Teaching Tips

Transcript Review | Oct 28, 2012 by Becky Cooke

We are hearing from many of our members with questions pertaining to transcripts. Deadlines for college applications are fast approaching which means transcripts must be completed and attached to these applications. If you are hearing conflicting information on what you can or cannot include, don’t waste your time worrying. Pick up the phone and call us at 540.338.5600 or email homeschool@hslda.org.

Planning the College Visit | Oct 17, 2012 by Diane Kummer

Fall is a great time to plan a college visit. And with that planning comes some questions: What should you be sure to do? What information should you gather? Should you schedule a meeting or just show up? All these will be answered in this blog post taht explains all sides of planning a college visit, by Diane Kummer.

College Application Deadlines Approaching! | Oct 11, 2012 by Becky Cooke

Are you under the gun to get those college applications completed and meet the deadlines?

Organization is the key!

Becky Cooke provides key tips and useful ideas for staying on track with the college application process, and encouragement for keeping calm trusting God's plan.

How Do I Evaluate My Teen’s Writing? | Oct 10, 2012 by Diane Kummer

You’ve given your teen a writing assignment and the composition is completed. Now the sweating begins. I’m not referring to your teen’s sweat glands, but yours! How do you evaluate what your teen has written?

I remember when my children would give me their compositions and I would not know where to begin to critique and analyze them. I could handle science and math – it was easy for me to evaluate their knowledge and progress in those courses. But, evaluating their writing was a different animal. Let me provide you with some tips I learned along the way that may be helpful to you.

Running on Empty?...Resources for Spiritual Strength and Encouragement | Oct 5, 2012 by Faith Berens

I recently spoke with a dear, homeschooling mom, who is teaching a child she suspects may have dyslexia. As I also have a child who struggles (with attention, focus, and math processing difficulties), we both acknowledged that many days can be draining and discouraging. Doris shared how one day she was praying and crying out to the Lord, “Some days I just feel like I am running myself crazy.” She sensed His wonderful Spirit leading “You can either run yourself crazy or run to Me”. Truly,“The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and they are saved.”

Mission-Minded Teens | Oct 2, 2012 by Becky Cooke

Cultivating a heart for missions begins when it is fixed on Jesus and He places the desire in your teens. You can grow that interest through the courses you teach such as geography, history, Bible, and foreign language. Learning about regions of the world, their terrain, crops, culture, and religions will provide opportunities to talk about various ministries available...

Teaching Vs. Assigning | Sep 28, 2012 by Krisa Winn

You will need to remind yourself that even a robot can "bark out" assignments: "Work page 32 in math book. Do page 25 in your language workbook. Reading textbook: Read the story beginning on page 40 and answer the questions at the end of that story." In that sort of setup, you would simply function as a study hall monitor who would peek in occasionally to see if your child appeared to be on task.

Teaching, however, is in stark contrast to that kind of arrangement. As one homeschool mom quipped, "Teaching is not just checking off pages and clocking in time."

Recordkeeping for High School | Sep 22, 2012 by Diane Kummer

By now, most of you have begun another school year and I hope you are off to a wonderful start. The beginning of each school year is a great time to take a few minutes and lay out a plan for recordkeeping that will save you valuable time in future years when these records will come in handy. What records do you need to keep?

The answer to this question will vary depending on the state in which you live, so be sure to check out the HSLDA legal analysis for your state and note any recordkeeping requirements such as attendance, hours of instruction, testing requirements, and so on.

Is Your Teen Ready for the SAT/ACT? | Sep 13, 2012 by Becky Cooke

Parents are always interested to know when their teens should begin taking these tests. There is not a hard and fast rule. Often you can gauge when your teens are ready to tackle them. Since the math section covers material from basic math, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and some Trig, your teen will need to realize that these scores may be lower if he/she has fewer math courses completed when starting to take the tests. In light of that, it may be wise to consider completing at least Algebra 1 and Geometry before taking the tests.

Making Connections | Sep 12, 2012 by Krisa Winn

I enjoy the challenge of being an HSLDA Special Needs Consultant. At the end of a work day, my brain feels stretched~like I've had a terrific mental workout. I receive a wide variety of questions from our members. Anything from 'What's a good math program for a child who has dyscalculia?' to 'Can you tell me why I may need an IEP?'.

Helping Your Teen to Balance His Schedule | Sep 6, 2012 by Diane Kummer

I remember my children’s teen years, and sometimes I wonder how we lived through them. Someone always had to be somewhere, and as much as I tried to keep a rein on activities, many times I felt like screaming, “WHOA!”

How do you help your teen to bring balance into his schedule? How do you train her in time management skills that will be useful now and the rest of her life? We’ve found some helpful resources for you.

Studying the Scriptures | Aug 30, 2012 by Becky Cooke

As a child, I loved reading and listening to Bible stories. This led to memorizing Scripture. I did not realize that children memorize the easiest when young until my own children came along. I took the opportunity to continue memorizing verses with my children as we studied the Bible. These are the verses the Lord often has brought back to my mind and heart over the years to encourage and speak to me.

Helping Teens Look Ahead to Careers | Aug 24, 2012 by Diane Kummer

During the high school years, you may want to carve out some time to guide your teen in thinking about his/her future career. What would be helpful and where do you start?

In order to help your teen narrow down the choices, consider designing and offering your teen a Career Development elective course...

Learning to Trust My Master Planner | Aug 23, 2012 by Faith Berens

Greetings, from the busy (and somewhat messy) Berens household. My name is Faith Berens, one of the Special Needs Consultants and home school mom of Hailey (soon to be 10) and Hayden (2 ½). Welcome to my world-- I hope you don’t mind the Duplo blocks and Cheerios that you may find on the kitchen floor, in addition to the various craft materials that my daughter has strewn all over the “dining room” (or shall I say multi-purpose room) table. Life at home, schooling is full of surprises, but way better than I ever could have imagined or planned!

HSLDA High School Fall Activities – Save the Dates! | Aug 16, 2012 by Becky Cooke

From the number of phone calls and emails we are receiving, you all are busy making final preparations for a new school year.

Before your calendars are completely full, take a look at what’s going on for you at HSLDA and maybe in your area, http://www.hslda.org/about/calendar/.

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