Archive for the ‘Education for Homeschooling’ Category
Mistacres School uses a multitude of programs and sites to give them the flexibility necessary to individualize programs for their students and schools. Although we are located in New Hampshire,we serve children from around the United States as well as internationally. We must select material which will meet core standards for all.
For this reason, we have selected the Core Knowledge Sequence as our foundation for building student programs. Core Knowledge offers a coherent, cummulative, well-balanced curriculum allowing for academic excellence for all learners.
We know success in learning new information depends on previous experiences and teachings. Although information is ever-changing, there is a foundation of information that remains consistant which students need to understand to be academically successful. Core Knowledge has identified these fundamental building blocks and sequenced them in a manner which provides a coherent approach to building a knowledge base.
Mistacres chose to use Core Knowledge based on current evidence showing that “it fosters excellence by improving student performance, boosting enthusiasm, and laying the groundwork for future learning.” (Core Knowledge Foundation)
Another reason for selecting Core Knowledge as our foundation is that it not only aligns with the Frameworks for all American schools but, because it introduces academic subjects and rich content in the early years, it also fulfills the international requirements.
Core Knowledge has outlined the curriculum and Mistacres has taken that and developed materials to help individualize and implement it. To further investigate this curriculum, explore the coreknowledge.org website.
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One of the most frequent questions asked at Mistacres School is regarding the “lack of social interaction” with a virtual school. Those watching the trends of students today will tell you schools are no longer the primary place for socialization. Technology is.
One parent brought up the difficulty that children have in dealing with peer pressures. They want to “belong” and so will succumb to the negative demands. So how do they rise above these pressures? Well, I asked my 14 year old niece to tell me what she thought. I share this now with you.
“First of all, from my experience, the “cool” crowd doesn’t make success. If you’re smart than okay thats fine whatever, occasionally you’ll â¨get the ‘ Hey!! lemme copy off a ya!!’ thing, but that’s more annoying than anything else (although it probably differs from one place to another.)”
I want to share with you some quotes from inspired people in history and literature. These quotes have made me happy and given me something to think about. They have led me to decide to provide online education to children. I hope you will enjoy them as well.
This weeks quotes come from students who were involved in Project 
Tomorrow’s Speak-up. They refer to technology as it refers to learning.
“By using new technology in our schools kids will be able to participate more and will be more interested in school. Grades can increase if the teachers provide lessons in the form of powerpoints, student’s can review the lessons and be better prepared for tests and quizzes. By allowing students to use technology in school you are giving them the ability to perform in an environment that they are well adjusted to.”
– , Space Center Intermediate, TX
“Technology use is important to me because it’s more interactive than just learning straight out of the book and doing outlines! >:( And then having a test/quiz the next day the outline is due!”
– , CLEAR LAKE INTERMEDIATE, TX
We can have an amazing imagination. Most of the things that you want us to learn we don’t want to do. Were not lazy or trying to rebel, but its all boring. Put some creativity in the subjects we learn and make it fun.”
– 10th Grade Boy, JEFFERSON WEST HIGH, KS
Whether your child goes to a traditional school or is homeschooled through a virtual program, summer reading is critical to continuing reading growth. “Find a Book” developed by Metametrics is a free online book search which you and your child can use to develop his or her own reading list based on their Lexile level and their topics of interest.
Using the “Find a Book” is simple and, once your child learns how to use it, this will become one of their most used bookmarks. Just follow these simple steps
Go to www.lexile.com/findabook 
“Find a Book” has built in links to WorldCat which allows you to check the books availability at your local publi library. It also links to Barnes & Nobel.com which has joined Metametrics by Lexiling their books.
Many libraries also have reading incentive programs. Call you local library to find out how to join. Reading IS the key to success. Lexile helps them be successful in their reading. And isn’t success what it should all be about?!
An Exploration of At-Risk Learners and Online Education
posted by admin @ 8:00 AM
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) recently released a research paper entitled “An Exploration of At-Risk Learners and Online Education”. There have been many claims that online education is successful at supporting students identified as “at risk” or having Learning Disabilities. This research was done to prove or disprove these claims.
The report is broken down into two sections: “Strategies for Working with At-Risk Student Populations in Online Environments” which presents and discusses various online programs that are successfully supporting “at risk” students; and “Trends and Instructional Practices for Teaching At-Risk Students in Virtual Courses” which surveys online schools to better understand the delivery and design methods being used to support these students.
President and CEO of iNACOL reports; “Blended and online learning programs are offering new student-centered school models for a diverse group of kids who are looking for more options. This report highlights how online education is providing solutions to help remediate and accelerate “at-risk” learners and meet their individualized needs. I believe this report is a must-read for education leaders and practitioners to think differently about innovative interventions through online and blended learning for addressing a wide range of student needs, providing guidance, and helping to change the landscape of education for all learners.”
I would go on to say that it is a “must read” for parents who may or may not have an “at risk” child but who wants to be more involved in their child’s education. If, in fact, online education can have such positive results with these children, then what could it do for the gifted or “normal” children. And aren’t all children entitled to have their individualized needs met?
Source: International Association for K-12 Online Learning
I want to share with you some quotes from from students who were involved in Project Tomorrow’s Speak-up. They refer to assessment as it refers to learning. They continue to encourage me to provide online education to children. I hope you will enjoy them as well.
“Technology is important because you can share ideas with people online, and you can also get help from many different websites. Also, there are many games or quizes you can play online to practice.”
– 8th Grade Girl, WEAVER HIGH SCHOOL, AL
“Get online tutors and play educational games, and find different kinds of websites and do like tests and quizes. technology is important to me because it makes things in life 10 times easier for everyone.”
– 10th Grade Girl, DIGITAL HARBOR HIGH SCHOOL, MD
“I need technology to help myself understand lessons. Educational games will help me better understand the lesson, and online tutors will help me if i still dont understand. i can also check myself w/online tests and quizzes.”
– 8th Grade Boy, LAFAYETTE TWP., NJ
Traditional education methods of the last 200 are being questioned and seen as out-dated.
The internet and all it has to offer, access to bulging libraries, boundless sporting and social extra-curricular activities are making home-schooling more and more attractive to parents. The home-schooled child no longer need suffer any disadvantage from the traditionally schooled child. They are able to receive all, if not more, educational activities offered by the public schools as well as the social activities offered. Once again parents are choosing to be more involved in their children’s upbringing and educational process. In fact, with the social, budgetary, academic and safety issues facing the public schools now, many parents are demanding the right to provide their children with an individual, high quaility education necessary for a healthy, well-adjusted transition into adulthood.
Demands on the public schools continue to increase faster then they are able keep up. This is particularly true in the area of social responsibility. Many, but not all children, learn the literacy and numeracy basics but often lack primary social skills. Today’s children have few manners or, what we called, social graces and are often unresponsive or resentful to educators. As they progress through the traditional classrooms they become more disinterest in traditional teaching. This is especially true with our students who are raised with technology everywhere around them. The traditional methods turn them off, shut them down and they ‘slip through the cracks’.
Home-schooling may be the answer for these children. Parents would have the opportunity to be more closely involved with the child’s educational requirements while instilling moral, social and ethical values. Pehaps this would be the answer to a lost generation of children who are suffering from an education system that does not meet their needs.
As more parents have careers that allow them to work from home, home-schooling their children becomes realistic and advantageous alternative to traditional schooling.
The industrial revolution moved families off the farm and into the modern world. “This change meant children stopped spending all day with their parents and began being educated in the public schools. Skills and knowledge that were once quintessential to life slowly disappeared. Educators insisted that their knowledge was paramount. A definite but debatable repercussion of this new education philosophy was the breakdown of the family unit.”
During the 1800′s and 1900′s, education and educators evolved into a powerful source of education for our children. It is not suprising that it has been a mixed bag of results for our children, some good and some not.
Now change is again occuring, parents are returning to their homes to work. Technology has made it possible for parents to make a good income at home. They are also better able to support and educate their children. Traditional education methods of the last 200 years are being questioned and seen as out-dated.
Traditional or Home-Schooling – What are the Differences: Part 2
posted by admin @ 8:00 AM
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Yesterday we discussed the changing views regarding homeschooling and posed some questions about whether it could be right or not for your child.
In previous years, home schooling was often used by families of children confronted by circumstances that made it not possible for them to attend a traditional school. My son had many social problems when he transferred into a small local school. I removed him for a semester and my mother home schooled him. He was able to become a more focused and motivated learner, able to make up and advance beyond his class, and allowed first hand experiences through a variety of field trips. However, I was of the age where I felt he should “socialize” with his classmates and I felt guilty of handing this responsibility over to my mother. I put him back into the traditional school, a mistake that I regret to this day.
Are there advantages that can come out of home schooling?
- Being taught as an individual – at their pace, at their levels, addressing their specific needs,
- Having the instructor available when they need them,
- Not being compared to or competing against other students,
- Using materials that fit his individual learning style(s) and needs,
- Having more flexibility to study at their optimal times,
- Taking advantage of area-wide cultural activities,
- Promoting and supporting positive, healthy self-esteem.
- Creating a motivated life-long learner.
These seem like fairly good reasons to me!
Traditional or Home-Schooling – What are the Differences: Part 1
posted by admin @ 8:00 AM
Monday, June 14, 2010
To home school or not to home school has been a on-going question for many years. The effectiveness of home schooling has also been under a microscope for just as long. Recently, however, its popularity has increased as more more and more people support
this form of schooling.
For years, home schooling has been viewed negatively. People assumed it was for religious reasons, the social “misfits”, weirdos, educational challenged and trouble makers.
Today people are more open to home schooling their children. A growing number of parents are deciding to use some form of home study program for their children.
There are numberous reasons why this trend is gaining popularity. But what are they? What are the advantages and disadvantages of home schooling? How do you know if home schooling right for you and your child?