Homeschooling

Just for homeschoolers, a new ebook: 83 Ways to Celebrate Valentines by Kerry Beck. Celebrate Valentine’s Day by receiving this gift for you! This ebook includes history of Valentines Day, homeschool activities, crafts, special family activities, and much more.

You can get this and also something from me. I am partnering with Kerry at “How To Homeschool My Child” to bring you a special gift from me on Friday, February 3. But I can’t tell you what it is yet!

Go to http://www.HowToHomeschoolMychild.com now to sign up on the home page for 14 February Freebies.The Freebies start on Feb 1 with this free ebook- 83 Things to Do to Celebrate Valentines, and my gift to you on Feb 3.

Kerry at “How To Homeschool My Child” will also send a special gift from all of her homeschooling partners on each day of the first 14 days of February, but only to her subscribers. So don’t miss out on  some wonderful offers to keep on homeschooling the best way possible this year!

Phyllis Wheeler, the Computer Lady from MotherboardBooks.com

ps.  Sign-up now so you don’t miss a thing!
http://www.HowToHomeschoolMychild.com

When she was just 11 years old, Jasmine Lawrence got upset when she put relaxer on her hair and almost all of it broke off.  So she concocted some natural hair oil and tested it. By the time she was 13, she was selling her stuff to her delighted friends. When she was 15, Oprah interviewed her. And her business took off. The experience was good for her; now she’s in college, with a good solid company supporting her.

How can we homeschoolers encourage our kids to consider entrepreneurship?

Starting small and early would be a good idea.  Perhaps your child would be interested in making baked goods, chocolate, or jewelry to sell at craft fairs, yard sales, or kids’ soccer practices. Or creating computer images for peers, such as avatars. Starting small is how Jasmine did it.

ttp://dreamerent.com/2009/11/interview-with-young-entrepreneur-jasmine-lawrence/

Today we have a guest post from Suzanne Hartmann, homeschooling mom of three and now a published Christian suspense author.  How does she do it? That’s what I asked her. (See below for her free Kindle giveaway, ending tomorrow!)

Homeschooling and writing a book are both time-consuming activities. Yet that’s what God has called me to do. I’ve questioned Him over and over, but He leads me to the same conclusion every time. Why would He ask me to add a second all-consuming project to my already busy schedule? I still don’t know the answer; I just know I need to obey.

The next question becomes, “How do I do it all, Lord?” The simple answer is that I don’t. I’ve had to learn to relax my standards and let go of some of the tasks that I think are important. Although I still make lists (I love lists!), I seek God’s guidance each morning, and pray, “Lord, what is it that You know I need to get done today? Direct my thoughts to those activities and chores.” I’m far from perfect at sensing God’s guidance, but I have found that when I actively listen for Him, things seem to get done. I’m not sure how, but they do.

I thought my plate was already heaping with homeschooling, writing, blogging, networking (it is necessary for authors to have an on-line presence), then a publishing house offered me a contract on my first book, PERIL: A Fast Track Thriller. Now I had to add a third time-consuming activity to my schedule: marketing. I tried to do it all, but it only led to frustrations and tears.

I finally went to the Lord again. This time I didn’t ask how I could do it all, I confessed that I couldn’t do it all. God reminded me that His timing is perfect. My children are older now. They don’t need my constant involvement or supervision. There’s no way I could have accomplished writing and homeschooling, much less networking and marketing when my children needed me almost every single moment during schooltime.

Once I finally realized I couldn’t do it all myself, God directed my attention to Matthew West’s song, Strong Enough. I now think of it as my theme song, especially when it comes to marketing. The first few lines really say it all.

God calls each of us to do things that are beyond our abilities. My call is to write Christian fiction, but there are as many calls as there are people. What is God calling you to do? He promises that He will equip those whom he calls, and I have seen that time and again throughout my writing journey. The fact that I am now published is a testament to His faithfulness, not my ability. Whatever the call on your life, say yes to God. It may seem insurmountable to you, but only in your own strength. When we lean on Him, we can truly claim the promise in Phil. 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”

Thank you for hosting me today, Phyllis. I hope my story has been an inspiration for your readers. I would also like to invite your readers to join me in celebrating the release of  my debut novel, PERIL: Fast Track Thriller #1, by entering in my Kindle give-away. Entries will be accepted until 12/16. To enter, click here: WIN A KINDLE (http://fasttrackthrillers.blogspot.com/2007/01/kindle-give-away_01.html)

“Mom, what is the quadratic formula again?” You stop, think, think and think.  You are so busy teaching your different age children a variety of subjects that YES, you have actually blanked on an important answer.  So what is the first thing you do?  Well in this day and age you go to your best friend, Mr. Google.  Simply type in “quadratic formula” and a vast array of websites appear full of answers, blogs, new information, and more!  The internet has become the source for research, news, networking, shopping, and so much more.  So wouldn’t you agree that learning all about websites is an extremely important subject for your children? 

By trial and error children are able to learn a lot about navigating through the internet…but what about being able to build their own websites?  Being able to add their own knowledge, opinions, and products to the World Wide Web would be the next best step.

Also, building a website creates new challenges!  Your child will have to design layouts, create content, and learn about graphics.  This brings them artistic, grammatical, and technological obstacles to overcome.

The business and personal worlds are all becoming connected through the internet.  It’s the go-to whenever you need any information.   Children who learn to build websites will hold a skill they can take wherever they end up in the future.  Whether they start their own business or want a personal site, there are many benefits to learning web design.

Talk with your children about web design!  When they hear they can create a whole site on their favorite animal or how to build their own race car…they’ll be anxious to start!

Another Homeschool SuperHero, Gena Suarez, is going to be talking Thursday about how she’s hardly the perfect homeschooling mom.

You see, we all thought she was. She and her husband founded and run the terrific Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which is doing very well, thank you. They have a number of children they are homeschooling, ranging from babies to college age.

Gena wrote a terrific email to many of us today laying bare her challenges as a homeschooling mom.

You’ll want to read it. She’s inspired me today. How about you?

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Gena-Gets-Real.html?soid=1101381905269&aid=8taZ3cfOB2o

In case you didn’t see my last post, I wanted to contact you again before a FREE homeschool event takes place this week. It’s complimentary for you! And don’t miss the daily giveaways! Learn from the Homeschool Super Heroes!

My friend Kerry Beck is organizing this week’s Homeschool Super Heroes. Each day she will be offering interviews of real-life, experienced homeschoolers. In each interview, you’ll discover practical tips & tricks you can use THIS school year. I will be speaking on general homeschooling tips and computer tips on TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

You can listen to 10 veteran homeschool parents that will encourage you as you begin this new school year. Including me!

Check it out!
>> https://familyebiz.infusionsoft.com/go/hsh2011/phylliswn/e2

Warmly,

Phyllis Wheeler

Take advantage of this GREAT wisdom & advice!

P.S. – If you know other homeschool parents who would like to listen to these interviews, please email them, post it on your blog or share Homeschool Super Heroes Week on facebook & twitter.

Check it out now!
https://familyebiz.infusionsoft.com/go/hsh2011/phylliswn/e2

I just got a private invitation to some fantastic homeschool interviews…that are free for you to listen. This is the perfect way to start the school year!

Let me tell you about it…

Kerry Beck is offering 2 weeks of homeschool interviews – to get your homeschool year off to the right start! She has interviews about homeschooling teens, homeschooling boys, teaching art, teaching history, relaxing as a mom, teaching writing, getting ready for college, what to do with preschoolers, teaching literature, balancing home, homeschooling & hubby. And homeschooling and computers, featuring yours truly!

You name it, there is an interview for you.

>> https://familyebiz.infusionsoft.com/go/hsh2011/phyllisw/e1

Why is she doing this?

Kerry knows what it is like to be in the trenches as a homeschool mom. Sometimes you need a little encouragement or a few fun tricks from experienced homeschoolers. Real homeschool parents who have real experience balancing school, family, cooking, cleaning, chauffeuring.

So, Kerry is hosting interviews of 15 experienced homeschoolers that have practical advice for you to get started on the right foot this year.

==============================================
It’s called Homeschool Super Heroes Week!

Actually, it’s the next 2 weeks of August and you can listen to the interviews each day for Free.

All you have to do is register for Homeschool Super Heroes Week and you will have access each day to practical tips & tricks for you to start your year right.

No traveling to your state convention. No hotel expenses. No registration fees.

Here’s where you can register:

https://familyebiz.infusionsoft.com/go/hsh2011/phyllisw/e1

You can see a complete listing of all our Homeschool Super Heroes, including me, and the topics we will cover here:

https://familyebiz.infusionsoft.com/go/hsh2011/phyllisw/e1

Talk soon during Homeschool Super Hero Week!

Warmly,

Phyllis Wheeler
The Computer Lady
MotherboardBooks.com

The Computer Lady from MotherboardBooks.com (that’s me) dispensed wisdom this month to the many thousand subscribers of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine’s online newsletter, Teacher’s Toolbox.

It’s a newsletter available only to subscribers of the magazine, so I can’t share the whole newsletter with you. But I CAN share my article. Here it is.

FIVE WAYS TO IMPLEMENT COMPUTERS IN YOUR HOMESCHOOL

Coursework: There are plenty of computer-based curriculums and online courses that may provide just the education your child needs in a particular subject. You can experiment to find out whether a particular child takes to it or not.

Research safety: The Internet is a marvelous tool, supplying answers to all kinds of questions. But how do you protect your children? I recommend:

• Put the computer in the same room where you are.
• Use a login password that only the adults know.
• Let younger kids use your email account.
• Use a good filter. Which one? My family is happy with Covenant Eyes, but there are plenty of others.

Fun collaboration: A little-known fact about the Internet is that students can use it to work together on projects, and they like doing this. Public schools have found that when kids collaborate in researching and writing a common online document, kids get interested in learning.

For instance, your kids could write a report about current events or snails or whatever and create an illustrated report with friends who live somewhere else. I’ve written an ebook about this, How Flat Is Your Homeschool World? It will tell you what the tools are. Best thing: the tools are free.

Learn by doing: Computers can help you address another lesser-known need in your homeschool. I’m sure you know that young children love to learn by doing. Kids love to act and explore, not just memorize. This is the teaching of educator Charlotte Mason, and many homeschooling families have picked up on it.

But can kids explore on the computer in a way that sharpens their minds? Yes! Through Logo, a computer language created just for kids as young as 8 at MIT.

Seymour Papert, Logo’s creator, said it’s one thing for a child to play a computer game. But “it’s another thing altogether for a child to build his or her own game. In building his own game, the child hypothesizes, explores, experiments, evaluates, and draws conclusions. In short, he learns.”

And for older kids: Reasoning challenges in programming can sharpen the brain for middle and high schoolers. And if there are creative elements, computer training becomes part of a great education for any student, not just the technically inclined. And my curriculums from MotherboardBooks.com have plenty of exercises to get creative juices flowing!

Phyllis Wheeler of MotherboardBooks.com wrote the award-winning computer enrichment curriculum, Computer Science Pure and Simple, beloved by thousands of homeschoolers. A writer and an engineer, she believes in creative exercises alongside logic challenges, exercising both halves of our brains.

Practical Homeschooling Magazine has announced the winners of its 2011 Reader Awards, and Computer Science Pure and Simple once again took first place!

Pure and Simple, Motherboard Books’ popular computer science curriculum, has been taking first place in this reader’s choice award in the computer science category since the category was created in 2010.

The curriculum teaches an array of computer skills, including programming and creating websites, along with using spreadsheets. It taps into the creative side of the student, making a fun experience.

Dear folks,
In keeping with my goal of keeping you informed about good deals for homeschoolers, I wanted to tell you about two great tools today.

Terri Johnson is the force behind Knowledge Quest, providing maps for history study and lots of other stuff. Teri’s a great writer and very good at making big subjects easy to understand. She’s also a homeschooling mom with a large family. She has plenty of expertise to pass along, and the ability to do it.

Not too long ago, she created an email course for novice homeschoolers, Homeschooling ABCs. I signed up for this 26-week course to check it out. I found it to be very well done, clearly written, full of essential information for novices. The weekly emails included plenty of freebie links with useful items as well. I highly recommend it!

Find out plenty more at this link:http://www.motherboardbooks.com/tjabc.php

The first course was so well received that she decided to create a course many were asking for: advice on how to homeschool in high school. She’s calling it Upper Level Homeschool. It’s mailed weekly for 13 weeks and covers record keeping, teaching study skills, preparing for college, and a lot more. Plenty of people are finding out what a good deal it is.

Check it out at: http://www.motherboardbooks.com/tjulh.php

I hope this information is a blessing to you.

Phyllis Wheeler
MotherboardBooks.com