History Through the Ages Timeline Figures - Giveaway Winner!

Today is the day!

And the winner is. . .

Stefanie F.
feyerfamhs(at)yahoo(dot)com

(ETA: winner was selected by use of random.org)

Thanks to each of you who stopped by and took time to read my review and be part of this giveaway. It has been my pleasure to share about these wonderful resources with you!

Stay tuned, I'll be doing more wonderful giveaways each quarter of this year including a complete set of the Charlotte Mason Original Series! Want to stay updated? Sign-up to "follow" my blog!

Blessings,

Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right!

Who would have ever expected so much drama and bickering among leaders in the homeschool community? I sure wouldn't have, and certainly not at the level of disgrace that this situation has risen too so quickly.

As of yesterday, the Midwest Convention has uninvited Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis.

http://www.cincinnatihomeschoolconvention.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Ken-Ham-Issue-Public-Statement.pdf


http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2011/03/22/kicked-out-homeschool-conferences?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AIGDaily+%28Answers+in+Genesis+Daily+Articles%29&utm_content=FaceBook

Wow, what a shame!

First let me acknowledge that my understanding and comprehension of this situation is limited to the tittle-tattle that has taken place online and been made so public.

In that regard, I am very disappointed in the way each party has approached this situation. The gossip and public discourse is unbecoming to each as an individual and to each as a "leader" in the homeschooling community - and while I am fully aware that these folks certainly have the right to share and voice whatever they choose to on their blogs, forums, FB pages, etc., I can't help but wish someone would have reminded them that along with the right to freedom of speech . . .they also "have the right to remain silent!"

In reading the statements by B. Dean and K. Ham that I've linked above, both perspectives seem divisive and intended to stir the attendees into taking sides. . .and the accusatory comments by both parties intertwined with finger-pointing scripture is disheartening on many levels.

Then there are the blog posts below by Susan Wise Bauer and Jay Wile that incriminate and accuse as well, which no doubt played a role in the current situation and uninvite. . .

Susan Bauer
http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/the-raving-writer/life-on-the-border/

Jay Wile
http://blog.drwile.com/?p=4602

A great deal of "he said", "she said" and an unfortunate situation all the way around. Nobody wins here!

Furthermore, the way the conference hosts handled themselves in this matter was uncouth and dishonorable. Mr. Ham had been an invited speaker, thus if he had made statements that created concern and needed to be addressed, it should have been done professionally and with discretion. Perhaps a few emails to Mr. Dean (conference host and organizer) expressing dismay might be in order. . .

bdean@midwesthomeschoolconvention.com

Lastly, while I respect Susan Wise Bauer and her right to run her board as she sees fit, her seemingly one-sided pot stirring among her supporters did not strike me as necessary or appropriate, particularly considering the subsequent deletion of posts and threads when things got heated or opinions differed, i.e., support for Ham, disagreement with the Midwest decision. (Yes, some select dissensions remain, but the censorship is palpable.)

 

To compound this imbalance of perspectives, still up for reading one can find. . . the thread and link to Susan Bauer's posts on the issue, along with the thread and link on Jay Wile's post - neither of which are much different than Ham's. And of course, let's not omit the very lengthy thread which she herself started on the scuffle topic, which remains "closed" for further discussion while ever-so-available for your reading pleasure as it contains plenty of ill remarks regarding Mr.Ham as well as her encouragement for folks to support Midwest's decision to uninvite him.

Palpable. I don't think it'd be off the mark to state that it's just wrong to impose bias dialogue in this manner particularly after initiating the topic. I mean, c'mon, if you're going to stir the pot. . .

In closing, the matter is simply sad all the way around. No one is more wrong than another, and as they saying goes. . .two wrongs don't make a right. As leaders in the homeschool community, all parties involved should have conducted themselves with more integrity and tact before unleashing the storm of words that has ensued.

Praying for resolution.

Review - History Through the Ages Timeline Figures and Resources

Utilizing a timeline adds a unique visual touch to history studies. It is a wonderfully useful adjunct that allows one to glimpse the "big picture" when it comes to chronology and relevancy of all that has past. A timeline can help us remember important dates, events, people, empires, architectural developments, presidential offices and more, while also allowing us to see some of the connections or relationships between these things. What was going on in the world when Shakespeare was writing comedies, tragedies and poetry? Who was President during WWII? Who was living and what was going on when Jesus was crucified? What classic authors lived at the same time? What else was going on during the Industrial Revolution?

History is fascinating. Creating and using a timeline can help make it fun too! Thus, I want to share some of my absolute favorites resources from Homeschool in the Woods that we have used with success and joy in our homeschool.

First, there are the pre-printed sets of wall size timeline figures. These come in four individual packs that cover the various time periods from Creation to Christ, Resurrection to Revolution, Napoleon to Now, and of course, America's History. These sets correspond well with many of the popular history curriculum's! They come pre-printed on card stock, ready for your wall size timeline. Each pack includes a color-coded bar line to assist you in placement and visual distinction of specific time periods. Fantastic for those with adequate available wall space, but you can also use these in many other creative ways as well. 

Second, and a top favorite of mine, is the Timeline Figures CD.

This awesome 2-CD set is all-inclusive and gives you the freedom and convenience to print over 1,260+ timeline figures in a size and manner to suit whatever undertaking or design you desire - notebooking pages, coloring pages, cards for games, wall timelines, notebook timelines, history fair projects, science fair projects, topic specific studies, and much more. The images are sorted into over 30 helpful categories, i.e., chronological, alphabetical, topical, authors and literary works, presidents, wars, ancient wonders of the world, explorers, composers, scientists, artists, and more - allowing you to easily find and print just the precise ones you are looking for. Your creativity is the ONLY limit when it comes to this fantastic multipurpose resource!


SAMPLE NOTEBOOK PAGE I CREATED WITH CD


And if you check out this archived post, you'll see the history fair project we created using several figures from the CD as well.

Third, comes the History Through the Ages "Record of Time" Notebook. This hardback, beautifully bound, spiral style notebook, filled with thick, durable, lined pages dating from 5,000 BC to 2,025 AD, is a great resource for organizing and creating a keepsake quality notebook type timeline. I've seen many timeline books - some blank, some boring, some flimsy - but this one stands above them all in every aspect! And if you're like me and think you might struggle with exactly where to "place" all those delightful figures within the book, be sure to check out the ever-so-helpful suggested placement guide! 

SIDE NOTE: To my excitement, as I was preparing this post and gathering the links to share, I noticed that there is also a new "Record of Time" Timeline Notebook on CD that was not available when I originally purchased my items. . .so. . . I was wondering, dreaming, thinking. . .who wants to buy this for me? LOL! :)

Last, but not least, be sure to check out the abundance of timeline and timeline related tips and ideas that are to be found on the Homeschool in the Woods website. This alone is worth grabbing some tea and settling down at your computer for a while. It's a literal timeline gold mine! Click this link for free timeline figure samples and visit here see many other freebies from Homeschool in the Woods!

Now, just one last thought. . .I've seen a few posts and chatter about these resources being too expensive, but from my perspective fwiw, as with certain other items I've selected for our children's education, I've found them versatile, high in quality, and worth the investment!

~ BONUS ** FREEBIE ** GIVEAWAY! ~  

As an added bonus and gift to my readers and followers here at Seasons of Learning, I'll be holding a drawing on March 31, 2011 for a FREE set of the Creation to Christ pre-printed wall size timelines figures! To enter, simply leave a comment on this post! (Please make sure that I can reach you, because if I can't contact you - you can't win!)

Shhh. . .Don't Speak

Suffer alone and in silence,

We won't ask, you don't tell

Short simple lessons

Women learn all too well

Not feeling so cheerful?

Kindly keep it all in

No life is perfect

Remain quiet and grin

Hence not a bleak word

Clean house? Yes, you may

Your feelings? How trifling!

Carry on with your day

What's that you say? No. Delete. Delete. Delete.

Oops! I meant "all is well". 

Lesson learned? Shhh. . . Don't speak.

Oh Baby! - Arrival, Journey, Updates :)

This post has been a couple weeks in the making, so please bear with me if it's disjointed or in dire need of editing. Before I could finish typing and sharing one thing, the next popped up. . .so here's a quick attempt to get it all in and posted today. . .

As you can see it's been a while since I've posted, as the last few weeks of my pregnancy had me completely exhausted and I did little more than absolutely necessary during this time, but I'm delighted to share that we were recently blessed (a bit early) with the newest addition to our family!

Having had four normal deliveries, this time around definitely created its own special memories!

The weekend started out fairly typical. . .we went out for dinner on Friday, came home and hung out together. Later as we were getting little man ready for bed, I walked into his room to gather pajama's when I unexpectedly stumbled on his Spidey trike and found myself looking at the floor through tears! I had fallen rather hard, but landed on my hands and knees, so I wasn't too worried about injury to the baby. Plus, I had always read that a fall of this nature rarely caused injury or problems for baby or Mama and once I confirmed this in my "What to Expect" book, I felt reasonably comfortable that all would be fine.

Next day, I was very sore and begun having pain in my upper abdomen. For some reason, I decided to step on the scale to discover that I had gained 13 lbs since my previous OB visit only 12 days prior, thus suddenly doubling my weight gain for the entire pregnancy! Since I had been sick the week before and had barely eaten, I knew this wasn't right.

Concern grew and I decided to visit labor and delivery triage on Saturday evening. They suspected possible preeclampsia. . .checked urine, blood pressure, ran some labs to check liver enzymes, etc.

protein in urine - trace

blood pressure - up when they checked it upon arrival, but went back down before leaving

swelling - I had a good amount of swelling in hands and feet
labs - all was fine
monitoring - fine with adequate movement

dilation and thinning - none

We returned home feeling reassured that all was well.

I had continuing pain in my abdomen on Sunday, which the nurse had thought could be a combination of muscle soreness from fall along with a large baby pushing from inside. Having had large babies before, this seemed a reasonable consideration.

By 5:30 that evening, I had bloody show. Within a hour, regular contractions that were picking up pace. As the contractions continued and grew stronger, we prepared to head out to the hospital. (It was Superbowl Sunday after all and I didn't want to arrive too early and be sent back home!)


I checked in with the on-call OB at around 8:07, then I decided to lay down briefly to see if the contractions would subside. They did not. Shortly thereafter, around 8:30, I had a contraction and felt an unbelievably painful "pop" or "rupture" in my lower abdomen. Assuming it was my water, I got up to check. The blood began to gush and I found myself bleeding profusely and continuously. Dh immediately called 911.


Everything went crazy from there. I was scared beyond words, but tried hard to pull it together after seeing the fearful faces of my girls and hearing them crying hysterically. I screamed for Mom (also not good at hiding her fear) to go out and keep the kids in the other room so that they wouldn't see the blood everywhere or the pitiful scene that had taken over our bathroom! Seeing their fear only exasperated mine and I wanted so desperately not to scare them more and vice versa.


Then I remember dh pacing back and forth in front on the bathroom door, speaking with 911 while waiting for the ambulance to arrive, and saying things like "boot string", "safety pin", "they said don't sit on the toilet", "no, I don't see a head yet".


Those are words I won't ever forget! :-) . . .and never want to hear again, lol!


EMS arrived and I was wheeled out to the ambulance. Mom doesn't get around too well and didn't have time to get in and go with me and dh had to drive and bring the children, so I went on and was transported to the local hospital alone. Not the hospital of my choice mind you, which made me all the more anxious, but the EMT insisted on one, while I repeatedly insisted on another - - a battle I lost as I was obviously not in a position to carry on a debate, but anywho back to what matters. . .


Arriving at the hospital, I was rushed into the trauma unit, where I estimate 20+ individuals we waiting. I think it must have been a combination ER Trauma Unit/Classroom, not sure, not familiar with this hospital's normal emergency staff to patient ratio :) but at that point I didn't care about the audience. Modesty was out the window, I was scared for my life and the life of my unborn baby - and that was priority one. I had lost a lot of blood and contractions were coming hard. I had dilated to 4cm and effaced 75% upon arrival, with the potential for an emergency c-section being discussed as a possible necessity.

They immediately did an ultrasound and I faintly remember the doctor saying the baby was doing okay. My mind must have been nearly numb by then, as the words were so unexpected, so wonderful, so encouraging. . .it took me a few minutes to process them and realize that WE both might be okay!

Further evaluation determined that my placenta had abrupted, but I continued making rapid progress toward delivery and the baby was doing okay, so once everything was stabilized, I was moved to another room, where prepping for delivery continued. (For someone normally terrified of needles and such, I can tell you, not one IV, lab stick, catheter, or stick otherwise, caused me any amount of discomfort. Okay, the morphine helped I'm sure. . .but even so. . .we were moving toward delivery and things were feeling a bit more optimistic at this point.


Moving to a labor and delivery room, the anesthesiologists arrived, providing much needed pain relief none too soon. I was exhausted from the sheer adrenaline of it all. What seemed like the longest night of my life actually covered the span of just a few short hours. Within a very short time, I was 9cm and fully effaced, minutes later. . .ready to push! Having arrived at the hospital somewhere around 9:00 or so, our precious baby was delivered at 12:07am.

Ava Katherine blessed us with her presence nearly five weeks early weighing 6 lbs 14 oz. Being a late term preemie, her breathing was a bit labored and precautions were taken to ensure it stabilized. She spent several hours being monitored in the nursery before we got to spend quality time with her. The NICU nurse came in and shared some concerns over the large amount of blood in her stool, letting us know they were running tests to see if it was her blood or mine, as that would factor into to any next steps they needed to take. Fortunately, it turned out that she had swallowed a large amount of my blood and that it would continue to pass through her stool without any problems.

Ahhh. . .the precious gift of life. The joy of our new blessing. Returning home to my family. Thank you Lord. Thank you.

Continuing our journey. . .Thursday, our second night home, I awoke with heart palpitations and leg pain. Worried about clotting, we returned to the ER. No clots were found, anxiety still most certainly present from the traumatic delivery, but all was well otherwise. They did incidentally find a nodule on my thyroid that I needed to have checked out further, so I had that u/s yesterday and am still waiting for an update. Ugh.

Friday, Ava went for a checkup and was found to have jaundice, so she spent some time at home under phototherapy. Her levels went down, and we discontinued the light.

Monday (Valentine's), she was very lethargic and not nursing more than a minute or two . . .by the time my dh got home from work, she could not be roused or awakened no matter what we tried.

I called the nurse on call at our pediatrician's office (quite frantic by this point) and was instructed to take her to the ER. The nurse called to let them know we were on our way and they took Ava straight back to the trauma room and immediately started an IV and began assessing her and running various tests (CT, Chest x-ray, spinal tap, labs, blood & urine cultures, etc.) During this time of waiting and testing, she was still basically unresponsive (even with all the needle sticks) and began to have brief moments where she would stop breathing.

Ava was moved to PICU around 3:30 am. PICU took very good care of her, watched her diligently, and kept her on IV fluids, as they began an aggressive course of treatment to cover all realms of potentially dangerous issues. (As it was explained to us, they don't wait for the cultures and all the labs to come back because so many things can go from bad to worse very quickly with infants and little ones)

Early results ruled out Influenza A, Influenza B, RSV, Group B Strep, Herpes, and many other viruses, but still no answers. . .so. . .as it sometimes works in medicine. . .by process of elimination, consideration of symptoms, and a slightly elevated WBC in her CSF, they suspected that she could possibly have meningitis of some type.

We continued to wait for the cultures to grow and other tests results to come in, and one by one, they worst of the worst possibilities and all other tests that were done came back negative. Cultures (urine, blood, CSF) grew nothing.

Thus, viral meningitis was determined to be the culprit.

Over the few days of our stay she continued to have periods where she was difficult to rouse and feed, but her breathing steadied and remained so, her color began to look better, and she began to wake up more on her own for feedings. Praise the Lord!

Getting her to nurse and stay awake for nursing is still proving a challenge at times, but she is making progress and seems to be doing much better.

We came home from the hospital this last Thursday evening and are continuing to care for her. . .covering her with kisses and prayers and waking and ensuring that she continues to nurse regularly :)

God bless each of you who have prayed for baby Ava and our family! My heart is humbled and grateful to know so many of you brought our baby and family before the Lord in prayer! She is just precious to us and loved immensely!!

Now, to share a bit of this in pictures. . .



Light Therapy for Jaundice

so tiny in Daddy's hands

  

we celebrated a birthday during Ava's hospital stay, big sis got both of their names on it and added baby booties for baby :)





Yep, pumping milk :)



  

first bath. . .that woke her up :)

And in closing, I want to express my heartfelt and deepest thanks to my dear sister Sheila and friend Michelle for keeping our friends and family updated and requesting prayer for our baby girl and our family. . .and to my Mom. . .whose help we couldn't have done without! Your love and support has meant more to me than you can imagine.

Just Enough

There have been many times in my life where I have fretted over a circumstance, situation, or future that I ultimately have little control over. Life happens, storms hit, and often figuring out how to adjust or manage can be overwhelming and leave me indulging in self-pity and depression. Yet, as I reflect on God's goodness and mercy, I am continually awed by His provision of "just enough" in our day to day living and times of specific need.

When we began our journey to find and purchase a home. . .He provided just enough.

When we went from two incomes to one many moons ago. . .He provided just enough.

When my father committed suicide and left me wondering where God was. . .He provided just enough.

When the towers fell and the world seemed to be crumbling before me. . .He provided just enough.

When our daughter's learning difficulties brought new challenges. . .He provided just enough.

When we've had more week or month left than paycheck. . .He's provided just enough.

When we've worried over our dd's Epilepsy and how to pay for her meds. . .He's provided just enough.

When medical expenses have overwhelmed us. . .He's provided just enough.

When the cupboards have been empty and we've wondered how we'll get groceries. . .He's provided just enough.

When my heart ached from miscarrying. . .He provided just enough.

When holidays come around and we have no idea how were going to do Christmas. . .He provides just enough.

When I grow discouraged and feel defeated. . .He provides just enough.

When my faith is weak, when I can't see any hope. . .He provides just enough.

"Just enough" comes in many forms. . .comfort, friendship, a smile from one of my children, encouragement, fresh air, rest, His Word, strength to carry on, simple Christmas lists, opportunity, direction, motivation, humility, charity, sunshine, a song, a phone call, an email, and so on. Yes, many, many forms, yet consistently. . .

. . .just enough.

. . .just in time.

. . .just the perfect measure to remind me who's in control.

Ever grateful for His faithful provision of "just enough".






"Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you." ~ 1 Peter 5:7

". . .Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." ~ John 16:33

"Great is His faithfullness, His mercies begin afresh each day." ~ Lamentations 3:23

Coming Along. . .26 weeks and counting!

Yes, I LOVE, ADORE, CHERISH the end results of this process called pregancy, and I am SO, overwhelmingly grateful for my precious ones, but the "getting there" is. . .ugh, argh, ick.

Among my many ailments. . .

"morning", no make that ALL DAY sickness that last for many weeks - constantly nauseated or vomiting and have NO energy (ZERO, ZILCH!!) and once I vomit up something, I can't eat it again for years!

my palate becomes very quirkly, NOTHING tastes right

if I brush my teeth, I either throw up or have to rinse with warm salt water to try and get rid of the toothpaste taste

can't stand the smell of anything! (perfume, deodorant, cleaners, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, even foundation, etc.)

alternate between a cold sweat and a "whoa is it hot in here?" sweat

terrible heartburn and indigestion

dry bleeding nasal passages oddly combined and alternating with overproductive mucus causing me to constantly need a garbage can and roll of toilet paper handy. Yes, gross, I know! (A spitting, snotty woman is not attractive.)

can't stand to wear make-up or lipstick during the first 5-6 months, I finally found pure tasteless, odorless petroleum to keep my lips from rampant dryness!

insomnia - even in the early months, I wake up and stay awake for countless hours in the night.

general "I feel awful" on a daily basis

And at this point, my hips and arms go numb at night, which brings me to the aerobic tasks of frequently rolling over!

Then last, but not least, just learned I have gestational diabetes again :(

I'm sure there are many more things that are alluding me at the moment, but of course, I can't remember much when I'm pregnant either!

No, I don't need any cheese to go with my whine, LOL!  This too shall pass :)

So, all that to share a pic and news that. . .things are coming along and looking just "beachy" (as in beached whale) here at 26 weeks.

Did I mention. . .I've had a couple of 10 lb babies? 

I think I can! I think I can! I think I can!

My Review: Preparing to Homeschool High School DVD 2nd Edition

You will find that I'm selective in sharing reviews and don't promote or write reviews of products that I don't absolutely believe in. Yet, when I find one with inherent value and worth, I simply can't help looking for ways to shout it from the rooftop! This is one of those times. . .

What parent hasn't questioned their ability to homeschool through highschool and wondered how doing so would impact their child's ability to get into and succeed in college? It can be a frightening undertaking!

Preparing to Homeschool Highschool takes the fear factor out of the equation! Nearly 4 hours and 18 pages of notes later, this DVD delivered exceptional information, encouragement, and empowerment for tackling those high school years!

Lee warmly invites you to grab a cup of coffee or tea as you sit down with her DVD, but I want to enthusiastically add a plea that you also grab a pen and notepad because this presentation is so chock full of information that you'll want to take copious notes from the moment you click "play".

Lee Binz, a.k.a The HomeScholar, skillfully leads you to tackle and release the fears of homeschooling, gear up and prepare with strategies of success, invest in your weaknesses, learn to choose curriculum wisely, and walks you step-by-step through the stages of planning, understanding the typical requirements of each subject, the do's and don't of record keeping and giving grades, the basics of transcripts and determining credits, and helps you make sense of those scary highschool and college tests (PSAT-NMSQT, PSAT, SAT, ACT, CLEP, AP).

It is an amazing amount of information, presented in a manner that is easy to understand, leaving you confident that you can do absolutely do this!

As the saying goes "Failing to plan, is planning to fail!". Don't let those highschool years find you clueless and unprepared. This outstanding DVD is a great asset for any homeschool parent who is ready to meet the challenge and embrace the privilege of homeschooling through highschool!

Highschool IS coming. . .will YOU be ready?

Find *Preparing to Homeschool Highschool* along with many of Lee's other helpful resources by visiting her website The Homescholar!

Guest Post - Welcome Joyce Herzog!

Today's guest is speaker and author, Joyce Herzog. Joyce's passion is helping people learn the way they learn best! You can visit her on the web here to learn more about what she has to offer including Learning Without Labels, Luke's Lists, Timeless Teaching Tips and more!

~ Goals and Goal Setting ~

A parent recently wrote, “We seem to bounce around and never feel we have accomplished anything. Can you help?” Here is my answer: You have already taken the first steps toward a solution. You have recognized that there is a problem, verbalized it, and asked for help. I’m impressed. From here on, it gets easier.

One of the best motivators is seeing progress. It is impossible to see progress unless you set achievable and measurable goals. Not every skill can be so charted, but it is important to chart some goals in order to see movement. Without such goals, it is more likely that learning will be unfocused and unrecognized. That often leads to a feelings you are experiencing of being stalled and ineffective.

You are feeling a need for some structure in your life and homeschool. That doesn’t mean that you should switch to a regulated curriculum or begin to bring school home. On the contrary, such a major jump would probably be so restrictive that you would bounce back in reaction. It’s better to just set some long term and short term goals.

In the academic areas, get a scope and sequence from a reputable curriculum publisher (or look at my own Luke’s School List). This is a list of skills or concepts covered, usually grade level by grade level, listed in order presented. It is available at no cost from most curriculum publishers. World Book Encyclopedia also publishes one online. There are also books which give an idea of what can be taught at each grade level - or what must be covered in the elementary grades, middle school ages and high schools. Though I personally resist too much restriction by age and grade level since God made each of us so unique, I have also written a mini-book on SIMPLIFIED Homeschool and Recordkeeping which contains a scope and sequence for kindergarten through sixth grade. Use one of these as a guide to choose some topics to approach in the coming months.

It is not always possible to determine ahead how long the study of a given topic will take, but it is helpful to have a sequence so that you can be gathering materials for future studies when you notice them. Keep a drawer or a file cabinet ready to organize these finds so they’ll be ready when you are. Keep note also of library books which address the topic, questions that come up that you’ll want to research, and articles you come across in magazines or on the internet. Jot down ideas for possible field trips. I find that sometimes under pressure, these ideas remain hidden in the vast recesses of my brain, but when I least need them they are jumping out, ready for attention. Keep future topics in the front of your mind and jot down the ideas as you find them and file them immediately. They will start you thinking in the right direction long before deadlines threaten.

It is also helpful to involve the children in goal setting. Ask their opinion when choosing topics, methods of study, and the manner of showing effort and progress. Be willing to compromise where possible, but remember that you are ultimately the one held responsible for their education.

In a given study, make a list of skills to be mastered, facts to be memorized, jobs to be done, or books to be read. Turn the list into a chart ready to date, mark off, or award a sticker when the job is done or the skill is mastered. Seeing the chart fill up is very rewarding and keeps efforts directed. Do allow diversions when they are important; just add them to the chart so you can still see progress and direction. The important thing is to structure a way to document accomplishments. You might make a chart per month, per quarter, per semester or even per year… Probably for most of us monthly or quarterly is best.

Another way to see progress is to have the children make an informal record of their present level of development, and repeat the same activity every three to six months. I often had my children list ten words they could spell, write a story or paragraph and make up and solve one problem for each aspect of math they were familiar with (addition, subtraction, decimals, money, fractions, etc.). This gave me a running record of their handwriting, spelling, and math and, indirectly, their reading level as well. Perhaps a better evaluation of their reading would be to have them list three of the best books they have read since the last time they did this. Be sure they put their name and date on this paper! Keep them in sequential order, most recent on top, in a section of the child’s portfolio and refer to them occasionally. You will be amazed at how easy it is to see maturation and skill in this simple way.

Some progress can be best recorded through taking photos. Photograph large projects, presentations, and field trips. Then have the children enter the photos in an album and add captions. These will be great for recordkeeping, reminiscing and sharing with interested friends and relatives. Writing captions provides meaningful opportunity for practicing handwriting, improving spelling, and formulating thoughts into sentences and paragraphs. And it’s more fun than an assignment for the sake of an assignment.

Setting goals and posting them in front of you keeps you directed and goal oriented. I find sticky notes invaluable for keeping current goals in the front of my mind. I love to write “DONE” on top of goals, and even enjoy discarding the stickies when I complete all the tasks on them. You might prefer to date the stickies and keep them in your child’s portfolio. Whatever way you choose, the key is to keep goals in the front of your mind so that they do not become neglected and forgotten before they are finished. No one finishes everything he starts, but you can always make improvements by setting goals, keeping them in front of you, and charting progress on a regular basis.

© 2010 by Joyce Herzog. Used with permission.

Guest Post - Welcome Lee Binz!

Our guest today is Lee Binz, aka The HomeScholar. If you don't know who she is YET, then I am delighted to have the pleasure of introducing her to you! Lee has graduated 2 sons from homeschool and both are successfully attending the colleges of their choice with scholarships. Lee is a wealth of information and support for homeschooling during the high school years and I know you will find her sharing encouraging and empowering!

Homeschool Highschool: Four Years - Four Goals

It can be overwhelming. After years of happily homeschooling young children, parents look at high school and suddenly panic. Record keeping, transcripts, courses, credits, and tests! Those things are challenging, I'll admit, but they really aren't a matter of life and death. They are just discrete, manageable tasks that you can complete one at a time. When you strip away all the fluff and meringue, you are really left with just one major goal each year. There are only four key goals in the four years of high school.

Freshman Year: Think about College

During freshman year, all you have to do is think about college. Students vary, and teens will often change their minds. College seems like a long way off, too! But when you begin high school thinking about college, then life for the next four years will be much easier. College preparation allows for maximum flexibility. No matter how many times your child changes career plans, you will be ready for anything. Thinking about college can help if your child goes to college, of course. However, if your child does not go to college, no harm is done. You simply end up with a well educated adult, ready to take on the world.

Think about college by learning how to homeschool high school. Take classes and read books that will help you learn about course selection and record keeping. Begin to talk with your child about college preparation. Focus on core subjects like reading, writing, math, history and science. Teach your child at their level and they will be very well prepared in 4 years. Don't worry about the past or the future, but today keep doing what works. Seek help and guidance if you need it.

Sophomore Year: Prepare for College

Sophomore year is the time to prepare for college. Your homeschool should still remain the same warm and loving learning environment it has always been. Preparing does not mean transforming your happy homeschool into a military academy or Socratic classroom. Instead, the best preparation will occur when you continue to use what has worked for you in the past. Move forward with the curriculum that has been working, and make adjustments with the problems you identify. Keep forward momentum with confidence.

Within the context of your family school, prepare for college by taking two specific steps in sophomore year. First, begin a foreign language if you haven’t already. Colleges like to see two or three years of a single foreign language in high school. For homeschoolers, it may be a source of great fear, and some put it off. Prepare for college by making sure you begin a foreign language in sophomore year. Second, prepare for college by taking the PSAT for fun. This is the first college admission assessment test, and it will help your child prepare for college. The PSAT will put your students name in front of colleges that want homeschoolers! It’s a thrill to receive mail from a college, and can encourage parent and student alike.

Junior Year: Find a College

The focal point of junior year is finding some colleges where you want to apply. Although you could quickly choose by throwing darts on a map or only looking only close by, I don’t advise it. Sure, you've chosen a college, but it could be a disastrous choice. An unsuitable college and a mismatch with your family values is a very expensive mistake. Instead, choose colleges with a step-by-step approach.

To achieve your goal of finding a handful of appropriate colleges, the first step is to go to a college fair. Similar to a homeschool convention, it’s a quick and easy way to learn a lot about many colleges in a short amount of time. Step two is taking the PSAT in October of junior year. Step three is taking time to visit colleges during the year, so you can eliminate poor choices from your list. The fourth step is taking the SAT or ACT in the spring, which can help you determine the right college fit academically and financially.

Senior Year: Apply for College

During senior year, the main goal is completing college applications. Applying early for college can improve your chance of admission and financial aid. Just like Tax Day on April 15th, college application deadlines are immovable, inflexible, and have financial consequences. In addition, applying for college is not at all like applying for a job at McDonalds! It takes a lot of time, and there is a lot of work involved.

Applying for college will require long and thoughtful essays. Letters of recommendation will take time to acquire, even from willing and helpful writers. The application itself is quite complex and takes a while to complete. Each application must include your homeschool records: a transcript, possibly a reading list, and perhaps course descriptions as well. For best results with maximum financial aid, apply early and often. Apply for a handful of acceptable colleges, carefully watching deadlines and following the fine print. Applying for college doesn’t end with admission. It continues with additional correspondence regarding financial aid. It’s a prolonged task, but worth the effort.

Dramatic Changes

Each year of high school your child will mature by leaps and bounds. As a newborn is dramatically different from a four year old, it is also true that a freshman will barely resemble a high school senior. Children grow up so fast, and mature very quickly over the four years of high school. Be prepared for anything, so your children can attend a college that will meet their family and career goals. Focus on the one goal for each year of high school. Don’t get lost in the details, and don’t worry about the future, just focus on the task at hand.

Freshmen think about college, sophomores plan for college, juniors find a college and seniors apply to college. Have a great year THIS year. Next year you can work on the next goal, but for now just focus on the one step before you.
 

Copyright © 2010 The HomeScholar (www.TheHomeScholar.com). Text may be reprinted without permission if used in full, including the bio box (below) and this copyright, except for use in a book or other publication for rent or sale.

Lee Binz, The HomeScholar helps parents homeschool for high school and is a leading internet home school resource helping parents homeschool to college.   You can find Lee online at http://www.TheHomeScholar.com.

P.S. Be sure to check back next week to read my detailed review of Lee's DVD - "Preparing to Homeschool Highschool".