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May/June 2013$6.50 USA/$15.50 INTL

CORECommon

More information inside about this major change

in education and the National Student

Tracking Database

No matter what side of the argument one is on; before Common Core was adopted by any of the states there should have been public hearings open to parents, teachers and local school boards. The change instituted by Common Core is groundbreaking, moving the control of school curricula from the

local to the state level (some would even argue to the national/federal level). While I agree that there should be standards of education that translate from state to state, how those standards are arrived at should remain the province of parents in conjunction with their local school boards. I do not however agree with moving the standards for the education of our children from their local community to a standard designed to meld with the desires of corporate America.

We have often heard horror stories of the problems associated with teachers ‘teaching to the test’ and yet we are now adopting a set of standards in which testing plays a significant part: teachers will be judged by test results and even more concerning children will be educated based on their test results. Is a computer test taking education in which some corporations have a huge potential for profit superior to our current systems?

I believe reasonable people would agree that not every child should go to college and yet the new curricula is being developed to get children ready for college and the demands of corporate entities. What will become of a nation that belittles the hard working contractor, plumber, mason, mechanic, or welder? It seems to me we are in peril of losing many of the skills that made us a great country. Will this all be out-sourced or performed by individuals from other countries brought here to meet these needs?

Did this major educational change happen because we have become a country where everyone thinks their opinion matters because they can type it on Facebook or tweet it on Twitter… Where we follow the minutia of celebrities’ lives seeking our own 15 minutes of reality fame and major issues relating to our and our children’s future pass unnoticed?

The National Database of our children should upset every single parent. The fact that we as parents will have no say or control over who tracks and gets our children’s information is beyond scary. Talk about selling your soul. Why does our government need this…the justification ‘to customize each child’s education’ seems flimsy…are we creating our own 1984?

What will happen when our children send an inappropriate tweet or have a bad post? What happens when their temporary lack of experience and youthful mistakes follow them throughout their lives? Who did not make a mistake as a child? I worry about our children and their future. I fear privacy is a thing of the past and our own government would sell anything for a buck.

I am deeply concerned that this National Database is being created that will not only contain our children’s school records, but also psychological evaluations, personal information about interests and hobbies, medical records, etc. Why is this not being investigated and reported by the Fourth Estate on a national level? It seems to me it is more important then a Kardashian’s divorce and baby bump or a national basketball player stating that he is gay.

Let me know what you think? Have we sold our children’s privacy in the name of education?

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[email protected] The Homeschool Handbook is published bi-monthly by Brilliant Publishing LLC, 9034 Joyce Lane, Hummelstown, PA 17036 Telephone: (717) 571-9233, Fax: (717) 566-5431. Postage paid at Michigan City, IN and additional offices. POSTMASTER please send address changes to The Homeschool Handbook, 9034 Joyce Lane, Hummelstown, PA 17036. Volume 4 Number 03. The Homeschool Handbook subscription rates: one-year $19.95 USD, Canadian $59.95 USD, Foreign $89.95 USD. All subscriptions are non-refundable. Copyright © 2013 Brilliant Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. the publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising or editorial material. Advertisers, and/or their agents, assume the responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on the advertisement. Editorial contributors assume responsibility for their published works and assume responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on published work. No part of this publication can be reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher. All items submitted to The Homeschool Handbook become the sole property of Brilliant Publishing LLC. Editorial content does not reflect the views of the publisher. The imprints, logos, trademarks or trade names (collectively the “Marks”) displayed on the products featured in The Homeschool Handbook are for illustrative purposes only and are not available for sale. The Marks do not represent the implied or actual endorsement by the owners of the Marks of the product on which they appear. All of the Marks are the property of the respective owners and are not the property of either the advertisers using the Marks or The Homeschool Handbook.

MEDICAL DISCLAIMERNo warranty whatsoever is made by the publisher and there is absolutely no assurance that any statement contained or cited in any article touching on medical matters is true, correct, precise, or up-to-date. Even if a statement made about medicine is accurate, it may not apply to you or your symptoms. The medical information provided is, at best, of a general nature and cannot substitute for the advice of a medical professional (for instance, a qualified doctor/physician, nurse, pharmacist/chemist, and so on). None of the individual contributors, LLC members, subcontractors, advertisers, or anyone else connected to Brilliant Publishing LLC and The Homeschool Handbook can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented in this magazine. Nothing included, as a part of this publication should not be construed as an attempt to offer or render a medical opinion or otherwise engage in the practice of medicine.

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There’s no place like home.From single-family homes to apartment complexes, big-city brownstones, and rural farms, home is where we break our bread, rest our heads, and homeschool our children. And when it comes to educating our kids, there is no school equal to a decent home and no teacher equal to a dedicated parent.

With a variety of Christian homeschool curriculums, Alpha Omega Publications has the perfect fit for every learning style, every lifestyle, and every home.

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volume 04 | issue 03 | 2013

Your resource, support & inspiration for a successful at home education & lifestyle.

inside The Homeschool Handbook

26812

special features8 Common Core

12 In the Name of “Education” – The Selling of Your Child’s Data

solutions16 How We’re Learning in 2013

curriculum18 Memorial Day

20 Proven Strategies to Help K-3 Readers Notice, Find, and Fix Mistakes

inspiration23 10 Ways to Feel Secure in an Insecure World

lifestyle24 10BenefitsofHomeschoolingYear-Round

organization26 Summer Camp Organization

27 Tips for Hosting a Garage Sale

kids corner28 Fun Facts – 1 World Kids

resources30 Index/Resources List

6 ©The Homeschool Handbook | May / June 2013 ©www.TheHomeschoolHandbook.com

812

contributors

John De Gree is the Founder of The Classical Historian (www.ClassicalHistorian.com), an Author, a Teacher and the father of seven children. After working in education for 20+ years, John realized that there is a great lack of critical and independent thinking, when history is taught. The Classical Historian is his effort to promote these skills and to show teachers how to teach their children to search for the truth in history.

For more than two decades Fortune 500 companies, educational institutions, and government organizations worldwide have relied on Dr. Barton Goldsmith to help them develop creative and balanced leadership. His columns appear in over 500 publications. He may be contacted through his web site www.BartonGoldsmith.com .

The Container Store stands for ‘organization with heart’ and recently celebrated its 13th year on FORTUNE magazine’s list of “100 Best Companies to Work For.” The Container Store continues to give back to the community with a focus on supporting nonprofits that promote women’s and children’s wellbeing and health. For more information and ideas, please visit www.containerstore.com

Donna Vail is the Founder of An Inspired Education, a company devoted to empowering families around the world to a lifestyle of true freedom through homeschooling, inspiration and entrepreneurship. Donna and her husband have homeschooled their six children for the past 16 years and now help today’s homeschoolers find their way. For more about her company, visit www.aninspirededucation.com.

Annie Murphy Paul is a science writer who contributes to The New York Times, Time Magazine, and other publications. She is the author of Brilliant: The Science of How We Get Smarter, to be published by Crown in 2014. You can read more on her website, www.anniemurphypaul.com.

Barbara Kurland, a veteran reading specialist and Reading Recovery TM teacher, is the creator of 3P’s Reading Improvement Program. Her products and seminars empower home schooling parents and teachers of beginning readers (K-3) to improve their children’s reading and comprehension. Helping children attain reading and writing competency continues to fulfill and inspire her. This article was adapted from Barbara’s DVD and companion text, How to Improve Your Child’s Reading in Three Easy Steps. To contact Barbara to learn more about her products, visit her website at www.bkread.com or email her at [email protected].

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Nelson Mandela

“Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.” - Gilbert K. Chesterton

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” - Aristotle

organization26 Summer Camp Organization

27 Tips for Hosting a Garage Sale

kids corner28 Fun Facts – 1 World Kids

resources30 Index/Resources List

CORECommon

By: MaryAnne Morrill


special feature

“The educational foundations of our society are presently being

eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future.”

—A Nation At Risk Report issued to Ronald Reagan Administration by the National Commission on Educational Excellence, 1983

“It’s (Common Core) going to change what we teach, ... how we teach and what materials we use to teach, ... how

we decide who’s ready to graduate from high school and ... who gets into

college, and how we prepare teachers.” —Chester Finn, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a

nonprofit, education policy think tank, 2012

Compulsory education in America began with the Massachusetts Act of 1642. This law required that parents and apprenticeship masters be responsible for the basic education of their children, so that all citizens could understand and abide by the principles of religion and the laws of the land. Due to parental negligence, the Law of 1647 was adopted, requiring that towns of fifty families hire a schoolmaster to teach children to read and write, thus making ‘school’ a part of the American landscape.1

Today local parental involvement has been further removed from the education process. While we blog, tweet and post to Facebook and Pinterest, newspapers that used to cover ‘boring’ state and local legal actions no longer exist or go unread, allowing something as profound as Common Core to become the standard for our children’s education. According to the official Common Core website… “state standards adoption depends on the laws of each state. Some states will adopt the standards through their state boards of education, while others will adopt them through their state legislatures.”2 Were you a part of the discussion regarding the adoption of these standards by your state? For most of us, I believe the answer to that question is “No.”

1. Amy L. Matzat, Massachusetts Education Laws of 1642 and 1647, http://www3.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/masslaws.html

2. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers, Common Core Standards, 2010, www.corestandards.org

3. Ibid.

What is Common Core?The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-

led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). These standards define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.3

These standards will impact more than 42 million K-12 students and 2.7 million teachers, yet, 60 percent of registered voters surveyed said they know nothing about the new academic standards, according to a poll by Achieve, an education nonprofit. 4

According to Common Core, the standards are consistent across state lines, drill deeper into studies, are rigorous in the presenting new, more challenging standards and will dictate what, not how teachers teach. However, testing is a significant part of these new requirements and as we know from painful past experience, too often genuine education is lost when instructors ‘teach to the test.’ In our research, we have not found significant information regarding how this problem will be avoided. Specific information about the Common Core standards can be found at http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards with downloadable, printable.

Why Common Core?Past performance of educational programs leads one

to wonder about the real reasons for Common Core. For example, in 1990, the president and the nation’s governors announced the goal that all American students should graduate from high school, but two decades later only 75 percent of 9th-graders received their diploma within four years after entering high school.5

The reasons stated for implementing Common Core vary from providing students with the ability to move from state to state without being ahead or behind in their studies to closing the United States’ international test-score gap. Closing the test-score gap and the accompanying fear that not doing so will result in the country’s inability to succeed

4. Kelsey Sheehy, Awareness Is Key to Success of Common Core Standard, US News & World Report Education, July 5, 2012, http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2012/07/05/awareness-is-key-to-success-of-common-core-standards_print.html

5. Eric A. Hanushek, Paul E. Peterson, Ludger Woessmann, Achievement Growth: International and U.S. State Trends in Student Performance, Harvard’s Program on Education Policy and Governance & Education http://www.hks.harvard.edu/pepg/PDF/Papers/PEPG12-03_CatchingUp.pdf

May / June 2013 | ©The Homeschool Handbook 9©www.TheHomeschoolHandbook.com

special feature

in the new ‘global economy’ is frequently mentioned as a reason for adopting this new educational innovation, along with providing students who are ready for college and career in this brave new world.

According to PISA, Programme for International Student Assessment (www.pisa.oecd.org) and the OECD, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (www.oecd.org), countries like Shanghai, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Finland, Canada, Japan and New Zealand rank ahead of the United States and they all manage to have strong and equitable learning outcomes. The U.S. comes out as an average performer in reading and science, but drops below average in mathematics.

The bigger question is will Common Core improve the country’s international test-score and does that score determine a country’s success on the global stage? The American Association of School Administrators would seem to believe that the answer to this question is…No. To quote the AASA Journal of Scholarship and Practice, Vol. 7, No. 4 Winter 2011(http://www.aasa.org/uploadedfiles/publications/newsletters/jsp_winter2011.final.pdf), “The evidence offered by the NGA and CCSSO to make the case for a cause and effect relationship, or any significant relationship for that matter, between test result ranking, economics, and the need for national curriculum standards (and eventually national testing) amounts to nothing more than snake oil.”

While the moving from state to state argument seems like a valid one this author does not believe it is sufficient to justify changing a nation’s entire educational system and if one is to accept the research conclusion provided by the AASA, Common Core appears to be a change in search of justification.

Who is Common Core?Looking deeper into the origin of Common Core, one

finds that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has heavily promoted and subsidized it.6 Further research also indicates that organizations supporting Common Core have made substantial investments in developing books, software and educational materials for this new education system.

While the federal government has had no role in the development of Common Core and its implementation, it will

6 John Griffing, Common Core Is the Next Bandwagon, National Review Online, http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/345002/common-core-next-bandwagon-john-griffing

7 Ibid.8 http://parcconline.org/technology

have the opportunity to support states as they begin adopting the standards by offering financial support through a range of tiered incentives and provide long-term financial support. Not that I am a cynic with regard to federal involvement, but I would mention that in solving many mysteries the protagonists are advised to ‘follow the money’ to discover the controlling culprit. Or, in the words of John Griffing, “Common Core is Obamacare applied to our children’s education.”7

In addition, all students will take the PARCC, Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, test on a computer. Specific guidelines are being provided to schools regarding the type of computer hardware and software required for this new testing program. For example, the minimum recommendation for a school with three tested grades is one device for every two students in the largest tested grade with the preference being for one device for every student. PARCC, itself, received a $186 million grant through the U.S. Department of Education’s Race to the Top assessment competition to support the development and design of the next-generation assessment system.8 Another aspect of the ‘testing’ associated with Common Core is the massive amount of data collection involved. (For more information on this topic, please see the article In the Name of “Education” – The Selling of Your Child’s Data beginning on page 12 of this issue.)

Common Core – Yes or No?In most cases, opponents of the standards argue three

points: That the state’s own standards are already rigorous, that the effectiveness of the Common Core standards is not proven and that national standards diminish the autonomy of state and local education officials.9 Moving the locus of education control from the local to the federal level present areas of concern, particularly when the testing and data collection associated with Common Core is taken into consideration.

Reversing the decision to implement the core won’t be easy and may be impossible in many places. States that have adopted the core have already spent many millions of dollars to create curriculum around them, implement them and create tests aligned to the standards. (The federal government chipped in some $360 million to help develop

9 Valerie Strauss, Is the Common Core Standards initiative in trouble?, The Washington Post, April 24, 2013, http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/04/24/is-the-common-core-standards-initiative-in-trouble/


So you read a book together, maybe give a quiz or two, and perhaps assign a book report. Is that it? Do we just check that box and move on? If so, why? Why do we read all these books written by old dead guys???

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core-aligned tests.)10 While it is late to become involved in the Common Core debate, parents should research the accuracy of the claims made by their politicians and based on the potential effect on their children’s future make their voices heard in every discussion. Apparently constituents were able to get an amendment passed in the Michigan House of Representatives that would prevent their Department of Education from implementing Common Core State Standards.11

A recent Learning Curve paper presented five lessons for education policy makers that bear repeating when they consider making changes as monumental as Common Core:

There are no magic bullets •

Respect teachers •

Culture can be changed •

Parents are neither enemies nor •

saviors of education

Educate for the future, not just •

the present12

For home educators interested in finding out about the relationship of various homeschool related companies and products, The Educational Freedom Coalition (TEFC) website at http://www.theeducationalfreedomcoalition.org. There they will find lists that identify which homeschool-related companies and products have explicitly chosen to align with the CCS, which have some

10 Ibid.11 McMillin Amendment Halts Common

Core in Michigan, www.truthinamericaneducation.com

sort of coincidental connection, which are correlated to the CCS, and which have pledged to remain independent.

In conclusion, there is no doubt that a quality education is a substantial stepping stone to success in a child’s future endeavors and there is also no doubt that parents want the best for their children. For our nation to excel our children need to excel and be able to understand the requirements that will be made of them in a world that now seems to change in microseconds. Many careers will necessitate that STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics - is a part of that education, others may require a philosophical understanding of life; whatever it is we as parents need to do our best to make sure they receive that education.

Perhaps if the parents in Massachusetts in 1642, had been willing to assume the same level of responsibility for their children’s education that today’s home educators do, school would still be the sole province of parents. In any case, we all need to care and take time away from the distractions of the electronic world to stay informed about what is happening in our educational backyards. So please don’t chose to remain uninformed, this issue is too important and our children – no mater where they are educated – deserve better than that. Just start today.

12 Pearson, The Learning Curve, Lessons in Country Performance in Education, 2012 Report developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit www.thelearningcurve.pearson.com


special feature

Today the life of one young child was changed. A data entry clerk made a

mistake; a mistake that will follow this child into the workforce; a mistake that neither the child nor his/her parents are aware exists. How many times will this scenario be repeated?

While many of us do not like it, almost everything that goes on in our daily lives is monitored, collected and sold from Internet traffic and medical history to credit information. According to a recent piece on 60 Minutes, consumer credit reporting is a four billion dollar a year industry with the information sold being used to make judgments on our credit worthiness and reliability.1

However, a Federal Trade Commission report completed in December found that 21% of a representative group of American consumers discovered a “confirmed material error” in their credit report (Read the complete report at: http://www.ftc.gov/os/2013/02/130211factareport.pdf). If the FTC’s findings are accurate, that means some 40 million Americans have a mistake on one of their credit reports, and 10 million are potentially overpaying as a result.2 Or in the words of Jon Leibowitz, the study’s chairman, “One out of five Americans has an error on their credit report. And one out of 10

In the Name of “Education”– The Selling of Your Child’s Data

By: MaryAnne Morrill

Information FOR SALE: Alison: 7 yrs of age, GPA - 3.25, Favorite food: pudding, Has computer

access. Both parents work. Has own room and access to internet TV.

If interested, contact school to download database.


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has an error on their credit report that might lower their credit score.”3

But what does this have to do with our unfortunate young student? Welcome to the National Student Tracking Database. The database is a joint project of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which provided most of the funding, the Carnegie Corporation of New York and school officials from several states. Amplify Education, a division of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, built the infrastructure over the past 18 months. When it was ready, the Gates Foundation turned the database over to a newly created nonprofit, inBloom Inc, which will run it.4 The Council of Chief State School Officers, and the National Governors Association as a key part of the federal Common Core State Standards, initiated this $100 million data-warehousing project which stores millions of student records identified by name, address, race/ethnicity, economic status, guardian, primary language, grade, test scores, attendance, disciplinary history, standards and skills mastered, student hobbies, learning disabilities, homework completion, school and non-school activities, and much more. Even Social Security Numbers are sometimes collected and stored.5 Some data collected by these educational organizations and vendors appear to

have little connection to schooling. A sample question in the 2013 demonstration booklet for Grade 4 Mathematics and Reading from the National Assessment of Educational Progress asked if a student has a clothes dryer, dishwasher, more than one bedroom, his own bedroom, or access to the Internet, in his home. Lindalyn Kakadelis, director of the North Carolina Education Alliance, wonders why an educator would need to know that.6 The database also gives school administrators full control over student files, so they could choose to share test scores with a vendor but withhold social security numbers or disability records.7

States and school districts can choose whether they want to input their student records into the system; the service is free for now, though inBloom officials say they will likely start to charge fees in 2015. So far, seven states - Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Massachusetts - have committed to enter data from select school districts. Louisiana and New York will be entering nearly all student records statewide.8

What About PrivacyLaw and literature are replete with warnings about state

scrutiny of our lives. The digital technologies used in creating


special feature

the NSTD revolutionize the ability of state entities and private ‘educational’ vendors to collect and utilize student data. Data that, if credit data is any indicator, will become a billion dollar business with the potential to shape not only our children’s education but also their future in the workplace. inBloom, the non-profit managing the database makes all the appropriate noises about protecting the data, while at the same time the database exists in large part to benefit commercial entities.9 Federal officials say the database complies with FERPA privacy laws, but even inBloom’s privacy and security policy states the company “cannot guarantee the security of the information stored in inBloom or that the information will not be intercepted when it is being transmitted.”

We know that governments have been buying and borrowing private-sector databases,10 and we recently learned that the National Security Agency (NSA) has been building a massive data and supercomputing center in Utah, apparently with the goal of intercepting and storing much

of the world’s Internet communications for decryption and analysis.11 After all, data collection/surveillance is not just good politics, but also good business. In the instant cast, this data collection/surveillance has the harmful potential to inhibit intellectual discourse discouraging new or controversial ideas as well as free communication with respect to political and social issues. This invasion of our intellectual privacy has, in the opinion of this writer, the potential to debase our ‘free’ society, as we currently know it.

A second area of concern is the power dynamic of the watcher over the watched creating the possibility for discrimination, coercion and assorted other negative results. Reviewing the vast surveillance studies literature, Professor David Lyon concludes that surveillance is primarily about power, but it is also about personhood. Lyon offers a definition of surveillance as the focused, systematic and routine attention to personal details for purposes of influence, management, protection or direction.12

1 Script “40 Million Mistakes” which aired on Feb. 10, 2013 on 60 Minutes. Steve Kroft is the correspondent. James Jacoby and Michael Karzis, producers.

2 Fox Business News http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2013/02/11/ftc-1-in-5-americans-has-mistake-in-credit-report/#ixzz2QuptlN7S

3 Script “40 Million Mistakes” which aired on Feb. 10, 2013 on 60 Minutes. Steve Kroft is the correspondent. James Jacoby and Michael Karzis, producers.

4 Reported for Reuters by Stephanie Simon; editing by Prudence Crowther http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/03/us-education-database-idUSBRE92204W20130303

5 Parents Chafe At National Student-Tracking Database by Karen McMahan for the Carolina Journal. http://www.carolinajournal.com/articles/display_story.html?id=10019

6 Ibid.7 Reported for Reuters by Stephanie Simon; editing by Prudence

Crowther http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/03/us-education-database-idUSBRE92204W20130303

8 Ibid.9 Education Data: Lessons Learned, http://infocommercegroup.

com/education-data-lessons-learned/10 Neil M. Richards, The Dangers of Surveillance, Harvard Law Review,

www.harvardlawreview.org/symposium/papers2012/richards.pdf11 Ibid12 Ibid.13 Parents Chafe At National Student-Tracking Database

by Karen McMahan for the Carolina Journal. http://www.carolinajournal.com/articles/display_story.html?id=10019

14 Reported for Reuters by Stephanie Simon; editing by Prudence Crowther http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/03/us-education-database-idUSBRE92204W20130303

15 Ibid.

In 2012 the Federal Trade Commission released an alert warning parents about the growing threat of child identity theft. Children receive Social Security numbers at birth; however, most, including parents, are unaware of and do not monitor this critical number until they begin work in their teens or later.


SM

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LCA is a division ofAccelerated Christian Education Ministries.

For a FREE Information Packet, visit our website at www.lcaed.com

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What About Child Identity Theft?In 2012 the Federal Trade Commission released an alert warning parents

about the growing threat of child identity theft. Children receive Social Security numbers at birth; however, most, including parents, are unaware of and do not monitor this critical number until they begin work in their teens or later. Consequently, the crime of identity theft may go undetected for years. It then becomes an area of great concern when a database that may contain a child’s social security number is, according to Sheila Kaplan, an education researcher who founded Education New York, available to “contractors, consultants, volunteers, and other parties to whom an educational agency or institution has outsourced institutional services or functions it would otherwise use employees to perform.” Kaplan states that this is due to amendments to the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act in 2008 and 2011 that have granted third parties, including private companies, increased access to student data and expanded the definitions of “school officials” who have access to student data.13

At this writing, court cases are pending and several states are considering legislation to prohibit the release of confidential student data without the written consent of a parent or guardian. However, Federal officials say the database project complies with privacy laws. Schools do not need parental consent to share student records with any “school official” who has a “legitimate educational interest,” according to the Department of Education.14

Are We Selling Our Children’s Future?This database, Shared Learning Cooperative, run by inBloom Inc., also raises

the concern of student exploitation for profit. SLC is aligned with the Common Core State Standards and will potentially recommend Web-based resources and educational products that are tagged to Common Core and ‘optimized’ on Google, Bing, Yahoo and other search engines. Those companies not tagged could suffer serious financial consequences. Entrepreneurs can’t wait, they say, the potential upside is enormous, with the power to transform classrooms across the U.S. The sector is undeniably hot; technology startups aimed at K-12 schools attracted more than $425 million in venture capital last year, according to the NewSchools Venture Fund, a nonprofit that focuses on the sector.15

How Will This Impact Home Educators?While home educators struggle and debate Common Core, perhaps the

inBloom Inc. database has not been on their radar. However, since the majority of states require that home educators comply with state educational requirements and report their child’s progress; it is naïve to believe that their child’s information will not find its way into this database.

It has come quietly into being and while home educators can at least expand on Common Core requirements; they have little if any power to control something in which their involvement is not required or desired. If you have concerns about this program, please review the articles cited, consider contacting your state representatives about their/your state’s position and visiting www.parentalrights.org for information about their efforts to protect your children by preserving your parental rights.

Footnotes located to the left (opposite of this page)


solutions

How we’re learning in 2013By: Anne Murphy Paul

Here are three big stories concerning education and learning that you’ll be hearing more about this year—and some pointers on how to think about them:

The promise of educational technology—and its limits.

Computers have been present in classrooms for a number of years now, of course, and in 2013 excitement about their potential to transform education will keep running high. Bulky desktop models will continue to give way to mobile devices like laptops, tablets, and even cell phones, and more schools will be experimenting with “BYOD”—telling students to “bring your own devices” to school. Innovative teachers and administrators will find ever more ways to integrate technology into instruction—from simulating science experiments on the screen, to turning boring math and vocabulary drills into enjoyable games, to promoting online collaboration among students on history and language-arts projects. At the same time, the runaway enthusiasm about edtech will begin to be tempered, I predict, by a more realistic sense of what computers can do for students, and what they can’t.

Young people will still need to interact with classmates and teachers face to face. They will still need physical activity and hands-on experience with physical objects, whether in the art room or the science lab. And given all the time that kids spend staring at screens in school and out, they will still need plenty of time to be un-networked and unplugged.

The “common core” of knowledge that most American students will be expected to learn.

Forty-five states have now adopted the Common Core State Standards, a set of academic expectations for what students in each grade should be learning in their math and English classes. The Common Core initiative has been controversial from the start, and it is sure to remain so as the messy business of implementing the standards in real classrooms proceeds during 2013. Part of the reason the standards have occasioned so much debate is that the content that’s taught in American classrooms has historically


been left up to local control. But consider these three reasons why nationwide guidelines are a good idea: 1) Americans need to be able to move around. Millions of children change schools each year, and a consistent set of expectations will help ensure that they won’t fall behind or become confused or bored because of the move. 2) Americans need to be able to talk to one another. We’re a rich and varied country, and we’re sure to stay that way in 2013 and beyond. But having a “common core” of knowledge that we all share will ease communication and break down barriers. 3) Americans need to compete with the rest of the world. School systems in countries that regularly outscore the U.S. on international tests, such as those in Singapore and Finland, have national curricula that build knowledge over time in a logical and systematic fashion. In order to compete in the global economy, American schools need the same.

The learning that happens outside school. More than ever before, 2013 will bring a recognition

that learning can happen anytime, anywhere—not just in a classroom and not just during the school day. This coming year, we’ll see a greater focus on the “informal education” that happens in places like science museums and nature centers. We’ll continue to explore, for ourselves and with

our children, the wealth of information and ideas available on the web (while finding ways to avoid its abundant falsehoods and nonsense). And if you thought you heard a lot about MOOCs in 2012, just you wait. “MOOC” stands for “massively open online course,” and I predict that more and more universities across the country will join Stanford, Harvard, MIT and other leading institutions of higher learning in offering such courses to anyone with an Internet connection. More and more individuals will enroll, sampling classes on subjects from artificial intelligence to contemporary poetry, and collectively as a society we’ll have to continue to grapple with the radical democratization of education that these developments entail. How do we deal with cheating and plagiarism in online classes? Should colleges award credit to students who learn from online courses and can demonstrate their skills? How do we wrap our heads around an educational universe in which a degree from Harvard costs upwards of $100,000, but some of its most popular classes can be had for free?

Predictions are always dicey, of course. But no matter what 2013 may bring, one thing is certain: education’s reputation as a sleepy, slow-to-change sector of society is gone. Keep your eyes on education and learning over the coming year, because a lot of exciting and disruptive change is on its way.


curriculumBy John De Gree, Founder of The Classical Historian, www.classicalhistorian.com

Memorial Day is a federal holiday set aside to honor all American soldiers who have fallen in battle. In

1967, Congress and the President Lyndon Johnson set aside May 30th as Memorial Day, but the history of this day goes back at least to the end of the American Civil War. Americans remember our fallen soldiers by attending church services and praying for military families, visiting war museums, and remembering loved ones who died fighting by placing flowers on graves of deceased American warriors.

More Americans died in the American Civil War than in all other American wars. An estimated 625,000 American soldiers died, including about 30% of all Southern white males and 10 percent of Northern males ages 20-45. Nearly every American knew someone who died. The sheer numbers of death and casualties in America had a great impact on the living, and immediately, Americans spontaneously acted to honor those who gave their lives.

In the South and in the North, Americans strove to honor those who died fighting for their country. The United States government established national cemeteries for the Union dead. But what started the practice of Memorial Day was not an official governmental act, but thousands of individual acts of tenderness and care that survivors showed to the graves of fallen soldiers of the Civil War. Communities held “Decoration Days,” where everyone would walk to the cemetery to decorate the gravestones of the dead soldiers.

One of the first known observances of a mass Decoration Day was in Charleston, South Carolina, on May 1, 1865. 257 Union prisoners had died during the war in a Charleston war prison and had been buried there. Freed slaves, along with missionaries and others, organized a celebration in May. Some in the North have called this the “First Decoration Day.” On this day, more than 10,000 people, including 3,000 newly freed children, participated.

Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s, the American Army, the U.S. government, and individual states celebrated Decoration Day, usually on May 30th, a date chosen because no great battle fell on this day. In 1967, Memorial Day became an official holiday, originally set to May 30th. In 1968, Congress pass a law which moved four holidays to the closest Monday to create convenient three-day weekends. Unfortunately, this move has caused most Americans to view holidays such as Memorial Day as an opportunity for mere recreation, instead of trying to honor our fallen soldiers.

On June 6, 1984, on the fortieth anniversary of D-Day, President Ronald Reagan gave a speech in front of the U.S. Ranger Monument at Normandy, commemorating the Rangers’ charge up Pointe du Hoc.

“Forty summers have passed since the battle that you fought here. You were young the day you took these cliffs; some of you were hardly more than boys, with the deepest joys of life before you. Yet, you risked everything here. Why? Why did you do it? What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you, and somehow we know the answer. It was faith and belief; it was loyalty and love.

The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep knowledge – and pray God we have not lost it – that there is a profound, moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt.

You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One’s country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty.”

The following page listed all American military deaths that occurred because of the various wars of the United States of America.*

Memorial Day

“One of the first known observances of a mass Decoration Day was in Charleston, South Carolina, on May 1, 1865. 257 Union prisoners had died during the war in a Charleston war prison and had been buried there.”


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Conflict Deaths SpanTheWaronTerrora. Afghanistan (ongoing) ......................2,145 .. .. .. .. 2001-b. Iraq ..................................................4,486 .. .. .. .. 2003-2011*According to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_casualties_of_war, taken on January 22, 2013

Questionsforallageswhocanread:1. Order the five most dangerous American wars, in terms of American

deaths.

2. After which war did Americans begin to celebrate Decoration Day?

3. When was Memorial Day officially established as a federal holiday?

4. Why was Memorial Day originally called Decoration Day?

5. Why do you think it is important to honor America’s fallen soldiers?

6. What has been America’s longest war?

7. Which of America’s wars has caused the most deaths?

8. According to President Ronald Reagan, what were the reasons the American soldiers fought for?

9. In the Civil War, which side lost more of the men, as a percentage of the whole society?

10. According to Reagan, what did American soldiers on the beaches of Normandy have a deep knowledge of?

Forjuniorhighandhighschoolstudents:1. Find an American veteran who has seen

combat. Ask him/her for an interview. Review with your classmates what you found out.

2. Look at the various wars the United States has fought in. Choose one you know the least about. Research this war and find out basic information. Report your findings to your classmates.

3. Visit (if possible) a Veteran’s Museum with your family or class on Memorial Day.

4. Thank a veteran for his/her service!

American Revolution 25,000 .. .. .. 1775-1783Northwest Indian War 1,056 .. .. .. .. 1785-1795Quasi-War 514 .. .. .. .. .. 1798-1800War of 1812 .....................................20,000 .. .. .. 1812-18151st Seminole War ............................36.. .. .. .. .. .. 1817-1818Black Hawk War ..............................305 .. .. .. .. .. 18322nd Seminole War ...........................1,535 .. .. .. .. 1835-1842Mexican-American War ..................13,283 . .. .. .. 1846-18483rd Seminole War ...........................26.. .. .. .. .. .. 1855-1858Civil War ..........................................625,000 . .. .. 1861-1865Indian Wars .....................................919 .. .. .. .. .. 1865-1898Great Sioux War..............................314 .. .. .. .. .. 1875-1877Spanish-America War .....................2,446 .. .. .. .. 1898Philippine-American War ................4,196 .. .. .. .. 1898-1913Boxer Rebellion ...............................131 .. .. .. .. .. 1900-1901Mexican Revolution .........................35.. .. .. .. .. .. 1914-1919Haiti Occupation .............................148 .. .. .. .. .. 1915-1934World War 1 ....................................116,516 .. .. .. 1917-1918North Russia Campaign ..................424 .. .. .. .. .. 1918-1920American Exped. Force Siberia ......328 .. .. .. .. .. 1918-1920Nicaragua Occupation ....................48.. .. .. .. .. .. 1927-1933World War 2 ....................................405,399 . .. .. 1941-1945Korean War .....................................36,516 . .. .. .. 1950-1953Vietnam War ...................................58,209 .. .. .. 1955-1975El Salvador Civil War ......................37.. .. .. .. .. .. 1980-1992Beirut ..............................................266 .. .. .. .. .. 1982-1984Grenada ..........................................19.. .. .. .. .. .. 1983Panama ...........................................40.. .. .. .. .. .. 1989Persian Gulf War .............................258 .. .. .. .. .. 1990-1991Operation Provide Comfort .............19.. .. .. .. .. .. 1991-1996Somalia Intervention .......................43.. .. .. .. .. .. 1992-1995Bosnia .............................................12.. .. .. .. .. .. 1995-2004NATO Air Campaign Yugoslavia .....20.. .. .. .. .. .. 1999


curriculum

By: Barbara Kurland

Parents often struggle with the best way to help children notice, find, and fix reading

mistakes. The following concepts and strategies help solve this problem.

How Good Readers Read AccuratelyGood readers read strategically. They use a

number of mental processes to notice mistakes and then engage in a number of actions to fix them. After observing good readers read aloud, renowned educator, Marie Clay, determined that good readers rely on three sources of information, or cues, to read accurately and correct mistakes.

Reading must make sense (meaning cues), sound right (language cues), and

look right (visual/phonics cues). When children make mistakes, they neglect one or more of these cues. Since

many children don’t intrinsically learn to use them on their own, they must

be taught. Children must be guided (prompted) to hold in their heads this

mantra, “My reading must make sense, sound right, and look right. If it doesn’t,

I’ve made a mistake so I must find it, and fix it.” Obviously, children must notice their mistakes first, before they can correct them.

Prompts to Help Your Child Notice His Mistake

Beginning readers often make mistakes without noticing. They may use meaning cues by looking at the picture and substituting a word they think might make sense, without using visual cues to notice if the word they think might be right matches how the word looks. When your child adds, omits, or misreads a word without realizing he has made a mistake, the following prompts will help him notice, so he can then begin to self-correct.

Proven Strategies to Help K-3 Readers Notice, Find, and Fix Mistakes


If your child neglects meaning cues and substitutes a word that doesn’t make sense, help him notice his mistake by rereading the sentence exactly the way he read it. For example, the sentence reads, “Little Bulldozer was so upset he cried.” If your child substitutes creeped for cried, say, “You said, ‘Little Bulldozer was so upset he creeped.’ Does that make sense? Look at the picture to see if it can help.” Or, “Think about what is happening in the story. Does that make sense?”

If your child neglects language cues, read the sentence aloud exactly the way he said it. For example, if your child says, “The boy wented home.” instead of “The boy went home.”, say, “Read that sentence again and think about what sounds right.” Or say, “You said, ‘The boy wented home.’ Does that sound right?” Both prompts help your child notice his mistake.

Although children usually learn to use meaning and language cues rather easily, beginning readers are not yet adept at using visual (phonics) cues. The following prompts help your child use visual cues to notice his mistakes. For example, suppose the text reads, “Tommy slid his shoes under the bed.” If your child says put for slid, help him notice his mistake by saying, “You said, ‘Tommy put his shoes under the bed.’” At the same time, point to slid with your finger, cover the entire word except the s and say, “What would you expect to see at the beginning of the word if it was put?” These prompts help your child use visual cues to notice that what he said does not match what is written on the page. Repeated prompting as described above will enable your child to learn to use all three sources of information to notice his mistakes. You’ll know he has learned to use the cueing systems to notice errors when he says, “This doesn’t sound right.” (language cues) or “This doesn’t make sense.” (meaning cues), or “I don’t know this word, it’s hard.” (visual cues). It’s quite exciting when your beginning reader expresses this understanding, because noticing is the first step in problem solving.

Once a good reader notices his mistake, he continues to use the cueing systems as he engages in a variety of self-correcting behaviors to fix his error. He may look at the

picture using meaning cues, back up a few words and reread using meaning and language cues, read ahead a few words and then self-correct using all three cues, or point under the word, say it slowly, then fast, perhaps noticing parts of the word he knows to self-correct, using visual cues. Think about your child for a moment. Have you observed him using some of these self-correcting procedures after noticing a mistake or a tricky word? Is he successful most of the time or does he have difficulty? Many young readers notice mistakes but have trouble figuring out where within the word the error occurred or even how to look through the beginning, middle, and end of words to fix them. Proper prompting solves this problem.

Teach the Concept of ChunksHelp your child learn to use visual cues to look through

a word properly by using the word “chunk” to identify all two or three letter consonant blends (sh, st, str etc.), vowel pairs (ee, ou etc.) and vowels with r (ar, or, etc.). Assemble a dry erase board including two different color pens and teach this concept using the following procedures.

First, explain the meaning of “chunk”. Say, “Today I am going to teach you about chunks. Once you learn them, they will help you figure out how to read tricky words.”

Then say, “A chunk is two or three consonants, two vowels, or vowels with r next to each other.” Write down a few examples that he already knows, like sh, bl, str, ee, ay,

Proven Strategies to Help K-3 Readers Notice, Find, and Fix Mistakes


curriculum

10 Ways to Feel More Secure in an Insecure World

and ar. Next, teach your child to identify consonant chunks in four or five letter words he knows like stop, this and strip, for example. On the dry erase board, write the words in one color and direct him to circle the consonant chunks with the other colored pen. Say, “Looking left to right, just like we read circle the chunks in this word. Now, run your finger under the word and say it slowly, then fast.” Your child completes this procedure with every word. Once your child gets the idea, move on to words he knows that contain vowel chunks (see, eat, rain) and then vowels with r (corn, car, fort), following the same procedure. Then provide words for him to chunk containing both consonant and vowel chunks (sheep, dream, sprain, and first).

Prompt for ChunksOnce you child identifies chunks easily in words he knows,

use this strategy to help him fix mistakes. As soon as you notice your child having difficulty, use any of the following prompts. “This word starts with a chunk”, “___ ends with a chunk”, or “___ has a vowel chunk in the middle”. If your child still has difficulty, write the word on your dry erase board for him to chunk, following the same procedure you used to help him identify chunks in known words. Prompting for chunks really strengthens your child’s ability to use visual cues to help look through a word to fix it. It’s the most powerful strategy I know. You’ll be amazed at its effectiveness.

Prompt Your Child to Self-Correct by Comparing Tricky Words to Known Words

We all use old learning to support new learning. The following powerful strategy is based upon the same concept. If your child struggles to read a word containing a chunk that she knows within the context of another word, use that known word to help her correct the problem word.

For example, if your child struggles to read sharp because she cannot say the ar sound correctly, first frame the ar with your pointer fingers and ask, “Do you know a word that has the same chunk?” If your child does not respond, think of an ar word she knows, car for example. Then on the white board, write car above sharp, underlining the ar in both words. Say, “The tricky word is like a word you know.” Then, have your child read car aloud. Next, frame the ar in car with your fingers and say, “Tell me the sound these letters make.” Since your child knows car, she will say the ar sound correctly. Then, point to sharp and say, “Plug that sound in this word.” Finally, encourage your child to read both words aloud. Children have great success with this procedure. Once they learn it, they quickly notice the connection between the known word and the new word and will not need so much prompting.

I suggest having handy a list of sight words your child knows that contain vowel chunks like see, eat, day, car and even little words, like and, or, and old. You’ll know your child is using this strategy independently when he says, “This word is like….” and immediately self-corrects. One of my students dramatically demonstrated her ability to use this strategy when she had difficulty reading stay. First, she paused, said day out loud, and then immediately self-corrected. It was thrilling to see.

ConclusionHelping children problem-solve tricky words is challenging,

but the powerful concepts and strategies described above make a real difference. Remember, in order to notice and find mistakes, your child must always keep in mind, “My reading must make sense, sound right and look right.” Then after your child notices his mistakes, try using the “chunking” and “known to new” strategies to help him correct his errors. After he learns these techniques and uses them independently, he will really begin to improve as a reader.

To see student video clip demonstrations of these strategies and learn other effective reading techniques, go to my website at www.bkread.com for information about my DVD and companion text, How to Improve Your Child’s Reading in Three Easy Steps. Each strategy presented is clearly demonstrated with video clips filmed during authentic student lessons. For questions about this article, please email me at [email protected].

“My reading must make sense, sound

right and look right.”


inspiration

?language?

in theirGod’s Wordhear

We all have insecure moments, but when they become

something you think about all the time, you need to take action. Here are some ideas.

1. Reach out to others for emotional support. Maybe you had a falling out with an old friend, or you’ve just been too busy to connect with the people who care for you. Now is when you need to be reminded that you are loved.

2. Look for professional advice from those you trust. Perhaps you need to talk with someone who can advise you about your personal life or your(financial future, so you can feel safer about where you are heading. There are good people out there. If you don’t have someone, ask a trusted friend for a referral.

3. If you are comfortable with support groups, there are a ton of them out there. Just Google your town + support groups, and you will see dozens. Feeling some positive energy from a bunch of folks may be just what the doctor ordered.

4. Get a physical and an emotional evaluation. Sometimes just hearing that you are okay from a medical professional will take away your fears. Many people have physical symptoms of stress, but they worry that they have something more serious. Get a checkup.

5. It’s also a good idea to do a relationship checkup. A heart-to-heart conversation can help you figure out what (if any) changes need to be made so that you can both feel more secure with each other. Remember

that this should be a loving conversation, where you each strive to support one another.

6. If you are alone and want to be in a relationship, then get out of the house so you can meet people. No one is going to come knocking at your door, and as the warmer seasons approach, more people are out and about, so it’s easier to find them. There is also always the Internet.

7. Take some time to look at the good things in your world. Too often when we are down, we focus on the worst-case scenario. Instead, look at all the positives in your life and the people on whom you can rely.

8. Cut your losses. If you are in over your head, either financially or emotionally, sometimes the best thing you can do is to stop trying to save a lost cause and look for other ways to make your life work. Many people have had to downsize, and most are grateful they did.

9. Take care of yourself. As the flight attendants say, “Put your own oxygen mask on first,” because if you don’t, you can’t help anyone else. It isn’t selfish. It’s survival. If you’ve been putting others before you and been hurt in the process, reevaluate those relationships.

10. Fight your insecurity. See it for what it is, and trust that it is usually temporary and you are wise enough to work your way out of an uncomfortable place.

These tips will help, but if you need more, please see a professional for support

By: Dr. Barton Goldsmith

10 Ways to Feel More Secure in an Insecure World


lifestyle

Will you be taking off this whole summer? Do you struggle with how to keep your children busy during

the summer then face a lot of review upon returning to academics?

Over the past 12 plus years we’ve been homeschooling year-round. As we’ve created a lifestyle of learning we no longer need breaks away because we’re doing what we love. Fun is for all the time and shouldn’t be placed in the “time off box.” This only reinforces in children learning is compulsory and as soon as you get out then you can have fun. Real life includes daily reading, learning, sharpening the mind and working to contribute to greater good all throughout life. When children can learn this from the start they’re privileged, never missing out but rather experiencing more.

“All theworld ismy school and all humanity ismyteacher.”–George Whitman

Here are ten benefits of homeschooling year round:

1. No more burnout. When most people are stressed and pressed in the spring you’re flowing through the learning because it’s your lifestyle. You’ve created an inspiring learning environment that supports your children learning and every day new discoveries are made as learning is applied. Because learning is naturally flowing with your lifestyle you have flexibility and love what you’re doing.

2. Balances everyday life when parents are working and homeschooling. With parents working from home while homeschooling, keeping a year-round schedule has children learning right beside parents who are working. Work does not falter during summer or long breaks because you schedule it around what’s best for the whole family and your work. Now everyone is supported.

3. Ideal for the relaxed and most strictly structured homeschools. Homeschooling year-round allows children to learn at their own pace. They have time for when learning is accelerated and when it is slower. If you have a stricter structure and need precise

beginning cut off dates you can begin your year either at the beginning of the calendar or fall; you choose. You’ll notice how much easier it is to fulfill the required number of days often times allowing for your children to move ahead if they are so inclined. All homeschoolers must realize the learning that’s taking place 24/7; we’re constantly learning at all ages; we’ve got this more than covered.

4. You’re in charge of your schedule. Because learning is a lifestyle, you and your children are learning all the time. You determine your time off and what to have a break from. When you schedule time off it doesn’t have to be determined by holidays you might not keep or someone else’s schedule. We like to take off for birthdays, dad’s vacations, family trips, local field trips and events, as well as off-season vacations. Some homeschoolers travel throughout the year, even living on a boat sailing to different lands.

5. No more returning after summer to review. With learning as a lifestyle we are continuously learning. Breaks are never too long to cause children the pain of reviewing for weeks upon returning. We keep our study skills and math mind sharp for sustainable learning and living.

6. No more pressing schedules. When we follow a traditional schedule stress can rise, always looking for the time when we can have off. Studying year-round gives you the space and time to really take in the learning as a lifestyle. It’s just the way we live and learning is a part of our every day. There’s plenty of room when the child needs more time with his studies and the freedom for periods of accelerated learning. Children cultivate their curiosities and are able to move forward in their purpose.

7 The day is guided by a family rhythm rather than a schedule. As we are living a lifestyle of true freedom we’re not scheduled from sun up to sun down. Children require flexibility which a 15- minute incremented schedule does not allow. As you’re living a lifestyle of learning you’ll notice a natural rhythm the family takes

10 Benefits of Homeschooling Year-Round By: Donna Vail


on as they move through their every day. Mom can be free from watching the clock knowing her children are supported by the inspiring learning environment that keeps children engaged, learning and not dawdling.

8. You have more room to keep a 4-day week. With little ones in the home it helps to be on a 4-day academic schedule to balance the academics with activities, household requirements and care for little ones. I kept a 4-day schedule for years when my children were all little. Now we save our 4-day weeks for the summertime. It gives us more space for daily swimming and playing in the sun.

9. Your schedule is consistent and low maintenance. Once you determine your highest values and family rhythm there’s no need to constantly plan or re-write a new schedule. No more piles of paperwork or “in-service” days for mom. Once you’ve done the work to determine your family rhythm there may only be the occasional tweak when a baby is born or changes occur in your lifestyle. As your children naturally follow the rhythm it’s easier for them to make necessary changes as it just flows into the natural needs of everyday living. This is a place where a lot of stress is dissolved with no longer needing to manage or control each child. Rhythm supports the parent partnership being established with your children.

10. No more room for boredom. Children learn mornings are for studies then we move on to projects and explorations. As they’re investing time daily into their academics their minds stay sharp and they’re anxious to move into their projects and explore their special interests where the learning continues. No more long summer days when children are complaining they’re bored and don’t know what to do.

Many families have converted to homeschooling year-round, finding it more complementary to raising a family. It also keeps learning consistent and easier to balance. If you’re not sure whether homeschooling year-round is right for you, weigh out the pros and cons and don’t be afraid to give it a try. Remember, this is your homeschool so you can change it in the way that works best for your family.

Parents Inspired to Action: Look at your annual calendar. Consider the natural flow of your days then make a plan for studies year-round. Remember, studying every day is simply a lifestyle of the most successful and people

who make a real difference in the world. And when vacation is taken, it’s purposeful. Include in your plan time to explore outside activities, historical places, museums and field curriculum.

Children Inspired to Action: Have a family meeting and discuss changing over to a year-round schedule. Be sure to show them the benefits so they see how everyday will be improved. Begin to fill in the calendar together with monthly field trips and explorations. You can even start a nature journal or family project to launch your new plan.

Providing exceptional,

flexible curriculum to

homeschoolers since 1929

OUR SCHOOL•Accredited by AdvancED and Nebraska Department of Education •More than 100 core, elective and Advanced Placement courses•Core courses approved by the NCAA•Students may take one course, several courses or earn their diploma•No age restrictions

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The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is an equal opportunity educator and employer. ©2012, The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. All rights reserved. 13-305-06160


organization

Whether your camper is planning to enjoy the simplicity of a rustic camping experience or is attending a

camp that offers activities such as sports, performing arts or computer training, send them packing with our camp time essentials.

Camp time Essentials:Choose a trunk that is rugged enough to tote to camp

for the next few years, and is long-lasting enough to take to college later. Many trunks come with wheels and are available in a variety of different styles and materials.

Adding • stacking shelves to the interior of the trunk can create additional space by dividing the interior into two levels. Use storage boxes to store clothes, notebooks, stickers or treats to make even more efficient use of the space. Clear boxes allow your child to quickly identify what’s inside.

A • key ring that fits around the wrist or that clamps to clothing is perfect for keeping trunk and camp house keys safe and accessible. It also is handy for day campers carrying house keys.

A • laundry marker will ensure that campers return home with everything they took to camp. Print names on bed linens, clothes, towels, toiletries and sports equipment. And, a laundry bag (or two!) is an easy way for kids to sort clean and dirty clothes.

Travel Space Bag • s are a great way to keep wet or soiled clothes separated from clean, dry clothes. They’re easy to use and don’t require a vacuum for use. The air is simply rolled out of the bag, compressing the contents and taking up little space in the trunk.

Reclosable bag • s are an ideal way to divide the trunk when traveling to camp. Parents can pack one outfit in each clear bag marked for every day of the week. This not only makes dressing easy for campers, it keeps parents from over-packing clothing that won’t be needed

Don’t forget a • shower tote that has holes for drainage. Don’t send along full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner — keep them in smaller, guaranteed leak proof travel bottles to avoid any spills inside the trunk.

A • day pack or small backpack is a great idea to hold “must haves” for your camper such as lip balm, sunscreen, a camera and water bottleSend along an assortment of pens, stickers and notepads

so campers can journal their favorite camp time memories. Include pre-addressed, stamped envelopes and postcards so it’s easy for your camper to write home.

Summer camp packing tips:

Begin gathering items and shopping for things you need •about a month before it is time to go.

Help your child pack for camp. Be sure to follow the •guidelines provided by the camp for what to bring and what not to bring.

Depending on the destination, you may need to pack rain •gear and a light jacket.

Leave items of value at home. Don’t pack clothing you •wouldn’t want to get dirty.

If the camp doesn’t provide laundering service, you will •need to pack extra clothing. Choose super absorbent towels that are fast-drying.

Be sure to keep medications in their original containers, •clearly marked with the dosage. Include your child’s physician’s number.

Add touches of home with a special “lovey,” a few hidden •notes, and some pictures of family and friends. Know the camp’s policy about sending snacks or care packages.

SummerBy: The Container Store


You know the old saying, “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure?” Garage sales are a great way to get

rid of the “stuff” that is cluttering your home, and to pass it on to someone who can really use it! Here are some great tips that will make your next garage sale a success.

Plan aheadAdvance preparation is key to a successful garage sale.

Begin by sorting items that will be included in the garage sale by function or area of the home. Merchandising items from different areas of the home together makes it easier for customers to find their treasures. So when you’re selecting items to be included in the sale, you’ll save yourself a step if you sort them early.

Attract shoppersMake your collection as attractive and eye appealing as

possible. Rather than using only tables or boxes to display your items, consider using brightly colored stackable bins or tiered shelves to show off your items. For easy browsing, a rolling garment rack is perfect for hanging shirts, skirts, dresses, coats and suits, and can be used after the garage sale. Also, be mindful of walking paths — be sure to leave plenty of room for people to navigate through the area.

Create great dealsMany items tend to sell faster when grouped as a “package

deal,” such as towels and linens tied together with a colorful ribbon or masking tape. Similarly, gather costume jewelry, purses, hats and high-heeled shoes together in decorative gift boxes, hatboxes or totes, and sell them as dress-up sets for children. A pretend office kit can also be created by packaging together pens, pencils, erasers, stationery and folders.

Stay focused and organizedThroughout the garage sale, maintain an organized

system for the pricing of items, as well as the checkout and payment process for customers. Use color-coded stickers instead of writing a price on each item. Consider using a waistpack to collect and store cash, so the money is never left unattended.

After the saleIf you have unsold merchandise after the sale is over,

consider donating items to charity. Your donation will net you a deduction on next year’s taxes and you’ll avoid cluttering up your house again with unwanted items. In most cities, you can arrange for pick-up of your remaining items at your house, which will eliminate the temptation to keep any unsold items.

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By: The Container Store

Tips for Hosting a

Garage Sale


© www.1world-kids.com

Because Together We Can...

WORLD-KIDSPEOPLE...PLACE...PLANET

1

Before we embark on our journey to uncover mysteries of distant places, habitats, environments and more...

We need to focus our attention on the place we call 'home', you may live on a street in America, London, Paris or Rome. You may live in the country or in the heart of a city, suburb or town. You may live in a house, flat, on a farm or maybe even a caravan.

In truth, the where is irrelevant, it is the 'what' we call home that is important.

Part of making a difference, lies in our ability to be grateful for all that we have and for everyday that we are given. It is also in our ability to show respect not just for ourselves but to the wider community, our parents, teachers, aid workers and friends.

Looking after our 'place' in our own neighborhoods in our own backyards, and streets will give each and every one of us the opportunity to shine.

Working with your friends, local organizations, charities or community leaders can really make a difference to the lives of everyone who lives in your own neighborhood.

If you have time on your hands why not spend some time volunteering. The American Red Cross has an entire youth section you can find your local program online visiting.

www.redcross.org

Alternatively check out the national 4-H Youth Development

Organization for some great ways to get involved.

www.4-h.org

Make sure you do something brilliant today, to make you feel good...

AND SMILE

WHY NOT HOST A SPONSORED WALK, RUN OR CYCLE. IT IS

NOT JUST GREAT EXERCISE IT COULD

REALLY HELP SOMEONE IN NEED...

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A

DIFFERENCEGET INVOLVED

Ask Us How...

GET INVOLVED

IF YOU LOVE BOOKS...

WHY NOT START A BOOK

CLUB

On average, Children laugh 400 times a day!!! However, your parents will only raise a smile 15 times a day!!

Go on brighten their day, tell them a joke...

FACT: It is physically impossible to lick your elbow!!!!!

Nothing rhymes in the English language with the words; purple or orange.

Remember It costs nothing to say ‘Thank You’ So

say it today.

Remember Don’t just bin

it...Reuse, Recycle, Swap

or Donate it.

IT'S OK...You really can't kill yourself by holding your breath.

ELE-FACT: African elephants produce an almighty 100 kilos of poo every single day!!! Stinky...

Did You Know? More people are killed by coconuts than sharks, it's true, 150 people are killed every year by coconuts.

FUN FACTS


fun & facts

© www.1world-kids.com

IT’S OUR WORLD...From the mountains of Peru to the great plains of America & across the four corners of the globe, the seasons are in turmoil. Animals that would once while away the long Winter months in hibernation have stopped and, according to many, if current trends continue we face the very real prospect of losing a quarter of all living species by 2050...

We need to work together to protect everything we have so that we can secure a brighter future for every living thing...

WORLD FACTS

The total surface of the Earth is 197 million square miles.

Did you know? The sun is so big that we could fit 1.3 million Earths inside of it!

Over 71 per cent of the world is covered by water.

FACT: Only 11 per cent of the worlds land is used to grow food!

FACT: Only 27 per cent of the Earth is land.

FACT: Forests cover some 30 per cent of the world’s land.

FACT: Deserts cover 20 per cent of the world’s land.

Tigers usually hunt

alone at night. The

Sahara desert is the largest desert in the

world.

There are

196 countries in the world.

The tiger is the biggest species of the cat family but their survival is in our hands. Some tiger species have been hunted to extinction whilst many other

species are critically endangered poachers are their worst enemies.

To find out more visit: http://www.savetigersnow.org/

Tigers can reach up to 3.3 metres in length & weigh

660 pounds.

HELLO, OK, HI, ALOHAIt may seem like a tiny word that really doesn’t merit much attention, but the word HELLO really can be the start of something rather brilliant. So why not be the start of a new conversation...

Say HELLO to someone new today...Afrikaans - haai (pronounced Ha-i)Bengali - namaskarBurmese - mingalarbarChinese - ni hao (pronounced nee haow)French - bonjour or salutGerman - guten tag or Tag (pronounced gooten taag)Hebrew - shalom Hindi - namaste (pronounced na-mus-thei)Icelandic - goon dag (pronounced gothan-dagg)Italian - ciao (pronounced chow)Japanese - konnichi wa (pronounced ko-nee-chee-wa)Lao - sabaidee (pronounced sa-bai-dee)Punjabi - sat sri akalRussian - zdravstvuyte (pronounced Zdra-stvooy-tyeh)

TIGER FACTS:

A group of tigers is called an ambush or

a streak.Tigers can reach speeds of up to

40 mph.There

are only 3,200 tigers left in the

world...

Tiger cubs don’t leave their mothers until they are about

two years old.

There are about6,700 languages spoken across

the world.

Mandarin, a Chinese language is the most widely spoken language. Over 14 % of the worlds population

speak it.


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16 HowWe’reLearningin2013 AnneMurphyPaul www.annemurphypaul.com

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20 ProvenStrategiestoHelpK-3Readers… BarbaraKurland www.bkread.com

23 10WaystoFeelSecureinanInsecure… Dr.BartonGoldsmith www.bartongoldsmith.com

24 10BenefitsofHomeschoolingYear-Round DonnaVail www.aninspirededucation.com

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27 TipsforHostingaGarageSale TheContainerStore www.containerstore.com

28 FunFacts–1WorldKids ChristineFarrell http://www.1world-kids.com

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™Because Education Matters...

Biblically-based completecurriculum for your entire family—

Join the adventure!DiscoverThe adventure begins in the preschool years by developing important readiness skills with hands-on activities that bolster concentration, attention, fine motor, and visual discrimination skills. Bible, Reading, Math, Science, Literature, Art and Music are all part of our Kindergarten and First Grade programs with a special focus on Character Development. Hands-on projects help students understand and visualize Biblical events and how they fit into history.

InvestigateTravel back in time and explore U.S. history from a Christian perspective. Take a trip around the world and explore diverse cultures while learning geography and being challenged by true stories of missionaries. Visit world history from Creation to Modern Times. Our 2nd - 8th grade programs are designed to be f lexible and work for families with one child or multiple children. Families (and schools) with multiple children use the same program to teach all students in 2nd - 8th grades.

DeclareMy Father's World’s complete high school curriculum is written to meet high school graduation and college entrance requirements. This independent study, parent-directed program integrates Bible, History, and English, providing a strong academic program with a focus on helping students mature in their understanding of a Biblical worldview.

See the World Through God ’s Eyes

dISCOVERFor Preschool through 1st Grade

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DECLAREFor High School Students

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