What the heck is an unschooler?
Well, I can say for certain it isn't my child, but oh, how I have wished for one over the years. If my child were an unschooler he'd be up every morning roaring to learn. He'd gladly run out to the barn to check on the animals, he'd take that dang Lego Robot I got him for Christmas 3 years ago and build every design he could think of. Yes, if my child were an unschooler I'd have robots running my household, he'd have a Jimmy Neutron lab in the barn, and high hopes for high office.
You see, an unschooler is a natural learner, a kid who's curiosity gets the better of him on regular occasions. They build things, they question things, they create things. If my kid were an unschooler he'd have my retirement plan figured out, he'd paint murals in the living room, and he's devise a way to have robots run my household.
Unschoolers have been raising eyebrows for decades with their lax attitudes and child-centered learning. They've been the butt of homeschool jokes the world over - by homeschoolers! Yes, it is pretty bad when you're the oddball out in an oddball world to begin with. Being an unschooled child is a dream-come-true that few kids could even comprehend. "Why, what do you MEAN you don't' have to get up at 6AM?" those non-unschoolers would ask. "If you don't do school then you won't be smart," they'd chide.
But the unschooler knows different. They already know that they don't need someone to tell them what to do, how to do it, and why it needs to be done.
Because they are natural learners and they have built their mothers a whole army of robot maids to run her household, and she is... happy.
Ahhh...to have an unschooler. A kid who begs for Japanese foreign language courses and then comes back to say Russian sounds good too. Who teaches himself how to draw by finding "Learn to Draw" videos on the Internet and submits his projects to the county fair, who not-so-secretly wishes that his barn REALLY was a Jimmy Neutron laboratory, and who laments over the injustices of foreign governments when watching Fox News when he should be doing math.
Hmmm...maybe every kid has a little bit of an unschooler in him? Now if he'd only build me that dang robot army to do my chores.
J. Anne Huss is the editor over at http://www.the-simple-homeschool.com/ and author of Simple Schooling homeschool science and history curriculum. She started single-mom homeschooling-it over seven years ago and has never looked back.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J._Anne_Huss
The Secret to Teaching Children How to Think
The Secret to Teaching Children How to Think
By Happy Riches
One of the biggest difficulties for teachers is encouraging children to think. It is one thing to have children in a class doing lessons and appearing to complete the lessons satisfactorily by writing in the answers taught as fact. This method of regurgitation is not thinking.
One of the saddest things today that is missing in schools is learning some of the basics by rote. For instance, basic arithmetic and English needs to be learned by rote so children can be given some intellectual tools with which to think. This may seem boring, but every child gets a kick out of knowing that they can recite their times tables. Every child also gets a thrill from being able to pronounce the words they can see on the page of a book, because they have learnt the key syllables of the language.
New teaching methods introduced in the sixties tried to do away with the idea that it was necessary to learn the basics by rote. Yet at the same time it was expected that students learn to memorize. The students that succeeded within the education system were mostly taught these key concepts at home and consequently schooling was easy for them. Those who didn't learn the basics outside of school had no hope of learning them in school, and thus they fell behind those who did have the good fortune of getting the additional home tuition.
The idea was that people didn't need to learn syllables to understand the meaning of words. While it is true a person does not need to learn syllables to understand the meaning of a word, what has become evident is spelling standards have dropped as a result of not learning syllables. Learning syllables enables children to have more confidence pronouncing words and more confidence in reading and using more learned words.
Marva Collins is a renown educationalist who has taught the unteachable to become excellent students; showing students how to progress five grades in a year. She believes that a teacher needs to read the material that is being taught to the students and every new word should be discussed and taught for pronunciation, usage and spelling before the students actually read the lesson for themselves. Her approach is basically common sense.
Marva Collins is often quoted: "I have discovered few learning disabled students in my three decades of teaching. I have, however, discovered many, many victims of teaching inabilities."
One of the things that impressed me when I first read of Marva Collins, back in Ronald Regan's Presidency, was that she encouraged the more advanced students to teach what they have learnt to those who have yet to learn the lesson.
When someone, who has learnt something, has to teach what they have learnt to another, the need to understand what was taught suddenly becomes greater, because the student is now the teacher. This reinforces the learning experience and provides a form of self-discipline for the student, who is now the teacher.
If all teachers took the Marva Collins approach to teaching, every child would hardly need to be encouraged to think. It would just be like a lightning bolt starting a forest fire.
Understanding the learning process is not that difficult. Even adults can be transformed by the renewal of their own minds, to once more have a refreshed outlook to life and be shown how they can overcome many of the perceived difficulties that plague them; even those that prevent them from obtaining the treasures life has for them.
Happy Riches knows how to show you how. Happy Riches also runs an educational membership club which has a focus on people becoming healthy, wealthy and wise. Happy Riches can be found at http://www.happyrichesclub.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Happy_Riches
By Happy Riches
One of the biggest difficulties for teachers is encouraging children to think. It is one thing to have children in a class doing lessons and appearing to complete the lessons satisfactorily by writing in the answers taught as fact. This method of regurgitation is not thinking.
One of the saddest things today that is missing in schools is learning some of the basics by rote. For instance, basic arithmetic and English needs to be learned by rote so children can be given some intellectual tools with which to think. This may seem boring, but every child gets a kick out of knowing that they can recite their times tables. Every child also gets a thrill from being able to pronounce the words they can see on the page of a book, because they have learnt the key syllables of the language.
New teaching methods introduced in the sixties tried to do away with the idea that it was necessary to learn the basics by rote. Yet at the same time it was expected that students learn to memorize. The students that succeeded within the education system were mostly taught these key concepts at home and consequently schooling was easy for them. Those who didn't learn the basics outside of school had no hope of learning them in school, and thus they fell behind those who did have the good fortune of getting the additional home tuition.
The idea was that people didn't need to learn syllables to understand the meaning of words. While it is true a person does not need to learn syllables to understand the meaning of a word, what has become evident is spelling standards have dropped as a result of not learning syllables. Learning syllables enables children to have more confidence pronouncing words and more confidence in reading and using more learned words.
Marva Collins is a renown educationalist who has taught the unteachable to become excellent students; showing students how to progress five grades in a year. She believes that a teacher needs to read the material that is being taught to the students and every new word should be discussed and taught for pronunciation, usage and spelling before the students actually read the lesson for themselves. Her approach is basically common sense.
Marva Collins is often quoted: "I have discovered few learning disabled students in my three decades of teaching. I have, however, discovered many, many victims of teaching inabilities."
One of the things that impressed me when I first read of Marva Collins, back in Ronald Regan's Presidency, was that she encouraged the more advanced students to teach what they have learnt to those who have yet to learn the lesson.
When someone, who has learnt something, has to teach what they have learnt to another, the need to understand what was taught suddenly becomes greater, because the student is now the teacher. This reinforces the learning experience and provides a form of self-discipline for the student, who is now the teacher.
If all teachers took the Marva Collins approach to teaching, every child would hardly need to be encouraged to think. It would just be like a lightning bolt starting a forest fire.
Understanding the learning process is not that difficult. Even adults can be transformed by the renewal of their own minds, to once more have a refreshed outlook to life and be shown how they can overcome many of the perceived difficulties that plague them; even those that prevent them from obtaining the treasures life has for them.
Happy Riches knows how to show you how. Happy Riches also runs an educational membership club which has a focus on people becoming healthy, wealthy and wise. Happy Riches can be found at http://www.happyrichesclub.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Happy_Riches
How to Tie a Necktie
How to Tie a Necktie
By Hendrik Pohl
There are quite a few different ways to tie a necktie. One of the most popular ways to tie a tie is by using the Four-in-Hand knot. The Four in Hand knot is a slightly smaller, and somewhat asymmetrical tie knot. Even though this type of necktie knot is one of the easiest ways o tie a necktie, hence it is sometimes called the "simple tie knot", it is by no means an un-fashionable way to tie a tie. It is actually the preferred, and best looking tie knot if you:
1. Wear a shirt with a narrow collar spread
2. If you are tall and need a smaller tie knot that uses less of the tie's length
3. A great knot for solid color silk ties
4. A traditional knot that perfectly compliments British striped neckties
History of the Four in Hand knot
The Four in Hand is one of the original necktie knots dating back to the middle of the 19th century. It is one of the oldest tie knots that is still in common use today. It was invented by British horsemen that needed a simple way to tie a scarf with one hand while holding the reigns of four horses in the other hand. Hence, the knot got the name Four-in-Hand.
How to Tie a Four-in-Hand Knot:
By Hendrik Pohl
There are quite a few different ways to tie a necktie. One of the most popular ways to tie a tie is by using the Four-in-Hand knot. The Four in Hand knot is a slightly smaller, and somewhat asymmetrical tie knot. Even though this type of necktie knot is one of the easiest ways o tie a necktie, hence it is sometimes called the "simple tie knot", it is by no means an un-fashionable way to tie a tie. It is actually the preferred, and best looking tie knot if you:
1. Wear a shirt with a narrow collar spread
2. If you are tall and need a smaller tie knot that uses less of the tie's length
3. A great knot for solid color silk ties
4. A traditional knot that perfectly compliments British striped neckties
History of the Four in Hand knot
The Four in Hand is one of the original necktie knots dating back to the middle of the 19th century. It is one of the oldest tie knots that is still in common use today. It was invented by British horsemen that needed a simple way to tie a scarf with one hand while holding the reigns of four horses in the other hand. Hence, the knot got the name Four-in-Hand.
How to Tie a Four-in-Hand Knot:
1. Flip up your shirt's collar and close the top button. Then, lay the tie around your neck so that the broad side of the necktie hangs lower than the narrow end.
2. Wap the broad end of the necktie behind, and around the narrow end of the tie with one hand, while holding the wrapping in place with your other hand. This will ensure that the unfinished tie knot doesn't slip out of place.
3. Wrap the broad end around, and over the front of the narrow end. As before, hold the unfinished tie knot with two fingers. Then, take the broad end, and loop it through the loop on your neck. Make sure to leave a loop at the front of your tie. This is needed in the next step to pull the broad end through, and to tighten the knot.
4. Pull the broad end of the necktie through the loop you created in step #3.
5. Carefully tighten the necktie and adjust it so that it is centered between your collar. Finally flip down your shirt's collars.
Tying your necktie to the Right Length:
The tip of the necktie should end near the center of your belt buckle. If the tie is tied too short or too long, un-tie the knot and do it again. Sooner or later, you will get a feel for where you need to start the knot. Use the stitching at the back of the tie of the narrow part as a reference point. If you just can't get the tie tied to the right length, chances are that you might need extra long neckties that are especially made for taller men. Regular sized neckties are typically 58" inches in length and a good fit for men up to 6'3". Extra long ties are 3-4 inches longer, and recommended for men taller than 6 foot 3 inches, or for men that have a larger neck size. Buying extra long ties in conventional brick and mortar stores might be somewhat challenging. Only few retailers carry them, and in most cases only offer a very limited selection. Buying extra long ties at specialized online retailers might be a better, and more convenient alternative.
H Pohl is the owner and founder of http://www.ties-necktie.com/
Ties-Necktie.com offers a wide range of quality handmade silk ties, bow ties, and cufflinks, as well as useful dress code tips for men, men's fashion advice, necktie knot instructions, and more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hendrik_Pohl
Help Your Kid at School and Support the Teacher
Help Your Kid at School and Support the Teacher
By Todd Hicks
Are your kids doing poorly with their academic studies? Do you remember much about your classroom experiences? It is tough to be a student and teacher. As a parent, you know all students need adequate parental support but teachers also need support from the parents; furthermore, you can help your kids more by doing what you can to help their teachers. You will learn ways to help your kids excel at school while supporting the teachers.
Let your kid's teachers know how you feel about them. Praise them and let them realize that you know they are doing the best they can to contribute to your kid's growth and education. Invite them to parties.
Let others know your kid's teachers are doing a good job. Tell the administrators. Write letters to the editor. If you have the opportunity, submit a form to help them win a Teacher of the Year nomination and cash bonus.
Directly find out what your kid's classroom environment is like and show the teachers you care about them and your kid. Attend the "Open House" events.
Become a member of good educational organizations. Join the Parents and Teachers Association. Attend the PTA meetings.
Keep tabs on your kids' progress and help them learn. Help them comprehend their homework regularly. Do textbook exercises with them and give them questions you can think of. Have your kids organize and keep all their assignments and graded test papers inside a chart book. Review with your kids all the questions they miss on tests and help them find the answers or solutions. If this does not help, call the teacher to get the answers. It is important to do this because your kids might see some of these questions again on a final exam.
Teachers often buy textbooks and other things for students. If you can afford it, donate some money to the teachers and school to help cover the tab. Before the school year starts, make sure your kids get all the supplies they need.
Help your teachers spend less time focusing on discipline. Teach your kids to respect the teachers and behave at school.
Volunteer your time. Spend a day in your kid's classroom. Help handle the school parties.
Help your kids go the extra mile to get better grades and put themselves into a position to go far in life through what they do at school. If you cannot help your kids master a particular class and the teacher provides after-school tutoring, make your kids attend the sessions. Feed them nutritious meals. Encourage them to regularly engage in aerobic exercise so they will boost their circulation and think better. Encourage them to take up extracurricular activities at school.
You have the power to help your kid succeed at school and support the teachers. Do what you have learned to make it happen!
Todd Hicks owns Skill Development Institute, an enterprise that provides a keyboard typing lesson and academic study guide. To become a great typist or student, visit Skill Development Institute.
http://sdinst.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Todd_Hicks
By Todd Hicks
Are your kids doing poorly with their academic studies? Do you remember much about your classroom experiences? It is tough to be a student and teacher. As a parent, you know all students need adequate parental support but teachers also need support from the parents; furthermore, you can help your kids more by doing what you can to help their teachers. You will learn ways to help your kids excel at school while supporting the teachers.
Let your kid's teachers know how you feel about them. Praise them and let them realize that you know they are doing the best they can to contribute to your kid's growth and education. Invite them to parties.
Let others know your kid's teachers are doing a good job. Tell the administrators. Write letters to the editor. If you have the opportunity, submit a form to help them win a Teacher of the Year nomination and cash bonus.
Directly find out what your kid's classroom environment is like and show the teachers you care about them and your kid. Attend the "Open House" events.
Become a member of good educational organizations. Join the Parents and Teachers Association. Attend the PTA meetings.
Keep tabs on your kids' progress and help them learn. Help them comprehend their homework regularly. Do textbook exercises with them and give them questions you can think of. Have your kids organize and keep all their assignments and graded test papers inside a chart book. Review with your kids all the questions they miss on tests and help them find the answers or solutions. If this does not help, call the teacher to get the answers. It is important to do this because your kids might see some of these questions again on a final exam.
Teachers often buy textbooks and other things for students. If you can afford it, donate some money to the teachers and school to help cover the tab. Before the school year starts, make sure your kids get all the supplies they need.
Help your teachers spend less time focusing on discipline. Teach your kids to respect the teachers and behave at school.
Volunteer your time. Spend a day in your kid's classroom. Help handle the school parties.
Help your kids go the extra mile to get better grades and put themselves into a position to go far in life through what they do at school. If you cannot help your kids master a particular class and the teacher provides after-school tutoring, make your kids attend the sessions. Feed them nutritious meals. Encourage them to regularly engage in aerobic exercise so they will boost their circulation and think better. Encourage them to take up extracurricular activities at school.
You have the power to help your kid succeed at school and support the teachers. Do what you have learned to make it happen!
Todd Hicks owns Skill Development Institute, an enterprise that provides a keyboard typing lesson and academic study guide. To become a great typist or student, visit Skill Development Institute.
http://sdinst.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Todd_Hicks
501 Ways to Boost Your Child's Success in School
501 Ways to Boost Your Child's Success in School
By Robert D. Ramsey
Product Description
Doing well in school requires more than good study habits and hard work. In 501 Ways to Boost Your Child's Success in School, experienced educator Robert Ramsey tells parents what pushes teachers' "hot buttons" and offers lively, school-tested suggestions to help children excel. From making the most of parent-teacher conferences, to meeting the staff, to calling the teacher when special concerns arise, this book offers real-world strategies that empower parents. This engaging and practical book provides extremely lively, down-to-earth, and easy-to-understand advice that can be put to use immediately. Included are unusual topics such as school politics, relationships, getting noticed, and forming constructive partnerships with teachers.
Product Details
Published on: 2000-06-01
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
227 pages
Order Now
Top 10 School Supplies
Top 10 School Supplies
By: A. Pruder
Pencils. Everyone needs pencils with a good eraser. When it comes to school supplies, the best type of pencil to have are the ones with refillable lead. This saves repeated trips to the pencil sharpener and is less likely to cause disruption in the classroom.
Pens. One of the most important things to have is a good writing pen. Even though most teachers prefer that work be done in pencil, there are always plenty of uses for pens. Blue and black ink are the most common among school supplies.
Ruled Notebooks. If possible, a separate notebook should be kept for each subject. This will help students to remain organized and will keep their school supplies in order.
Binder. Commonly used to hold loose paperwork and files, a binder usually has three metal rings that snap together with a loud click. This allows the student to know that his/her papers are secure and is a must-have when it comes to school supplies.
Pocket Calendar. A calendar is essential for every student for a variety of reasons. From something as simple as dating a test paper to keeping track of upcoming exams and homework deadlines, a pocket calendar is one of the most underrated school supplies in existence.
Cellular Phone. Though not to be used during class or in such a way that would be disruptive to learning, a cellular phone is an essential tool that every student should have in the way of school supplies. It is a smart student who always has a connection to the outside world for many reasons, including incase of an emergency or just to serve as a way of being able to be in constant contact with family.
Calculator. This device is among the most common of school supplies and is often used in math and accounting classes. While some educators do not allow them, others encourage their use in the classroom.
Highlighters. In order for a student to outline specific and important information, highlighters are often used. The most popular color is yellow and these handy little pens are commonly available at any retail store.
Folders. A folder is a terrific way to house test papers and loose homework assignments.
Permanent Marker. From time to time, students are required to write their name on computer disks, which must remain at school while not in use, or text books. A permanent marker is popular among school supplies and is a wonderful way to make sure that a name is not removed and will help an item to be easily identified should it ever become lost or stolen.
About the Author:
Learn more about school supplies - visit our website at http://www.schoolsuppliesreport.info for school supplies articles and reviews.
By: A. Pruder
Pencils. Everyone needs pencils with a good eraser. When it comes to school supplies, the best type of pencil to have are the ones with refillable lead. This saves repeated trips to the pencil sharpener and is less likely to cause disruption in the classroom.
Pens. One of the most important things to have is a good writing pen. Even though most teachers prefer that work be done in pencil, there are always plenty of uses for pens. Blue and black ink are the most common among school supplies.
Ruled Notebooks. If possible, a separate notebook should be kept for each subject. This will help students to remain organized and will keep their school supplies in order.
Binder. Commonly used to hold loose paperwork and files, a binder usually has three metal rings that snap together with a loud click. This allows the student to know that his/her papers are secure and is a must-have when it comes to school supplies.
Pocket Calendar. A calendar is essential for every student for a variety of reasons. From something as simple as dating a test paper to keeping track of upcoming exams and homework deadlines, a pocket calendar is one of the most underrated school supplies in existence.
Cellular Phone. Though not to be used during class or in such a way that would be disruptive to learning, a cellular phone is an essential tool that every student should have in the way of school supplies. It is a smart student who always has a connection to the outside world for many reasons, including incase of an emergency or just to serve as a way of being able to be in constant contact with family.
Calculator. This device is among the most common of school supplies and is often used in math and accounting classes. While some educators do not allow them, others encourage their use in the classroom.
Highlighters. In order for a student to outline specific and important information, highlighters are often used. The most popular color is yellow and these handy little pens are commonly available at any retail store.
Folders. A folder is a terrific way to house test papers and loose homework assignments.
Permanent Marker. From time to time, students are required to write their name on computer disks, which must remain at school while not in use, or text books. A permanent marker is popular among school supplies and is a wonderful way to make sure that a name is not removed and will help an item to be easily identified should it ever become lost or stolen.
About the Author:
Learn more about school supplies - visit our website at http://www.schoolsuppliesreport.info for school supplies articles and reviews.
Home School Supplies
Home School Supplies
By: Carol Currie
Today, schooling in your home sweet home is promptly becoming the recent rage in how to give knowledge to your children. Yet homeschooling has been alive since the birth 20th century, it is not until now that it has spread in favor, with greater and greater families selecting to be more in charge of their kids' education. In the United States, it has been estimated that within reach there are about 3 million little kids that are entered in homeschooling schedules.
There are very many causes why dads pick out to have their youngster's instructed at home. A world of parents are worried with their children's safeness, precisely because of the unceasing up rise of evil in the junior high school surroundings. Interest about righteous ethics, principles, and irritation with the junior high school organization, are in addition some of the conditions that are associated in making this election. Scholars who are homeschooled are counted on to understand an assortment of categories. Scholars who are being taught at home sweet home are provided with the elements that they need for their learning.
There are a number of textbooks that are particularly aimed to conform to the needs of homeschoolers. Those students who are engaging in unit studies are armed with core curriculum publications or guides for each particular subject. This is a methodology of course of study that is centered around one issue at a time. This will cover all the information that they will need while they are studying a specific apt or topic.
Another way of learning is to structure the use of an already created course of study. This essentially is the curriculum that is used in population schools. Text Publications of this kind mainly give directions that are step by step, so learners will try to understand any issues following the lessons. An opulence of kids who are homeschooled likewise borrow their textbooks from libraries. This is a very economical way of acquiring all the pieces of advice that they'll need.
School kids who don't appreciate accessibility to libraries can also use the world wide web to acquire their text publications. There are a host of home pages on the net that buy and sell contemporary and used books. This is a quick and untroublesome way of acquiring the books that their core curriculums make obligatory.
About the Author:
Carol is involved in Home School Book information and Home School Supply information
By: Carol Currie
Today, schooling in your home sweet home is promptly becoming the recent rage in how to give knowledge to your children. Yet homeschooling has been alive since the birth 20th century, it is not until now that it has spread in favor, with greater and greater families selecting to be more in charge of their kids' education. In the United States, it has been estimated that within reach there are about 3 million little kids that are entered in homeschooling schedules.
There are very many causes why dads pick out to have their youngster's instructed at home. A world of parents are worried with their children's safeness, precisely because of the unceasing up rise of evil in the junior high school surroundings. Interest about righteous ethics, principles, and irritation with the junior high school organization, are in addition some of the conditions that are associated in making this election. Scholars who are homeschooled are counted on to understand an assortment of categories. Scholars who are being taught at home sweet home are provided with the elements that they need for their learning.
There are a number of textbooks that are particularly aimed to conform to the needs of homeschoolers. Those students who are engaging in unit studies are armed with core curriculum publications or guides for each particular subject. This is a methodology of course of study that is centered around one issue at a time. This will cover all the information that they will need while they are studying a specific apt or topic.
Another way of learning is to structure the use of an already created course of study. This essentially is the curriculum that is used in population schools. Text Publications of this kind mainly give directions that are step by step, so learners will try to understand any issues following the lessons. An opulence of kids who are homeschooled likewise borrow their textbooks from libraries. This is a very economical way of acquiring all the pieces of advice that they'll need.
School kids who don't appreciate accessibility to libraries can also use the world wide web to acquire their text publications. There are a host of home pages on the net that buy and sell contemporary and used books. This is a quick and untroublesome way of acquiring the books that their core curriculums make obligatory.
About the Author:
Carol is involved in Home School Book information and Home School Supply information
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