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The Homeschool Mom Universal Translator Tool

By Heather Idoni

Added Monday, November 09, 2009


 ==========================================================
                The Homeschooler's Notebook
     Encouragement and Advice for Homeschool Families
 ==========================================================
   Vol. 10 No 83                         November 9, 2009
                      ISSN: 1536-2035                              
 ==========================================================
   Copyright (c) 2009 - Heather Idoni, FamilyClassroom.net
 ==========================================================

  Welcome to The Homeschooler's Notebook!

  If you like this newsletter, please recommend it to a friend!
  And please visit our sponsors!  They make it possible.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                  PLEASE VISIT OUR SPONSOR:


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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    =================
      IN THIS ISSUE:
    =================

  Notes from Heather
  -- HS Mom Translator
  Helpful Tip
  -- K'Nex Contest
  Resource Review
  -- How Great Thou ART
  Reader Question
  -- 'Issues' Needing Answers
  Additional Notes
  -- Newsletter Archives
  -- Sponsorship Information
  -- Reprint Information
  -- Subscriber Information

    =======================
       Notes from Heather
    =======================

  Homeschool Mom Universal Translator

  Matt Binz at the HomeScholar blog recently posted this handy
  "translation tool" for husbands who need to know what their wives
  actually MEAN when they hear certain highly mis-interpretatable
  phrases.  Kick off your week with some laughs at the link above!

  -- Heather

  ---

  Do you have comments to share?  Please do!
  Send your emails to:  mailto:heather@familyclassroom.net


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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  perfect printable map for your history lesson!

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  conquered the whole known world is simply not enough. 
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  Try the free World History Sampler so you can try 8
  maps completely free with no obligation for future purchase. 
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    ================
      Helpful Tip
    ================

  K'Nex Contest

  ---

  Enter your homeschool in the 2010 K'NEXpert Classroom Challenge!

  Prizes include a $350 K'NEX Education gift certificate.
  The first 100 completed entries received will be entered in a
  drawing for one of 10 FREE K'NEX Education Elementary Construction
  Sets ($100 retail).

  For details, contest rules and an entry form visit:
  http://www.knexeducation.com/challenge 

  15% discount on purchases at www.knex.com through January 30, 2010.
  Discount code - KCL0909.

  ---

  Do you have an idea, experience, or tip to share?  Please write!
  Send to:  mailto:HN-ideas@familyclassroom.net

 
    ==================
      Resource Review
    ==================

  How Great Thou ART I and II 
  Author:  Barry Stebbing 
  For more information or to order:   www.howgreatthouart.com 
 

  Barry Stebbing's 'How Great Thou ART' books are written for teens
  and can be used independently or with an instructor.  In addition
  to the two workbooks that also provide instruction, families can
  purchase a brief teacher's manual and a DVD with lessons taught
  by the author.  However, most students will be able to successfully
  navigate this well-designed program on their own, using just the
  affordable curriculum workbooks. 
 
  Not only is the curriculum very affordable, the supplies needed
  are few and inexpensive as well.  Since the focus is on drawing,
  no paints are needed.  Students primarily use drawing pencils (HB,
  3B or 6B), a kneaded eraser, and an extra fine marker/pen.  Those
  who work all the way through Book Two will also need a calligraphy
  pen. 
 
  Students work directly in the text, which also includes 5 cardstock
  cards for pen and ink drawing.  The lessons are quite orderly,
  beginning with basics of lines and ellipses and continuing on
  through shading, texture, portraits, perspective, calligraphy
  (Book II) and much more.  Each book contains about 70 lessons.
  Some lessons/skills require more practice than others, making this
  a self-paced program.  In addition to providing space in the text
  alongside each lesson, there are also several blank pages in the
  back of each book for extra practice or for the student's own
  sketching.  An emphasis is placed on both style and technique, and
  Mr. Stebbing also shows examples of common errors to avoid. 
 
  In addition to the fine technical instruction, families will
  appreciate the lesson content being written from a Christian
  perspective.  Although the illustrations used throughout are all
  examples of sketches, they are beautiful and inspiring.  How Great
  Thou ART is an excellent, thorough course -- perfect for middle and
  high school students!
 
  -- Cindy Prechtel, http://www.HomeschoolingFromTheHeart.com
 

    ===============================
      Last Issue's Reader Question
    ===============================

  "I have an 'issue' that I would LOVE some answers to.
 
  My son is 4 years old and he will be 5 in may 2010.  He goes to
  Preschool 2.5 hours a day 3 days a week now and he loves it.
 
  I want to homeschool Kindergarten and 1st grade, but I hate the
  idea of all-day Kindergarten!  We are not 'overly' religious;
  our reason to homeschool is mainly that we think there is no
  reason he needs to be away from home for that much time.  Also,
  there are so many things I want to do with him and teach him.
  He doesn't have any learning disabilities; he's actually already
  doing some Kindergarten and 1st grade stuff.  He is very articulate.
  He's my firstborn though, and very 'look at me'!  He LOVES to be
  in charge and doesn't always like to play together with other
  kids unless they play HIS WAY.  He's very social (especially
  with older kids and adults) -- and very talkative.
 
  My questions are:

  1.  Am I 'cheating' him socially if I homeschool him?
 
  2.  Am I homeschooling him because I truly think it's best for
  him or is it just what I want to do?
 
  3.  Will he have a hard time adjusting to school if we send him
  in 2nd or 3rd grade?
 
  Thanks!" -- Gretchen


    =========================
      Our Readers' Responses 
    =========================

  "1. It depends.  Do you want him to learn social skills from you
  or from 20 or 30 five-year-olds, who are obviously experts on the
  subject?  Homeschooled kids are generally more socially adept
  than those who learn it on the playground (assuming your school
  still has recess, which many do not). 
 
  2. I don't see the difference between those two choices.  All
  (normal) parents want to do what is best for their children. 
 
  3. If you still want to send him to school later on, he'll
  undoubtedly adjust as well as he can.  If you're worried that
  he'll have trouble adjusting, that could very well be even *more*
  reason to homeschool.  By the time he goes to school, he'll be
  older and more able to deal with whatever difficulties he may have.
  But don't decide now that you want to only homeschool for 2 years;
  wait and see how you feel then.  Homeschooling is a choice that
  can be changed at any time." -- Brandel

  ---

  "I homeschooled my son for Kindergarten and first grade.  Age-wise
  he was way ahead, so when my husband wanted to put him back in
  school, I had him enrolled into 3rd grade. 
 
  He did fine both academically and socially.  He did get teased a
  little because of his speech (his r's were pronounced as w's - he
  grew out of that naturally as he hit 8 or 9 years old), but he
  seemed to get along fine otherwise. 
 
  When given the choice the next year, however, he chose to homeschool
  and has chosen to ever since.  Who knows?  After homeschooling for
  a few years you may find you like it too much to go back.  I did." 
  -- Sandy in UT

  ---

  "1. Only, maybe, if you are not social.  I honestly feel sorry
  for kids who attend brick-and-mortar schools because their social
  interaction is so limited.  My kids have associated and been
  comfortable with a wider range of people at an earlier age; they
  find kids their ages rather immature.  I have a hard time grasping
  that kids their ages are the same ages as my kids; they seem much
  younger. 
 
  2. Or is it because you want to do the best you can for him and
  that is homeschooling as far as you are concerned?  This is not an
  easy question to answer, but the fact that you ask it tells me you
  are the type of person who truly puts your child's needs ahead of
  your wants. 
 
  3. That I can't answer.  My kids started in kindergarten and 1st
  grade and I pulled them out.  They do not want to go back to brick-
  and-mortar schools based on what they hear goes on from neighborhood
  children." -- Anne P.

  ---

  "Gretchen -- You don't have to be 'overly religious' to love your
  child and to want what is best for the entire family.  If you are
  worried about the outcome of homeschooling early and sending a child
  to a public or private school later, rest assured it will work to
  your child's advantage.  My dearest friend did just that, and was
  praised by her son's teachers for the advantage she had given him.
  He was at a higher skill level than his peers and never had a problem
  adjusting socially.  He is a well rounded adult today.
 
  Socially, we are never in groups of people only our age in any other
  part of life except in schools.  Our families, jobs, communities,
  etc., are all filled with people of various ages.  Public school
  settings are, in my opinion, the most socially unadjusted places on
  Earth.  If your child is socially challenged at home, then I would
  be concerned.  If he's not, then you have absolutely nothing to worry
  about.  He sounds completely normal to me!
 
  Homeschooling groups in your community can offer activities where
  your child could grow and learn if you are concerned about social
  activities.
 
  I don't believe that you are being selfish here.  I believe that you
  have your son's best interests at heart, and I am sure all will be
  well." -- Rose


    =========================
     Answer our NEW Question
    =========================

  "Do any of you know of an agency which would place foreign exchange
  students with homeschool families?  We would  love to host a foreign
  student, but would want them to do their academic work at home,
  just like we do." -- Mary Beth  
 
  ---
 
  Are you able to answer Mary Beth's question -- or do you have any
  input regarding hosting foreign exchange students in general?  Your
  answer will appear in next Monday's high school special edition!

  Please send your email to:  mailto:HN-answers@familyclassroom.net


    =====================
     Ask YOUR Question
    =====================

  Do you have a question you would like our readers to answer?

  Send it to mailto:HN-questions@familyclassroom.net and we'll see
  if we can help you out in a future issue!


    =======================
     Need Immediate Help?
    =======================

  Visit our Homeschool Encouragement Center!  This is a live 24/7
  'chat' area where you can talk with our homeschool counselors
  by typing in a box.  When you get there, just introduce yourself
  and let them know that Heather sent you!

  This ultra-safe chat is supervised by experienced moms who are
  there to serve and share their wisdom... or just offer a listening
  ear and encouragement.

  http://www.HomeschoolChat.us


    ==============================
      Subscription Information
    ==============================

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    ===========================
     SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION
    ===========================

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    =====================
     ADDITIONAL NOTES
    =====================

  All contributed articles are printed with the author's prior
  consent. It is assumed that any questions, tips or replies to
  questions may be reprinted. All letters become the property of
  the "Homeschooler's Notebook". [Occasionally your contribution
  may have to be edited for space.]

  Again, I welcome you to the group!  Feel free to send any
  contributions to mailto:HN-articles@familyclassroom.net or
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    ===========================
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    ===========================

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