STEAM Powered Learning page 9
ISSN 2379-2841 March / April 2016 $6.50
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Publisher’s Letter
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Brilliant Publishing LLC Post Office Box 31687, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588 Telephone: 717.571.9233
PUBLISHER / ADVERTISING Publisher
Maureen Williams maureen@thehomeschoolhandbook.com 717.608.5869
AccoUNT ExEcUTIVE Alex Chambers alex@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
EDIToRIAL Editor In Chief
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…. Hard to believe spring has sprung and summer is right around the corner. I don’t know about you but it seems like just last week we were in the throes of winter! I had tons of time to get all my spring cleaning done and bam next thing I know its ALREADY April. I can certainly use a summer break right about now. With the weather changing it is so nice to get outside and then it is hard to focus on what needs to be done and do it back inside. As I try to figure out how to maximize my “outside” time while still getting done what needs to be done inside and wrap up my proverbial spring cleaning should you have any helpful hints or tips please share them with me. Thank you all for your emails, calls, for sharing our articles, the magazine and our posts online. We have had a huge boost in circulation! I guess you really do enjoy the magazine! Remember without you we would not exist, so keep those emails coming and remember sharing is caring. Speaking of which, after June 1st there will be no more complimentary subscriptions to our sister magazine, Digital Homeschool. So if you or you know someone whom you think would enjoy it (remember you can cancel at anytime and we do not sell, lend, or disclose your email) sign up today!! Email your email address to circulation@digitalhomeschool.com or shoot me an email with the words SIGN ME UP for DH in the subject line and I will be sure to get you on the list!! Thank you as always for your time and for reading The Homeschool Handbook Magazine. Enjoy the issue…
Maureen Williams, Publisher maureen@thehomeschoolhandbook.com 717-608-5869
http://twitter.com/@TheHomeschool www.facebook.com/TheHomeschoolHandbook http://pinterest.com/thehomeschool/
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MaryAnne Morrill maryanne@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
Senior Editor
Michelle Donofry editor@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
Social Media/Asst. Editor
Molly Anika molly@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
Style / Asst. Editor Charity Plata
Subscription Service / Back Issues:
Circulation@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
coNTRIBUTING WRITERS
Vicki Bentley, Dr. Bernard Bull, Laura Lee Ellis, Richard Havenga, KindSpring, Tanya Moat, MaryAnne Morrill, Annie Murphy Paul, Staff, Donna Vail, Megan Zechman
PRoDUcTIoN / DESIGN Art Director
Jeremy Tingle art@thehomeschoolhandbook.com The Homeschool Handbook is published bi-monthly by Brilliant Publishing LLC, Post Office Box 31687, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588 Telephone: (717) 571-9233, Fax: 843-215-7712. Postage paid at Scottsdale, AZ and additional offices. POSTMASTER please send address changes to The Homeschool Handbook, Post Office Box 31687, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588. Volume 7 Number 02. The Homeschool Handbook subscription rates: one-year $19.95 USD, Canada & Mexico $49.95 International $79.95. All subscriptions are non-refundable. Copyright© 2016 Brilliant Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising or editorial material. Advertisers, and/or their agents, assume the responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on the advertisement. Editorial contributors assume responsibility for their published works and assume responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on published work. No part of this publication can be reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher. All items submitted to The Homeschool Handbook become the sole property of Brilliant Publishing LLC. Editorial content does not reflect the views of the publisher. The imprints, logos, trademarks or trade names (collectively the “Marks”) displayed on the products featured in The Homeschool Handbook are for illustrative purposes only and are not available for sale. The Marks do not represent the implied or actual endorsement by the owners of the Marks of the product on which they appear. All of the Marks are the property of the respective owners and are not the property of either the advertisers using the Marks or The Homeschool Handbook. MEDICAL DISCLAIMER No warranty whatsoever is made by the publisher and there is absolutely no assurance that any statement contained or cited in any article touching on medical matters is true, correct, precise, or up-to-date. Even if a statement made about medicine is accurate, it may not apply to you or your symptoms. The medical information provided is, at best, of a general nature and cannot substitute for the advice of a medical professional (for instance, a qualified doctor/physician, nurse, pharmacist/chemist, and so on). None of the individual contributors, LLC members, subcontractors, advertisers, or anyone else connected to Brilliant Publishing LLC and The Homeschool Handbook can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented in this magazine. Nothing included, as a part of this publication should be construed as an attempt to offer or render a medical opinion or otherwise engage in the practice of medicine.
The Homeschool Handbook | March / April 2016
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inside
The Homeschool
Handbook 12
8
cover story 8
The Foundation to STEAM Powered Learning
special features 3
There’s an APP for That
solutions 10
An Interview with a STEM Innovator
12
The Common Experience of Math Trauma
curriculum 14 16 18
Everyday Math for Young Learners Should Computer Science be a Requirement in K-12 Schools? Middle School Chemistry: Acids and Bases
inspiration
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20 22 24
The Gift of Play Because Kindness Matters Construction
health and hearth 25
Garlic Deviled Eggs
resources 26
Index/Resources List
Fo r b r e ak i n g n ew s & t i p s b e sur e to f o ll ow T h e H o m e s c h o o l H an db o o k o n s o c i a l m e di a: twitter.com/@TheHomeschool
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facebook.com/TheHomeschoolHandbook
pinterest.com/thehomeschool ©
www.TheHomeschoolHandbook.com
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special features By: By Donna Vail
The Foundation to
A
Powered Learning
s our world continues to transform from a wired world to a wireless one marketed to make our lives seemingly easier, the pressures and demands of daily life continue to mount. In the world of education it’s compounded more with instant information available at a click of a button or a swipe of a finger. In the world of perpetual change our children have unlimited options after graduation. When I began homeschooling I set a goal to do everything I could to provide my children with an education that would empower them, regardless of the career path they choose, whether college, their own business, having a job or blazing their own entrepreneurial trail. Through the years I’ve faced numerous challenges, as do many homeschoolers; Life, illness, birth, death, tragedy, distractions. Character building moments are never in short supply. All of it at times seems to get in the way of “school.” This is all part of what I call the “life curriculum.” This life curriculum pours in with rich relevant lessons and deep experiences. It’s never misaligned and serves us in our long-term ventures. This is learning in the real world, where things happen and everything is relating. If you’re like me, you were likely raised attending public school. As home educators, we should rise above and shed our “school-ish” ways, in order that we evolve and accelerate our scholarly practices in the core areas of learning. If a child mastered only core - math, reading and writing he would achieve scholarly levels and be empowered to do anything. Our school-ish ways, however often hold us back with old conditioned thinking to cover it all. There are so many options available to us in the education field that it can be overwhelming to say the least. If you’re kids are not enrolled in clubs or tons of extracurricular activities, you’re perceived as short changing your kids. At this point we have to ask ourselves what’s really important. Do you want to raise kids who are “Jack of all trades, master of none” or master scholars prepared to learn and be resourceful no matter what environment or challenge? Of course I’m all for the latter and want to bring you along with me. Take a deep breath and let’s get off of the hamster wheel.
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At this point, we do know STEAM is important for learning, in the immediate and bridge to the future. I don’t want you to think I’m throwing it out, but I do encourage you to stay aligned with your priorities. For that reason we’re going to focus on the core first and later, introduce STEAM in a manageable and inspiring way. Remember, all we can do is prepare our children from where we stand and what we see now. Our children will be making their living in a world very different than what we grew up through, so be sure you’re building a firm foundation and a lifestyle of learning that supports them for a lifetime. First, think of your homeschool day in three parts: Independent Study, Practices and Explorations. Independent Study is number one priority focusing on the mathematics, reading and writing. If these subjects are not strong then the student will not be able to go to the deeper levels in STEAM or other subjects. Don’t be fooled into thinking that creating a strong core is limiting. Focusing on the core always produces the best results. Remember to keep the core subjects prevalent while adding other studies, because every course of study is rooted in the core. If you do this your children can’t help but be successful. Core Reading: Bring in books that are old and new, on multiple subjects, always honoring your child’s highest values along the way. This brings the depth they need in order to understand the science, technology, engineering, arts and again mathematics. History is also an integral part of education that we should not let fall by the wayside when focusing on STEAM. Remember, the practice of reading will become a lifelong practice for all learning and most information gathering if nurtured properly. Readers are leaders, always. Core Mathematics: Choose a strong curriculum that is incremental and worked daily. Math is the language of science. Before any upper science subjects can be fully understood and accomplished, they must understand the language of math. Being active in math helps them to see more clearly allowing them to navigate the hands on projects you will encounter with STEAM. With technology so embedded into our daily living, it’s imperative that everyone is strong in math. While we’re working on math in self-education, we’re
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fulfilling a larger portion of character development. I love how it’s all interwoven. Core Writing: Along with the reading and math we’re doing writing daily. It’s also incremental, beginning verbally at the youngest age and increasing in volume and depth as they mature. Effective communication skills are a must in our modern world. To be successful, it’s imperative that they’re able to communicate well. If they venture deeper into fields, whether it’s mathematics, science, engineering, technology or the arts; writing will be involved. My oldest daughter is working on her PhD and is doing a lot of research in the lab at TWU. Even though she is math/science oriented, the processes and results have to be written and published for other scientists and students as references. Writing is an integral part of progression in our culture. Let’s recap, the focused Independent Study time includes the core math, reading, and writing. We also bring in the more academic Practices such as narration, read aloud, active listening and discussion, along with penmanship. Other practices that occur in the morning or throughout the day include journaling, timeline work, music, sports and of course the arts. These are practiced consistently to build skill. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to be strong in the core subjects. Daily practice in incremental studies creates skill and depth. No cramming is necessary just daily practice that doesn’t have to consume the day. Once they’ve finished the scholarly subjects it’s time to dive into the STEAM. They may have already been reading about some of it during their core reading time, even writing about it during core writing and of course covering mathematics. In An Inspired Education, I call the rest of the learning Exploration Time, which is usually the remainder of the day when children are free to explore and experience learning at their own pace. Some days are at home days and I give the children freedom to create their own schedule, manage their own time and they do, telling me how they’ve planned out their afternoon. I make the resources available with an inspiring learning environment that supports them on their path. A day or two during the week we may step out into the community for classes, field trips, science experiments, library time, building and creating projects collaboratively, as well as clubs or coops where we focus on group learning. This is how we find balance with all the educational demands we face daily; Independent Study, Practices and Exploration Time. Raise your children to be scholars, create an inspiring learning environment that includes many of the STEAM resources. Venture out into the world for greater more varied experiences. I guarantee, when you have family centered learning as your focus, you’re children catch on real quick to the learning. Give your children an education that has and will stand the test of time. They’re all geniuses who need the structure to feel safe and walk the path of learning with you as well as the freedom to explore and express themselves in their natural born purpose.
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Give your children an education that has and will stand the test of time.
March / April 2016 | ©The Homeschool Handbook
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