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Visit The Teaching Home's New Online Store
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The Teaching Home
E-MAIL NEWSLETTER
Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement
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VOL. II, NO. 7
MAY 27, 2002
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Table of Contents
How To Finish Strong
Free Online Computer Literacy 101
Prayer Reminders
Your State Convention
"Our Readers Write," Letter
"Sunny Side Up," Humorous Anecdote
Customer Service & Reprint Information
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How To Finish Strong
In our last issue, we talked about "What To Do If Your
School Year Is Almost Done -- But Your Studies Are Not!" If
you missed these suggestion, see Newsletter Volume II, Number 6
Here are some positive ways you can end your school
year or term and make your family happy about finishing.
Instead of petering out with everyone just barely
crawling up to the finish line, you can have a strong finish
that motivates your children with the excitement of
learning.
Assess & Review
Take time with your children to look back over the year
or term you have just completed.
__ Talk about how much and what you have learned in each
subject this year. This should be encouraging!
__ What was the basic point of each course? How does it fit
into its overall subject area and relate to other areas of
study? This is a chance to look up from the trees (or even
pine needles), and see the forest -- the "big picture."
This can provide motivation for future learning!
__ Summarize the content of each course. What were the most
important facts? Are they mastered? Remember review
cements learning in the mind. Make up some flash cards or a
notebook for your child to review, or learn, essential facts
throughout the summer months.
Plan Future Studies
Look ahead and show an enthusiasm for future learning.
__ Ask yourself and your children what they would like to
know more about in a specific subject. What are related
topics they would like to read about or pursue at a
leisurely pace during the summer?
__ Let your children know how this year's studies will lead
to next year's. Give them a vision of learning more in each
area.
__ You might choose to get a head start on next year's
studies and reward yourselves with extra or longer breaks
throughout the next year.
Clean Up
Put away this year's materials to make room for next
year's and do your record keeping while everything is
fresher in your mind.
__ This is a time to dispose of textbooks you have
finished. You may want to keep them for younger children's
use or as reference books, pass them on to a friend, or sell
them at a used curriculum sale.
__ Finish up your paperwork by recording your children's
subjects, books used, grades (a letter grade, percentage, or
pass/fail), projects, and extracurricular activities. Also
record your evaluation of your teaching, the materials you
used, your child's strengths and weakness, test scores, etc.
__ Sort, file, and throw away papers and projects.
Have your child help you choose his 10 (or whatever
number you choose) best papers to keep in a notebook.
Take photos of projects and/or scan papers, art, photos
of projects onto a CD disk for archives.
Celebrate
Now enjoy an end-of-year celebration!
__ Have a picnic, outing, or party with another family or
families.
__ Put on a program for your principal (Dad). Your
children may want to repeat an oral report in a more
relaxed, better-practiced manner, show Dad their best work,
tell him what they have learned this year and what they want
to learn more about. Ask Dad for his evaluation and
encouragement.
__ Praise the Lord! Together as a family, thank the Lord
for your family, for the opportunity and freedom to home
school, for the guidance, wisdom, and strength He provided
this year.
__ Find someone else that you can encourage and help.
Reach out to another family that is home schooling or
considering beginning. Point them to the Lord to find the
guidance, wisdom, and strength that they need. Offer moral
support and/or practical help.
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The Teaching Home's NEW Online Store
http://theteachinghomen.goemerchant7.com/
Easy & Secure Ordering!
51 Back Issues Available Individually or in Sets.
Each Issue Is Pictured and All Articles Are Listed.
Search for Topics Two Ways.
Make your teaching easier, more fun, and more enriching
by reading through The Teaching Home Back Issues. You will
benefit from:
1. Solid foundational and practical how-tos for all
areas of academic and character training.
2. Fresh, innovative, ready-to-use teaching tips written
by home educators.
3. Inspiration and encouragement for teaching and
training your children.
4. Equipping and confidence for your calling as a
parent/teacher.
Meredith C. of Florida comments, "The Teaching Home has
been a part of my continuing education since I started home
schooling, and I have kept every issue. I often go back to
old issues to find creative, helpful hints or inspiration."
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Jan's Illustrated Computer Literacy 101
Free Online Computer Instruction
Systematic, hands-on lessons will help you and your
children fill in the gaps of your computer knowledge.
The Computer Basics lessons represent the core
information from half of a college course that Jan
developed, the other half being the hands-on assignments
with Microsoft Office software. The five topics are:
Computer Basics (also in Spanish)
Working with Windows (also in Spanish & French)
Working with Words (also in Spanish)
Working with Numbers (also in Spanish)
Working with the Web (also in Spanish)
If your Internet connection is sluggish or you want to
work offline to save connection time, you can order a
CD Rom with all the lessons for $15.
Questions and exercises for Computer Basics are
available to home-school teachers on the permissions form.
http://www.jegsworks.com/Lessons/index.html
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Worship Guitar Class Videos
A 3-volume series by Jean Welles. Enjoy Christian-based
guitar lessons in the comfort of your own home. Easy
step-by-step instructions for both the first-day beginner
and the intermediate player.
http://www.worshipguitarclass.com/
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Teaching Tip: Prayer Reminders
Use these everyday happenings as prayer reminders to
teach your children to "Pray without ceasing."
__ When you open the curtains in the morning:
Praise God for the new day.
__ When you get dressed:
Pray on the armor of God (Ephesians 6).
__ When you sit down to eat:
Thank the Lord for your food and all His provisions.
__ When you put on seatbelts:
Pray for protection on the road.
__ When you see a national flag:
Pray for our country.
__ When you see a hospital:
Pray for those who are sick or suffering.
__ When you see or hear an ambulance:
Pray for the one who is hurt and those helping him.
__ When you do yard work:
Pray for missionaries or missions.
__ When you do laundry:
Pray for others.
__ When you wash your hands:
Confess your sins and thank the Lord for forgiving you.
__ When you go to bed:
Give thanks for today and commit tomorrow to Him.
__ When you pick up after your husband:
Thank the Lord for him!
Adapted from an excerpt by Lyn, Families Honouring Christ,
Melbourne, Australia.
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State Home-School Conventions
The unique benefits brought together in these events
can renew and expand your vision for teaching and
training your children.
Read "Getting the Most Out of Home-School Conventions,
Conferences, and Book Fairs" at
http://www.TeachingHome.com/groups/resources/conv-helps.cfm
Below are listed state conventions coming up in the next
few weeks. See more events listed at
http://www.teachinghome.com/states/results.cfm?state=all
Connecticut - June 14-15
http://www.teachct.org
Idaho - June 7-8
http://www.chois.org
Iowa - June 14-15
http://www.the-niche.org
Kansas - May 31-June 1
http://www.kansashomeschool.org
Montana - June 6-8
http://www.mtche.org
New York - May 30-June 1
http://www.leah.org
Oregon - June 1; June 21-22
http://www.oceanetwork.org
Tennessee, Johnson City - June 1
packw@planetc.com
Tennessee, Memphis - June 14-15
http://www.MemphisHomeEd.org
Texas, Houston - June 7-8
http://www.sethsa.org
Texas, Lubbock - June 15
http://www.spchea.com
Virginia - June 13-15
http://www.heav.org
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Special Offers for Your
Home-School Event or Support Group
http://www.TeachingHome.com/groups/resources/conv-helps.cfm
__ Getting Started Magazines
January/February 2001 "Home-School Basics" issue.
Excellent for new home-school families.
Box of 100/$35 plus shipping.
__ 1/2 Off Coupons
Offer your event or support group 1-year, USA
subscriptions at half price.
__ Q&A Reprint
2-page format. Answers most commonly asked
questions concerning home schooling.
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Our Readers Write:
Of Focus, Attitudes, and Atmosphere
The other morning as I drifted into awakeness, my ears
slowly became aware of two small voices lustily singing,
"With Jesus in the family, happy, happy home."
The voices weren't always in the same key, they were
often out of sync with one another, the words didn't always
match, and they weren't even always singing the same tune!
Nevertheless, at that dreamy moment, all I could focus on
was how beautifully touching it was to be awakened by my two
youngest children spontaneously singing praises to the Lord.
In each situation that parents face, there is always
more than one angle from which to view it. Therefore, in our
busy schedules, it becomes vital to focus on the positive
aspects of our circumstances.
I must choose to focus on the wonderful blessing that
my child has two hands and ten fingers, rather than on the
oatmeal plastered behind his ears.
I must choose to be grateful that God instilled
inquisitiveness in my child's small being rather than
getting frustrated by nose- and fingerprints on the windows.
I must choose to be touched and awed by the dependence
that my child has on me to help him get out of "stuck
situations" instead of being wearied by the pleas for help
with stuck zippers and knotted up shoelaces.
It is important for children to be trained to eat
neatly, tie their own shoelaces, and a host of other simple
and complex skills that will help them develop into
responsible adults.
But more important than the learning of details (a dog
can be trained not to put his nose and paws on windowpanes)
is the attitude in which they are taught.
That choice of attitude is what creates the atmosphere
that surrounds our children at all times. And that
atmosphere will be indelibly imparted into our children's
inner being, to be reproduced both now and in the future.
Yes, I am going to teach my children to sing in tune
and to match the words and rhythm with their partner. That's
part of growing up. It will come in time.
But right now I want them to feel an atmosphere of
appreciation and praise emanating from my heart for my
Creator and for His gift to me of my children and the
beautiful songs they sing. -- Janice S., Kitwanga, Canada
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Sunny Side Up
The nurse was amazed that our 4-year-old son, Jonathan,
knew his alphabet well enough to take his first eye exam
using the letter chart.
Upon completion of the exam, the nurse commended Jon
on his excellent performance and was walking out of the
room. Jon shouted, "Hey, wait! I can do even better
without the chart!" - Pamela L., Florida
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Reprint Policy
This newsletter is copyright 2002 by The Teaching Home.
1. E-Mail Newsletter
Permission is given to forward or to print and distribute
this e-mail in its entirety.
2. Individual Articles from this E-Mail Newsletter
Permission is given to e-mail or print individual articles
with the following conditions:
__ To protect our authors' work, we stipulate that individual
articles must be reprinted unedited in their entirety.
__ We do not give permission to post articles on a website.
__ Print the following at the end of the article(s).
"Copyright 2002 by The Teaching Home magazine,
www.TeachingHome.com, Box 20219, Portland
OR 97294. Reprinted by permission."
3. Articles from The Teaching Home Magazine
For permission to reprint an article, fill out a request at
http://www.TeachingHome.com/groups/reprint_form.cfm
and note the reprint policies there.
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The Teaching Home is a home-school family business
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