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May 2008


In This Month's Issue:

News Articles:

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Home Educators Resource Directory allows educators a simple and efficient way to research and connect directly to resources.

Yours for Quality Home Education,
Mindy Lively, Editor

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The Math Experiment

by Melanie Skelton

When Thales, the ancient Greek mathematician, visited the pyramids in Egypt, he wanted to know the height of the great Cheops.  When the guide couldn’t find the answer quickly enough, he figured it out for himself.  Knowing his own height, he used the length of his shadow and that of the pyramid to figure the answer.

 How do we help our children to have this natural curiosity and love for math?  How do we give them the tools to find the answers, once they ask the questions? . ...read more

I found myself faced with this my dilemma a few years ago.  One of my children was struggling to learn fractions.  Day after day she tried to understand and I tried to help her.  But she wasn’t getting it.  Her struggle became a painful part of every day.  We both dreaded math.  We needed to find a way to help her understand and change our perspective of math.

 “We are going to learn to love math,” was my announcement one day.  My children looked doubtful, but agreed to try the experiment.

 I began by looking at the math program we were using for her daily assignments.  We switched to a program that fit her learning style more easily.  Understanding a child’s learning style can help you to approach learning in a less stressful way.  An auditory learner likes to hear the information.  A kinesthetic learner needs to get their hands on it.  A visual learner grasps a concept more easily if they can see it.  My daughter is a visual learner.  So instead of explaining the concept five different times, we found ways for her to see it. 

 We began to inch forward in her daily lessons again.  Our struggle with fractions changed into a slow paced journey.  Eventually, the pace sped up until she finished with fractions and began speeding through decimals. 

The second thing we added to our experiment was inspiration.  The goal was to get her excited about math.  She needed to know it mattered.  And for this we turned to history.  She loved history and enjoyed learning about other people.  So studying the great mathematicians was an obvious thing to incorporate into our experiment.

 We learned about Thales, Euclid and others.  We read stories of Pythagoras being so excited to teach somebody mathematics, that he paid them to learn.  When he ran out of money he told his student he couldn’t teach him any more.  His student didn’t want to stop learning and said he would pay Pythagoras to keep teaching him.  We learned about these great mathematicians and then we found related activities to do.

The activities became part of the fun we were looking for in math.  One day, after reading the story of Thales, we drove to our local grocery store  and calculated the height of the flagpole using its shadow the same way Thales used the shadow of the pyramid and his own shadow to figure out the height of the pyramid.  Studying these mathematicians taught my children stories that helped math come to life for them.

The third element we added to our experiment was to make math part of her life outside the book.  When we shopped for groceries we figured out the price per ounce on an item.  We used that to figure out which size or brand was the best price.  She didn’t always do it willingly, but with positive encouragement we continued these activities.  We bought the groceries together.  We learned how to do it on a budget.  We looked for the math everywhere.

At home we cooked.  A cooking schedule provided each of my children an opportunity to cook dinner one night a week.  Unlike her siblings, she didn’t enjoy cooking.  This schedule helped her choose to spend time learning to cook and learning the math that goes with it.

Opportunities were provided to earn and spend money.  Sewing projects offered another opportunity to use math.  We figured out the size of the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria when we studied Columbus.  It became our mission to look for math in everything we did.

Finally, we added the fun.  I looked for and created math games.  Some of them were purchased second hand, although you must watch these closely to assure you have enough pieces to play the game.  We found other retail games, such as “Equate”, making the opportunity available to play and learn at the same time.  File folder games, dice games, and self made manipulatives all added to our experiment.  Discussion with friends, reading books and searching the internet provided ideas for games to make.|

Not every detail of our experiment worked.  Not everything will, even if it did for another family.  But many of the games and activities did work.  They created positive family experiences for my children.  All of my children benefited and became more comfortable with math.

The big payoff came when the result of the experiment came back to me in a simple comment made by the daughter who had inspired us to begin this journey.  This comment made the experiment worthwhile.  This comment encouraged us to continue on the journey.

“Mom, I think I like math.”    

 Melanie Skelton has educated her six children at home for eight years.  She is the co-founder of Utah Families Teaching at Home and assists in teaching workshops to empower and help home educators.  She is the web designer for the website, found at http: http://www.utahfamilies.net/ and is in the process of co-authoring a book about home education.  This book will help home educators better understand learning styles, personality styles and levels of learning.  It will teach the reader how to apply this information to their home school and plan out a curriculum that will meet the needs of their children.   

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Spring into Spanish:
Seven Simple Steps for Bilingual Bliss

by Beth Butler

Running around the neighborhood I bet you have heard this once or twice, “I know she knows how to say it. I heard her singing her colors in Spanish just this morning. Lisa, tell my friend what red is in Spanish right now!” Or perhaps this scenario rings a bell, “Jorge, I am warning you! No more English. If you want
something, you have to ask me in Spanish starting ahora!”

Parents across the world see a very global future for their children and want to prepare them for it. We have read or heard about the experts’ reports of bilingual children scoring higher on standardized tests and reading sooner than monolingual children. Yet there seems to be a struggle to achieve that blissful state of learning. . ...read more

Many times children rebel at using their native language of Spanish; thus eliciting threats from the parent of no communication in any other language but Spanish. Then there is the Anglo parent who, with all good intentions, eagerly enrolls their child in a fairly expensive once-a-week language class; only to wonder why that same child will not ‘perform’ for family and friends her new words in Spanish.

With the following seven simple steps and suggestions you and your family can bloom into a second language journey – blissfully and with smiles:

1. Start the second language learning as early in your child’s life as possible. Experts agree – the earlier, the better. Think of how you learned your native language. It’s all about vocabulary at first so remember that repetition is the key for all your child’s learning. Experts say it is just as easy for a child to learn two words in two languages for one item as it is to learn just one word. Introduce the new language bilingually, using the native language and the new together, for any child birth through 8-10 years old. (Immersion should be used for children 8 -10 and older.)

2. Find a bilingual language learning program, product or class for your child that incorporates the following components necessary for success: visual, music, beginning reading and verbal exchange. Give your child the opportunity to enjoy the new language daily for 10 to 30 minutes (depending upon the age of your child, more time needs to be spent as your child continues to develop his language skills).

3. Show your child you value speaking a second language. If you speak mainly English in your home invite a Spanish speaking friend over, attend cultural events where both native & new languages are spotlighted through music, dance, food and more and turn on the Spanish channel on TV and the radio. If you speak mainly Spanish in your home invite new English speaking friends over and get them involved in learning Spanish as you cook for them, entertain them and welcome them into your home, visit the local library for bilingual books and fun children’s programs and make learning the new language fun for your child and yourself.

4. Do not allow anyone try to convince you that learning a second language needs to come after your child has mastered her native language. The myth that children will be language delayed or have a language disorder if a new language is introduced early in life is just that – a myth. The latest study out of Texas on this subject suggests that children up to the age of five can learn five languages simultaneously. I will caution that you not settle for immersion for your young child during her school day. It should not be ‘sink or swim’ in the English only classroom for the Spanish speaking child nor should a Spanish only class be used with your English speaking first grader. Your child should be allowed contact with his/her native language throughout the day until at least the age of 8-10 years old.

5. For Spanish speaking families it is a lot of work to continue your native language within your home and community when English is the dominant and daily language your child hears. As in most of parenting, keep a smile first of all. Refuse to fall into the trap of making your child ‘perform’ in your native Spanish language. Encourage your child to appreciate their native language by appreciating it yourself and speaking it with love. Try not threaten to speak only in Spanish to your child in order to get them to respond back to you in Spanish. This will alienate them from you, their language and their heritage. Your child will understand everything you say to them, but your child might often times make the conscious effort to refuse to verbalize back in their native tongue due to your threats. One last note: You, as the parent, need to practice your new language of English. Try to make it a family effort to soften your accent when speaking English. Instead of being embarrassed by your Spanish accent, show your child you are proud to be Hispanic and will continue to work on your new language as you ask your child to work on their native language. Practice what you preach!

6. Have realistic expectations for your child. Becoming fluent in a new language takes time and takes living the language. Avoid getting a one-on-one tutor for your child during the early years (birth – 8 years old). This language journey should be fun – filled with music, games and creativity (not conjugating verbs and grammar). Try not to look for your child to be conversational after benchmarks you set up yourself. Every child learns and develops differently – allow your child to enjoy this language learning by not pressuring your child to excel in or perform in either language. The sign of a true linguist is one who code switches. That is, one who can flow between both languages easily within one sentence, one thought, one conversation.

7. The ideal situation in any home where the parent wishes to raise a bilingual child is for one parent to speak Spanish full time with their young child while the other parent speaks English full time. They would flow back and forth between the two languages – explaining things in both languages when possible. We all realize this takes a tremendous amount of effort. We also realize that this is not the norm in most households across the world which is why we look for simple solutions that fit into our daily lives.

You can do this. You can give your child the gift of a second language. You are your child’s best teacher. You just need to find the tools to jump start their second language journey today. You know what makes your child excited about learning. You know what you can fit into your daily routine and still make it fun for all. You just need to do it!
 

About the Author: Beth Butler is the founder of the BOCA BETH Program – now seen on the Education Channel.  Gather your children around the computer today, and sample the BOCA BETH bilingual music and movies for free at http://www.bocabeth.com/   
Call toll free 1.877.825.2622.

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Love the Bug

by Seth Prezant

Killing bugs. It's a multi-billion dollar a year business. Scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and entomologist have created some very interesting ways to help us zap, squash, spray, trap, flush, sterilize, freeze, and fry bugs into oblivion. But recently, these professionals have been doing something a little less dramatic, they have been studying them.  

Bugs have already given the world countless items and ideas that make our lives a bit more easy and sweet. The obvious ones are bumble bees pollinate flowers and create honey, ladybugs eat plant destroying aphids, orb weaver spiders devour insects by the web load, and silk does come from silk worms, not China. Springtails, worms, millipedes, and roaches clean up forests, jungles, and backyards turning decaying matter into renewable soil. Dragonflies catch flies and mosquitoes in their mouth while flying giving us the concept of fast-food. Rave party people can thank the lighting bug for teaching scientists how to make light without the heat. Can you say, "light-stick?" And the Chinese learned the art of paper-making from wasps.. ...read more

Still no love for the bug? Take into consideration that without bugs called scale insects we wouldn't have shellac. Shellac? Guess how many items you use on a daily basis that contained shellac. Let's start with adhesives, textiles, ammunition, cosmetics like shampoos and mascara, paints, inks, electronics, coating for pills, and since you've read this far I might as well tell you. Shellac is used in foods. Companies use shellac to coat jelly beans, gum, and marzipan. Avocadoes, lemons, oranges, and apples are often coated with shellac to give it a high gloss shine. Thank goodness my apple had no worms! 

And let us not forget Spanish flies. Yes, I know this is a family article but let me bust some myths about this right here and now. Spanish flies are really not flies. They are beetles called blister beetles and they do not make good aphrodisiacs. What they do make is a toxin called cantharidan that doctors have used for centuries to treat warts. This is where the term Beetle Juice actually comes from. Still not convinced that we need bugs?         

During the Civil War, military medics noticed that the infected wounds on injured soldiers healed quicker when maggots were present on the wound versus those wounds that did not have maggots. In fact, thousands of limbs and lives were saved by these helpful hungry larvae. Maggots eat only decaying flesh which helps clean the wound of infection, prevents the spread of disease, and allows the wound to aerate and heal properly. Doctors still use them today in hospitals around the world and right here in the United States.  

Any tummy tuckers out there? If you have had cosmetic or reconstructive surgery there is a good chance there was more than a doctor and nurse in the operating room. Leeches are commonly use (but not talked about) during surgeries to keep blood flowing. Leeches create an enzyme that prevents blood from clotting which can be helpful during many types of delicate surgery. I'll skip the details but…."Nurse? Scalpel. Forceps. Leech."      

Consider that there are more species of insects than mammals, reptiles, and birds combined! In fact, there are more bugs in the world than all other creatures put together! No one really knows how many species of bugs there are in the world, but scientists have documented over 290,000 species of beetles, 112,000 species of butterflies and moths, 105,000 species of bees and wasps, and yes, over 150 species of mosquitoes which is a major food source in the food chain. 

With more bugs species than plant species you can only imagine the undiscovered uses, benefits and cures we can find. Bee venom is already being used to treat everything from rheumatism to PMS. Sea slugs called Spotted Sea Hares produce an ink-like substance that shows anti-HIV activity and inhibits bacterial growth in recent studies. Scientists are close to reproducing the molecular makeup of spider silk, the strongest natural substance made on earth. Spider silk is more than 20 times stronger than the same thickness of steal…and it's flexible! One day bridges will be supported by this silk, bullet proof vest will be made from it, and buttons will never fall off shirts again! 

If none of this has changed your mind about bugs then consider that Scientists have discovered that the much feared Deathstalker scorpion may really be a lifesaver. Their venom contains chlorotoxin, a unique mixture of enzymes and proteins. Chlorotoxin attaches to cancer cells leaving healthy cells alone. One day this might prove to be a successful delivery system for cancer destroying agents and radioactive atoms. Studies have also shown that chlorotoxin may even keep cancer cells from moving or shrinking making the cancer less likely to spread. NewYork-Presbyterian recently completed a Phase II clinical trial and things look hopeful.  

From shellac to silk, from honey to healing, bugs give us so much more good than bad. Encourage your children to play, explore, and interact with nature. Let it be okay to have a pet spider or millipede. Paint butterflies on your cheeks and let ladybugs crawl up your arms. Because while you may not love the bug like I do, please consider all the things we have, and the people we may have with us longer, because of nature's fascinating little creatures - bugs.              

Seth Prezant is the founder and Bugmaster of http://www.coolbugstuff.com/  His award winning web site was created to help promote fascination and education in science using nature’s most abundant creatures…Bugs! Seth is a true EEE (Education & Entertainment Entrepreneur) providing educational and entertaining nature shows for schools, camps, aftercare programs and home school groups all around South Florida. The Bugmaster can be reached @ seth@coolbugstuff.com

You can find many more easy parent/child projects to do together on Seth's website http://coolbugstuff.com/. 

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Chart Your Course For High School Success (Tenth Grade)
(This is the second article in a series of four.)

by Jean Burk

One year down and three to go. Your confidence level about the high school years has been raised and now it’s time to take on the sophomore year. Continuing with your previous goals as well as taking on some new ones should be your objective. Review the classes and double-check your student’s degree plan. Make sure they are taking the most difficult classes they can handle. Test prep should still be mixed
into the curriculum and their extra-curricular portfolio should be filling up. Rounding out the transcript will
also aid the student when it comes to college entrance. The high school roadmap should becoming a
little easier to maneuver.  ...read more

The summer before tenth grade, continue preparation for the PSAT. The test will be administered in October and students should take it for practice to see how much they’ve improved in a year. As a sophomore, the score still does not count but students will receive their booklet back to go over their weaknesses as well as use it for another practice test later on. Throughout the year, incorporate at least one to two hours of test prep weekly into your student’s schedule. They should take the SAT I in October and November. If they are scoring over 1500, take one or two more SATs in the spring.  

Encourage them to continue setting high goals academically. As homeschoolers, there can be many opportunities in your area to participate in advanced classes from qualified adults or outside teachers that cater to the homeschooling community. Identify the entrance requirements for possible schools and make sure your students are taking relevant courses that those colleges require. Make sure they are doing well in all their classes and have them save their best work for their academic portfolio. They should concentrate on the few co-curricular activities that they can do well and really involve themselves in rather that those they won’t stay involved in.  

Look for more opportunities to volunteer. This is a great way to identify their interests and develop life skills. Keep good records for their transcript. Ask for letters of recommendation from the community service programs that they’ve participated in. Extracurricular activities show colleges that students have been a proven asset in their community and therefore can benefit the college by involving themselves in their school and represent them well. An added bonus to their transcript is to hold a part time job. 

College is creeping closer so preparation is still very important. Continue researching colleges and universities by reading literature and using the internet to gather information. Plan a couple of weekends to visit prospective colleges. Tour the campus, talk with the departmental dean and even interview students who are attending there currently. Check into their overnight orientations that are open to visiting high school students. This can give your student an opportunity to stay in a dorm room, eat the cafeteria food and sit in on some classes.  

Preparation will give you a starting point on your journey and consistency will keep you there. It is not a time to sit back and relax, but a time to double-check your roadmap and get back on course if you’ve veered off a bit. Homeschooling affords the ability to be flexible and add in classes or activities later that were possibly forgotten or ignored. Review your high school plan often to make sure your student is on track. Keeping on course is the key that will point you to the end. The high school days may seem long, but you will find that the years were short.

 For more information visit http://www.collegeprepgenius.com/ or contact Jean Burk at info@collegeprepgenius.com   Also sign-up for our free No Brainer Scholarship Newsletter.

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Life on the Bike, Overnight! Part I

by Becky Douglas

This is the ninth in a series of articles about youth bicycle travel. The articles cover all aspects of developing and executing a bike trip with home schoolers, and are based on Adventure Cycling Association's Pedal Pioneers Guide, a detailed handbook for bicycle travel with kids.  

‘Tis the night before your bike adventure
And your bags are packed
Time to check them again
Make sure there is nothing lacked! 

Just like a carpenter’s mantra of “measure twice, cut once”, the same goes for many aspects of an overnight bicycle adventure. Below we will share some hints for your life on the bike.  ...read more

On the day before you leave for the tour, have your child lay out everything they are bringing. Walk through the contents of their bags, making sure that they have all of the gear for the trip. This is especially important on long trips – bike overnights are much more forgiving. And don’t forget to double check that you have packed everything, including emergency information; confirm your first night’s accommodations; visit the bank; and power up your batteries.  

Some folks do not ride their first day and instead drive or fly to their starting point. Other families start from their back door. Before you head off riding, review key safety rules with your child and discuss some basic public relations on the road. Check their helmets and gear and share the route plan and riding formation.  

Try not to plan too much for the first day. Your child will be out of their element, and many things will be new to them and take some time to get used to. Try to get to your overnight accommodations earlier the first day since so much is new and to give them an early success. 

On the first day, pay special attention to your child on the bike, making sure they are comfortable, take note of any equipment issues, and make sure that the miles and elevation match their skill level. Your concerns about these issues will be high at first and decrease over time as you and your child become proficient with fixing things and get into the rhythm of bicycle travel. 

A typical day should have a decent amount of structure, with built-in room for flexibility. You will also want to designate a time to deal with any repairs. 

“Adults see a trip in terms of days. Kids see a trip in terms of stages: breakfast, lunch, snack, activity, dinner, and evening activity. Plan to have non-pedaling events in your tour, like a swim in a lake or a city pool.” - Dan Gorenstein, wilderness trip leader 

Here is a typical day on a multi-day bicycle adventure:
• Wake-up call
• Pack up
• Breakfast and prep lunch and snacks
• Bike check
• Review of day/map
• Last-minute clean-camp check and safety check for helmets, food, water, and clean site
• Start cycling
• Snack and rest stop
• Bicycle
• Lunch and rest stop
• Bicycle
• Stop at museum, university, national park, or other attraction
• Bicycle
• Get to evening accommodations. Set up camp
• Dinner - cook or be cooked for
• Shower and wash up
• Review of day and journal writing time
• Evening entertainment - game, campfire, or music
• Final camp sweep to pick up any loose ends that might blow away or be eaten by critters 

Navigating on route can be very fun and rewarding. It can also be frustrating if there are route changes or map misunderstandings. To make route finding more fun, keep the map in front of you in a map case or handlebar bag and carry a small compass. You can use topography, rivers, and other significant landmarks to help find your location on a map, and remember to look for things to watch for to make sure that you are on route, as well as confirm if you missed a turn. 

Note that detours due to construction or road closures are often still open to cyclists. Ask local officials or road crews if it is okay to pass and if there are any dangers for bicyclists and then go for it - and enjoy the empty road! 

Traveling by bike is different from your daily home regimen. The milestones of daily activities are simultaneously routine and a new experience. Because bicycle travel is a unique experience, you will be creating a monumental life experience for your home schooler.  

Throughout this series of articles, we will be referring to the vast cycling resources that already exist in North America. The articles should be supplemented with other resources that address bicycle safety, camping skills, and group dynamics if you are traveling with several kids. Happy bicycle travels! 

Becky Douglas is the Outreach and Education Coordinator at Adventure Cycling Association. Thanks to Kerry Irons for his help in writing this article. The mission of Adventure Cycling Association is to inspire people of all ages to travel by bicycle. They help cyclists explore the landscapes and history of America for fun, fitness, and self-discovery. Becky is the administrator of the Pedal Pioneers Program, which aims to inspire and empower adults who are taking kids on overnight bicycle adventures. She is also the author of Pedal Pioneers: A Guide to Bicycle Travel with Kids and can be reached at outreach@adventurecycling.org

 

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Teaching Your Kids to Step up to the Plate
Whether it's Win or Lose
Accepting Consequences and Building a Sense of Responsibility

by Diane Spoehr  

One young mother was watching her son playing in the front yard. He was about 3 years old, and as he moved closer to the street, his Mom called out,”Stay out of the road; come back up here.” 

A few minutes later the boy had again worked his way out to the street, gotten the same instructions, and come back to the lawn. The third time the child stopped at the edge of the yard, looked back at his Mom, and then walked out and stood grinning in the middle of the street. Obedience had worked well, he might as well find out what disobedience would bring.

It brought almost the same results! His mother ran and lifted him up, saying, “I told you not to do that” in a calm voice, and deposited him back in the center of the yard.  ...read more

Being perplexed by her actions, I asked my friend, “Aren’t you going to give him a time out at least, or scold him?”

She replied, “Well, if he did something really dangerous, then I would. But I don’t want to scare him.”

Oh. Well, perhaps he’ll be scared next time when he hears tires squealing right before a truck hits him.

 The thing about Life in the Big World is that it is not always forgiving. Life will teach lessons to all of us, and if we shelter our children from the consequences of their actions then the lessons Life gives them may be quite harsh. Sure, we’ve all done careless things, or downright dangerous things, and gotten through without a scrape.  I know I have tempted Fate a few times, and been lucky, or blessed, or had someone wiser watching over me; surely you remember such times in your life as well.

As we grow older we hopefully grow wiser and learn to adjust the conditions so situations are more to our advantage. Still some of us take a while to reach a point of caution. A man on our street went up on his roof to check wind damage; his wife was beside herself with worry, since his reactions are not too quick now that he’s 83! (He got back down safely, unhurt until his wife got hold of him.)

The little boy who walked out in the road was too innocent to realize he was in mortal danger if a speeding car came along. The old man on the roof should have had better sense, but it’s hard to admit one cannot or should not do all the things one used to do. Yes, it’s pretty amazing he could still get up there at all. At least he had to face the consequences doled out by a worried wife; the little boy learned it did not matter if he obeyed or not!  He ended up back in the yard with his toys either way.  Actually, if he disobeyed he was better off, since Mom would carry him, saving him the bother of walking back.

Do you suppose he will stop, look, and listen when he’s four years old, and his ball rolls out into the street? When he has a new scooter and zips out of the driveway excited about his new toy, will he be watching out for cars? In his experience being out in the middle of the road is perfectly safe. As drivers we have all seen this kid going down the middle of the street oblivious to traffic. We’ve seen the other kids too, the cautious sensible ones who are watching traffic and paying attention.  When a parent scolds a child for riding a bike out into the road, that parent is serving up a lesson so that Life doesn’t serve a more harmful portion.  

As our kids survive the physical risks, there are still the consequences of other choices they need to face. There is homework to finish (and to turn in!), chores to complete, tests for which to study. If our kids accomplish these things they get decent grades, extra privileges, perhaps allowance money. If they don’t, there are negative results, but do we let the negative consequences impact our kids? When they do not complete assigned chores, do they nevertheless attend the movie? If the work is left undone, do they lose the Game Boy for a time? If the lawn is uncut do they go to the mall with friends anyway? A lot of kids do still have their toys, games, and shopping trips. They are great manipulators, sighing, crying, pleading, and promising to do the job “Tomorrow, reeeeeeally!”

I, for one, would go along with that request, once. It may be the lawn doesn’t have to be mowed right now, while the entire crowd can only do the mall trip today. If a child is old enough to plan ahead, this is a chance to allow some independent thinking. But no matter what new plans are made today at the mall, when tomorrow comes the mowing is first. Dad, don’t go out there and mow today since you think tomorrow it might rain. If you do that, you teach your children to ignore their responsibilities and leave jobs to others who are more conscientious, and have already learned to watch weather reports.

Have you ever worked in an office with someone who shirks their business and leaves others to pick up the slack? If not, you’ve either not spent much time as an office employee, or else you’ve chosen all the right places to work!  Certainly we don’t want to teach our kids how to shirk before they’ve even found a steady job.  

It is most enjoyable when our child completes her chores and finishes her assignments, and so ends up covered in glory. But when she leaves the work until the last minute and ends up facing the loss of privileges, most parents find it hard to stick to their guns and deny the new CD or the sleepover with friends. One of the most difficult talents parents have to cultivate is consistency. Being the reliable adult in times of trouble is not nearly as challenging as being consistent while raising children. It is just plain hard to stick to the rules you’ve laid down when it is late afternoon and you have three hours left to accomplish five hours of work!

Those are the times we need to remind ourselves that one day in the too-near future our kids are going out on their own. When parents no longer control the consequences, children will be learning lessons directly from Life. Let’s stick to our word, bringing both the favorable and the unfavorable results to the children now, so that the Big World results they bring on themselves someday will be things they can handle. Teach them that each of us in the end is responsible for what happens in our own life. Let the results of their actions impact them on a regular basis, in doses just large enough for them to take. Then by the time they head out to face things on their own, they will understand that it pays to look ahead and be responsible for their own business. You know that old saying, “give them roots and wings.” The wings are the acceptance of responsibility, and the confidence that comes from being able to do it on your own. It’s one of the gifts we can give our kids that they will value all their lives.

Diane Spoehr is a 3rd Dan Degree Black Sash in the ancient Korean Martial and Healing Art of Hwa Rang Do®, with 10 years of experience teaching children and adults of all ages. She has taught many children and their parents how to develop self-discipline, demonstrate courtesy, and achieve their goals. Diane Spoehr is the Head Instructor and Owner of the Hwa Rang Do School of Jacksonville, located in Mandarin and Julington Creek.

Website: http://www.hwarangdofl.com/
Email:   hrdjax@bellsouth.net

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Tragedy Hits the Valley

by Maria Wojtczak

6,000 teens die in motor vehicle crashes in the United States every year. That equates to 500 a month and 17 a day.   Just this past week four tragic teen crashes occurred in a 48-hour period here in the valley.  These crashes occurred because of loss of control, teens died because they did not have their seat belts on. 16 to 18 year olds have higher fatal crash rates than drivers of any other age. This IS fast-becoming an epidemic and we need to take action NOW.   ...read more

We have been providing information in our newsletter about the new Teenage Driver Safety Act that was passed and will go into effect on July 1st of this year.  The components of the law are passenger restrictions, nighttime driving restrictions, and a longer permit period.  This is a STEP in the right direction, but quite honestly, it isn’t enough.   Parents, you have the most direct influence on your children – have you talked to your kids about safe driving?  What example are you setting for them when you drive?  Studies show that we talk to our kids about smoking, drugs, drinking and driving, underage sex, but a very small percentage of parents talk to their teens about SAFE DRIVING.  Not drinking and driving, but SAFE driving.  The #1 killer of teens is driving – more so than homicide, suicide or any other cause of death COMBINED, yet parents don’t seem to be getting the WAKE UP call.  Parents, please talk to your kids about the necessity of safe driving and the necessity of being considerate and safe passengers when driving with their friends.   If you have newly licensed teens out on the road consider your own Graduated Drivers License Law in your home.  The tragedies that occurred in the valley this week were preventable – many of the teenage crashes are preventable.  The only way we are going to stop the carnage on our roadways is if YOU, parents get involved.  Become informed, talk to your kids, talk to other parents and take a stand in preventing these senseless tragedies. 

 Maria Wojtczak is the owner of DrivingMBA and is responsible for marketing and the operation of the organization.  DrivingMBA is a unique driver tutoring program geared towards better preparing teenagers for the responsibility of driving.  To learn more about DrivingMBA visit the web-site http://www.drivingmba.com/.    Before Maria and her husband Richard, opened Driving MBA Maria worked as a consultant for over 20 years in the field of organization development working with a wide range of organizations.  In addition to the use of traditional organization development techniques, she is highly skilled in large systems change and organization learning, with formal training in both specialties. She has extensive experience in the field of adult learning concepts, and in the design and facilitation of adult learning experiences.   

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New Resources

ScienceCastle.com
Serving: Worldwide

Great New Games, Inc.
Serving: United States

SimplyFun, LLC
Serving: United States

NORTH TEXAS ACADEMY / PLANO HOME SCHOOL ACADEMY
Serving: United States

Jefferson Prep
Serving: United States

Class Act Performing Arts Academy
Serving: East Valley, Arizona

 Ruth Bray Tutor
Serving: California

The Art Beat
Serving: California

Juline School of Dance -  e-mail
Serving: Modesto and surrounding areas, California

Brushstrokes Studio, Inc.
Serving: East Bay Area, California

Quality Tutoring Services
Orange County, Long Beach & San Diego County, California

 Prep Associates
Serving: Denver/Metro area, Colorado

Crackpots Pottery Studio & More
Serving: Colorado/Front Range

Local Color Art Studio
Serving: Orlando Florida and surrounding areas

Kids Music Studio, Inc.
Serving: Georgia

Sherwood Conservatory of Music
at Columbia College Chicago
Serving: Greater Chicagoland area, Illinois

Orbit Skate Center
Chicago, Near North and the Northwest Suburbs, Illinois

The Speech Language Dyslexia Clinic, P.C.
Des Moines metro area and Central Iowa

Great Wolf Lodge – Kansas City
Serving: Kansas



College Placement Consulting
Serving: Maryland and Delaware

Kids Moving Company 
Greater metropolitan Washington, (DC, N Virginia, Maryland)

Perceptual Motor Therapy
Greater metropolitan Washington, (DC, N Virginia, Maryland)

The Butterfly Place
Serving: Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts

Flint Youth Theatre
Serving: Mid and Southeast Michigan

A Chance To Grow, Inc.
Serving: Minnesota and Nationwide for some programs

Kansas City Young Audiences
Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Community, Missouri

Adams Music Conservatory
Serving: Southern New Jersey

NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (NJPAC)
Serving: Essex County and Surrounding Areas, New Jersey

The Field House at Chelsea Piers
Serving: New York

The Davidson Center
Serving: North Carolina

Meridee Winters School of Music
Serving: Pennsylvania

Greenville Technical College
Serving: Greenville County, South Carolina

Ballet On Wheels, Dance School & Company
Memphis & the local Mid – South areas, Tennessee

KD Studio Actors Conservatory
Serving: Dallas, Texas and USA

Monart School of Art – Keller
North Fort Worth – Tarrant County, Texas

American Kids Athletics (AKA)
Katy/ West Houston/ Northwest Houston, Texas

Sandweiss Test Prep
Seattle met area, King, Snohomish & Pierce Counties, Washington


 


Visit the directory website to find out more about these quality educational resources.

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Featured Resources



KD STUDIO GOES THE EXTRA MILE WITH TALENT 

We all know them. They are those kids and adults who stand out in a crowd. They have that certain charisma. When they walk into a room it lights up. Sometimes they’re funny, sometimes they’re cute and always, they are gifted. Whether they are precocious or endearing, it’s easy to envision them up on stage.

But we all know, its one thing to have dreams, but the first practical question is, “How do you get there!”

For years, KD Studio, founded by Kathy Tyner and Kim Dawson in 1978, has been conduction workshops with students of all backgrounds, ethnicities and ages. KD Studio has a reputation of being one of the most unique and proficient acting schools in the United States. Their sterling alumni includes a diverse group of individuals who have distinguished themselves throughout the entertainment industry. Just to name a few, they include George Eads who stars on C.S.I., Julio Cedillo who co-stared with Tommy Lee Jones. In the The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada and with Jennifer Lopez in Border Town. Among KD Studio’s young stars there’s Eric Per Sullivan who plays the little brother on Malcolm in the Middle and Nick Stahl who play John Conner in Terminator 3.

“Our training is based on the proven philosophy of ‘learning by doing,’ Kathy Tyner says. “From acting and producing scenes for film and stage, to full participation in live shows and student’s original film work, our students learn real skills that help them in the real world.”

KD Studio offers everything from acting workshops designed for beginning actors as well as those with performing experience to modeling classes. These intense, hands-on programs range in length from weekend-long special workshops to the 15-month-long Associate of Applied Arts Degree programs in Acting Performance and Musical Theater. For more than two decades KD Studio has been successfully training people of all ages for professional modeling.

Summer camps include an intense two-week program that teaches acting through actual hands-on experience. The course includes: television commercials, open-scene work, on set-conditions, camera acting techniques, acting terms and improvisation, plus a black and white head shot. 

The Children Film Acting Camp is oriented to children ages to 7 to 11. 

The Teen Film Acting Camp is oriented to children ages 12 to 18.

The Musical Theatre Camp for Children is designed for children from ages 6 through 14. This three-week theater camp includes acting and voice classes along with movement and dance with a graduation performance at KD Studio Theatre. It will conclude with four performances of the musical Into The Woods, Jr. on May 17th and 18th at 2:00 pm and at 7:30 pm.

The Modeling Camp, oriented to children ages 12 through 16, is an intense the two-week program that teaches the fundamentals of professional modeling such as posture and walking, photography movement, hair care, skin care and make up, photo shoot with professional fashion photographer and makeup artist, television commercial training, the business of modeling, runway techniques and fashion show. One 5 x 7 color headshot print is included with the class.

“Along with acting performances” Kathy says, “Some of our graduates have become world-wide motivational speakers. Others have gone into art, as well as other creative and performance related fields. We help people get in touch with themselves and help them build self-confidence.”

KD Studio has highly qualified professionals actively pursuing their own careers as actors, directors, writers, and theatre scholars who serve as faculty. These teaching professionals keep students in constant contact with working artists who understand the dynamics of the entertainment industry. Kathy says, “We not only hire qualified instructors and insure quality training, we go the extra mile in recognizing and developing talent.”

www.KDstudio.com 
 214-638-0484
 

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Featured Resources

Memory strategies only successful students know about

It's time for you to learn the easy way to better grades, more confidence and more success.

And I'm going to show you how.

My name is Jim Sarris and I've been a high school/Adult Ed. teacher for the last 15 years. I'm the author of three books on memory that come from my time working with students who didn't have a clue...and it showed.

I could see how the adults in my night classes ended up there. They were the same students I was teaching during the day that had no idea how to hold onto information long enough to use it.

Remember anything you want

It's time to learn how to get the results you secretly desire without the extra effort that comes from trying to force the information in.

A "step-by-step", How-To Guide
to developing a more powerful and efficient memory!


http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=315422
 

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New Support Groups

New Port Richey Homeschool (NPR Homeschool) - New Port Richey - West Pasco County, Florida

Riverbend Christian Home Educators Coalition - Alton area, Illinois

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POLE Homeschool Support Group & Resource Center - Louisa, Kentucky

Calcasieu Home Educators Support Group - Sulphur, Louisiana

The Charlotte Homeschool Meetup - Charlotte, North Carolina

Eugene Teen Homeschoolers - Eugene and surrounding area, Oregon

York Education At Home - all of York County, South Carolina



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