Hope you are enjoying summer with many family adventures. Learning, of course, happens every day and most of you, I bet, are on the lookout for experiential learning opportunities 365 days of the year. Check out the latest issue of 'Family Times' for great ideas, features, encouragement and news.
Are you already deep into your curriculum planning? I recommend checking out an old composition favorite - Writing Strands -which I have used for many years. It's especially designed for homeschool students to use happily and successfully. Do you know a boy or two (or more)? I HIGHLY recommend that you visit J.M. Cremps Adventure Store for sure and sign up for their free catalog and curriculum guide designed for the males in your family. Perhaps you're looking for some practical, down-to-earth Christian curriculum. The Father's Books provides sound and thorough resources - textbooks and workbooks with the homeschooling family in mind. Sign up for their newsletter while you're visiting their site. Many of you are facing high school, or coming close OR perhaps you are looking at college. College Plus "Bachelor’s Degree Program allows a student to earn a fully accredited Bachelor’s degree in two to three years, without debt, for around $15,000, and with the freedom and flexibility to gain life experience while they earn their degree." Additionally, their College Prep program, "allows your student age 14-18 to earn 12 transferrable college credits and 2 high school credits for what they are already learning, using curriculum you already own."
For families who are looking for a complete, yet individualized program which will meet your child's specific learning needs, prepare them to meet academic and personl goals, AND support your teaching/parenting style, I highly recommend that you visit Royal Academy, a state-recognized K-12 program working with families since 1994. Contact them by telephone at: (207) 657-2880 or by Email / Here is their Mission Statement:
Royal Academy's Mission:
• All students deserve the right to explore, based upon their own dreams, ideas, passion areas, and ambitions. Royal Academy provides an educational alternative that focuses on the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development of its students by creating programs which consider personal strengths, weaknesses, learning styles, and goals.
• The Royal Academy staff recognizes that parents, family members, and mentors are essential to each student’s program. To that end, a system of support is initiated and maintained through regular involvement of all participants with the supervisory teacher, director, and staff.
• Royal Academy works with families here and abroad to provide educational experiences that encourage children to strive for the best. We work with our students to develop the additional courses needed for college entrance requirements and career preparation.
I hope you find this information helpful and informative. Our family is gathering books and researching resources as we look forward with excitement to a new homeschooling year, though we certainly didn't leave any learning behind when we completed some formal textbooks. Our oldest two grandsons have been busily employed - one as a lifeguard and the other with successful entrepreneurial pursuits (lawn care, pet care, web site work). They have continued to study computer programming and web design; and have kept up instrumental music, Bible study, many church activities/ youth group functions, mathematics and reading...all natural pursuits. In the fall we'll simply add some formal English, science, and history/geography in the form of unit studies. They are also interested in starting a foreign language and the older one is preparing for short-term missions trips. As you see, we are the typical, busy homeschooling family ... OH ... I almost forgot the toddler ... well, she keeps all of us busy and she is learning at 'toddler-speed' which is amazingly fast. I had almost forgotten how quickly children learn at this very exciting stage and I'm fascinated all over again at God's gift to us of precocious young children. What a joy kids are, no matter what age or what stage! I am so thankful that I have been given a small part in their lives!
Treasure your time with your children and grandchildren. Enjoy the adventure no matter where you are on the ride.
Talk to you later!
