Got a cold

No2 has a cold. Nothing to run to the doctor about but enough that he is miserable and not feeling like doing anything but lie on the couch. One of the bonuses of homeschooling is that there is no fear of missing school work or other events while you lie on the couch getting better. In fact in our house he will probably spend the day watching good movies and documentaries on the tv – imagine that –  he will be learning while getting better.

Righto better go and see if he needs more tissues and juice.

Quote

While reading how to set up WordPress I found this quote. It is very appropriate for what I am doing at the moment – learning so many new skills!

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.“

~Mark Twain

A new beginning

I have had my blog on homeschooling over at blogger for quite some time now. For another reason entirely, I want to learn to use WordPress so here I am.

>Evolution of a blog

>Just like our Home Education is evolving all the time, so too has this blog.
I have been a very bad blogger with this one as I had such grand plans for it, but as is the way with plans, they can often go awry!

Just to fill you in.. this is what I have been up for the last few months
`completed my first Uni subject and receive a Distinction – that was a shock to the system!
`enrolled in another subject – children’s literature – was really going to enjoy that one.
`husband started talking about a move/transfer – oh no not again I said!
`husband puts in for job and life goes on hold for a month of waiting, waiting, waiting
`husband gets transfer – interstate to a city – eek! We haven’t lived in a town bigger than 5000 for over 20 years.
`two months of cleaning, packing, looking for a house to rent, saying farewell to wonderful friends
`the big move – unpack, sort, unpack
`three lots of visitors in 3 months – no one ever came to stay before – they must like the city and being close to Melbourne !
`don’t complete second subject due to the above reasons
`getting used to living in a new town – which is a city, so I think harder to find like minded people
`children adjusting to new house/town
`enrol in another uni subject – currently working my way through it…
`looking at 10s of houses to buy – beginning to think we are too fussy
`find a house, put in offer, to and fro for 2 weeks, sign a 3 month contract (unless the other people find something sooner)
`Christmas, New Year, Heatwaves……

AND here we are…

………….. and so the blog evolves to reflect my current studies on Multi-modal Texts and New Literacies.

Back soon to explain what this is and how it is/can be done in a home schooling setting.

>Like a Search Engine for how to do things

>I searched for Paper Making and it came up with 10 000 results. These included Paper Plane Making. Click on the one you want to watch and the video plays.

To the right of the main video screen you can sign up for a Video Tip of the Day to be emailed to you.

There are lots of categories to search within – even an Education one. I checked out the Homeschooling one but it was all for the US.

Expert Village

Who knows what you will learn from these videos??

Kathryn

>Year 7 to 12 Maths

>An Australian site and it is free! It has been made free by McDonalds. Certainly makes up for all those chicken nuggets my kids have eaten!!

Maths Online

>Siftables

>These are just amazing! Would love to have a play with them myself. I wonder when they will be out?

Siftables

Don’t you all want some of your own??

Kathryn

>For the Under 7s

>50 ideas for using ICT in the Early Phase of schooling. I looked at the first 5 ideas and they are great. Some of the ideas may not work as they link to the Queensland Education Learning Place. Although I didn’t have any problem looking around the EQ site.

https://www.learningplace.com.au/uploads/documents/store/doc_669_2664_GIEarlyPhase.swf

This website is used by hitting the enter key after it has loaded, then choose the number you want to access. 1 for ideas 2 for links etc, then use the arrow keys to go through the choices. If you want to return to the main page, hit enter.

You can also right click on the link above and copy it to your computer then put it on your mobile phone to access it. Cool idea, hey??

>Blown Away!

>That is how I am feeling about the response to this blog. I simply cannot believe how many comments have been left! It all serves to reinforce the fact that this is a much needed blog for the homeschooling community. Thank you all so much.

I am going to start by answering the comments.

Beverley – I would love for you to link my blog to the hea magazine. And yes I will try to write a column for you too. I had already downloaded and printed the requirements for publishing in the magazine.

Kathy – please feel free to add anything you learn in your studies.

Joan – I still have to do some research on wikis – and yes you may be right that this would suit a wiki better. I started with a blog because I know how to do it but may transfer it all to a wiki as I learn more about them. Thanks for the Maths Algebra Resource – Purplemath. http://www.purplemath.com/ Helping students gain understanding and self-confidence in algebra. Purplemath’s algebra lessons are written with the student in mind. These lessons emphasize the practicalities rather than the technicalities, demonstrating dependable techniques, warning of likely “trick” questions, and pointing out common mistakes. The lessons are cross-referenced to help you find related material, and a “search” box is on every page to help you find what you’re looking for. This is a US site but I am pretty sure math is the same the world over.

Gerardine – sorry can’t help with the configuration of computers – not my thing at all. I noticed that Dora gave some pointers for you in the comments, so scroll through them for these ideas.

Kylie – I have been reading your blog in the hope that I learn about IVC from you. I wonder how I could use it in homeschooling?

Sharee – Thanks for the reminder about Clickschooling. This is a yahoo group that you join at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ClickSchooling/ ClickSchooling searches the Net to bring you one, terrific educational website each day: Monday-Math; Tuesday-Science; Wednesday-Language Arts; Thursday-History Social Studies; Friday Virtual Field Trips; and Weekends are for Electives — Art, Music, Foreign Languages and more! What a great idea – maybe one day I will be this organised to be able to do this for Australian homeschoolers!

If there is a topic or subject that you would like a website for – ask me and I will look through the heaps I have in my favourites and see if I find one for you. Similarly I would really like it if you have a favourite site you use over and over again like Joan and Sharee then please share it with us.

Kathryn

>Hello and Welcome

>My name is Kathryn and I am a homeschooling Mum of two gorgeous boys. They are 15 and 11 and are a constant source of amazement and happiness to me! We have been home educating for over 5 years and follow a natural learning style. I have started this blog as a way for home educating families to find out about the amazing amount of computer based resources there are out there.
My children use the computer and internet for a great deal of their study. I am also enrolled in a Post Graduate Certificate of Education with the University of Southern Queensland. My first unit of study is Computer Based Resources in Education. For this I am to set up a blog. I already have my old chatty blog and was just going to use that… but now I have decided to give this a whirl and see how it goes.
How it goes will be up to you out there in blogdom?
If you have questions about computers and how they work – don’t ask me!! If I turn it on and it works, life is good. If not then I yell for Stephen my computer fix it man.
If you ask me about computer software for educational purposes I hope am able to help. If you want to know about good websites then I will try to find them for you.
My aim is to post a couple of times a week with information and/or websites I think are worthwhile to the homeschooling family.
Righto… off to find out some info on some for you.

Kathryn