Despite being a viable alternative to traditional classroom setting, there are still some people who feel that Homeschooling is not for everyone. Like many things, this new system of education has its disadvantages. Here are some of them.

1. When you decide to put your kids to homeschooling, you have to be prepared to spend all day with your children for several days. With homeschooling, you have to be their teacher. You have to be there to supervise their lessons and even check on their progress. You also have to think of activities and make worksheets. This is why most parents would leave work to go fulltime in teaching their kids.

2. Deciding on homeschooling will mean that you have to go against the norm. Be prepared to be grilled by other parents. You should also be prepared to find some difficulties when you do decide to put your kid back to mainstream. Adjustment will be hard as they will not be used to the environment that traditional education has.

3. Spending 24 hours of the day with your child and being their teacher is no joke. At the beginning, you really have to be patient with your child as he or she will not always understand the lesson as fast or as easily as you want. Do not lose your temper because this will only make matters worst. Remember that it is just normal for your kid to be behind in some subjects or to take a longer time understanding lessons.

4. Most would think that a homeschooling education is cheaper. This is not the case. Although you are not paying for any tuition fee, you have to shell out money for the materials that you will be using. Also, a parent may need to quit his or her job to become a full-time teacher. This can pose a problem in the finances especially if both incomes are needed to make both ends meet.

5. Being a teacher is not an easy task. Not only will you have to patient with your child but you also have to put an enthusiastic appearance even when you are not really in the mood to teach them their lessons. It is important that you make the lesson appear fun and interesting for them so that they will be interested to learn. When they see you bored stiff, they will also follow suit, making your task of teaching them all the more difficult.

Homeschooling has become really popular these past years especially with children who are tired of the old school routine. With homeschooling, students enjoy greater freedom, flexibility and dynamism. Still, there are some that do not feel that the homeschooling program is for everyone. Some believe that not all children can benefit from the program and that specific groups of children are the only ones who can get the most out of homeschool.

Below are some of the arguments against the homeschool program. Read on and consider each before making a decision.

A question of time

Homeschool may provide greater flexibility on time for the kids but it will eat up a lot of the free time that parents have. This is because, most parents are also the teachers of homeschooling children. Ideally, one parent should remain at home and teach the child but this cannot work with moms and dads who have careers of their own.

With the worksheets and teaching that one has to do, home schooling can be really time consuming. It is best that parents first take a look at their schedules before putting their children to homeschool.

A question of money

Most would think that homeschooling is cheaper. In terms of materials and actual lessons, it is much cheaper but remember that with this educational program, one partner will often have to forgo work and go fulltime in teaching the child. This can be a huge sacrifice for the family especially if both incomes are needed to pay the bills.

A question of social interaction

One of the things that many feel puts the homeschooling program to a disadvantage is the fact that studying inside the home de-emphasizes social interaction, which children also need in order to function well in the real world. This is especially essential with children who are at the stage when they are still developing their social skills and are just beginning to communicate.

They need the presence of other children to develop their emotional maturity. Being closeted at home with only their siblings and their parents to talk to may result in a too-sheltered personality that may not be able to cope with the pressures of real life.

A question of norms

Despite being really popular, homeschooling remains to be an alternative to traditional schooling. This means that there are some institutions that still have doubts on the effectiveness of the system. This can pose a problem when parents decide to enroll their kids to mainstream schools.

My son was home schooled from 4th through 12th grade. As part of his education, his father and I wanted to teach him about the importance of character development.

I visited some home school curriculum fairs and there was little available about character development. What did exist was often part of a scouting type of program, including such things as camping, crafts, sports and cooking. That wasn't what necessarily our focus, so I set about creating something useful for our family. What resulted was both fun and educational for us all.

First, I wrote a list of character traits I thought were important. Next, I checked the Bible, some sources of great literature, and some biographical works about famous and great individuals in history, to see which character traits they possessed. Finally, I searched for local field trips available, games we might create or play, art projects, etc. that might have anything to do with developing character. Our program, instead of being a scouting type of study in character, became more of a Bible study and study of historical figures.

These are some of the character traits I felt were important:

Caring
Committed
Compassionate
Competent
Confident
Considerate
Dependable
Fair
Faithful
Friendly
Hard-working
Honest
Loyal
Patient
Peaceful
Prompt
Respectful
Responsible
Self-controlled
Sensitive
Sincere
Tactful
Thorough
Thoughtful
Tolerant
Truthful
Understanding

Each week, our study focused on a specific character trait. On Monday, my son would define the trait of the week. On Tuesday, he searched the Scriptures to see what he could find about that particular trait. Wednesdays focused on the teachings of Jesus, things Jesus might have said or parables he used pointing to that trait. On Thursday, great men and women in history were studied to find out which ones exhibited the trait being studied. Additionally, my son wrote a short paragraph about individuals he observed in our community who had exhibited our trait of the week. He would also wrote about how he had exhibited or practiced that trait, or he would create a plan to try to do something showing that he possessed that trait.

Our Fridays almost always consisted of just two things - tests and fun. First, we would test on progress on all of his academic subjects. Then we'd embark on some fun - creating our own games, making trips to museums and art galleries, bowling, roller skating or whatever, as we searched for ways to recognize and reinforce our character trait study.

Not surprisingly, my son was soon searching for the goodness in those around him and pointing out when those around him showed compassion, self-control, honesty and such.

It has been years since we followed this study, but my son still judges people on these important traits, rather than on their outward appearances. And he still works each day to see how he can continue to develop into a man of strength and wisdom.

Reading is one of the most basic subjects that a child should take up during the early years of development. This subject is therefore important in creating a homeschooling program for your child. A good reading program for homeschool is crucial in developing your child’s mental ability and school performance.

The flexibility in schedule and flow that homeschools offer provide a lot of benefits for children. Compared to the traditional setting, a homeschool program can tailor-fit the lessons according to the abilities and knowledge of the child. For instance, with a reading program a homeschool teacher or a parent can skip lessons that the child has already mastered like the alphabet and concentrate on aspects that the child has not yet fully learned.

Another advantage that a homeschool reading program provide is the fact that students can learn at their own pace without worrying about being left behind in the class or keeping up with the pace of others. One must remember that in a lesson plan, there are sections that will be easier to learn for some children but more difficult for the others.

Another aspect of a homeschool reading program that parents should incorporate into theirs is relating the lessons with practical activities and experiences in daily life. This means that learning should not only consist of reading books and reciting phonetics but should also involve practical and situational experiences such as talking to people, selling an idea, asking questions, and even reasoning or arguing.

One can also incorporate reading of dialogues with the use of different voices and intonations. Kids will not only learn from this activity, they will also have fun.

One of the disadvantages of a homeschooling program is the fact that it deemphasizes the social component of learning. Parents and teachers of the homeschooling program can supplement this by creating activities for your kids that will expose them to other people.

For instance, one can organize a small stage play where kids can read their lines and act their part. This is a good way to build their social skills and at the same time provide them with the opportunity to practice the skills that they have developed in their reading program.

Although this is not necessarily a part of the curriculum in most schools, it is also good to encourage your child to read books or to develop a love for reading whether it be books, comics or even magazines. This is the best way for them to fully develop their reading skills as well as build their vocabulary.

More and more people are talking about home schooling and online schools. As talk about it increases, so do the questions of parents as to what exactly is home schooling and online schools. Are these two things the same and do these methods really work?

Well to begin, home schooling and online schools are not the same things although it shares a basic principle, which is that the student studies and learns at home.

These two types of schooling are considered non-traditional learning methods as opposed to the regular schoolroom type of setting. However, being non-traditional is one of the few things these two methods have in common with each other.

Home schooling entails that the child or children, are taught by a parent at home. Although done outside of the classroom setting, children that are home schooled still learn the same things that other children learn in school like basic curriculum.

Also, home schooled children will still go on field trips or other social activities that the parent-teacher will plan, as well as learn music and physical education, among other things. There are many reasons as to why a parent may decide to home school their child or children and some reasons may include the fact that traditional schools have their own philosophy and set of values that they teach to their students, so much so that certain basic lessons will be taught with certain slants toward their own preference. To avoid this, a parent may decide to home school his or her child or children.

Another reason could be that one of the parent's job entails a lot of traveling and instead of breaking up the family unit, home schooling will allow the flexible of learning anywhere home is. This same flexibility is shared by home schooling with online schools. An online school is available to its enrolled student anywhere, anytime as long as there is a computer connected to the internet.

An online school's main benefit is the flexibility in time it affords a student. This is why, online schools are preferred by a lot of adults who may want to pursue further studies but cannot do so in a traditional setting because perhaps they already hold jobs or they have other responsibilities that prevent them from learning in a traditional setting. Just like in a regular school, online schools have set curriculums and lesson requirements that an online learner needs to accomplish to earn an online degree.

Home schooling and online schools are considered non-traditional methods of learning only because it is yet to have enough people utilizing them to become the norm. Although they are non traditional, this does not mean that they are any less better than attending a regular traditional school. In fact, in some cases, these non-traditional methods are the best solution available.

There certainly is an abundance of homeschooling information available and this is a good thing… for the most part… as long as you don’t get bogged down in overload and suffer paralysis by analysis. There are a lot of wonderful articles and tips to help you insure your homeschool success.

So, through the experiences of my own and reading about those experiences and advice of others, here are some of, not only the best, but most universal home school success tips.

First of all have fun. Make learning fun. It should be for kids. And by the way, enjoy learning new things with your kids. There is some much in this world that we cannot control, so let’s let control what we can… our attitude and how we approach each and every day. Children will absorb your attitude and mood like a sponge, so stay upbeat and enthusiastic and your successes will reflect it.

Next, limit (or eliminate) your interruptions. This was my nemesis.

In this communication age in which we live, interruptions come at you from every direction, so you’ll need to stay focused. If don’t have an answering device, get one. Turn the ringers off.

Educate your family and friends as to your homeschool schedule. And it’s not just the phones (cell included); it’s the drop by visitors as well. Keep your time you spend homeschooling your kids very sacred.

And while I’m on this subject, this means that you can’t be a distraction to your kids. By this I mean you can’t be running around doing other things while your kids are trying to study and complete their assignments and projects. Stay focused on your children’s education during this time.

I mentioned paralysis by analysis earlier and this one dovetails off of that. Keep your teaching and homeschooling simple. With so much information and programs readily available to you, it’s easy to find yourself using an educational buffet of plans, curriculums, and approaches. Ultimately your kids and you won’t like nor benefit from this.

Be flexible, be pragmatic if something isn’t working, but don’t be mercurial. And when it comes to being a homeschooling parent, you must take steps to organize and simplify your life. During your homeschooling year limit your commitments and outside activities… keep your life simple and you’ll be happier; and with happiness comes success.

Don’t beat yourself up! Have confidence. Know that you can do it. Your faith is your beacon. Reward is directly related to effort. If you are doing all that you can, your children will learn and be successful. Children learn throughout the world in all kinds of environments. Be enthusiastic with each new day, get help when you need it, stay on a path continual improvement, and your children’s educational success will follow.

If you get stuck… read. Without reading skills your children will never reach their full potential. If your day becomes shot full of holes with life’s unplanned and uncontrollable events… then take some time and read to and read with the kids. There is no better life preserver for a day that has spun out of control than to cuddle up and read with your children.

There are so many wonderful people involved in homeschooling, and with today’s technology it is so easy to get in touch with these invaluable resources, you should not go wanting for advice, answers, or just some rejuvenating conversation and reassurance.

Online there are forums and support groups. Offline there is your church or library. Get in touch and be a part. As a homeschooler, you are in a sense a professional educator. Find yourself a couple of good publications and subscribe, or opt in to a few of your favorite newsletters. The message here is that you need not tackle everything solo.

When it comes to resources there is one out there that is often shadowed by the prevalence of the internet… and that is your local library. Your library is a wonderful resource. Libraries are a tremendous resource for videos, audio tapes, learning materials for all subject matter… (And of course books!). If you could only pick one resource and one resource only… choose a library.

Take breaks. For me, taking shorter more frequent day breaks as opposed to less frequent longer breaks always worked better for my family and kids. Of course, the dynamics of every family is different, but if you’ve haven’t tried this approach you should. I think you and your kids will like it. Of course, I’m not talking about a day off every other day… but shorter more often day breaks give you a chance to re-energize and catch up.

I mentioned family dynamics; and since you will be homeschooling you will naturally be introducing a very different and time consuming aspect into your family dynamics.

There will times when there just aren’t enough hours in the day. This is why it is very important to stay focused and plan as best you can. Avoid those activities that steal your day away. Remember, you are homeschooling. Try to organize outside activities all into a day or two instead of spreading them out across your week and having constant ‘little’ interruptions on a daily basis. I would much rather have longer days of outside activities, if it meant I could keep my homeschooling days uninterrupted. I found that my kids and my family appreciated this approach.

Unless you are an incredibly organized and efficient person that operates like a well oiled machine, you’ll find that all of the above won’t come together for you over night. Don’t feel disheartened… it doesn’t for anyone that I know of! No schedule is perfect all the time and no two schedules and organizational skills are the same. Work to sand, buff, and polish what works for you and over time you will find your stride.

Interest in home schooling has been growing. In fact, More and more families want to try out this seemingly novel method of teaching and educating children. Home schooling provides many benefits for families as well as the home school students. Some may be new to the concept but it is not that totally new.

The method of trying to educate children at home has its origins at the time when schools were limited in number, with students far outnumbering the capacity of schools, if at all available in the community. It may have been hard to believe, but there were times long ago that most countries were not capable of having the younger population educated. Then it was an absolute necessity for parents to have their children home schooled.

Back then, sometime between the 18th and 19th centuries, home schooling was the primary educational force that has helped advance every child's learning until he grew up into an adult. During those times, the child's education was limited to how much their parents can teach them.

That is why during the 19th century, with all the progress going on all over the world, it has been realized that the government should have to take the responsibility of providing education for its growing population. This resulted in the government building more and more schools to accommodate more students. Then compulsory education was established in order to make more students go to the new schools to get their education. This development brought home education to slowly fade away. But all is not lost.

At present, home schooling has brought a bit of resurgence in its appeal of providing more personalized education to children. More and more parents have become fond of the idea of having more control of what their children learn. More and more parents want to be more active in their children's education. And most of all, more and more parents want to spend some more time to be close to their children and home schooling can afford them to do that.

If you are also interested in knowing more about home schooling, there many articles available for you online that would educate you more on how such a method of teaching can benefit you and your child. These articles would also be able to provide you with the different home schooling methods available that you could try out. Home schooling is one alternative that you can consider if you are looking for other alternatives in educating the young. The benefits and the system being followed by home education might just be the method tailor-made for your circumstances.

Students who are not physically sitting in a class room to get their education are taught using technology based instructional systems designed for remote access. This system is known as distance learning or distance education. Students and teachers communicate with each other through printed materials or electronic media or using a technology that provides real-time communications.

Distance learning uses regular mail for correspondence. Real-time or offline internet resources are also used in this system. Television or radio is used to make educational broadcasts to reach the students of distance learning. Isaac Pitman used the very first modern distance learning system in 1840 to teach shorthand through correspondence.

Since 1946, correspondence courses in the distance-learning mode were offered by the University of South Africa, which is one of the oldest distance learning universities in the world. In UK, the Open University was founded in 1969.

For-profit institutions, non-profit organizations, public and privates institutions are offering degree programs and courses in distance learning. There is varying level of accreditation for such institutions. Some of the institutions in USA have very little focus from the countries outside and some of them are mere diploma mills, which are mostly fraudulent.

The distance-learning program was greatly benefited in the twentieth century by using Internet, television and radio.

Even though the presence of a student is not compulsory in distance learning, with the advent of technology, physical presence or lack of it has become an option. In distance learning, electronic classrooms can be classified as off campus or on campus. It is known as institutions using a mode of delivery, which is flexible. Find more info at www.distance-learning4u.info

In many cases, students do sit in traditional classrooms and they are connected to a teacher in a distant classroom through videoconference. This technology increases the power of teaching and learning.

During its history, distance learning has passed through the experience of four to five different methods of teaching using the technology available at that time. The technology that was used were print, video/audio broadcasts, teleconference using video/audio technology, instruction aided by computers and computer based broadcasting. In developing nations, the radio is used for distance learning and considered to be a very powerful medium. In India the virtual university and distance learning centers use FM broadcasting which is very popular among the students.

Earlier models of distance learning used regular mail to dispatch written materials. Among the developing nations, this method is still used in distance learning.

In distance learning both full time and part time studies are possible but most of the students prefer part time studies. Even though distance learning is offered at various levels, it is the most popular option for university level studies. Distance learning is also known as correspondence courses since the teacher and the student corresponded through the regular mail. For children living in remote areas secondary and primary education programs are available.

Testing material caused trouble for distance learning right from its inception. The problem occurs when the student has to complete the assignment and undergo testing. In distance learning a student is completely removed from supervision during the evaluation period.

There are home schooling curriculum for high school students that are available for parents to check out in case they want to put their kids through the program. Contrary to popular opinion, home schooling is not merely limited to primary and lower grade class students. In fact, there are even home courses available for upcoming college students. Whatever age your child is, there are several home schooling resources available that will be able to fill up your needs.

Home schooling has been getting more and more parents in this system of educating their children. To put it more simply, home education is the process of learning where children are taught and educated inside the home. This method of educating children has been around for a long time. But it is only now that it has gathered more interest. The reason for its newfound resurgence may be the fact that more and more parents would want to personally look over the education of their children.

This way, parents will be able to oversee what their children learn and be able to teach subjects that really matter. Home schooling also enables a student to be educated in a very comfortable and familiar environment– their own home. No longer would children have to adapt to new surroundings, as their home is their classroom. Parent and child can also spend more time together through this unique educational system.

If you are interested in having your child home schooled through high school, there are different high school home schooling curriculums available that will be able to provide your child the type of education that he or she needs. The type of curriculum that you choose would depend on the type of education that you want to provide for your child.

There are religion-based high school home schooling curriculums that you can follow if you prefer to incorporate religious component into the lessons of your child. There are also curriculums that focus on the Sciences and the Arts that you might also consider. But also, keep in mind that there are other methods of home schooling available for your child going into high school.

Other home schooling methods available for you include student-paced learning where your child can learn and progress at an individualized speed. It is fairly accepted that every individual have different rates of comprehension, and learning curves. This method of home schooling focuses on the learning rate of your child. This will allow children to master concepts before they proceed to the next lesson instead of adapting to the teacher.

There are also home schooling programs being offered by your local community which you can take advantage of. There are also unit studies that focus on teaching different subjects following a central theme. There are also all-in-one programs that can cover your child's home schooling needs for the entire year. These programs will usually already include all the materials and resources that the home school student would need. There are other methods in home schooling specifically designed for your child in high school, that parents should also look into. It is an opportunity worth exploring.

When designing your homeschool curriculum or choosing homeschool electives or a foreign language course, an interesting question commonly arises. "Should we study Latin?" For many students, the answer is a resounding, "Yes!"

Consider the following reasons:

* Latin increases the student's English vocabulary. For example, "60% of English words are derived from Latin." (Wheelock's Latin, 6th edition, copyright 2000). If a youngster knows that "amo" means "I love," then he can deduce the meaning of amorous, amateur and amiable.

* Latin helps the student understand English grammar. In Latin, the child must thoroughly learn and understand all the parts of speech and the sentence...direct objects, objects of preposition, nouns, etc. This knowledge is carried over to English.

* Latin aids in learning the Romance and other inflected languages. (Inflected means the change of form indicating the grammatical relationship. Speech is very clear.) Laura Berquist, Director of Mother of Divine Grace Home Study Program, writes, "... it (Latin) is the key to the structure and vocabulary of the Romance languages."

* Latin trains the mind to think logically and precisely. It teaches the youngster how to think. No fuzziness here! One must analyze, observe, evaluate, judge, understand. One must be disciplined, persistent and accurate. This reasoning process is transferred to other areas, such as mathematics.

* Latin helps with standardized tests. For instance, between 1997 and 2004, Latin students scored an average of 157 points higher on the SAT's than non-Latin students. (Latin Centered Curriculum)

* The study of Latin greatly assists those with careers in certain fields. Latin underlies the technical language of law, medicine, science, academia and technology. If a youth is interested in working in any of these areas, Latin is invaluable. Additionally, "The business world has long recognized the importance of a rich vocabulary and rates it high as evidence of executive potential and success." (Wheelock)

* Latin aids the understanding and appreciation of all aspects of Western culture. This classical language flows through history, art, philosophy and particularly literature. How exciting to understand the context of that familiar expression, "carpe diem" and to read Shakespeare and catch the nuances!

Yes, when perusing all the wonderful possibilities for your homeschool curriculum, homeschool electives or foreign languages, consider the study of Latin. It will enhance the student's education in the present and continue offering rewards throughout his life.

Studies show that if done properly, the non-traditional home schooling method will produce better results that surpass performance of children that receive traditional classroom style methods. This is why it is important to continuously enhance the home schooling experience to ensure the best learning environment for your child or children. Providing a well-rounded curriculum is key.

If you are a native Spanish speaking parent, it is logical to want to home school your child to make sure that he or she can incorporate learning Spanish into his or her learning program. Traditional education may not be able to focus enough attention to learning Spanish and to inculcate and enrich your child's appreciation of his or her roots, home schooling Spanish lessons should be part of your home schooling agenda.

Even if you are not Spanish, incorporating learning a foreign language into your child's home schooling program is sure to enrich your child's learning. Whatever the case, there are computer based home schooling Spanish programs to help you teach your child the Spanish language.

Home's Cool (http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/explore/spanish.htm)

Whatever level of Spanish you would like to teach your child, the A-Z Home's Cool Home Schooling website is a veritable resource of computer based education to help your child learn the Spanish language. Choose from numerous links to sites that offer useful and interesting content for home schooling Spanish programs.

Home Schooling Information & Resources (http://homeschoolinginfoforyou.com)

This site is another rich resource on home schooling Spanish programs into your home schooling agenda. Pick from the many useful and informative links to sources of home schooling Spanish programs to be enjoyed and learned from by your child or children.

This site is also recommended for its educational articles on home schooling to ensure that even you, as the parent-teacher, continue to learn to be able to better teach your child or children.

Experience Tepoztlan (www.ExperienciaTepoztlan.com)

To be able to successfully learn and retain knowledge of a foreign language, the student must continue practicing and have the inclination and interest toward the language he or she is learning. To supplement your home schooling Spanish program and to enrich your child or children's home schooling environment, you and your child or children can immerse yourselves in the Mexican Spanish culture through the Experincia Tepztlan program.

Go on an amazing Spanish immersed adventure through this program because aside from Spanish instruction, this program offers studies in Mexican culture, archeology, Mexican crafts. anthropology and much more. This site also offers a rich resource on home schooling Spanish programs that are very interesting and informative.

For several years, I used the "living books approach" for reading instruction in my homeschool. Homeschoolers who use this approach use real books for reading instruction, rather than reading textbooks. The idea is to expose kids to real literature, rather than an edited selection of literature. Reading edited selections of literature are considered, by some, to be akin to eating pre-digested food. Not very tasty!

Although I was an ardent supporter of the "living books" method, one year I decided to use Bob Jones' Reading textbook, level 6. I made this decision for several reasons:

1. My girls are only 14 months apart, and have been reading on the same level for several years. Having them share a novel never worked well, because they didn't like sharing. Similiarly, if I wanted them to each have their own, this doubled my cost.

2. Trying to keep track of the books was a hassle. Since most novels are paperback and small, they are easily misplaced.

3. Finding a complete set of reading books with a teacher's guide for all of them is next to impossible, and I didn't want to read every book in order to have an intelligent conversation with my girls about what they were reading.

I chose BJU Reading Level 6 for both my girls, even though my older child was in 7th.

This program consists of a teacher's manual, a student textbook, a workbook, and an answer key for the workbook, which is simply the workbook with the answers filled in.

My 7th grade daughter said, "I like the book, but I don't like to answer all the questions!" She was referring to the colorful and engaging text, and also to the comprehension questions that really made her think. Located in the teacher's manual, there are four types: literal (recall), critical, interpretive, and appreciative. My girls often struggle with the interpretive questions, but I don't mind. Sharpening their thinking skills, these questions can be tough. Detailed answers are given.

Each lesson has vocabulary words listed in the teacher's manual for the students to define using the glossary located in the back of the text if you choose.

The workbook has relevant exercises which are tied to the stories. Many types of literary analysis are covered, including flashbacks, imagery, analogies, literary symbols, and viewpoint, among others.

Rudyard Kipling, Lewis Carol, Robert Louis Stevenson, Emily Dickinson, Robert Browning, Francis Hodgson Burnett, Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Marguerite Henry, James Thurber, and Charles Dickens are the most well-known names I recognize as I skim through the Table of Contents. Many other selections are of a Christian theme.

I have been unable to find any BJU materials at a discount. This means that all vendors sell the books for the same price. When purchasing BJU materials, try to find a vendor who offers cheap or free shipping.

I frequently hear glowing reports about BJU's materials, and I now know why. Far from being pre-digested, this is an extremely thorough program. Clearly, it has an aim of educating children in enjoying great literature, and in understanding it as well. Highly recommended.

More and more parents have started to consider home schooling as a wonderful alternative to sending their children to public school. Nowadays, the public school system, leave a lot to be desired which is why the option of home schooling has gained popularity.

In a home schooling environment, students won't have to deal with bullies, violence, gangs, and other social hazards that people have come to expect from the public school system. Aside from this, home schooling provides help parents foster and instill belief systems that may not be given importance in a regular school setting. Not to mention that home schooling promotes closer ties between parent and child.

However, there is still some contention in choosing home schooling over traditional classroom instruction. For instance, some might argue that a home school child may not be able to develop social skills properly. This point revolves around the fact that a classroom setting allows children to interact with one another. However, if one really thinks about it, schools provide an environment akin to that of an office and any deep personal interaction will happen outside of the classroom and not in it.

To address social development in home schooled children though, the parent-teacher must be able to incorporate the proper social learning and interaction of his or her child through field trip activities organized with other organizations or other home schooled children. There are also a whole slew of extra curricular activities that may be included in the child's learning curriculum to enrich the learning experience and promote social development.

State laws and requirements must also be taken into consideration in the decision to choose home schooling over traditional education. As a responsible teacher-parent, one must of course learn about the legalities and requirements of non traditional home schooling to ensure the best quality of education for one's child.

To learn all about home schooling-from the basics to improving your current home schooling set up with your child or children, there are a number of publications available to help you with this.

A Natural Learning Experience (http://www.thenaturalife.com/homeschool.htm)

This site's author shares his personal experience in home schooling his children. It is a wonderful resource on home schooling and lists a roster of fantastic home schooling books that will help any parent in home schooling their children.

The How Tos of Setting Up Home Schooling Resources (http://www.home-school.com/Articles/HomeschoolResCenter.html)

This site contains an article that helps a parent-teacher to pick up practical and useful insight and tips on setting up a home schooling resource to ensure a healthy learning environment for the home schooled student. It offers a list for a starter kit on home schooling and lists a few home schooling books that are must haves for anyone serious about home schooling their children.

As a homeschooling parent you are acutely aware of how important it is to have daily plans and be organized. Everyone has their own methods and tactics. And most of these plans certainly weren’t perfect right out of the gate and have evolved over time.

As homeschoolers one of the greatest benefits is that of having great flexibility with how you educate your child. But even with this great educational flexibility you shouldn’t really be sailing without a compass.

When it comes to educating, that compass is your lesson plan.

Although homeschooling generally doesn’t require exacting lesson plans to be turned in, however, not having one at all certainly isn’t a good approach to your child’s education.

Let’s take a look at some general concepts and commonalities about lesson plans that may assist you in developing yours.

First of all, you have to start your thinking with what it is you are going to teach. From there, you’ll need what your objectives for the lesson are. In other words, you’ll want to be able to observe specific behaviors your child is going to be able to do or perform as a result of your teaching. You want the outcomes of your teaching to be measurable and quantifiable; so the more specific the better it will be.

With this in mind you’ll want to be descriptive with your objectives. This not only provides feedback on how your child is progressing, but it also gives you as the educator great feedback on your effectiveness. You should also have some sort of description or statement of how you will determine whether your lesson plan objectives have been met.

Take some time to determine what your child already knows about the subject matter and what it is they need to know (prerequisites) in order to successfully complete the lessons.

As you are making your first pass at your lesson plan, be sure to include somewhere in it any materials you will need to accomplish the objectives that you have described. Materials not only necessary for the lessons themselves; but be sure to include any materials you may need for the evaluation process.

Of course your lesson plans will include much greater detail than is given here, but just to get you started here is a quick outline or review of the thought process that goes into putting a lesson plan together.

Determine what it is you are going to teach and what the priority outcomes of your teaching will be… what your child will be able to do as a result of completing the work and the activities contained in your lesson plan.

Determine what it is your child already knows about this subject matter or will need to know. Having a grasp on this will allow for a smooth transition into your current planning and into the next or related level of the subject.

Have a plan on how you are going to facilitate the learning of this subject matter. Be sure to think about any materials that you will need, such as manipulative objects for your child.

And finally, have a method of evaluation; both for the behavior of the child and the effectiveness of your lesson plan and your teaching techniques.

Once you make the loop a few times through the lesson planning process you’ll soon develop a template that works best for you. Using a detailed lesson plan will greatly increase the efficiency of your teaching as well as the quality of the child’s learning time.

It is said that a good quality education is one of the best legacies a parent can bestow on his or her children. Now, with non- traditional methods of learning such as home schooling programs, you can assure your child or children of quality education without the debilitating costs of exorbitant sending them to good private schools.

Also, most public school educational systems does not allow for customization of teaching styles to cater to your child or children's needs as well as foster an environment for learning that is best suited for your child or children. For these reasons, non traditional home schooling education is gaining popularity and perhaps it won't be long before this non traditional method will be considered mainstream.

In the meantime though, it is in your best interest as a parent to ensure that the quality of education that you bring to your child or children through home schooling is at par or even better than traditional methods he or she can experience in a classroom setting.

For this purpose you must equip your child in proper education, taking in consideration that there are certain levels that your child must reach in terms of learning to be able to qualify for good a college or university in case your child wants to continue pursuing higher education after earning a high school degree.

To achieve this, you might want to consider incorporating a certified web based curriculum for your child or children to ensure that he or she can achieve a good result for a high school degree.

Citizen's High School is a good alternative to traditional schooling for your child or children. This web-based institution provides quality learning programs for your child to earn an actual high school diploma, not a more than a GED. Their accredited high school program will allow your child or children to earn a high school degree without losing the flexibility and freedom afforded by a home schooling system. Furthermore, they offer a cost-effective way to achieve all this.

Keystone High is more than the usual online school because Keystone has solid experience working with parents and children from a home schooling background. In fact, the backbone of Keystone is the fact that it was formed to actually supplement home schooling programs specifically aimed for better education for a parent's high schooler.

Keystone does not want to take away or take the role of the parent-teacher in the home schooling program. Instead they are there as allies to lend a professional service to ensure that your child or children get the most out of a home schooling program for high school level individuals.

Schools are learning institutions with set values and philosophies that they tend to inculcate in their method of teaching. Usually, a parent's decision as to which school to send their children to are based on precisely the values and philosophies that these institutions are known for. If however, as a parent, you feel that no school or learning institution share your values then perhaps you are better off home schooling your child or children.

Home schooling differs from regular, traditional schooling only in the sense that the child learns all the regular lessons except that he or she does not learn this inside a school room.

It is important to note however that home schooling should include taking field trips, incorporating music and physical education into the child's curriculum, and other duties involved in a regular school day like grading papers and such. It is also important that the child's social development not be taken for granted.

One of the main contentions in home schooling verus traditional learning is that the child or children may not be able to exercise and develop social skills properly since they are not around other children that they would otherwise be in contact with inside a traditional classroom.To get the most out of home schooling and to know if home schooling is for you and your child, below are links to really good home schooling resources on line.

This site is one of the largest home schooling resource you will find on the Internet because of the amount of useful content it has in it. Even better is the fact that this is a non-commercial site which means that the site will not try to sell you anything so that anything you read or learn from the site can be considered neutral as opposed to sites that offer information on home schooling as a marketing tool to sell their products.

The author of the site is a parent who actually does home schooling for his children. You'll find useful and empathetic answers to your frequently asked questions on this site.

The Home Schooling Advantage for Socializing

As mentioned above, one of the biggest concerns raised against home schooling is that home schooled children may not be able to develop social skills as well as children who are taught inside a traditional setting. In this particular site however you will find an article by someone who was actually home schooled as opposed to learning inside a classroom.

Here you will read about how learning at home as opposed to in a classroom did nothing to deter him from developing the proper social skills needed for a fully functioning adult in our society.

Look out also for other useful links found in the pages of the article to point you in the right direction on learning more about home schooling and other rich resources on line.

Learn in Freedom

Here is another great home schooling resource online that showcases what's new and current in the home schooling world. The page is straight forward and easy to navigate, and puts more meat into their content rather than their appearance. This a great site to get started or improve your home schooling.

Home schooling has been around for quite some time now. The debate about it's overall effectiveness has been going on for just as long. Recently however, home schooling has been gaining more and more advocates in support of it.

For the longest time, home schooling has been viewed with a somewhat contemptuous attitude by many. They're under the misguided notion that home schooling is for weirdoes and social misfits.

People these days are much more open minded about the idea of home schooling. Lots more parents are choosing to put their kids in some kind of home schooling program.

So what are the possible reasons for parents to home school their kids? What are the advantages and disadvantages of home schooling? Is it right for your child and what must be taken into consideration when choosing to home school your child?

Home schooling has traditionally been for those children who suffer from some kind of condition or whose current circumstances don't allow them to attend regular school. However, more and more parents are choosing to home school their children because they believe it to be a more beneficial alternative to traditional schools.

There are a lot of advantages to be taken from home schooling.

Home schooling allows a child be taught in a more individualized way. The child will not have to compete with several other students for the time and attention of the teacher. Their parent is their teacher and the one-on-one teaching that the child receives will increase the quality of learning.

The nature of home schooling allows for an incredible amount of flexibility and freedom in regards to learning. The lessons and curriculum to be undertaken can be custom made to suit the particular educational needs of the child.

The child can also learn at their own pace, seeing as there's no set schedule that must be followed. A child can take as much time as they need to learn something without being pressured, or they can go as quickly as they can, learning things that would normally take a much longer time to cover in a classroom.

In many cases home schooling will enforce an inherent love of learning and will strengthen the child abilities to learn on their own. These skill will become a valuable asset throughout their lives.

Many parents home school their kids in order to instill moral values that can't be sufficiently achieved in traditional schools. This is especially true if they feel that the child is easily influenced and the schools in the area are a particularly bad influence.

Home schooling helps to cultivate family ties. The time that the family spend together teaching and learning helps to strengthen family bonds.

Thanks to more advanced technology and in particular the internet, home schooling has become even more effective. The internet is a vast source of knowledge and you can find a plethora of home schooling resources like sample curriculums, lesson plans, and all sorts of guides.

The greatest criticism aimed at home schooling is that it might hamper the child's social growth. Home schooled kids tend to be more isolated and many feel that this is harmful.

This isn't necessarily the case though, as studies have shown that many home schooled adults have excellent social skills and are living happy, meaningful lives.

These studies also show that home schooled individuals tend to do better academically than traditionally schooled individuals.

Despite the seemingly many benefits of home schooling, it isn't for everyone. Parents should take in mind several considerations before taking the plunge.

Home schooling takes a tremendous amount of time and effort on the part of the parents.

Teaching will take up most of the teaching parent's day, so this means that the they will most likely not have the time to work. The family must be able to cope with this situation. This is especially difficult for single parents.

Also, the parent must be sure that they will be able teach their child properly and handle all the possible problems and responsibilities that come with the home schooling their child.

Home schooling, when done right can have very positive results. However, getting it wrong can result in absolute disaster. Ultimately, it's up to the parents to assess their child and decide if home schooling is the right choice for them.

Home schooling is an attractive option to consider for many parents. The program offers many advantages over learning in traditional schools. Home schooling also provides more one on one teaching time where the teacher can focus on the student as opposed to handling numerous students at the same time. This will allow children to obtain quality instruction.

Students of home schooling also benefit from having a very comfortable and familiar environment for a classroom. Home-schooled students no longer have to adapt to new surroundings, which can also sometimes affect a child's ability to learn. This system can also provide a way for parents to be closer with their children and can also help parents have a more active role in educating their children in the manner that they want.

Home schooling can effectively be used by employing a variety of methods available. There are classical home schooling methods that follow traditional education in conventional educational institutions. Classical home schooling comprises of primary, secondary and tertiary phases which is most accepted in most educational institutions today. Other educational philosophies can also be adopted through the home schooling method.

But the main difference that home schooling can provide is that it can allow a more varied approach into teaching and learning. You can choose from a variety of accepted techniques available that you can use to effectively help your child learn and absorb new knowledge. There are unit studies that make use of a central theme, implemented in context on all the subjects that are tackled.

Home schooling can also follow a student-paced learning approach which depends on a student's learning speed. This approach helps students understand fully or master a concept before proceeding to the next subject or topic. Another approach is the "unschooling" method that encourages students to depend not on direct instruction but learning through an exploration of interests. This enables a child to learn by doing. This approach aims to provide learning opportunities through games and real life circumstances and problems which will enable a child to learn without coercion.

Home schooling is a credible alternative to traditional education. It can provide parents with a choice on how to effectively educate their children. As home schooling is fast getting the approval of more and more people, it becomes a very attractive option made available for you and your children. With your children's future in mind, having different options can be a good thing. And home schooling is an option that you must consider in trying to provide the best education for your child.

There are instances when homeschooling is vastly more preferable than traditional schools. This is in situations when students are not fit to go to traditional classroom settings for one reason or another. Common reasons are problems with mental ability, emotional immaturity and social incapability. Still, there are a lot of things that you have to consider before putting your child to homeschool.

1. Look into the pros and cons

Before embarking on the homeschooling journey, it is important that you study all aspects of homeschooling including the advantages and disadvantages not only for the child but also for the whole family.

Remember that homeschooling does not only affect the child in question but will also create havoc on the lives of all the members of the family especially the parents, who have to stand in as the teacher. Another important consideration is if the family is ready for the responsibility of following a structured curriculum in a vastly unstructured environment.

2. Is homeschooling the best alternative for your child

Although many have attested to the effectiveness of homeschooling in providing education to youngsters, there are still some aspects in the lives of children that they have to sacrifice. One of the arguments against homeschooling is the fact that the social component is forgotten or not taken into consideration.

This is why it is not often recommended for children who are just starting to develop their communication and social skills as they will largely miss out on a lot of developmental milestones in that area. Still, if one truly feels that homeschooling is best, it is good to supplement the absence of a social component with a lot of activities that will expose the child to other people.

3. Getting the right curriculum

What good is a homeschooling program when the curriculum is not at par with the ones being used in traditional schools? It is therefore important to put emphasis on the subjects that the child will be learning at home as well as the skills that he or she will be developing.

To do this, it is good to consult with a professional in terms of creating a good program for your child. There are also resources available over the internet that will help you make a draft. There are also examples of curriculum that are provided by both government and non-government organizations that support homeschooling programs.

We all, as parents, wish our kids are smart in Math. Pretty much like the Asian kids. Today’s world has acknowledged the superiority and ingeniousity of the math skills of Asian kids. We as parents or teachers always indulge in the discussions of rote memorizing the times tables which results in dull boring way to tutor our children. Asians on the other hand have been using age old technique of Abacus education.

Abacus education fits right in this modern world. Abacus as a tool is used in many Asian schools, public and private, to teach children aged 3 through 8 the basic of mathematics. Abacus allows children to learn numbers and calculations with fun. When a child uses his/her finger to move the beads on the abacus, the collaboration between finger movements and brain creates a pictorial memory in the child’s mind. When using the abacus the child makes use of both his hands and this movement spurs both parts of the brain the left and the right part together and initiates development of the cells. Abacus nurtures the minds of children making them quicker and more accurate. Abacus mental math is that wherein the child visualizes the image of the abacus in his mind and then calculates accordingly.

The abacus is the perfect way to make your child understand number systems. The abacus can adopt itself to any base system and allows you to quickly perform calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division – even with decimal places. If you want your child to realize his potential and utilize it too then you need to put them on correct path of learning to be able to facilitate this. Math can be pretty daunting but if your child is able to master it then his confidence will grow manifold.

Obviously you don’t envisage a future for your child totally dependent on the electronic calculator even for the smallest calculation. The present education scenario is fast leading to that. That is why many schools in Asia and elsewhere too have adopted the abacus formally for teaching mathematics.

Using the abacus also:

* Fosters a greater sense of numbers.
* Helps develop an intuitive understanding of numbers through their concrete representation.
* Fosters one's trust in the process of calculation by enabling one to observe it in action.
* Manifests the concept of decimal places and the progression of units by tens physically.
* Instantly accomplishes addition and subtraction when numbers are placed on the abacus.
* Improves understanding of compounded numbers (through the use of supplementary numbers for 5 and 10).
* Helps in developing the beneficial qualities of concentration, patience, and endurance.
* Fosters one's confidence in calculation.
* Uses a left to right calculation method, which makes quick estimation and rounding off possible.
* Works on the decimal rather than fractional system, an easy progression to digital systems.
* Develops mental calculation, which is the ultimate resource.
* Develops the right brain tremendously.
* Leads to greater mental capacity.
* Expresses large numbers simply and easily.
* Provides a sense of achievement as one's proficiency improves.

Performing activities based upon the abacus will not only improve the mathematical skills of your child but each successfully done task will boost the confidence of the child. The problem solving capability will be gradually built in him rather than being forced to cultivate it. You can ensure a bright future for your child as many other parents have done that already with these books and the abacus. And you can assure your child the confidence, endurance when it comes to performing math calculations.

When has one ever enjoyed rote memorizing? If you forget just one point or a particular figure the entire thing falls apart. Interesting things never leave our mind and it is more so for children who like to learn the fun way. Pictorial memory is retained better and is definitely more interesting. The Abacus as a tool for mental calculation has been proved by studies to be an effective method of brain development. The benefits of using the abacus to calculate have a bearing not just on this particular area but also on other walks of life too.

Rote Memorization of tables is a very tedious process that the child is obviously apprehensive to it. Learning the tables with the Abacus is a fun way because the retention is better for the child with the pictorial memory. Otherwise if the child forgets just one figure in the time tables then he is sure to get confused about the whole sequence. The Chinese abaci were designed with a special suanpan technique to specially make the multiplication process easier to handle.

According to researchers visual memory is a very crucial aspect of learning. For learning tables with the abacus the children will use both their hands for moving the beads. The synchronizing movement of the hands initiates the cell development in the brain and also utilizing the right part of the brain which is very important to actually master something.

The human brain is divided into two parts the left brain and the right brain. What is used by children most of the times is only the left brain and the right brain which is the actual seat and origin of intelligence is left unutilized. This very important part of the brain integrates whatever information is received and is also responsible for thinking and creative human activities. The learning of time tables through the abacus is one of the many activities that prompts simultaneous activity of the both the parts of the brain.

The use of the abacus is not just a better method for learning time tables over rote memorizing but also the abacus being an attractive tool manages to capture the undivided attention of the child too. It eliminates the phobia attached to tables and makes the processing of numbers a relatively easy activity for them.

Numerical memory and improvement of the spatial arrangement of memory are most enhanced by the use of the Abacus. Apart from that the skill of solving general mathematical problems of the elementary school grade are seen to improve too. The facts stated here are backed by results of tests conducted among children, one group using the Abacus method and the other group without this method. The group using the Abacus method was more efficient naturally as they correlated the calculation with the Abacus image in their minds and were not confused.

So choosing the abacus method for your children will definitely give you the satisfaction of ensuring for them a better future. This will be by making their basics strong right from the beginning. Go ahead get the abacus advantage for your child and recommend it to other people as well so as to pave the way for a sound and confident future for the young generation.

Speak of Mathematics and chill runs down through your spine. And same is the story when it comes time to teach mathematics to our children. And you as a parent / tutor are not at fault. Today's schooling system teaches a very ineffective method of learning math, rote memorization of times tables. We all wish our children could perform calculations quickly. And we all know the only way quick calculations are done if performed mentally. And once again we think of rote memorizing tables. Well, that is not the case anymore. Today centuries old technique of Abacus education has been revived and the materials are available easily. I am sure by now you are thinking - Why Abacus?

One particular use for the abacus is teaching children simple mathematics and especially multiplication. The abacus is an excellent substitute for rote memorization of multiplication tables, which some young children find daunting. The abacus is also an excellent tool for teaching other base numbering systems since it easily adapts itself to any base.

Children naturally have vast potential of energy and brain power. But most parents do not know how to tap into the depths of these young minds in the right way and thus fail to realize and nurture these young minds to their fullest potential.

When children use both hands to move abacus beads in arithmetic calculations, it stimulates cells in both the right and left sides of the brain. This results in quick, balanced whole brain development, leading to greater mental capacity. Using the abacus, a child can do all arithmetic calculations up to 10 digits without relying on an electronic calculator.

Using the abacus also:

* Fosters a greater sense of numbers.
* Helps develop an intuitive understanding of numbers through their concrete representation.
* Fosters one's trust in the process of calculation by enabling one to observe it in action.
* Manifests the concept of decimal places and the progression of units by tens physically.
* Instantly accomplishes addition and subtraction when numbers are placed on the abacus.
* Improves understanding of compounded numbers (through the use of supplementary numbers for 5 and 10).
* Helps in developing the beneficial qualities of concentration, patience, and endurance.
* Fosters one's confidence in calculation.
* Uses a left to right calculation method, which makes quick estimation and rounding off possible.
* Works on the decimal rather than fractional system, an easy progression to digital systems.
* Develops mental calculation, which is the ultimate resource.
* Develops the right brain tremendously.
* Leads to greater mental capacity.
* Expresses large numbers simply and easily.
* Provides a sense of achievement as one's proficiency improves.

With abacus, you can help your child achieve more than just math skills. You can boost your child's confidence, provide a sense of achievement, promote intuitive thinking, enhance problem-solving capability, enhance creativity, and improve concentration and mental endurance.

Find out more on why abacus education is increasingly popular in many countries like Malaysia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, India, Singapore and elsewhere. The abacus has become valuable teaching tool in schools, tuition centers and community centers, and is used by home schooling parents around the world.

This gift to your child will result in big rewards down the road. It is about time you make a decision to enhance the quality of your child's life. Make a difference in your child's life - today!

“What is home education?” someone asked, “And what on earth has it got to do with sustainable living?” This voice came from a few feet behind me whilst I was browsing in the shop at the Centre for Alternative Technology (www.cat.org.uk). The shop stocks, amongst other things, a wide range of books on various aspects of sustainable living, from using natural building materials and organic gardening, to vegetarian cookery and home education. Not that I make a habit of eavesdropping, of course! It’s just that sometimes an unexpected question posed by someone else can make one stop short and re-examine an assumption.

Home education is where parents elect to take total responsibility for educating their own children rather than delegating a sizeable proportion of it to a school. It is a legal and equally viable alternative to conventional schooling in the UK and indeed in many other countries around the world. Estimates of the number of home educated children in the UK vary widely from about 50,000 to 150,000 depending on the source. The number of families choosing this option appears to be on the increase. (Membership of Education Otherwise - www.education-otherwise.org, a leading charity supporting home educating families has doubled in the last two years.)

So in what ways is educating children at home a sustainable activity?

1. It eliminates the school run. This reduces the number of miles traveled, although some of these miles will be made up by families traveling to events and social gatherings.

2. It provides the opportunity for children to take part in daily sustainable living practices. Recycling, composting, growing and cooking their own food, looking after animals, caring for younger children, maintaining the house and garden, learning how to reuse and repair items rather than just throw them away. (Thus learning about how things work and the materials from which they are made.)

3. It provides the opportunity to present information to children in a way that promotes a holistic perspective. Many materials used in schools are produced from the perspective that consumerism is the norm. Some are sponsored by private enterprises who have a vested interest in encouraging children to start using their products from an early age e.g. information on dental hygiene produced by a leading manufacturer of toothpaste who promote the use of fluoride. At home, parents may point out all the alternatives of which they are aware. e.g. the pros and cons of using fluoride as a means of protecting teeth.

4. It encourages children to learn to be in tune with their bodies. They gain greater self awareness through learning how they learn, how they feel about their learning, at what time of day they learn best and how their emotions and health affect them. Children are free to experiment with this and with different learning materials. Therefore, the type of learning is holistic, takes into account their spiritual and emotional wellbeing and is tailored to their individual needs.

5. There is plenty of opportunity for physical exercise e.g. playing in the garden, taking a walk, going for a swim when the swimming pool is quiet.

6. Reduced expenditure on clothing – there’s no need for separate clothes and shoes for school; no need to succumb to peer pressure to buy expensive designer labels.

7. Efficient use of resources at home. The house is well used all day, rather than just being somewhere to sleep or spend the weekend.

8. Efficient use of everyday materials for learning. Much of the equipment used in schools are expensive substitutes for the real thing in the outside world e.g. plastic imitation coins, artificial weights and measures are used in the maths curriculum. At home children learn by using real money, from weighing and measuring real items in, for example, cooking activities, they learn to read from real books. They use the internet and television in the same way as mature students, and conduct their own science experiments using items found in the garden and kitchen and their observations of and interactions with the world around them.

9. Efficient use of time. Little time is wasted traveling between lessons or preparing for them as much of the child’s learning happens spontaneously and during normal everyday activities. Even traveling to and from the occasional tutor led lesson for a home educated child is often filled with purposive conversation, or listening to music or a story tape.

10. Improved health and wellbeing. Because time is used efficiently, there is more time to engage children in alternative medicine, relaxation and spiritual practices such as yoga, meditation and prayer in a calm and unhurried way.

11. More time for hobbies. There is also plenty of time to indulge in a favourite subject area or hobby e.g. music, arts and craft, astronomy, bird watching.

If the numbers of home educating families continue to grow, how will this method of education sustain itself?

A strong possibility is by the establishment of learning communities, perhaps incorporating the facilities already present in libraries, village halls, leisure centres and other community buildings. How is a learning community different from a school? According to Ron Miller in his book “Creating Learning Communities,” schools are places where “Learning is divided into subjects and packaged into textbooks and lesson plans. Teachers are not accredited for their mentoring skills but for their training in methods of class management and curriculum delivery.” He sees the need to “reinvent social and economic arrangements that nourish the soul and reconnect the individual to culture, to community, to the organic process and cycles of the earth, and to avenues of spiritual fulfillment.” Thus in learning communities, the participants – adults or children – decide on their own learning programme, which events they will or will not participate in and with whom. They follow their own learning styles and preferences and learn alongside others with similar interests regardless of age, sex or any other differences.

Parents in many home educating families make the decision to reduce their working hours and/or work from home in order to home educate. This in itself releases adults with a wide spectrum of abilities and interests to facilitate workshops and other forms of learning groups. Life long learning is a growing necessity of the information age. It is no longer true that the majority of what we need to know can be absorbed between the ages of 4 and 18 years, spoon feeding fashion, from a minority of adults officially qualified to teach.

We as adults are already finding that we need the flexibility to retrain and diversify in order to remain employable or successful in self-employment. In my view, it is our ability to learn and continue to learn that will set us apart in the future. For our children, this is likely to be even more so as they are faced with the prospect of a longer working life peppered with many technological, social and environmental changes. Working from home or within a learning community cultivates these self-teaching habits and skills which are the keys to sustainable home learning.

Enter a classroom in any abacus center in India and you will see children busy with something that looks like a toy — tiny brown beads compiled neatly in columns. On the wall is propped a similar toy, though bigger with large, shiny yellow beads.

The teacher calls out a complex calculation, almost like an open challenge. A little boy, barely seven, comes forward and recites a seemingly funny rhyme. He also moves the yellow beads up and down and gets the answer down pat. No furious adding, counting or subtracting! Amazed?

Welcome to the world of abacus education, where rigid arithmetic takes a backseat and visuals and imagination gain centre-stage. Here children learn to use the abacus, an ancient Chinese invention, to solve basic arithmetic sums with speed and accuracy. Institutes, which offer abacus education, claim that they use arithmetic as a tool to develop mind skills, memory and lateral thinking abilities.

Popular in Asian countries like Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand, abacus education is relatively new in India. But several entrepreneurs have been quick to tap the business potential of this non-formal education tool.

Scientific theories associate the left hemisphere of the brain with numerical and academic abilities, and the right hemisphere with creativity and intelligence. Proponents of abacus education claim that while formal education focuses merely on left-brain development, the abacus brings about "whole brain development".

"If the brain is not developed at an early age, one's mental abilities can start declining by 20 years of age. That's why we must tap them young," says Dhaval Shrimankar, CEO, NurtureMinds.com.

The brain gyms — as these institutes are called — are not stand-alone entities, but, instead, operate through a network of local franchises in urban and semi-urban areas. The reach and popularity of abacus education can be gauged from the burgeoning franchisee network.

Today, the same innovative education is available in the US and Canada. The system has taken the home-school communities by the storm. Private centers just like Score or Kumon are springing up from west coast to the east coast.

As an alternative to investment for a franchise, books are directly sold to the interested customers. Many of the patrons take up on roles of tutors as well as franchise owners.

How does Abacus work?

The abacus consists of 13 vertical rods, separated into two sections by a horizontal bar. Each rod contains one bead in the upper section and four beads in the lower section.

When given a sum, the child recites a rhyme corresponding to the kind of calculation involved. This also makes learning fun and easy. Simultaneously, the child moves the required beads up and down. The position of each bead signifies a specific numerical value. At the end of the rhyme, the position of the beads touching the horizontal bar, gives the answer.

As the course advances, the abacus is taken away and the child is encouraged to picture the abacus mentally to come up with the answer. After sufficient training, the child becomes adept at moving the beads mentally and no longer needs to recite the rhyme aloud to arrive at the answer.

Home schooling can be an interesting, stimulating, and even fun journey for both parent and student. But, sometimes, it ends up being frustrating for everyone. Below are ten tips to make homeschooling enjoyable for the whole family:

1. If you are removing your child from a traditional school situation, give him time to adjust to a whole new daily routine. Be flexible, while understanding there is a process called "deschooling" during which your child may seem unusually lazy, withdrawn, and at loose ends, even if he asked to leave school and be home schooled. No one in the family is sure at the beginning of home schooling what a typical school day and school week will look like now, and that uncertainty breeds doubt. Trust yourself and your child by not pushing too hard and by taking his opinions on methods, books, etc. into consideration. Deschooling will last different lengths of time depending on the individual child, the situation he was removed from, and how eager he is to be home schooled. The parent's first job is to make the home school a place where the child wants to be.

2. Gear your teaching methods to your child's strengths. If she's an auditory learner, consider audio tapes and musical tapes; if she's a visual learner, consider including artistic activities within many subject areas. There was a stage in my son's development where he needed to keep his hands busy in order to listen. Therefore, I let him build with legos while he was doing auditory learning. Though it seemed as though his attention might be divided, he actually remembered what he heard better when his need for movement was satisfied through keeping his hands occupied.

3. Utilize your public library. The amount of resources available for free is mind-boggling, especially in cities with multiple library branches. Also, check into the possibility of being able to use the libraries at public colleges and universities nearby. Libraries are not just places to borrow books, videos, and DVD's, but there are also many programs, such as free foreign language learner groups and book discussion groups, to participate in.

4. Find a home school support group in your area. Especially for a child who leaves behind old friends when he leaves school to learn at home, finding a support group with other home schooling families will open up a world of potential new friends and ameliorate feelings of being different because he's no longer in school. Support groups are also of great benefit to the teaching parent as she can share ideas, frustration, curriculum tips, etc. with others who've been there and understand.

5. Whatever the reason you decided to home school your child, the bottom line is that you want her to be a successful learner and a well-adjusted human being. Always keep those purposes at the forefront of your thinking and planning. Even a child who had difficulty in a traditional school can be given many opportunities to be successful in learning at home. Set up successes for your child by assessing where she is, meeting her there, and then proceeding at a pace that is comfortable for the child. Home schooling has produced great succes for many students, but it works best when the parents understand that they too are learners and that learning is a family occupation.

In the first weeks of being a homeschooling parent, I would awaken in the middle of the night and wonder if I wasn't ruining my son's life. Now, six years later, I can laugh at that idea! Home schooling is an awesome responsibility, but, by keeping your purpose in taking on that responsibility always in front of you, you and your family can follow those goals down the road to a home full of learning and a school full of life.

The idea of a homeschool arrangement is certainly not new. It's been around long and has been recognized as a source of some of the brightest people in the planet including celebrated names like Thomas Edison.

Home education emerged when parents considered that their local academic programs did not offer the grade and rigor that they desired for their children. Thus they'd simply pull the plug on going to a formal education, and instead be tutored by mentors, home teachers, and members of their regions.

What marks many homeschooled children is the independence in terms of selecting what they want to learn. By following a homeschooling arrangement that not only enables a well-balanced foundation in the arts and sciences, but to essentially concentrate in whatever field of interest that they are passionate about, produces genuinely intelligent students who go on to excel vis a vis students in similar formal school programs.

As innovation infrastructure expands and as the overseas workforce evolves, Homeschooling presents a more and more well-regarded option for those who want a dynamic education both in terms of theory and in practice.

Many motivations are cited for opting for Home education. They include but are not limited to religious purposes, disagreements with the local training curricula, feeling of poor class of instruction in the schools, fear that peer impact will have unfavorable affect on their child's development, and for others it's because of disabilities which require broader avenues for achieving an education.

As you can tell by now, homeschooling program options are certainly something that can be considered, even though not considered mainstream. It's important to sit down carefully with your child (as his or her choice should be factored into the decision), as well as local class counselors and anyone other families that may have been involved with home schooling programs to some extent.

Homework is a very useful tool to improve children’s education, assess properly the education use and motivate further learning. Usually homework purposes include: children’s independent practice in what has been learnt at school; self-education practice when children are assigned to do find and learn some new information independently; development of reading and writing skills when children are assigned to read something new or write a thesis/term paper/summary/book review etc. All of the homework purposes listed above have one common goal which must be achieved for children’s success in future - self-development. Self-development skill includes time management, self-organization, planning and self-control. If the children are able to develop these skills they will inevitably be successful employees, businesses, officials etc. in a future. Thus, parents should bear in mind that homework is sometimes much more important than class work and, therefore they should be involved in the homework process at least once a week.

First, parents should demonstrate their interest in children’s education process. Here parents’ interest does not mean control because many parents think they are involved in children’s study by repeating the questions ‘How is your school?’ or ‘what marks have you got today?’ or ‘have you done your homework yet?’ The right questions would be ‘May I help you with your homework?’ or ‘You can ask me your maths questions because I love maths.’ Some parents find it difficult to manage homework help for their children. Here the school visit and teachers’ communication would be very helpful because teachers are always pleased to see parents’ interest and would be glad to encourage parents by giving him some advice.

If parents can clearly understand the importance of homework it becomes a very good and useful tool to develop their children and succeed at school. Parents should understand that homework teaches children how to be independent and responsible. Sometimes children think homework is boring due to some reasons: they cannot find the resources needed for homework; they want to spend out-of-school time by playing and going out; they associate homework with their class study and do not want to continue studying after school. Knowing all these reasons may help parents make children’s homework process easy and fun. Parents can help children with resources search and finding and they are able to make study process fun. If your child does not like reading start reading yourself! Show your great interest in the book you are reading and your child will definitely ask you: ‘What are you reading about? What’s so fun in it?’

Children are much more interested in activities demonstration rather than words. Parents should not be lazy in demonstrating interest in study, and homework will not be seen so bad and boring.

A recent survey indicated that nearly 30% of American parents are seriously considering homeschooling their children rather than sending them to school. Home schooling is a different way of education for many parents. It allows children to be educated at home free from the daily school assignments and pressure. It also allows more bonding time between the child and the parent fostering closer relationships.

There are 4 main reasons why you should homeschool your child. They are

1) Academic Results

One of the reasons parents are hesitant to adopt homeschooling is because they are afraid their child’s academic results will suffer. However studies have shown that children who are homeschooling have the same and if not better academic results than those going to traditional schools.

You could also say some of the world’s most famous people were homeschooled. Examples include Benjamin Franklin, Florence Nightingale, Winston Churchill and Thomas Edison. Their achievements do not compare less than those who went to school.

Home Schooling allow the parent to cater the study schedule according to the needs of the child. In school, since a teacher has to teach 40 to 50 students at a time, it is quite impossible to cater a specific teaching schedule for each child.

2) Social Reasons

Another important reason why you should homeschool your child is because traditional school do not deal with this aspect of education. Teaching your child to be comfortable with dealing with people.

By introducing your child to church programs and other volunteering programs to help others, it educates the child’s moral values which are just as important as academic results.

Homeschooling also shields the child from bad habits due to peer influence. Examples are smoking, alcoholism, gambling, sex, drugs and violence etc

3) Family Bonding

Since homeschooling allows more time between your child and parents, the family relationship is strengthened and there is more family bonding. The child self-confidence and self-esteem improves. Studies have also shown that homeschooled children values family ties and kinship more.

4) Religious Reasons

Schools have always kept away from religious issues due to its sensitive nature in our country. The schools typically has a neutral stand regarding religion and spirituality. Therefore, most schools do not have any kind of religious education

Homeschooling does not have that limitation. Parents can pass on their religious values to their children. This has a great impact on the spiritual development of the child.

Contrary to most people’s opinions, home schooling is not just limited to primary school students. In fact, there are many home schooling courses available for college students as well both offline and online.

Home schooling has been gaining more popularity in recent years because parents wanted more control over their child’s education. Parents wanted to oversee what their children is learning and teach them the right way.

For higher level college education, there are several types of home schooling programs available. It depends on the type of education you prefer your child to undertake.

One type is religion college home schooling. They have home schooling curriculum that have religious studies as part of their education.

Another type focus on the science while another focus on the arts. It can also be a combination of the above since college home schooling is quite flexible. You can cater your home schooling curriculum based on the interest of your child.

One thing all these college home schooling programs have in common is that they can be taught at the pace your child is comfortable with. Since each child learns differently and at different pace, the college home schooling program can be altered to suit each child’s learning progress.

There are also college home schooling programs offered in your local area. Some are theme based while others are focused on a particular subject. It will help if you can find yourself aligned with a home schooling group in your local community, if not you can do it online via the numerous homeschooling forums

Okay, so your child loves to watch television, play video games, surf on the Internet, and listen to music. And there's nothing wrong with those activities, as long as they're used in moderation. Most parents would also love to see their kids participate in more constructive activities -- like reading children's books -- but the trick is to get your little ones to actually sit down and crack open a book a few times per week.

One way to start is by sitting down and reading aloud to your children. By reading aloud to your kids, you're showing them how to enjoy children's books, the English language, the wonders of a good story, and hopefully, you're instilling a love of reading and learning. Many kids associate books with the drudgeries of school and homework, but you want to show them how a well written children's book can be an exciting adventure, a real pleasure, as their imagination takes them to places they've never been to visit with people and characters they've never met.

According to a recent US government study, there's a direct relationship with reading aloud to your children and childhood literacy rates. Reading children's books and other materials to your children is not only a great educational head start for pre-school, but also a wonderful social activity, and a chance to spend quallity time with your kids.

Reading to children is shown to have a positive effect on children’s literacy outcomes, the government report concludes. Through experience with books, children gain important exposure to written language. They begin making connections between the spoken word and the printed word. Policymakers contend that it is important to read to your child.

Regrettably, few children today seem to read for pleasure. In one study, only 7 out of 10 9-year-olds said that they enjoy reading as a pastime, compared with 78% five years ago, while for 11-year-olds, the proportion has declined from 77% to 65%. Children said they preferred watching television to going to the library or reading. But the biggest changes in attitudes were among boys. In Year 6, only 55% of boys said they enjoyed stories compared with 70% in 1998.

So getting your children -- especially males -- to read, and enjoy reading, is a real challenge these days. And again, one way to tackle that challenge is to read to your children aloud. One technique is to make reading a children's book a game, an interactive adventure that you can both enjoy. After all, this is another way to spend some quality time with your kids, which is what they want anyway.

Another way to use children’s books and literature to teach is through the so-called "Charlotte Mason" method. In this method of teaching, the child "tells back," in his or her own words, a short book or poem, or a chapter of a longer book. The child is forced to focus on the story, and understand its meaning. This type of verbal narration is especially effective in younger children who may not have the writing skills necessary to put their thoughts down on paper.

The goal is to get your child to open a book for fun, on their own, without prodding from you or their teachers in school. I can remember my own excitement and fascination when I discovered the Lord Of The Rings trilogy as young teenager, and how many hours of entertainment and enjoyment I culled from the pages of that classic fantasy series.