A Homeschool Mom's Deep, Dark Secret

I believe that most people who know me probably think that I have it all together as a homeschool parent. My house is pretty organized (on most occasions), I am a strong cheerleader for the homeschooling movement, I lead a homeschool support group, and my children are performing academically well. However, what people may not know is that I have a deep, dark secret, one that I feel lead to share.

Are you ready?

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Excelerate Spanish - A Homeschool Spanish Curriculum (Review)

I first learned about Excelerate Spanish through an article I read in the 2014 annual print book of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. What captured my attention was that Excelerate Spanish used a method of teaching foreign language that was new to me, Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS).

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Under Drake's Flag (Audio Theater) by Heirloom Audio Productions (Schoolhouse Crew Review)

I am very eager to share this review with you! If you and your family enjoy audio dramas as much as my family does, then you will be excited to learn about Heirloom Audio Productions' Christian audio drama, Under Drake's Flag. This story was written by author G.A. Henty, who is well known for his historical adventure stories. My children and I were delighted to add this to our collection.

Under Drake's Flag is an enthralling story about a boy named Ned Hawkshaw who embarks on an exciting adventure which offers him the opportunity to set sail with one of the most admired sea captains of his time, Sir Francis Drake. This sixteenth-century teenager experiences first-hand the struggle between Great Britain and Spain for preeminence over the high seas. You will be kept in suspense as you listen to Ned as he fights off a shark attack. You will also find yourself asking questions such as, "Will he survive the shipwreck? Is he going to get through these battles? How is he going to handle the Spanish Inquisition?"

You can listen to a 60-second summary of the story by visiting Heirloom Audio Production's website.

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Are Your Students Afraid of Public Speaking?

Even though communication skills are vital to their success, many students (and most parents!) are still terrified of public speaking

Let us help. Join us for the 

Communicators for Christ Conference

Through this two day integrated communication and leadership training conference hosted by the Institute for Cultural Communicators (ICC), we'll help students overcome their hesitation to effectively engage audiences of all sizes. Our activities, workshops, and exercises provide a safe and encouraging environment where everyone has a chance to succeed, regardless of their public speaking experience. This allows them to see past their fears to a greater mission of impacting those around them - one person at a time.

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Encourage Your Students to Write by Sharing This List of Writing Contests With Them

Want to encourage your students to write? One excellent motivator is having them enter a writing contest.

You can perform your own Internet search for current writing contests, however, I have already done some of the work for you to help you get started. When doing your own search, use a phrase such as, "writing contests 2014 (or 2015) for middle school (or high school)".

Before spending too much time reading about a particular contest, make sure to look for a deadline date.  If you've missed the deadline, make a note of the contest in your calendar or a notebook for the following year. Also, bookmark the website.

Make sure to to look for the list of prizes. Some offer a monetary prize, others offer plaques and/or certificates.

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The Eternal Argument (Schoolhouse Crew Review)

As a homeschool parent, two of the subjects I most enjoy teaching my children include history and literature. When I visited Analytical Grammar's website and read about their book titled The Eternal Argument, I was fascinated by the book's description.

Have you ever asked yourself why students are made to read the books they read, the classics in particular?

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Go Science DVDs (Series 2) By Library and Educational Services (Schoolhouse Crew Review)

My children and I recently had the opportunity to watch a couple of Go Science DVD's (Series 2) by Library and Educational Services.

The first one we watched was Volume 2 which was broken up into two topics: Life Science and Weather.


Life Science included:

• Flashlight-Animal Eyes
• Animal Skulls
• Bobby Pins
• What Are You Looking At?
• How Much Do Your Lungs Hold?
• Eating Nails for Breakfast
• Naked Egg

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