Over the years, my children have asked to try just about every youth sport in existence. Football? Check. Baseball? Check. Soccer? Check. Gymnastics? Check. Fencing? Well, that took a bit of searching, but we checked that off the list, too.
They participated in homeschool sports leagues as youngsters, but as they grew older, there were fewer opportunities to sharpen their skills. So we made the decision to sign them up for community sports leagues; despite some challenging situations, we are so glad we did. ....read more
A long time friend of mine, a clinical psychologist, says on his relaxation CD “We learn to be tense and we can learn to relax”.My reader’s thought bubble is probably saying “Easier said than done!” When tensions builds, a feeling of overwhelm and chaos can set it.In this article and others to follow, I will lay out a few easy strategies to help your family members learn how to relax and calm chaos.
Chaos can take many forms.The kids are tearing around the house shouting at the top of their little lungs, that carry a mighty decibel level.The “kiddie clutter” on the floor is so dense you can barely traverse the room. There is never enough time to pay the bills and you are too weary to face it at 11PM.My readers can surely supply more examples of the own personal chaos.The thing about chaos is that it arises from tension and a lack of relaxation, and it creates more stress. ...read more
Online Learning - a Home school Parent’s Perspective by Bruce Friend
Over the past year my submissions to this newsletter have focused on providing awareness and advice to parents about online learning options. The insights I have provided have largely been based on my work in this field for the past 14 years. For this month’s article, I thought I would share the insights of a parent who earlier this year decided to home school for the first time and did so by enrolling her son into a full-time online program. Karen H. from Hinckley, Ohio provides the following perspective.
When did you begin a home school program and with how many students?
“I began on February 1, 2010, I only started with my son this year but have plans to home school our three youngest girls for this coming fall.”....read more
Interviewing to Win - Know What You’re Selling by Elizabeth Hartley
Students who are competing for large merit scholarships will often be asked to sit through one, sometimes two, interviews before the final decision is made. The students who are fortunate enough to make it to the interviews must realize that the emphasis shifts slightly from their academic record to how they present themselves to the judges. Their record is what got them to that point but it is in the interview that the scholarships are won or lost.
Students will sometimes leave an interview and be dismayed that the judges did not ask about the things the student thought were important. What the students fail to realize is that it is up to each student to make sure they bring into the conversation the items that they think are most significant. It’s not up to the judges to ask all of the right questions....read more
If you are looking to beat the heat this summer, pack up a picnic with your family and head to a shady spot at a local park or beach. Plan the picnic menu with your kids and teach them how to pack a basket full of delicious, healthy foods that will keep them cool this summer.
Food writer and creator of the Green Gourmet, Kimberley Stakal, puts on a spin on favorite picnic foods to make at home with a seasonal flair. Enjoy! ...read more
Something Wrong with Project-Led Learning? by Daniel Yordy, M.Ed.
I have an article on Ezine Articles that describes my 12-year-old daughter's "Drawing Sketches" project. On Ezine Articles, a reader can register whether they like or dislike an article. Most people don't bother, but someone clicked the one-star rating for that article. Apparently, they had strong objections to the project-led, self-directed learning I am giving my daughter.
I am curious as to what those objections were. I can only speculate as to why someone would object to this approach to learning. Let me raise a couple of possible objections and give an answer for each....read more
Q: It takes hours for my children (seven and two) to get ready to go anywhere. My two-year-old daughter gets dressed endlessly; I try to help her and she just gets upset. Last time we almost missed the whole zoo outing. As for my seven-year-old son, I can’t even get him off what he is doing and I end up yelling because he asks to go places and then he is not getting ready. Help!
A: Can you fathom children not showing up when you serve ice cream or bring a new toy they like? Children do what they want to do. They live in the present; something we, adults, are yearning to learn from them. Why talk them out of this marvelous trait? They will lose it anyway, but what’s the rush?....read more
The Value of a Multisensory Reading Approach for Teaching Strugglers to Read
by Sarah Major, M.Ed
One fall day, I was working with a few kindergarteners who had been identified as at risk for learning to read. They were sitting in little chairs staring at me blankly. The activity I’d planned involved making words out of only the 8 sounds they had learned thus far. My hopes were not high as we sat there sizing each other up.
“Find a spot by the whiteboard," I told them." You can see that each of you have a set of little flags.” I had printed the letters A, T, F, C, S, O, M and P on sticky notes, one set for each child. I helped each child find a place by a set of flags, but my hopes had plummeted, and my expectations were low. ...read more
Launched in 2007 by Jamie Gleich Bryant—a Cincinnati-based editor and educator— and mother of two daughters—Kiki provides tween and teen girls an intelligent and engaging alternative to the too-mature content often found in many fashion and pop-culture magazines.
Instead, Kiki presents fashion as a lens through which readers can explore their own creativity and develop a sense of self-confidence. In Kiki, creativity and design are front and center.
Award winning
The Association of Educational Publishers, an organization “setting the standard for quality, professional resources for education,” awarded Kiki magazine 5 Distinguished Achievement Awards (DAAs) in editorial and design at its annual banquet June 8th.
Kiki was chosen from a list of nationally-renowned periodicals for grades 6-8 in the following categories:
Article Design: “History of 20th Century Fashion”, Fall 2009
Visual Story: “Made in Hong Kong”, Summer 2009
Whole Publication Design: Winter 2009-2010 issue
One-Theme Issue: Spring, 2009 (Kiki is sew green!)
Editorial/How-to Feature: “How to Build Your Own Website”, Summer 2009
These awards are the latest additions to Kiki’s award portfolio:
Mom’s Choice Awards® Gold 2009
Mom’s Choice Awards® Magazine of the Year, 2009
iParenting Media Best Products 2008 and 2009
Parent’s Choice Gold Awards 2008 and 2009
Association of Educational Publishers Golden Lamp finalist, 2009
NAPPA Gold Award, 2008
NAPPA Honors Award, 2009
Design
Each issue features seven departments:
From the Studio showcases design, fashion history, designers, textiles, and shoes;
Art Binoffers tips for using art tools, sewing techniques and how-to projects;
World Beatprofiles cultural trends and international destinations with design traditions; Biz Buzz covers the fashion industry, finance, and managing money;
Kiki Careaddresses grooming, health, and exercise;
Your Style focuses on everyday life, such as recommended reading, imagination, confidence, and friends; and
Kiki Funis full of games, puzzles, and quizzes.
Interactivity is a critical part of the magazine.Readers can transform each issue into a personal creativity journal by writing and drawing directly on the pages.
Editorial Mission
Kiki’s editorial mission is to help each reader develop a sense of style that reflects her own personality; and to nurture in her the sense of confidence that comes from being comfortable in her own skin, whatever her style.
That’s why we use real girls for our models.More importantly, we never alter our photographs or use make-up.We believe in presenting girls – just as they re – as role models to our readers.
Learning is fun!
Here at Kiki, we are committed to providing an educational experience for our readers. Each issue is not only visually appealing, it's also packed full of rich educational content that is just as edifying as it is fun.
Kiki is published by B-books, Ltd., a company that specializes in working with academic materials - everything from research and content creation to design, layout, and pre-press publishing services for subjects across the curriculum. So, a conscious decision is made with every issue of Kiki to enrich readers' knowledge of everything from world culture to illustration to books to money to business, and everything in between!
Quarterly
80 pages
No advertising
$26.00 USD/1-year subscription
Want more information? Visit our website at www.kikimag.com or email us at educators@kikimag.com. Mention you saw us on HERD’s Resource of the Month to receive a FREE Kiki sampler!
In support of the homeschool community, NEST Learning provides discounted pricing on a variety of homeschool curriculum, along with classroom resources, teacher resources, arts & crafts, and school supplies. Nest Learning Interactive DVD products also correlate to State and National standards in a variety of subjects, making them a must-have for homeschool students, Sunday school classes, public and private schools and school libraries.
The NEST Animated Hero Classics DVD Series consists of 20 inspiring and educational stories of heroic men and women, with the emphasis placed on their accomplishments in world history and social sciences. The DVD series uses a interactive learning approach focusing on teaching and instilling positive character traits such as honesty, leadership, compassion and understanding of economic, cultural and scientific contributions while introducing students to history, science, social studies, math and much more. Each DVD comes with a free instant 48-page downloadable resource and activity book full of games, puzzles, coloring pages, and other activities.
NEST’s Animated Stories from the New Testament and Bible (Old Testament) is a 36 DVD interactive media-based Bible learning system brought to life by the studios of Richard Rich, former Walt Disney® productions director (Fox and the Hound, Winnie the Pooh and others) that help educators and students retain and apply biblical principles and values, including faith, love, compassion, and kindness. Core Christian beliefs such as salvation, prayer, Jesus' crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, ultimate return, and much more are brought to life in these compelling animated stories. Each DVD comes with a free instant 48-page (Old Testament) or 64-page (New Testament) downloadable resource and activity book full of Bible study games, puzzles, coloring pages, and other activities.
An independent Advisory Boardof respected Christian apologists, academics and theologians reviewed all key elements ofNEST’s Animated Stories from the New Testament and Bible (Old Testament) DVD collection from the original script through the finished product. The Advisory Board ensured that the stories provide the highest quality Biblically-based stories, educational content, animation, and entertainment and are worthy of your trust.
NEST Learning understands homeschool curriculum as an integral part of children’s education. They provide homeschool curriculum books, textbooks, workbooks, software, and complete homeschool curriculum packages from many of the most respected homeschool publishers. Their top-selling publishers include language arts curriculum from Wordly Wise and Explode the Code.Popular Alpha Omega series from Switched on Schoolhouse, LIFEPAC, Horizons and Weaver are also offered. A top choice for science curriculum is Apologia, and for math curriculum Saxon Homeschool, BJU Homeschool and Learning Wrap Ups are very popular as well.
In addition to traditional text-based homeschool curriculum and supplementary materials, NEST Learning also understands that children often learn through visual stimulation and interactivity. This is why Nest Learning carries a large variety of specialized curriculum and supplements to educate at every type and level of learning from such curriculum providers as Standard Deviants, Light Speed, Switched on Schoolhouse, Just the facts, Moody Video, and many more.
And for elective time, Nest offers fun-filled educational toys and games that help reinforce lessons that are being taught. NEST Learning offers an assortment of dolls, puppets, construction sets, puzzles, gross motor activities and games for both kids and adults that will keep your children or group entertained for hours.
NEST Learning makes it easy for you to find what you’re looking for, but if you have questions or if you just want to let them know how they are doing during business hours, please use their on-line chat or call at 1-800-634-4298.
You may also email NEST Learning anytime with questions at SalesSupport@NestFamily.com, as they would love to hear from you!
Calming Chaos: Tip #1
