Organic Home Learning

Contest Winner!

2008-12-21T02:16:00.003-06:00

Drumroll, please.

Congratulations to the TOS digital subscription winner, Toni M.!
She already received her prize; I was slow to announce on this blog.

Wow, it'd been longer than I'd realized since I last posted.
I have a number of changes planned, including a change of blog sites,
so I wasn't keeping a close eye here.

Please note that the offer for free Homeschool Tips has ended for the time being. Budget constraints required that I suspend my autoresponder account. Wasn't it fun while it ran, though? Would you like to see it returned (once I'm on Wordpress)?

Another change will be regular posts to my blog!

In the meantime, I wish you each a very merry, Merry Christmas!

Contest: win TOS digital magazine subscription

2008-09-18T11:36:00.008-05:00

I already have my digital subscription to The Old Schoolhouse magazine.
Now you have the opportunity to win a free subscription for yourself.
Steps:
Read the previously posted review on TOS magazine. Then leave a comment, preferably answering the question, "What aspect of homeschooling would you like to see more information on?"
The winner will be chosen from a random drawing. So far, you're odds are great!
Hurricanes Gustav and Ike delayed the start of this contest, so I'll need to keep it short. Post your comments by September 27, 2008.
Please continue to pray for those so adversely effected by Hurricane Ike.
Diana
who fared better through this past hurricane than 3 years ago with Rita.

REVIEW: The Old Schoolhouse (TOS) digital magazine

2008-09-18T11:36:00.005-05:00

Why do veteran homeschoolers still attend conferences, workshops, or subscribe to magazines? Because they know what other professionals know — new resources become available and they need to keep abreast of developments in their fields. They also need to keep fueling their motivation.
Over the years I've sampled and even subscribed to various magazines, switching to free online versions when possible. Sometimes it seemed wisest to purchase one or two back issues covering a specific topic instead of paying for a regular subscription.
Don't we all like to stretch our dollars? Well here's a terrific way to get the most for your money. If you've held back from a subscription to The Old Schoolhouse magazine because of cost, you need to hear about their new digital version.
TOS offers a digital magazine subscription. This is not a set of pdf pages, but a dynamic online magazine. Get everything you would from the print version, except now you can clik on links and go directly to the source. You can also print or email articles to send to up to five of your friends. But don't fear it's only online — you can save all your TOS issues to your computer. Articles, product reviews, and teaching ideas, special freebies added, sounds good, but is it a magazine that fits what you're looking for?
Check out a sample for yourself (Summer '07 issue):
http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine-digital.com/thehomeschoolmagazine/summer07/
Diana
who has a special contest coming - win a free digital subscription to TOS magazine!!

Summer Graduation

2008-08-13T19:02:00.003-05:00

What a summer! We celebrated the graduation of my dd from high school. Her father’s speech had us teary-eyed or laughing (at all the right places). A representative from the Texas Forestry Association traveled down to present my dd with a $1,000 scholarship. In case you’re curious what else was included, there was a piano duet, a trio (piano, violin, guitar) with American Sign Language, a speech from the graduate, and a musical DVD to conclude. I think we homeschoolers have an advantage in the graduation ceremony options. It is wonderful to affirm and highlight these young people individually. For those with younger students, take heart!

I've been "under the weather" and right at the beginning of the new school year. While I rested, my dd home from college took a group swimming at the lake. Some aspects of homeschooling do become easier as the children mature. I thought it a great way to start the year. Let's see, that'd be PE and socializing, right?

Now, a question for ya’ll: would you like the Tips on Homeschooling to be expanded? I’ve seen some more questions on various email loops which would work well with short answers. What questions would you like to have addressed? Mostly questions on high school, or more general?
Also, I’ll spread out the send rate to be at least seven days apart. Post your comments so we can learn together.

Diana

Texas 3-Day Sales Tax Holiday for Clothing & Footwear

2008-07-15T15:29:00.003-05:00

Aug. 15-17, 2008

See complete list for which items are Exempt and which are Taxable.
For example:
Boots (general purpose) (E)
Climbing (cleated or spiked) (T)
Cowboy (E)
Fishing (waders) (T)
Hiking (E)
Overshoes and galoshes (T)
Rubber work boots (T)
Ski (T)
Waders (T)
Window on State Government, Susan Combs, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/taxpubs/tx98_490/tx98_490_list.html

The savings can add up. Plan ahead; list items with needed sizes.
Think beyond school days, such as work boots for dh, or possible gift items, (perhaps a nice robe for a niece's upcoming birthday?)

Diana
who loves to save $$$

Teleseminar 2:30 Tues. July 1st

2008-06-28T00:55:00.006-05:00

Short notice, but here's another opportunity to personally ask me your questions on homeschooling: Tuesday 2:30 p.m. CST on July 1, 2008.

I'm especially ready to share resources and experiences on preparing for the high school years and beyond. I was thinking about interviewing my dd who has moved on to being a senior in college. She might be able to pop in on Tuesday's teleseminar, but that's a tenuous posssibility.

This summer, I have a graduating high school student. Add two more teens, each very different, and you'll understand why I'm focused on high school these days.

How it works: this is a free seminar. (I like freebies, don't you?) It's really like a group conference call. By being a live event, you get to make sure the questions you most want answered get asked.

Now the conference itself is free, but each individual is responsible for whatever phone charges they might incur.

If all goes well, I'll also record the call. That way, if you couldn't make the live session, you can still hear what all was discussed. In order to get the recorded information to you later , (and more freebies), I'll need your first name and email address.

It's a double opt-in set-up, which means before I start sending you information, you'll receive an email requiring your response in order to complete your request. It's a protection against spam. If you change your mind or if somehow your address was entered in without your consent, simply do nothing and you won't be added to the mail-out list.

The default verification email is ugly and not as polite as I'd like it to be, so it's on my list of items to update. I wanted to fix everything at once and that didn't happen, so I'm back to one little step at a time.

Now if you do click on the link to verify that, yes, you did intend to sign up, then I'll be able to send you the information you need to join in on the call, plus you'll start receiving a mini-series on Homeschooling Tips.

If at any time, you wish to unsubscribe, that's easy, too. There'll be an unsubscribe link on each email.

One more thing, if you have a question but aren't certain you can make the session, go ahead and leave it under comments. I want this to be time well spent.

I hope to be talking to you each and everyone, on Tuesday. 2:30 p.m. CST

Diana
who has a passion for helping homeschoolers be successful

Transcripts Made Easy - review

2008-03-15T20:25:00.003-05:00

Transcripts Made Easy (The Homeschooler’s Guide to High School Paperwork) by Janice Campbell.

It was almost scary to find a resource so close to what I had in mind to create—a guide to creating transcripts. I only recently learned of its existence, now in a 3rd edition.

A few of the titles:

* If Your Student is in Junior High
* If You Need a Transcript Tomorrow
* Grading Ethically: What You Must Know
* Transcripts for Unschoolers and Chronically Relaxed
* Records and Transcripts for Special-Needs Students
* College Admissions
* Tools for Keeping Records
* What Goes on the Transcript and Diplomas

Pros: One unique aspect Janice Campbell includes is a set of step-by-step directions for creating your own transcript and diploma—down to the size of font to use and text wording. It’s a practical book, briefly answering questions such as “How Can I Teach Subjects I Don’t Remember?” Free e-mail support from author. Choice of printed or e-book format. The e-book lets you save on time (almost instant access!) and save on the cost of shipping.

Cons: If you need more depth on establishing credits, compiling portfolios, or other record keeping options, you would need an additional resource.

Summary: This is a concise, practical book on how to put together a transcript. While the focus of Transcripts Made Easy is on the transcript and diploma, it also provides brief explanations to related aspects of homeschooling through high school. The content is valuable enough to warrant the price

I was impressed enough to choose Transcripts Made Easy as an affiliate product which I can recommend.

Click here for more information: http://intrepidoe.jceved.hop.clickbank.net/

One Little Button

2008-03-06T01:54:00.003-06:00

One little button.

I needed to press only one more little button to record the teleseminar. Two out of three buttons simply wasn’t enough.

This means there is no recording for you to hear, nor a bonus transcript to download.

Okay, the learning curve has been steep (and humbling) for me, but I expect to keep 'skateboarding' up it until I can finally reach the top.

"If you don't make any mistakes,
you're probably not doing your job right." ~~ John Peterson

Learning Curves & Steep Hills

2008-02-23T21:28:00.000-06:00

Hiking along the nearby county road, we encounter one especially steep hill. My dh continues at a steady pace. However, I’ve found that for me, it works better if I pick up the pace and “attack” the hill. I seem to need that extra initial push in order to continue further up the hill, though my pace slows down before I crest. Thus, I speed ahead of him briefly, only to be passed before reaching the top. I have tried at other times going at a steady pace and found it more difficult to reach the top. That’s just my style, the way I’m “hardwired.”

The same seems to apply to steep learning curves. Some learners make the climb with a steady, methodical approach. Others hurry ahead with great vigor. Either way, it takes a desire to reach the top, to be willing to continue until reaching the goal.

Learning curves, like hills on the road, may vary in difficulty. How we fared in approaching one situation can also vary. Still, our prior experiences can help us understand how we learn and what is needed to reach the top. We find that there can be as much to learn about learning, as there is to learn about the subject itself.

Have you prepared for learning? Have you the necessary foundational knowledge to build upon? Have you put on good running shoes? And warmed your muscles up sufficiently before meeting the challenge? For this particular hill, what is the best approach? Quick-paced and light-footed? Or slower but steadily, steadily?

I’ve found that it helps to have a walking buddy. Somehow it isn’t as tempting to take long pauses or dawdle needlessly when there’s another person waiting to complete the jaunt with me. It also makes the task more pleasurable. We double our time that way, getting to know each other as well as fulfilling our goal.

I might not climb the hill the same way as my traveling partner, but partners make the journey easier. Seek out a learning partner. If the learning curve is steep for you, you’ll appreciate the encouragement along the way. If the learning curve is easy for you, there’s bound to be someone else who would appreciate your assistance.

Diana
p.s. one of my learning curves is setting up and modifying this blog

"Homeschooling Over the Long Haul" free teleseminar

2008-02-08T00:49:00.000-06:00