Article on my son. :-)

This is an article on my son.  I thought you might enjoy.  He asked me if he could teach a class at our local library on origami and make an exhibit.  They were very open and everything went from there. 
More tomorrow on planning.
Becky

Planning for Next Year: What can only you do? Where can you get help?

One of the questions I ask when planning  is "What can only I do?" There are activities, subjects, and skills that I can do, and others really can not fill.   But I can use assistance in certain subjects.   There are items on my learning agenda that I know I can use help with. 

I try to think what can I have someone or something else do.  I like to use computers to help with homeschooling.  For instance, I really do not like doing math facts with my children, or honestly any child.  I used to assign them to my student's parents when I taught school.   There is really no one to assign them to in my house.   Please note:  I have been trying.  Luckily, I discovered Facts First.  It is a computer program that teaches and reviews math facts.  It is available from the Homeschool Buyers Co-op.  The Homeschooler Buyers Co-Op has many interesting computer programs, group buys on books, and different interesting products for homeschoolers.  It was one of the first things I signed up for at my first homeschooling convention.  Maybe there is something there you can take off your to do list. 

So my thought of the week,  think about what you can get help with.  Here are a few more ideas that may or may not work with your situation.  I know that everybody's circumstances are so different.  Maybe an idea will lead you to an idea of  something that will help you.

1.  If you can not read every literature or history book in your program to your child, can your child listen to them on CD?  The library has many of these. 

2. Can online classes be helpful?  We love the math class my son takes through AOPS. 

3. Can a spouse or grandparent take something on?  My dad takes my son to OT(occupational therapy) every week.  They have fun and it helps me.  Have a spouse or grandparent read to your child. 

4. Can you hire a tutor for one subject or gather a group of homeschoolers to make up a class?

5. Is there  a class on DVD your student can take?  Is there a good DVD series they could watch each week?  You can check out so many from the public library.

6.  Could  your kids take turns reading to each other?  An older one reads to a younger one or vise-versa?  My kids enjoy this and it helps me tremendously.

7.  Is there a high school person who you may be able to hire to help you?

Just a list to get your started.  Hope it helps you find someone or something to help you. 

Happy Planning!

Planning for Next Year: Links from John Hopkins CTY

I am trying to plan during the month of July.  I am searching out some new links and new ideas for next year.  We try to plan most of the year before August as it seems to make the year go more smoothly.  We do not plan in stone, but plan to give ourselves a road map.  We still take some detours and correct our route, but we try to aim for a destination.  Though that destination has a way of changing through the years.

In planning I found that the John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth has some wonderful links on their web site.  If you click here you will see the main page of links.   My favorite page of links was this one.  The resource page includes links  for twice exceptional children, links to articles, and publications.  I found it very helpful.   It had a wide variety of resources that is worth checking out if you have a gifted child, a child with a learning issue, or just to learn more about what is available online in the world of learning.

I hope your road map continues to develop and become more interesting.  For me a little planning everyday is more helpful than hours all at once.

Happy Planning!
Becky

Planning for next year: All through the Ages

We are trying to finish up our planning for next year.  I discovered this resource that I really like.   It is called All Through the Ages by Christine Miller.  I bought it it directly from the publisher Nothing New Press.  They also have an ebook version.  I noticed one of my favorite homeschool stores, Lamp Post Homeschool Store,   carries it too. 

It is a very helpful book for planning your history curriculum.  All Through the Ages is a compilation of over 5,600  living books and great literature arranged by chronological era, geographical region, and reading level from many  sources.   We like it with the many levels in our home. The book has a code system in the beginning as to where to buy the book she recommends. There are enough choices that you library is bound to have some of them.  

 If you follow this link and scroll to the end of the page you will see a link to PDF file that is an example from the book. I highly recommend this book.  I am going to leave you with a quote from her web page
Happy Planning.

from the web site.

All Through the Ages by Christine Miller is a guide for teaching and learning history using literature rather than textbooks. Textbooks make history boring, but history is full of excitement, adventure, and heart-wrenching drama. Bring the “story” back into “history” by using this exhaustive guide to over 7000 of the best in quality historical narratives, historical fiction, literature, and “living books”! With nothing more than a library card, parents or educators can effectively teach their children both World and American history using this guide. It doesn’t matter whether the children are pre-readers or college-bound seniors; books of every reading level are included for every era, from picture books and beginning readers through the great books of Western Civilization. The author is a college-educated homeschooling mother of three with thirteen years’ experience, who compiled this guide in response to the overwhelming need for an organized one-stop resource for teaching history using the literature approach.