Children's Books And Educational Toys - Can They Still Be Fun And Have Educational Value

It was no contest. Given a choice between a ball and a book, my son would never have cracked a book binding. Giving him educational toys was a lot like giving him medicine. He didn't want any part of either one. Fortunately, things have changed a great deal in the 20-odd years since he was a youngster. Educational toys, just like children's medicines have come a long way. Children's medicines taste good enough that tiny tykes will resist taking them only a little and learning toys have become a lot more enjoyable. For example, today there is great educational software for the family PC.

Now, that isn't to say that you can walk into a toy department or a top quality toy store such as Toys R Us and randomly start slinging items labeled 'educational toy' in your shopping cart. You must take care when selecting educational toys. Fortunately, the 'educational' aspects of the toy can be kept well hidden behind the fun the child derives.

Toys such as jigsaw puzzles, word games, Disney games, word puzzles and other learning toys are great cognitive educational toys. These toys require that the child use his or her imagination. They develop creativity. They make the child think.

These games and educational toys have another, more important, aspect. They are fun. The child has fun while learning to use his or her imagination and reasoning skills. Children learn through play and these toys are the tools of play. They are the tools of learning.

The key is selecting cognitive development skills and educational toys that are appropriate for the child. For example, teaching a three-year-old to read or do multiplication may seem like a cool idea for your little prodigy, but it is much better to make sure the child is having fun reciting the alphabet and counting numbers with the help of interactive Disney toys, books on tape and other such toys. When the learning play is fun, the child will progress at his or her own pace with only minor supervision from you. Frustrating the child by expecting too much, too quickly will actually retard learning.

Jigsaw puzzles are another example of great educational toys. They teach the cognitive skills of learning the relationship between sizes and shapes. They also teach fine motor skills in putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

The second key is to tie educational toys and learning to the child's current interests. These interests change as the child develops. Learning is much more fun if it is associated with something that has already captured the imagination of the child.

Educational toys do not have to be about thinking and learning. The second category of educational toys is those toys that develop physical skills such as coordination and fine motor skills. Babies begin learning coordination with a rattle. Lego are great toys for teaching the fine motor skills required to assemble the blocks.

It is much easier to encourage most youngsters to play with toys that help teach physical skills because stored energy and growing muscles demand stretching and movement. Given the opportunity, what four-year-old won't ride a tricycle miles and miles around the dining room table or up and down the front sidewalk? While riding the strike, the youngster is developing strength and coordination, both of which are important for future development.

The various ball games that children enjoy are important for the same reason. They help the youngster develop strength, agility, speed and coordination. They also go one step further. Because most ball games are team sports, they teach concentration, teamwork, good sportsmanship and strategy. These are all important cognitive and emotional skills that will be necessary for the child to develop into a well-rounded and productive adult. So, Mom, the next time your youngster picks up a ball and begins playing with it, you might look at it as a valuable educational toy.

One of the most important toys in your child's playroom is you. You need to spend some time, enough time, playing with your child to help supervise play with educational toys. You need to spend enough with your child that you can monitor his or her interests, ensure that the educational toys they are playing with are appropriate and encourage them to have fun with those games.

Educational toys are fun as they teach. They are different than schoolbooks and school assignments. Educational toys do not mean tedium and drudgery. Educational toys are designed to teach or develop the child.

This brings up a final point. Another important benefit of parental supervision is the ability to keep track of those toys and games that do little to help develop either your child's cognitive skills or physical skills. There are some games and toys on the market that are so complete that they do all of the work for the child. The child does not have to be creative or exercise growing muscles or developing coordination. In fact, these games can actually be counterproductive by promoting lethargy and laziness.

Royce Armstrong is a successful freelance writer with a business and banking background who believes consumers should get the best value for their money when shopping for educational software [http://www.a1-in-toys.com/electronic-games.html], children’s toys [http://www.a1-in-toys.com/legos.html] and children’s books [http://www.a1-in-toys.com/index.html].

Research Homeschool Socialization Avenues

One huge reason families stay on the fence to finalizing their decision to homeschool is because of the age-old question of "Will my child lack socialization skills"?
I agree, its vitally crucial to growth and proper development for children to play and interact with one another.
Let's research homeschool socialization avenues, which offer valuable and wholesome opportunities for children to engage.
Co-Ops
Homeschool Co-ops are a convenient and popular arrangement. A co-op is commonly known as 'cooperative learning', but I like to refer to it as, 'collective learning'. The format is usually set-up where parents teach various academic or skill based courses.
There are a host of classes kids can choose to attend. The co-ops we've been involved in have offered some of the following opportunities: art, cooking, public speaking, writing, remedial math, science, foreign language, music, dance, martial arts. (etc )
I've personally taught public speaking and knitting classes. I've even enlisted my own children to co-teach, as to elicit leadership skills.
Learn to Serve
Volunteering is a perfect outlet to ground social skills. It offers the ability of learning to "serve someone other than yourself". My kids have volunteered at retirement homes, thrift stores, library, hair salon and botanical garden.
Crafts
Enrolling in art classes are an excellent way to engage your children socially. My kids have attended weekly homeschool classes at Michael's and pottery classes at an independent business. They also offer t-shirt crafts, cake decorating and jewelry making.
Harmonize
I consider music and dancing as arts as well. My kids have enrolled in violin, gymnastic and ballet. The establishments offered weekly homeschool sessions and discounted prices for multiple children.
Get In Motion
Every child needs plenty of exercise. Why not sign them up for sports or fitness classes. A local organization called, YES Kids Fitness offers a homeschool program dedicated to nutrition, teamwork, sports performance and weight lifting. Also there are Athlete Homeschool Associations in almost every state.
Conclusion
We have not begun to scratch the surface of the socialization opportunities. Searching for activities could began with an interest in 4-H or a hobby of horseback riding. Contact your local homeschool organization or become creative in bringing other families together. I must warn you not to become so busy school work gets delayed.
My kids have been invited to sleepovers, birthday, play dates, sport events etc. simply through the friendships established from participating in the activities mentioned.
I'd be happy to help if you're struggling with finding activities for your children. Please contact me.
For the Love of Our Children,
Tina

http://homeschooleasy.com
contact me at:tina@homeschooleasy.com

Useful Facts About Distance Education In West Bengal

In a country like India, it is sad to see children working to support their families when they should be enjoying a normal childhood and going to school. But since majority of the population have been unable to rise above the poverty line, only the families who have sound finances can afford to educate their kids. But a good education is very important in these tough times. Other than financial issues, sometimes students cannot attend the campus classes because they live too far or cannot find time due to family obligations.
In such cases people do not need to deprive themselves of their right to education. Even if you cannot opt for a regular academic course just log online and find out more about a distance education college in India. It is just suitable for a person when he cannot travel a long distance to college or has a busy schedule. The books and assignment sheets are sent to the student€™s residence once the formalities are fulfilled and admission is secured. It provides some relaxation in terms of time factors. You can study at your own pace and be comfortable without disrupting your busy routine.
If you cannot make personal rounds to the college of your choice or attend the study Centre meetings with the authorities you do not need to worry. Just log onto the websites and find out more about Best Hotel Management in West Bengal. There are weekend and night classes where you can work with the academic counselors. There are term end examinations which you appear for through the study Centre. You can choose from the certificate, diploma, degree, doctorate and management programs and in any discipline you wish to. Sometimes even the homemakers who wish to further their education but lack the time due to family obligations opt for these correspondence courses. The attendance percentage will not be a factor for you as it is in the traditional system of education.
One often suffers from outlandish delusions that distance education courses are futile as the daily attendance is not in practice. However, a more practical and progressive person would beg to differ. Education is a mode of learning whether it is through regular courses or a correspondence class. In fact at the end of the day, distance education has more benefits since it saves you a lot of time and gets you the coveted degree or diploma.
A MBA degree, more so if done from a renowned institution, can work wonders for your academic career. You can easily land yourself a job as banker in a reputed bank in the country with a stupendous salary or get an equally magnificent job. So which is the MBA College in West Bengal that can mold your future for the better? The International Institute of Management is a household name. If you wish to know more about the places outside, Symbiosis in Prune is a good option. For more information please visit http://www.bihmedu.in/

Teacher Education

Online teacher education is for those people who lead such a busy life that they cannot go to a regular university to get trained as teachers. There are many universities on the Internet that offer good programs for online teacher education.

Online teacher education provides teaching information and tips for teachers, as well as aspiring teachers. This is even useful for teachers with regular teacher education degrees.

The University of Phoenix Online is a private university which offers online teacher certification processes and teacher education. This is like any other distance education degree that one takes up rather than attend regular colleges. Students can choose from a variety of subjects and earn credit points required for the online degree. They will cover all the advanced theories and teaching techniques that they would cover in a regular course of teacher education.

The Western Governor's University has certification and graduate programs in teacher education that aim at getting students qualified as teachers in American schools. The university's licensure programs are meant for people who are not certified teachers, and include all major subject areas like mathematics, science and social sciences. GU also has graduate programs for certified teachers who aim at specializing further. The Master's degree programs offered by the university include English language and learning, learning and technology, management and innovation, mathematics, science, and measurement and evaluation.

Cappella Online University has a proven track record with more than 2,400 students who have gone on to have successful careers in teaching. The university offers programs in K-12 education and adult and continuing education. They offer Master's and doctoral programs in core areas like educational administration, professional studies in education and advanced classroom management. They also offer graduate certificate programs in Leadership in Educational Administration.

Websites like teachnet.com, sitesforteachers.com and tcrecord.org are storehouses of information on teacher education, training, development and improvement. These sites have a variety of resources on all topics useful for teachers.

Teacher Education [http://www.WetPluto.com/Online-Teacher-Education.html] provides detailed information on Teacher Education, Online Teacher Education, Teacher Education Philosophies, Teacher Education Programs and more. Teacher Education is affiliated with Online Special Education Courses [http://www.WetPluto.com/Journal-Of-Special-Education.html].

Study In India: The Advantages of Indian Systems of Global Education

India is well known for its diversity in languages, cultures, traditions, flora fauna, and geographical disparities. Being one of the oldest civilizations, India is acknowledged for its significant contributions to the knowledge world. Since ancient times it has proved its excellence in the field of academics. India has nourished many talents in fields like Mathematics, Physics, Economics, Astronomy, Management and Finance over years. In ancient times many foreign travelers traveled to India to enrich their knowledge and education. Ancient university of Alana has its golden history of enriching scholars from several corners of the globe during the period of Buddha and Mohair timing TH century BC. Prudent education system has its roots back to many centuries in the history of India.

The present education system in India is mostly influenced by the British system of education. Under the influence of British colonialism the modern Indian education system has prospered with systematic approach. In the post-independence era there have been significant reforms in the Indian system of education to make the standards distinct and widely adaptable. In G-string century independent India is roaring as an economical superpower with its fast growing economy, industrialization and globalization. There are numerous world-class educational Institutions exist in India. The standards of education are at par with the top-notched institutions of the world. Even there are institutions which are regarded as the most preferred in their respective majors.

In the mean while India has developed holistic system of education catering for the comprehensive development of an individual. From time immortal there exist an essence of emotional bonding between the student and the teacher in Indian system of education. Out of many structures of education provided in India the "Guru" system of education has proven its excellence over others. In the recent years this system of education is being adopted by many frontline educational institutions for attaining superior outcomes.

There are numerous vanguard institutions like Indian Institute of Technology (IT), Indian Institute of Management (IM), Delhi University (DU), Awhirl Nehru University (NU), Symbiosis International, Xavier's Institute, TATA Institute are present and excelling in India. They have proven their standards on the global platform. India provides its scholars wide choices for individually preferred field of excellence. With world-class facility campus equipped with latest technologies, Indian educational establishments provide its students life time opportunity of education and curricula development. With affordable and qualitative educational system, Indian educational establishments stand apart from its competitive counterparts.

Technically speaking India offers top of the standards facility to experiment and learn so as to develop the creative side of personality. Indian education system emphasizes on creating personalities rather than preparing workaholic machines. The value education has enriched Indian system of education with every facet of life for joyful learning. This is the rationale behind creating global leaders with marvelous potential. Indian is transforming itself as global hub for business process outsourcing. With its relatively low man-hour overheads it is attracting global investors with fair opportunities for futuristic investments. The international exposure of Indian economy has opened up many doors for foreign direct investments. To meet this demand of technical man-force, educational systems in India are continuously devising strategies to provide best of the quality education to its students.

As the cost of education in India is relatively low as compared to the other developed countries, it has gathered wider acceptance from students around world. The opportunities are plenty and this invites people around the globe to explore their share. The future of Indian education system is focusing more on knowledge economy. This provides abundant resources for exposure and experience for any student to learn through a state of rapid changing economy stage.

The options for study in India are widely diversified with wide presence of broad range of choices for education. You can choose to study on campus, off campus, on distance and correspondence learning modes. The flexibility of education system allows virtually everybody to ascertain their scope of education at any level. Moreover you have a friendly atmosphere while thinking of study in India. India is a country with varied of educational standards spread across its length and breadth. Sovereign Government of India facilitates the intermingling of cross-cultural relationships. With all theses distinct advantages, India is adopted as the numerous June choice of education.

Whether you are an Indian or a foreigner, India has unique opportunities in terms of quality and value added education with state-of-the-art infrastructures and veteran faculties for each one of you. This facilitates the person in you to transpose in to a globally acclaimed citizen.

Mr. Anoka is providing SEO Services India to Infinite Courses. Infinite Courses is an honest endeavor launched to effectively address the concern of the greater than ever student/ education seeker population. Infinite courses aptly acknowledge that there is a plethora of career alternatives and courses out there in the open world; the only hindrance is the verdict of right career conduit and the right institutes to pursue that aim. Search for Study In India options.

Education and Islam

Islam is the religion of peace, and it is one of the most sacred and trustworthy religions, which has given us guidance in every aspect of life. Islam has given us education with knowledge which has no limits. The Holy Quran is the most sacred book of Allah revealed on Prophet Muhammad (SAW), for the pitmen guidance and enriched messages to the humanity.

Education is the knowledge of putting one's potentials to maximum use. Without education, no one can find the proper right path in this world.

This importance of education is basically for two reasons. Education makes man a right thinker. Without education, no one can think properly in an appropriate context you. It tells man how to think and how to make decision. The second reason for the importance of education is that only through the attainment of education, man is enabled to receive information from the external world. It is well said that

"Without education, man is as though in a closed room and with education he finds himself in a room with all its windows open towards outside world."

This is why Islam attaches such great importance to knowledge and education. When the Quran began to be revealed, the first word of its first verse was 'Ira' that is, read..

The reflective book of Holy Quran is so rich in content and meaning that if the history of human thought continues forever, this book is not likely to be read to its end. Every day it conveys a new message to the humanity. Every morning, it gives us new thoughtful ideas and bound us in the boundaries of ethics.

Islamic Education is one of the best systems of education, which makes an ethical groomed person with all the qualities, which he/she should have as a human being. The Western world has created the wrong image of Islam in the world. They don't know that our teachings are directly given to us from Allah, who is the creator of this world, through our Prophets.

The Muslims all over the world are thirsty of acquiring quality education. They know their boundaries and never try to cross it. It is the West, which has created a hype that the Muslim are not in a path of getting proper education. They think that our education teaches us fighting, about weapons, etc., which is so FALSE. This is true that there are certain elements, which force an individual to be on the wrong path, because as we will mold a child, they will be like that, but it doesn't mean that our religion teaches improperly to us.

Our Holy Prophet (SAW), said,

Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.

And:

Seek knowledge even [if it is to be found in a place as distant as China. At the battle of Bader, in which our beloved Holy Prophet (SAW) gained victory over his foes, seventy people of the enemy rank were taken to prison. These prisoners were literate people. In order to benefit from their education the Prophet declared that if one prisoner teaches ten Muslim children how to read and write, this will serve as his ransom and he will be set free. This was the first school in the history of Islam established by the Prophet himself with all its teachers being non-Muslims. The Sunni of the Prophet shows that education is to be received whatever the risk involved.

Today, the Muslims are acquiring good ideas, thoughts, knowledge, and skills, from all corners of the world. The world is moving very fast, and in this industrialize world, It is the duty of the teachers to give quality ethical integrated education to the Muslim students worldwide, because children are invaluable assets of future generations.

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) encouraged all Muslims to acquire knowledge and share it. He said:

"Acquire knowledge, for he who acquires it in the way of Allah performs an act of piety; he who speaks of it, praises the Lord; he who seeks it, adores Allah; he who dispenses instruction in it, bestows alms; and he who imparts it to others, performs an act of devotion to Allah." (Buckaroo, Muslim)

All the teachers of either secular or religious education should give more attention to the pupils inside the classroom. It is necessary that in the Islamic system that we should consider these dear children as our own children, and put aside all other considerations, and rise above all such things and realize our duty and our mission. We should raise the standards of education and attend to the needs of these children. We should realize our duties with earnestness and awaken to the sense of responsibility. It has been seen that there are certain teacher who are not fulfilling their duties with keen interest. I would like to request all the teachers that for the sake of God, for the sake of your revolutionary duty, teach the children with devotion and dedication.

It is important that we advance our work through discussions, debates, studies, and through proper distribution of work among ourselves.

We must never forget that we are living in an Islamic State, and our aim should be simultaneously to create both an independent as well as an Islamic culture in character. Independence and richness of content are indeed among the characteristics of the Islamic culture. Our system is an ideological system.

We should make our child enthusiastic, dynamic, and this search should pervade every corner of our society. We should aspire them to be truthful and sincere.

Self-sacrifice and generosity, love of freedom, the resolve for resistance and headstrong perseverance, the courage to welcome martyrdom-all these are the new values of the new generation, which should be taught according to the teaching of Islam.

The doors of the school should always be kept open for the sake of Islam, for the sake of the Muslim Summa.

Muir Moos Swami is one of the famous, prominent and creative names in the field of Education since 8 years. He is a Master Trainer In Special Education, Post Graduate, Teacher Educator and a Teacher. He is a Freelance Writer and Photographer too. He is an author of the famous self-published storybook for children named as "The MORAL STORIES FOR CHILDREN" and has also written Biology course book for Secondary Classes. He has written almost more than 40 articles on social, health, educational and cultural issues, which are internationally recognized and published on most of the famous world wide websites, magazines and newspapers. He is also a Social worker, private tutor, career counselor, musician, lyrics writer and have multi- dimensional talents. His future plan is to write dozens of informative books and articles and to work for education and media too.

Tips to Choose the Best Pre-Primary School

Being a parent of 2 years child, it is your responsibility to think about their development. You should know which is right and which is wrong for your kid. To stay in this competitive market, giving the best education is very necessary. In age of 2 years to 6 years, the development of mind is very high. In this early age, their mind is full of imagination and thoughts, so finding the way to nourish their curiosity are vital. Sending child to a good Pre Primary School Mumbai Nursery School is the best option for you. It is the place, where your child learns how to eat, how to seat, how to speak, how to dance, how to play music and many more things.
Some parents like to send their children to a school while some DNA(TM)t like this concept. But the main thing is to find out the best Pre-Primary School. Almost parents consider it as a daunting task. IA(TM)s a School Hunting task for the parents especially in metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai. Parents who are living in Mumbai are really tired to find out a wonderful school for their child. We can also say that choosing the best Playgroup is very tough in Mumbai city. Today, this region becomes a center of management institute, colleges, universities, and international schools.
To make this task very simple, it is very necessary to have good knowledge about the Nursery Schools it makes quite simple to choose the school. Checking out facilities is very significant before taking admission in the desired school. Playgroup at Mumbai is a stepping stone to learn different things in life. Due to this reason, parents are more careful while going to choose the school for their child. Sending child to a school is very tough moments for children and even their parents. Due to this reason, it is very necessary to situated near by location as parents can easily pick and drop them.
Another step is to visit different schools in Mumbai, thus you can easily know surrounding, culture, environment and even infrastructure of the school. Many schools have their criteria to give admission but still give lots of choices. Thirdly, you must check out different programs of the school, by which you can get idea to admit your child or not. Even more, it is a good idea to take advice from experts or professionals because they have knowledge about nursery schools. It is also good idea to ask friends or neighbors whose children are in Nursery School in Mumbai. With this way, it becomes quite simple for you to find out the best school for your child. Go ahead and take decision to choose the school as per your requirement.

Tree Removal Services For A Safe Family

Trees are one of the best ways to beautify your property and liven up the neighborhood. There are many different kinds of trees that can make your landscaping more beautiful. But there are times when the trees on your property become too large or become damaged, leaning the wrong way and endangering your buildings and even your family. When this happens, tree removal may be the best option.

Eventually, these trees may no longer contribute to the beauty of your landscape and having them removed may be your only choice. There are also times when trees have to be replaced with other trees which are more suitable for the landscape. Or some of them may be infected with a disease and pose a risk to your lives or to your property. These are some of the reasons why you may need a tree removal company to cut the trees for you.

There is no question that trees offer a myriad of benefits. These include bringing fresh air and giving us much needed shade on hot sunny days. But it is important to understand how to manage these trees in order to ensure that they do not endanger your property or the lives of family members. This could happen of course because of heavy winds taking down dead or diseased trees.

Of course, it's possible that you want to remove the tree by yourself. However, you might find this task too overwhelming as it involves a very difficult and dangerous process. If you've never experienced removing a tree before, attempting to do it might bring harm to yourself or the people around you. The bigger the tree that you want cut, the more dangerous it is to remove. Likewise, there are cases when some trees regrown because the stump was not handled properly. All these hazards can be avoided by hiring the services of a professional company so then you'll have the peace of mind knowing your lives are in safe hands.

If this job is too big for you, then employing the service of the professionals might be your best option. These people will work very professionally to remove any trees that are dying or rotting very close to your house. They have the experience and expertise needed to handle the job. They know how to remove trees in ways that will prevent damage to other people's property or cars and ensure that nobody gets harmed. Aside from having the right techniques, they also have the specialized equipment necessary for this type of job.

You don't have to put yourself and your loved ones in danger, when there are tree removal services available to help you. If there are trees in your yard that you want removed, call one of these companies immediately so then you will no longer live in fear that the tree or even just part of it would fall on you or your family or that it might damage your neighbor's property.

Disclaimer Policy

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by us. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content. The owner(s) of this blog is not compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

Tips To Homeschool Students In Multiple Grades

Remember the one room schoolhouse you used to see on "Little House on the Prairie?" That same concept is going on in households where more than one child is being homeschooled at a time. Keep reading to discover some tips you can employ if there is more than one little one at your table at multiple grade levels.
Kids learn at different rates. Even within the same household, there might be a diverse number of learning styles going on. As a parent, just the notion of teaching on more than one level might have you shaking in your boots. It doesn't have to. With a bit of organization and training right from the start, mastering this hurdle can be done.
The one main thing to remember is that kids learn the same information but at ever increasing levels of difficulty. For instance, your second grader might be learning addition and subtraction. The middle school child is learning to add and subtract but along with other operations like division, multiplication and fractions. The basics have to be understood before they can go higher.
Tips to Homeschool Students in Multiple Grades

1. Get organized - The best way to stay on top of it all is to get your kids to follow certain rules from the outset. Create a station for each child. It could be a crate, a drawer or another type of box that has their name on it and houses only their work materials. Each day, place their current work in a folder. In the morning, everyone goes to their box and gets what they need for the day. Assigned seating can also make things less hectic when getting started.


2. Schedule - Younger kids will need more attention so make sure that older kids can work independently. Spend at least 20 or 30 minutes with each child each day to answer questions or find out what they might be having trouble with. If older children have free time in their work day, ask them to assist with questions from younger ones.


3. Reuse curriculum materials - Try to choose materials that have permanent textbooks and reproducibles. That way, you can pass these books on to younger students later without having to buy more stuff. Reproducibles can be easily copied again and again.


4. Try unit studies - The advantage of unit studies is that they have a common theme that is taught over again every four years but with increased difficulty each time. Every child is learning the same information but with more in-depth study at higher grade levels.


5. Appropriate activities - If you are studying science and learning about animals, younger children can look at picture books and identify the creatures while older kids can write reports or create 3D models as their project for the lesson.

More than one child can be a part of your homeschool classroom when you do a little planning ahead.

Carolann Henderson, homeschooling mom, website editor, researcher, student of graphic design, and musician in our family bluegrass gospel band, The Hendersons. You'll find some more homeschooling curriculum reviews, general homeschooling information, free resources, tips and encouragement on my website. I also have a free gift for you that you will find instrumental in getting and staying organized in homeschooling and all areas of your life along with a free ebook to help you homeschool holidays. You can claim your free gifts by visiting my website http://www.homeschooling-road-map.com and signing up for our free newsletter. We look forward to serving you.

Book Review: The Parent's Guide To Raising CEO Kids

Kids have dreams. What if their dreams include entrepreneurship? Learn how to encourage their endeavors as well as guide them in the direction of business success with the information found in The Parent's Guide to Raising CEO Kids.
Adults are not the only ones who can come up with ideas that can define their lives. Kids are also capable of creating organizations and products that the world will want to take part in. their ideas and zeal should be encouraged and nurtured in the moment not put off until later or discouraged.
Dr. Jerry and Sarah Cook have put together a book with interviews of over 200 young people who have caught that "entrepreneurial bug" and have turned it into success. They endeavor to discover the characteristics of these kids and what sets them apart from others. Also, what if anything their parents and upbringing have to do with it.
Instead of patting your child on the head when they express their vision of a new project or business idea, you can provide valuable assistance to them in the form of support and resources. The author's have found that the pursuit of these dreams can provide kids with practical life skills, future financial independence, personal satisfaction as well as a fulfillment of social responsibility.
One thing that parents can do is to teach their kids about money and responsibility, the value of earning their own dollars. As a young entrepreneur, they will need to know how to handle money and how it can further their dreams.
Through their dreams and goals they can begin to shape their own future. It is not easy to begin a business or to weather the often unpredictable environment. Parents can provide that security and foundation that their children will need as they pursue their dream.
As children share their insight and path to entrepreneurship with the Cooks, parents and children reading this book can uncover how they can each inspire the other to see the dream through to fulfillment. This book is as much of value to the child as to the parent when it comes to feeding the entrepreneurial spirit.
No matter the age of your child, if they have an idea, the information in this book will help you to nurture it. If they have talent and gifts that they want to share with the world, why shouldn't they be allowed to do it? Channel their efforts and believe in their dreams no matter how many they have.
Want a good read for the family? Consider The Parent's Guide to Raising CEO Kids. Encourage the independent spirit that is the mark of trailblazers, even young ones.

Carolann Henderson, homeschooling mom, website editor, researcher, student of graphic design, and musician in our family bluegrass gospel band, The Hendersons. You'll find some more homeschooling curriculum reviews, book reviews, general homeschooling information, free resources, tips and encouragement on my website. I also have a free gift for you that you will find instrumental in getting and staying organized in homeschooling and all areas of your life along with a free ebook to help you homeschool holidays. You can claim your free gifts by visiting my website http://www.homeschooling-road-map.com and signing up for our free newsletter. We look forward to serving you.

5 Tips For Developing Communication Skills In Children

To understand the importance of developing communication skills in children, think about the number of people you communicate with over the course of a week. You cannot go to the supermarket or order a birthday cake today without clearly communicating what you need to someone else. You also rely upon communication skills to maintain your friendships and make professional connections that further your career.
Babies are excused from rudeness because they do not have communication skills to effectively tell others what they want or need. Yet, children are expected to interact with others in a more appropriate manner as they get older. Toddlers may understand how to appropriately ask for what they want, but they are still prone to temper tantrums and selfish demands. As they move into later stages of childhood they will be expected to outgrow that behavior and embrace the communication skills they have learned at home.
This places a tremendous amount of pressure on parents to focus on developing communication skills in their children. If you are feeling the pressure, these five tips will help.
1. Role model communication skills in your home.
You probably already talk to your child on a daily basis because you love them and spend a lot of time with them. Teaching communication skills is another reason that you should continue having those regular conversations. Rather than chit-chatting casually, focus on using your best communication skills and encouraging your children to follow suit.
You can teach your children not to interrupt or talk over one another, and that will help them respect other people as they speak to them outside of the home. You can also role model subtle skills like making eye contact to show interest in what another person is saying.
2. Teach your children how to end a conversation as well as how to start one.
So many parents focus on the entry to conversation while neglecting the skills needed to properly exit a conversation. This is why so many children will simply cut a speaker off mid-sentence and run away when they get bored. They were never taught the proper way to excuse themselves in that situation. It is important that children know how to start conversation with others, but they should also have the skills to walk away without being rude or hurtful.
3. Give your children assignments that involve clearly expressing feelings and thoughts.
It is always more difficult to express yourself clearly when you are talking about personal thoughts and emotions. Make a point to ask your children how they feel and what opinions they hold on various subjects. Younger children may benefit from a chart or paper that lists common emotions. They can select from the list when they have trouble putting their emotions into words.
Many people mumble, look at the ground or slur their words together when they are nervous about expressing personal opinions or feelings. Encourage your children to start over and let them know that you could not understand them if they do these things. The goal is to get them comfortable expressing themselves clearly without losing eye contact.
4. Effective communication skill requires acceptance and respect for others. Teach your children to listen!
The ability to let others know what you think and feel is only half of the communication equation. The other half is the contribution that others make to a conversation. Your children need to learn how to completely and openly listen to what others are saying and understand what the other person thinks or feels. A good listener will always have the upper hand in a debate or argument, and listening skills are crucial in personal relationships.
If you feel your child is not fully listening to what you are saying, ask them to repeat what you are saying back to you. If they give you back exactly what you said, ask them, "What do I mean by that?" You can also do exercises with your children where one person says something and the others explain what they heard and what the speaker meant to communicate.
Make sure to tell your children that their emotions and thoughts are their own, and other people are entitled to their own thoughts and emotions. They should own their own thoughts without transferring them to others. For instance, there is a difference between the following sentences: "You made me sad, and I cried." "I cried because our encounter made me sad."
5. Do not eliminate all conflict from your child's life.
Developing communication skills in children must include conflict resolution and problem solving. If you agree with everything your child says or does, how will they react when they meet other people who challenge them or do not agree with them? Let your child encounter disagreements and conflicts, but teach them to handle these encounters effectively. They must know that others will not always agree with them and that they have the power to control a negative social encounter by their responses.
As you work to develop communication skills in your children at home, pay attention to how they use those skills outside of the home. You will have many proud moments when your children interact with others in an effective and appropriate manner.

Carolann Henderson, homeschooling mom, website editor, researcher, student of graphic design, and musician in our family bluegrass gospel band, The Hendersons. You'll find some more homeschooling curriculum reviews, general homeschooling information, free resources, tips and encouragement on my website. I also have a free gift for you that you will find instrumental in getting and staying organized in homeschooling and all areas of your life along with a free ebook to help you homeschool holidays. You can claim your free gifts by visiting my website http://www.homeschooling-road-map.com and signing up for our free newsletter. We look forward to serving you.

Homeschool Curriculum Review: An Old Fashioned Education

Are you looking for a homeschool curriculum that combines a Christian basis with the basics of a good childhood education? You may have found it here with An Old-Fashioned Education. Keep reading to learn more about it.
A Good Education is still Free... even a Homeschooling one
An Old-Fashioned Education is a website devoted to providing homeschooling parents with free curricula on a variety of subjects. While many parents want to give their children a good quality education they often lack the funds to do so. Many curricula can cost several hundred dollars for each grade year.
That doesn't mean that you have to send your child back to public school. You can find free curriculum resources online for a variety of subjects to create a well-rounded education for your children. Give your children everything they need (and you too) from day one even if you are not a teacher by trade. Best of all, it is all out there on the Internet for any parent to use. This site cuts out the legwork and provides the links to the information that you need.
What is Included
The site believes in the well-rounded teaching methods of Charlotte Mason, a well-known English educator who believed children could be guided to make their own decisions instead of being taught what to think. To that end, you will find a variety of categories listed on the left hand side that include subject links to both textbooks and "living books." Living books are those on a variety of subjects that are fun to read but also teach lessons at the same time. They can be used to emphasize a variety of subjects.
Some books included in the resources were published before 1923 so they are part of public domain. This means that they can be downloaded, printed, copied and reproduced in any way fit. Older books used as textbooks and living books set a high standard for children of today. They expect excellence at a certain level and you can also present that to your child.
Another benefit of older texts is that they will satisfy the moral obligations that Christian homeschoolers want. Because older books were written from a Christian worldview that followed scripture, characters are seen in real-life situations where they overcome their temptations through their faith.
Many books and resources contain grade levels that they are best suited for. Free curriculum sites like Ambleside Online are also referenced to find more materials.
The Verdict
When you are short on cash, you can still give your child a quality homeschool education. There are tons of free curriculum resources available so that you can customize each subject and lesson to fit the needs of your children.

Carolann Henderson, homeschooling mom, website editor, researcher, student of graphic design, and musician in our family bluegrass gospel band, The Hendersons. You'll find some more homeschooling curriculum reviews, general homeschooling information, free resources, tips and encouragement on my website. I also have a free gift for you that you will find instrumental in getting and staying organized in homeschooling and all areas of your life along with a free ebook to help you homeschool holidays. You can claim your free gifts by visiting my website http://www.homeschooling-road-map.com and signing up for our free newsletter. We look forward to serving you.

High School Homeschooling: Preparing for College

When it comes to college, it isn't usually just the child who is nervous. Parents are as well. In a homeschool environment, parents are more so because they are taking on a number of roles occupied by different people in a traditional school setting. Here is some advice to help you to prepare your homeschooler for admission to college.
Why College?
In this day and age, the more education you have, the better you will fair in the big wide world. A high school diploma hasn't been enough for a long time. Whether you choose a trade school, a four-year university or a specialized school that caters to fashion, art, theater or music, it is important to have a firm foundation in high school in order to gain successful admittance to these centers of higher learning.
You teenager may think they know what they want to do right now, but that can change. As a parent, it is your job to give them the broadest education possible so that even if they change their mind, they are still prepared for college and a career.
Tips for Parents to Prepare your Homeschooler for College
Below you will find some advice to help you make the most of those high school years. You don't have to be a scholar to manage your child's education, just persistent.

1. Begin early - We don't mean first grade, but begin planning their high school years during the eighth grade year. Research the state requirements for graduation. Kids in traditional school attend for 180 days or roughly 1,100 hours of instruction. For a homeschooled child, each credit hour for a subject is equivalent to 180 days. So, for instance in English, 4 credit hours means that they will have to study that subject each of the four years they are in high school homeschool.


2. Talk with your teen - Since they are the one who will enter college, find out about their interests. To make high school more interesting, choose subject matter and electives that cater to their choice of career. One advantage of homeschooling is that there is more flexibility and variety when it comes to including field trips and other activities as a part of the curriculum.


3. Choose electives carefully - Colleges are looking for well-rounded students. If a foreign language is required, you don't have to choose the traditional ones. Your teen might want to study Russian or Portuguese.


4. Keep complete records - This will make it easy when completing their high school transcript and resume. Pay attention to their extracurricular activities, electives, field trips and other activities.


5. Give them every opportunity to excel - The eBook The Teenage Homeschooling Success Manual by Sophia Harris provides parents with all they need to know to encourage, motivate and help their teens find success in high school and beyond. When it comes to standardized college entrance exams (SAT, ACT), practice makes perfect. Throughout their high school career, administer several practice tests so they become familiar with the material and how the test is designed to increase their confidence level.

Homeschooling classrooms have the advantage of preparing their teens for college without extraneous issues that can plague students in traditional school.

Carolann Henderson, homeschooling mom, website editor, researcher, student of graphic design, and musician in our family bluegrass gospel band, The Hendersons. You'll find some more homeschooling curriculum reviews, general homeschooling information, free resources, tips and encouragement on my website. I also have a free gift for you that you will find instrumental in getting and staying organized in homeschooling and all areas of your life along with a free ebook to help you homeschool holidays. You can claim your free gifts by visiting my website http://www.homeschooling-road-map.com and signing up for our free newsletter. We look forward to serving you.

Reading, Thinking, and Project Based Learning

With much of today's new tools and resources and teaching/learning techniques focusing on project based learning, one might be left to question where do books fit in? How do we take literature and textbooks and incorporate them into this new teaching modality.
Reading is the sister to thinking. But, as is often true, these sisters are very different. Reading is an active learning method, as opposed to listening, which is a passive learning method. (Extrovert/Introvert)
To enhance reading literacy, students should be encouraged to also be physically engaged. Reading sections out loud and gesturing are ways to engage physically. This creates an active component for the visual learner and an activity for the kinesthetic learner. The eye movement required by reading also creates subtle but active participation as you track words, turn the pages,or if you read digitally, click the mouse or flip the pages. Carrying a storyline in short-term memory is a part of the passive engagement of literacy learning.
Reading gets the creative learning juices flowing in a student's brain. While they read, it would be a missed integrated education opportunity not to take advantage of engaging in writing too. A simple strategy is to read with a pen in hand. As the student reads, he or she should make notes in the margins, underline, circle and highlight.
What? Write in the book? Well, we all probably remember purchasing used college textbooks that were highlighted and had notes in the margins. Often they actually helped us study, making writing in books a great idea! However, if you are a purist, get a notebook and write in that. E-book reading allows you to highlight text with a slide of the finger and make note of important concepts with just the tap of a finger!
However you choose take notes, and whatever tools and resources you choose to utilize, writing the key concepts and any questions, new words, supporting details, etc. creates another active literacy learning opportunity.
Learning to identify key concepts while they read is the number one literacy learning skill. Textbook authors tend to do that for us by providing topic headings and subheadings. However, much of literature doesn't give these clues and that is where the passive thinking brain comes in.
Have you heard of the term "residue of thinking?" According to a study done at the University of Virginia, the residue of thinking is memory. This study says that learning to activate memory with small clues is easier when we engage more of our senses; creating a very personal form of integrated learning! Studies have shown that chewing gum or nibbling on a snack, fragrances in the air, soft classical instrumental music in the background, and highlighters in a variety of colors -- key concepts would be one color, supporting concepts and new words would be other colors -- are all ways to enhance memory.
Along with reading for comprehension, learn to question what you are reading. Is it true or is it biased? What supporting documentation does it need? What else needs to be learned to determine the validity of the concept? Write these questions and thoughts down too. Some of them may be answered in the text, others might lead to your next book!
If you are teaching literacy learning make sure your students write a short descriptive paragraph or two about what was the main concept, whether or not they agree with the ideas, and what new ways of thinking did the text inspire. Vocabulary words should also be looked up and incorporated in to memory by using them at least 3 times each in daily speech.
The ability to use integrated education and project based teaching techniques that provide many of the tools and resources that made homeschooling a viable and successful education choice are being explored at an unprecedented rate. Regardless of your choice for your child's education, enhanced literacy learning should be a part of your tools and resources and their day.

A great segue to project based learning is to take the text and create a Mise-en Scene project. Instructions for this activity are included in the free E-book CrafternoonDelights.com is offering to the public.
By becoming a member, you will have access to the tools and resources of integrated learning lesson plans, teaching tips and techniques, community involvement projects and a healthy living segment that teaches good eating habits through healthy recipes. It is a fun and interactive site designed specifically for those who want to improve their child's education.

How Home Tuition Prevents Your Child From Falling Behind In School

If you are a parent, the term home tuition may not be new to you. Even though some might dismiss this as an excuse for tutors to make extra money, home coaching goes a long way in ensuring your child never falls behind in his or her school. If your kid is falling behind in school, you will most likely be the last person to know. The child might be too ashamed or embarrassed to talk about his or her struggles with studies. Nevertheless, if you observe several signs, your child will not need to ask for help because you will tell that there is a problem and take proper measures.
Signs your child is falling behind
· Increased neediness - If your child is normally independent and likes to do things on his or her own, you will know there is a problem in school if he or she suddenly starts to become overly needy and dependent on you.
· Avoiding the school topic - According to child psychologists, if something is going on at school, the child will run around, fidget or do anything just to avoid any conversation about school.
· Depressed or distant behavior - Yes, even children can become depressed. If you observe that the energy level of your child has gone down particularly during school time, this could be a sign of trouble.
· Getting heated over nothing - If your child suddenly becomes aggressive and gets heated over small things especially during school time, then something is wrong.
How home tuition helps
Staying on top of schoolwork - The first thing a home tutor will do is to ensure that your child does all his or her school assignments. The tutor will also provide assistance where the child does not understand during these assignments.
Preventing lax during the holidays - It is true that long holidays provide a needed break for children to relax their mind but if they are not careful, they could become lax in their studies. A home tutor helps keep the child active in studies ensuring they never fall behind.
Testing and improving cognitive skills - According to top experts in child education, one of the underlying reasons that cause learning struggles for children is poor cognitive skills. They are mental tools that make up the child's IQ, including things like attention, memory, reasoning and logic. A good home tutor will be able to detect the absence of these skills and nature them to improve the child's performance.

We provide the best info about home tuition. For further details please visit the provided link.

Homeschool Curriculum Review: Pimsleur Foreign Language

Foreign language is required for high school graduates whether they are homeschooled or in a traditional setting. Within the homeschooling classroom you have more choices as far as the curriculum that you choose to use. One option for your students is the Pimsleur foreign language programs.
The Pimsleur method was developed by a linguist named Paul Pimsleur (1928-1976). His method is based on his research over his many years of teaching foreign language. He learned to organize foreign language materials so that they would be processed effectively through the language learning power of the human brain.
The key principles of his method of foreign language learning include: graduated interval recall, principle of anticipation, core vocabulary and organic learning. With Graduated Interval Recall, when learners are reminded of new words at certain intervals, it was more likely that the information would move from short-term to long-term memory (permanent memory).
The Principle of Anticipation deals with the fact that the brain hears what someone says and anticipates a response. This complex process within the brain creates new neural pathways of understanding. By using the same principle of asking for understanding, asking for a response and then reiterating what the correct response should be, this process can be duplicated with foreign language learning.
Core Vocabulary involves learning a few phrases and words at a time until the level of mastery and then moving on to add more. Using his framework, adding new vocabulary becomes easier to master.
With Organic Learning, each new item that is introduced is done so within a conversation or other type of exchange. Students learn the context in which this word will be used for greater understanding.
What is Offered
There are several options for purchasing foreign language materials using the Pimsleur method. At Pimsleur, shipping is free as well as the first lesson of any language. Your program options include: Quick and Simple, goPimsleur, Basic, Compact, Conversational, Pimsleur I, Pimsleur II, Pimsleur III and Pimsleur IV.
Quick and Simple is an introduction to any language and offers four hours of audio instruction on 4 CDs. Go Pimsleur offers four hours of audio instruction and three hours of reading instruction. Basic contains five hours of audio instruction in any language. All three include the first 10 lessons that you would encounter in Pimsleur I.
Compact includes five hours of audio instruction (broken down into ten 30-minute sessions) along with reading instruction and cultural notes. Conversational provides eight hours of audio instruction that include the first 16 lessons of the Comprehensive level. Comprehensive includes 16 hours of audio instruction on 16 CDs which equates to thirty 30-minute sessions. It comes with reading instruction and cultural notes.
Languages available for study include French and Spanish but also harder to find instruction for languages like Croatian and Arabic. The materials can get expensive so would suggest taking advantage of the free lesson offer to see if you like the material and the method.

Carolann Henderson, homeschooling mom, website editor, researcher, student of graphic design, and musician in our family bluegrass gospel band, The Hendersons. You'll find some more homeschooling curriculum reviews, general homeschooling information, free resources, tips and encouragement on my website. I also have a free gift for you that you will find instrumental in getting and staying organized in homeschooling and all areas of your life along with a free ebook to help you homeschool holidays. You can claim your free gifts by visiting my website http://www.homeschooling-road-map.com and signing up for our free newsletter. We look forward to serving you.

The Best Curriculum For Your Kids

I have been a homeschool educator for over 20 years. In that time I have seem a lot of changes in the home schooling movement, particularly with curriculum.
There are many great tools for parents to use these days. With homeschool being so popular the amount of Christian curriculum is vast. As more and more students began to school in the home, more and more public institutions began offering programs and curriculum. When I started homeschooling over 20 years ago you had to purchase most of your materials with a teacher supply store or through a curriculum company. Little was available on line. Now, there are so many on line resources that it can sometimes be confusing.
When choosing curriculum cost is another great factor that families consider. With so many choices of curriculum now it is easy for parents to find something to fit their needs. The internet can sometimes be of great value as well. Most paid web curriculum has a free feature that allows you to try before you buy.
My favorite type of curriculum is free! Although I do purchase some actually books for the kids to read and some for specific subjects, for the most part I get my curriculum for free on the internet. As the choices of curriculum grow due to the movement, it gets easier and easier to find quality free stuff. It is so wonderful that parents have so many choices for their students education now days. Parents who are interested in math, science and history can find what they want easily and that is great curriculum for your kids, but it is not the best curriculum for your kids.
The best curriculum for your kids is the curriculum that not many parents think of. When I think of what I am going to educate my kids with it is not just the normal math, science and history. But then, when I think of educate, it is a much different thought than any one else. I believe that children should have knowing knowledge, active feeling and understanding. I do not want my children to have the knowledge that the schools try to teach. Vernon Howard "says knowledge is the observation of a fact."
I believe Knowing is the inward experience of that fact. Bob Proctor says, "God's gift to us is more ability and talent than we will ever use in our life time and our gift to God is to develop as much of that talent and ability as you can in this lifetime."
Now that is so profound. As we educate our children we develop their talent and ability. We choose curriculum that is engaging and allows our students to create, observe, wonder and think. We are able to take them out of the class and into the world. That is why we choose to homeschool. Additionally I believe that in and institutionalized school education is taught like this;
You go to school and you hear what the teacher is saying what you are reading or listening to. From there, you gather information into your conscious mind. Now your conscious mind has all this information floating around in it. Then, you are given an examination and attach a grade to the examination. In that examination they ask do you know the information that was in the books, audio or video? If you are very good at remembering all that is swimming around in your head then they attach a letter grade showing that you have knowledge. From there they call you learned.
Well, I know learned people who are broke. I do not want my kids to live their lives broke. So I teach my student important things like how to read and write. I instruct them on science, social studies and history. We have fun classes like cooking and crafting. However, I teach my students something that most instructors/parents, does not teach.
I want to teach them about purpose. I want them to know that they have a purpose here on the earth. I do not want my kids to sit idly by playing games all day on the computer. I want them to have purpose. As we school, we are able to explore their likes and dreams. Then, we are able to build on that and discover their purpose in life. I want to develop passion in them. No person that ever did anything great did not have passion in doing so. Passionate people have lead army's, cured disease and saved lives. Homeschooling is such a huge movement right now because people were passionate about what they were doing and why. I want my children to be passionate about developing who they are. I want to train my children in skills of personal development. I do not want a bunch of complaining, whining ill tempered children that can not handle their emotions. If you are angry, there is a way to handle that. If you are bitter, sad, scared, frustrated or any other negative emotion then I want to train my children how to handle that properly.
I want to be an encouragement by giving them positive thinking for curriculum. Showing them how to develop a positive mind is one of the most important gift you can teach not only your children, but yourself. Through positive thinking our children can develop their belief. We can empower our children to have belief in themselves and God. Successful people know that the power of belief is the greatest power you have. I also want to train my children to have hope for the future, trust in each other, faith in things working out and honor to do the right thing. Yes, teaching core subjects is very important but let us not forget that we have the opportunity to give our kids the best curriculum by teaching them personal development as well

Lisa is an energetic spontaneous person who lives with love, passion and purpose. Because she believes that everyone deserves to live the lifestyle they dream about she is involved in the Prosperity Team where they Empower people every day. Find out more about Lisa at http://www.lisadingman.com