Many parents are confused about pricing for curriculum. Some of the best choices are the cheapest most of the more expensive curriculums are not as good. In order to decide what is truly best you need to take some time to really review the materials. In order to do this you need to take advantage of opportunities that arise which will allow you the chance to review the materials personally.
Some of the best options are available include things such as moms night out, curriculum fairs, flea markets, bookstores, and teaching supply stores. You should always avoid purchasing anything unless you have had the chance to actually review it. Many suppliers do not allow refunds after the materials have been opened which can make for a very expensive mistake if you select the wrong curriculum.
Another option is available is reviewing thoroughly the publisher’s website many times they will be samples of the materials available that you can review right in the comforts of your home. Taking some time to review the samples that are available can be very helpful. Just be certain that you consider your child and your learning style before making any actual purchases.
Tags: curriculum, web resources
Pizza Hut’s ever-growing popular book it program has recently started up many parents wonder if it is suitable to bribe children to read with pizza. For those parents who choose this program is a great way to encourage kids who love pizza. of course not all lessons should have bribe but what is really the harm in a bit of free pizza?
To sign up it is really simple you go to Pizza Hut’s Book-It website and submit your information. Homeschool families are readily accepted and the process is really simple. I just received my certificates the other day for my kids and am looking forward to getting started.
You simply set reading goals for your kids, and the choice is your how to define the goals. Each month that the goal is accomplished you provide your child with a reward certificate that entitles them to a free pizza at your local store.
Quick and simple way to help encourage children to read that is a great free program.
Tags: curriculum, unusual learning, web resources
Many households discover themselves in the position of teaching multiple children at home. Very rare is the homeschool family that has only a single child. This means many families look to unit studies as not only a great way to learn, but also self-defense against a monsterous stack of books that are never completed.
In order to really get the most benefit out of a set of unit studies you need to understand that these are specialized units of study that are based upon a topic. The topic can be anything you like. It could be a place, a thing or even a person.
Once you have selected your topic, you then work on finding activites that relate to the topic, while teaching all of the necessary skills such as spelling, writing, reading, mathematics, science and history.
While many people are unsure how to make this work, there are some great resources that are available online if you are interested in getting started but have no idea how. In further posts I will dive deeper into how you can create your own unit studies and how to make them work for your personal needs and the ages of your children.
Tags: curriculum, getting started, unusual learning, web resources
If you are like many families the cost of purchasing new curriculum every year is out of your reach. There are still ways to get the materials that you need, without putting your budget in a really bad spot though. There are also some specific times of year that are best as well.
For myself, I have personally found that the winter and spring months are the best for picking up curriculum at good deals. The back to school sales are over, and most people have everything that they need for the year. But what about the next year? Do you have everything that you need? Likely not, which makes it a good time to start looking for great deals.
If you have a good idea of the materials that you are interested in using, you can keep a list of the publishers and supplies handy so that whenever you stumble upon a fabulous deal you can pounce. This allows you to ensure you do not buy duplicates, but also do not pay full price either.
Some great places to find materials include CraigsList, eBay, Freecycle, and even the used bookstores. These are all great places to find discounted materials that will cost a fraction of the usual price. While you can find some new supplies this way, you will frequently find that you are able to track down used materials at a steal of a deal.
What are your favorite places to look for materials and curriculum?
Tags: curriculum, getting started, web resources
Have you actually considered how a blog can help your children? Most adults spend at least a few minutes each week surfing around on the internet. You might be looking at blogs, checking out the news or other similar features. Have you considered how to turn this experience that you have into a learning tool for your children?
You can actually use the idea of blogging to teach your children several useful skills.
1. Never hand out extremely personal information. This cannot be stressed enough no matter what, parents are continuously shocked to learn what children are sharing. A parent monitored blog makes a great place to start really learning this lesson.
2. Share personal opinions. Most children have something that they are extremely passionate about. Allowing your child to blog gives them a chance to share their passion with the world.
3. Practice proper grammar, spelling and vocabulary skills. Of course writing a report, essay or worksheet would probably be the same exact effect but blogging can be a lot of fun. Plus, since the world can see what your child is writing, they are more likely to put some extra effort into it.
4. Learn proper usage of a blog, including many of the useful features of the different software programs. Laugh all you want, but many children have turned the internet into their own personal ATM machine. By allowing your child the time to learn proper skills online they can easily develop their own business. Knowing these skills well ahead of the children that are coming out of public skills can make them a valuable asset for companies. How many businesses have you seen with official blogs lately?
5. You can help instill a sense of responsibility. Since blogs succeed by having regular content this gives something that your child is responsible for keeping updated continuously. Rather than having a single assignment that once completed is done, a blog gives you a great reoccuring assignment.
Surely you too can come up with some great ways to integrate blogging into your own situation. What do you think would be additional great usages of blogs?
Tags: technology, web resources
With money getting tighter and tighter for many households it is important that some free resources appear. If you find that the idea of a free spelling program sounds great to you then this is the perfect post for you. I have two different sites that you can use and they are both wonderful.
The first is Spelling City and they are great for allowing parents, teachers and students to all use the spelling lists that are available for free. All you have to do is just sign up for an account and enjoy using the service. There is nothing overly complicated about this, and everyone is sure to find a great spelling list for their needs.
The second option is Super Teacher Worksheets and if you look under the spelling area there are complete spelling lists and activities for a lengthy period. These list do have the disadvantage of being for much younger children however they are fabulous if you have a child in the 1st to 3rd grade level.
Save the money from an expensive spelling curriculum and instead look to these fabulous resources that are free to help you stretch your budget, while still providing a great spelling curriculum for your children.
Tags: curriculum, history, math, science, spelling, web resources