The education a child can gain from a loving and concerned parent will be much greater than is possible to receive in a public school system. You don’t need a teaching credential or even a college degree, just the desire to give your child a quality education. If there are subjects that you don’t feel comfortable teaching it is possible to hire a tutor for those classes. And on the positive side your home school curriculum can incorporate other things such as your own religious and moral beliefs, something that will not be taught in a public school system. By taking control of a child’s education a parent can shape that child’s value system better than anyone else.

There are two main requirements necessary to achieve a rewarding home schooling experience for both you and your child. Obviously you must have a desire to teach your children, that is number one. If you are doing it out of duty or obligation you may soon find yourself in way over your head and wanting to get out. The second requirement is determination. You must truly want your child to succeed and be willing to put forth the time and effort it takes for your child to reach his or her potential. With these two ingredients your child may be able to realize an education that could not be achieved in a public classroom.

You, more than anyone else, want your child to reach their full potential. This is usually not possible in a crowded classroom environment. A child, to learn at their best, must have one-on-one instruction from someone who truly cares for them. And who better than you can give that to them? Public school teachers are overwhelmed by the sheer number of students they must control every day. With the many different learning styles, discipline problems, regulations that need to be followed and other factors a public school teacher cannot spend the individual time with each child that is necessary to bring out that child’s best. Home schooling can help children to blossom and bring out a child’s full potential like nothing else can.

Do you have doubts about your ability to teach? All you have to do to overcome your fear is to visit a public classroom for a day. Visit a kindergarten class or a first grade class and you will see that much of the time spent is merely controlling the children’s behavioral problems. And the lessons that are taught are usually very simple. In a one-on-one home atmosphere you will be able to progress at your own pace.

With a few home school books and lesson plans you will be able to get started very easily. Remember, you are starting your teaching experience with a very young child. And you will actually be able to learn as you go. With a little preparation it is possible to grow with your child. And the first time you see some of your instruction sink into your child’s brain you will feel satisfied that you are performing a very important task. You will surely be surprised at how effective you can be as your child’s homeschool instructor.

Public school teachers have their curriculum all laid out for them. They must follow programs and use materials that others have already approved for them. They must also move at a predetermined pace so that they can get through their study programs even if it means going forward at the expense of a child understanding what has been taught. You, on the other hand, can come up with your own homeschooling curriculum which can include religious or moral beliefs. You can take a field trip anytime you desire. You can make sure your child fully grasps a specific subject before moving forward. This will allow your child the opportunity to learn as they should be learning and at a pace they can keep up with. In a public system the slower children are often left behind.

There are negatives as well as positives however. The biggest negative to home schooling is your time. Your child will most likely receive a more rewarding education at home, but you will be devoting lots of your time to this cause. This could be a big sacrifice, especially if you are struggling financially and need to work. However, with a real desire you may be able to live without luxuries that will give you the time you need to offer your child the education they deserve. Search the internet for lesson plans, other pros and cons, christian home schooling information, home schooling requirements, home schooling books, eclectic homeschooling and other topics of interest. After researching this subject you may find that teaching your child will be even more rewarding for you than it is for your child. If you would like to develop a special bond with your child homeschooling may be the way.

Low cost:

Online studies cost less than any college direct programs. Universities and college charge very less tuition fee for any online course compared to the direct program. You also do not have to live in college hostel or any other place away from your home. You can stay at your home with your family and pursue the online course. What you require is a computer and an internet connection. You do not have to spend a huge amount in living out of your home and family.

A flexible time schedule:

You will be the master of your own schedule. Time is not a constraint in an online course. You can attend lectures, complete assignments and take exams at your own time. You have to make your schedule as per your suitability. In case of a direct school program, you cannot schedule your own timetable. You have to go with the college timetable. So you are the driver of your own schedule of programs.

Effective learning:

Online learning is more effective due to technological involvement. You will get study materials easily through the internet. You do no have to work hard in taking notes of every lecture as in case of a direct college program. Universities and colleges offering online programs are facilitating transcripts, live discussions and training materials which can be retrieved via mail, e-mail or the school’s website for reading, downloading and printing. Instructors are also available at Students’ convenient times and respond to queries quickly through e-mail.

Convenient education:

Online education is student-centered learning. You can prioritize the things you want to learn as per your convenience. Also, it will be your choice that which distance educational methodology – audio, visual or oral components, you want to use. You will dictate your own terms and make the learning enjoyable.

Performance matters most:

In online education degree programs, there is fair playing field. Here there is no teacher-student direct interaction and the decision-making will not be based on the candidates’ gender, physical appearance, ethnicity or gender. So your performance matters most in online study.

Despite all these advantages in online education, you may face some disadvantages also. Online courses are not accepted by some employers as they think it not so effective like other direct courses. You may not be able to motivate yourself in online learning, as you yourself have to drive your own decision and motivation.

All courses are not available online. Besides, online learning requires a complete dedication and patience from the students. So you have to decide whether an online course will help you or you will not be successful in a distance-learning program. There are so many universities and colleges offering online programs all across the United States.

The pros and cons of homeschooling are many, but do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? With total control over your child’s homeschooling needs you have the flexibility to teach your child values that cannot be taught in a public classroom. On the other hand your time will not be as free as it used to be.

The education a child can gain from a loving and concerned parent will be much greater than is possible to receive in a public school system. You don’t need a teaching credential or even a college degree, just the desire to give your child a quality education. If there are subjects that you don’t feel comfortable teaching it is possible to hire a tutor for those classes. And on the positive side your home school curriculum can incorporate other things such as your own religious and moral beliefs, something that will not be taught in a public school system. By taking control of a child’s education a parent can shape that child’s value system better than anyone else.

There are two main requirements necessary to achieve a rewarding home schooling experience for both you and your child. Obviously you must have a desire to teach your children, that is number one. If you are doing it out of duty or obligation you may soon find yourself in way over your head and wanting to get out. The second requirement is determination. You must truly want your child to succeed and be willing to put forth the time and effort it takes for your child to reach his or her potential. With these two ingredients your child may be able to realize an education that could not be achieved in a public classroom.

You, more than anyone else, want your child to reach their full potential. This is usually not possible in a crowded classroom environment. A child, to learn at their best, must have one-on-one instruction from someone who truly cares for them. And who better than you can give that to them? Public school teachers are overwhelmed by the sheer number of students they must control every day. With the many different learning styles, discipline problems, regulations that need to be followed and other factors a public school teacher cannot spend the individual time with each child that is necessary to bring out that child’s best. Home schooling can help children to blossom and bring out a child’s full potential like nothing else can.

Do you have doubts about your ability to teach? All you have to do to overcome your fear is to visit a public classroom for a day. Visit a kindergarten class or a first grade class and you will see that much of the time spent is merely controlling the children’s behavioral problems. And the lessons that are taught are usually very simple. In a one-on-one home atmosphere you will be able to progress at your own pace.

With a few home school books and lesson plans you will be able to get started very easily. Remember, you are starting your teaching experience with a very young child. And you will actually be able to learn as you go. With a little preparation it is possible to grow with your child. And the first time you see some of your instruction sink into your child’s brain you will feel satisfied that you are performing a very important task. You will surely be surprised at how effective you can be as your child’s homeschool instructor.

Public school teachers have their curriculum all laid out for them. They must follow programs and use materials that others have already approved for them. They must also move at a predetermined pace so that they can get through their study programs even if it means going forward at the expense of a child understanding what has been taught. You, on the other hand, can come up with your own homeschooling curriculum which can include religious or moral beliefs. You can take a field trip anytime you desire. You can make sure your child fully grasps a specific subject before moving forward. This will allow your child the opportunity to learn as they should be learning and at a pace they can keep up with. In a public system the slower children are often left behind.

There are negatives as well as positives however. The biggest negative to home schooling is your time. Your child will most likely receive a more rewarding education at home, but you will be devoting lots of your time to this cause. This could be a big sacrifice, especially if you are struggling financially and need to work. However, with a real desire you may be able to live without luxuries that will give you the time you need to offer your child the education they deserve. Search the internet for lesson plans, other pros and cons, christian home schooling information, home schooling requirements, home schooling books, eclectic homeschooling and other topics of interest. After researching this subject you may find that teaching your child will be even more rewarding for you than it is for your child. If you would like to develop a special bond with your child homeschooling may be the way.

Dan is one of 34 guest teachers in 19 states that are participating in a new partnership between China’s institute Hanban and the College Board, a nonprofit organization that administers the Advanced Placement exams and SAT testing). Plans are for an additional 100 guest teachers across the United States by this summer and 250 by 2009. The partnership is part of China’s large-scale effort to promote the Mandarin language and getting people in other countries to learn it.

This is the perfect program for many Pacific Coast states that do a lot of business with China. Chief Sealth High School principal John Boyd traveled to China as part of a Hanban program and was inspired to offer a course in Mandarin to his Seattle schools students. He and Noah Zeichner, who heads up the high school world language program, wanted to expand the international focus in his Seattle school. They already have a student exchange program from Chongqing, China.

Zhu Dan teaches the Mandarin language in three Seattle schools — Denny Middle, Madison Middle, and Chief Sealth High Schools. While the institute Hanban pays her a stipend, the Seattle schools provide housing, airfare and cover other fees. Dan is residing with Sealth teacher Frank Cantwell and his family.

Dan applied for the guest teacher program for three reasons — to improve her own English skills, to help Americans understand more about China and its culture, and to help get the program started within the Seattle schools. She wants to leave her students with enough knowledge of the Mandarin language to survive a trip to her country.

Before traveling to the United States and the Seattle schools, Dan had to take a two-week crash course in Beijing. It covered our culture and education system, our money system, and how to write a check (something seldom done in China).

Many of her Seattle schools students took her course, because it sounded interesting. Others have friends or family members who speak Mandarin. Within her first two weeks of instruction, Dan’s Seattle schools students could count to ten in Mandarin, pronounce the Chinese names she gave them, work through the pronunciation drills and vocabulary exercises given them, and sing a song about the Chinese New Year to the song “My Darlin’ Clementine”. Additionally, Dan shares her Chinese culture with the students, making her classes even more interesting.

Besides the guest teacher program, many Seattle schools now are offering instruction in Mandarin, as well as Advanced Placement courses in Chinese and the AP testing that earns college credit for the Seattle schools students who pass. For this year, Dan’s Mandarin class at Sealth High School meets after school. It will be part of the normal, daytime curriculum in the fall. Principal Boyd is encouraging elementary schools within his area of the Seattle schools to apply together for a second guest teacher for the Mandarin language.

Pros
Future Needs: The use of computers and an understanding of how to use the Internet are already critical to modern society today in manifest directions. These include, the work environment, information gathering for work orpleasure, shopping, communications etc. and if true today, how much moretomorrow. The Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment predicts thatthe computer industry will continue to show the greatest growth of any industry in the USA. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than half of all workers used a computer on the job in September 2001. And nearly three-fourths of those workers connected to the Internet or used e-mail.

Early Skills Acquisition: As with all fundamental skills, the earlier the education system allows students to become familiar with technology the greater will be their depth of understanding and effectiveness in using it. It is immaterial to argue that skills acquired today by a five year old will not be relevant later in life because technology will develop beyond comprehension. This is because skills acquired can focus on an understanding of what computers can do rather than just how to interact with today’s computers. In addition, once the initial ground work has been obtained the potential for adaptation to a dynamic system can be incrementally updated in the same way as adults have to adapt to new technology.

Personalization: Computer based content allows a level of individual engagement and interactivity that comparative learning systems fail to deliver. By its nature learning with the computer is a one-on-one experience or at worst, small groups. This alleviates the paradigm of large classes with minimal personal intervention.

Learning Levels: Computers allow users to individualize their speed of attainment to suite their personal needs and capabilities. The speedy are not held back and those that need greater repetition are not passed over. Additionally special groupings can be more easily and effectively catered for.

Wide Distribution of Quality Teaching: Computer based learning allows the maximum effectiveness and distribution of the best quality teaching and content. A great teacher is not limited by the classroom but can reach out across the Internet to thousands either through building digital lessons or distance learning software and programs. Most distance learning systems today can be configured as live broadcasts with high levels of interactivity with the teacher. Now, here are the equally strong arguments against.

Con’s
Accessibility and Suitability: If an individual does not have access to a computer or does not understand the content through a language deficiency or cultural differences, they will be relegated to the digitally divided, 44 million at the last count just in the USA according to Professor Howard Besser, The Next Digital Divides.

Interfering with Natural Development: Young children should be utilizingtheir natural propensity for physically based activity rather than be ‘stuck’ infront of a computer. They already spend damaging amounts of time glued to televisions, as researchers have discovered, that impairs development. Our children, the Surgeon General warns, are the most sedentary generation ever.

Lack of Depth: Computer based content is a long way from offering the depth, flexibility and tried and tested results that a trained, dedicated and experienced teacher can offer children. In addition, the interaction with a sophisticated adult allows critical advanced vocabulary and personalization skills.

Quality of Content: Most digital content is overly simplistic in its structure. For example, a sum can only be wrong or right. The content will not explain to the student why the sum was wrong. A real teacher will mark a piece of work and offer the essential logic reasoning for the decision that will enable the student to gain a fundamental understanding of the system behind what constitutes correct/incorrect.

Health Hazards: Computers pose health hazards to children. The risks include repetitive stress injuries, eyestrain, obesity, social isolation, and, forsome, long-term physical, emotional, or intellectual developmental damage.

Safety: Children must be protected from the dangers of the Internet, stalkers, adult content, hate and violence. Filtering software is notoriously inefficient.

By no means am I attempting to articulate all the arguments or cover them inreal depth but just to raise some of the issues we all face. In my opinion both the Pros and Cons are very strong arguments all of which need serious consideration and answers.

Now to put this in to an importance perspective, digital technology is invading virtually every aspect of modern society and its impact is becoming fundamental to how we work, play and learn. Technology within education also has a huge role to play but its’ effectiveness and impact has not been studied in the depth and breadth that such a fundamental development requires.

In the work environment, mistakes in the use of technology are paid for inmonetary terms. How much less can we afford to make mistakes with introducing technology to our children, mistakes made here cost far more than damaged business, with education we are talking damaged lives. At the moment we just seem to be ‘throwing’ computers and the Internet at teachers and children, as I state above, without any real understanding of what we are actually doing to the children or should I call them ‘guinea pigs’.

The logic seems to be, at least on the governmental level, that we cannot afford for the coming generation not to be computer enabled, as this ability will be critical for a country to be economically competitive. In fact every country is being driven to ensure it’s digital competitiveness. At a governmental level this logic is difficult to fault but it is our job as educators and parents to ensure thatthe effectiveness of the headlong plunge is in the best interests of all the children.

My opinion is that large-scale research in to the issues needs to be carried out. Not on the scale of a few dozen subjects over weeks as many examples of current research do, but thousands or even tens of thousands of subjects over years.

These subjects need to be from 2 years to 8 years old. They need to bewidely dispersed geographically. Come from all levels of the social andattainment spectrum. In fact technology and the Internet is a perfect platform to carry out this type of research. I founded the Internet based Kindersite Project to enable researchers to accomplish this type of wide-scale program.

I believe that only significant research that studies thousands of subjectchildren over a long-term, years probably, will allow the educational community to really gain full and meaningful answers to the questions such as:

Does the early introduction of digital content positively or negatively affectyoung children?
What should be the parameters of the introduction (if any)?
What content types should be employed within the introductory process?
What constitutes ‘good’ or ‘bad’ content and why?
What parameters define ‘good’ or ‘bad’ content?
As a result of sustained and profound research, guidelines should be drawn. These guidelines should offer teachers and parents tried and tested parameters for the use of computers for their children at each age level. It should include areas such as; how long should a child use a computer over a period, maximum and minimum attainment levels to be expected for each age group based on set proficiency standards, how digital content should be integrated in to standard lesson plans in a similar way that other media isused.

Most importantly, set standards for educational content providers must be laid down that they must adhere to if they wish to produce educational content utilizable by educationalists.

In addition all young childrens’ content, educational or leisure should be labeled with its appropriateness for each age group. These standards should be defined by the research.

In conclusion, it is fairly obvious that computer based educational content is becoming a feature of schools, whether we like it or not. In the home we see increasing evidence that even the smallest children are gaining access to computers either with parents or through watching older siblings. It is unreasonable to expect to turn back the clock and bar children below a certain age from computers, this is unenforceable and ineffective.

It is our duty to ensure that clear usage standards are set, content guidelines are drawn and sites rated at a governmental level so that children, parents, caregivers and educators have a clear and safe basis for using computers and the Internet with their charges. Anything less is an abrogation of all our responsibility.

Individual attention is another salient benefit of homeschooling. For instance, if Lisa needs more time to learn Math, then she can reduce the time for her English lessons. There are no fixed hours of learning per subject. This means that a child has the advantage of assigning more number of hours to the subject that seems tough WITHOUT any additional pressure. The amount of time needed to learn each subject will depend on the abilities and interests of the child.

The schooling of the child becomes an extended family activity. Parents get involved in every step of the learning procedure. Field trips and experiments become family activities. Thus, the child receives more quality time with his parents. The entire family shares games, chores and projects. Family closeness becomes the focus here. The child is also free of any negative peer pressure while making choices and decisions.

Competition is limited when it comes to homeschooling. The child does not need to prove his ability with regards to other children. His confidence remains intact. Since parents have a deep understanding of their child, they can plan the learning program to pique the child’s interest. It is also possible to intersperse difficult tasks with fun activities. A tough hour with Algebra can be followed by a trip to the nearest museum. Learning becomes fun. Parents can also tailor the curriculum to suit the learning style of the child. Some children learn through reading, while others need to write, and still others need to see objects in action.

Homeschooling allows parents to take control over the moral and religious learning of the child. Parents have the flexibility to incorporate their beliefs and ideologies into the child’s curriculum. There is no confusion in the child’s mind either because there is no variation between what is being taught and what is being practiced.

Lastly, more and more parents are getting disillusioned with the public school system. They believe that their children are being pushed too hard or too little. Other worrying issues pertaining to discipline and ethics also make the school system less welcome. Many repudiate the educational philosophy of grouping children solely on the basis of their age. Some parents themselves have unhappy memories of their own public school experience that motivates them to opt for homeschooling when it comes to their own children.

Homeschooling is the best way to teach a child if you have the time, the ability and the interest to follow through with his education. After all, nobody can understand or appreciate your child more than yourself.

We are pronto mark February and 3, 200 Baltimore schools’ students outlive out of rear, in that they hold not common the hepatitis B and chickenpox immunizations. Known still are a total of 12, 000 excluded students across the state, who are not mark compliance dissemble the unusual requirements.

Countless state officials, because vigorous because Baltimore schools’ administrators, cannot swear by that approximating a dispute exists. Though factual was completely an undertaking, they did information possible to nail down compliance. Working shroud state health officials, the Baltimore schools mailed erudition to the students’ homes, telephoned the parents, assisted mastery scheduling vaccination appointments, held conferences with the students, and set up vaccination clinics with late hours where possible.

Greg Reed, program manager for the state health department’s Center for Immunization, stated that the $1. 3 million funding for the project was not received until September. That left very little time to set up free and reduced cost clinics across the state. Many schools, including some within the Baltimore schools, were left with no clinic assistance or lack of nursing staff for low – income families and parents who work long hours.

Though many blame procrastinating parents, there is no common thread as to why the children were not immunized. The Baltimore schools will have to wait to discover the experiences of each of its schools, until that information can be gathered and analyzed. Then, they will be able to evaluate the compliance methods employed by each of the Baltimore schools.

Responsibility must be shared by all — Baltimore schools’ administrators who did not stay on top of the problem with planned interventions to ensure compliance; the state health department that should have had plans, people and equipment ready to go as funding was received; legislators who did not ensure funding was there early enough to do some good; and parents who should want their children protected with immunizations important enough to garner the attention of the state legislature.

Additionally, all concerned in the Baltimore schools’ district should realize that blaming the parents for “procrastinating” breaks down the lines of communication. It is critical to work together. For many of the Baltimore schools’ parents, especially within the urban areas, it is difficult to get their children to the doctor for something other than an emergency. They work extremely long hours. Many work two or more jobs just to make ends “almost” meet. There is little, if any, extra money. When there is, it generally goes for such luxuries as clothing for their children.