Tag Archive | education

Almost the New Year!

Dec29

I have been asked if I will continue to do homeschool reviews since the law has changed and you are no longer required to do an assessment for your child(ren). A resounding “Yes!” is my answer. You can go to www.calendly.com/schoolmarmohio to sign up.

So, why should you do an assessment?

  1. Qualified- First, I am an Ohio licensed teacher who taught for over 30 years. Second, I have been doing homeschool assessments for over 20 years. Third, I have tutored autistic students, those with dyslexia, as well as general subjects.
  2. Peace of mind- With a homeschool review you have an unbiased, objective view of how your child is doing. I have seen hundreds, if not close a thousand students’ work over the years that I have been giving homeschool reviews. I can tell you if your child needs more focused attention in a particular area or that they are excelling.
  3. Spotting difficulties- As a parent, it is sometimes difficult to tell if your child is progressing at a good pace or if they need additional help or should be tested for reading, writing, or math difficulties. I am a reading and writing tutor, having been trained in Orton -Gillingham practices. I also have been privately mentored and trained for several years by Rita Cevasco, a well-respected Speech and Language Pathologist and dyslexia specialist who has co-authored a Language Arts program called Pinwheels.
  4. Recommendations- With so many different types of curricula from which to choose, how do you know what to select? I can give you options and we can discuss what best works for your student(s). I can also talk about schedules and we can work on how to make it work for you and your family.
  5. Someone who knows and cares- It can be isolating homeschooling and having a licensed teacher and one who homeschooled their children from K-12 understands the difficulties you may be facing. Also, I am your biggest cheerleader. I am here to let you know you are doing a great job! You can read the comments to see what families have said my services on the Testimonials page.

If you are not interested in a homeschool assessment, but would you to consult with me, I am available to do that too and would love to help you and your family. Fees are on my Assessments page as well as the scheduling site.

Have a great day!
~Lisa~

Summertime

Jun30
Photo by Juan Salamanca on Pexels.com

Ah! It’s summer, one of my favorite season of the year. You can enjoy all of the outdoor activities and soak up the sun. But, what about school? Do you close the books and not look at anything again until the week before school begins? If you do, I’d like to propose an idea to consider. Those academic skills and concepts that your student learned this past year need a bit of review in order for them to become solidified. There is evidence that shows that there is such a thing as Summer Slump. So, instead of being frustrated at the beginning of the school year with blank stares when you ask a question that they knew in May, do a bit of reviewing each week. I’d even dare to say, every day. Here are some ideas to keep those brains active:

Summer Reading Programs- Join the library reading program or create your own. It’s not bribing, it’s incentivizing. 🙂 This is crucial to be reading daily for new readers and those who struggle. Also, grab a book and read too. Modeling shows your child the importance of reading.

Writing- Have a question of the day written in a small notebook. Leave it on your child’s pillow at bed time and allow them to answer it before they go to sleep. I set a timer of 10 minutes for lights out. You can also put it by their plate in the morning or in a favorite spot. My kids were encouraged to ask me a question and leave it on my pillow or my desk. It was fun to see what they were going to ask me. Sometimes they were silly questions, but other times they were insightful. Some questions to ask: What is your favorite animal/ why? If you could travel anywhere, where would you choose/ why? What is your favorite: snack/ meal/ restaurant?

Beginning writers/ readers- Give your child sticky notes and let them label things around the house. There’s just something about getting to do an activity that is not typically allowed that causes kids to be willing to try it. You can also use this same idea and you write simple words in places throughout the room (or house) for your child to read.

Cooking- What a great way to have practical application of fractions, measuring, following directions, adding, calculating time, discussing nutrition, etc. Start with dessert because if something goes awry, dinner won’t be ruined. I once added 1 1/2 cups of water to the brownie mix when I first began baking- whoops!

Math Facts Review- Yep, it’s important to be able to know those addition/ subtraction, multiplication/division facts without having to think about it. This knowledge helps a student to quickly calculate difficult problems, leads to fewer mistakes, and takes less time. Does it have to be flash cards and worksheets of 50 problems? No, there are other ways to make it more engaging. Your student can play online games. Check out this website for lots of great places for your children to use. Always check out the sites yourself before allowing your student access. https://www.differentiatedteaching.com/math-fact-games/

If you are limiting your child’s time on electronic devices you can make up your own games. For instance:

Concentration- Use flashcards that have the problem on one card and the answer on the other card. Shuffle the cards and create rows with all of the flashcards facing down so you can not see the problem or answer. Take turns by choosing two cards and turning them face up. If it is a match, then you keep it and continue until you miss. The person with the most matches wins. Free flashcards-Teachers Pay Teachers has free and others you must pay.

Go Fish with Flashcards- Deal just the problem cards to players and the “pond” will have the answers.

Twister- Use the Twister game and attach index cards to the colored dots with the answers . You call out the problem (11-5) and the kids have to find the dot with the 6 on it. You will need several problems with that answer to extend the time of the game. You can use this for phonics too. Place vowels on the colored dots and say words with short vowels. (cap, cup, dab, dub, bud, bid, bed, bad, etc.)

Have fun!

~Lisa~

New Year, New Services

Jan28

As of the 2023-2024 school year, homeschool families are no longer required by law to submit any type of assessment to the superintendent to continue to homeschooling. Having been an assessor for 25+ years, I will continue to offer this service if you would like to have me review your student’s work. Since this is now optional, I am in the unique position to offer other additional services which I have not had the time for in the past. I am very excited to be able to help additionally with your home schooling. Do you need advice with scheduling; choosing curricula; need some guidance with high school? I’m here for you. I am not limited to just Ohio but can help any homeschool family.

Here is a brief description of some of the services I am offering via Zoom, email, or in person if you live locally. You can sign up for a single 30 minute time slot or back-to-back appointments if you need more time for any of my educational services. The fee is $45.00 (for 30 minute time slot) and can be paid electronically or via personal check prior to or at the time of service. To schedule, go to: www.calendly.com/schoolmarmohio Please tell me what service you would like in the notes you would like when you sign up.

Homeschool Assessments- I will continue to offer homeschool assessments in which I will review academic samples of your student’s work. The prices are discounted if you have more than one student and are listed on the scheduling app.

Getting Started- So, you are going to homeschool. Congratulations! Now, where do you begin? I’ll be happy to help. We will discuss the age of your student, paperwork you need to submit, and any general homeschool questions you have.

Scheduling- How do I set up a school day with my student? I’ll be glad to help you determine what would work best for your own homeschool and family dynamics.

Choosing Curricula- There are so many options from which to choose that it can be overwhelming. I’m here to help you narrow the field and lead you towards what would help your student(s) thrive.

Coaching- We will discuss questions you have and look for ways to make your school year successful. I’ll be there to help along the way. You can sign up for as many times as you wish. It can be one time, once a semester, weekly, or something else.

Consulting- Do you just want to make sure you are on the right track and not missing anything? Do you have a child who is struggling? Other questions you’d like help with in your schooling? We can discuss whatever concerns you have.

Homeschooling High School- It’s not as difficult as it may seem! I have graduated both of my sons and have helped many families with course choices, issuing credits. creating transcripts, etc.

Hybrid- You may want to meet with me to discuss a variety of topics (scheduling, curricula, how to homeschool multiple children, etc.) Just indicate in hte notes when you schedule what you’d like to discuss.

Feel free to email me (www.schoolmarmohio@me.com) if you have questions.

~Lisa~

A New Year, New Requirements

Jan14

I apologize that I have not been posting to my blog. But, I have had not one, but two knee surgeries this year. So, my time has been taken up with more attention to my knee than I ever wanted to do. What about you? I hope your school year has been filled with lots of days filled with learning and discovery of who your child(ren) is both as student and your precious gift.

You may know that beginning this academic school year (2023-24) that you are no longer required to submit an assessment to the superintendent. I have been asked what I think about this since I have been an assessor for over 20 years. Here are my thoughts after many months of consideration. I think it is wise to continue to have an assessment for your student. Why you ask?

1. It’s all on you- You are now solely responsible for the documentation of your child’s work. In the past, I have maintained student’s academic samples for two years in the event that someone would question whether you, as the homeschool teacher, provided an education for your child. and that they made progress in accordance with their abilities

2. Evaluating the school year- I believe it is wise to evaluate the progress that your child has made the past year. It’s going to be very easy to close the books and just order the next year’s curricula. But, looking back and evaluating what worked, what has been mastered, and what needs to be studied next year is important.

3. Spotting learning issues- As a teacher, I can spot difficulties such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, trouble in writing, etc. I can help you to investigate getting further diagnostic avenues should you wish to pursue that for your student.

4. Receiving encouragement- I hope and pray above all , that I as an assessor, would encourage you. My wish is to let you know all the great things you have done for your student. You work hard and so does your student. I want to be your homeschool’s biggest supporter and cheerleader.

So, if you would like to have me review your student(s)’s work, I am available any time. You can schedule your assessment at: www.calendly.com/schoolmarmohio I will send you an email with a Google Drive link to upload your student’s academic samples.

I have exciting news to share with you next week as I am adding to my homeschool business.

Have a great week! ~ Lisa ~