Homeschool Curriculum - What Do I Need?

Most people who begin homeschooling think they need a huge amount of curriculum, books and resources. Having too many resources to choose from can be overwhelming. It's best to keep things simple. Here's how:

1. A Plan - Before you start buying anything, decide what you want your children to study and learn this year. Do you want them to enjoy learning? Do you want them to complete a certain workbook? Do you want them to know all the Presidents names by heart?

What has worked best for me is to list all the subjects across the top of a sheet of paper. Then list your student(s) names down the left side. Under each column for each student write some ideas of what you want them to study or accomplish for that year. This can be done by you or with your child. Once you have filled all this in, then circle one or two item(s) for each subject and focus on getting resources to support. The other items not circled can be used for another year or if you run out of material for this year.

2. The Basics - Homeschoolers need some basic reading, writing and math materials. No matter what your finances, the internet and libraries provide some incredible resources. Don't disregard them just because they are free. Your children should spend time doing math and language each day. They should either read on their own or listen to you or some combination of that each day. For writing they can draw if they are younger. If they are over 8 years old they can write a page for you each day. Once children know how to read they should be able to teach themselves with a little guidance.

3. The Supplements - Once you have the basics covered you can add other subjects from your original plan such as Science, Bible, Foreign Language, Art, Music, etc.

Books can be purchased new or used. Since so many people are homeschooling there are plenty of places you can get what you need from someone who either used the item gently or decided it wasn't for them and didn't use it at all.

If you plan what you want to do, cover the basics and supplement subjects that fit in with your plan, you should be able to have a great home school year.

How to Expertly Home-School Your Children

If you have decided that homeschooling is the way to educate your child, you will need to prepare yourself for the ecstasy and the anxiety for the amazing journey ahead -- sure, as all new adventures are, some may be a little bit bumpy, but the rewards will more than make up for it. Producing a well-adjusted and well-rounded personality in today's complex society(ies), requires special handling of their educational environment.

it is important to learn more about your state laws on home schooling. Some states need an affidavit filed with the State's education department. There are 3 categories for homeschooling laws in most states. These are: private school laws, home education laws and equivalency laws. There is no way around it - you will need to first, find your state laws. You may also need to maintain a portfolio that records the childs educational progress but that is so with any educational process. It is smart to look into the legal requirements before you start homeschooling your child. Some States also stipulate a minimum educational qualification for the parent or teacher - wouldn't you want that to be the case? Imagine someone educating their children who are not really capable of doing so? That would be taking a step backwards and defeat the purpose.

Next, I would suggest that you look for support groups. Online there are many, and offline too. If you live in a friendly neighborhood, well-meaning friends may try to dissuade you but that stands to reason - anytime you try to do something even slightly out of the Status Quo, people want you to fit right back into it again - but that really is the core of Home Schooling - isn't it. If they do not try to dissuade you, they may put a lot of uneasy questions in your mind which may be their concerns more than yours. A support group that consists of like-minded people will insulate you from the criticism, and keep your eye on the ball - this can help relieve the peer-pressures and questions of regular school-goers. Many groups organize fun events like visits to the zoo, theatres, camping trips, museum tours even a friendly romp to the ice cream shops etc. And if your children hit it off with other homeschoolers, they will be able to build lasting relationships that do not fade when their friends change schools because there is something very special about this kind of learning. Support is important in any new endeavor - so groups of people helping each other develop a new way to do things really can be a key source of inspiration and provide an important avenue for socialization.

Next, another important thing to do is to select a curriculum - I suggest taking time with this - it's the foundation that you will build your educational empire state building on :).

Depending upon the method of homeschooling, you may choose various tools that aid you in this discovery and creative process. The internet is also a rich resource for homeschooling. Do some research and look into the material that is available.

Some Important Things to Remember:

Set certain ground rules. Homeschooling requires a lot of self-discipline and hard work. Here is a comprehensive list of the things you will need:

A) Discipline

B) Hard work and effort

C) Eagerness to learn

D) Time and patience

E) Enthusiasm

F) Flexibility

It would be a good idea to consider why you want to opt for homeschooling to begin with. Your motives and your reasons are important pillars on which the whole edifice of your child's lessons depends. Also, consult with your children and ask them how they feel about homeschooling. Let them answer honestly - don't sway them in either direction - it's important to know - because if they have any apprehensions about it, you may be able to legitimately alleviate them before and during the homeschooling process.

Select a curriculum or create an individual curriculum that best suits your child's needs and style of learning. Record keeping is an important part of homeschooling.

Look into the various methods of record keeping that exist - like computer programs, and other sources you may know about. Set up a schedule so that your child does not have to learn 6-7 hours a day. Allow your child to dictate the time since homeschooling is not set in stone like Public Schools are forced to be. Flexibility and having fun are the cornerstones and great benefits of homeschooling. Do not pressure them, or put too many skills into a single term or year. Remember one major purpose for homeschooling is to help a child work at their pace, find their needs and meet them, and allow real growth to occur - which cannot be forced or rushed. Prepare a skill list or any other kind of list that you feel will help you focus on what needs to be introduced and developed and be ready to modify it as your child shows growth in any direction - another great benefit of homeschooling. Make the child learn the skills that he is ready for, not what you want them to be ready for; if you are going to take that later approach, you might as well keep them in public school they are great at dismissing a childs real needs, because they have to focus on the lowest-common denominator, and, they have to meet quotas set by their administrations and so forth - all counter productive to learning.

Gentle parenting and great listening is the secret to successful homeschooling. Children make great advances in learning and show more enthusiasm.

They also turn out to be surprisingly well balanced and well informed when they are taught at home.

Homeschooling has many elements you really need to know before you get involved with it. It's important to read and learn as much as you can before and during this process - really it's your job.

But where do you look, and searching online or even in a library for information can be confusing.

We have prepared a high-quality e-book and also an MP3 audio of the e-book so you can sit with your children and listen to it together. It is titled "Parents Guide to Homeschooling" that covers many important topics, as well as offers a solid resource guide so you have a strong foundation to research from.

You can read about it here, and also peruse the first two chapters as well as the Table of Contents. We hope this helps you whether you are considering homeschooling or are already involved in it, to make it the best learning experience for your children.

The world changes when better choices are made. Better choices are the direct result of personal awareness, and that can only come from quality education.

Scholarships For Aviation Enthusiasts

You love airplanes, you grew up wanting to be a pilot or maybe you just want to work around them. If so, there are a handful of scholarships available specifically for those students who are seeking aviation careers. Each scholarship has its own requirements and criteria - most are offered by organizations that support the love of aviation.

1. AERO Club of New England - The Aero Club of New England scholarships are awarded annually and recipients are selected on the basis of merit and need. ACONE's growing scholarship program provides a wonderful way for the Club and donors to assist deserving young people and to forge lasting relationships that can provide inspiration and support. Thanks to all that have worked to make this important part of ACONE a continued success.

2. AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) - AOPA offers two scholarships, the McAllister Memorial Scholarship and the Donald Burnside Memorial Scholarship. The AOPA Air Safety Foundation/McAllister Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually and administered jointly by the AOPA Air Safety Foundation and the University Aviation Association. One award in the amount of $1,000 will be made to a promising young man or woman who, without assistance, would find it difficult to obtain a college education. Award will be made to U.S. citizens without regard to sex, race, religion or national origin.

The recipient must be enrolled in and plan to continue a college curriculum leading to a degree in the field of aviation. Previous recipients are not eligible.

Announcement of scholarship awards will be made annually on or about July 1 by the AOPA Air Safety Foundation after consideration of applications received by the deadline submission date. Recipients will be notified by letter. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

a. Be a college junior or senior at the time the application is submitted with at l east one semester/quarter to be completed after September 1, 2008. b. Have achieved academic proficiency (grade point average) at time of application of 3.25 or better (on a 4.0 system). c. Be enrolled in a baccalaureate level, non-engineering aviation degree program at a four-year institution and plan to continue the following year (community college students are eligible when they have transferred to a four-year institution). The applicant's college must be listed as an organization described in section 170( c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. d. Submit a 250-word maximum typed, double-spaced essay on: "Assuming that pilots who voluntarily engage in safety education are safer pilots, how can ASF reach the other group of pilots who don't think they need safety education?" e. Application must be accompanied by an official transcript from applicant's college or university. The Registrar's Office can mail your official transcript to the below address or place in a sealed envelope so you can mail with your application form.

3. Astronaut Scholarship - This scholarship is supported by more than 70 astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and Shuttle programs. In efforts to help retain leadership in science and technology, this organization provides scholarships for college students who exhibit motivation, imagination, and exceptional performance in the science or engineering field of their major. To date, the foundation has awarded nearly $2.5 million in scholarships to 226 deserving students interested in aviation maintenance, being pilots or aerospace engineers.

4. Boeing National Merit Scholarship - Every year Boeing provides scholarships to children of Boeing employees who are selected as National Merit Scholarship winners. Students enter this academic competition their junior year of high school by taking the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) in the fall.

5. ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) and Naval ROTC Programs offered by the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and the Air Force, train qualified young men and women to become officers in those services upon graduation from college. ROTC is available in more than 1,000 colleges and universities throughout the U.S., both those that host ROTC units or detachments and those with cross-enrollment agreements with them. Requirements include taking a full course load, wearing uniforms once a week during military labs, drills, military science presentations, and other practical training activities.

Scholarships are competitively awarded on merit with main considerations are being High school academic record, SAT or ACT scores, extracurricular activities, and personal interview.

The length, value, and terms of ROTC scholarships vary by service. All services offer four-year scholarships that include full tuition, books, fees, and a monthly tax-free stipend.

Tips For Choosing Tutoring Services

Today, the tutoring services are plentiful. There is also the number of tutoring franchises that have now sprung up in the strip malls, the online tutoring, as well as the more traditional tutoring. But how to make the informed choice about which type of the tutoring service to make use of? Here are some tips for selecting the best.

1. Do your investigation. Most of the tutoring services have the web sites, first go on net. The tutor centers must have the wealth of data available on to their web sites, which covers everything from subjects that they offer as well as their philosophy of the education to declaration about qualifications of the tutors also the testimonials.

2. Also know the goals. When picking the tutoring service, it I very important to recognize what you wish to get out of experience. Maybe your kid is falling at the back in some subject as well as needs the remediation the math tutor. Perhaps your kid is gifted or else the accelerated student as well as needs to be confronted to reach there full potential. It might be that your kid needs the help in the test preparation to get ready to take SATs. Or perhaps you are now studying for GRE or else CBEST as well as need to increase test preparation. Understanding the exact needs will assist you determine whether the tutoring services are under the consideration as well as are the good fit for the child.

3. Take the personalization into version. Every person is exceptional, both in the learning style as well as in what type of tutoring is required for him or her. For this cause, one-on-one kind of tutoring is your top bet. In examination preparation, for instance, tutoring services regularly enroll 20 learners in per class. It is very difficult to get individualized consideration you or else your child wants with the large class.

4. Take the location into version. It is very important to imagine about where tutoring must take place to reap greatest benefits for your child. For lots of children, the tutoring centers are fewer than ideal. It regularly takes the children more than a few sessions to get comfortable with environment prior to they are able to take the advantage of learning opportunities.

People use the tutors as well as the tutoring academies for lots of different causes. Ideally, the tutor that you decide must listen to the student, be positive as well as enthusiastic, make the learning enjoyable, inspire confidence into the student.

One of the factor influences the accomplishment of a home tutoring service is the intensity of teaching and supervision that has been provide to the student. More often than not, this is calculated by the consequences attained by the students. Once a learner scores an 'A' in a subject matter area that he or she has been deprived in, your effectual tutoring vocation will travel speedily by word of mouth as parents will build good recommendation to new parents. In fact, utterance of mouth is the channel that facilitates speedy enlargement in your trade.

Student Loan Forgiveness Programs

Most of the time, you will have to pay off every dollar that you borrow for your college costs. There are special circumstances, however, where student loans can be forgiven by the federal government. Student loan forgiveness programs are out there for people in certain fields. The most common types of student loan forgiveness programs are for people in the education field and folks who are in the military. This can be quite a benefit for those students who aren't making quite enough money in their respective fields to pay off the hefty student loan balances.

Teacher loan forgiveness programs are common for students who spend more than five years teaching. Because teachers are some of the most underpaid individuals in the workforce, they can struggle to pay off their student loans during their early years. The government has taken notice of this and realizes their overall worth. With that in mind, teacher loan forgiveness programs can give them a break from paying a portion of what they owe. Interestingly enough, this forgiveness can be extended for both federal loans and privately held loans.

There are different levels of student loan forgiveness that you can qualify for under certain circumstances. The most common amount that you will get is $5,000. This may not seem like a lot, but having $5,000 worth of debt forgiven can save you a great deal in the long run because of all of the incurred interest rates that you would otherwise have paid.

There is a bigger forgiveness program available for teachers who are in different fields. If you happen to teach math, science, or special education, then you might be eligible for an even greater forgiveness. Those teachers with more than five years of experience and a substantial amount of debt can be relieved of as much as $17,500. This is the equivalent of paying off more than a year of college for some people. For teachers, who struggle with low salaries and high hours, this is a great way to take some of the loan off.

In addition to the programs that are offered on a federal level, there are also state directed forgiveness programs which you should explore in certain circumstances. Iowa, for instance, will forgive up to $10,000 worth of loan forgiveness to certain folks if they qualify. States are always looking to help out their workers. If you are loyal enough to remain a civil servant or a teacher for five to seven years, then there are programs out there to help you.

Looking at the big picture, student loan forgiveness programs are a great way to boost the economy. In addition, by creating these programs, the government is looking to encourage more people to get involved in teaching and public service. With the knowledge that there is going to be some help down the road, more folks are likely to get into these fields. With that in mind, student loan forgiveness programs are a clear win-win for both society and individuals.

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