Children are different – so should be how we teach them!
Anyone with more than one child can compare and contrast their children. They may have similar mannerisms yet opposing interests and sometimes you may wonder how two could have sprung from the same womb! Children are different, they have different interests, different focuses and different learning styles. So too, must the teaching style for them be different.
My first child was pretty easy to homeschool. He was a book kid, loved worksheets and would sit for hours working on a project. My second child is not as keen of a reader, would prefer not to have to write and won’t sit for hours to do anything. These differences are not a variance in intelligence, just in how and what they learn.
With both children, one of the main things I did was teach what interested them. My eldest son studied Medieval history at least five times. Each time had a different focus, an increased measure of learning and new projects to work on. The younger son enjoyed Medieval History as long as he was reading about knights, catapults and the siege of a castle, but really only wanted to study it once. And so, while one child created graphs about the plague, the other crafted medieval weapons from cardboard, tinfoil and duct tape. Since each activity was premised with a discussion or reading about the time period the history lesson was still being taught, just in different styles.
The older child struggled a bit with math, but when lessons involved money, things made sense! And so, many math lessons allowed counting, converting and problem solving with money. The youngest struggled with geography but enjoyed cooking. So, we travelled the world learning about common foods and recipes found in the various countries.
Free yourself from the “typical” school regime, especially with a more active, reluctant student. Create lessons through field trips, music, crafts, athletics and unit studies that fill the needs of each student. This encourages them to learn because they enjoy the subject, and the manner with which it is taught!
Online Educational Thrift Store
Save a buck on a book, but there is more!
Customers of the Home Education Resource Emporium online educational thrift store have thousands of resources both new and used to browse and purchase. Customers can also sign up their children for the free book on their birthday program, at no extra cost. Special deals, new additions to inventory and other important announcements are sent to customers first! Customers have access to even more downloadable books and resources through the book stores affiliate ebook store. There is also access to the Usborne book catalogue for even more great books.
You may be surprised with the wide array of unique resources available. Take some time to have a look. Become a customer and reap even more benefits!
Home Education Online Educational Thrift Store – http://books.transplanted.ca
Education + Fun = #1: Unit Studies
“The big thinkers in education emphasize customized or individualized learning as the wave of the future.”
This is not a new concept to homeschoolers who teach individualized learning every day. One of the great methods to customize this individual learning is through unit studies. With a unit study, the concepts of English, Math, Science, Geography, History and Art can be reinforced, while the student is learning about a subject they really enjoy. If the subject is interesting and enjoyable, it will be easier to learn and the student will be more willing to learn. Unit studies focus on a specific topic, they can create an introduction to that topic and inspire further study. They can supplement other educational resources to provide a bit of learning on their own, or even on the go. Unit studies are adaptable to a child, you can use only the activities/lessons that fit your child’s learning level or interest level rather than using everything and possibly causing a student to not have fun while learning. You can create your own unit study about a topic that interests that child right now. Maybe your son wants a pirate birthday party – why not spend the week before on a pirate unit study that teaches as well as adds some fun. In the spring you can start a garden, keep a garden journal, learn about plants etc in a unit study based on the wonders of the garden. There are so many unit studies available for download, or in magazines and books that you could find one for almost any topic of interest to your child. Why not try your hand at putting one together. Search for worksheets, reading comprehension, crafts and science experiments that fit in to that theme!
If you need some help, check out all the great ideas on squidoo.
The Importance of Education – Home or School
Educational importance before the industrial revolution was tied to:
1) learning,
2) preparation for wise leadership and personal achievement,
3) opening your mind to new ideas.
These are the requirements we can assume from all education. If these steps are not being achieved than a change in how children are taught is required.
When a child does not want a particular food then we suggest they just try a bit to taste it before they decide. So can be said for educational subjects. Instead of assuming a child won’t like a subject, or need a subject, we should let them try it – he/she may just like it.
I have always wondered how we can determine the career that will carry us through our life with only a few courses of introduction. I was very excited about studying Archaeology, then I took the first course and found that the preliminary work, gridding and such was not something I would enjoy doing endlessly. But I went in with an open mind, and learned that that was not the path for me.
I am not a fan of the variety of requirements needed in order to receive enough credits for a high school diploma. Something from this group, two from that group etc. Although it offers choice to the student, it also limits choices and opportunities for them to excel at the subjects they enjoy the most. Often, courses that are not suited to the student, but are required for a diploma can discourage learning and create avoidance of that class, or school all together. As a homeschooler, I have been able to offer my children a variety of lessons, determined the ones that are not suitable, and finish them up early so as not to prolong the agony of an unwanted subject.
Students with choice, variety and the ability to switch out of a lesson that is not working for them are learning, opening their mind to new ideas and preparing the best base for personal achievement. Fulfilling all steps in the importance of education helps fulfill the student as well!
DiDi LeMay offers a heartwarming story of a little girl who sets out on a journey to feed the winter animals, and possible see one or two while she walks in the woods. After exploring the forest for a little while she experiences a talking encounter with a squirrel. Although she tries to leave the forest she discovers that she is lost. She stumbles across a meeting of forest animals, some, not so friendly. The little girl finds herself amidst an argument about humans and their disrespect for the environment, the animals and the world around them. Then the girl begins an adventure that proves to the animals that not all humans disrespect nature, and she can help them! While rooting on this little girl on her quest, young readers will learn lessons in helping others, standing up for their beliefs, conquering their fears, and caring for the environment. It is a celebration between animals and humans that should be emulated around the world!
visit http://didilemay.com/ to find out more about this book.
A Lesson to Remember
This came to me in an email this morning and I thought it was worth repeating!
A lesson that should be taught in all schools . . And colleges Back in September, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School , did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom. When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks. ‘Ms.. Cothren, where’re our desks?’ She replied, ‘You can’t have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.’ They thought, ‘Well, maybe it’s our grades.’ ‘No,’ she said. ‘Maybe it’s our behavior.’ She told them, ‘No, it’s not even your behavior.’ And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom. By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms.Cothren’s classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room. The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the deskless classroom, Martha Cothren said, ‘Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.’ At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it. Twenty-seven (27) War Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall… By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.. Martha said, ‘You didn’t earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it’s up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don’t ever forget it.’ By the way, this is a true story.
Thank you Martha for showing us all how to make freedom an important lesson!
Some Sweet Lessons
So Halloween is over and the little trick or treaters have a huge bundle of candy. Believe it or not, this can be a good thing!
Instead of just rotting their teeth and giving them a sugar high, this pile of candy can be used in some sweet lessons.
Sorting – create piles of the candy according to a specific classification, colour of wrapper, type of candy, letter it starts with etc. and create a sorting lesson.
Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying and Dividing – use the candy as manipulatives to help reinforce math skills.
Graphing – create a graph to show how much of each type of candy was given out.
Fractions – use candy that can be sectioned – like chocolate bars, licorice sticks etc. to teach fractions. Divide the candy into parts first a half, then a half again to make a fourth and so on.
Crafts – some candy can be used to make crafts. Use lollipops to make finger puppets, lifesavers to make wheels on various types of vehicles, including trains (see picture) and use smaller candy like nerds to make sand art images. Obviously the candy can’t be eaten after turned into a craft but it is a good idea to finish up the candy once the kids have had their fill!
Weights and measures – how many smarties weighs the same as one chocolate bar? Questions like this can be studied using different sizes of candy.
Mad Libs – create a fun reading lesson by substituting the name of the candy for various words in a story. Or use a Mad Lib sheet and fill in candy words.
Games – play games using candy as counters or playing pieces. Smarties are M&Ms are great bingo counters!
Art – make a collage of candy wrappers – many wrappers have different colours and textures which can make an interesting piece of art! You can even use candy wrappers to make jewelry!
Take an online tour of the candy wrapper museum – discuss some favourite candy from your childhood and create a candy wrapper of the future!
Enjoy these sweet lessons!
Sneak Peek – Soldiers Through Time unit study
Education with a BANG suggests that when teaching active boys, incorporate a subject they love and develop it into a lesson that will help them learn the basics.
The Soldiers Through Time unit study has 7 modules – each module covers soldiers in one particular time period.
Each module can be downloaded separately so you can enhance you unit of study.
Here is what is being said about this exclusive unit study!
The American Civil War
When the Kansas territory had the opportunity to join the Union as either a free state (no slavery) or a slave state many people from both sides of the debate rushed to Kansas to try to influence the vote. As a result there were violent clashes.
Then, when Abraham Lincoln, who was against slavery, won the election in November 1860 making him president of the Union, the southern states decided they no longer wanted to be part of the Union. A month after the election South Carolina seceded (broke away from the Union). Soon after Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana. Georgia and Texas also split from the Union. These colonies formed their own country – The Confederate States of America. Eventually they were joined by Virginia (eastern half), Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky.
On the next page – colour the map of the United States to show the Confederate States (red) and the Union States (blue)
Explorers made great discoveries – So can you!
Christopher Columbus took a risk and found the “New World”. Magellan took a risk and did not fall off the end of the Earth but went all the way around it. These explorers dreamed up an idea, followed it through and became great explorers.
Homeschoolers can be explorers too. Although there are the basic subjects to build a foundation like English and Math, home educators can explore other subjects of interest and curiosity and add them to their lesson plans. School curriculum does not cover espionage but homeschoolers can. Explore the world of spies learning geography, history, science and more. What about herbology? The study of plants used as medicine is another interesting yet not required course to study.
It is important to explore many subjects and interests in order for your child to make an informed decision on what they may want to pursue as a career. It is also more interesting for the child to discover topics that they are curious about.
Bringing up a family should be an adventure, not an anxious discipline in which everybody is constantly graded for performance.
– Milton R. Saperstein
Explore the world, one subject at a time and increase the education of your child while also satisfying their curiosity!
Brainy Bundles allow you to give the gift of learning
As the holiday season approaches we start to think about gift giving. What better gift to give than the gift of learning. Brainy Bundles are educational gift baskets that combine fun and education all wrapped up in one. Each bundle encompasses a specific theme then offers books. puzzles, games and other learning activities to compliment that theme. The bundles range from infant to about age 13. There is a large variety of themes available like princesses and fairies, dragons and knights, animals, characters, vehicles and more!
Any child in your life deserves a thoughtful gift that will encourage learning. Sometimes, you have to go from store to store just the find the right gift. A Brainy Bundle saves you the shopping time, and provides a thoughtful, educational gift that will benefit the child.