There is a simple way to organize a legitimate high school credit in guitar (music) for a home schooling high school student. Good documentation and class-like scheduling can yield a fine arts credit in music for guitar. Here are seven key aspects needed to put together your high school level, credit worthy, home schooling guitar course.

First, you need a guitar. Many students begin with a low-cost beginner’s guitar for about $100 or so. You can select either an acoustic or electric guitar. If you have the funds, I recommend offering to upgrade to a better guitar if your student sticks with it, and significantly improves in guitar playing skills, for one year.

Second, set up a half-hour weekly lesson with a guitar teacher, usually at a music store. It is nice to have one recommended that is a good fit for your family and goals. Some music teachers and home school groups offer class guitar. However, they are not nearly as effective as a one-on-one instructional setting.

Third, you need a written course description to be a part of your portfolio. This is your overview of the guitar course, so you need the guitar instructor to either write one for you, or dictate the details to you, or give you a list of the things that will be included in the lessons over the school year. The course description should also include your manner of grading and the weight each part will have in calculating your final course grade.

Fourth, schedule a half-hour of practice for four days a week. With the weekly lesson, this will yield a total of two-and-a-half hours per week, which is 90 hours for a 180 day school year. You can lengthen the practice time if you need more than this total amount of time in your state. It works best to include this practice within the home schooling course daily schedule. This will better insure a disciplined, documented, and graded course. Having this in a student daily calendar log as part of your course portfolio is critical.

Fifth, the instruction part needs to be graded by instructor each week to have in the portfolio. You should talk to the instructor about a grading system and his or her cooperation. Offer to provide grading sheets for the teacher to use to accurately and easily give a weekly analysis and grade. Make them simple but thorough. Get the grading criteria that the guitar teacher thinks to be important and create those sheets. A weekly graded sheet should be completed and sent home with the student. Your guitar student’s progress and skill development will be a key part of the final course grade.

Sixth, the practice sessions should be graded by parents. Some suggestions for grading are things like character evidenced, consistency, and effort. These grades will be part of the final portfolio.

Seventh, the final grade can be computed from the teacher’s weekly grades, the parents’ weekly grades, and the final “exam” recital grade.

Your final full course documentation and portfolio will include: a copy of the daily log of practice and lessons (providing evidence of the total number of hours for the course work) done the same way as any other course work (Math, Science, etc.); parental grading documents; skill tests conducted by the guitar teacher; possibly a final performance/recital to serve as a final exam; tests can be given on scales, chords, songs, reading music, reading tablature, playing by ear, playing with teacher; pictures of the student, teacher, music store or practice studio can be a good addition; a video or recording of the student playing could be used; then the final grade and how it was computed.

To summarize these seven key parts: (1) guitar, (2) guitar lessons, (3) course description, (4) daily practice schedule, (5) instructor grading, (6) home practice grading, and (7) the final grade. May your student learn to play the guitar well and earn a high school fine arts credit!

To Your Home School Success!

Go to my website for two helpful guitar tools. They are chord finding internet links: http://huntbiz.ws/Acoustic_River. Email me with questions and ideas: huntbiz.ws@gmail.com.

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You can find a Christian homeschool curriculum very easily now for your family or homeschool group. However, that was not always the case. I have been told that not too long ago, curriculum publishers were unwilling to sell their material to families. They feared that the resources would not be used properly and that individuals were incapable of using the materials designed for traditional school use.

Fortunately, those days are gone and most publishers are happy to serve the needs of the rapidly growing homeschool population. They eagerly supply the Christ-centered books, computer software, and even online courses that homeschoolers are looking for.

Benefits

There are several benefits to using a Christian homeschool curriculum when teaching your children, such as:

Bible-based content throughout the resource
Traditional views and values will be emphasized such as respect for the family
Support of your decision to educate your child at home
Careful treatment of delicate issues such as “occult practices” or “alternative lifestyles” that may be discussed in higher grade levels
Additional opportunity to dialogue with your child about Godly principles mentioned in the curriculum

A few of the well-known curriculum publishers include: A Beka, Alpha Omega Publications, Bob Jones University Press, Christian Liberty Press, School of Tomorrow, and Rod & Staff. There are others but most people are familiar with these popular names which are often seen at curriculum fairs and events.

Options

Just because you elect to use Christian materials does not mean that you will be required to “settle.” The popular publishers mentioned above offer complete curriculum packages and plenty of supplemental resources.

There are publishers who provide Christian unit study options, such as Five in a Row or The Weaver Curriculum. Some others focus on a single subject such as art or science as seen in the popular resources How Great Thou Art and Apologia Science for example.

A Final Thought

There are many publishers who offer Christian homeschool curriculum so your job will be to sift through the choices and determine which one is best for your family. Look at their descriptions in catalogs or online carefully to make an informed decision. Ask for samples or download a sample chapter, if available.

Also, check your Christian bookstores to see if they have the curriculum you may be interested in using with your child. Include him or her in the decision-making process if appropriate.

Choose wisely and remember, that no decision is “set in stone.” If your selection does not work for you or your child, sell it, give it away, and move on to something else. Do not become burdened with any curriculum that does not fulfill your needs.

For more information on Christian homeschool curriculum,visit http://www.AllAboutHomeschoolCurriculum.com/christian-home-school-curriculum.html. Claudette Upshur is a retired public school teacher and former administrator for Straight Arrow Private School, a homeschooling program in Oceanside, CA. She has completely home educated four of her ten children from preschool through high school and is currently teaching the others in grades one through ten. Learn more about this mom who enjoys teaching at http://www.AllAboutHomeschoolCurriculum.com, her helpful website designed with you in mind.

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Today, getting an online high school GED is becoming a popular option for individuals who cannot attend traditional classroom sessions. A GED is an accepted equivalent to a diploma in a lot of cases. However, some employers still specify that they prefer people who have high school diplomas. The best way to bridge the gap between getting a diploma and still enjoying the benefits of studying at home is to find a suitable online academy that will provide their students a real diploma instead of just a certificate or a GED.

One of the biggest issues with people who cannot or do not want to attend regular classroom-based education is the pace. Some students want to ruminate over a lesson for a long time while others are done with their study materials halfway through the school term.

This is a problem that online home schooling addresses. Good online academies usually have a self-pacing program where students can determine when they are ready to move on to the next lesson. There are no deadlines to beat and students are not pressured to finish before the next GED exam schedule because at the end of the program, they will still get their diploma.

Why settle for an online high school GED when you can get a diploma without having to attend class daily, with a regular schedule? Whether you are getting a diploma to get ahead in life or to simply feel a sense of accomplishment, receiving a diploma will be more worth it the effort.

Resource Box:

Continental Academy is a Florida-based distance learning high school that provides high school diplomas to students instead of just an online high school GED. It fully supports home schooling and has been providing quality education since 1996. See ContinentalAcademy.com or call 800-285-3514 for more information.

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Getting an online high school diploma is becoming more popular because of home schooling. Over the last few years, online degrees at the collegiate level have progressed substantially, creating amazing resources for high school students to utilize at home. A lot of students want to learn at home and at their own pace, without worrying about catching up with the rest of the class or learning faster than the teacher can teach. Home schooling is also an option that an increasing number of parents favor because it allows them to be as hands-on as possible when it comes to their children’s education.

However, most online academies do not really go as far as giving their students a diploma. Most of them only prepare the student for the battery of exams that he needs to take to pass the GED. While the GED is a certificate that some employers or universities accept in place of a diploma, more prestigious ones have a strict high school diploma requirement. This means that getting only a GED will restrict a student’s potential when it comes to employment or higher learning. It is proven that people with high school diplomas earn more and feel a higher level of accomplishment than those who merely have a GED.

Therefore, if you have decided on home schooling, make sure that you are going to find a school that will actually give you an online high school diploma. It is a good idea to invest in a school that allows you to go at your own pace but is always there to assist you whenever you need it, like when you find a difficult lesson in your course. It is important to check the quality of the school you are planning to enroll in because you are not only investing your time, money and effort on them, you are also investing on your future.

Resource Box:

Continental Academy is a Florida-based distance learning high school that provides online high school diplomas to students. It fully supports home schooling and has been providing quality education since 1996. Visit ContinentalAcademy.com or call 800-285-3514 for details.

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You spent months agonizing over the curriculum you were going to use with your homeschooler. You negotiated room in your already full house to prepare a learning environment within your home. You steeled yourself against your family’s doubts over whether or not homeschooling was the best decision for your family, and hopefully you triumphed! You have done everything you can to get your child prepared for the road ahead completing their high school education, but why stop there?

Let’s face it, college is necessary these days. Whether your child wants to be an engineer, a minister, or a stay-at-home dad with something interesting to talk about, you need a college degree! It’s not news to you that homeschoolers are at a disadvantage in the college admissions process, in fact, if you’re like me, you’ve heard nothing but pessimistic views on a homeschooler’s ability to get into a university of their choice. Even trying to serve my country the army, my transcripts were looked at with the suspicious eye normally reserved for the shadiest of characters. I wish I knew then what I know now.

Unlike the above, this will be news to you: homeschoolers have a distinct advantage over traditional school children when it comes to preparing their transcripts. Unlike the average graduate entering college, the homeschooler’s transcripts can be customized to illustrate the value that their education and achievements will bring to the school of their choice! rather than just being one of a thousand printouts at the end of the year, you as a parent hold the keys to your child’s future at the tips of your fingertips. You will be the one crafting the transcripts for admissions departments to read.

I don’t expect that you know how to craft a transcript that will impress college admissions naturally, but with the right guidance and some serious effort on your part, you can be crafting amazing transcripts that show how much your child has to offer their community.

To find out more about how to make your student’s transcripts shine to readers, Click Here.

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As a homeschooling parent you undoubtedly put in all the time and energy you could to select the best tools available to educate your child. Researching the best curriculum in a sea of options, making sure you could properly instruct your child without the help of an educational institution. I personally remember when my parents decided that Accelerated Christian Education and Alpha Omega were going to be my high school education! When time for college rolls around, you know your child received the best education possible, but will the college admissions people know it too?

Chances are, when it comes time to enter college, your child will be met with the same skepticism I was. College admissions representatives are well-meaning, but somewhere along the line most of them get the idea that a homeschool diploma is somehow less valuable than a traditional school one. You know this isn’t true, but how do you convince them?

The best way to convince a skeptic is to disarm them from the get-go. What’s the first thing admissions sees when reviewing your application? A high school transcript! And here’s a little secret, your child’s transcript is your secret weapon. They see hundreds of transcripts a day that all look the same. Boring old documents rattled off of an old dot-matrix printer that the public school hasn’t replaced since the Reagan years. Now what is this that’s coming across their desk? A well-formed transcript that shows off the student in a way that only a document created with loving hands can.

How can you create a transcript that jumps off the page and into the imagination of a college admissions office? By doing a few simple steps developed by a homeschool professional who knows what it takes to get their child into college. No one can fault you for not knowing how to prepare a perfect set of transcripts from scratch, but when you have the tools at your disposal to create flawless documents that will rocket your child to the front of the college admissions mind you can do wonders. Take the time to learn as much as you can as early in your child’s education as possible so that when the time comes you will be prepared to send them off with the confidence of knowing you did your best by them. Their smiling faces picking up that diploma will be all the reward you need!

I don’t expect that you know how to craft a transcript that will impress college admissions naturally, but with the right guidance and some serious effort on your part, you can be crafting amazing transcripts that show how much your child has to offer their community.

To find out more about how to make your student’s transcripts shine to readers, Click Here.

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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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Our home is our very first training ground. With that said, parents are the first teachers and instructors of their children. You may not remember, but your parents are the ones who taught you how to stand up, walk and even dance. You’re able to utter your first words like ma-ma and da-da because you imitated the sounds your parents make whenever they talk. That’s why each time a child accomplishes something like spelling his name or learning how to bike, parents are just so proud.

Traditional School Programs Vs Christian Homeschooling Curriculum

Today, education programs vary from tradition classroom curriculum to homeschooling programs. In traditional schooling setting, students share the same classroom, instructor and subject matter. Also there are school’s rules, where students are subjected to follow. Homeschooling education, on the other hand is more flexible than traditional setting. It actually allows a child to learn at his or her own pace.

As mentioned earlier, parents do have a significant role in a child’s education. In fact, since children can’t still make decision for themselves, their parents are ones who decide what is best for them. Choosing the right education programs for their children is one of the top priorities of parents.

Christian Homeschooling

Christians believe that homeschooling is a biblical form of education. In the bible, God even addresses parents as the primary educators of their own children.

Below are verses that show God’s instructions to parents in regards to homeschooling education.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

These two verses clearly state the importance of parents’ guidance and support as to their children’s education.

Homeschooling High School Child

Under a homeschooling education system, children are taught at home either by their parents or home instructors.Nowadays, several institutions are providing homeschooling high school education to children who wish to continue and develop their learning skills but are unable to get to regular school. Today, everyone can have access to a standardized and practical education. The Keystone High School, iQ Academy, K 12, Calvert School are some of the education institutions that offer online homeschooling high school education.

Accredited Online Homeschooling

Attending in a homeschooling high school program is indeed very convenient. However, you need to make sure that your online homeschooling program is accredited. When applying for a job one stands a better chance of getting a better job if they can show that they obtained a degree or diploma from an accredited university or school.

The following are the things you need to know before you enroll online:

1.To be sure that the homeschooling high school education that you’re getting is legitimate, check if it is State accredited. Accreditation means the State recognizes the homeschooling program offered in a homeschool curriculum.

2.Be sure that the degree that you wish to attain through the institution is recognized by the State as well as other universities.

In conclusion, educational methods are now very extensive. That’s why it is best to understand what will work best for you and your child. Moreover, enrolling your child in an accredited school is indeed advantageous because your child is assured of a better chance for scholarships and grants for further studies. So do not be deceived. Choose a State accredited school to enroll your homeschooler!

A number of institutions are offering online high school homeschooling curriculum and homeschooling programs for people who wish to continue with their education. Visit us online to learn more about these accredited institutions and how to obtain online diploma.

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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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Saxon math is regarded as the most thorough, accurate and comprehensive home-school math curriculum. It is the essence of knowledge and experience of a former air force officer and high school math instructor, John Saxon. The curriculum has successfully erased the concept of math as a deadly boring and mind-numbing subject. With over 30 years of proven success, this book has always been able to create and maintain the interest of the learners through its excellent and witty math teaching devices.

The best thing about this curriculum is its incremental nature. It builds upon the foundations, line by line and percept by percept. The incremental teaching method slowly and gradually unfolds the intricate and significant structures of mathematics. The curriculum enables the learners to grasp and absorb the concept in chunks. Moreover, the curriculum emphasizes a lot on the retention of these concepts.

The curriculum is divided into three portions. It systematically links instructions, practice and assessment with each other. It simplifies all the concepts for the parents. The curriculum also suggests ways to improve the understanding of their children. It is based on simple and familiar terminologies and algorithms. After thorough instructions, the curriculum has practice exercises to keep on revising the previously introduced concepts. Finally, every chapter has cumulative assessment section. It consists of worksheets, based on the previous questions and problems.

The Saxon math, a home-school math curriculum is augmented with marvelous features to guide and teach you at every level. The home-school curriculum caters all levels from primary through middle to the high level homeschooling.

The Saxon Math curriculum is designed to teach the basic mathematic concepts such as patterns, geometry, time and comparison and ordering of numbers. The curriculum extends to teach basic addition, subtraction and multiplication concepts. The primary level curriculum focuses on the manipulative math. It offers a manipulative kit to help students to apply their learning in hand-on play. Thus, the Saxon primary grade math proffers a solid foundation of early elementary basics, enabling students to successfully branch out into excellent performance in the upcoming grades.

The Saxon middle grade curriculum smoothly shifts the learners from manipulative and worksheet math to textbook approach. It emphasizes on algebraic and geometric concepts. Following its iterative approach, the new concepts are merged with the older concepts. The new chapters include reviews of the previous concepts. It comprises of upgraded levels of learning ad teaching. The middle grade curriculum holds investigative approach to give an in-depth treatment of math concepts. For convenience, parents can have the solution manual, which offers step-by-step solutions to the problems.

Saxon high grade math curriculum covers algebra, geometry, advanced math and calculus. Algebra offers quite a challenging but enjoyable experience to the students. It explains the concepts with self teaching examples and thus develops a habit of understanding and inferring the concepts independently.

Apart from all its advantages, it has some weaknesses too. According to some instructors, though it provides solid mathematical foundation, but it is quite slow for the bright students, as reworking the same problems everyday makes it boring for the students with a quick pick.

Are you seeking for some Saxon Math help? Visit our recommended site for comprehensive information about saxon math homeschool curriculum

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