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Hands-On Homeschool Newsletter - Jan. 13, 2006 Vol. II
Issue 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In this issue:
> 1. From the Editor's Desk
> 2. Article - Creating, Maintaining and
Presenting a Homeschool Portfolio
> 3. Letters to the Editor - Teaching Science at
Home
> 4. Feature Article - Active Learning
> 5. Homeschool Curriculum Ideas of the Week
> 6. Free Homeschool Resources
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. From the Editor's Desk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Welcome!
Did you make it through the holiday season intact?
Are the trimmings and trappings
of the season packed away and the house put back
in (relative) order? Are the
children ready to get back to work?
Learning is their 'work,' of course, just as we
all have work to do. I often emphasize
the importance of fun and games to keep children
interested and involved, but they
must come to realize that becoming an educated and
informed person is important work
that takes real effort.
In this newsletter you will learn ways that you
can encourage your children to become
an enthusiastic, independent learners. Instilling
an intrinsic desire to investigate their world
and to want to learn is likely the most valuable
gift you can give to your children.
Here's to a productive and successful new year!
Sandra B.
Editor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Article
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Creating, Maintaining and Presenting a Homeschool
Portfolio
By Brenda Hoffman
Many school districts now require
homeschoolers to present portfolios showing their
student's progress in an organized fashion. This
is actually a very convenient method of recording
whenever it is done properly. Here are some ideas
on how to create, maintain,
and present your homeschool portfolio for a
successful assessment, evaluation and review.
First of all, it is important to have a firm grasp
on precisely what a homeschool portfolio is.
Basically, a homeschool portfolio is a collection
of materials that are used in order to showcase
what your child has learned over the course of the
"school year." This is important because numerous
states require an annual assessment of
homeschooled students either via testing or the
presentation of a portfolio. While it may seem
that keeping a portfolio is only good in so far as
you need to comply with the law. This is not the
case however. Portfolios can also help parents and
their children to record their progress and
achievements. This
becomes even more important once a child has
reached high school and needs a diploma.
Now that we understand the importance of a
portfolio, it is also important to understand that
there is no right or wrong way in which to create
a portfolio. It is up to the parent and/or child
what materials the portfolio will contain.
However, it is a good idea to choose a variety of
material in order to reflect what the child has
learned, experienced and accomplished throughout
the year. Some items that should be included in
your portfolio are: Suggested items to include
are:
(1.) A journal which contains notes about
activities and the progress that has been made.
(2.) A list of resources (ie. books, computer
software, games, toys and outside classes).
(3.) Samples of the child's work (ie. samples of
creative writing and drawings, text book
or workbook pages, and if possible you may include
audio or video tapes of your child singing,
playing a musical instrument, reading aloud, or
taking part in a dramatic performance - pictures
will also sometimes work well in place of audio or
video tapes).
(4.) Photos of field trips, artwork, projects and
family life.
(5.) Brochures and booklets from field trips and
other activities.
(6.) A list of books that the child has read
including both the title and the author.
(7.) A list of your goals for the year.
While this may seem quite overwhelming, you'd
honestly be surprised at how easily you can
accomplish this when you start preparing your
portfolio at the beginning of the year. Simply use
a three ring binder and add paper for your
journaling. Start off by listing a few of your
goals for the year and what resources you'll be
using to achieve those goals (these can be
modified throughout the year as needed). Then
begin collecting samples of work, organizing them
by subject, and punching holes in them to place
them in your binder. Always have
at least a throw away camera at hand so that you
can take pictures of anything that you'd like that
your child does (ie. reading, playing, dancing).
You'll also want to take pictures at field trips
as well as pictures of your child's projects and
creations. These pictures can either be placed in
a photo album or if you're feeling really craftsy
you could organize them into a scrapbook. You'll
also want to make sure to hold onto any brochures
or other paper items that you collect while on an
educational outing. These can be easily placed in
clear see-through sheet protectors. This is also a
good time to begin accumulating a list of books
that are being read.
Once you have put together the beginnings of your
portfolio, don't stop there. Regular maintenance
(I suggest weekly as it will help you to write
your lesson plans for the following week) should
include regular journal entries and an ongoing
collection of work samples, photos and whatever
else you wish to include. Some school districts
will require a quarterly assessment throughout
your homeschool year. This is a time for parents
and children to reflect upon their progress and
accomplishments from the previous months. Yet,
even if your school district doesn't require a
quarterly review, you won't want to wait until the
end of the year
to scramble and race to put together a portfolio
that your school district will approve of. Neither
you nor your child deserve having to go through
the unneeded stress of having to sort through all
of the material that has been collected throughout
the year.
When it is time for review you may choose to
remove some of the materials from your portfolio.
You will find that some of these things simply do
not properly reflect what you've accomplished
throughout the year. If/when you decide to weed
through your portfolio, you need to remember that
the purpose of the review is to provide a general
overview of the homeschool year, demonstrate that
the child is engaged in homeschooling and that
progress is being made.
The portfolio review can be exciting since it
provides both parents and children with a time to
talk about what they've been doing at home. When
discussing this with your child, you may find it
helpful to write down a summary of the items that
you wish to highlight during your year before the
review. For instance, if your child learned to
read or master a skill you may wish to point this
out to the reviewer. Of course, you should never
view your portfolio review as a time for you to be
judged or ridiculed. It is a time to listen, learn
and support from your reviewer. Your child does
not need to be present during this time. However,
if your child wants a chance to "brag" about their
accomplishments and progress to other
homeschoolers, then this review is a perfect
opportunity for them to do so.
Reverend Brenda Hoffman, is ordained by the
Universal Life Church, and has been
delivering holistic wellness advice for over 7
years since receiving a BA in
psychology with a minor in education. As a
home-based professional and mother
of one, she operates a homeschool network. She
invites you over to
http://www.yourhealthyfamilyhome.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brenda_Hoffman
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Letters to the Editor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Question:
How can I effectively teach science at home
without a science "lab" and with limited resources
and funds?
Answer:
You do not need a science lab to teach
elementary or middle school science. At the
younger grade levels, the sciences can be learned
by observing the world around you. Physics and
basic chemistry can be taught using items commonly
found around the house. Add a few basic tools such
as a magnifying glass, a microscope, and a
telescope, and you can easily create a fascinating
science curriculum that includes science
experiments and valuable learning
activities.
It is possible to teach the life sciences,
natural science, botany, physics, astronomy, and
even chemistry at home. Resources available to
help you include science kits, magazines, books,
games, and websites. For science learning
activities that are suitable for preschool through
the early elementary grades, visit:
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Science/intro.html
You'll find a variety of science magazines and
activity books here:
http://www.allthingshomeschool.com/HS_magazines.htm#Science
and Magazines.
For science supplies,
tools, habitats, and kits, click here:
http://www.allthingshomeschool.com/HS_science.htm
Take a look at our weblog for periodic science
learning activities such as this one:
http://homeschoolinghelper.blogspot.com/2006/01/cool-science-experiment.html
* * * * *
Editor's note:
Do you have a question or a
comment about an article or feature
in this newsletter, or homeschooling in general?
We would love to hear from you!
Please email your comments to:
sandrabynum@allthingshomeschool.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Feature Article
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Active Learning
By Sandra Bynum
Our primary goal as homeschooling parents
should be to instill in our children a natural
desire to learn. Remember the toddler and
preschool years? That inborn curiosity and desire
to explore their world does not have to end upon
entering school. Most certainly it should not, but
often it does. Our children should continue to
have a desire to explore, to investigate, to ask
questions. They should develop the ability and
desire to work independently, to study new areas
of interest on their own, to find learning tools
and activities that are not specifically dictated
to them by an adult.
Wow! Does this sound like classroom learning? Not
the way I remember it. Our homeschoolers have
advantages that are not normally possible in the
regular classroom setting, including:
1) a personal tutor.
2) access to (literally) a world of
resources.
2) freedom to physically move about at
will (or as needed).
3) participation in planning one's own
curriculum.
4) opportunities to select specific
subjects of interest to study.
5) consent to complete assignments and
projects at one's own pace.
6) ability to use whatever resources
are at hand when and as needed.
7) freedom from the multitude of
typical classroom distractions.
8) freedom from comparison or
measurement against other students.
8) permission to rest, take a break,
or put work aside as needed without being
penalized.
9) encouragement and motivation to
become informed and knowledgeable for reasons other than (or in
addition to) achieving high grades or impressing
others.
10) freedom and desire to be an active learner -
one who seeks to learn - versus a passive learner - one who
is taught.
These advantages can make a huge difference in the
way homeschoolers see themselves as students and
as learners. We must allow and encourage our
children to take an active role in their
education. They can help to plan their areas of
study, select the books they will be using,
determine how they will schedule their time and
learning activities, and help to establish how
their work will be evaluated (including
self-evaluation).
Here are some specific ways you can help your
student to become an 'active' learner:
~ Within each academic area, allow children to
select topics they are interested in. In science,
for example, boys often want to learn about
dinosaurs, space travel, sharks, and physics. Take
advantage of their natural curiosity and allow
them to study these topics to their
heart's content. Not only will they become
"experts" in their favorite subjects, but they
will inadvertently delve into related areas, ask
more questions, and find new topics to explore.
~ Allow your child to determine when he feels
ready to move on in a given subject. Let him feel
he has mastered a particular level before moving
on to the next.
~ Sometimes young children show no interest in
learning a particular subject. Don't worry. A
child who has no desire to read at the age of five
or six may enjoy working with numbers and/or
building intricate Lego structures. Observe for
readiness, and be positive and
encouraging. He will let you know when he is
ready.
My middle son did not learn to read until he
was eight; not because he couldn't, but because he
had no interest in reading; he was too busy! From
the age of four his main interests were drawing
and natural science. Finally he decided the only
way he could learn 'more science stuff' was to
learn to read. By the end of his third grade year
he was reading at grade level. And, yes, by the
way, he got into college!
~ Visit the library often, and allow children
to select their own books. In addition to fiction,
encourage them to borrow nonfiction titles, which
can open doors to historical events and
biographies, geography, the sciences, the arts,
and more.
~ A good set of encyclopedias is essential.
World Book is particularly good; the Book of
Knowledge is less costly and more suited to young
readers. Encourage your children to look up
information and to read the encyclopedia for
pleasure. Once they have acquired the
look-it-up habit, even your less-than-enthusiastic
readers will discover the ease at which they can
learn about any subject at all as they lose
themselves in this information treasure-trove.
~ Give children the opportunity to create
their own assignments, design their own projects,
and devise their own learning activities. Ask
questions such as, 'What do you want to learn?
What kinds of things could you do to find out
more? Where could you go to get information? What
could you do to show what you've learned? How
could you present it?' You'll be amazed at the
ambitious projects they will come up with.
~ Have each child create a portfolio at the
beginning of the school year. (See article above
for more about creating and maintaining a
portfolio). A simple portfolio could be fashioned
from a large piece of poster board folded in half
and tape the sides closed. Suggest that he
personalize / decorate it, then select and place
his best work in it throughout the school year.
This promotes pride in his abilities and
achievements, and a positive self-esteem.
Self-motivation, independent thinking, and an
intrinsic life-long desire to learn are all goals
that we as parents desire to instill in our
children. The advantages of home education can
allow these goals to become a reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Homeschool Curriculum Ideas of the Week
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1) A journal of activities and memories
is a significant component of your child's
portfolio. Journaling by dictation can begin as
soon as your child learns to speak. Let her select
a hardbound journal for you to write in for her,
or simply write her entries on sheets of paper
that are dated and bound together later. Write
about events that your family enjoys such as
making popcorn, visiting the zoo, or feeding the
ducks a the park. During the activity, talk about
it and what you might write when you get home.
While the memories are fresh, encourage your child
to dictate as though telling a story to someone
(Grandma?) who was not there. Include photos,
drawings, pressed flowers, or whatever else may
complement her
journal entry. Very soon your child will want to
take over the task of writing. Those early
scrawled entries will be difficult to read, but a
great source of pride. Children love to look back
at their early journal entries and follow their
own progress in handwriting and expressiveness, as
well their own personal history of they've done
and where they've been.
If you haven't already, begin journaling now!
2) Here is a word puzzle that is especially
challenging and fun: word analogies. "Analogy" is
a term that means "word relationships." Solving
analogies helps your child develop critical
thinking skills and expand vocabulary. Try these
*analogies with your child, then let her make up
some of her own (answers at end of this section).
1- A cat is to a kitten as a dog is to a ________.
2- Good is to bad as win is to ________.
3- A glove is to your hand as a shoe is to your
________.
4- A mother is to a daughter as a father is to a
_______.
5- Cry is to sad as smile is to _______.
6- Car is to limousine as rowboat is to _______.
7- Sidewalk is to street as bank is to_______.
8- Building is to skyscraper as village is to
_______.
9- Pen is to ink as tires are to _______.
10- Raincoat is to storm as swim suit is to
________.
* From Brain Builders Learn and Discover Book,
Creative Child Press 1988
You'll find more word analogy resource
websites below.
Analogies-Answers:
1-puppy 2-lose 3-foot 4-son 5-happy 6-yacht
7-river 8-city 9-air 10-sunshine
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Find many more learning activities just like
these in our e-book,
101 Hands-On, Tried & True Homeschooling Ideas
You'll Love!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Free Online Homeschooling Resources
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.gryphonhouse.com/activity
This is a 'gargantuan' collection of FREE
games, experiments, projects and diversions for
children and their parents and teachers! Gryphon
House has collected some of their favorite
activities from every book they publish, and put
them on the Web for you to enjoy. You'll find
Activity Books, Infant/Toddler, Circle Time, Art
and Creativity, Math and Science, Language Arts,
School Age, Conflict Resolution, Music and
Movement and more. All they ask is this: If you
like what they offer here, if you find it useful
or interesting, let them know by sending
your feedback.
http://janbrett.com/activities_pages.htm
An amazing resource! Beautiful appealing
artwork integrated into so many learning
resources! Some items you'll just print, cut out
and use (or assemble) such as book markers, name
plates, book jackets, playing cards, puzzles,
etc.) many other activities such as number
and letter tracers, interactive games to play
online and so much more! PDF option for most
projects.
http://www.quia.com/cb/7146.html
Interactive online word analogy game for one
or two players.
http://www.quia.com/pop/14975.html
More online word analogies.
http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementary/palmasola/ps3gleana.htm
Printable practice word analogy puzzles for
grades 3 to 5.
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