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Would you like to learn more about Classical Conversations? Please join us for an Information Meeting where you will learn the basics of classical education, CC's programs, and what a typical day at CC looks like. Wednesday, August 2nd at 10:00AM Location: TBD (Please email Dawn letting her know you will attend, and she will get the location details to you.) classicalconversationsroseburg@gmail.com We look forward to seeing you soon! EVENT DETAILS: Host Name: Dawn Host Phone: 541-733-8420 classicalconversationsroseburg@gmail.com Venue Name: TBD -Email for location ROSEBURG, OR, 97470
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 Are you interested in learning French with your children as part of your homeschooling? Would you like to be part of a group to meet in person or over video chat so that our children can practice French with someone other than parents? One of our local homeschooling parents speaks French and is interested in sharing the French language via songs, stories, and everyday phrases, using textbooks only as a reference at this point. For more information, please join their Facebook group here: Learning French in Douglas County (OR) . If your family is interested in joining a Christian homeschool co-op for this next year (2017-2018), you are welcome to come to RCF's Homeschool Co-Op OPEN HOUSE! This would be a great time to see if it is a good fit for your family before fall.
Hear what we have planned for the year; the material we will use, field trips, fun projects with the Bible weaving throughout all of our learning and fellowship. Monday, August 21st 6pm (just moms and dads) 1313 NE Cedar St. in Roseburg (by the Roseburg DMV) Contact Michelle if you have any questions: 541-817-5092  Oaks Park Amusement Park "Not-Back-To-School-Day" Home School Day is a fantastic way to have fun even though school has officially started for the rest of the schools! (If you're a brand new homeschooling family with children who are being withdrawn from public/private school, this is a terrific way of showing your children/teens that being homeschooled definitely has its advantages!) Friday, September 8th, 2017, from 11am – 4pm This is the annual special day of rides JUST for home-schoolers and their families! Quite a few of us have gone to this event over the years, and it is so much fun! If you aren't familiar with Oaks Park, it's basically similar to a really nice county fair (rides, etc.), but on Homeschool Day, it is especially fun because it's filled with families and is so much more safe than regular county fairs. :) $14.00 per person. Miniature golf, games, go carts, concessions, and Open Skate Session admission sold separately. Not valid with other offers; bracelet valid day of event only. 503-233-5777 for more info." 7805 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland, OR 97202  Announcing a new Glide-area Home School Co-op! Come find out what the Glide Home School Co-op K12 is about and how it might serve you and your family. The agenda will include:
The Info meeting will be held on Monday July 31st, 7pm @ Calvary Chapel in Glide (215 W Estella, Glide). Visit fb.me/that.little.voice.inside for more info or call 541-430-5960.  Our FIRST HOMESCHOOL SKATE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR is THIS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2016! For those who haven’t attended the monthly Homeschool Skate, here is the information: Parkview Skating Rink opens its doors to our Homeschool Community once each month through the school year for a private skate, 2nd Thursday of each month, from 1:00p.m. – 3:00p.m. (If you can't arrive right at 1:00, feel free to drop in when it's convenient for you.) Thank you, Parkview! The first Homeschool Skate of the school year will be THIS THURSDAY, September 8th. Parkview Skating Rink is located behind the YMCA off of Stewart Parkway: 1151 NW Stewart Pkwy, Roseburg, OR 97471 All Homeschoolers are welcome! Consider this your invitation to attend this event! Homeschool Skate is a fun time for the kids, and whole families are welcome to attend; we love to see homeschool graduates, too. For those families who have children who love to skate AND a child or two who would rather not skate, there are plenty of tables for setting up board games (or Legos) and also booths for reading/catching up with friends. Mamas with babies: The Rink has umbrella strollers (free of charge) or you can bring your own stroller to take out on the skating floor. Mamas of beginning skaters: You are welcome out on the floor (with or without skates on) to hold your child’s hand and coach in the basics. For a nominal fee Parkview rents “skate-walkers” to help new skaters. I think it's around $4 per person to skate, with an extra $2 if they want inline blades, but I'm not sure of the exact price. Parkview offers a good deal on annual passes, so families might want to check that out. If you have any questions about this event, feel free to post here or contact Kathy, via call/text her at 733-7838.  Are you interested in homeschooling and would like to know more from local families? Maybe you have already begun the journey but need some direction, facts, or encouragement? Come hear all about it! Curriculum, state requirements and testing, teaching multiple grade levels, socialization, school on a budget, creating a vision, co-op opportunities, teaching high school at home, and personal testimonies. This event has been put together by your local homeschooling community who want to help and are willing to share their time, resources, and experience with all who are genuinely interested. Cost: $9 per person OR $15 with a catered lunch (yum!) RSVP: Michelle Hamlin, shewrites46@gmail.com **Note: no childcare provided (babes in arms are welcome to join moms, but please find childcare for your other children) This event is rooted in a Christian perspective; therefore, the views and testimonies will have such references. This in no way excludes anyone from participating - and this will not be a church service. There will be a variety of Christian and secular curriculum we will have on display for all to review for themselves. Thank you. If you like local homeschool events, spread the word, especially with those who are on the fence about the decision to homeschool or need encouragement. We have seasoned moms and terrific resources to share, and you can also enjoy a catered lunch! (You may bring your own lunch as well.) For more information, contact Michelle at: shewrites46@gmail.com or select that you are going to the event, so we can have an accurate head count. https://www.facebook.com/events/1025480994167847/ Many of you have asked how the IOWA Test of Basic Skills and the Terra Nova standardized tests are different from each other. Michelle (actually spelled "Michaél"), who offers the IOWA, sent me her view of the differences between the two tests. She has proctored both tests for quite a long time now and did a lot of research on the differences between the two standardized tests. In my view (and hers), either one is fine, but here are the differences she noted: The Iowa Basic Skills Test is a top-rated, nationally standardized test designed to evaluate thinking skills. It is very similar to the Stanford Achievement Test, except that it has time limits. The Iowa test separates skills, like capitalization and punctuation, spelling, estimation, and problem solving - to name a few, into their own subsections of the test. This makes it possible for the parent to see specifically how the student grasps those certain concepts. The core groups for grades three through eight are: vocabulary, spelling, reading comprehension, usage and expression, capitals, punctuation, math concepts and estimation, math problem solving and data interpretation, and computation. The core group for grades nine and ten are: vocabulary, reading comprehension, revising written materials, spelling, math concepts and problem solving, and math computation. For the high school level, I chose to purchase tests for grades nine and ten only, feeling that most students are either going to go the ACT/SAT route and not require further testing yearly or the decision has been made to not test further than the state requires. My children have taken both the Terra Nova (CAT) and this test, the Iowa, in various grades. Their results came back tremendously similar, varying only a slight amount which I attributed to learning that took place in the years between the tests, when we compared the results of the testing. The separation of the different sections made it easier for me to fine tune their schooling to make sure that area was addressed a bit more. To keep the cost of the test low, I have chosen to have the students bring their own snack and drink. I know with my own children, they had certain foods they enjoyed more, and it would have been comforting for them to eat them while taking a test. I have no idea which test is more stressful or less stressful. I do my utmost to make everyone feel comfortable and at ease, but there is no guarantee. The Iowa test does take longer to administer than the Terra Nova, due to the individual sections. The test for grades three through eight takes 3.5 hours to take, closer to four with the instructions and breaks for moving around and bathroom. The test for the high schoolers takes between 2.5 and 3 hours. The tests for grades 3-8 this year are taking place at Melrose Community Church, 3918 Melrose Road, Roseburg on Friday, May 20 (tomorrow!) and Friday, June 24. Go to the second parking lot, just past the main part of the church and you’ll see a sign on the door. I charge $35 for the test, and results come electronically in about two weeks. For grades 9 and 10, the test will be held on Friday, June 10. I’d like to start the tests at 9:00, so arriving at 8:45 would be a huge help. I don’t have a registration form, I’m low key in that way. Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’d be honored to help. PLEASE NOTE THAT EVEN THOUGH SHE DOESN'T HAVE A REGISTRATION FORM, YOU WILL STILL NEED TO CALL Michaél TO MAKE SURE SHE HAS ENOUGH TESTS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR CHILD. (She has a smaller number of tests with which to offer testing). 541-677-0572  How in the world am I supposed to homeschool with my wiggly child or children in my home? Here's an article reprinted from The Homeschool Court Report 2015 by HSLDA, "Don't Take the Bounce Out of Tigger!" I think you'll find it useful. ~Julieanne Do you ever feel like the Disney song got it all wrong about there being only one Tigger? Does your preschooler seem so bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy, and fun, fun, FUN that you’re surprised she doesn’t actually bounce off the ceilings, too? You are not alone! The thing is, it’s natural for preschoolers to be high energy and need constant movement. In fact, scientists are finding that movement is essential to proper brain and body development. Your child develops motor skills and coordination through active play and practice. She actually needs to run, climb, jump, and act out what she is thinking. Your preschooler may seem to be in constant motion much of the time. This is because she uses her body to convey thoughts and emotions that she still can’t describe through language. Moving her body also helps her better understand many words and concepts that are new to her. For example, if you start talking about an airplane, she may spread her wings and ‘fly’ around the room. While at times this level of activity may be annoying and distracting for you, it’s a necessary part of her learning process and her fun. It is recommended that preschoolers need two or more hours of active play time every day. But how do you incorporate two hours of active play in every day? It’s not as hard as it might sound. You can weave movement throughout your child’s day in a way that works for your family. Here are three tips to help you do that. TIP # 1: Tie your abstract lesson to something your child can pick up, play with, or stomp on. If you’re talking about the planets, gather up nine balls and lay them out in the yard. Your kids can simulate planetary orbits by picking up the balls and running past each other. If you’re talking about a historical event, break out your toys and act it out! Preschoolers learn better when they can play through their material. Manipulatives are incredibly valuable for preschoolers. Anytime you can have them count physical items, you’ve just taken care of the wiggles and given them a math lesson at their level of development. A great thing for early math is to practice matching dominoes. Set out a tile and see if they can find another tile with the same number of dots. That covers matching and counting skills. If your child struggles with sitting still and doing a workbook, have her put it down and try acting out the questions with her toys. One HSLDA editor’s daughter developed her pre-multiplication skills by getting out her toy Octonauts and superheroes, standing them in groups of 5 or 10, and counting them up by groups. Or if your older kids are studying history, break out the toys and let your preschooler act out famous events. Connecting an abstract subject to a tangible, fun activity makes it easier for her to understand and remember it. Your children can even learn about the fall of Jerusalem by acting it out with a plastic Darth Vader and Stormtroopers! TIP #2: Mix studying and exercise together. Active play is great for counting. Have your child jump up and down and count each jump. Then say, “We did five jumps! So if we do one fewer, how many jumps do we have?” Then have him count them out to see if he was right. This tactic also works for jump rope, somersaults, cartwheels, laps around the yard, and any other physical activity that you can count. On a related note, there is no rule against doing math and playing dress-up at the same time. If you have a small princess, feel free to put on the fancy dress, break out the magic wand, and start counting frogs. You are allowed to be silly . . . and while your child is playing imaginatively and working out her wiggles, she is also learning math. Music can also be your friend in this endeavor. It’s surprisingly easy to make music a part of your normal life. You can sing and dance as you’re picking up the living room, or while taking a break from another lesson, or just because you feel like it. You’ll be introducing your children to rhythm, tone, and musical style, while also giving them a morale boost and letting them deal with their wiggles. It’s a win-win-win-win-win—and who doesn’t love that? TIP #3: Find teachable moments within your everyday life. Remember that you’re teaching ideas and topics at the most introductory level. So no matter what your child is learning, it will probably be relevant throughout your day—even when you’re on the move. One practical way to do this is to find real-life tasks that are developmentally appropriate for your child. Preschoolers often love to be helpful. So as they’re following you around, think of little errands they can run. “Can you go bring me a pencil? Can you set this on the stack of books in the living room? Please go put these forks on the table.” That saves Mom a trip and keeps your kids occupied and happy. And when you need to take a break and get some fresh air, turn that into a learning opportunity. This is a low-stress way to introduce children to botany. Find out what trees and flowers are near your home. As you walk past them, name them for your children—and once they get the hang of it, have them tell you the plant’s name. If you’re teaching colors, talk about the different colors that you run across. Then ask your children to bring you a red leaf, a green pine needle, or a brown acorn. By the time you get home, you’ll have covered important subjects at their level, helped them connect their learning to the world around them, and let them burn off some youthful energy. Mixing up different activities throughout the day benefits children in all sorts of ways. They learn to anticipate and wait for the next activity, develop the social skills both to play alone and to play with other children and adults, and practice transitioning focus and concentration from one activity to another. Day by day, in addition to physical strength, they gain proficiency in and control of their emotions, cognitive processing, and communication abilities. By giving your preschooler abundant opportunities to be bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, and pouncy, you’ll be boosting her growth and maturity. Enabling her to release all that wonderful energy in a positive way will reduce frustrating moments for you and your child and keep the fun, fun, FUN! in every day. You might even decide to try a bounce once in a while yourself! “My child won’t sit still. How do I teach him?” I actually love this question, because the answer is so simple, so fun—and brings so much relief to moms: “Don’t make him sit still! His play is his work, so let him move around and play. But you direct his play so that he’s learning and developing mentally, physically, and emotionally through it.” In the preschool years, play-based learning is the best way for kids to learn. Young children are in the process of gathering information about the world and learning how to do just about everything—so work and play are pretty interchangeable to them. As a mom to eight daughters, foster mom to many children, and now grandmother to 20 grandchildren, I find that an easy way to help preschoolers gain new skills and get some wiggles out is by inviting them to help me with age-appropriate jobs around the house that also offer movement opportunities. For example, as preschoolers, my kids were delighted to take a turn pushing the cordless vacuum, wiping down windows, or standing on a stool at the sink to help with dishes (which mostly meant enough water ended up on the floor that we moved onto mopping next!). Sometimes we doubled our fun during chores by playing music in the background or singing silly songs together. Speaking of music, my preschoolers especially loved movement-oriented songs that encouraged them to jump up, sit down, turn around, jump like a frog, crawl like a worm, fly like a plane, etc. Such music prompted them to use their imaginations at the same time they moved their bodies. Some of my children’s favorite play-based learning activities are also hits with my preschool grandchildren these days. My grandbabies develop fine motor skills through putting large and small puzzles together. They cultivate cooperative play and release energy through building with blocks, making towns with their cars and houses, playing with their “cooking toys,” baby dolls, and dress-up accessories, and building forts from chairs, sheets, and sofa cushions. My young grandkids enjoy practicing their gross motor skills through indoor activities that involve large motions, such as coloring on paper, drawing on a large easel, or measuring and pouring in the corn kernels bucket or the water table. Outside, my little wigglers revel in digging in the garden, pushing the mini-wheelbarrow, and watering the plants. Another timeless outdoor hit in our family is playing with bubbles! I have large wands on hand for the kids to encourage gross motor play through large arm movements, running around the yard, and jumping and reaching to pop bubbles. This flexible energy outlet never fails to deliver great fun whether my preschool grandchildren are playing with siblings and cousins or by themselves. One of my daughters recently invented a side-splitting, wiggle-busting version of hopscotch: Her kids love to stomp and jump on bubble wrap. My daughter drew a hopscotch grid with a permanent marker on the back of the bubble wrap, then secured it to the floor with masking tape. The kids love to play hopscotch—it doesn’t even feel like they’re learning their numbers and counting—and now they can bring an outside game inside! I hope these stories of how my preschool kids and grandkids have learned and grown while constantly moving inspires you with fresh ideas and new ways to expand play-based learning for your own child. Now, won’t you invite your little wiggle worm to get up and go move?  The 2016 Iowa Basic Skills testing for homeschoolers will take place at Melrose Community Church, 3918 Melrose Road, Roseburg on May 20 and June 24 for grades 3-8 and June 10 for grades 9 and 10. Tests will run from 8:45-12:45ish, cost is $35 again per student. Please register with Michaél ("Michelle") ahead of time to reserve a test spot for your child. This test includes subject areas vocabulary, spelling, capitals/punctuation, math concepts/estimation, problem solving and computation. Please bring pencils, an eraser, calculator if desired, a snack or two and a drink. A book to read if finished early would also be a good thing. (Park on the west side of the building and go into the door facing the parking lot and road.) Looking forward to hearing from you! ~Michaél ("Michelle") dmfriedlein@gmail.com 541.677.0572 |
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