Thursday, September 23, 2010

Your Baby Can Read Reviews Is It Effective


I had looked at a lot of reading programs before I came across another Your Baby Can Read review and after using the product for about a year now I thought I would write my own personal experiences with it.

My wife and I have 3 children and we really emphasize the importance of a good education. That's why when the kids were still very young we began to work with them so they would be very well prepared for school when it came time. A lot of people do not realize that the early years of a baby are so impressionable and that the mind can soak up all kinds of information if we just chanel that energy in the right direction.

We already knew we wanted to teach out kids to read when they were young, but we needed a program that would be best suited for out situation. My wife is astay-at-home-mom so she would have plenty of time to work with the 3 kidos. After seeing a TV commerical for Hooked on Phonics we gave it a try. It was a lot of fun for us, but the kids got really bored because those sounds didn't mean anything. They could say "d-d dog" all they wanted, but it seemed to confuse them a little. I know some schools use this approach in kindergarden and 1st grade, but even when children are 2 and 3 you can teach them in much more effective ways.

Then we came across Your Baby Can Read and really knew it was different. The promises they made seemed totally off the wall though. Teach your kid to read when they are still 5 months old? That's just crazy. What I did not realize is that although they can't read a Charles Dickens novel at that age, they COULD learn the concepts of reading and learn to recognize words and what they mean as well.

Along with the program came some books, cue cards, DVD videos and CDs and everything was really well put together. Then as we started using Your Baby Can Read we saw the reason this system was going to be so effective. It was using the childs senses as a tool and making it fun for them as well. Besides seeing the word, and hearing the word, they are able to see the word in action. All of these factors help to solidify that word in the child's mind and help them gain confidence to read.

Right now Your Baby Can Read is offering a 30 day trial with 3 free gifts as well. This system may not be for you, but it's worth taking a look if you are interested. Be sure to check out my wife's review of Your Baby Can Read here. Read More...

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

The Montessori approach to Education and Homeschooling


The Montessori approach to Education is an alternate educational method developed by Maria Montessori during the 1900s. This approach is specifically suited for younger children at elementary school levels and is based on self-directed activity by the child and clinical observation by the teachers. The Montessori approach places emphasis on adopting the child’s learning environment
to suit the needs of the child. Normal learning in the Montessori approach involves lots of physical activity that helps in absorbing abstract concepts as well as practical skills.

Historically, the Montessori approach began as a post graduate research paper by Maria Montessori on the intellectual development of chiJustify Fullldren with developmental disabilities. She began developing an environment that would typically help these students. Her approach towards the intellectual development of children with disabilities was a huge success. She immediately began moving her research towards children without disabilities. Her techniques in creating a learning environment was extremely effective and helped children learn faster and grasp new knowledge and skills easily. The Montessori approach is self-directive, interactive and material oriented. The key feature involves a teacher observing the children performing the selected tasks.

The main idea of Montessori approach towards education is based on the following premises:

• Children are capable of self-directed learning.

• By using teachers more as ‘observers’ than ‘lecturers’, key areas of development of a student can be identified.

• Learning a skill (even sitting, walking, reading and counting) is natural in a particularly sensitive period. Beyond this period it gets difficult and frustrating. • Children aged below 6 have a better capacity to absorb concepts.

• Children should be the masters of the school room environment.

• Children learn better when they ‘discover’ things themselves.

• Children learn alone during periods of concentration. They are not to be disturbed by teachers at this time.

• Children learn better if they touch and feel real material objects. This also aids in better development of the brain

Implementing the Montessori approach as a part of homeschooling would first require the creation of a good study environment. Children should be in a pleasing classroom that would encourage them to study at their own pace. They should have easy access to outside environment. It is considered good if the classroom has plants, windows and small pets, if possible, to have an experience of the natural world while studying.

The studies in this approach are divided into distinct areas. ‘Practical life’ would allow the children to develop a sense of care for themselves, others around them and nature. Children learn how to perform daily activities like using basic kitchen utensils, dressing up, doing chores, cleaning up and so on. The ‘Sensorial’ area concentrates on training the senses. This is done through visuals, audio and other methods. Shapes, colors and sizes are taught. The Montessori approach emphasizes on learning the exact terminology for things being taught. The ‘Cultural’ area covers topics on cultures all over the world. Pictures of other nations, festivals, maps and other helpful materials can be used for this. The ‘Science’ area is meant to develop the natural questioning ability of the child. The children are encouraged to wonder about the way things work in nature. The ‘Language’ area concentrates on teaching the basics of language. The Montessori technique has developed an excellent way of using shapes for parts of a sentence to make things easy to understand. The ‘Math’ area is all about math. Here again, there is a lot of overlap with the sensorial area as visual aids are often used to make the understanding of numbers and operations simpler.
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The History of Homeschooling


Homeschooling refers to the alternative education of children at home by parents or tutors, rather than in a formal setting of public or private school. This was the system of education before the public and private schools were introduced for formal education. In many places, homeschooling is a legal option for parents who wish to provide their children with a different learning environment
than exists in nearby schools. While academic and religious reasons dominate the motivations for homeschooling, parents cite numerous other reasons ranging from dissatisfaction with the schools in their area to the desire for better academic test results. It is also an alternative for families living in isolated rural locations and those who choose, for practical or personal reasons, not to have their children attend school.

For much of history and in many cultures, enlisting professional teachers was an option available only to small elite. Thus, until relatively recently, the vast majority of people were educated by parents and in the context of a specific type of labour that they would pursue in adult life, such as working in the fields or learning a trade. They asserted that formal schooling before ages 8–12 not only lacked the anticipated effectiveness but was actually harmful to children. Their primary assertion was that the bonds and emotional development made at home with parents during these years produced critical long term results that were cut short by enrolment in schools and could neither be replaced nor afterward corrected in an institutional setting. Recognizing a necessity for early out-of-home care for some children – particularly special needs and starkly impoverished children and children from exceptionally inferior homes, they maintained that the vast majority of children are far better situated at home, even with mediocre parents, than with the most gifted and motivated teachers in a school setting assuming that the child has a gifted and motivated teacher.

There are different methodologies of Homeschooling depending on type of curriculum and the medium of learning like unit learning, online learning or community learning. The reasons for homeschooling vary from religion, morality to the feeling that school have a poor learning environment. It is not uncommon for the student to experience more than one approach as the family discovers what works best for them vary in official curriculum and attendance requirements. Homeschooling is legal in many countries. Countries with the most prevalent home education movements include Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Some countries have highly regulated home education programs as an extension of the compulsory school system; others, such as Germany and Brazil, have outlawed it entirely. In other countries, while not restricted by law, homeschooling is not socially acceptable or considered undesirable and is virtually non-existent. Although there are some studies that show that homeschooled students can do well on standardized tests, some of these studies compare voluntary home school testing with mandatory public-school testing. To summarize – Homeschooling is here to stay and is proving to be a serious alternative to the present schooling system.
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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

More About Online Math Tutoring And Maths Games


When you are wondering what you can do when you are bored one day, then you should look into mathletics, online math tutoring
, and online maths games. These can not only give you lots of fun, but can also be very educational. These kinds of tools are also perfect for students and kids that want to learn while they have fun.

If you have children that just want to play computer games all day or that want to check out the internet, then perhaps you can let them get into playing online maths games. This will give them something to do but also make sure that they hone their skills. It will help them to do well at school
.

When you look at online math tutoring services, they can be very boring and there might be a person that can help you, but to have fun and for kids to remember what they have been taught the games are number one.

When you want to get maths tutoring and you don't have the time to go out and meet with someone, getting the information online is the best option. This kind of online maths is helpful for teenage students and those in high school. They can get all the details and help that they need without having to leave home and can get more done in less time.

You can also get this math tutoring online any time of the day or night and this makes it much more effective for everyone to do well. Lots of students have study methods and many people can only study under certain conditions and at certain times of day. When you look at the way that this is done online, you can see how helpful it is for most people.

With mathletics there to help you every step of the way with your maths, you will find that you improve your grades a lot faster and easier. This is considered the next generation in math tutoring and being totally online based it is perfect for all students.

When you use the mathletics system you will find that it works so much better than the old traditional methods of getting a math tutor from your class. It makes use of fun games and interesting methods that will help you to remember the math and actually understand it more.

If you have missed some lessons, or you are just not that good at maths, then this program is something that you should try out. Lots of people are already using the online maths games and math tutoring and will easily get better marks for exams and tests. This is something that everyone can do, so you should not hesitate if you are struggling to keep up.

With more advanced systems and tutors that help you in a unique way, this online maths can really give you the edge and it might even improve your grades so much that people begin to wonder how you are doing it.
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Multiple Intelligences and Homeschooling


Multiple Intelligences first came up through the name of Howard
Gardner. His theory was introduced to all when his ground breaking book “Frames of Mind” was published in 1983. Garner’s work man opened the door to a greater understanding of individual areas of strength which included spatial, logical (mathematical), musical, kinesthetic, and verbal talents. For example, children with kinesthetic strengths learn best when they actively takes part in an activity, or participate on a physical level, rather than competing with paper and pencil sitting in the classroom.

A kinesthetic child is often perceived as a problem student, where as the real problem lies with the compatibility of the teaching method for that individual. The basic idea of home schooling is to let the children grow according to their own style. Countries like China and Japan makes their children self dependent right from the very beginning. The first word that a Japanese child learns
is “Do it yourself”, reflecting the approach of the Japanese with their children. An ancient Chinese proverb gives a clue to a similar attitude: “Let me do it myself, I understand; Show me, I remember; Tell me, I forget.” You can see this proverb in action watching children play. Kids absorb information at an incredible rate and learn through their senses. They question and explore everything around them because their curiosity is boundless.

The intention of Chinese and the Japanese is to let their children explore in their own way without adult interruption. The Chinese and Japanese people are cultivating the natural tendency of the children to learn through exploration, curiosity and ‘doing’. They give highest priority to the self development of the child. Every child has their own way of learning. It might not match the expected way of the parents, but they should not loose their temper. Rather, they should hold their patience and allow the child to develop freely and naturally. This attitude of the parents will increase the opportunity for the children to explore their own talents, a freedom with is achievable within the format of home schooling.

The theory of Multiple Intelligences suggests that when children are given freedom to learn whatever he or she likes, the tendency to find the most comfortable way to grow will increase. When the students are freed of the restraints of traditional schooling, they have the opportunity to be enthusiastic active learner. This may help explain why homeschoolers perform very well academically when compared to their public schooled counterparts.

In Gardner’s work, “Frames of Mind”, he suggested that seven (more recently increased to eight) distinct intelligences work together to create a unique person. He then went to proposed that the ideal school of the future required two basic principles at its core. Firstly he asked for the authority under which students could explore their varied interests and abilities. Secondly, students should be given informed choices as part of their educational experiences, as it’s not possible for one person to learn everything.

Gardner states that “in assessment of individual abilities and proclivities, an individual-centered school would be rich. It would look to match not only to curricular areas of individuals, but also particular ways of teaching those subjects. And the school would seek to match individuals with the various kinds of life work options which have availability in their culture after the first few grades”
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Methods To Discipline A 7 Year Old Kid Without Punishment


Is your 7 year old kid out of control and you are simply struggling to control his/her behavior at home, school or anywhere out in public ? Well, you are not alone, 7 year old kids are hard to control and many parents simply struggle. Maybe some of you simply don't have the time to discipline your 7 year old the way you would like to simply because you are working flat out, or maybe you are just not sure what to do to discipline and control your 7 year old kid.

Disciplining your 7 year old can be a battle, 7 year old kids actually seems to be another trouble age that comes before teens and i beleive that the 7 year olds are the toughest to discipline and control. But, there are ways to control 7 year old kids and there is an excellent system developed and aimed at disciplining and controlling children aged between 7 year old and 14 year olds and it's called Get Control Of Bad Child Behaviour

I tell you what, i have a 7 year old boy myself and he was quite a hand full! Whenever we went out shopping there would always be tantrums after tantrums that we had to deal with, he wanted everything in the store just like any 7 year old kids do! And the winding and tantrums never stopped no matter what we tried so eventually we used to give in. Now, since we tried this child control system we slowly worked trough it and without even realizing it our 7 year old now obeys everything he is told and there are no more tantrums and no more whinging and embarrasment in public and getting told to control your kid! It's such a relief having all this stop. This child control system has taught us methods of controlling young 7 year old kids that we would never have even thought of before we used this system!

If you are a parent of a child between 7 year old and 14 years old we highly recommend you try this system, you will appreciate the relief of having your child finally under full control and dealing with bad behaviour and tantrums will no longer be needed as your child will obey everything you say! Thank god for this system!

You Can Visit Control Of Bad Child Behaviour System Here
Read More...

Monday, September 20, 2010

Home Schooling Advantages and Disadvantages


There are numerous advantages to home schooling your children. The convenience factor is great. There can never be complications getting to school, missing the bus, being off for snow days that you would have to make up later or having to walk in the rain. You don't have to buy the often unappetizing school lunch, or get up early to make a lunch to bring with you. You don't have to worry about what to wear or try to outdo other students with fashion statements if your a girl. And you don't have to worry about getting into fights, that often "just happen" with adolescent boys. And neither one would have to worry about taking showers in the presence of others after Gym Class. Of course those are things that mainly benefit the students.

There are many advantages for the parents as well. First off, you'll never have to hear a third hand story about any negative issues that may have happened at school. That's right, the kind that worries you to death and prompts you to call one of the other kids mothers to see what's going on. I guess you would call that "Parent Gossip". You won't ever have to worry about your kids bringing home bad habits or using foul language they picked up on. No more worrying about lunches. No worry about the possibility that your kids are joining a "Gang" or hanging with the wrong crowd. You will never think your child may have cheated on a test or failed to do homework. And those are just a few of the advantages that the parents can enjoy.

However, as with anything else, there is always "another side to the coin". There are some disadvantages that a lot of people don't initially think about when it comes to home schooling. As a parent and home school teacher, the education of your child is your responsibility, and is reliant solely on your ability to do supplemental research to enhance the learning experience. This involves a great deal of extra time investment for the parent. Home schooling may require either parent to stay home and be the teacher, or may put greater stress on parents who both work for a living.

Another disadvantage is that your child may miss out on the benefits of a classroom setting which provides opportunities of socialization and interaction with other students in a learning environment. A classroom full of students with different backgrounds and personal beliefs will provide ideas that can stimulate a child's mind to think and form opinions.

Opting to home school your children is a big decision to make and requires a huge commitment and self discipline on the parents and child's behalf. But like anything else that involves a routine, it will get easier over time.
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Finding Your Daily Motivation Homeschooling Challenge


As with any job or task, we often find ourselves becoming complacent and homeschooling your child is not different. Sometimes you might wake up thinking to yourself that this is becoming more of a job than an adventure. It is certainly okay to feel that way from time to time but it can also be a deterrent to continuing your child’s education at home if you wake up feeling this way every day.

Some of the ways that you can get your motivation are also going to be determined by what is going on in your life at the time and how your health is holding up. If you have been sticking to the same type of schedule for an extended period of time, then a time to change that schedule is now.

Having the same schedule constantly is definitely one of the ways to find yourself feeling this way all of the time. So instead of starting your day at 8 a.m. every day, try an earlier time or a later time. Be sure that if you do this you are informing your child of the change so that they are not thrown off guard and feel free to explain to them why there is a need for the change.

The next thing to do is change the order in which you start the daily studies. For example, if you typically start your day with reading, change that to doing math. One of the things I used to do to get me motivated and make every day different and unique is to ask my child what they wanted to start with everyday. They do not always want to start out with math or reading every day and this way, I was able to accommodate them as well as keeping me on my toes because I never knew what their choice of first topic was going to be.

If after trying some of these suggestions, you feel as though you still are not motivated enough, then that is actually a sign that you really do need a break. After all the kids in school take breaks all of the time and being a homeschooler is no different. You do need a mental break from all of that knowledge and your children will be sure to appreciate that break as well.

Set a reasonable time frame and make plans to go do something that is completely nothing but fun!
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Sunday, September 19, 2010

Easy Way To Discipline 7 Year Old


Is your 7 year old kid out of control and you are simply struggling to control his/her behavior at home, school or anywhere out in public ? Well, you are not alone, 7 year old kids are hard to control and many parents simply struggle. Maybe some of you simply don't have the time to discipline your 7 year old the way you would like to simply because you are working flat out, or maybe you are just not sure what to do to discipline and control your 7 year old kid.

Disciplining your 7 year old can be a battle, 7 year old kids actually seems to be another trouble age that comes before teens and i beleive that the 7 year olds are the toughest to discipline and control. But, there are ways to control 7 year old kids and there is an excellent system developed and aimed at disciplining and controlling children aged between 7 year old and 14 year olds and it's called You Can Visit Control Of Bad Child Behavior System Here

I tell you what, i have a 7 year old boy myself and he was quite a hand full! Whenever we went out shopping there would always be tantrums after tantrums that we had to deal with, he wanted everything in the store just like any 7 year old kids do! And the winding and tantrums never stopped no matter what we tried so eventually we used to give in. Now, since we tried this child control system we slowly worked trough it and without even realizing it our 7 year old now obeys everything he is told and there are no more tantrums and no more whinging and embarrasment in public and getting told to control your kid! It's such a relief having all this stop. This child control system has taught us methods of controlling young 9 year old kids that we would never have even thought of before we used this system!

If you are a parent of a child between 7 year old and 14 years old we highly recommend you try this system, you will appreciate the relief of having your child finally under full control and dealing with bad behaviour and tantrums will no longer be needed as your child will obey everything you say! Thank god for this system!
Read More...

Thursday, September 16, 2010

What Parents Need to Help Children Learn to Read

Moms and Dads want the very best for their children. They want them to be happy, healthy
and well educated. Did you know that education
starts in the home? Have you ever really sat down to think about What Parents Need to Help Children Learn to Read?

You may have a myriad of questions going through your head about how you can help your child with reading. Thinking about the educational future of your children is one thing; taking action is another. Why not put pen to paper and write out your concerns as a parent about teaching your children to read.

Ask specific questions that you would like answers to. For instance you may want to know:

• At what age should I start helping my child learn to read?
• Are there products for reading readiness available that will get me started?
• Is there a parental guideline to follow that will assist me when teaching my child to read?

This is just a brief sampling of questions that you may be asking yourself. Each family and each child for that matter is different. Approaches you used with an older sibling may not seem to be working with a younger child.

Adjustments may need to be made to accommodate the needs of each individual learner. We all have our own learning styles so when helping a child learn to read there is not a “one method fits all” manner of assisting in the process.

Take your time to discover which reading tactics seem to work best for each child. Your children will appreciate the individual attention they are receiving and in return you will learn a good deal about your child. The key is finding out What You as a Parent Need to Help Each of Your Children Learn to Read.
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