If you have chosen to homeschool your child you may be curious as to the possible benefits of incorporating educational software or some custom software into your child’s curriculum. Is it really beneficial? How do you know which programs to use? Do educational software programs replace teaching?

If you are homeschooling, you are obviously very concerned with your child’s progress. You may ask “will using this software help or hinder my child’s learning?”

HOW EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE CAN HELP HOME SCHOOLERS

Taking on the responsibility of educating your children without the support of a staff of teachers is admirable but home schoolers can find the burden to engage children and provide stimulating lessons difficult at times.

New educational software programs help parents with their efforts to provide quality education while also offering children a rich and entertaining medium to learn skills and acquire knowledge related to their curriculum.

Children find learning easier when they can be drawn into the experience. Good teachers know how to bring a subject to life for their students which helps children retain the information. Games, stories and other educational software provide the excitement and interaction children are attracted to while improving skills such as reading and math and building on their knowledge of history, science or geography.

Many programs also give feedback to the child, helping him or her build on previous experience or knowledge while also developing a sense of pride in accomplishment.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE

Not all educational software is created equal. Cute animations and popular characters will not build your child’s skills or even hold their attention if they do not teach or challenge your child.

Most software for children will give an age or grade reference that can be used as a guide for finding suitable topics and are appropriately challenging for your child. Review the contents to determine if the curriculum is too basic for your child since every child learns at a different speed.

Games often have different levels to customize your child’s experience to their level of play. Games may adapt themselves based on your child’s performance or levels can be selected by the child for each game. Some programs offer an overview of the progress your child has made; showing which steps have been completed and which are still to be done.

EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE HAS ITS PLACE

Educational software is a great compliment to the home schooling curriculum. It is especially helpful in providing an engaging format for practicing skills such as reading and math or building knowledge of science or geography. It does not, however, substitute for the attention and teaching of basic skills by an interested teacher.

Once basic skills are learned, games and interactive books can offer your child a forum to build their skill levels or delve deeper into a topic of interest. For younger children, these programs can introduce shapes, letters, numbers and teach useful computer skills. Playing these games with their parents compliments a balanced learning environment.

My son Blake loves to go to the skate park.  The local skateboard park, We’re Board, (clever name)  offers two days a month where they open their doors just to homeschoolers.  They give us a discounted rate and it is free to rent a skateboard, helmet, elbow, and knee pads.  They allow parents to leave if the child is 10.  This is great because it allows me to run a few errands with only two kids in tow.

Blake enjoys the skateboard ramps the best and is always anxious to show me what he has learned when I pick him up.  The thing I like the best is that he can skate in a Christian environment.  We are very blessed to live in a community that enjoys helping out homeschoolers.  Thank you We’re Board!!

Are you feeling cramped? Do you wish your children could have their own space or have an extra room just for homeschooling, but can’t afford to move or add on?  Here’s the alternative - steel buildings.

Most families think of out buildings as storage for tools, lawnmowers, and other outdoor supplies.  However, you can easliy create more space for your kiddos, band, or homeschool with a steel out building.  To make it usable year round, you would need to wire it for electricity and heat and cool the space with permanent or moveable means.

The best news about a steel building is it is more affordable than adding on or buying a bigger home.

There will be times during your homeschooling life where your child will not want to do lessons or undertake any form of study at all. Just as in school life, motivating students to learn can be a laborious task. Although there is no pressure in homeschooling to ‘knuckle down’ as one would expect in a traditional school setting, there comes a point where attention must turn to matters concerning learning and education.

If your child is struggling with wanting to learn, find out if there are any concerns. Has a bad school experience scared him and the thought of books and pens brings back painful memories? A period of unschooling, where a more unstructured approach is taken, may be needed. Is your child lonely? Look for other homeschooling families to socialize with. Is the homeschooling curriculum and method not working? Adapt it based on your child’s learning style and personality. Does your child have issues around homeschooling itself? Explain your reasons why you feel homeschooling is best and promise to address any issues within that.

For the older student, in addition to the above, it is essential that he or she thinks of the bigger picture. It would do the child no harm to picture where he sees himself in 5-10 years time. The better quality of life, standard of living and finance will come only as a result of motivating himself to learn and study.

Once it comes to the actual work itself teach your children some ways to make learning easier. First, set goals that are small and attainable. Break down a big project into bite sized pieces. Write the tasks down and check them off as they are completed. This will make them feel as if they are making progress.

Second, don’t get stressed. Remind them that they should ask you for help or look for help from other sources if they get stuck. Look up information on the internet, team up with other homeschooling families or friends who are doing the same or similar projects for inspiration and motivation.

Third, after a certain goal is met or task is completed, encourage them to reward themselves by taking a break or beginning something that they enjoy.

Fourth, keep away from distractions. Chose a quiet room in the house. However, some youngsters cannot concentrate if it is too silent, therefore some background music becomes necessary. As homeschoolers, they can have the freedom to choose where they learn. It could be outdoors, in the library, with another family or in a community setting. Just being in another environment can trigger learning.

Do you know someone who is working or involved in your area of interest? Make some inquiries. Homeschooling groups are excellent for making these kinds of connections. A more hands on approach may be just the thing to spark their desire to study again.

There is nothing more special than to hang a Thanksgiving wreath on your front door. It is inviting as well as pleasing to the eye. For this Thanksgiving, why not involve your entire family in the craft of making a Thanksgiving wreath? Here are some suggestions.

Having ventured out to various stores, Thanksgiving items are already being displayed. One store had a beautiful wreath made of grapevine with fall-colored leaves attached. Although the leaves were plastic, it was a simple, yet elegant wreath. The more one looked at it, the more it seemed it could be spruced up by adding additional items such as berries, nuts, or perhaps a small pumpkin in the center.

Another wreath was quite impressive. This one used the basic grapevine, but the leaves were freshly picked and dried, then glued to the vine. In addition, there were feathers and beautiful red and green checked fabric which was used to tie berry branches to the vine as well.

One wreath that was quite unique was made out of a large 8-1/2×11 picture frame. The leaves covered the outer part of the frame with berries and nuts placed within the leaves. The center, however, was the focal point of the wreath. A picture of a family with small text indicating three things they were thankful for on this special day.

Thanksgiving, after all, is a day of giving thanks and signifying not only the beauty of the holiday but one’s sentiments as well. A Thanksgiving wreath is not only a lovely way to express the holiday’s meaning, but a gift to share with family, friends, and neighbors as well.

There are so many different wreaths one can creatively and ingeniously make to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. Your local craft store has all of the items you need to create a wreath unlike any other. Remember to take pictures for your scrapbook as well. If the Thanksgiving craft in wreath-making has been a tradition in your home for years, then every picture taken is a reminder of how much love and attention you have given in designing a special wreath for your family.

At a time when world events seem to invade our daily lives, this year it is especially important to show not only how thankful we are for all we have, but show our thanks for the freedom we enjoy every day. Perhaps a wreath with a teddy bear dressed in red, white and blue may be appropriate at this time.