Endeavor Now | MATH EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT

Quick! What is 9 x 12? If you learned it like I did, without even thinking, the number 108 pops into your head. In fact, whenever you hear nine and twelve mentioned together, two numbers automatically come to mind–21 and 108. The first is the sum of the numbers mentioned, and the last is their product. Because of the commutative properties of addition and multiplication, it does not matter in which order they appear; the sum, and the product will always be the same. Not so for subtraction and division, but that’s another story.

Nowadays, math is taught differently. Memorization of such facts is not encouraged, and in some cases, arriving at the correct answer isn’t even important, but high school graduates need solid math skills, whether headed to college, or to work, according to the National Mathematics Advisory Panel.

Why have teaching methods changed? I have my theories, and most of them center around the sales of text books to schools. When you teach facts–the very definition of which is always true; unchangeable–you need not buy new textbooks very often.

New math notwithstanding, memorization is still best when it comes to basic arithmetic skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of small numbers. And it’s that instantaneous knowledge of the interaction between small numbers that enables us to tackle the larger, more complex ones. Without command of the times tables, attempting to solve number problems will only lead students to discouragement, poor performance, and sometimes drop out, and even failure.

How many times in a day do we use these skills in real life? You balance your checkbook, measure a room, double a recipe, figure your miles per gallon, calculate cost comparisons while shopping, and more. Hot dogs come in packages of ten, and buns are sold in eight-packs. How do you deal with that to prevent someone from eating a bunless wiener? That may be funny, but the issue is serious.

Study after study shows the US lagging behind other countries in graduating scientists and engineers.

Basic arithmetic facts, such as sum and product number pairs are easily mastered by young children, and when they instinctively know the correct answers, they are rewarded with instant gratification, a sense of accomplishment, and the desire to continue learning. These are excellent qualities to foster in a child. They set the tone for future learning and future success.

A junior high science, robotics, and rocketry teacher at a Charter School in Arizona saw his students struggling with the math portion of his classes, the necessary calculations needed to determine rocket payload and trajectory, and traced the root of this problem to their lack of the basic math skills required. Determined to help these students, who otherwise had a bright future in a scientific field, he devised an audio CD to teach them the multiplication tables that they had not been taught, and soon, they were performing as expected in the science class.

Children who take a home-study course will find themselves far ahead of their classmates who may be struggling with math in school because they lack the proper foundation. And older students who missed gaining this knowledge at the elementary level will find it easier to solve more advanced math problems after using an additional tutorial program.

The news often reports how poorly American students perform in math and science when compared to other industrialized and emerging nations, proving that despite the sizeable cost we pay for education, our schools are not getting the job done. Parents must become involved and seek out supplementary tools if they expect their children to learn, and the areas most at risk are math, science, history, and critical thinking skills.
by Terry Lessig

Medieval education is about education that was conducted in the medieval period. Medieval education is seen as quite an unusual form of education. However, by the 15th century, there were options for a student to be educated further. Some schools even housed both genders, but this was during the day only. Children were taught their basics, such as how to read and write. This is because these were the basic requirements if they wanted to be accepted under apprenticeship in any guild. Medieval education also consisted of peasant children going to school. However, they made up a very small number. They were taught how to read and write, and also studied basic math. This education for peasants was usually conducted at a monastery. As part of medieval education, noble girls and even boys were sent to learn at nunneries. There, they would receive their basic education. The nuns taught these students how to read and write too. They would also teach them how to pray. Girls were additionally taught how to spin and do needlework amid other domestic skills. These were inculcated in order to prepare them for later life, as these were basic skills required when a woman got married. If a child took his or her education seriously at a monastery, he or she would have a monastic life. However, this was quite rare for an average townsman or peasant. Also, these individuals would be carefully selected for these ranks. If they were deemed suitable according to their demeanour, they would be brought up by the monks. Today, medieval education practices are still visible. The same monastery education students are given is a clear reflection of it. The education that children receive at missionary schools in various parts of the world also reflects similar forms of education. A major difference that is seen is the widespread existence of books. In medieval times, there were many schools that operated without the use of books. Students were taught by skilled masters, and were often educated for dubious benefits. The rich or others that did provide education in medieval times did so for their personal gain. There were very few that really wanted to educate people in the true spirit of enlightening more minds. As time has passed by, some aspects of medieval education have faded while others have remained. It can be argued that the aspects of medieval education that were useful for the purpose of education have remained. Regardless of some characteristics remaining, the overall process has changed a great deal. This is because education could not have the same face as it did hundreds of years ago. Today’s education is different from medieval education in so many ways. For example, you have the inclusion of group work and activity based learning. You also have the inclusion of computers for education in this modern age. No one in the medieval period would have ever contemplated the use of such items. Another important development to mention, and one that is used almost throughout the world is the Montessori method. This is something that did not exist in the medieval period, and it took many years for it to be popularized since Maria Montessori first used it. Indeed, the Montessori Method cannot be likened to any medieval method of education. It was developed independently as an innovative teaching method. In addition to the Montessori Method, there are other teaching areas today that have been developed without any medieval education influence. Though medieval education has provided the fundamentals for formal education, some people prefer to deny medieval education methods the credit it is given. They believe that the formal method of students being seated in classrooms would have developed later anyway, whether medieval education used this arrangement or not. This does make sense because it is unthinkable for any other arrangement to be used. It is further argued that it is more likely that this would have been the case in modern education because student interaction is encouraged. For better student interaction, a classroom of a suitable number of students would have been recommended. Regardless of these arguments, we still find many traces of medieval education in our modern setups today. For more about Medieval Education visit:

Jeremiah Deshazo is an 18-year-old senior who has dedicated his time to the Frederick Douglass High School Athletic Program while maintaining a ‘B’ average. During the earlier part of the year, I was made aware of Jeremiah’s living situation. Jeremiah had been living in a homeless shelter for 18 months. Jeremiah never told anyone about his living conditions until October, when a guidance counselor made a home visit after trying to get into contact with him. Jeremiah has been accepted to Tuskegee University as well as Alabama A&M. Jeremiah participated in football, wrestling and lacrosse. Jeremiah is also a member of the Student Government Association at Frederick Douglass High School. -Frederick Douglass athletic director, Tina Queen, on Jeremiah Deshazo.

When Jeremiah Deshazo walked acrosse the stage and accpeted his diploma for graduation from Frederick Douglass High School principal, Clark Montgomery, the crowd that crammed into the auditorium at Coppin State University — many of them, DeShazo’s student peers — erupted into screaming cheers and applause.

And none among the many were cheering louder than those whom Deshazo collectively calls “The Powerful Women In My Life.”

That group is comprised of Deshazo’s mother, Grace Deshazo — who raised her son as a single-parent since his father’s death when he was just 6 years old — and Deshazo’s three aunts, Alice and Rosetta Deshazo as well as Mary Mackel.

“My son, Jeremiah Deshazo, is a well-mannered, respected young man. He has worked very, very hard, and he’s a serious young man. And whatever he does, he puts his true heart into it, all the way. I’m very proud of him,” said Grace Deshazo, whose son, a star athlete in football, wrestling and lacrosse, is Baltimore City’s male winner of DigitalSports’ Applause Scholarship for the fall.

The DigitalSports Applause Scholarship is awarded in the amount of $500 toward the college education of an outstanding senior student-athlete who has exhibited great courage in overcoming adversity in order to make a positive contribution to his or her team.

DigitalSports awards six such Applause Scholarships over the course of every year — one each to the male and female from each of the Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Howard County territories covered by our media organization.

Similarly, one male from the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association, and one female from the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland will be honored during each of the three sports’ seasons on a yearly basis.

“My son has gone through a lot. At one time, we were homeless, and we lived in transitional housing. His sister, she was on life-support. He almost lost his sister. And just with me being a single-parent. His father died when he was 6, so I had to raise him on my own,” said Grace Deshazo.

“I couldn’t be there all of the time that I wanted to. I had a night-shift job for 10 and a half years. But through all of that, I always told my son, ‘work hard, study hard,’ and that’s what he did,” said Grace Deshazo. “Through all of this adversity, he had a goal, and a vision, and he’s working toward that, and I’m very proud of him.”

Alice Deshazo, who is deaf, said she tried to be an example to her nephew of how to overcome obstacles in his own life as she has in hers. “I’m profoundly deaf at this point. I’m a teacher here in Baltimore City. I’ve been teaching for almost 30 years. In the time that Jeremiah’s been in my life, I feel that the inspiration came when I was determined to be successful here in Baltimore City,” said Alice Deshazo.

“I’m tied into my family. I love my family. I’m there to support Jeremiah whenever needed. So that’s why I maintain myself in a hearing world with hearing people. I talk in sign language because I know that it will motivate others to communicate,” said Alice Deshazo.

“In Jeremiah’s life, he was really inspired by sign language but as he grew older, he found his own direction and his own path, and his own enthusiasm and desire to learn and to grow,” said Alice Deshazo. “As a teacher, I do recall a number of times just telling him that what he’s doing has to be better, and that his work has to be better,” said Alice Deshazo. “Jeremiah grew up without a natural father, so sometimes, the aunts and the uncles in the family played both roles for him.”

Mackel said “today, it just brought tears to my eyes just to see what he has accomplished.”

“With all of the odds that he has had to endure, he had the strength from within to accomplsh these things, and we are just so excited and proud of him,” Mackel said. “And we know that he is going to be great because he’s always had that, kind of like a twinkle in his eye and ambition to do better. We can see it, and we know that he will.”

Deshazo will attend the Alabama A&M University, where he will major in business administration and minor in economics.

“The single most important factor, and I don’t want to boast, but it’s maybe my perserverance. Things were tough, but I jusut tried to focus,” said DeShazo, who was also accepted to Tuskegee University. “I took some tough classes,” DeShazo said. “I’m not really that good at math, but everything else, I think I did pretty well, so I think it’s just perserverance.”

DeShazo said he will be on the campus of Alabama A&M for a tour on June 26, with plans to begin classes there on Aug. 9.

“I just want to say thank you for giving me this opportunity, and for the Applause Scholarship,” DeShazo said. “And I want to say, ‘yeah, Douglass, 2008.’”

by Lem Satterfield

One common problem that daunts most of the parents is the problem of their children doing poorly in math, particularly in lower grades. This is because for most of the young kids, abstract quantities, numerical figures and simple mathematical operations like addition, subtraction, division and multiplication can be difficult to learn. All these operations seem very easy to us but to a child these are very difficult as they are not familiar with all this.

Since small kids are not familiar with all the numerical functions and learning new things is always a bit more difficult. This difficulty in grasping mathematics can result in a loss of interest in math subject which is not what you will want as math is the most important subject. If you want your children to do well in mathematics then it is very important that your child builds a strong foundation and interest in this subject.

It is very important that the teachers use new and innovative ways like skill drills, math games and other teaching aids that make learning mathematics a happy experience for the little kids. Most of the children in third through fifth grades have difficulty with procedural operations, like long division and multi-digit multiplication; this is because these children are not clear with the use of multiplication tables which are the basis for these computations. They tend to become distracted from the procedures of multiplication and division because they are not clear with their knowledge of multiplication tables.

This is where a student starts finding math as a difficult subject and tends to loose interest in math. In order to avoid this difficulty it is very important that children are encouraged to write and learn tables in personalized format that makes learning fun and easy. And once a child learns the tables he gains the much needed confidence and expertise needed to solve most of the problems associated with multiplication and division. And learning math for kids can then be fun and easy.

EduwizardS has a huge list of highly educated and experienced math tutors that offer online tutoring in early grade mathematics to college mathematics. In addition to math tutors for general mathematics EduwizardS also has specialized geometry tutor and algebra tutor for all classes.

by Avinash

Math games help individuals conquer their fear of the said subject and properly understand and appreciate certain topics related to it. This source of education and entertainment comes in a number of forms and classifications.

Most people regard mathematics as a difficult and even a feared subject. And common images of looming complex formulas and large numbers make certain persons shy away from the said body of knowledge. But nevertheless, whether we like it or not, math is an integral part of our lives and we need to learn at least its basics and fundamentals. Hence, if you wish to study mathematics, but you are looking for a more fun and understandable way to absorb and digest its topics, what is a good way to get started?

A possible way to learn math is by acquiring one of the math games designed by experts in the said science. These are products that help you understand a specific mathematical concept and subsequently test your knowledge and skills on the said topic, all in an entertaining and a thought-provoking manner. Similar to other educational products, math games come in various forms. First are the traditional math books that consist mainly of games. Most of these math games have colorful images and easy-to-follow instructions and are available in different levels of difficulty. Puzzles and graphical quizzes are normally found within these books, and they usually contain an answer sheet found at their final pages that you can refer to after completing the games. Common sources of these math games are bookstores and libraries.

Apart from this, other math games come in the form of software copied onto a CD, which you can install and run in your computer. Similar to the aforesaid form of math games, these software applications normally have a colorful interface and have attractive images. However, these products may have audio and video, which further enhance the learning experience of users. For instance, when you click on a specific image or a possible answer, the software may produce entertaining sounds or display a video of a cartoon character. Another notable feature of these math game applications is that they can allow multiple players, so you can let your friend or family member play with you. In addition, there are also websites that have math games which you can play while you are online. Most of the time, these online games can be played for free, although some may require you to pay a particular amount before you can use them. These web-based games present the same features that are provided by software applications.

Moving on, once you have chosen the form of math game you want to play, you have to determine the field of mathematics you wish to learn. There are math games that cover the major fields of math such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and mathematical analysis. Other math games cover specific topics including trigonometry, calculus, and discrete mathematics. There are also math games that test your knowledge on the history of the said science as well as famous people who have contributed to its development. The best way to choose the right math game for you is by trying it out and deciding whether it is too easy or is to complex for you.

by Dave Text

What comes up for you when you hear the word “test”? I’ll never make it. I’m going to fail. I need to go to the nurse. These are typical responses we hear from students.

Over the years, young people develop certain attitudes about school. Their attitudes are made up not just of the actual experiences but also of everything they’ve thought about these experiences. Events they might have perceived as being unpleasant, like tests, get reinforced as negatives because they fall into the habit of thinking of them in negative terms.

The human brain listens to what it’s being told and forms itself accordingly. Every time we relive an unpleasant experience or think a negative thought, we’re strengthening the neural connections that lead to the “tests¨Care¨Cawful” conclusion. But what if a teen decides to replace that connection with a different one? One that says, “Tests are cool. I’m totally into them. I love the challenge.”

When teens are exploring their attitudes about school, we tell them whenever somebody says the word “test” they can yell, “C’mon! Gimme that test!” It’s fun - and it also changes the way they think about tests. By transforming their attitudes from “oh no, not a test” to “bring it on!” they’re rewiring their brains to welcome academic challenges instead of fearing them. Instead of being the passive victims of tests, they own the whole testing experience!

One time a school superintendent was visiting one of our programs. She was talking to one of the facilitators and casually mentioned the word “test” in conversation. She jumped when a dozen campers standing nearby shouted in unison, “Gimme that test!”

The Ownership key is where we come from when we talk academics. It’s easy for young people to slip into a passive role: “The teacher teaches; I just sit here and absorb.” By the time they hit their teen years, a lot of kids have switched to autopilot in school. The stuff they’re learning is inert because they’re barely interacting with it.

But something exciting happens when people reclaim ownership of their education. They rediscover the fun and challenge of learning. They become the captains of their own experience instead of being benchwarmers. Now they can direct where their education goes - and how far.

Taking ownership of their education means no more excuses, never playing the blame game again: “She made me do it.” “He’s not a good teacher.” “My study partner’s not good at math.” “This school’s lame.” Ownership is about taking 100% responsibility for everything that we do and where we are in life. Period.

When young people take back the responsibility for their academic performance, their energy levels automatically go up. You can see pride of ownership in a person’s eyes and read it in their posture. Just taking ownership gets them more engaged, more enthusiastic, more awake and more alert.

Program grad David Evans told us how the Ownership key helped him revive a sagging GPA: “I totally got how I could take command and harness my capabilities. The following school year I was sitting next to my friend in honors chemistry. We used to sit in class and we would spend most of the time cracking jokes and making fun of the teacher. I suddenly realized that my old behaviors wouldn’t fit into my new beliefs. I wanted to pay attention in class. I told my friend, and it really caught him off guard, but that didn’t stop me. From that moment on, there was no looking back for me.”

One of the signs campers read on our walls says, “I Am Responsible for What I Create.” Once they realize they’re in charge, they’re on their way to greatness. When they couple ownership with a can-do attitude and some nuts-and-bolts learning skills, they’re an unstoppable express train to success!

by Jim Hartley

Do you have a desire to move to Mexico but are just not sure what to do for schooling your children? The questions keep coming to you . . . . Is the schooling any good? Does anybody speak English? How much does it cost? How do we find out what schools are available to us? What do they do in the school? Will my kids fit in? Is Mexico even safe for the kids? I know the questions because my husband and I had them all too! We are Canadians who have lived in Mexico with our son and daughter for seven years now. We spent one year in Puerto Vallarta and the rest in Playa del Carmen. Our kids are now 15 and 17; they started their Mexican experience in Grades 3 and 6 and this year our daughter graduates! I will endeavor to give you the best of my knowledge on the subject of educating your kids in Mexico. It has certainly proved to be an interesting experience for our family. First, if you put your children in the school system here, I recommend a bilingual private school that you will pay for. How much will you pay? We will break it down: Every year you pay an inscription fee which will vary between $4,500 pesos and $7,000 per child (approximately $450 - $700 USD). Then you pay the monthly school fee ($300 - $550 USD/month). You will also pay for their uniforms, books and miscellaneous school supplies. To enroll your children for the very first time, they must take an entrance exam which is a cost of approximately $30 USD. Every time you change schools they must take a new entrance exam with the new school. Parents are often told that their children should be placed a year behind their current grade level. We decided it was important to keep our children at their current grade level and it worked out fine. It is up to the parent to refuse this if you deem it unnecessary. Kids enter school at different ages here so it seems a 2 or sometimes 3 year spread between students in any given grade is not unusual. If your children are at as high school level, sometimes the school has a mandatory anti-doping test that you will need to pay for. It seems to upset many parents but personally I have no problem with this. If any kids have chosen this path, I think it is best they are identified and hopefully helped. It is something a parent could miss; let’s face it, hormonal teenage mood swings alone are confusing. Children in primary grades are usually taught for half a day in Spanish and half a day in English. When they get to the high school level they will get some subjects in English and some in Spanish. Be advised that often the teachers teaching in Spanish do not know English. This can be a huge challenge when our kids do not yet know much Spanish. In Puerto Vallarta they pulled our kids out of their Spanish classes and gave them Spanish tutoring at that time. I have not yet heard of a school willing or able to do that in Playa del Carmen. My suggestion is that you work with the school to help make this happen even if you hire a tutor to come in. Discuss a plan before you enroll them and make sure it is acceptable to you all. To speed the process our first year in Mexico, we also hired a tutor who came to our house 3 evenings a week. Often kids can also get by with a classmate who is bilingual. Our kids have played translator many times. The private schools in Mexico provide a good, basic level of education. You may however choose to supplement the level of English grammar, reading and writing they receive as the English is not always at the grade level of their Canadian or US counterparts (I believe this is due to the fact that English is the second language here). Let’s face it though; school is really only a part of a child’s education. We as parents fill in the gaps and the experience of living in Mexico will be the further education. By choosing to live in Mexico, I feel our children’s education has become broader and more expansive. They have not only been immersed in a second language but a new culture and new community as well. That experience is something you just cannot get in book learning. What else? The schools tend to be well maintained as that is where part of the tuition goes. The teachers are usually well educated but usually not paid well. Often the schools have their own pool and swim classes are a part of any given day. Is Mexico safe? Come for a visit and get a feel for yourself. I have not once felt unsafe in our Mexican community. The schools by the way, usually have a fence or wall around the grounds with specific rules for entering and exiting as well as a guard posted at the entrance to monitor the activity of all comings and goings. How do you find the schools in any given area of Mexico? That is a very good question. They do have computer classes for the kids, but do not appear to have learned the value of the internet for marketing their schools as of yet. My suggestion would be to try and find a contact in the area that you are interested in and find out from them. Of course Playa Maya News already has all the options listed for this area! There is always the option of homeschooling and its different derivatives. Please be aware that homeschooling is not recognized in Mexico so if you later decide to put your children in a traditional school here you may have a challenge. A way around this is to have access to some form of official certification for their grade level. Also some Canadian and US schools have a long distance learning program where you can mail or email assignments back and forth. Another option could be to try an internet schooling program. If you are thinking of enrolling your children in a Mexican school, check with any schools that interest you in advance so that you know the documentation to bring. Usually you will need their birth certificate, passport, certified grades and grade levels completed, a note of good conduct from their last principal, and their vaccination documents. This will be a lot of change for you and your children, so here are my recommendations to hopefully help facilitate the adjustment. Plan as much family time as possible, eat dinner together if possible, try to keep similar routines or create new ones, keep the lines of communication open, ask them about their day, listen a lot, let them keep in contact with old friends as much as possible, hire a Spanish tutor if needed, encourage them to invite new friends over and offer lots of hugs. It took our children a full year to adjust. If I had not been determined that this move was for the best for all of us - we would currently be living back in Canada never having made it that first year. Now our children feel more at home here than in Canada and in fact our daughter has chosen to go to University right here in Mexico. Enjoy the Adventure!

by Suzanne Marie Bandick

Math is a subject you either love or hate it seems. For those of you who love math and excel at it, it is your turn to be rewarded for what you do best. There are many scholarships available for math majors nationally and through state universities.

Several scholarships are linked directly to a student’s performance on both the PSAT and SAT. The National Merit Scholarship program offers scholarships based on PSAT performance. Many colleges offer applicants’ scholarships based on high SAT performance. For example, one general requirement of a Benjamin Rush scholarship at Dickinson College, a colonial college located in rural Pennsylvania, is a combined SAT score of 1350 or greater. This scholarship provides qualifying students with $12,500 per year. Contact the financial aid office of the colleges you are interested in attending to determine what scholarships are offered to high-performing students.

Here are just a few National Scholarships Available:

* The Davidson Fellows Scholarship awards $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000 scholarships to extraordinary young people under the age of 18 who have completed a significant piece of work. Application categories are Mathematics, Science, Literature, Music, Technology, Philosophy and Outside the Box. Davidson Fellows are honored every year in Washington, D.C. with Congressional meetings and a reception at the Library of Congress.

* The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Fellowship Program is intended for students interested in pursuing the basic science and technology innovations that can be applied to the DHS mission. This education program is intended to ensure a highly talented science and technology community to achieve the DHS mission and objectives. Eligible students must be studying in a homeland security related science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

* Science Talent Institute -Each spring, 40 finalists are selected from a nationwide pool of thousands to attend the week-long Science Talent Institute in Washington, D.C. There, students have the opportunity to present their research projects to the general public and members of the scientific community at the National Academy of Sciences, meet with distinguished government leaders and participate in a rigorous judging process. Over $1 million is awarded annually to Intel STS participants and their schools. Awards range from $5,000 scholarship grants and laptop computers for all finalists to the grand prize of a $100,000 college scholarship.

* MATHCOUNTS, a national math competition, is open to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. Participants are eligible to compete for college scholarships. The National Science Foundation is one widely recognized source of scholarships for qualifying students. Through their Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM), talented students can qualify for up to $10,000 per academic year.

* Raytheon is offering several scholarships to middle school, high school, and undergraduate students as well as grants to math teachers and volunteers. Middle and High School students can earn $1000 scholarships and an additional $1000 for their school by answering questions related to their enthusiasm for mathematics and their own math programs. Undergraduates can earn $900 scholarships renewable for up to 6 semesters ($5400 total).

* The Siemens Westinghouse Competition is a leading research-based science and math competition for high school students. The competition awards college scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $100,000. Students may enter as individuals or as members of a team. chance at admission to certain colleges and universities. New York University has consistently offered four-year scholarships to finalists of the Intel Science Talent Search who otherwise meet their admission criteria. If you plan to attend your state’s university, check with them regarding math related and math oriented scholarships. It is most likely they will have something available.

For those of you who are interested in teaching math, scholarships are available for that as well. Math for America administers The Newton Fellowship Program, which trains individuals with exceptional math abilities to become high school math teachers. A five-year teaching commitment is rewarded with $90,000 (in addition to a teaching salary) and a scholarship covering full tuition to obtain an M.Ed. While this route might be unconventional for some, the $90,000 incentive could be used to pay off any student loans an undergraduate math student acquired during college.

Whatever your specialty or however you may apply your math skills, it is most likely there is funding in the form of scholarships available for you.

by Evelyn Saunders

In the majority of homeschool families, one parent stays at home to teach the children. This can make saving money on your children’s curriculum without sacrificing the quality of their education of the uppermost importance. Homeschooling can be an expensive adventure but it doesn’t have to be. If one does their research and is willing to take some time to plan and put together a curriculum it can be very cheap compared to purchasing a “packaged” curriculum. Putting together and eclectic curriculum in this manner can also benefit your child as each child has their own unique learning style. You may find when you purchase a ready made curriculum that the language arts works well with your child and the math does not.

Where To Start?

The first question a parent usually has when deciding to put a curriculum together on their own is “What should my child be learning for their particular age?” World Book’s Typical Course of Study  Also, try visiting the website for the education department in your state. This can be another great resource. They usually list the state standards in detail. A visit to the library should also yield books on the subject of what your child should know at a particular age.

Where Do I Get The Lesson Plans?

The second question is usually. Where do I get all the curriculum or lesson plans cheap or free? There are many places to get textbooks and lesson plans cheap or even free.

The Internet

One of the best sources for this endeavor is the Internet. Start with a search for “used textbooks” or “used curriculum” and you will find many sites where other homeschool families list the books they no longer use for sale. Another great resource is Ebay and other auction sites like them. Next, try a search for “free lesson plans” and you will find that there are literally thousands of them available. When you’re focusing on a particular subject simply refine your search to include the subject you are interested in. Don’t forget about unit studies. There are several sites that sell unit studies for relatively cheap and some that offer them for free.

The Library

Obviously, it would be a little difficult to find textbooks at the library that one could keep all year long. But, the library is a great source for reference books when you’re studying a particular subject and don’t forget about all the classic novels your child will read throughout the years.

A Little Help From My Friends

Some of your most important resources can be family and friends. Do you know someone else that is homeschooling? Would they be willing to sell or lend you books they no longer use? Encyclopedias, reference books and classic novels your local library doesn’t carry can make great gifts for your children or family.

Support Groups

Local homeschool support groups are great for many reasons and they sometimes have a book swap program.

Other Places

How about your local school district? They sometimes sell textbooks they are no longer using.

Putting It All Together

By now your head should be spinning with all the possibilities. I know your itching to get started but remember, focus and a plan are the keys to doing this successfully. You can become overwhelmed very easily with all the great resources out there.

Make sure there’s ink in your printer and start with a plan. Decide what your child should learn for that particular year. Start with one subject at a time when you do this plan. Write it all down and develop a plan of study.  Once you are satisfied with your plan of study, search the Internet for lesson plans and curriculum, work on one subject at a time. Remember, you don’t necessarily have to plan an entire year before the school year starts. You can plan a few months at a time and work on the rest as the school year continues. This can be a preferred method as plans tend to change throughout the year.

The most important thing to remember is that homeschooling should be a fun and rewarding experience for you and your children. So most of all, relax and have fun!

by Kimberly Treptow

As a parent who has chosen homeschooling as the best educational option for your child, online curriculum resources can be an important component of your children’s education. If you have an Internet connection and consistent access to a computer, there are many online tools that will help you provide your child with the skills they need. An online homeschool curriculum can work to supplement your own individualized curriculum, and can also provide a complete learning solution for a variety of subjects. While homeschooling can sometimes feel like a lonely endeavor, online homeschooling resources provide plenty of ways to feel connected.

In order to work with these resources effectively, you should have a clear role in mind for using online curriculum resources. If they are a secondary tool, it’s a great place to find reading materials, individual activities, or worksheets which can be downloaded directly from a website. Often, a variety of sample materials will be available, which gives you the opportunity to review the material first. If you like the material, you will then have the ability to place an additional order.

However, online homeschooling curriculum has evolved and can be a much more sophisticated tool than just providing worksheets. Your child can attend an online school, plug into specific courses, and complete learning modules and activities at their own pace. This option can be a better choice if you would like to spend less time planning their lessons, or if you have specific learning outcomes that may be easier met by a more structured curriculum, such as higher level math skills, or practicing a foreign language.

Before purchasing a curriculum, it’s a good idea to spend sometime looking at homeschool curriculum reviews. You can find many review sites online, and in addition to finding reviews on particular programs you are already interested in, you will also find up-to-date reviews on a variety on new programs as well. You will also find helpful tips and techniques from other parents. If you do a search online for ‘homeschool curriculum review,’ you are sure to find plenty of choices available.

Online homeschool curriculum programs can play a an important primary or a secondary role in your children’s education. The internet is a vast learning resource, and it shouldn’t be neglected as a valuable tool for homeschooling. With its ease of use, and adaptability, there is room for online
resources in any educational plan.

by Amy Wells