Picture Pie: Fractions, Art and Fun!

One of our favorite picture books related to fractions is Picture Pie by Ed Emberley.

Learners often use fractions and dread in the same sentence. 

It doesn't have to be so.

Picture Pie by Ed Emberley allows fractions and fun to partner for intentional learning and retention. 

My children found the circle cutter in the scrapbooking cabinet, the one that hadn't been opened for quite some time. One child carried the circle cutter. Another carried twelve bright-colored sheets of construction paper. Each raced to the kitchen table, inspired by Ed Emberley's book. 

Within minutes, piles of rainbow-colored circles grew on the table. Elmer's glue flowed, spurted, then sputtered from orange tops as contents were drained. 

The results. Folds. Fractions. Art. 

Mastered. 

What we did?

• Read the explanations and looked at Ed Emberley's collage work.

• I explained fractions are parts of a whole. The bottom number is the denominator. It tells how many total parts are in the whole. The top number is the numerator. It represents a specific part of the whole.

• Each child selected one paper circle from the circle piles and followed directions to fold the circle in half—two equal parts. Together, we unfolded and cut along the fold line. I had each child write the fraction 1/2 on each semicircle.

• I encouraged the learners to select more paper circles to fold and cut into two equal parts. I demonstrated how each half circle could be folded in half again, making four equal parts. I labeled each part with the fraction 1/4.

• I allowed time for experimental folding, cutting and creating. WOW! Creative. Fraction. Fun.

• One child suggested using printed papers and aluminum foil.

• At the end of the afternoon, I offered our magnetic circle set, demonstrating equivalent fractions by laying pieces on top of one another. For example, I modeled how two 1/4 pieces fit on top of one 1/2 piece with no edges extending over, making the statement 2/4 = 1/2.

My learners not only understood fractional parts and equivalent fractions, they applied what they learned to create amazing art--an all-around WIN WIN WIN for fraction, fun and art. And we learned together!

Intentional. Real. Relational.

Life Lessons in the Laundry Room

The laundry room. Daily laundry loads.

Life reflections, unexpected.

That box. That one (yes, that assumes there are others) box in the laundry room, way up high atop the file cabinet (yes we still own one).

Last night I began the PROCESS of dejunking the laundry room, under the influence of my very organizational-minded daughter.

It started with that box.

I began digging, wrestling through papers and pictures. Tossed a few in the trash. Read entries from my college journal, the one I kept while dating Mike. Shared some of my thoughts with our children and then made a "keep" pile. I pulled out a binder of notes scrawled on napkins, scraps, and bulletins; a book someday. I added the binder to the "keep" pile. Another binder. This one dated in the 1990s full of notes from an encouragement column I wrote as a homeschool support group leader. I read over the columns, smiling at the names, remembering the faces and field trip moments. People I knew and walked the homeschooling journey with, twenty years ago.

Ah, my early years of home education with our oldest children five, seven, maybe ten years old. I purposed an environment of love, grace, enrichment; a place where intellect could be challenged and a love to learn modeled. I wanted learning to be digging deeper, studying the fascinating, fostering curiosity, but also master math facts and memorize the periodic table. I planned my days with the "goal" or "what I thought they would need" when they walked over our threshold.

I loved those days. Blossoming with potential, fresh with anticipation, hope and aspiration. I loved being a mom, being with my children, watching every light bulb light, pondering how their early passions—strategy, the outdoors, people, analytics — might be used in their future.

Forward to today.

The oldest are now adults, one graduated from college, earning an MBA, working full time and acting as CFO for a non-profit. The other, married, pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy. Each unique.

But here is the interesting part...at least to me, the lesson I reflect on.

The lesson which will impact the education of the ones still at home.

Though I envisioned young men walking across my threshold, educated a certain way, prepared for certain things, I would have never dreamed my young strategist would to teach business skills to people in Haiti. Had I known that, I would have prepared him a different way!

But wait! Prepared him a different way? He WAS prepared.

That is the lesson I learned.

Though we had our vision set on something totally different, God used our faithful prayers and provided EVERY opportunity my son needed today. His learning at home PREPARED him for where he is today. And, I am glad I really didn't know exactly what he would need, as my heroic attempts to PREPARE him would have pigeon-holed him, given him too narrow a perspective, limited to what I thought "he needed".

There is no way I would have ever fathomed him teaching business skills to business owners in Haiti.

And even if I did, how would I have taught those skills?

I look over my thoughts in those notebooks. All I thought I had to do. All I thought I knew, but really didn't understand. All the books I thought we had to read. All I purposed. All great things.

Now, I see differently.

What did he learn from his days in our home.

• The ability to communicate with others and work with individuals very different than himself.
• The ability to take risks, to visit places that might not be safe, for the sake of something bigger than he can understand.
• The ability to solve a problem, a problem he didn't even know he would have.
• The ability to pour his heart into something, not give up, and walk faithfully when the future is unknown.

That box.  The one stored in the deep, dark corners of a closet or the one atop tall piles in the laundry room. That box of lessons. 

I'm glad my daughter encouraged me to purge and organize.

In the process I was able to reflect on our years and look to the future, with new anticipation.

What opportunities will our children have ten years from now? I don't really know, and I am glad. That reflection causes me to use what we have and know today, to the best of our ability, with what is provided, and allow God to plant our feet to destination I cannot possibly know or understand.

Cumulative Folders, Home Education Style!

I realized early in my son's eighth grade year that I would, one day, play the role of guidance counselor for my homeschooled high schooler.

Meaning?

I would be the liaison between school (us!) and college.

I was the keeper of all things official.

Yep, me, until the student was 18 (that is the topic of another intentional high school blog). No qualifications or degrees, "just" the mom who was overseeing the learning taking place in our home. If I didn't keep the records, no one would. The records I kept would influence my student's post secondary career (no pressure, right?)

From that day on I kept anything potentially important in what I called the cumulative folder. Little did I know how valuable this folder would be. In our son's senior year, when we were in the middle of applying to six colleges--some highly selective--the folder became a gold mine, one of those things you tell people you would grab if the house were aflame.

Having all the information we needed in one place saved me time. I am also pretty sure it saved my senior-year mom sanity!

No one I knew had kept a cumulative folder of high school records so this was new territory for me.

And, I was not a naturally-organized person.

To keep our student's cumulative documents (not the work associated with each school year- I kept those work samples in another binder) safe in one place, I purchased a 3 1/2 inch binder and some colored-tab separators to help keep paperwork organized. Armed with plastic protector sheets and a hole-punch, I sat down to begin compilation of the cumulative folder. I started by labeling tabs we needed and then added tabs along our journey. During the junior and senior year as we began contacting colleges, I added tabs for copies of completed applications (print the online application submitted, if possible, for future reference when submitting other applications), scholarship applications (again print a completed application or submitted essays for subsequent applications), acceptance letters, and financial aid notifications. Once our grads entered college, I continued to add tabs for medical records, grades and award notification,  and FAFSA and financial aid applications (past applications were helpful throughout the college years).

What tabs did we find helpful?

• Activities
• Awards
• Certificates and Certifications
• College Admissions Requirements
• College Applications
• College Major Requirements
• Community Service/Volunteer Hours
• Dual Enrollment Documents
• Financial Aid Applications (printed summary pages, too)
• Financial Aid Offers
• Grades
• Letters of Recommendation
• Medical Records
• NCAA Eligibility
• NCAA Home School Core Course Worksheets
• Scholarship Applications
• Scholarships Awarded
• Test Scores
• Transcripts
• Work Experience
• Writing Samples

These are tabs include all the tab titles we have used for four unique high schoolers (two grads who then completed Bachelor degrees, and two current high school young adults). Not all tabs were needed for each young adult. In fact, some of my high schoolers have little to no cumulative paperwork. 

Consider your young adult and his or her unique circumstances. Choose a method which complements both the learning, the accomplishments and the college and career goals. If you decide a cumulative folder would be helpful--aside from other paperwork required by your home education laws--these tab titles may be helpful. 

YOU can celebrate high school!

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

Summer Adventure Must Haves

I love summer! 

My children love the adventurous, uninterrupted play summer brings. 

Over the years we have accumulated a plethora of adventure must haves, tools and resources which purposefully foster curiosity and enhance discovery and wonder. 

Though some of our resources are specific to summer, most are used and loved year-round. 

What are the Bastian adventure favorites? 

• Brock Magiscope. This is by far our number ONE favorite. This amazing tool is easy-to-use and portable for on-site pond, beach or forest adventures. Its sturdy build makes it a useful tool for all ages (yes, parents too!). 
• Magnifying glass. Though  we LOVE our Magiscope, there is something about adventuring with a good old fashion magnifying glass. Perhaps it's the "fits in a pocket" feel. Small wonders for small hands. 

• Sand bucket. Sand buckets make perfect adventure companions for beach and shore experiences. Buckets help us collect shells, bring home tadpoles and minnows or carry water to and fro across the backyard. We purpose to have buckets of every size, some for little learners and others for big helpers.
• Sieve. Sieving sand fosters curiosity while building motor skills. The back and forth movements of shoulders and wrists are essential components for preschool and little learner developmental milestones. Great tool for the mind and body.
• Shovel. My boys loved digging. Like many boys, their dream was to dig a hole through the center of the Earth. Indeed, they tried! Eventually, Mike and I provided a specific area for the boys to dig, a place where they could dream, dig together and build motor skills.
• Bug catcher or habitat. Children love critters. Critters provide opportunities for observation and study. We have collected a variety of aquariums, screen-topped carriers, clear plastic habitats and containers in order to be prepared for impromptu safe care and release of any small creatures that perk curiosity.  Hand-held, portable carriers are our favorites. 
• Butterfly nets. Another handy tool for young adventurers, our butterfly net has been used for grasshoppers, crickets, lizards and tadpoles. 
• Field guides. We have a variety of field guides ready for immediate and on-site study. Having the guides handy offers opportunity for in-depth, intrinsically-motivated learning. 
• Nature journal, pocket notebook or sketch pad. Explorers take notes of their discoveries. Our children have enjoyed drawing their favorite finds. We have used everything from a simple notebook and colored pencils to detailed nature journals. Having a means by which to record or draw interesting finds has not only enhanced our study but provided engaging contents for our portfolios. 

• Water. Explorers need water. Discuss how water will be accessible on the pending adventure: canteen, water bottle, garden hose.  
• Sun hat, sun screen. Protecting oneself from heat-related illness is essential while on an adventure, especially in the middle of summer. Have conversations about how to stay safe while exploring and adventuring. 

These are our favorite adventure tools and resources. 

We would love to hear about your favorites in the comments. 

Happy Adventuring!

Summer Reading List

Summer’s here!

Vacations. Mission trips. Summer evenings reading on the couch.

Summer brings new opportunities, needed refreshment and necessary refueling...and the TIME to do such.

Family members looking for summer reads?

Our summer reading list continues to grow, some titles added this month, others compiled over the years. My lists have been published magazines, state newsletters, Appendix D of  You HAVE to Read This One: Raising a Contagious Reader and Celebrate High School (high school lists categorized American, British, world and ancient).

Parents often ask, "How do we chose books?" 

Choosing a book depends upon many factors, some unique to an individual or circumstances, however the most universal depend upon 

• a student’s reading ability, age and maturity

• a family’s values and worldview

• a whether a book is to be read aloud or read independently.

All these factors, or a combination of these factors, help determine what titles may be appropriate for your children. 

Summer picture books for little learners

• Arnosky, Jim, All About Turtles

• Arnosky, Jim, Deer at the Brook

• Berkes, Marianne, Over in the Ocean in the Coral Reef

• Carle, Eric, A House for Hermit Crab

• Carle, Eric, Mister Seahorse

• Carle, Eric, Slowly, Slowly, Slowly Said the Sloth

• Gibbons, Gail, Ducks

• Gibbons, Gail, The Berry Book

• Krauss, Ruth, The Carrot Seed

• Lionni, Leo, Swimmy

• McCloskey, Robert, Blueberries for Sal

• McCloskey, Robert, Lentil

• McCloskey, Robert, Make Way for Ducklings

• Zion, Gene, Harry by the Sea

Chapter books for middle elementary to middle school readers

The spectrum of age and maturity of students in grades four through eight is great. As a guide, selections marked (2-4) may be considered acceptable read-aloud titles for grades 2-4. I have marked titles considered more difficult—by vocabulary, sentence structure or content— with (M). Parents may decide to wait until grades 7-8 to introduce these books. As always, if in doubt, read the book first.

• Alcott, Louisa May, Little Women (M)

• Bagnold, Enid, National Velvet

• Barrie, J. M., Peter Pan

• Baum, L. Frank, The Wizard of Oz

• Beechick, Ruth, Adam and His Kin

• Brink, Carol Ryrie, Caddie Woodlawn

• Bulla, Clyde Robert, A Lion to Guard Us (M)

• Carroll, Lewis, Alice in Wonderland (M)

• Crane, Stephen, The Red Badge of Courage (M)

• D'Angeli, Marguette, The Door in the Wall

• Dalgliesh, Alice, The Courage of Sarah Noble (2-4)

• duBois, William Pene, The Twenty-One Balloons (M)

• Edmunds, Walter D, The Matchlock Gun (2-4)

• Forbes, Esther, Johnny Tremain (M)

• Fritz, Jean, The Cabin Faced West (2-4)

• George, Jean Craighead, My Side of the Mountain

• Green, Roger Lancelyn, The Tale of Troy (M)

• Henty, G. A., For the Temple (M)

• Latham, Jean Lee, Carry on Mr. Bowditch (M)

• Lenski, Lois, Strawberry Girl (2-4)

• Norton, Mary, The Borrowers (2-4)

• Sheldon, George, The Cricket in Times Square

• Swift, Jonathan, Gulliver's Travels (M)

• White, E. B., Stuart Little

Summer reads for high school young adults

A comprehensive list is included in Celebrate High School.

• Aristolte, Complete Works

• Austin, Jane, Pride and Prejudice

• Bronte, Charlotte, Jane Eyre

• Chaucer, Geoffrey, The Canterbury Tales

• Chesterton, G. K., Favorite Father Brown Stories

• Cierco, Orations

• Cooper, James Fenimore, The Last of the Mohicans

• de Tocqueville, Alexis, Democracy in America

• Dickens, Charles, The Tale of Two Cities

• Faulkner, William, The Sound and the Fury

• Foxe, John, The Book of Martyrs

• Graves, Robert, Claudius, the God

• Green, Roger Lancelyn, Tales of Ancient Egypt

• Hamilton, Edith, Mythology

• Hemmingway, Ernest, Farewell to Arms

• Homer, The Odyssey

• Hurston, Zora Neale, Their Eyes Were Watching God

• Keller, Helen, The Story of My Life

• Lewis, C. S., The Screwtape Letters

• Mc Cullough, John Adams

• Plato, The Republic

• Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan, The Yearling

• Scott, Sir Walter, Ivanhoe

• Shakespeare, William, Julius Casear

• Steinbeck, John, The Grapes of Wrath

• Stevenson, Robert Lewis, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

• Thoreau, Henry David, Walden

• Verne, Jules, Journey to the Center of the Earth

• Virgil, The Aeneid

• Washington, Booker T., Up from Slavery

Happy summer reading!

STEM Made SIMPLE at Home

The house was a buzz; the hum of learning.

Thirty minutes later we had two experimental cable cars made from Polydron Revolution, complete with a make-shift pulley system on a spare piece of rope from the "junk" box. 

The wonder and excitement of trial and error, learning from mistakes and purposing to make it better. Patience and perseverance necessary. Collaboration and deferment to another's idea. 

Determination rewarded.

Confidence. 

I can create. I can learn. I can ask questions. 

Indeed, thirty minutes mattered, and made a difference. 

Owl Pellets and a Magiscope = SIMPLE Discovery Science

Owl Pellets from Carolina Biological Supply Company

Disposable gloves, a paper plate and tweezers.

Our Magiscope.

Opened windows to small wonders.

We invited another family to join us for discovery fun! Children standing around the kitchen table. Quiet mostly, with an ah-ha here and there. They were engaged, learning. 

An dissection lab we found online guided us through some thought-provoking steps. 

Did we have feather, fur or both? 

Our Magiscope helped us take a closer look. 

A few extra online resources helped us answer all our curiosities, and more! 

Older learners benefited from other resources. 

Simple Words of Comfort

Tough times. We all have them, even our children. 

Hard things happen.

"I am in this with you."

Sitting at the learning table, a little struggles to read. 

Simple words offer comfort.

"I am in this with you."

Processing a relational hurt, a young adult lowers eyes, saddened. 

Simple words bring comfort.

"I am in this with you."

Writing spelling words that seem impossible to get right, a learner cries in frustration. 

Simple words give comfort.

"I am in this with you."

Motherhood brings long days and review lessons, unknown math facts and misread vocabulary. When those times come--and they will--both parent and child need reassuring words. Words of assurance, words of comfort. 

"I am in this with you."

Because you are and it makes all the difference. 

Who needs those words today? 

More to Playing Store

"Let's play store!"

There is much more to playing store than meets the eye. 

In fact, as a struggling learner, I believe playing store--adding customer orders and writing receipts--saved my declining math and spelling skills while building my learning confidence. As a mom, I have observed my children build the same skills behind their cashier stands and in their make-shift restaurants. 

Playing store is an essential developmental milestone, academically and socially. Playing store provides valuable educational entertainment. 

I remember, fondly, my pretend store years. Every day after school, I spent the afternoon at the neighbor's house until my mom arrived home from work. My friend and I would spend all afternoon in the basement, playing. The basement was alive with learning. In one corner stood three tall metal cabinets packed with craft supplies: old jars, paper, stickers, glitter, colored pasta, craft feathers, beads, and GLUE...lots of glue. Oh, and PAINT! Along end wall, all twenty to thirty feet of wall, was THE STORE! My friend's mom saved and cleaned EVERY box, plastic container and bottle she emptied from her kitchen--especially the ones loved most by children: Lucky Charms, Jell-O pudding, Tastykakes, soda. When the recyclables were cleaned, they were placed in THE STORE. There was a cereal section, a dessert section, a dairy section. Oh, and there was THE CASH REGISTER--an old adding machine with a roll of register tape a mile long. The store was a child's dream! We spent hours playing in the basement. 

When my oldest showed interest in "playing store" I began saving boxes and containers. I purchases garage sale price tags and we made an OPEN sign. The boxes lined the wall of my kitchen and provided hours of play...and much more!

Yes, the box shelf grew and grew, spilling over into the living room. Visitors were understanding, almost envious. They wanted to play, too! 

Today's the day. Save that box. Wash out the plastic container. There's learning in those recycles. And, there is so much more to playing store!

To cultivate the interest in playing store, gather

• coins- real will provide opportunity for responsibility
• paper money
• receipt book
• garage sale price tags
• We're Open sign- with analog clock with movable hands to practice time telling
• adding machine or cash register
• extra paper for menus and handcrafted paper pretend food
• clean recycles materials- drink holders, washed cups and plastics from food vendors and retailers
• aprons
• chef hat

Playing store creates opportunity to

• write numbers- numerals and decimals
• associate numerals with values
• apply number concepts
• add money values (decimals)- coins and bills
• practice math vocabulary
• use shapes and symbols
• practice language and communication skills
• read and spell high frequency vocabulary
• write with purpose- menus, orders and receipts
• repurpose recyclable materials
• collaborate with playmates regarding rules of play and responsibility

There is much more to playing store than meets the eye. Yes, there is the potential for recyclables to take over a corner of a kitchen or develop into a basement marketplace, maybe even make a mess of a living area. However, the rewards of the store playing season are indeed life-impacting. The mind will imagine. The feelings toward learning, brighten. Conversational skills will develop.

Celebrate the learning!

Indeed, when the cardboard boxes and plastics finally end up in the recycling bin, children will have been encouraged and empowered. And that is definitely worth a season of box and container collecting. 

Course Codes: To Code or Not to Code

A homeschooling mom recently asked, "I am a homeschooling parent writing the transcript for my soon-to-be high school senior. Should I use course codes on my transcript?"

Ask a question, get several plausible answers.

The answers given will depend on the perspective and experiences of the people polled. Has the person answering the question worked in a college admissions department? Did the person home educate their children and personally file applications with universities? Is the person living in your state and familiar with the state statutes regarding home education? There are many factors to consider when interpreting answers to this question.

AND, like many other home education topics, it might be best to set a few hours aside for personal research and phone calls to find out the answer. 

When I initially faced the course code dilemma--sitting at the computer creating the transcript of our first graduate--I researched, made calls. I had been given definite opinions, definite experiences. However, there were no definitive answers. Somewhat frustrated, I realized this answer likely rested in the beauty of home education in our state. It was part of that "with freedom comes responsibility" cliche.

My trail of research commenced. 

In our state, parents are considered the overseers of their children's education. In addition, our state doesn't issue diplomas to home education graduates. 

The National Center for Education Statistics prepared a paper entitled Secondary School Course Classification System: School Codes for the Exchange of Data (SCED) released June 2007. In that document the Center states, "The primary purpose of the SCED system is to make it easier for school districts and states to maintain longitudinal student records electronically, and to transmit coursetaking information from one student information system to another, from one school district to another, and from a school district to a state department of education." In doing so there is provision for

"comparison of course offerings among districts and states; ƒuse of electronic student transcripts;  longitudinal student information systems; ƒ interoperability of student information and other data management systems by providing a standard for education software designers and vendors; reduc(ing) the cost and burden of transcript studies; and ƒthe use of coursetaking information in research and evaluation of student outcomes."

In other words, this system is helpful if a student transfers from one school to another whether in the district of the state. The code points the interpreter to the state course codes directory and subsequent course synopsis or description for the purpose of determining course equivalency. Guidance counselors at the receiving school can then decide if the courses completed and validated on the transcript are "acceptably similar" to the receiving school. In addition, this process can aid school personnel in student placement. Courses are coded as to subject area, level and identifier. 

My first note to self: As an independent home educator who is overseeing the education of my children,  it is possible for our home to have our own courses based on the unique educational opportunities and resources we utilize. Hence, we have the ability to individualize any course in any subject in any year. Therefore, most likely some other entity's standardized code would not accurately describe the scope and content of our course. 

My further research discovered the course code directory of our state. 

I found much the same information and purpose for the codes in our state. The codes are used by schools within the state which issue a state diploma. In other words, schools in the state using the course codes validate the student who completed the course in their school followed the standards of that course. The course code assigned was a reference--a standard--whereby all schools could be on the same page in regards to requirements and achievement. Furthermore, the entity issuing the diploma and transcript are responsible to oversee and certify the codes issued paralleled the standards required for the course given that code. 

This system begged several questions in my mind (and perhaps the mind of the parent asking the question above).  

Our home learning was statutorily a HOME EDUCATION PROGRAM. As such, we as parents were responsible to oversee the course content taught, studied and mastered, at high school level or above, in our home. We designated completion by awarding credit and validating such on a transcript. Because the courses and content were unique to our home, study methods and educational opportunities, it seemed ridiculous to assign some other entity's course codes to my learner's courses.  Do I make up a code for our learning? And, if I did, who would understand what that code meant, unless of course, I wrote a course description (similar to state institutes) to describe the content of the course, just as other educational entities do with their courses?

More to ponder...my young adult was interested in learning material not offered by the state, and hence, a course code didn't even exist. I have the statutory freedom to allow my young adult to study their interest. I asked the question again: Do I make up a code?

More to ponder...my children were not receiving a diploma from the state. Technically, then, I decided I didn't have to follow the state code. 

All of my research, discoveries and pondering culminated in a conversation with an admission officer at a highly-selective university. The result..."We don't expect you to have course codes, Mrs. Bastian. You are a homeschool". 

INDEED, what I assumed, a college confirmed; why would I use course codes from an educational entity? They were not certifying the credit or validating the transcript. My home was it's own learning environment.

In the end, I decided not to add course codes to the transcripts of my graduates. This made sense to me as well as to the colleges and universities to which our young adults applied. Like many homeschooling high school dilemmas and decisions, I had to do my own research and come to my own conclusions.

If you have walked the course code road, tell us in the comments how you navigated your circumstances. 

NOTE: This blog post is not intended and should not be taken as legal counsel. 

I will be sharing more about transcripts and high school paperwork during my 2016 FPEA Convention workshop, Happy (High School) Paper Trails, Friday, May 27 at 3:55. 

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

30 Ways to Celebrate

We love to celebrate. Celebration is double the fun when shared with a friend or family member. 

Make a someone's day, today. Celebrate an accomplishment, a milestone. Celebrate TODAY!

Reading Comprehension Made SIMPLE

Reading comprehension is one of those skills which can cause gray hairs!

Many parents struggle to teach, reinforce and foster this skill. 

Just as many children struggle with the skill, too!

We are not alone. We are all in this together. 

Over my almost thirty years of working with children, my own and others, I've rejoiced in light bulb moments when a strategy works. And, I've helped parents find alternative solutions, often individualizing teaching methods.

What has worked?

Some families find one strategy works. Others need more than one option. Still others cycle in and out of several. The key is to use what works for YOUR family!

Find something the child enjoys. Every child (yes, every child!) has an interest. Something engaging. Something the child will not put down. Grasshoppers? Recipes? Catapults? Military strategy? There is always an interest though it may take a bit of effort to find it. When it's found? GLORY!

Read together. I know a mom who instituted an "everybody reads at 10:30 am" policy. In other words, at 10:30 each person found something they enjoyed, found a comfy place, and read. Starting with 15 minutes, she gradually increased the time. Why? Because the children asked for the time to be increased. You know the "Mom, I want to keep reading!" exhortation. To get to that moment she had to allow the kids' cookbook, the Boy's Life catalog and the recent subscription to Highlights to come to reading time. And, mom? She enjoyed her current read. Reading time quickly became a favorite time time of day. All reading, all together. 

Draw a picture. Creative children love to create. Why not try building reading comprehension with the innate desire to create. Suggestions to draw a picture of a character, the setting or an exciting event in the chapter is an open invitation to design and color something visually pleasing. Draw a picture might also mean choosing reading material which fosters creativity, perhaps a how-to book, for example, how-to sketch barns. The child logs his or her reading time by learning sketching techniques and then applies what was read (comprehension and application) to create a piece of art. 

Read aloud. I know this takes time (I'm a mom of full days, too) however, the time and effort of reading something engaging (perhaps slightly above the child's ability) can build vocabulary and knowledge of language structure. Even a short time each day can pay off great dividends. 

Some of our favorite family read alouds are:

• A Lion to Guard Us by Clyde Robert Bulla
• Helen Keller's Teacher by Margaret Davidson (as well as her other amazing titles)
• George Cohan: Boy Theater Genius by Gertrude Hecker Winders (and other Childhood of Famous American titles)

Take turns. Mix it up. You read a sentence, I read a sentence builds to I read a paragraph, you read a paragraph. Then one day, the learner takes of and reads the whole chapter, independently. This is an important strategy for emerging readers building fluency. We have found Step-up books and Discovery Biographies by Garrard Publishing  are perfect for this purpose. 

Give content. Often, today's book content is shallow, less engaging than the choices of days gone by. When we began purchasing vintage books, books penned in the 1950s and 1960s, our children read more often and more widely. Why? Real-life dilemmas and adventures--generally of lesser known people and events--intrigued my readers. There were problems to solve. History-changing events in which to be invited. For example, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo by Captain Ted W. Larson (Doolittle Raid pilot) from the Landmark book series pulled my readers into the plot almost immediately. We were with the fliers in training, incident and aftermath of the raid. Yes, there was mention of injuries, blood and bombing but courage, perseverance, real-life challenge (not fabricated and artificial) enveloped every page. 

NOTE: This book is one of the more graphic of the Landmark series and we chose wait until late middle school to introduce the content. Parents should read the content prior to making the decision to offer this book to their children. Not all Landmark books are as graphic. 

Practice and apply comprehension strategies. There are six components to comprehension: connection, visualization, question, inference, analysis and synthesis. All play an important role in the ability to comprehend written material and as such children must be given the opportunity to use, apply and master each component. 

What if my child just doesn't like to read?

Some don't. Although most will with something of interest. If there is a continuous aversion to reading, even with something of interest, consider whether a physical reason may be causing a learning challenge. For example, if the eyes don't converge on a page of written material, reading will be difficult and hence not enjoyable--because it's hard, if not impossible. Learning challenges are not always obvious and should be considered a possibility when children have an aversion to reading. 

Reading comprehension can be as SIMPLE as enjoying a read aloud and discussing what was heard. On the other hand, several methods might be needed. Whatever the situation, building reading comprehension doesn't have to bring fit-induced gray hairs and is worth the effort.

Making Multiplication Mastery SIMPLE

There are some questions I am asked frequently. This one is no different. Comes often.

"How do you get children to master multiplication facts?"

The question is usually followed by a great sigh of,  "I've tried everything." 

Multiplication is a common frustration for parents. Mike and I hear concerns at evaluation time. I read worries on Facebook. Parents inquire while visiting my booth at conventions. And, I find the question in my inbox.

And, we are walking the journey with you!

We have personally faced this problem, several times.

Others have, too. YOU are not alone!

Developmentally, children must understand the concept of multiplication before they will understand what the symbolic (the number and signs) equation means. After understanding the concept and hence what the symbolic equation represents, children can begin mastering the facts.  In other words, children must understand the language " ____ groups of ______" and the corresponding numerals before mastery will make sense (unless, of course, the goal is to simply master the facts).

Based on our experience and the experiences of those whom we have coached through the process, the answer to the question about mastering multiplication depends on the child. In other words, every child has a unique developmental time table and there is no one right answer as to how to master facts (there are however, many opinions). In addition, some who once mastered the facts forget over a year's time and need review.

Though we all hope for an easy answer, one that works for every child, over time. It's just not so. 

At least it hasn't been for us or the folks we know. 

Thankfully, however there are many options and ideas from which to choose when working with children to master facts.

Start with the concept. Go back and review it when needed whether several times in a lesson, several times a year or once every year. The learner must innately understand (even see a picture in the mind, for visual learners). Remember, the wording to internalize is "(a number) groups of (a number)".  For example, a dozen eggs can be 2 groups of 6 OR 6 groups of 2. 

Draw a picture. Drawing a picture is a great help, especially for visual learners, though it can be beneficial for other learners as well. 

Find it in life. Look for examples of multiplication in real life where math can be taken off the page and made relevant, meaningful. This is especially important for kinesthetic learners. Examples are a box of 16 crayons divided in 2 rows, 3 four-legged animals, 2 tricycles, etc. This strategy was helpful for all of our children.

Make a visual or model. Outlining arrays (rows and columns of squares) on a piece of graph paper, drawing a picture for a math problem in a lesson, counting objects to represent an equation, really anything a child can relate to and then save as a picture in the mind. 

Skip Counting. In our twenty-one years of home education experience (as well as experience with hundreds of homeschoolers through mentoring and annual evaluations), skip counting does not always equate to understanding the concept multiplication. The child must be able to have the memory and the processing abilities to convert and apply the information. Skip counting worked for one of our learners.

Turn Math into an Art Project. For our creative learner who likes to cut and paste, math is palatable when accompanied by color and flare. Last Thanksgiving we enjoyed making multiplication turkeys. Placing the 8 facts on colored feathers not only added festivity to our day but allowed quick access to troublesome, hard to remember facts. Picture Pie by Ed Emberley provides creative ideas to explore and understand fractions.

Read about Math. We have had great success finding math-related books in the non-fiction section of the library. In fact, I have shown my children where the math books are shelved to give them greater independence as they dig deeper into math concepts introduced at home or in their math program.

Triangle Flash Cards. For one of our learners loved this idea, probably because it presented as more of a game than flash cards. Regardless, we were pleased with the results. Sherri Seligson explains her version of DIY Triangle Flash Cards on her blog, Just Extraordinary. 

Whole Equation, Including the Answer. "Are you kidding me?" That was my reaction to this method. For some learners we know, writing the fact (the whole equation factors and product) on flash cards and then verbalizing the equation aloud was the only technique which yielded mastery.This approached worked for one of our learners. 

No matter which strategy or technique you choose, there is an easy, natural sequence which helps learners feel successful, almost immediately. Mastering the facts in this order is helpful in terms of ease and building confidence: 1s (and number times one remains the same), 2s, 3s, 5s (perfectly illustrated with nickels), 4s, 10s (pull out the dimes), 6s, 7s, 8s, and 9s.  

For example, if using flashcards with answers (full equation), write all the 2s on 3x5 cards. Mix up the cards. Set a timer for two minutes. have the child go through the stack verbalizing the full equation on the card and moving the card to the back of the stack. Repeat through the deck until the timer rings. Repeat the activity once or twice a day for one week. To evaluate whether mastery is emerging, give an oral drill. If all the facts were mastered, move to the next fact grouping. 

Check-Off List. Using a check off list, learners can cross out mastered facts. A dry erase check off list has worked well in our home. Once we practice drilling the facts with verbal and visual cues (using cards mentioned above) twice or three times a day for several days, we do an oral drill. Sometimes we do this while driving to a field trip or while enjoying shade outside under a tree. If the leaner knows the answer to the fact I give, we exchange high fives (if I am not driving!) and I tell the child they can cross the fact off the list. If we drill in the car, we high five and mark off facts when we arrive home. Checking off facts is always a CELEBRATION! 

I must add, I was not a fan of flash cards UNTIL I had a child who could only learn multiplication with this strategy. Though I was hesitant, I wanted my child to learn as desired. And, at the child's request, I tried and was pleasantly surprised. We did, however have to review for several years.

You may be on the mountain (as it seems) to mastery. Take courage! You are not alone. 

We are walking the journey together.

Preschool to high school and every stage in between.

Create, Cultivate and Celebrate!

30 Reasons to Celebrate

Being intentional with words--cultivating an attitude of celebration--makes a difference in our days.

High School Made Simple: College Essays for Credit

When the Common Application recently released the essay prompts for 2016-2017, I reminisced about the time my high schoolers and I spent writing and editing college essays.

Those days mattered.

Oh yes, there were frustrations and word blocks. Challenges of putting heart and mind to paper. Thoughts processed and penned; gratitude for life-changing events and people. Indeed, the words were required for college essays, however poignancy and purpose marked milestones, not solely meeting rubric requirements or a grade percentage.

The prompts were real and relevant, personal to the young adult. 

Typically, we spend the Junior year practicing essay writing. 

I found this type of writing practical, useful, purposeful. This writing was significant for pondering but also necessary for college application. Call it high school intrinsic motivation. They worked hard at it. In fact, the time our Juniors spent practicing and polishing essays became a part of their life reflections as well as their English credits.

In addition to the Common Application essay prompts, we also used the supplemental essay prompts from the universities of student's choice. In other words, if the college was on the Top Ten list for our student, we found out what supplemental essay questions might be and began writing. To our delight, the essays were similar in nature. 

When looking for supplemental essay prompts on college sites, the first place we looked was on the application. If we couldn't find the prompts on the application, we would type in "essays for admission" (or something similar) on the site search box. 

Over the twelve years of homeschooling high school, I discovered the most popular supplemental essay prompts to be:

• Why do you want to attend this school? This question not only offers opportunity for writing practice, but research also. A student can't write a knowledgeable essay of this kind without some degree of research about the university. Focusing on specific, perhaps a renown, faculty member influential in the student's field of study may be helpful. As a high schooler senior applying to college (this speaks to how long this question has been asked) I remember writing about my desire to attend an integrative university where education was not only studied in a traditional classroom setting but also experientially. My university excelled in this area and I wanted admissions to know not only was I aware of their unique instruction, I sought it out!
• How will you be an asset to our university campus and the greater community? My son chose to answer this question for one of his applications.  In his research, he found the campus had a community outreach similar to one he had been involved in throughout high school. Mentioning this seemed natural.
• What are your short and long term academic goals? Though this essay may be found on a freshman application it is also popular for specific schools within the university as well as graduate schools. 
• Describe a person you admire. As my high schoolers worked on this essay, I reminded them it is always better to write about what and who is known and familiar. Therefore, I encouraged them to write about a person who impacted them personally, perhaps intellectually, morally or spiritually. This was another essay chosen by one of our high school young adults, one he was able to excerpt from several times in college and beyond.
• Tell us about yourself. When working on this essay, we were encouraged to find the unique, something that would set the student apart. Colleges put unique twists on this essay, sometimes asking about a life-changing event or future dreams and aspirations. Some universities referred to this portion of the application as the personal statement. 
• Why should (university) offer you admission? This question closely resembles "What will you bring to our campus?"  Related, we found one prompt a springboard to another.  

Some universities also require essays for scholarships. Again, this is a great resource for writing prompts in the Junior year. With scholarship essays meaning potential monies toward college expenses, we found this writing valuable time spent.

Colleges often place a word count on essays submitted. This requirement added a practical, real-life element to our writing assignments. Anyone can make a point, answer a question, but within required limits? Practice in this area prepared our high schoolers for college writing where word count mattered. In fact, some professors refuse to read beyond the requested limit. Writing essays within a word count while in high school proved beneficial.

Be aware, some colleges make additional requirements as to font style and size as well as margins and spacing. If the school makes this type of requirement, be sure to follow the request. Again, following these guidelines in high school prepared our students for college assignments in all content areas. 

College essays in our home mattered. Yes, the essays opened doors for admission and scholarship, but their greater good provided an avenue for reflection, personal growth and gratitude. The essays were not just a requirement, but a profitable use of time. 

Those days mattered.

Essays are just one part of the high school paper trail universities often require. For more information on the paperwork schools may request for college admission, join me in my workshop at FPEA Convention, Happy (High School) Paper Trails. 

UPDATE: This session is available on MP3 for purchase at The FPEA Store.

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

Course Descriptions Made Easy

I am a mama with full days, like many of you. I look for simple and manageable. 

Though I am about excellence, I also am about simplifying and streamlining. 

But let's face it, sometimes we have to tackle tough. Course descriptions (CDs), often intimidating, are not always necessary. So, breathe easy. On the other hand, when they are needed, they are usually essential to the admission process. In addition, of all the families I work with, the large majority who were required to submit CDs also received substantial scholarship monies.

That is good news, really! 

So, what if CDs are essential to your student's college admission packet?

Don't panic!

Parents often confuse transcripts with course descriptions. The transcript provides a one-page snapshot of a young adult's high school course, grade, and credit summary. Course descriptions, however, offer short synopses of the learning chapters in your student's story. Ideally, those course descriptions should complement--add value and give clarity--to the transcript document.

Why course descriptions? For students graduating from a public entity, course catalogs (also called course guides or curriculum guides) are available online (used to be paper and had to be requested from the guidance department) and follow the requirements (standards) of that state (or now in many cases, Common Core). Colleges know the set criteria and standards met in the classroom are standard for each course at every school in that state. So, there is no need for each high school to write individual course descriptions for every class for every student. They write one course description--usually posted on their website--for all students, as long as they offer the course.

Home education is different. A sculpture class in one home is likely to look entirely different than a sculpture class in another home. One student may enroll in a sculpture class at a local art studio. Another may have been invited to join an artist for weekly mentoring in a private studio. Yet another student may dual enroll a sculpture class at the local college. The same distinctiveness can be applied to a literature course--each home can choose their own literature selections--or a science course--where the student might be invited to take part in a research project at a local university. There is no standard way to meet course requirements (unless your state dictates differently--this post assumes parents have researched and know the home education statute for their state). Hence, some colleges use course descriptions to assess the depth and rigor of a home education course because they know courses vary for each home school.

Some colleges ask home education parents to write course descriptions.

It is part of their verification process. With the eclectic mix of methods and means home educators utilize, the CDs do bring out the extraordinary opportunities homeschoolers have experienced and embraced. 

I remember the day a college requested I write CDs.

I panicked! 

After a deep breath...

Thankfully, we were early in our high school journey! I could easily remember the exceptional experiences our young adult had benefited from in his courses, variations from more traditionally-taught classes: 10 dissections he completed in Honors Biology at a local co-op. We had also designed courses around independent study, research, and personal reading. 

Additionally, I had been keeping a reading list on the computer. I could cut and paste those titles into course descriptions as needed. 

I was relieved. Since that first request and a total of four high schoolers later, 

I have learned to:

• Write course descriptions when the young adult begins the course (even if just the bare minimum is known: textbook, reading materials, anticipated experiential opportunities) and add significant educational highlights throughout the year. When I waited until the end of the year to write the whole description, I forgot some of the most beneficial learning blessings he experienced, no to mention getting my head above the project was monumental, or at least it seemed so when I felt I was drowning.

• Remind myself course descriptions tell the stories of the courses detailed on the transcript. It is the document college admissions personnel will reference as they consider offering admission, need more information to differentiate one student from another and offer scholarship. A course description is not an outline of the course and will be less likely to read if lengthy. Course descriptions are chapter summaries, hitting the highlights, offering the concepts learned, the teaching methods and resources used, and exceptional experiences in which the student participated.

• Take note of the unusual and unique. Course descriptions are especially important if the parent and young adult are designing unique courses, courses not typically offered on local school campuses or courses not generally taught in high schools, for example Introduction to Equine Science, Survey of the Building Construction Industry, or Care and Concerns of the Elderly.

• Record regularly. When I don't,  I forget valuable additions. In our busy, full years of adding a Bastian or spending evenings at the ball field, I found it helpful to start a student's course description document and add bullet points to the course titles. Later, when I have time,  I can revisit later and edit into cohesive sentences. Tackling course descriptions in this manner helps me remember important details and keeps me excited about what my young adult is accomplishing. When it is not in front of me, I tend to forget.

Keeping records current saved me time and headache later.

• Remind myself there are many ways to accomplish learning (this is true even of the state standards- the standard can be met with very different and unique methods). For example, American History. If two of the many learning goals for a high school level American History class are to understand the causes and consequences of the Civil War and the effects on the American people, and to understand the causes and consequences of World War II in the United States and abroad, the learning possibilities of how a student will understand those concepts are vast and plenty. Chapters in a text could be read and summary questions answered. On a family vacation up the East Coast of the United States, the family could visit and tour eight Civil War battlefields and National Parks and compare what actions were taken and who was involved at each location. The student could attend a local WWII veteran's meeting and listen to the stories shared by the members. Perhaps the local library hosts a presentation by surviving Tuskegee Airmen who share their wartime experiences from the perspective of African Americans serving during WWII (actual event we attended and it was AMAZING!). And then there are the plethora of primary source documents and biographical materials which could be read. Not only can the same learning goals be accomplished, but learning with this type of diversity allows young adults of different learning styles to retain information they might not otherwise remember. It is these exceptional and unique opportunities which can be highlighted in course descriptions, should a high schooling family choose to prepare this document or a college require it for admission.

Being intentional about writing course descriptions proved most valuable for courses we designed or courses developed from internships and shadowing experiences. When designing a course, I felt it was important to keep a running log of educational experiences, online resources, and learning resources, just as I would if I were compiling a course as a traditional classroom teacher.

There are blessings to writing course descriptions.

For us, the original course descriptions from my first high schooler could easily be cut, pasted, and edited to the unique experiences and opportunities of the high schoolers who followed. Second, though not all colleges asked for the description document, I sent them anyway. It was done and I wanted officials to have the document should they have questions. I know some parents feel this is a controversial and dangerous precedence for future home educated applicants, but in at least one situation those descriptions placed our young adult in a better position of acceptance in an honors college (because we couldn't document any of his courses as Honors or IB, which most of the applicants had earned). When the descriptions (which included reading materials) were read, the depth and expanse at which our young adult studied most of his courses could be realized. Our homeschool high school experience was just as rigorous as those students who had completed accredited IB programs. Note: Realizing that our student had the ability and desire to qualify for an IB or similar program, I researched the contents and reading materials utilized by these programs and then wove them into our studies. Again, this is our experience, not something I am advocating for every home schooled high schooler.

As we progressed through high school and began researching college admission requirements, I was thankful I had records of courses my student had completed.

Being intentional with writing course descriptions has served us well, in many cases. The work was done as we studied, and saved on the computer, should we need it. We did need it for our first applicant. With our second, because of dual enrollment and then an easy transition to the state college (and eventually a four-year university), the course descriptions were not necessary. On a side note, had our first and second grads followed their aspirations to play competitive collegiate sports (hence registering with the NCAA) having the course descriptions complete would have saved me a huge amount of time filling out their Core-Course Worksheets. Keep in mind as you consider NCAA and course titles, they prefer specific titles. Be aware.

This information (and more) is included in my book, Celebrate High School. which was heavily revised and updated summer 2015.  The revised edition contains every thing in the original publication as well as some new features including middle school sections.  

Join me at FPEA for my workshop, Happy (High School) Paper Trails to YOU!

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

"Let Me Do It!" - Little Learners Become Independent

Little learners are industrious! They can accomplish much in a short time: unloading cabinets. emptying bags of flour for "snow", unwinding tape rolls. Their industry may not be what we define as true betterment. 

However, in those tough to see times, it is important to understand a little learner's definition of industry is key to developing independence.

Given a task, an important one, one they care about, they will accomplish much and feel incredibly empowered, eager for the next "job".

Mr. Red, the fish we inherited from great-grandma, needed a clean bowl. The water had become a science culture--I am sure, though I didn't test it. Poor Mr. Red!

Sick children needed care. Mr. Red had to wait.

I moved the fish bowl to the kitchen counter, near the sink, grabbed an extra large coffee cup from the cabinet, scooped Mr. Red into the cup, and within seconds our little learner "wanted to help".

"Let me do it, too!"

What toddler doesn't like to play in water?

Mr. Red was swimming happily in the coffee cup I placed out of reach. I dumped the yucky water in the sink, poured and rinsed the ornamental  rocks. Chair pushed to the sink, a smiling eager and confident helper turned on the tap and began cleaning rocks. One squirt of soap. Two squirts of soap. Fine motor muscles were getting a work out. Three squirts, four.  

Thirty minutes later, my assistant had cleaned every rock and placed them back in the bowl. She beamed with pride. She had contributed to the care for our beloved Mr. Red--her pet!

A first step of responsibility. A first step toward independence. 

My little learner knew she could be a productive, contributing member of the family, accomplishing tasks of importance. Her smile spanned ear to ear, dimples dotting each corner, for the next several hours. 

Little learners wants to contribute, to serve, to care. In doing so, each time they take another step toward independence, they catch another glimpse of a much bigger picture, one much bigger than oneself. 

What started as "let me do it!" ended with

"I like being a part of a family!"

You may have little learners, or not so littles, eager to contribute, eager to work alongside. 

How can your child contribute?

How can he or she make a difference and catch a glimpse of a greater community?

Imagine the possibilities!

• help organize the pantry, cylinder cans on one shelf, rectangular boxes on another. 
• water the plants, inside or out, with a pump spray bottle (great for fine motor skills)
• fold washcloths in half and half again
• match socks
• sort laundry
• organize the plastic container cabinet
• feed pets (with supervision)
• sort coins- pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters
• roll coins (get paper rolls at the bank)
• collect the newspaper from the end of the driveway
• carry a neighbor's garbage cans to their designated area
• fill ice cube trays with fresh water
• make sandwiches (spreading is a great skill)
• peel carrots or wash potatoes (with supervision)
• empty bathroom trash cans into the larger garbage can
• carry hangers to the laundry room
• make cookies (with supervision)
• help put seeds in seed beds
• refill bird feeders
• help wash the car (and clean out the inside)
• put library books in the bag to go to the library

Embrace the industrious little learner at your feet! His or her inquisitive energy can be productive, taking one step closer to responsibility and independence. 

Cultivate, then celebrate, the milestone--together! 

Want to learn more about little learners? Join me at my Teaching Preschoolers and Little Learners workshop at FPEA 2016!

Delighted to Be a Speaker at FPEA 2016

I am thrilled to be back at FPEA again this year. New workshops. New insight. New stories and practical helps to equip and encourage at every stage of the home education journey, preschool through high school.

Come see me at my workshops! I'm walking the journey with YOU!

Friday 10:30am

7. Celebrate Simple! Intentional Home Education

The simple teaches the profound. Cheryl shares stories and offers insight from her 21 years of homeschooling eight children — the everyday teachable moments, the simple yet ingenious ideas, the interest-driven learning — the things her graduated and grown young adults say mattered most. Learning together, building family relationships, is priceless. It's simple and worthy of celebration!

Friday 3:55pm

68. Happy (High School Paper) Trails to You!

High school is not a one-size-fits-all experience. It is a time to refine the skills needed to polish a student's God-given gifts and talents. But what does that look like on paper? How do you tailor courses which will prepare your child for what God has planned for their future? Cheryl walks parents through answers to these questions.

Saturday 1:45pm

129. Celebrate Middle School: Fostering Ingenuity

Middle schoolers will surprise you! When they do, be ready to foster ingenuity, seize opportunities and think outside the box. The middle school years, ripe with potential to impact entrepreneurial ventures, employment or college/career paths, can also be conflicting for parents and children. In this workshop, Cheryl offers practical tips from experiences as a homeschool mom and a wife of a 27-year middle school educator.

Saturday 3:55pm

153. Teaching Precious Preschoolers and Little Learners

Young children have an insatiable curiosity to learn and a natural desire to work alongside people they love most. How do we utilize these innate qualities to maximize their learning potential at home? Drawing from 28 years of experience of teaching early learners, Cheryl challenges attendees to look beyond societal and educational pressures to the emotional and developmental needs of young children. 

Convention Preparation Time

Boxes arriving. 

"We have that book! It's one of my favorites!"

Yes, indeed! Hence, the reason more arrived in two boxes. Just sharing what has worked for us. 

Units and activity packs of real math. Those might be a favorite. Maybe the gears?

Children add ideas they've tried and liked. 

It is all about sharing what we've loved; what worked, what made a difference. 

And so, when the boxes arrive, the reminiscing and wondering begin. 

"They will love these!"

Great words to hear. 

Convention prep time is a favorite time of year, in our house, as we prepare to share.