also gave an abridged, but comprehensive account of
Sunday 18 February 2007
‘The Time of Our Lives - an Educational Vacation for Kirsty
I don’t usually endorse other company’s products or services on my blog, but I felt I just had to give this company http://www.easytobook.com/en/barcelona-hotels a mention, as they had been so helpful, kind and obliging, not just to myself but also to my ‘Planner’ of the holiday, Kirsty. In the past week from Saturday 12 February until yesterday I took my son’s partner’s oldest child, Kirsty, who is 15 years old, on an 8 day ‘educational’ holiday to Barcelona Spain
Friday 9 February 2007
The 72-hour 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain
I am just in the process of constructing a new website entitled 'The Fool-Proof-Method to....' with my first page which is the 72 hour 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain.
Visit My Website
My first page I have constructed is the 72 hour 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain. The reason it is called that is because it will only be available for 72 hours. All the programs are live and current and scam-free, that I have personally tested and available for a one-time price for all 7 money-making programs for less than what you would pay for one if you were to buy them individually.
I am searching, like many people, on how to make extra money to supplement my income to keep out of debt. The 72 hour 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain is 7 separate money-making programs that are currently available on how you can make and save money and the instructions for making/saving money are short and to the point, with links within the programs that current, live and waiting so that you can check them out for yourself, follow their fool-proof instructions and make and save money with more haste and less speed. If you're interested in making money or saving it, then I suggest you give my Visit My Website a click and decide for yourself. As I say, I have checked the programs out myself and the instructions are very comprehensive, that everyone can follow, that's why it's called 'The-Fool-Proof-Method-to'. Each program of this bargain is bundled into one and devoted to a different category on making and saving money for a bargain all-in-one price, a price which is less than it would cost you to purchase just one of these programs.
Visit My Website
As an added incentive and to prove how committed and serious I am about you making and saving money, just like me, the first 100 people who purchase the 72-hours 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain AND who each refer 10 or more Bona Fide Referrals (no spam will be tolerated) who each purchase the 72-hours 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain, I will personally guarantee a complete refund of their purchase price and also give in addition a generous 50% commission (all refunds and commissions will be paid through PayPal) on each of their referrals, when 10 or more your referrals purchase this 72-hour 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain. So the more people you refer that purchase this 72-hour 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain, the more money you make and you also get your own for FREE, as I will personally send you a rebate (and your applicable referral bonuses) to you through PayPal.
This is how serious Iam. So don't wait and let this amazing offer pass you by, as this offer is only open until 11.59pm Monday 12th February 2007 and then will be withdrawn, with the 72-hour 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain and you will have lost out on this fantastic opportunity.
Visit My Website
My first page I have constructed is the 72 hour 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain. The reason it is called that is because it will only be available for 72 hours. All the programs are live and current and scam-free, that I have personally tested and available for a one-time price for all 7 money-making programs for less than what you would pay for one if you were to buy them individually.
I am searching, like many people, on how to make extra money to supplement my income to keep out of debt. The 72 hour 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain is 7 separate money-making programs that are currently available on how you can make and save money and the instructions for making/saving money are short and to the point, with links within the programs that current, live and waiting so that you can check them out for yourself, follow their fool-proof instructions and make and save money with more haste and less speed. If you're interested in making money or saving it, then I suggest you give my Visit My Website a click and decide for yourself. As I say, I have checked the programs out myself and the instructions are very comprehensive, that everyone can follow, that's why it's called 'The-Fool-Proof-Method-to'. Each program of this bargain is bundled into one and devoted to a different category on making and saving money for a bargain all-in-one price, a price which is less than it would cost you to purchase just one of these programs.
Visit My Website
As an added incentive and to prove how committed and serious I am about you making and saving money, just like me, the first 100 people who purchase the 72-hours 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain AND who each refer 10 or more Bona Fide Referrals (no spam will be tolerated) who each purchase the 72-hours 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain, I will personally guarantee a complete refund of their purchase price and also give in addition a generous 50% commission (all refunds and commissions will be paid through PayPal) on each of their referrals, when 10 or more your referrals purchase this 72-hour 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain. So the more people you refer that purchase this 72-hour 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain, the more money you make and you also get your own for FREE, as I will personally send you a rebate (and your applicable referral bonuses) to you through PayPal.
This is how serious Iam. So don't wait and let this amazing offer pass you by, as this offer is only open until 11.59pm Monday 12th February 2007 and then will be withdrawn, with the 72-hour 7-Programs Money-Making Bargain and you will have lost out on this fantastic opportunity.
Don't let a fantastic opportunity like this pass you by -
ACT NOW
1000000 Links
ACT NOW
Thursday 18 January 2007
Student Loan Consolidation
So you've graduated, or about to graduate College or University, you're feeling the pressure and your financial situation is also getting to you. The pressures can be enormous. You didn't have the financial means or had only limited financial means to see you through and now those student loan debts seem like a millstone around your neck, dragging you down. I have found during my own academic career, including being a tutor, that many students have a lack of information and adequate advice to relieve the stress on year-on-year mounting student loan debt. That's where http://www.nextstudent.com/ comes in.
My son was in this situation and another family member is in this situation now. So, I've undertaken some research for them and discovered http://www.nextstudent.com/ which specializes in student loan consolidation. Their website is very comprehensive and is ideal for students with accumulating and accumulated student debts. I've browsed through their website which is very student-friendly and found that nextstudent.com don't charge any fees and could assist you in lowering your payments by up to 60% whilst many similar sites do charge fees for the same service.
Its very important, not just for your own sanity, to keep a tag on your student finances, not just when you're a current student, but also, once you've graduated....you need to find the most economical ways possible of having to repay it and this can be done by "Student Loan Consolidation". Give the following website a look, http://www.nextstudent.com/consolidation_loans/consolidation_loans.asp
It won't cost you anything to look or browse at nextstudent.com and it may just be what you're looking for in reducing that student debt.
I also contribute and have made quite a few homeschooling, education-related and family issue comments and postings on another homeschooling and education-related and family friendly website which is:
http://www.families.com/lec23/
[homeschooling]
Movies
Homeschooling
Home_Schooling
http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/World_Wide_Web/Weblogs/Education/Homeschooling
http://www.google.com/Top/Reference/Education/K_through_12/Home_Schooling/
Home_Schooling
Movies
Home Schooling
http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/jcTR
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/pingSubmit?bloglink=http%3A%2F%2Flec23.blogspot.com
1000000 Links
My son was in this situation and another family member is in this situation now. So, I've undertaken some research for them and discovered http://www.nextstudent.com/ which specializes in student loan consolidation. Their website is very comprehensive and is ideal for students with accumulating and accumulated student debts. I've browsed through their website which is very student-friendly and found that nextstudent.com don't charge any fees and could assist you in lowering your payments by up to 60% whilst many similar sites do charge fees for the same service.
Its very important, not just for your own sanity, to keep a tag on your student finances, not just when you're a current student, but also, once you've graduated....you need to find the most economical ways possible of having to repay it and this can be done by "Student Loan Consolidation". Give the following website a look, http://www.nextstudent.com/consolidation_loans/consolidation_loans.asp
It won't cost you anything to look or browse at nextstudent.com and it may just be what you're looking for in reducing that student debt.
I also contribute and have made quite a few homeschooling, education-related and family issue comments and postings on another homeschooling and education-related and family friendly website which is:
http://www.families.com/lec23/
[homeschooling]
Movies
Homeschooling
Home_Schooling
http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/World_Wide_Web/Weblogs/Education/Homeschooling
http://www.google.com/Top/Reference/Education/K_through_12/Home_Schooling/
Home_Schooling
Movies
Home Schooling
http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/jcTR
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/pingSubmit?bloglink=http%3A%2F%2Flec23.blogspot.com
1000000 Links
Thursday 11 January 2007
Campaign Against the Discrimination of the Homeschooler and Homeschooled
On
In 1995, Jason Taylor, who is a Pro Bowler with the Miami Dolphins, was one such person that this happened to. Jason, although homeschooled, from Grades 10 to 12, had his college scholarship revoked because of questions over his homeschool academic records. What specifically was disputed about his homeschool academic records was, I believe conveniently omitted by ESPN.
You may say, well a lot has happened since then and conditions for homeschoolers and the homeschooled have improved considerably since then; but have they? Ask Jeremy Guyse, he's in a similar situation now as Jason Taylor was in 1995 and prohibited from participating in public or private school-sponsored sporting events because he is homeschooled.
Only 16 states within the
I am not a citizen of the
If you do believe that you, as a parent have the right to homeschool your child, as you believe it is in their best interests, CAMPAIGN NOW for the rights of all homeschoolers and homeschooled kids, to have EQUAL RIGHTS to be educated at home and to be sporting athletes. Write, email and voice your opinion, to your local officials, members of congress and state and national representatives, the German and Belgian Ambassadors at the German and Belgian Embassies in Washington; the President of the European Union and the Secretary General of the United Nations.
I have reproduced below the article that was on the ESPN.com website on 8 January this year.
You are also quite welcome to check out my blog on the reasons I started homeschooling my child on:
http://lec23.blogspot.com
Despite passing the appropriate standardized tests, enduring a full slate of certified education classes, and excelling academically, Jeremy Guyse isn't allowed to take part in public or private school sports. Not exactly fair -- according to Guyse's family, some members of the school board and other parents -- but that's the reality for some students. Only sixteen states have laws which force schools to allow home-schooled kids to participate in school-sponsored athletics. Some call it discrimination, others see it as a fair way to treat kids and their parents who have chosen not to attend their local school. Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl DE Jason Taylor was one such student. He was home schooled from grades 10-12 and was allowed to play high school sports, but eventually had his college scholarship revoked because of questions over his homeschool academic records. Outside the Lines' Darren Lyn looks at the ethics of home schooled athletes being locked out of the games they love. Bob Ley hosts.
Tuesday 9 January 2007
Public Education Advocate, Private Education Hypocrite
Advocating Public Education in Public - Doing Completely the Opposite in Private
=====================================================================
Another news item today in the UK as completely outraged me, the case of Ruth Kelly MP and a former Education Secretary in the Labour-run government.
Ruth Kelly MP has consistently advocated in public the merits of the UK public school education system in reference to children with special educational needs and that they should be educated within the public mainstream system.
However, when push comes to shove and to show her support and convictions in the Labour Party's policies and increased spending on Special Educational Needs and in the efficiency of a system that she so glowingly advocated and recommended while she has been an MP and an Education Secretary; she and her husband have decided to send their son who has Special Educational Needs to an Independent fee-paying School for children with Special Educational Needs, on the premise that it was a decision that she and her husband took privately in the best interests of their child and that she would not be accepting in financial assistance from the Local Education Authority in which she resides towards this She has totally by-passed the public educational system and the waiting time that is in place for the statementing, the educational psychologist and social worker's report; which for any other member of the public, who do not have the choice, or who cannot afford to get their child into an independent school for children with SEN, they have to wait for a MINIMUM of 6 months (government's official waiting time), though in actual practice (and from personal experience), this time could be doubled and their would be no guarantee that the child after statementing would be granted a place at one of these prestigious independent schools for SEN.
What I would like answers on is:
1. If Ruth Kelly or any other MP, Congressman etc who publicly advocates, supports and actively pursues, through their position they hold, or have held within a government, that is paid for out of the public purse, do they have the right to pursue a policy that is completely the opposite and contradictory to the public policies and practices that they actively pursue, advocate and support in public because they have the ability to pay, courtesy of the public
purse?
2. Will Ruth Kelly and her husband be taken to the European Court of Human Rights by the British Government and her and her husband be charged with depriving their child of a public school education, as has happened to the German parents that wished to homeschool their child?
3. Is Ruth Kelly MP and Tony Blair (the Prime Minister of Britain, who supports Ruth Kelly's decision and who sent his children to private schools, whilst advocating that public schooling is best) hypocrites in the decisions they have made?
4. Is it a matter that the general public of a nation, have to follow one set of rules, but the government/legislature of those rules can follow another set of opposite rules where their own family is concerned, based upon their abilities to pay, which has been from the public purse? (a philosophy of everyone is entitled to the same resources, but some are more entitled than others)
Let's take a hypothetical scenario and give it a more realistic feel. I am pro-homeschooler and advocate that all parents should have the choice to homeschool their child if they so wish and should be treated with TOTAL EQUALITY. I write strong and persuasive replies to blogs and post content on my own blog, to the same effect but I do not get paid for posting my blogs and replies from the sites that I blog and comment on.
In my pursuit of obtaining additional revenue to supplement my living expenses, I come across a site http://www.blogsvertise.com/ who will pay me to review websites and give my opinion, whether positive or negative on the site and content. I decide to join up, I am approved and I am offered only one site to review from blogsvertise and offered $25 to review a public school website, who's content advocates the advantages of a public education and the advantages that the school in the public education system can provide over homeschooling. I review the website carefully including layout, graphics and content. They back up their claims with detailed educational research. It all looks very professional and very convincing. I decide to write an unbiased and honest view of the website and its content of about and I return my feedback on my account on the http://www.blogsvertise.com/ website.
My submission is accepted, they are delighted with the quality and content of the review I have submitted and more work, of the same type of websites, are offered. Each of them I review in the same unbiased way and give my honest opinions, based upon the same criteria, as I applied to the first review I did for Blogsvertise. After I had submitted 5 reviews that had all been approved, I apply for a pay increase and this was approved and 30 days later as per Blogsvertise's terms and conditions, in total I completed 20 reviews all within 24 hours for each post, all for $25 for each review. The $25 payments are deposited into my Paypal account. A total of $500.
Hypothetically, it has now become public that I have started making positive comments on anti-homeschooling public schools. What would happen? What would you think of me and my pro-homeschooling convictions? I had the chance of refusing to write the reviews, but that I say that it was my personal financial preference. Would you not think me a hypocrite?
You can also read my blog which is devoted to homeschooling andeducation on:
At Home, At School, At Play - http://lec23.blogspot.com/index.html
I also contribute and have made quite a few homeschooling comments and postings on another homeschooling friendly website which is:
http://www.families.com/lec23/
[homeschooling]
Movies
Homeschooling
Home_Schooling
http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/World_Wide_Web/Weblogs/Education/Homeschooling
http://www.google.com/Top/Reference/Education/K_through_12/Home_Schooling/
Home_Schooling
Movies
Home Schooling
http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/jcTR
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/pingSubmit?bloglink=http%3A%2F%2Flec23.blogspot.com
remember1
LEC23
On the Box (Good and Bad)
At Home, At School, At Play
1,000,000 links
Blogsvertise
Send E-Mail to: remember1@ntlworld.com
1000000 Links
=====================================================================
Another news item today in the UK as completely outraged me, the case of Ruth Kelly MP and a former Education Secretary in the Labour-run government.
Ruth Kelly MP has consistently advocated in public the merits of the UK public school education system in reference to children with special educational needs and that they should be educated within the public mainstream system.
However, when push comes to shove and to show her support and convictions in the Labour Party's policies and increased spending on Special Educational Needs and in the efficiency of a system that she so glowingly advocated and recommended while she has been an MP and an Education Secretary; she and her husband have decided to send their son who has Special Educational Needs to an Independent fee-paying School for children with Special Educational Needs, on the premise that it was a decision that she and her husband took privately in the best interests of their child and that she would not be accepting in financial assistance from the Local Education Authority in which she resides towards this She has totally by-passed the public educational system and the waiting time that is in place for the statementing, the educational psychologist and social worker's report; which for any other member of the public, who do not have the choice, or who cannot afford to get their child into an independent school for children with SEN, they have to wait for a MINIMUM of 6 months (government's official waiting time), though in actual practice (and from personal experience), this time could be doubled and their would be no guarantee that the child after statementing would be granted a place at one of these prestigious independent schools for SEN.
What I would like answers on is:
1. If Ruth Kelly or any other MP, Congressman etc who publicly advocates, supports and actively pursues, through their position they hold, or have held within a government, that is paid for out of the public purse, do they have the right to pursue a policy that is completely the opposite and contradictory to the public policies and practices that they actively pursue, advocate and support in public because they have the ability to pay, courtesy of the public
purse?
2. Will Ruth Kelly and her husband be taken to the European Court of Human Rights by the British Government and her and her husband be charged with depriving their child of a public school education, as has happened to the German parents that wished to homeschool their child?
3. Is Ruth Kelly MP and Tony Blair (the Prime Minister of Britain, who supports Ruth Kelly's decision and who sent his children to private schools, whilst advocating that public schooling is best) hypocrites in the decisions they have made?
4. Is it a matter that the general public of a nation, have to follow one set of rules, but the government/legislature of those rules can follow another set of opposite rules where their own family is concerned, based upon their abilities to pay, which has been from the public purse? (a philosophy of everyone is entitled to the same resources, but some are more entitled than others)
Let's take a hypothetical scenario and give it a more realistic feel. I am pro-homeschooler and advocate that all parents should have the choice to homeschool their child if they so wish and should be treated with TOTAL EQUALITY. I write strong and persuasive replies to blogs and post content on my own blog, to the same effect but I do not get paid for posting my blogs and replies from the sites that I blog and comment on.
In my pursuit of obtaining additional revenue to supplement my living expenses, I come across a site http://www.blogsvertise.com/ who will pay me to review websites and give my opinion, whether positive or negative on the site and content. I decide to join up, I am approved and I am offered only one site to review from blogsvertise and offered $25 to review a public school website, who's content advocates the advantages of a public education and the advantages that the school in the public education system can provide over homeschooling. I review the website carefully including layout, graphics and content. They back up their claims with detailed educational research. It all looks very professional and very convincing. I decide to write an unbiased and honest view of the website and its content of about and I return my feedback on my account on the http://www.blogsvertise.com/ website.
My submission is accepted, they are delighted with the quality and content of the review I have submitted and more work, of the same type of websites, are offered. Each of them I review in the same unbiased way and give my honest opinions, based upon the same criteria, as I applied to the first review I did for Blogsvertise. After I had submitted 5 reviews that had all been approved, I apply for a pay increase and this was approved and 30 days later as per Blogsvertise's terms and conditions, in total I completed 20 reviews all within 24 hours for each post, all for $25 for each review. The $25 payments are deposited into my Paypal account. A total of $500.
Hypothetically, it has now become public that I have started making positive comments on anti-homeschooling public schools. What would happen? What would you think of me and my pro-homeschooling convictions? I had the chance of refusing to write the reviews, but that I say that it was my personal financial preference. Would you not think me a hypocrite?
You can also read my blog which is devoted to homeschooling andeducation on:
At Home, At School, At Play - http://lec23.blogspot.com/index.html
I also contribute and have made quite a few homeschooling comments and postings on another homeschooling friendly website which is:
http://www.families.com/lec23/
[homeschooling]
Movies
Homeschooling
Home_Schooling
http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/World_Wide_Web/Weblogs/Education/Homeschooling
http://www.google.com/Top/Reference/Education/K_through_12/Home_Schooling/
Home_Schooling
Movies
Home Schooling
http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/jcTR
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/pingSubmit?bloglink=http%3A%2F%2Flec23.blogspot.com
LEC23
On the Box (Good and Bad)
At Home, At School, At Play
1,000,000 links
Blogsvertise
Send E-Mail to: remember1@ntlworld.com
1000000 Links
Saturday 6 January 2007
FREEDOM IS HOMESCHOOLING AND HOMESCHOOLING IS FREEDOM
FREEDOM IS HOMESCHOOLING AND HOMESCHOOLING IS FREEDOM
When I received an email from Henry Cate about contributing an article on Homeschooling to the Carnival of Homeschooling, I was a little taken aback, that a prestigious homeschooling site such as the Carnival of Homeschooling had asked for my contribution on the subject of Homeschooling and I thought to myself �What aspect of Homeschooling can I write about?" My name is Olivia Carter-Hamilton, I'm an ex-secondary school teacher, tutor and trainer, educated and raised in the United Kingdom, that homeschooled my son, up to the age of 16 years old, when he then decided he wanted to attend College and then University, where he graduated with Honours in Information Technology. He is now 28 years old, employed in the computer software and installation industry and studying for his Masters in this field.
I reviewed all the postings and comments that I had made on other homeschoolers postings and the one topic that stood out to me, was on the Rights of Parents to Homeschool their child/ren, a comment that I had made in reply to Andrea Hermitt's post on 'In the Best Interest of the Child', which was made in the families.com website.
In Germany it appears that a dangerous precedence has been made that erode the rights of parents that wish to homeschool their child/ren. The German government took the parents of a child that they wished to homeschool to the European Court of Human Rights with the argument that the parents were depriving their child of a state education and surprise, surprise the German government won.
Why do I say surprise, surprise. I'm sorry, but that was my attempt at sarcasm, having studied the European Parliament and Constitution of the European Union, you will find that Germany holds the majority of seats and power within this centralized European political bureaucracy and I believe it is a blatant attempt by a government power, in trying to influence a precedence for any other government or local education authority, that believe that parents with children of school-age are unable and do not have any of the skills and attributes to effectively educate their own child/ren. Even though there is no German law that states that a child may not be homeschooled. The financial cost of objecting to this decision in the European Court of Justice, (the highest legislative body of European Community members) is prohibitive both financially and in the time it would take for it to be heard and a decision to be made.
In fact, if you think about it, the reason that this action was brought was because, the German government said that the parents were depriving their child of a state education and those are the key words. A state education. An education and curriculum dictated to by the state. Where the state demands the child should attend and the method of delivery left up to teachers, whose responsibilities are not solely centred on the individual child's needs, requirements and pace of learning, or their present skill and ability levels, or teaching in a loving, caring and nuturing, healthy and safe environment, that is state controlled and that is why the German government object to homeschooling and homeschoolers, they want the control over their children and over parental actions and decisions, despite it being of detrement to the child/ren. This is a question all about control.
The parents weren't depriving or trying to deprive their child of an education, they were just attempting to exercise their parental rights and choice to educate their child within a loving, caring and safe home environment, with an extremely low teacher to pupil ratio. As a result of this action and the previous constant persecution, many German parents, with their child/ren have actually emigrated, so that they could effectively educate their children by homeschooling where they will not be persecuted for exercising their choice and right to educate in the best interests of their child.
Some homeschoolers may shrug their shoulders and say what is this to do with us? I believe it is the right of every parent to be given the choice and that is the keyword, the choice, of whether to send their child/ren to be educated in the public school system or whether to homeschool. If homeschooling is right for the child/ren, wherever you live in the world, it should be the right of the parents to have that choice to homeschool.
In conclusion, this ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, sends out an extremely dangerous message to all governments around the world. The message being, that, if you allow children to be homeschooled you are depriving the child of their human rights. Which high profile governing body whether national or local wants to be seen as a human rights violator of children? Beware homeschoolers of America and worldwide, unless we campaign for the rights of all parents who want to have the true democratic choice of what kind of education would be best for their child/ren and who wish to homeschool, then where else will the persecution of homeschoolers start up or intensify next, may be in your town, in your city, in your county, in your state or even your country.
You can also read my blog which is devoted to homeschooling and education on:
At Home, At School, At Play - http://lec23.blogspot.com/index.html
I also contribute and have made quite a few homeschooling comments and postings on another homeschooling friendly website which is:
http://www.families.com/lec23/
May I also recommend 2 other invaluable homeschoolers postings contributors on the families.com website, whom I seem to have contributed the most comments on. These are:
http://www.families.com/ahermitt/
http://www.families.com/twinzplus3/
[homeschooling]
Movies
Homeschooling
Home_Schooling
http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/World_Wide_Web/Weblogs/Education/Homeschooling
http://www.google.com/Top/Reference/Education/K_through_12/Home_Schooling/
Home_Schooling
Movies
Home Schooling
http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/jcTR
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/pingSubmit?bloglink=http%3A%2F%2Flec23.blogspot.com
1000000 Links
When I received an email from Henry Cate about contributing an article on Homeschooling to the Carnival of Homeschooling, I was a little taken aback, that a prestigious homeschooling site such as the Carnival of Homeschooling had asked for my contribution on the subject of Homeschooling and I thought to myself �What aspect of Homeschooling can I write about?" My name is Olivia Carter-Hamilton, I'm an ex-secondary school teacher, tutor and trainer, educated and raised in the United Kingdom, that homeschooled my son, up to the age of 16 years old, when he then decided he wanted to attend College and then University, where he graduated with Honours in Information Technology. He is now 28 years old, employed in the computer software and installation industry and studying for his Masters in this field.
I reviewed all the postings and comments that I had made on other homeschoolers postings and the one topic that stood out to me, was on the Rights of Parents to Homeschool their child/ren, a comment that I had made in reply to Andrea Hermitt's post on 'In the Best Interest of the Child', which was made in the families.com website.
In Germany it appears that a dangerous precedence has been made that erode the rights of parents that wish to homeschool their child/ren. The German government took the parents of a child that they wished to homeschool to the European Court of Human Rights with the argument that the parents were depriving their child of a state education and surprise, surprise the German government won.
Why do I say surprise, surprise. I'm sorry, but that was my attempt at sarcasm, having studied the European Parliament and Constitution of the European Union, you will find that Germany holds the majority of seats and power within this centralized European political bureaucracy and I believe it is a blatant attempt by a government power, in trying to influence a precedence for any other government or local education authority, that believe that parents with children of school-age are unable and do not have any of the skills and attributes to effectively educate their own child/ren. Even though there is no German law that states that a child may not be homeschooled. The financial cost of objecting to this decision in the European Court of Justice, (the highest legislative body of European Community members) is prohibitive both financially and in the time it would take for it to be heard and a decision to be made.
In fact, if you think about it, the reason that this action was brought was because, the German government said that the parents were depriving their child of a state education and those are the key words. A state education. An education and curriculum dictated to by the state. Where the state demands the child should attend and the method of delivery left up to teachers, whose responsibilities are not solely centred on the individual child's needs, requirements and pace of learning, or their present skill and ability levels, or teaching in a loving, caring and nuturing, healthy and safe environment, that is state controlled and that is why the German government object to homeschooling and homeschoolers, they want the control over their children and over parental actions and decisions, despite it being of detrement to the child/ren. This is a question all about control.
The parents weren't depriving or trying to deprive their child of an education, they were just attempting to exercise their parental rights and choice to educate their child within a loving, caring and safe home environment, with an extremely low teacher to pupil ratio. As a result of this action and the previous constant persecution, many German parents, with their child/ren have actually emigrated, so that they could effectively educate their children by homeschooling where they will not be persecuted for exercising their choice and right to educate in the best interests of their child.
Some homeschoolers may shrug their shoulders and say what is this to do with us? I believe it is the right of every parent to be given the choice and that is the keyword, the choice, of whether to send their child/ren to be educated in the public school system or whether to homeschool. If homeschooling is right for the child/ren, wherever you live in the world, it should be the right of the parents to have that choice to homeschool.
In conclusion, this ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, sends out an extremely dangerous message to all governments around the world. The message being, that, if you allow children to be homeschooled you are depriving the child of their human rights. Which high profile governing body whether national or local wants to be seen as a human rights violator of children? Beware homeschoolers of America and worldwide, unless we campaign for the rights of all parents who want to have the true democratic choice of what kind of education would be best for their child/ren and who wish to homeschool, then where else will the persecution of homeschoolers start up or intensify next, may be in your town, in your city, in your county, in your state or even your country.
You can also read my blog which is devoted to homeschooling and education on:
At Home, At School, At Play - http://lec23.blogspot.com/index.html
I also contribute and have made quite a few homeschooling comments and postings on another homeschooling friendly website which is:
http://www.families.com/lec23/
May I also recommend 2 other invaluable homeschoolers postings contributors on the families.com website, whom I seem to have contributed the most comments on. These are:
http://www.families.com/ahermitt/
http://www.families.com/twinzplus3/
[homeschooling]
Movies
Homeschooling
Home_Schooling
http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/World_Wide_Web/Weblogs/Education/Homeschooling
http://www.google.com/Top/Reference/Education/K_through_12/Home_Schooling/
Home_Schooling
Movies
Home Schooling
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Wednesday 3 January 2007
EXAM REVISION/STUDY TECHNIQUES
I am a very proud and determined mum of one son who is now a graduate aged 28 years old. Born, raised and a native of Leeds in the UK and an ex-secondary school teacher, tutor, trainer and homeschooler. This blog gives my opinion, tips etc on homeschooling from 3 years old up to the age of 18 years old, in general and not just in the UK - where Iam located. These views will be unbiased and updated at least 5 times per week. If I think that something education-related is rubbish, excellent, angers or is funny or sad, I will say so in no uncertain terms. I will also give opinions not just on homeschooling, but on teacher, school, pupil and backup educational support and performances etc..... This is a blog for everyone that is interested in education a lot of content relates to the USA. So come in .. take a seat, relax and give us a read and give your opinions.
EXAM REVISION/STUDY TECHNIQUE
The time to revise/study
Take the time to make practical arrangements for your revision. Even if you are raring to and feel that such arrangements will take care of itself, take my word for it, it won’t.
Revision requires time and you need to set aside a certain amount of time each for it. This should be time when you are not busy with other things and when you won’t be disturbed. Arrange at the beginning of the week, when this time will be, as it is easy to go through a complete week meaning to revise but never quite getting around to it.
As an ex-schoolteacher, homeschooler, tutor and trainer, I recommend the following times for revision purposes based upon what type of school/university you attend:
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - 5 hours per week
MIDDLE SCHOOL - 7 hours per week
SECONDARY SCHOOOL - 10 hours per week
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY - 15 hours per week
This is to tackle the learning materials themselves, that you get as handouts at school and recommended textbooks. However, this does not include include reading other books, talking to a variety of people, or perhaps joining a discussion or study group of your topic – in person or online.
You may be unsure of the amount of time you can spare, but if you make a simple chart, like the one I have included below, you may find this assists you.
MORNING AFTERNOON EVENING TOTAL
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Total time
=============
Fill in the amount of time in each of these sections and each day, the amount of time that you have available to revise. Then add up the total number of hours that you have available for that week. Don’t forget you have to complete a new chart EVERY WEEK.
You must also consider the following:
1. Is anything in your life going to happen to you in the next academic year, that
would alter the number of hours that you have noted down? Eg holidays etc.
If there is, fill in the chart again, for a week during that time.
2. Do you have the full amount of hours noted down, according to which level of schooling you attend? If not, then you need to consider how you are going to
make the hours up. Eg you could find some ½ hours you have not considered before.
3. Do not note down any periods of longer than ½ hour, if you are in Elementary
School, ¾ hour if you are in Middle School, or 1 hour if you are in Secondary School/University without a break. Longer than this, then you will find it hard
to concentrate and find that you are spending a lot of time revising, getting very
little done and becoming tired, frustrated and fed up.
4. Find out in which sections you have the most time available. You may find that
you can revise better at one time of the day than another. However, you will only
find this out by trial and error, in the beginning. When you do find a preference,
then adjust your revision plans accordingly.
THE PLACE TO REVISE
Set aside a particular place to revise, a separate room would be ideal; but a quiet corner of a room, or even a particular table. Make sure that everyone in your household knows that this is where you will be revising and that when you are there you do not want to be disturbed. It is pointless planning are reserving the hours you need to revise a week, when you are being disturbed for 90% of those hours.
Choose an area that is well lit, warm and well ventilated. You need to be able to see what you are doing, stay awake and be physically comfortable.
Besides an area that is quiet, well lit, warm, well-ventilated, with good lighting; you also have to ensure that the area that you are choosing has sufficient space to use and store all the different items needed for your revision. Books, leaflets, handouts, notes, forms, writing paper, pencils and other books and materials of different kinds. You may also wish to keep a digital dictation machine with your revision materials also.
If you are unable to find a convenient place to revise, you could consider using the local library, community centre or other local facilities, where you are ensured of peace and quiet. You may need to do all of your revision there, perhaps just 1 day a week, or at any time that you know you are likely to be disturbed.
If you don’t have much permenant storage space in the room where you are studying, purchase the largest old suitcase you can from a jumble sale, rummage sale, or charity shop, (preferably with wheels) and use that to store your revision materials in. This has the advantage of being portable.
Use the chart I have included below to compare different places for your revision in your home. For each place give it a rating of 1 to 5. 1 for if it is useless and 5 if it is very good. Then total up the scores at the bottom of the column.
Place 1 Place 2 Place 3
Conditions
Light
Heat
Space to work
Quiet
Convenient
No distractions
Comfortable
Storage Space
TOTALS
The place with overall highest score will be the best place for you to study.
Find your way around a topic area of a subject
The main text of a subject area is made up of a number of topics, which focuses on a single issue, or a related series of issues. It can be between 2 – 8 pages in length and can be revised on its own, or as a separate item.
TITLES. This will give the topic title, followed by a couple of lines explaining in more detail what is going to happen in the topic. The text will be then subdivided into sections, each starting with a heading of a certain size. MAJOR HEADINGS – large in size informing you of what the majority of text comes next. SMALLER HEADINGS – giving more detail of the content of the bigger chunks. Use the headings to glance over topics, what it contains and what weight is given to it. This will give you an immediate feel for what the topic is about.
BOXED TEXT – Not really part of the main subject but is interesting and may be useful to you.
BLOBBED POINTS – A list of ideas, regard it as a list (even though some may be a paragraph long. You can use these instead of numbers by the side of a list where items are not in order of importance.
TABLES AND CHARTS – A simple, concise way of presenting and recording information.
RECORDING – Make a record of your views, feelings and discoveries for each topic area of each subject.
FEEDBACK – Perform feedback on the main content and conclusion, of each topic area of each subject, with the author’s as well as your thoughts.
EXAMPLES – Easier to understand explanations and instructions on what to do. Eg case studies.
MAKING RECORDS
MAKE YOUR MARK – If you have purchased your own textbooks, or have been given handouts for you to keep, then mark the text, underline it, put a comment by the side where you disagree, mark bits to remind you to find out more.
MAKE NOTES – Making notes is a very personal process and each individual has their own distinctive style. I am not suggesting that one overall method is better or more appropriate than another. However, make notes as concise as possible, (concise enough to fit on a postcard-size filing card) but to the point, including all relevant detail. Here is a few methods I have used:
Lists
Preparation notes to phone……
Answering……….
Instructions for/how to do…………….
Letters
These are used to sort out your ideas, starting with very basic notes using dashes, asterisks, shortened words and abbreviations etc and then improving on them at a later date with more elaborate and clearer notes.
Lists – Use these to collect ideas together and compare and/or categorise them, put items that have something in common on one part of the paper and others that are different on the other, thus sub-categorising them and showing how they
relate to each other. Things that do not fall into any category will stand out on their own.
Extend your list into sentences or phrases that say more about the items.
Join bits of the list together with lines to indicate that they go together in some way. Use coloured pens/mark/highlight common items and key words.
TREES, ROOTS AND BRANCHES
Write an initial idea on a page and then draw out from it various
ideas that
occur to you out of that first idea.
USING CARDS
These can be used in several ways:
• To write summaries of what you have learned in each topic. For
each topic, write 3 things you have got out of each topic.
• To write different sorts of comments on the front and back
of cards, in relation to topics, write about:
What you felt happy about on one side
What you felt unhappy about on the other side
Write the results of an activity on one side, how long it
took you and how you felt about it on the other side
and things you feel you would like to follow up now.
Use a Digital Recorder
This is a further way of taking notes and may suit you more than writing.
Can be used for:
Recording talks with other people, followed by listening to
the recording and then summarizing your ideas afterwards.
Daydreaming – let your imagination take over. Shut your
eyes and talk into the digital recorder.
OTHER RECORDS
Making records in the form of drawings – it doesn’t have to be a work of art,
just good enough for you and no one else.
When you get ‘stuck’ on a topic or the results of an activity and no thoughts
are occurring to you, you may find that changing to a different form of
recording results will help.
Consider the ways of expressing yourself that you feel happiest with and try
to use them as you revise.
……AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE...
* Keep your records organized and keep them in such a way which
means that you can get to them quickly and easily.
• Notebooks are excellent for keeping all your notes together,
but once the notes are in the book, you are likely to see
them in that order, therefore stopping you having any fresh
thoughts about those things, or adding any additional
thoughts you have to an already full notebook.
• Loose-leaf files have the advantage of keeping notes,
where you can reorganize them as you choose.
• Cards are a useful way of keeping flexible records that are
written down on postcards or cards, summarizing your ideas.
Grouping them, rearranging them and looking for patterns.
• Mixed filing the slotting of your notes into the course book,
so that your records are with the page that is relevant
to them. Paper clip them to the page.
• Markers having your records marked with when you
record them and what they refer to, using page numbers and/or
topic/activity titles as headings. By not labeling your
records, you may find yourself completely baffled.
• Make distinctions distinguishing between different sorts of
records, enabling you to see at a glance when you flick
through them, what type of records they are – results of
activities, your own extra notes, rough notes etc.
For example:
o Using a notebook to record working notes or jotting
down notes for a minute.
o Using a loose-leaf folder to record the results of
your activities.
* Using a card index or postcards to make summaries
of topics.
o Using different coloured paper to record different
results.
o Using different coloured pens and pencils to record
different types of results.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS:
• Keep a box for cuttings from newspapers, magazines, pamphlets etc
• Pencil in why you cut it out, saved it and where from
• Sort out your box of cuttings and see what you’re going to do with them – a
general collection, to be used as a trigger if you get stuck or to be fitted
into your other records.
• Stick cuttings onto pages and add them to your loose leaf folder using firm
card.
• Buy envelope files and make up your own resource pack to go with each chapter
or theme. Then when you are revising that chapter you can have all your
resources spread out in front of you.
• Buy a cheap photo album that holds that photographs down with transparent
cling film and put cuttings in them labeled with the topic or chapter they
refer to.
• Keep a scrap book and stick of staple cuttings into it.
FINALLY – REMEMBER....
At the end of your revision session – congratulate yourself. You deserve it.
You have persevered through to the end of a revision session. Allow yourself the pleasure and the satisfaction of saying that you did OK. If you enjoy it and feel you are doing your best on it, then it is good to let yourself feel proud and pleased. Congratulate yourself and give yourself a reward – something you particular
enjoy and reserve this until you have finished your topic or chapter.
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EXAM REVISION/STUDY TECHNIQUE
The time to revise/study
Take the time to make practical arrangements for your revision. Even if you are raring to and feel that such arrangements will take care of itself, take my word for it, it won’t.
Revision requires time and you need to set aside a certain amount of time each for it. This should be time when you are not busy with other things and when you won’t be disturbed. Arrange at the beginning of the week, when this time will be, as it is easy to go through a complete week meaning to revise but never quite getting around to it.
As an ex-schoolteacher, homeschooler, tutor and trainer, I recommend the following times for revision purposes based upon what type of school/university you attend:
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - 5 hours per week
MIDDLE SCHOOL - 7 hours per week
SECONDARY SCHOOOL - 10 hours per week
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY - 15 hours per week
This is to tackle the learning materials themselves, that you get as handouts at school and recommended textbooks. However, this does not include include reading other books, talking to a variety of people, or perhaps joining a discussion or study group of your topic – in person or online.
You may be unsure of the amount of time you can spare, but if you make a simple chart, like the one I have included below, you may find this assists you.
MORNING AFTERNOON EVENING TOTAL
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Total time
=============
Fill in the amount of time in each of these sections and each day, the amount of time that you have available to revise. Then add up the total number of hours that you have available for that week. Don’t forget you have to complete a new chart EVERY WEEK.
You must also consider the following:
1. Is anything in your life going to happen to you in the next academic year, that
would alter the number of hours that you have noted down? Eg holidays etc.
If there is, fill in the chart again, for a week during that time.
2. Do you have the full amount of hours noted down, according to which level of schooling you attend? If not, then you need to consider how you are going to
make the hours up. Eg you could find some ½ hours you have not considered before.
3. Do not note down any periods of longer than ½ hour, if you are in Elementary
School, ¾ hour if you are in Middle School, or 1 hour if you are in Secondary School/University without a break. Longer than this, then you will find it hard
to concentrate and find that you are spending a lot of time revising, getting very
little done and becoming tired, frustrated and fed up.
4. Find out in which sections you have the most time available. You may find that
you can revise better at one time of the day than another. However, you will only
find this out by trial and error, in the beginning. When you do find a preference,
then adjust your revision plans accordingly.
THE PLACE TO REVISE
Set aside a particular place to revise, a separate room would be ideal; but a quiet corner of a room, or even a particular table. Make sure that everyone in your household knows that this is where you will be revising and that when you are there you do not want to be disturbed. It is pointless planning are reserving the hours you need to revise a week, when you are being disturbed for 90% of those hours.
Choose an area that is well lit, warm and well ventilated. You need to be able to see what you are doing, stay awake and be physically comfortable.
Besides an area that is quiet, well lit, warm, well-ventilated, with good lighting; you also have to ensure that the area that you are choosing has sufficient space to use and store all the different items needed for your revision. Books, leaflets, handouts, notes, forms, writing paper, pencils and other books and materials of different kinds. You may also wish to keep a digital dictation machine with your revision materials also.
If you are unable to find a convenient place to revise, you could consider using the local library, community centre or other local facilities, where you are ensured of peace and quiet. You may need to do all of your revision there, perhaps just 1 day a week, or at any time that you know you are likely to be disturbed.
If you don’t have much permenant storage space in the room where you are studying, purchase the largest old suitcase you can from a jumble sale, rummage sale, or charity shop, (preferably with wheels) and use that to store your revision materials in. This has the advantage of being portable.
Use the chart I have included below to compare different places for your revision in your home. For each place give it a rating of 1 to 5. 1 for if it is useless and 5 if it is very good. Then total up the scores at the bottom of the column.
Place 1 Place 2 Place 3
Conditions
Light
Heat
Space to work
Quiet
Convenient
No distractions
Comfortable
Storage Space
TOTALS
The place with overall highest score will be the best place for you to study.
Find your way around a topic area of a subject
The main text of a subject area is made up of a number of topics, which focuses on a single issue, or a related series of issues. It can be between 2 – 8 pages in length and can be revised on its own, or as a separate item.
TITLES. This will give the topic title, followed by a couple of lines explaining in more detail what is going to happen in the topic. The text will be then subdivided into sections, each starting with a heading of a certain size. MAJOR HEADINGS – large in size informing you of what the majority of text comes next. SMALLER HEADINGS – giving more detail of the content of the bigger chunks. Use the headings to glance over topics, what it contains and what weight is given to it. This will give you an immediate feel for what the topic is about.
BOXED TEXT – Not really part of the main subject but is interesting and may be useful to you.
BLOBBED POINTS – A list of ideas, regard it as a list (even though some may be a paragraph long. You can use these instead of numbers by the side of a list where items are not in order of importance.
TABLES AND CHARTS – A simple, concise way of presenting and recording information.
RECORDING – Make a record of your views, feelings and discoveries for each topic area of each subject.
FEEDBACK – Perform feedback on the main content and conclusion, of each topic area of each subject, with the author’s as well as your thoughts.
EXAMPLES – Easier to understand explanations and instructions on what to do. Eg case studies.
MAKING RECORDS
MAKE YOUR MARK – If you have purchased your own textbooks, or have been given handouts for you to keep, then mark the text, underline it, put a comment by the side where you disagree, mark bits to remind you to find out more.
MAKE NOTES – Making notes is a very personal process and each individual has their own distinctive style. I am not suggesting that one overall method is better or more appropriate than another. However, make notes as concise as possible, (concise enough to fit on a postcard-size filing card) but to the point, including all relevant detail. Here is a few methods I have used:
Lists
Preparation notes to phone……
Answering……….
Instructions for/how to do…………….
Letters
These are used to sort out your ideas, starting with very basic notes using dashes, asterisks, shortened words and abbreviations etc and then improving on them at a later date with more elaborate and clearer notes.
Lists – Use these to collect ideas together and compare and/or categorise them, put items that have something in common on one part of the paper and others that are different on the other, thus sub-categorising them and showing how they
relate to each other. Things that do not fall into any category will stand out on their own.
Extend your list into sentences or phrases that say more about the items.
Join bits of the list together with lines to indicate that they go together in some way. Use coloured pens/mark/highlight common items and key words.
TREES, ROOTS AND BRANCHES
Write an initial idea on a page and then draw out from it various
ideas that
occur to you out of that first idea.
USING CARDS
These can be used in several ways:
• To write summaries of what you have learned in each topic. For
each topic, write 3 things you have got out of each topic.
• To write different sorts of comments on the front and back
of cards, in relation to topics, write about:
What you felt happy about on one side
What you felt unhappy about on the other side
Write the results of an activity on one side, how long it
took you and how you felt about it on the other side
and things you feel you would like to follow up now.
Use a Digital Recorder
This is a further way of taking notes and may suit you more than writing.
Can be used for:
Recording talks with other people, followed by listening to
the recording and then summarizing your ideas afterwards.
Daydreaming – let your imagination take over. Shut your
eyes and talk into the digital recorder.
OTHER RECORDS
Making records in the form of drawings – it doesn’t have to be a work of art,
just good enough for you and no one else.
When you get ‘stuck’ on a topic or the results of an activity and no thoughts
are occurring to you, you may find that changing to a different form of
recording results will help.
Consider the ways of expressing yourself that you feel happiest with and try
to use them as you revise.
……AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE...
* Keep your records organized and keep them in such a way which
means that you can get to them quickly and easily.
• Notebooks are excellent for keeping all your notes together,
but once the notes are in the book, you are likely to see
them in that order, therefore stopping you having any fresh
thoughts about those things, or adding any additional
thoughts you have to an already full notebook.
• Loose-leaf files have the advantage of keeping notes,
where you can reorganize them as you choose.
• Cards are a useful way of keeping flexible records that are
written down on postcards or cards, summarizing your ideas.
Grouping them, rearranging them and looking for patterns.
• Mixed filing the slotting of your notes into the course book,
so that your records are with the page that is relevant
to them. Paper clip them to the page.
• Markers having your records marked with when you
record them and what they refer to, using page numbers and/or
topic/activity titles as headings. By not labeling your
records, you may find yourself completely baffled.
• Make distinctions distinguishing between different sorts of
records, enabling you to see at a glance when you flick
through them, what type of records they are – results of
activities, your own extra notes, rough notes etc.
For example:
o Using a notebook to record working notes or jotting
down notes for a minute.
o Using a loose-leaf folder to record the results of
your activities.
* Using a card index or postcards to make summaries
of topics.
o Using different coloured paper to record different
results.
o Using different coloured pens and pencils to record
different types of results.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS:
• Keep a box for cuttings from newspapers, magazines, pamphlets etc
• Pencil in why you cut it out, saved it and where from
• Sort out your box of cuttings and see what you’re going to do with them – a
general collection, to be used as a trigger if you get stuck or to be fitted
into your other records.
• Stick cuttings onto pages and add them to your loose leaf folder using firm
card.
• Buy envelope files and make up your own resource pack to go with each chapter
or theme. Then when you are revising that chapter you can have all your
resources spread out in front of you.
• Buy a cheap photo album that holds that photographs down with transparent
cling film and put cuttings in them labeled with the topic or chapter they
refer to.
• Keep a scrap book and stick of staple cuttings into it.
FINALLY – REMEMBER....
At the end of your revision session – congratulate yourself. You deserve it.
You have persevered through to the end of a revision session. Allow yourself the pleasure and the satisfaction of saying that you did OK. If you enjoy it and feel you are doing your best on it, then it is good to let yourself feel proud and pleased. Congratulate yourself and give yourself a reward – something you particular
enjoy and reserve this until you have finished your topic or chapter.
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