Search This Blog

Friday, May 27, 2011

home education and graduation

 

I like what this mom has to say about graduation… that the intangibles are more important than grades and such.  Smile

http://harmonyartmom.blogspot.com/2011/05/weekly-wrap-up-graduation-with-capital.html

“I have been reflecting over the past week about homeschooling and "graduating" our children from our homeschool. If all we were doing was preparing them academically, then this would be an easy task....we could administer a test to measure if they had met the graduation goals. I guess you could count up credits and decide if they were academically ready for graduation as well. But after all my reflecting and meditating about Graduation (yes, a capital G), my husband and I decided that the intangibles were more important than anything else as far as deciding if a child is ready to graduate. The qualities and attitudes of the child in the end seem more important than any grade or score we have recorded in Homeschool Tracker. This is something to remember when I get caught up in particulars of texts and courses. Mr. B will reap the benefits of our new found goals in homeschooling.”

getting ready for my facilitator visit…

SCHROCK FAMILY HOME EDUCATION  ---  

Traditional Home School – Program Plan

OVERALL GOALS:

  1. To achieve the outcomes contained in the Schedule included in the Home Education Regulation (page 38 in this document - http://education.alberta.ca/media/1225757/home%20education%20handbook-v2010.pdf)

  2. To facilitate the exploration and pursuit of Jordan and Deanna's personal interests and passions.

GOALS:

  1. Reading for understanding, information and enjoyment (covering many topics in social studies, science, literature and more).

  2. Communication, written and spoken. (Typing skills, handwriting, discussions, research, note-taking, email, journals, letters, etc)

  3. Mathematics (simple math, Algebra, consumer math, etc). (books, games, projects)

  4. Life skills – personal and home management, work experience (volunteer and employment). (exercise, health, money management, time management, cooking, computer and information technologies, etc)

  5. Relationships with self and others (fellowship, Mug Up, social events, etc)

LEARNING METHODS AND TOOLS:

Independent reading, discussions, research, direct instruction (classes), workshops, co-op learning, field trips, projects, people/mentors, internet, TV, videos, and more

ASSESMENT METHODS:

Observation, discussions, daily marking, oral questioning, supervision and evaluation by our facilitator/school board.

OUTLOOK OF THE YEAR'S ACTIVITIES:

September to February – major focus on academics, work experience, project with homeschool group

March and April – work experience (employment) with 43 Ranch Ltd, light academics

May and June – light academics, field trips, camping, work experience

July and August – family holiday, gardening, projects, summer employment

________________________________________________________

 

Schedule
Learning Outcomes for Students
Receiving Home Education Programs That
Do Not Follow the Alberta Programs of Study
1 A basic education must provide students with a solid core program including language arts, mathematics, science and social studies.
2 Students are expected to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will prepare them for life after high school. A basic education will allow students to
(a) read for information, understanding and enjoyment,
(b) write and speak clearly, accurately and appropriately for the context,
(c) use mathematics to solve problems in business, science and daily life situations,
(d) understand the physical world, ecology and the diversity of life,
(e) understand the scientific method, the nature of science and technology and their application to daily life,
(f) know the history and geography of Canada and have a general understanding of world history and geography,
(g) understand Canada’s political, social and economic systems within a global context,
(h) respect the cultural diversity, the religious diversity and the common values of Canada,
(i) demonstrate desirable personal characteristics such as respect, responsibility, fairness, honesty, caring, loyalty and commitment to democratic ideals,
(j) recognize the importance of personal well-being and appreciate how family and others contribute to that well-being,
(k) know the basic requirements of an active, healthful lifestyle,
(l) understand and appreciate literature, the arts and the creative process,
(m) research an issue thoroughly and evaluate the credibility and reliability of information sources,
(n) demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills in problem solving and decision making,
(o) demonstrate competence in using information technologies,
(p) know how to work independently and as part of a team,
(q) manage time and other resources needed to complete a task,
(r) demonstrate initiative, leadership, flexibility and persistence,
(s) evaluate their own endeavours and continually strive to improve, and
(t) have the desire and realize the need for life-long learning.

quote

 

“Strong role models and unconditional love can heal even the most emotionally impoverished person, and that goes for adults as well as youngsters.”
-Ann Landers

boys and writing

 

I was frustrated yesterday because of a writing assignment I gave Jordan.  He is so resistant to writing, to putting his thoughts in written form.  So I went on a Google search to find some help with this and found this quote:

 

“The I.B.S.C. on boys' writing:

"Their ability to write a well structured, well organised, thoughtful, cogent, coherent essay is frequently poor. Boys have difficulty in responding to questions in examinations appropriately, constructing essays, researching topics in sufficient depth and detail and taking and keeping useful sets of notes. "

Source: I.B.S.C. Website

http://motivatingboywriters.blogspot.com/

 

So how do I help him get past this?