Homeschool Writing Course Leads to Published Book for 7-Year Old
by Sun Bae
I want to be totally upfront before I start writing any further: The homeschool writing course for the 7-year old in the aforementioned article was for my son, Ryan. And while I am proud of his accomplishment (what parent wouldn’t?), this article isn’t just about him. But rather, the point of this article is that, structured correctly, any ordinary child can get her story published and sold on Amazon.com by using a homeschool writing course similar to the one mentioned below. Read on to find out how....read more
Are you having trouble getting your child motivated to exercise? Is the lure of that popular kids’ TV show or the newest electronic device fretting away hours that you wish your child were spending getting some fresh air and exercise?
You are right in wanting your child to be physically fit. Not only do patterns of fitness learned in childhood tend to extend into adulthood, but there are practical benefits that affect learning for the physically fit child. Physical health is one of the three cornerstones of whole person health. ....read more
Great Schools for Students with Not-So-Great SAT’s
by Elizabeth Hartley
Sometimes good students do not perform well on standardized tests. They make good grades, have a strong work ethic and will be successful college students but filling in circles with #2 pencils is not their forte.
Does this mean, as some people think, that a student’s only option is to attend a community college or a college with such low SAT standards that it's not of the caliber they want? Absolutely not! Consider these options: ...read more
Almost everyone buys almost everything they need in life from someone else. In order to have the things we need for life we “work” daily at productive jobs by which we earn income. Almost all jobs exist because someone is selling something to someone else. You and I would not have work except for selling. Selling is at the core of all economic life. Without selling, every one of us would be reduced to the little bit we ourselves could eke out of the ground with our own hands (if you have a hoe, you probably bought it from someone who sold it to you).
Selling is business; business is selling. All prosperity comes from selling. All poverty comes from its absence.
What does this have to do with homeschooling and with project-led learning?....read more
Summertime is around the corner and now is the time to find the right camp or activities for your children. Summer can be filled with lazy days at the beach, but it can also be a great opportunity to introduce children to a new skill. Why not host a cooking camp in your home! (Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a professional chef or have expert knife skills.) Invite a few of your children’s friends over to host a summer cooking camp in your kitchen. Here are some tips to make your summer cooking camp a success.... read more
Q: When someone asks my daughter a question about simple facts, she does not respond, even when she knows the answer. I think it is important to be able to put what you know into words. Why is she unable or unwilling to verbalize things and how can I help her?
A: A young teenager told me that when he meets new kids and they find out that he does not go to school,
they present him with a math question. His response is, "I don't like being tested. This is one reason I don't go to school."..read more
Preparing the Brain to Learn Begins Before Birth by Sarah Major, M.Ed
I have twice been a new mother. Granted, it was decades ago, but I still remember my attitudes and thought processes when my babies were in the crib and later beginning to toddle around the house. In those days, I was not thinking about preparing the brain for learning. In fact, I remember my sister and I sitting on the floor with our two year olds trying to get them to learn color names by holding out a crayon and saying the color slowly and distinctly.
At that point, the babies just wanted to bite the sweetly-scented crayons. Sheepishly we decided to put the project on hold and wait until our toddlers got a bit older before trying it again. It seemed in those days that I often assumed an attitude of waiting. Waiting until he could talk. Waiting until she could walk. Waiting for naptime. Waiting for bedtime! Waiting until kindergarten or preschool to arrive so learning could begin. Here are some commonly-held ideas that we as parents probably could have done without:....read more
Online Learning: Truth in Advertising?
by Bruce Friend
Perhaps you have seen the TV commercial where a young woman in pajamas promotes online courses as a way to earn a degree without having to get dressed in the morning? I cringe each time I see that ad. It perpetuates the notion that online learning is a “soft option,” the academic equivalent of a fad diet or a get-rich-quick scheme.
“Go to school in your pajamas!”
To my ear this suggests that online learning is a less rigorous experience for students and, consequently, that the academic credits they earn are suspect in some way...read more
No loops! Italic letterforms are clear and uncluttered.
Logical
Easy transition - letters stay the same from printing to cursive.
The Getty-Dubay Italic Handwriting Series is a comprehensive program that contains everything you need to teach legible handwriting to students of all ages and skill levels. Even if you’ve never taught handwriting, you’ll find the Getty-Dubay method easy to teach, with helpful tips and creative practice materials. Each book in the Series has been designed to energize the student’s natural curiosity and thirst for learning. Its unique “Look-Plan-Practice” approach to self-assessment enhances legibility while empowering students - encouraging responsibility for their own progress toward the goal of handwriting success.
Now in its Fourth Edition, the Getty-Dubay Italic Handwriting Series is successfully used in public, charter, private, and homeschools throughout the country and abroad. Authors Getty & Dubay are experienced educators who have taught from elementary to university levels and present handwriting seminars for medical professionals nationwide. This informative and comprehensive Series is designed to provide handwriting success for you and your students!
Since students develop at different rates, the determination of which book is appropriate should be decided by the teacher in each case. For children who have already been introduced to another handwriting style, we suggest starting out with the book appropriate for their current grade level. All books 8.5 x 11 inches.
Kindergarten - With clever illustrations and space for writing and drawing on each individual letter page, this first book in the Series provides practice with basic shapes and introduces basic italic lowercase families and capitals, one letter per page. Includes numerals. Illustrated. Letter height 14 mm. 72 pages
First Grade - For the beginning reader, this book presents lowercase, capitals and numerals. With a short word and a lively sentence on each letter page, Book B is a lot of fun for the student! Illustrated. Letter height 11 & 9 mm. 64 pages. Designed for use with Books A-G, this invaluable guide contains detailed instructions for teaching letter families, capitals, cursive joins, assessment strategies, techniques for increasing speed and developing style, plus the history of each letter. Complete information provided to effectively teach italic handwriting. Illustrated. 112 pages
Second Grade - The transition book from basic to cursive italic. Basic italic writing practice uses modes of travel (automobile to zeppelin), days of the week, and months of the year. Capitals practice: cities of the USA. The simple transition from basic to cursive italic is introduced. Includes numerals. Illustrated. Letter height 9 & 6 mm. 68 pages
Third Grade- Energizing writing practice for basic italic and cursive italic includes capitalization, vowel and consonant sounds, prefixes, suffixes, phonograms, homophones, tongue twisters, and six poem forms. Cursive capitals are introduced with historical development of each letter. Illustrated. Letter height 6 & 5 mm. 88 pages
Fourth Grade - This well-crafted book is a welcome complement to your entire curriculum. While practicing cursive italic, students explore the world of science -- the animal kingdom, DNA, photosynthesis, minerals, continents, biomes, our solar system and galaxy. Practice with capitals: cities of the world and history of letters. Illustrated. Letter height 6, 5, & 4mm. 64 pages
Fifth Grade - Figures of speech of the English language are used for cursive italic writing practice, including synonyms, antonyms, simile, metaphor, word origins, onomatopoeia, proverbs, homophones, homographs, analogies, oxymoron, tongue twisters, pangrams, and palindromes. Capitals practice: Native American nations, tribes and communities. History of letters and numerals. Illustrated. Letter height 6, 5, & 4 mm. 64 pages
Sixth Grade & Beyond -The final book in the Series contains basic and cursive writing practice to acquaint the student with the history of writing. Content includes writing materials such as papyrus, parchment, paper and pens as well as eight scripts developed from the Roman Era to the 17th century. Cursive capitals practice shows the historical development of each letter. History of numerals. Part 3: edged pen writing. Illustrated. Letter height 9, 5, & 4mm. 64 pages
Getty Dubay Blackline Masters - These seven CDs are designed to be used as supplementary material in conjunction with the Getty-Dubay Italic Handwriting Series. Each half sheet references the page number in the corresponding book. Writing practice contains single letters and short letter combinations for joins. Worksheets are in PDF format. Copyright free when used with the Series. Please specify A, B, C, D, E, F, or G
Getty-Dubay Wall Charts
Charts show the alphabet: capitals, lowercase, and numerals. Basic Italic for use with Books A-C. Eleven 8 x 19 inch cards.
Cursive Italic for use with Books D-G. Ten 11 x 19 inch cards.
Getty-Dubay Desk Strips - The desk strip provides a constant reminder for the student how italic letters and numerals are formed. Basic Italic for use with Books A-C. 4 x 17 inch cards. Pack of 30.
Basic & Cursive Italic for use with Books D-G. 2 1/2 x 17 inch cards. Pack of 30.
Write Now: The Complete Program for Better Handwriting - Write Now provides a step-by-step program to develop handsome and legible italic handwriting. Writing practice features the history of writing and numerals. Includes timed writing, options, and guidelines for shape, slope, size, spacing, and speed. Detailed development of our capital and lowercase letterforms. Part 3: edged pen. Illustrated. 112 pages For amateur and professional calligraphers, art teachers, and anyone who wants to learn italic calligraphy using an edged pen with broad, medium and fine nib sizes. Four italic styles shown are basic, formal, chancery, and cursive. Chapter 10: design principles. Illustrated. 128 pages
Italic Letters: Calligraphy & Handwriting: For amateur and professional calligraphers, art teachers, and anyone who wants to learn italic calligraphy using an edged pen with broad, medium and fine nib sizes. Four italic styles shown are basic, formal, chancery, and cursive. Chapter 10: design principles. Illustrated. 128 pages
