by Heidi Jo
Homeschooling can get to be expensive if you think you need the most highly regarded curriculum or if you think you need tons of books and resources. When you exchange your time for money you can begin to get many books and resources for free that will aid you in your homeschool journey.

You can homeschool for free or almost free if you follow these basic principles:

1. Use free resources - Obviously your local public library will give you the most free resources. With many libraries changing over to the computerized inter library loan system, you can find and receive many books you need even easier than before. I can request something online and have it delivered to my local library down the street in a matter of days. Unless you need a book for more than a month, this system works very well. The internet can provide you with many free worksheets, ideas and resources that can help you avoid purchasing many workbooks and textbooks. Check my bio at the bottom for a complete book that can help you find all the free resources you need for home schooling online.

2. Buy used curriculum - You can find used books and curriculum online or at thrift and garage sales. It will take you a little more time than just buying the books new, but if you want to save money you will need to spend a little time doing it. Ebay tends to be expensive for the buyer but you can sometimes find deals. Homeschoolclassifieds has a very nice searchable database where people can search the “for sale” listings for what they need.

3. Sell used curriculum- Once you are finished with a book or curriculum, you can sell that item and use the profit to buy the next item you need. You’ll need to do your research here though. Just because people make money on eBay doesn’t mean everything you list will sell. Search the completed listings for the item you want to sell and see how whether it sold and for how much. Also make sure you describe the item correctly and research how to describe it to attract the most buyers. Homeschoolclassifieds is a great place to list items because the cost is very low. Your item may not sell right away but at least it doesn’t cost much to have it listed there. If you look up the ISBN number on half.com you can see if your book is worth anything there. That site is not an auction site, so you just wait for a buyer to come and purchase your book. I have had good results there though.

4. Make up your own material - Some children enjoy creating their own books. You can read articles online or get books from the library that can help you get your children started creating their own books. Sometimes they can learn more from developing the ideas in their book than they can from reading a textbook. Their book can have a theme or subject and then everything in the book can relate to that topic. They can take notes on what they have read or write their own stories. Or you can collect free worksheets and unit study ideas online and create your own information for your child to complete.

You can home school for free or almost free, but you will need to be willing to do some work buy shopping and reading and searching online to find what you want to put together. When you purchase resources that are used for a fraction of the cost you pay new, it can be very rewarding. Then you might have extra money in your budget to take a field trip or two.

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report “How to Homeschool using the Best Resources” at http://www.homeschool-how-to.com Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

Article Source: Homeschool for free…. Or almost free

by Noeal
Texas approved defensive driving course material used to be found only in one place: a big paper handbook in the hands of an instructor in a classroom. That’s not the case any more, thanks to the forward thinking of the Texas Education Agency (TEA). There are now TEA approved defensive driving classes available on the Internet, so you never have to set foot in a classroom to complete your traffic school requirements.

The TEA and other agencies nationwide have realized that offering a Texas defensive driving program on the web is not only more convenient for its students, it can provide a greater rate of completion by the court deadline because students do not need to work around someone else’s schedule to register and complete the class. This is important in the case of people with unusual work schedules, that might have them on the job on the Saturday or weekday evening when the classroom courses are being offered.

Another advantage to online traffic school is that the material is housed on the instructor’s servers. Therefore, when a new law comes into effect or the conventional wisdom about a particular driving technique changes over time, it is a relatively simple matter for the traffic school provider to update their Texas approved defensive driving course with the latest material and make sure that students are not receiving outdated information simply because it would require a reprint to fix it.

This is true in the case of the “10 and 2” steering wheel hand position, for example. The development of steering wheel-housed airbags and the prevalence of power steering make a lower hand position more advisable in recent findings by experts on driving safety. The old way is not unsafe, it’s just not as good as the new way. Therefore, it would not necessarily warrant a reprint of a paper handbook, but online the change can be made quickly and easily. The same is true of mobile phone use while driving. Any TEA approved defensive driving class is going to need to cover these rules as they are made and adapted, and the only way to keep up when the laws are updated is to have access to every copy of the course material. Online, it’s easy because everyone is sharing the same course material virtually.

Taking a traffic school course is not usually something that people sign up to do unless someone else has required it of them. It may not necessarily be because of a traffic violation or ticket — it could be because an auto insurance provider has offered a discount for taking defensive driving, or because an employer would like a new employee to verify their driving skills in some way other than being handed the keys to the company car on the first day. It might even be a requirement that a teen driver who just finished their driver education must take the course in order to borrow the family car. No matter what the reason for taking the course, though, online is definitely the way to go to have a convenient, current experience.

Noeal Sean, Is a Promotional/Hobby Writer of Texas Defensive Driving Courses. Taking a Defensive Driving course is not usually something that people sign up to do unless someone else has required it of them. No matter what the reason for taking the course, though, online is definitely the way to go to have a convenient, current experience.

Article Source: Online Texas Defensive Driving- A Convenient alternative to traditional defensive driving course

by Carletta Sanders
Families who are looking for a free homeschooling curriculum may turn to publicly funded virtual schools or cyber schools.

Virtual schools are charter school at home programs that are funded by tax dollars. Because these programs are publicly funded, they can provide students with free computers, software, internet access, textbooks and other resources.

Students who use cyberschools are considered public school students. Their coursework is directed by certified public school teachers who supervise their students’ progress through the use of testing, teleconferencing, e-mail and coursework reviews.

Two well known providers of public school at home programs are K-12 and Connections Academy.

Advantages of Virtual Schools

Virtual school programs allow families to take advantage of the benefits of home education without adding a financial burden. They also provide the structure and support many parents desire, and eliminate the responsibility for choosing curriculum, designing lesson plans and supervising coursework.

Cyber schools also provide children with an accredited diploma that is the same as those received by students in traditional public schools. In addition, some programs schedule field trips and other social activities for their students.

Disadvantages of Home Based Charter Schools

Because cyber school is essentially public school in the home, parents may not have the flexibility to tailor the curriculum and teaching methods to meet their child’s needs. Decisions are made by teachers and carried out by parents, leaving parents with little say as to how their children are instructed and what they are taught. Some programs even place restrictions on use of religious materials.

Virtual school students are also subject to government regulations above and beyond that required of independent homeschoolers. Depending on the state’s requirements, students may be required to submit to standardized testing and interviews by school officials.

Some homeschooling advocates fear widespread participation in home based charter schools will blur the distinction between public and private education. They believe use of government programs may lead to increased regulation and oversight of independent home schools.

Although virtual schools give many parents the confidence they need to homeschool their children, these programs are not without their costs.

Parents who desire structure may want to consider using a complete home curriculum such as A Beka, Bob Jones, ACE or Alpha Omega. Parents who are concerned about the cost of home education can take advantage of the many free homeschooling curricula that can be found in their local library or online.

Carletta Sanders is a homeschool mom of 3. Visit Carletta’s website, Successful Homeschooling, for lists of free homeschooling resources and free homeschooling curriculum.

Article Source: Free Homeschooling Curriculum - Are Virtual Schools the Answer?

by Carletta Sanders
When I was in school, I looked forward to holiday celebrations as a chance to eat cookies and take a break from the monotony of class work. However, as a homeschooler, I now realize that I can homeschool holidays to enhance our study of culture and history.

In our home, we use holidays to read fiction and nonfiction books, watch holiday specials and documentaries, and work on fun projects. Here are some suggestions for holiday activities and other ideas for homeschooling holidays:

New Year’s Day, January 1 - Reevaluate the past year and set goals for the new year. Make party decorations and throw New Year’s Eve party. Study art, party planning, time and calendars. Also study other New Year’s celebrations around the globe.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in January - Commemorates the birth of Martin Luther King Jr. Read and recite MLK’s speeches or watch them over the internet. Study the history of nonviolent protest and the Civil Right’s Movement.

Groundhog Day, February 2 - If the groundhog sees his shadow on this day, there will be six more weeks of bad weather. If the sky is overcast and the groundhog does not see his shadow, spring will soon arrive. Study weather, weather forecasting, superstitions, and wives’ tales.

Valentine’s Day, February 14 - Bring cheer to those in a nursing home or VA hospital. Study Cupid, the Roman god of love, and other Greek mythological figures.

President’s Day, 3rd Monday in February - Commemorates George Washington’s birthday and Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. Study the lives and contributions of both presidents, and memorize some of their famous quotations and speeches.

Leap Year, February 29 - Study time, calendars throughout history and the Earth’s rotation.

Saint Patrick’s Day, March 17 - Study Ireland and Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.

Easter, Late March or Early April - Celebrates Christ’s resurrection. Study Christianity and compare it to other major religions. Learn about the history and meanings of traditional Easter symbols.

April Fool’s Day, April 1 - Read joke books and funny stories. Write jokes and comic strips. Develop public speaking skills by giving a stand up comedy performance.

Mother’s Day, 2nd Sunday in May - Honor the women in your family. Study queens, famous women throughout history, and the women’s suffrage movement.

Memorial Day, Last Monday in May - This day honors those who died in war. study the Civil War and Decoration day. Learn about other days of remembering the dead, such as the Festival of Lanterns in Japan and Dia de la Muerte in Mexico.

Father’s Day, 3rd Sunday in June - Honor the men in your family. Learn about kings, famous heroes, and our country’s founding fathers.

Independence Day, July 4 - Commemorates the signing of the Declaration of independence. Study the American Revolution and the United States flag. Sing patriotic songs and learn about our national symbols.

Labor Day, 1st Monday in September - This day honors working people. Learn more about the Industrial Revolution, workplace safety, child labor laws and labor unions.

Grandparent’s Day, 1st Sunday after Labor Day - Make cards or gifts for grandparents. Study family history.

Columbus Day, October 12 - Commemorates the day Christopher Columbus reached America. Learn about famous explorers, oceans and sea travel.

Halloween, October 31 - Make your own costumes, and study sewing and drama. This is also a great time to learn about nocturnal animals.

Veteran’s Day, November 11 - Commemorates the end of World War I. Visit a VA center or military cemetery. Study the World War I.

Thanksgiving, 4th Thursday in November - Discuss gratitude. Find ways to serve others. Study the dress, food, customs, and surroundings of the Pilgrims and Native Americans.

Christmas, December 25 - Commemorates the birth of Jesus. Make your own decorations and prepare a special meal. Learn about the origins of holiday traditions and Christmas carols. Create special family traditions.

Carletta Sanders is a homeschool mom of 3. For additional ideas and holiday activities, visit the Homeschool Holidays section of Carletta’s website, Successful Homeschooling. For homeschooling information and monthly activities delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for her homeschool newsletter.

Article Source: Homeschool Holidays - Use these Special Days to Make Learning Fun!

by Tutors Tutor
Tutors Resources

What Resources Does a Tutor Need?

A good tutor should be prepared for each lesson. Tutors should provide their own resources that the pupils will need in each lesson. This should, at the bear minimum, include a range of syllabus related text books, and would be a valuable advantage if the tutor also supplies exam papers.

Past Exam Papers

Past exam papers for GCSE and A-Levels can be purchased from examination boards. Examination boards can also provide you with a current syllabus and notes for teachers and tutors. It is strongly advisable that these are purchased and studied each academic year. Tutors Teaching GSCE and A-level subjects must have these resources, and can make use of past exam papers many times over. Many boarding schools still use common exam entrance papers which can be obtained from ISEB. SATs exam papers should be available from Blackwells and WH Smiths. It is also worth contacting the School that the student attends, in some cases, they may be helpful enough to provide a local tutor with past exam papers and an up to date syllabus plan.

Examination Boards

A list of exam boards that you can contact for these resources follows bellow:
(ISEB)
Independent Schools Examinations Board
Jordan House
Christchurch Road
New Milton BH25 6QJ
Tel: 01425 621111
Fax: 01425 620044
Website: iseb.co.uk

(AQA North)
Assessment and Qualifications Alliance
Devas Street
Manchester M15 6EX
Tel: 0161 953 1180
Fax: 0161 455 5444
Website: aqa.org.uk

(AQA South)
Assessment and Qualifications Alliance
Stag Hill house
Guilford
Surrey GU2 5XJ
Tel: 01483 506 506
Fax: 01483 300 152
Website: aqa.org.uk

City and Guilds
1 Giltspur Street
London EC1A 9DD
Tel: 020 7294 2800
Fax: 020 7294 2400
Website: city-and-guilds.co.uk

Edexcel
190 High Holborn
London WC1V 7BH
Tel: 0870 240 9800
Fax: 020 7190 5700
Website: edexcel.org.uk

(CCEA)
Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment
29 Clarendon Road
Belfast BT1 3BG
Tel: 02890 261 200
Fax: 02890 261 234
Website: ccea.org.uk

(OCR)
Oxford, Cambridge and RSA
Syndicate Buildings
1 Hills Road
Cambridge CB1 2EU
Tel: 01223 553 998
Fax: 01223 552 627
Website: ocr.org

(SQA)
Scottish Qualifications Authority
Hanover House
24 Douglas Street
Glasgow G2 7NQ
Tel: 0845 279 1000
Fax: 0141 242 2244
Website: sqa.org.uk

Welsh Joint Education Committee
245 Western Avenue
Cardiff CF5 2YX
Tel: 02920 265 000
GSCE Tel: 02920 265 155
Website: wjec.co.uk

(JCQ)
Joint Council for Qualifications
Veritas House
125 Finsbury Pavement
London EC2A 1NQ
Tel: 020 7638 4135
Website: jcq.org.uk

International Baccalaureate Organisation
Peterson House
Malthouse Avenue
Cardif Gate
Cardif CF23 8GL
Tel: 0292 0547 777
Fax: 0292 0547 778
Website: ibo.org

Next we will discuss the need to have experience, or come from a teaching profession, how much of an advantage is this? and can you teach if you don’t already have teaching experience?
Next >> Requirements To Be a Tutor

TutorTutors tutor has been tutoring in Oxford for the last 11 years and hopes to provide tuition resources to tutors world wide

Article Source: UK Tutors Resources

by Carletta Sanders
Children often complain that studying history is dull and pointless. However, learning about family heritage is interesting, builds strong roots, bonding across generations, and leads to the study of other time periods and cultures. What better way to homeschool history!

Start by giving your child a glimpse into the past. Show your child old photo albums and identify different family members. Tell your child what was going on in the world at the time the photo was taken. Recount stories about individuals and family events.

Pull out old clothes and mementos, and discuss how things change over the years and go in and out of style. Talk about world events during the year you were born. Include information about:

• technology that was available when you were a child,
• inventions and discoveries that were made,
• economic conditions,
• presidents, and
• famous heroes and celebrities.

Involve other family members in your studies by having your child interview a relative. Let your child listen to grandpa talk about his childhood, and ask questions such as:

• How did people communicate?
• How did people entertain themselves?
• How did most people earn a living?
• What was the political/economic climate?
• What has changed for the better or worse?

During the interviews, your child is not only bonding with a family member, he is learning about another era.

Supplement these discussions with historical fiction, nonfiction books and documentaries. Have a history encyclopedia available and search for information on the internet. As a related homeschool field trip, visit a living history museum.

Don’t forget to study your family tree. Learn about famous people and events from your family’s homeland. Find out why your ancestors decided to migrate, and think about the traditions you have lost or maintained.

Study stories, traditions, food and dress from your family’s country of origin. Compare and contrast them with those of the country in which you currently live. Include homeschool writing activities in your studies by creating a family scrapbook, journal or newsletter.

Carletta Sanders is a homeschool mom of 3. For additional ways to homeschool history, visit Carletta’s website Successful Homeschooling. For homeschooling information and monthly activities delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for her homeschool newsletter.

Article Source: Homeschool History - Simple Ways to Build Interest and Understanding

by Online Traffic Resource Guide
What is the lowest price traffic school? Is it an online course, or is it going to the classroom? If it’s in the classroom, is that extra bit of inconvenience worth the extra money? Will it be offset by additional gasoline costs of driving to the class, and does it include the time you spend locating a classroom on a map and getting there and back? A price consideration for online courses is the bottom line. Be sure to look at the entire cost of the course, not just the big number in the pointy bubble on the main page. Some online providers charge extra for the delivery of your certificate of completion, and some include it in the initial price. You may have the option to listen to an audio read-along, or receive overnight certificate delivery, or other add-ons. When comparing prices, compare apples to apples by looking at all the options you will select and comparing that number rather than the base price.

What is the best traffic school? How can you tell? One way is to look at reputation. Are there customer testimonials or other records? Has the site been reviewed by anyone recently? How long has the company been in business, and how many customers does it serve? A smaller company may not be inferior, but one that has served over a million has probably received the customer feedback necessary to make course improvements that are yet to be made in the younger providers. You might also look for customer service features such as live chat or 24-hour availability.

Who is most convenient? With online schools, most providers are relatively even when it comes to convenience. After all, none of them close at the end of the business day. But not all online schools are identical. In some cases, you may need to be online at a particular time to “check in” or to take the whole course in one session. Decide what best meets your needs.

Which is the most interesting online traffic school? You’re not taking the course for your health, you’re taking it because a court, employer, or insurer has requested it of you. But that doesn’t mean you need to fall asleep while taking it. Some providers offer videos or animations to make the material more interesting, or include quizzes as you go to make sure you’ll be ready for the final exam. Those that provide just page after page of reading might not be the best value in the long run.

Mark Robinson,Expert author on “Web Traffic School Courses”. These courses confirms your state requirement of traffic school, defensive driving or driver improvement. For more details please visit Online Traffic School.

Article Source: Useful tips for selecting a State approved Online Traffic School course

by Entp30
Someone who believes that an education system that was instituted over two thousand years ago can be thrown out within a single generation has ignored the fact that time is the best testing ground when it comes to understanding human behavior.

50 years: That’s all it took for educators and lawmakers to throw away an educational system that took more than 2,000 years to age to perfection.

Ancient Greece and Rome first developed classical education, and by the 16th century it was the norm throughout the Western world.

This educational system produced some of the finest thinkers and leaders between the 10th and 19th centuries. Most of the Founding Fathers of America were educated with this system.

Can you think of any other time period where there was more progress in science, philosophy, art, and literature?

For real meaning in learning to occur, more than just fact needs to be taught. True education occurs when a learner is able to develop thinking and articulate their ideas through clear argument and persuasion.

Classical education provides the best tools for developing a child’s mind. Truly no wonder that so many classical education schools are turning up all over the country.

Order and discipline, the arts, and rigorous academic standards are all hallmarks of classic education, which are fading away in other forms of education.

Education’s most important task is teaching students how to learn. Really, truly learn. But performance-based learning and “progressive” teaching methods make it hard for students to learn the mental tools they need, which they would have received through traditional methods.

Concrete facts, language, and logic are the foundation skills for independent learning in classical education. It’s obvious what classical education can do for students when they’re able to apply their knowledge through clear expression, logic, and reason.

Classical education goes beyond the facts that need to be learned. This teaching method helps children develop the skills that essential in higher education and in daily life.

Some of these skills include independent learning, critical thinking, logical analysis, and

http://www.reprintarticlesite.comhttp://education.reprintarticlesite.com

Article Source: Classical Education, Why Your Child Needs It?

by Heidi Jo
Whether you have decided to home school or are just looking into the option, there are some steps you can take to help you know where to start. The most important place to start is with your child assessing who they are and what they need.

1. Observe your children. How do they play? How do they interact with others? What do they enjoy doing and not doing? Do they enjoy loud or quiet? Do they enjoy creating or filling in the blanks? Answers to all these questions will help you know where to start when planning your home school.

2. What is your long term goal? Write down what you want your child to be like when they are 18 years old. You can be as detailed as you want. What kind of character would you like them to have? What kind of qualities would you like them to have? Remember that people who write down their goals are 90% more likely to meet their goals. Obviously, you don’t have total control over how your child turns out. Much of who they become will be determined by the choices they make. You will be able to help guide those choices though.

3. Think about what you want your day to look like. Do you want to be completely involved in your child’s studies or do you want them to be completely self-taught? How much time do you have to devote to home schooling? Do your children respect you and listen to what you say? If they don’t do that now, then you may need to address that issue right away. Do you want a more flexible approach to your day or do you want a more structured schedule?

4. Look at what is available for homeschooling. This can be an overwhelming thought. I could write a whole book on what is available for home schooling. Basically, you just need to know how your child learns best, what kind of style you are comfortable with and go from there. Remember that more is not always better when purchasing books. You can always buy more later or borrow what you need from the library. I have resources available that send you a sample of many different types of curriculum that you can look at in your own home.

Homeschooling does not need to be difficult or overwhelming. When you know your child and yourself, you are able to view all the options available and make an informed choice.

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report “How to Homeschool using the Best Resources” at http://www.homeschool-how-to.com Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

Article Source: Home schooling - Where Do I Start?

by Heidi Jo
Homeschooling involves making some decisions. At first, many of those decisions involve purchasing curriculum or books. Here are some common mistakes people make and the solutions to help you avoid them:

1. In a hurry to buy curriculum - When you decide to home school you may be excited to go out and buy everything you see. The most important thing you can do to avoid this mistake is to get to know your child/children. Watch them for a while when they play and interact with others. Do they like to be alone or with others? Do they enjoy reading? Do they enjoy filling in notebooks or workbooks? Do they hate reading? These are all questions that will help you determine how your child learns best. You can also look into having them take a learning style assessment to see how they learn best. While you are observing your child, start exploring the different homeschol approaches and how they might fit in with your personality and that of your child/children.

2. Buy a curriculum because someone else likes it - Have you ever gone to a restaurant that someone else just raved about and you didn’t think it was all that special or you hated their food? Making curriculum choices are certainly more important than choosing a restaurant, but the point is that just because someone else likes a curriculum, doesn’t mean that it is right for you and your family or that you will like it. Accept the recommendation from that person and then research it fully to make sure it fits in with your personality and the learning styles of your children.

3. Buy more than you need - Realize that not every subject needs a curriculum and that you don’t have to purchase every part of a curriculum. Science and History can easily be taught from good books and life experiences. Math can be taught using workbooks, but can be enhanced with money, M&Ms and other hands on resources. If you have taken some time to write down your goals and what you think you need for each child, you can avoid buying too much and getting frustrated. Remember that less is better. You can always buy more later or add to what you have. If you have too much to work with you will get frustrated and might frustrate your children by piling on too much work and causing them to lose their desire to learn.

Everyone is going to buy at least ONE thing that they didn’t need. You can’t avoid all purchasing mistakes, but with a plan and some guidance you can purchase more of what you need and less of what you don’t need. Sit back and determine your goals for your children and what you want to accomplish taking into account their learning style, and you will avoid many mistakes when it comes to purchasing home school curriculum.

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report “How to Homeschool using the Best Resources” at http://www.homeschool-how-to.com Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

Article Source: Homschool Curriculum - Mistakes to Avoid When Purchasing