As a homeschooling family, I am sure this question has entered your mind. The idea of putting together a homeschool high school transcript can be daunting.

Many more questions are circling around in your head as your child(ren) get closer to high school, or perhaps they are already in high school. Some questions you might have are:

* When should I begin putting a high school transcript together?
* What should I include in it?
* How should I format it?
* How long should it be?
* What about grades? I haven’t been keeping grades. (most homeschoolers don’t)

And the questions can go on and on. I am sure you have plenty more.

Fortunately for you, there is a ‘go to’ person who has done all the hard work. She has put her knowledge and experience together and can help you put together your homeschool transcript. All your questions can be finally answered.

There is no need for you to feel overwhelmed, weary or extremely frustrated. Creating your child(ren)’s school transcript can be simple and easy, like it should be.

Once you know how, you can relax and feel confident about your child(ren)’s college preparation. Colleges will love the transcript you deliver to them.

Another big concern you might have is accreditation. Does your transcript have to be accredited by some agency or school? The welcomed answer is, no, it does not. You can sigh a sigh of relief now. That in itself is a big weight lifted from your shoulders.

You can go on homeschooling as usual and the course will teach you how to neatly include everything in your transcript.

So head on over and discover the 4 simple steps to create a homeschool high school transcript. Stop fretting and continue to enjoy these wonderful homeschooling years.

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Not every adult knows a second language, and not every child admitted to college has a foreign language. In fact, in Washington State if a child earns an AA degree from a community college, and transfers into a state university, they may be able to bypass the entire language requirement. Some colleges do not have a language requirement at all, while others will insist on foreign language study before they will grant a degree. Essentially, if you do not have it going IN to the college, some want you to get it before you leave.

Foreign language study can serve a few purposes. First, it is a wonderful way to learn about English. When you study a foreign language and learn about verb tenses and grammar, it can increase knowledge of the English language. It can also help you understand the differences between languages – for example, some have articles (the) and other’s do not.

Second, a foreign language is great critical thinking. It is often a way for colleges to see how well your child studies and learns, and if they have the study skills necessary for a new language. It does take effort and thought. Much like math, a language is easier to learn when you do it daily, even if small amounts if necessary.

Third, not all countries speak English. In fact, one of the biggest complaints about Americans is that they think everyone does speak English. One reason for the “rude American” stereotype is when people insist on speaking English-only in a non-English speaking country. In order to successfully interact with people in other countries, whether as a guest or as a missionary, speaking their language is considered the polite thing to do. Even if it is just an attempt at their language, it can make all the difference.

If you cannot fit a second language into your normal homeschool week, there are options. You can search for a college that does not require a foreign language. You can strive for an AA degree from a community college, so that a foreign language requirement may be waived. You can incorporate natural language learning, rather than textbook learning. For example, you might learn Spanish during a mission trip to Costa Rica, interacting with native speakers, rather than sit in front of a computer doing Rosetta Stone.

There are a huge variety of languages to choose from; languages that are spoken around the world, languages that form the basis of scripture. American Sign Language is accepted at most universities, and it is a great language for kinesthetic learners. Latin is accepted almost everywhere as well, and it can be a great fit for a logical or non-linguistic child.

Need help homeschooling high school? Lee Binz, The HomeScholar, helps parents homeschool to college. She is an expert in how to craft a winning homeschool transcript. You can find Lee online at TheHomeScholar.com.

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There was an article this morning in our paper about the new math curriculum being used in our area. I cannot believe they are choosing a single math curriculum that is supposed to fit an entire region. How many teachers are involved? How many different students? All those different individuals, and there will be only ONE BOOK???

I started getting concerned when they mentioned the book “Discovering” for algebra and geometry, and said “It’s also the series our school district has chosen.” First of all, any time our school district chooses anything, run the other way. They have a 46% graduation rate. That is our local high school:-)

“Some of the highest-paying and most competitive careers are in science, technology and medicine – all math-intensive fields. Meanwhile, more colleges and universities are requiring applicants to take up to four years of math in high school.”

That is a very good reason to teach math, and a very good reason to be conscientious about it. I would also like to point out that it is not all about pay either. Nursing, for example, is a math-based careers that is more about mission than money.

But do you have to choose between math “investigations” vs. extensive explanations and practice? I love the fact that homeschoolers can have it both ways. You can take a traditional textbook and add supplements that encourage understanding. But you know, some kids need more practice, and some kids need more explanations. Some kids just flat out need more hands on activities! I am not sure how one math book can serve the needs of every student.

I know that homeschoolers feel very concerned about upper level math. How much harder would it be if you were a non-homeschooling parent? Imagine trying to help your child with homework when you did not choose the book, have not seen it all year, do not have a video or an 800 number to call. What a nightmare! My friend had a child who used the Discovery book in public school. The schools were not able to help her and so they hired a tutor. Even the tutor who had a math degree could not figure out the Discovery book!

It was interesting to see them comparing these math books to the whole language vs. phonics debate. I remember thinking that different children learn to read in different ways, and that a mixture of the two can help. Math may be the same way.

Lee Binz, The HomeScholar shares some of her time each week to provide free homeschooling advice to parents. She also shares many free homeschool resources to help parents in the noble cause of homeschooling their kids through high school. Find more information at TheHomeScholar.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Binz

One big concern about parents who choose to homeschool their children is making sure that they did a good enough job with their child’s education. No parent wants to go through the effort to find out they didn’t give their child the tools needed to go on to college.

One very important part of college acceptance, especially when you are homeschooled, is having quality scores on the ACT and SAT. These scores indicate that you learned what you should have learned during the high school years. If your child gets a high score on these tests, being homeschooled or lacking official credits does not matter so much. Colleges understand that those scoring highly on these tests are the types of students that can handle college material with ease.

In order for your child to get a good score, you have to start preparing them as needed. The first bit of preparation is to make sure that you are teaching the subjects that are found on these tests. Generally speaking they favor high English, Reading, and Math based skills. If you have done well with these subjects with your child, most of these tests won’t be a problem for him or her at all.

These tests also have a certain format that your child will need to be aware of. This means that it’s important to take some practice tests so that your child will understand the dynamics of both tests. There are many practice tests that can be picked up at book stores or online. These will come in large books with a CD that will also have additional information and more tests.

Before your child takes the SAT or ACT have him or her sit down with these booklets as part of each school day and do some studying. The interactive CD will help quite a bit since it will quiz and tutor them showing progress or not. Doing this over time will improve these tests scores considerably.

Gill Tally enjoys baking bread. She has recently purchased the Zojirushi bread machine which she has written a review about. Take a look at her site at http://zojirushibreadmachineinfo.com to read this review along with other information and some great deals.

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Now that most college applications are submitted, it is time to turn your attention to financial aid applications. In tight economic times, many families are struggling and schools are as well. With the stock market crash, many colleges’ endowments were severely damaged. I know of several top schools that eliminated merit scholarships altogether. This is particularly hard on those whose income falls in the “middle income melt” range, when a family’s income is not low enough to qualify for lots of need-based assistance and not high enough to pay for a college education outright. It’s a tough spot to be in. A term you need to understand is EFC – Estimated Family Contribution. This is the amount of money the federal government determines a family can pay for college, based on the information filed in the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Most schools require the FAFSA. Some private schools also use the CSS/Financial Aid Profile, a service of CollegeBoard. The EFC is the same regardless of variable tuition, room, board, and fees at different schools. You can go to EFC’s website for more invormation. One way to possibly bring down your EFC is to fully maximize your homeschool expenses. We really are in a private school situation and bear many expenses that families in public school do not. Sit down and figure out how much it is costing you to educate your children. Go through checkbooks, credit cards statements, etc. and take good notes. * educational books and materials * magazine subscriptions * curriculum * science materials * online classes * co-op tuition * college tuition (for those enrolling concurrently) * umbrella school fees * tutors * music lessons * organizational dues * tournament fees * transportation to all these events * computers The public school has music, sports, debate, etc. and would pay for that if your children were there. Taking the time to document this information can help lower your EFC. However, I have always encouraged my clients (and my children) to hold their school choices lightly and to apply to a range of schools. If the family is financially strapped, the student needs to be prepared to go to the school that offers them the best financial deal, even if it is not their first choice. For my daughter, that meant the University of Oklahoma, which offers full rides to National Merit Scholars. She wasn’t excited about it, but knew she could get a decent education there if she was willing to make the most of every opportunity. She was fortunate in that her first choice school offered her the best financial deal as well, so she didn’t have to take up the safety option. But, she was emotionally prepared to do so. Jeannette Webb is the founder of Aiming Higher Consultants, a firm dedicated to helping Christian students gain admission to great colleges. She has a heart for assisting parents as they train their children for excellence. Jeannette works to empower families to make thoughtful choices for their younger children, to confidently navigate the difficult high school years, and then ace the college admissions process. If you liked this article, you’ll love her personalized consulting services that help you map out a holistic plan for your student at http://www.AimingHigherConsultants.com. While Jeannette is best known for her clear-sighted counseling, her clients feel that her biggest gift to their family was permission to be themselves. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeannette_Webb

Why bother home-schooling?

Why bother? Well, if you are thinking it is a bother, you might re-think your decision right there. To educate your child at home is not a bother, but a wonderful, richly rewarding experience that benefits you and your child. So, take the “bother” word from your vocabulary if you really would like that opportunity. Yes, this is your opportunity and your child’s opportunity.

If you are a stay-at-home mom or dad, then you have the opportunity to have wonderful learning experiences by home-schooling your child. In most states, home-schooling is legal, a legal option. There are some guidelines and rules and regulations that you need to follow, but after that everything rocks! (In some states, there are a certain amount of days that you have to notify the Board of Education that you intend to home-school your child).

You cannot simply keep your child from school and decide to home school. You must, almost always notify the School Board or the Board of Education. You can find out the rules and regulations through your government officials or through some wonderful home-schooling magazines and literature. Once you find out the rules and regulations, you are set to go.

Are there benefits to home-schooling?

Time, Balance, Growth & Togetherness

When home-schooling is done in the proper way, your child will have a fully-balanced education and will become a well-rounded good student. The rewards are unmeasurable. First, one of the benefits is that you both spend more time together and give each other more attention. The average student sees their parent for probably a few minutes a day during the week, or at most an hour or two. However, the average home-schooling parent or guardian sees their child on a regular basis for a few hours a day (when that parent or guardian is teaching). You will learn together! Now that’s one of the biggest and best benefits of home-schooling. The teacher and the student learn from each other. You grow together. And you can look back on this experience in years to come and both of you will be happy about your choices and decisions. Children get to spend more time with their siblings, and the younger ones will learn while the older ones are learning also.

You will have more time for each other. You can make practically any life-lesson an education lesson. Going to the supermarket or going to a department store is a lesson in buying, purchasing, finances and product comparison. Going to a fast food place is a lesson in food, health, and in purchasing and even a lesson in customer service. The fast food process shows the children very valuable marketing lessons. So things in every day life add to your home schooling experience.

Good Education

Another benefit is a great education. You see first hand what your child is learning without the need for PTA meetings and without the need for a strangers’ report on your child’s progress. You choose your child’s education. If you want to teach your child spiritual lessons, you can do that. You can teach religion as history and history as religious lessons. (Look at all the Christians in history and look at the impact they made in our land). You can teach fun science lessons and math lessons. A trip to the bank and to the ATM will be a great business math lesson.

You can even take a trip to the Treasury Building and other related places. Your child will benefit first hand so much more in seeing and doing rather than relying on mostly book-based education. (Yes, you need books and you use books, but you do not depend on them solely as your only education tool). Socialization happens just as easily with home-schooled children as it does for children who attend school in school buildings. Many times when we do television shows, we invite the home-school children, parents and guardians to come into our studio, take a tour and be on the show. So, your options are wide open and your world is your education. Another benefit is a focused education. You are the teacher; you are in charge. That gives you lots of options and lots of opportunities.

What are the problems related to home-schooling?

There are few problems to home-schooling, and these are some:

Your child might miss the classmates if your child started out with regular education and now switched to home-schooling.

How do you solve those problems?

The way to overcome this is to have your child interact as much as possible with the children from the other schools. Invite the children (with parents’ permission) to come on some day trips with you . Or invite them over after school. Have your child enroll in a hobby that he or she likes . (Children take up piano or bowling, or art , and in these hobbies the children make new friends and have interaction with children their own age). Use your own imagination and you will find ways to have your child interact with other children and still be home-schooled.

Testing

Most school districts require specific tests for home-schoolers. But the tests are no harder than those given to regular school children. So, prepare for the tests. They also usually require that a licensed teacher observe or give the tests. This can all be arranged. If you are determined to home-school, there is nothing that should stop you from at least trying this option of education.

Stigma

Years ago, there used to be a stigma attached to home-schooling. Years ago, most times farmers and poor people and migrant workers home-schooled. Sometimes children and even adults made fun of home-schoolers. But today, that is all changed around remarkably. And this was especially noted when one year, the home-schooled child won the National Spelling Bee on national tv, proving that she was the best speller in the nation. Even after that so many came forward on television stating they had been home-schooled and were now attending college or had graduated from conventional colleges.

What if you change your mind? If you change your mind about home-schooling, you have a right to have your child attend public school. Check with your school district. Most times in most cities, every child is entitled to a free public education, and most likely you live in a city or town like that. So don’t worry about changing your mind -if you find that home-schooling is impossible for you to do.

Where can I get supplies or books if I educate my child/children at home?

Look online! Do a search for everything related to home-schooling. There are entire companies who focus on nothing but home-school supplies, books and videos. There are plenty of companies out there for you to become educated about home-schooling. You can become an expert in home-schooling if you want to be.

For art lessons, contact the Pearl Paint Store in New York City. They have a mail-order company also and you will find every single item you need for any arts or arts and crafts lessons that you choose to give. For math and business and finances, write to the Treasury Department, the consumer department, you will be amazed at what is available for free. Write away to Pueblo and ask for the government information catalog. This catalog is a hub of wonderful ideas, books, booklets and pamphlets, many that you can use in your school.

Should I home-school my child?

This is the hardest question that you ask. The answer is obvious. Only you and your child know if you should home-school your child. Know that this is hard work, mixed with lots of fun and great together times. So you must be ready for hours of hard work if you choose home-schooling. If you are ready for that and if you have the time for that , then you know what to do.

Our Experience

In the past I have home-schooled my three children (before they became of school age), and every one of them went into school way ahead of the class. By the time one child was in second grade, that child was tested and found to be able to read college journals. So home-schooling works, even when it is ‘unofficial” home-schooling. The tools that I used were everything that was around. . For example, before my children learned to read, we both would be walking down the street and come to the stoplight. The light was marked with the word, “STOP”, and that , to me, was and is a reading lesson. We would read all the words that we passed as we walked down the street. I was doing the home-schooling thing as my child and I walked along the sidewalk. That was “Reading 101″.

Simple and fun as this was – this game of reading, this was the game that enabled my children to enter school reading years before their classmates learned to read. So home-schooling, even basic home-schooling works wonders in children’s lives.

You have probably read about home-schooling and you might have talked to other parents or guardians who have home-schooled their children. But no matter what you have heard, there is more to home-schooling than just reading. When you check with your local school boards you will have the details about government regulations (and there are many) regarding home-schooling. When I first thought about home-schooling, my

second child was in the older grades. I thought about it lots because the school was polluted and it had to be shut down temporarily. We went back to conventional schooling after the building was almost re-built. My child and I learned so much from just observing nature and from visiting parks.

Your Experience

Only you know what your own experience will be like. You know yourself and you know your child better than anyone else knows them. So decide according to your needs, wants and lifestyles and your time schedule. Only you know the answer to whether you should home-school or not. Some home-school through a temporary need; perhaps a child has a broken leg and cannot attend the local school. They begin home-schooling and find that both the parent and guardian and the child like the experience, so they apply to home-school on a regular basis and everyone is happy.

One thing for sure, do not let anyone make this decision for you, and do not let anyone make you have negative feelings about home-schooling. If this is what you want, this is what you should do. Try it, you’ll like it. And if you do not like it, or if you feel it is too much of a responsibility, then it is your decision to change your mind. You will never know unless you try. You might want to try it during summer vacation or during the holidays. This offers you the opportunity to educate your child and yet neither of you miss any regular schooling or regular work

You should try home-schooling if you have the time to do it. And you? So, what are you waiting for? Now is the time to investigate, prepare for and begin to home-school for your child if that is what you both want to do.

Here is one website you can begin with – check this out, many lessons are here , lessons in nature, lessons in history, lessons in art. You name it and it’s here. Click this website for your very first lesson in home schooling, http://www.nps.gov and here is the Home Education Magazine link. Almost everything you need to know is here: http://www.homeedmag.com

If you have an interest in being on television and showing the benefits of home-schooling, please write and let me know what you feel about the subject of home-schooling and conventional schooling. Write to me at towriteus@yahoo.com

The author is a creative, individual artists living in the United States of America. I have home-schooled children before they went to conventional school. I find that a mix between home-schooling and conventional schooling is best for all students. Presently I am working on a nationwide creative works project. Anyone interested in joining should email me.

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A while ago, a portion of one of my newsletters was plagiarized. I consulted my in-house “lawyer in training” – my son Alex. Every time I think of our interaction that day, it really warms my heart. On Sunday, during our “Love and Respect” Sunday School class, I think I finally realized why Alex’s help was so important to me that day.

He was protecting me – which was demonstrating that he loved me. In the book, it talks a lot about cycles, and how love LEADS TO respect, and respect LEADS TO love. So I started thinking about what I did to show my son respect that day. I think that the moment when I asked his opinion of the situation, adult to adult, was the moment that he knew I respected him.We won’t even think about all the times I completely *fail* at the love and respect cycle, but I did think it was interesting to see on situation in which it worked. I hope it will encourage you.

Another way to show your son’s respect is to treat them as adults and let them experience adult consequences. I know our natural inclination as parents is to always protect and always defend. There are times, however, when natural consequences are the best form of education. This is especially true if the consequences are not life altering. Letting them live with minor inconveniences at the department of motor vehicles or with their insurance are great ways of gently ushering them into the adult world.

My Total Transcript Solution will show you how to create an AMAZING homeschool transcript that will impress the colleges!

Lee Binz, The HomeScholar, is a homeschool high school expert. Both her two boys earned full-tuition scholarships at their first choice university. Learn how she did it on TheHomeScholar.com.

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Home schooling allows parents and family members to deliver content that they consider appropriate and important for their kids. Still, there is the reality that many home school students will enter the workforce and compete against students who attended larger institutions with more resources. How can families who have decided to home school add more breath and depth to courses at minimal cost? Below are five suggestions that can help make your home school courses more substantial and engaging.

1. Organize learning trips. To supplement the study of core subjects, organize exploratory trips to teach your kids real-world skills. For middle and high school students, organize trips to the bank. On these trips, have students open accounts, make basic transitions, and enquire about bank services and fees. Banking trips can work well with other math lessons. For elementary school students, organize trips to different food markets. Consider a chain grocery store, the farmers’ market, a kosher market, and a Chinese Deli. These trips can compliment lessons about budgeting, nutrition, or cultural cuisines. As a long-term goal, students can fundraise for out-of-state trips. These trips can be related to things they are studying (e.g. a fieldtrip to New York after a unit on immigration or a road trip through the state, chartered by your kids, after a course about geography and map reading).

2. Enroll in college. Courses at a community college can be an inexpensive way to add to your child’s learning. Consider enrolling your students in a community college for subjects such as literature or language. High-school-age students would especially benefit from such courses. Attending college courses will add texture to the school day. Additionally, attending these courses will offer accelerated study and it will give students exposure to a college environment. If community college is not an option, check within your network of family and friends for college professors. These professionals may be willing to give a lecture on a specific subject or allow your kids to sit in on a course.

3. Use the information superhighway. The Internet offers a host of resources than can make home schooling a breeze. From home school networks to online courses, there are many sites that can make your lessons more interactive and effective. For general home schooling resources, visit The Home School Mom’s website. For language study, consider purchasing a 1-year online subscription to Rosetta Stone. For beginning and intermediate math study, check out the resources on Math.com. For lesson plans and other teaching resources, check out Laura Candler’s website. (Search names to find websites).

4. Explore your community. Keeps abreast of speakers, performances, and exhibits by signing up for newsletters from local colleges, universities, and museums. You can organize a unit of study in preparation for an upcoming exhibit. Conversely, you can use a speaker’s visit or a performance to add levels of understanding to a unit of study you have already begun. PBS and NPR are two other great places to learn about events in your community.

5. Purchase plans. There is no need to re-invent the wheel, or lesson plans for that matter, when you can purchase them over the Internet. Websites such as Teachers Pay Teachers and We are Teachers offer a wide variety of lesson plans and curricula for purchase. These plans are especially useful when you are teaching the basics, such as paragraph writing or long division, or when you are teaching commonly read authors, such as Shakespeare or Toni Morrison.

Home schooling allows families a greater level of control over the content and the chronology of study. At the same time, families who choose to home school have the job of preparing students for a larger world context. To add texture and to give more breath and depth to your home school courses, use the suggestions listed above.

AUTHOR’S BIO

James Guilford has worked in education, as a teacher and a dean, for nearly a decade. He is the author of the young adult novel, THE PENCIL TEST. Guilford’s writing has appeared in The North American Review, Identity Envy, In The Fray, and other publications. Visit the author’s website at http://www.jamesguilford.com to learn more about his writing and his workshops. Purchase THE PENCIL TEST on Amazon ( http://www.amazon.com/Pencil-Test-James-Guilford/dp/1440166439 ) or at other booksellers.

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