Record Keeping In Homeschooling

A topic that frequently comes up in meetings and forums that deal with homeschooling is record keeping. The importance of record keeping cannot be ignored. It is not only legally required in various States, but also provides important milestones in your child's learning experience. An interest-initiated homeschooling approach means that the topic of studies is far ranging and multifarious. Thus, it can be something of a challenge to write quarterly reports for the school district, when it is difficult to classify learning into neatly pigeonholed areas. Record keeping is important not only for the sake of regulations. It is also an exciting way to record and document the learning process of the child. When most of the learning is done through play and there is no clear cut index of topics that have to be covered, it is necessary for the parent to keep some sort of a log which records the child's progress. The records you keep can be as simple as a daily journal, or as elaborate as a software program. If you participate in a support group, you probably have set forms and requirements. But even so, keeping track of daily work makes reporting easy and efficient.There are various record keeping methods used by various homeschools. Some of the more popular ones are:Journal: This can be maintained by the teacher or the student. This basically aims to keep a log of what was learned and what was done. Recording memorable events that happened in the course of the year is a great way to reminisce later on. Daily planner: Lay out the plans and the assignments for the week in a teacher's planning notebook. Check each item as it is covered. Maintain a separate area where any additional things can be recorded. This includes educational trips, visits and videos etc. Any extra topics that were covered are also recorded in this area. Make a summary every quarter. Portfolios: This consists of a collection of varied materials that show what the child has achieved and done during the course of study. Portfolio assessment is a very effective way to chart the child's progress. It gives structure to the otherwise loose and flexible form of schooling called homeschooling. A drawing portfolio will consist of some paintings or sketches that are considered the best in that quarter. A language portfolio may consist of essays, stories, reading-logs, spelling samples or letters. Progress in mathematics, fine arts, history, science and social studies can all be recorded this way. The biggest advantage is that portfolio assessment places control in the hands of the children. Having a tangible record of what they have established eggs them on to greater heights. Other than the above-mentioned systems, there are also purchased record-keeping systems that lay out a good checklist. Some of these allow one to personalize the organizer. Irrespective of the methods used, record keeping in one form or the other is essential. Your child's future may well depend on the well-maintained record that you have meticulously kept over the years.

How To Structure The Homeschooling Year

Now that you have begun your homeschooling schedule, there are various questions that trouble you. Should you study continuously, take a number of short breaks or a long vacation? What about public holidays? When should you take a break?The answer to these questions and many more like these are actually quite simple: Do whatever suits you best. This is one of the appealing benefits of homeschooling. You do not have a set pattern to follow. You do not HAVE to take that autumn break, or close shop for a prolonged summer vacation. Flexibility is the key here. For some practiced unschoolers, even a definite curriculum is not necessary because lessons are a part of their day- to-day life. But this may not be the case with beginners. Beginners may need to chart out their activities to fall into a pattern. Before you plan the structure of your classes, consider some of the most important issues. What method of homeschooling will you be following, what is your teaching style and your child's learning style, what are the work and play schedules, what are your vacation plans. Some families plan small 1-week vacations at different times of the year. Other families prefer to go away for a month or more. Consult with the members of your family, and chart out a holiday schedule that most suits you.There are some positive benefits in following the traditional summer vacation schedule. Firstly, your children can benefit from the various summer activities, camps and classes. Your child's schedule will coincide with that of his school-going friends. A summer job may be possible. A longish summer break also means that both parents as well as children get a break from their daily lessons. This could also be a major drawback, as it is sometimes difficult to get back on track once the classes resume.On the other hand, there are some advantages to taking numerous small breaks in the course of a year. Firstly, children do not get bored since they get time to explore other interests. You can cover more topics in the extra time that you save. You can also take family trips and vacations during the less popular periods of travel. This means lesser crowd and better prices. But beware if your child becomes restless when other children are enjoying their long summer vacations. As far as homeschooling is concerned, you and your family are the people in charge. Taking care of the individual needs of the child is the primary focus of this system. So, tailor the school year to suit your child's needs. Periodic evaluation is a must. Set some realistic goals and see if you are able to achieve these goals. Most importantly, avoid burnout - both in yourself and your children.

What Is Homeschooling

The term 'homeschooling' basically refers to the process in which one or more children of not more than 2 families are instructed by parents or legal guardians, or a member of either household. The laws that define homeschooling vary from State to State. The legal requirements for establishing a homeschool also vary with the State. For most children, the actual process of learning begins much before school. Many children already know their alphabets, the names of animals, colors and other more complicated stuff before they reach school. This is mostly due to the hard work of a member of the family who has taken the time to teach the child. Homeschooling is just a natural progression from here. Instead of sending their children to a public school, parents make their own curriculum and teach their children in ways that best suit the child. This is homeschooling, in its most simplistic form.Before you decide to go in for homeschooling, there are certain important matters for consideration. First off, meet with parents of other homeschoolers. Find out the pros and cons of homeschooling. Then ask yourself why you would want to adopt this method. This is a very important aspect, as the success of the program depends on the clarity and sincerity of your purpose.Next, it is time to consider the expenses of homeschooling. It may cost anywhere between a few hundred dollars to a few thousand every year. More importantly, you are also effectively shutting out any job opportunity for one of the parents. It is only obvious that one parent will have to stay at home full time to manage the homeschool. A home-based business however is a great alternative.Are you qualified to take on homeschooling for your children? Teaching is a continuation of your own learning process. With the advent of the internet, information is aplenty. There are various books and resources for those interested in homeschooling. Go through the various methods of homeschooling and choose one that is most suited to you. It helps if you know what kind of learning style your child has. Also, find out what your child feels about homeschooling before you start. Every state has its own laws regarding homeschooling. For instance, in North Carolina, you must first file a 'Notice of Intent' to start a home school. In this you have to mention if the school is a 'Private church' school or a 'qualified non-public school'. The persons providing the education are required to have at least a high school diploma. You have to maintain an annual record of the child's attendance and disease immunization. Every year, the child is required to undergo a standardized test. Each student attending the eleventh grade has to take a nationally standardized test. These are the requirements in North Carolina, but it is enough to give you a good idea of what homeschooling entails. Homeschooling may seem like a lot of fun and freedom from the outside. However, things are seldom as simple as they seem. Homeschooling is a lot of added responsibility and hard work. But, if successful, it will forge a strong bond of love and respect between parent and child, while providing your child with the best form of education he needs.

Low Carb Does Not Mean No Carbs

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were given everything they needed to be healthy and happy. They had plenty of vegetables, fruits, fish, and meats. The garden was a buffet of all you can eat healthy foods. Now when I say all you can eat, I am not talking about your local pizza buffet or the greasy spoon buffet. I am talking about an abundance of healthy carbs and lean meats. Yes, they probably had potatoes but without a deep fryer or butter and sour cream, those potatoes were not a problem. There were no chocolate trees, no potato chip factories, no sweet soft drinks, and definitely no ice cream. They were provided with the nutrients that their bodies were created to need and nothing more. Unfortunately, when they were thrown out of the Garden, the road to unhealthy eating had begun. As with everything in history, as man progresses, he regresses. The first warrior's weapon of choice was a stone. Look how far we have come from that stone that was used for the first murder. Now we have bombs that can blow up whole countries. Progress? -- maybe not. In terms of food, we have more choices than ever before in history, but one truth has survived since the beginning of time. If you consume more calories than you utilize, you will gain weight. Every diet, no matter which one you look at, still runs on this principal. Eating a balanced diet of Adam and Eve's fruits, vegetables, and lean meat will allow anyone to lose weight. Add exercise and you will lose more weight. Even a twenty minute walk will help you lose weight. How many of you ride around a parking lot five or ten minutes to find the closest parking space rather than walk a few extra steps. Don't deny it; I know you are out there because I have seen you. I have lived in the South my whole life. Yes, we love fried foods, bountiful tables of food, and a good dessert and yes even bread. For centuries our Southern ancestors ate this way and created our tradition of fabulous Southern cooking. We cooked our vegetables in meat and couldn't imagine a meal without biscuits or cornbread. My grandmother cooked that way and to this day I remember her meals. My mother cooked that way and I can still taste her fried chicken. The difference is that in those days people didn't have to run on a treadmill or use exercise equipment. Exercise came from hard work. My mother picked cotton when she was young. My grandmother never had inside plumbing. She worked hard all of her life. She expended those calories she was eating by years of cleaning, cooking from scratch, walking to the out house, using a wringer washing machine, and carrying heavy pans of boiling water for baths and dish washing. Yes, in short they could eat what they wanted because they expended more calories than they took in each day. Today, we simply do not work as hard. With all of our appliances that make work easier and non manual labor jobs, we simply cannot eat the way our ancestors did. We can't eat the fried everything, the greasy vegetables, bread at every meal, and the desserts our forbearers ate. Of course, we can, but we will pay the price by gaining weight. My blog is all about finding ways to eat healthy without feeling deprived or hungry. I include recipes that I have created for my husband and myself that follow the guidelines for low carb eating but are delicious and easy to prepare. I don't know about you, but if a recipe has more than five ingredients, I move on. Learning to stay home and cook simple, delicious meals will also help you to stay away from restaurants where the chef piles your plate with enough food for not only you but the whole table. Restaurants are definitely a place where you can eat low carb, but take a look at the calorie count. When I did, I was horrified. The slightly boring meal that I thought was low carb and, therefore, low calorie was a disaster. I could have had something really tasty for the calories contained in that mediocre meal. Low carb has become my life and I have never felt better or healthier. Remember; when you have that desire for bad foods, ask yourself what would Adam and Eve have done. On second thought maybe that's not such a good idea. It's their fault we have all these problems in the first place. If it weren't for them, we'd still be in the Garden of Eden eating the way we were created to eat and we would all be slim as super models without all the air brushing.
After years as an educator and more degrees than she can count, Frances Coleman now writes professionally. She is a prolific reader with an advanced degree in research techniques. Read her daily blog for low carb recipes and weight loss tips at http://www.LowCarbsWizard.com/blog

Importing and Exporting Hoodia From the U.S.

Hoodia is a plant whose alleged appetite suppressant and resulting weight loss properties have been reported worldwide. It's one of the thirteen hoodia species that belong to the flowering succulent plant family. The hoodia species is native to the African desert from the Namibia to southern Angola. Hoodia gordonii is the species that has caught the world's attention, because it is the plant containing the potential appetite suppressant.Because of its popularity, the native hoodia plant is protected in many African areas where it grows. Access is given only to pharmaceutical companies that have obtained a specific license from the CSIR, the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. The CSIR holds the patent to the active ingredient in hoodia gordonii, called P57.People who want to lose weight will take the path of least resistance. Although confirmed scientific studies of the effects of hoodia are not published yet, the demand for hoodia far exceeds the supply. Therefore the U.S. government has created specific guidelines for importers and exporters of hoodia.Beginning on January 12, 2005, all species of hoodia were listed in CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. In October 2004, this addition was ratified by the various nations that participate in the CITES program. This ruling covers both live and dead plant specimens of hoodia. It also includes all parts of the plant, and all products. There is a single exception in the ruling, but it will not be usable until all nations in CITES ratify the ruling.The CITES ruling does not affect domestic sales and purchases of hoodia inside the United States. However it does affect the imports and exports of hoodia plants and products into and out of the U.S. Hoodia plants, parts, or products without a CITES permit cannot be imported into the United States. The permit must be issued by the exporting country, and that country must be a member of the CITES coalition. The permit requirement also holds whether the hoodia is naturally grown or was artificially cultivated. Similarly, hoodia plants, products, or parts cannot be exported from the United States without a permit issued by the American CITES authority. The export of naturally grown wild hoodia from the States requires the regular permit. Exporting artificially propagated hoodia requires a Certificate of Artificial Propagation. These permit applications are available from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website at www.fws.gov

Major News Network Reports On South African Hoodia Gordonii

South African hoodia gordonii is a cactus-like plant with alleged appetite suppressant and weight loss properties. It belongs to a flowering succulent family containing 13 species. South African hoodia gordonii grows only in the South African Kalahari Desert. Coverage of South African hoodia gordonii on the popular media has sparked world wide interest in this proposed weight loss solution.In 2004 a major American television network sent a news crew to get the facts on South African hoodia gordonii. The crew traveled to South Africa and hired a native Bushman tracker to locate the South African hoodia gordonii plant. The tracker located the plant and offered a taste to the reporter, who described the texture as similar to a cucumber and the taste as "not bad."After eating the South African hoodia gordonii, the reporter felt no hunger or thirst pangs the entire day, even when meals were missed. The report went on to say that the Bushmen of the Kalahari have been using the South African hoodia gordonii plant for this appetite suppressing effect for thousands of years.Research on South African hoodia gordonii began in the 1960s, but the appetite suppressant properties were not immediately discovered. It took nearly 30 years for the active ingredient in South African hoodia gordonii to be isolated and identified by the South African national laboratory. The discovery was patented and licensed to a UK pharmaceutical company called Phytopharm.It was reported that Phytopharm has spent many millions on research. Clinical trials of South African hoodia gordonii were said to decrease appetite by about 1,000 calories per day in the test groups. That's about a 38% decrease in calories for an average American man and about 52% fewer calories for an average American woman.One of the stumbling blocks in the South African hoodia gordonii research is that it is very difficult to make a synthetic version of the active ingredient. If the chemical can't be duplicated in a lab, the only alternative is to grow large plantations of South African hoodia gordonii in the Kalahari Desert. These plantations have already been started, but South African hoodia gordonii has never been grown as a crop before. A faster growing variety is being used on the plantations.The popularity of South African hoodia gordonii is due to two effects. First, it suppresses the appetite without hunger pangs. Second, it holds the promise of easy weight loss. With obesity running rampant in many parts of the world, it is not known if South African hoodia gordonii can be grown fast enough to satisfy the demand.

The Hoodia Diet Is Big Business

Is the hoodia diet the Holy Grail of the weight loss industry? Many companies think so. The UK Phytopharm was the first to obtain a license to produce the main ingredient of the hoodia diet, called P57. Phytopharm has licensed some of its product creation and distribution rights to hoodia diet products to other companies. Why is the hoodia diet so popular?If you've read anything about the hoodia diet, you know it originated with The San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa. These roaming desert dwellers first discovered the hoodia diet, using the cactus like plant to stop hunger during long hunts or when food was scarce. This hoodia diet went unrecognized for hundreds of years until recent media coverage brought the hoodia diet into the spotlight. Ever since, overweight people and pharmaceutical companies alike are clamoring to get a bite of the hoodia diet.The South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, or CSIR, was the first to patent the appetite suppressing qualities of the hoodia diet plant. Later, a profit-sharing deal was worked out with the San Bushmen, who were originally left out of the deal. The CSIR then granted a license to the UK firm Phytopharm for product creation and distribution of hoodia diet products.Although many hoodia diet products are being sold, some do not contain real hoodia diet ingredients. This is because the active ingredient in the hoodia diet plant has proven very difficult to create in the laboratory. The pharmaceutical giant Pfizer found this out the hard way, after partnering with the UK firm to reproduce the hoodia diet ingredient.This shortage of the hoodia diet ingredient means that the only source is the hoodia gordonii plants growing natively in the Kalahari Desert. It has been reported that large desert farms to grow large quantities of the hoodia diet plant have been started. Despite regulations enacted by many countries, illegal hoodia diet plants are sometimes sold.The company that can create bulk quantities of the hoodia diet ingredient cheaply and quickly will have an immediate advantage in the weight loss supplement market. Sales estimates for hoodia diet products range from $600 million to $2 billion annually. Obesity is epidemic in many western countries including the U.S. People are seeking the easiest and most effective weight loss solution available. Right now that is the hoodia diet. The first company to crack the riddle of creating hoodia diet products inexpensively and in large quantities can expect massive sales.