.org
www.TOSMagazine.com

What Is Dyslexia?

Educators have not been able to agree on what dyslexia really is. Some authorities believe that it is strictly a language-processing problem involving the distinguishing of sounds of letters. Others believe that it is a visual/perceptual problem, since these children also reverse words laterally (b/d) and vertically (m/w) as well as scrambling letters (the=het) when they read and write.

I believe that both groups are correct. It is an auditory/language problem, visual/perceptual problem, and often a visual/motor (eye/hand) problem as well. I have worked with many teenagers who have been through years of tutoring in a good “phonemic awareness” program. Why were they still in my special education class? Although they now were able to decode very long, difficult words, because their problem with inadequate eye tracking had not been addressed, they could not read with any fluency. Words continued to “move” as they read, or reverse, or they had to use so much energy to keep their eyes tracking correctly that they forgot what they had just read. Therefore, in my classroom, I also addressed the eye tracking issue so that they could read fluently and with comprehension on grade level by the end of the year. (more…)

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