Education

Finally Finished and Ready to Share!

Posted on by patweso

formom

After 32 years of homeschooling my nine children, the youngest has graduated high school and is headed to Bryan College in the fall.   I do not regret one single year of homeschooling, but I would definitely do a few things differently if I could go back in time and start all over again!  On the other hand, there are more than a few decisions made during my  homeschooling years that I would definitely repeat if I were to do it all over again!

As I travel and speak to groups I meet many homeschooling moms needing both encouragement and advice. It is my hope that sharing what I have learned over the years will provide ideas for how to homeschool successfully and joyfully!  I have created both a Facebook Page and an introductory short video for a series which will be entitled “Finally Finished and Ready to Share.”  The plans are to make many more short videos, add to the blog, and continually update the Facebook page.  Fee free to share any of this with your friends!

As the Homeschool Specialist at Bryan College I published a free e-book for parents of high school students filled with information for guiding students to succeed in college. For a free copy of this e-resource fill out a request at this link.  I also love to teach workshops when out-of-town depending on the location and my schedule.  Email me if you would like a list of the workshops I offer.  pat.wesolowski@bryan.edu  Each spring and summer I attend several homeschool conventions, conferences and college fairs.  If you would like a list of locations, contact me!

TheJourney-Social (2) (1)

Child Not Reading? Do Not Stress!

Posted on by patweso

kelli-mcclintock-Z7uacdEYnd4-unsplashMy oldest two children, both girls, read by age 4.  The next two children were boys and they did not read by age 4, or 5, or 6, or …. I am not sure when they finally learned to read.  They eventually did learn to read, but the process was not pleasant.  And then I read Raymond Moore’s book, Better Late Than Early.  In that book I was encouraged by his research that all children are different, some are ready to read earlier than others, and that requiring children to read before they are ready could actually damage their eyes. Here is a link to an excerpt from the book! Finally being convinced that reading is a lot like toilet training (when they are ready it is much easier to teach/train) I did not stress over the age that my five younger children learned to read.  My fourth child, the one who first benefited from this new found knowledge, became one of my most avid readers.  By the time my eighth and ninth children came along I was so comfortable with idea of not putting pressure on my children to read that I purposefully did not teach the youngest two to read in order to see what would happen.  Would they learn on their own?  If so, when?  If not, when should I step in and teach them?   The Old Schoolhouse magazine includes a more in depth article on what would happen if you didn’t teach your child to read.

As I travel and speak to homeschool moms I find many moms worried about accomplishing academic goals, often at times much earlier than necessary.  I was fortunate to have a mentor in the 1980’s when I began homeschooling who told me the following:

  1.  Do not bring school to the home.  Make learning an extension of life. (That’s what we did from birth to age 4, right?)
  2. You do not need curriculum until middle or high school.  It is there for your use, but do not become enslaved to curriculum.
  3. Read aloud.  Read, read, and read some more.
  4. Spend a lot of time outdoors.

Great advice!  Advice you should consider!

annie-spratt-oOEz7c7V3gk-unsplash

Secrets Revealed . . .

Posted on by patweso

shHomeschooling families are at a disadvantage to parents of children who attend a brick and mortar school because we do not have guidance counselors who are available to help our students plan their high school years!  More than a few of us have missed out on many opportunities because of this lack of knowledge. For example, I did not realize that the PSAT score received during a student’s junior year (and only offered once a year) is tied to the National Merit Scholarship. (NMS semi-finalists receive full four years of tuition at Bryan College.)   This is not the only “secret” many of us are unaware of and, for that reason, as the Homeschool Specialist at Bryan College, I decided to research and publish as much pertinent information to a homeschooling parent of high school students that I could find and verify!

I am excited to offer you, for free, the finished product as an e resource called the Journey eBook!  This resource includes information on dual enrollment, scholarships, transcripts, CLEPs, the new college entrance exam (the CLT), the PSAT, and more.  A time line of suggestions for each year of high school is also included.  This resource can be used by any parent of high school age students, whether homeschooled, or not, and whether they plan to attend Bryan College or another college. Feel free to share this link with your friends.

If you have questions that are not answered in this resource, shoot me an email and I will find an answer!  pat.wesolowski@bryan.edu

Download your copy at http://www.bryan.edu/ebook

TheJourney-Social (2) (1)

Finishing the Year Well (or maybe not)

Posted on by patweso

allen-taylor-Im94u5EJsVo-unsplashBy this time of the year many homeschooling moms are looking forward to the end of the semester, ready for a summer break.  We want to stay motivated and remain upbeat, encouraging our students to complete their semester projects/co-ops/classes well.  With summer soon approaching your children are ready for the break and, more-than-likely, so are you.   The following suggestion might rain on your parade and I apologize beforehand.  Academia, education, and parent instruction are not entitled to a summer break.  There, I said it, but please allow me to explain.

Deuteronomy 11:19 instructs us to teach our children 24/7.  If you and your children are looking forward to a break from academia then let me suggest that your philosophy of education may need to be tweaked just a little bit.  Before you quit reading, allow me to propose that a change in your philosophy of education that might actually relieve stress and add joy to your family’s homeschooling adventure.  After homeschooling my nine for more than 32 years total, I am now finished!  In the beginning of my journey I thought of myself as a homeschool parent from September until May.  I, too, loved our summer breaks.  When I was challenged to come up with a philosophy of education I was hit with a BFO (blinding flash of the obvious).  Homeschooling was simply an extension to what we were already doing with our children from birth to age 5, but the necessity of putting in writing a plan with specific goals brought an awareness of the need to change my attitude about having a school year, a start date,  an end date, and a summer break!  In the end I was set free from these time constraints and, as a result, found that this new frame of mind actually brought about a new freedom to enjoy time with my children year-around as we took advantage of learning opportunities on a daily basis.

My husband and I were committed to raising our children to:

  • Have a love of learning
  • Be independent learners
  • Be articulate apologists
  • Discover their gifts and talents in order to plan for life after high school

samantha-sophia-NaWKMlp3tVs-unsplash

Of course we created a plan that would, hopefully, ensure success, but being hit in the face with the realization that parenting is a year-around, 24/7 responsibility I decided to quit compartmentalizing our education goals into a limited time frame.  The day this BFO hit I told my children, “We are no longer ‘doing’ school.  We are doing life.”  We were homeschooling co-op style, using unit studies and, because of that method, my children were already familiar with the integration of subjects into the big picture.  With the exception of math we did not really separate and compartmentalize most academic subjects. Embracing a philosophy of education that includes the recognition of day-in and day-out academic opportunities was both appealing and welcoming.  That particular evening we visited my parents and my dad asked, “What did you do in school today?” One of my children replied, “We don’t do school any more.”  The look on his face clearly showed his shock and displeasure.  I quickly shared with him what the child meant by that statement — that instead of thinking that an education starts and ends at a certain time of the day, or year, we were now going to look at every day, all year long, as an opportunity for learning.  After all, isn’t that true for all of us from birth to death?  My dad was a professor at FSU so this response brought a smile to his face.

How did this realization change our lives?  The biggest change was simply a change in mentality.  We continued to take part in co-ops in the fall and in the spring, but instead of being stressed that we were covering everything that needed to be covered academically during those periods we continued to take advantage, daily, of learning opportunities.  This philosophy of education also meant that we did not have to worry about how many days of the year our children were “in class” because every day included the opportunity to learn something new.  Summers, as with most families, brought changes in the schedule, but continued to provide learning opportunities.

When I was in school from K to 12, I developed a “chew up and spit out” technique of learning.  I did well on tests, but I did not develop a love for learning.  In fact, I found school to be so boring that I could not wait to be finished!  Once I began homeschooling my children I quickly developed a love of learning and soon regretted how many years of opportunity to learn I missed out on growing up!  Hearing students say they can not wait to close their last book and never open another book is so disheartening.  These students are missing out on so much by thinking that learning ends at the completion of a degree.

By now you may be asking, “How does one switch from a school mentality to a ‘life is learning’ mentality?”  Thanks for asking!  Realizing the importance of embracing this philosophy is the first step.  Taking steps to ensure that you and your family have a mindset change is next.  This will come about through discussions and by example.  You teach a toddler to count as he goes up and down the stairs.  As you shop with your children, teach them to be aware of prices, to shop frugally, and explain that math will be a part of their lives until they die.  Throughout the day pose questions to your children that will cause them to be curious and then teach them how to find answers to the questions you ask and, eventually, to the questions they will ask!  Let your children know that learning is both fun and fulfilling and model that with your enthusiasm for reading, attending classes, and teaching!  As a family read biographies of famous people who were life-long learners and make a point of discovering what made them famous.  Oftentimes, people achieve success because they are tenacious, persistent, hard working, and open to new ways of thinking.  Sign your children up for conferences, camps, and workshops that will encourage them to have a desire to keep learning, even after they graduate.  When our children attended Summit Worldview Conferences repeatedly heard the phrase, “Readers are leaders.”  My husband and I, along with our children, have enjoyed attending political, worldview, entrepreneurial, theological, and speech and debate conferences over the years.  We love learning and our children know that.

Learning is a life-long adventure.  The sooner we get this message across to our children, the better it will be!  Rather than looking at the end of the semester as an end to the school year, encourage your children to love learning every single day of their lives!

annie-spratt-Mmi_sUHNazo-unsplash

Encouragement for the New Year

Posted on by patweso

contemplative momBy this time of the year many homeschooling families are in a slump, suffering a lack of energy to continue their homeschooling adventure with purpose and excitement.  The new year is also a time that parents, frustrated with the public school system, consider homeschooling their students. Whether homeschooling is a brand new idea or you are suffering burn out, there’s something for you here. Having finally completed my homeschool journey with my nine children (more than 30 years total), I will share some thoughts that will provide encouragement and help to those in need. Included in the remarks below are a few suggestions to consider as well as links to recommended resources and websites.

Let’s start off with three reading recommendations:

  1. This article, Building Soul Spaces, will touch your heart. Seriously, take the time to read this. You will be glad you did.buildingsoulspaces
  2. The book Mere Motherhood, by Cindy Rollins, is a must read especially for those with large families or for those who feel as if they are not accomplishing enough. Cindy’s description of morning time may be the motivation you need to make changes accordingly.
  3. Sarah McKenzie’s book, Teaching from Rest, presents a great picture of what a restful homeschooling experience looks like. If you are stressed and anxious about your homeschooling journey, this is a great read for you.

Now, for a few practical suggestions. Make homeschooling an extension to life rather than a separate beast to overcome.  Curriculum is a tool we use, and not something to which we should be enslaved. You taught your child from birth to age 5 without any curriculum, right?  Teaching came naturally during the early years! If what you’ve been using is not working, consider dropping it, saving it for later, or replace it with something better.

Encourage your children to love learning and then teach them how to ask questions and find the answers. Three-year-olds love to ask, “Why?”  It may get tiring, but encouraging constant questions keeps your child in a state of wonder, always eager to learn more. As you discover your children’s gifts and talents, family fishingmake opportunities for them to excel in those areas.

Prioritize character! Respectful and obedient children are much easier and less stressful to live with! Be sure you include ministry opportunities that involve your children. Again, do not be afraid to switch gears and try something else if what you are doing is not working. Provide opportunities for your children to give presentations so they can hone their public speaking skills. Teach from a biblical worldview. Take field trips. Visit museums. Play games. Read aloud often. Get together with friends at least once a week (join or start a co-op). Enjoy the years while your kiddos are home because, in the a blink of an eye, they will be grown!

Making school an extension to life does not mean you have to avoid curriculum. Being a huge fan of unit studies we did not separate our studies into separate subjects (for the most part) but, rather, integrated most subjects into a unit of study. When homeschooling is an extension to life, then learning takes place everyday and the pressure to keep a record of school days is relieved because every day provides opportunities for learning.  Our children did attend co-op one day a week and we often took part in additional classes thatchildren by fence interested the children. Homeschooling co-op style was a huge blessing for our family due to sharing the workload, offering socialization, and providing a safe and friendly audience for presentations (and I loved, loved, loved having all of my children together). (For free podcasts on homeschooling co-op style, go here!) During the elementary and middle school years there is much freedom for homeschooling families to determine what works best with your family. Once a student begins high school a parent must be intentional about preparing the students to succeed after high school whether that is college, career, ministry, marriage and parenting, or a combination of several options!

Many parents are often perplexed by their children’s lack of ambition (with the exception of desiring to be on a phone or playing video games). How does one encourage a strong work ethic? Children these days have it easy compared to those who lived years ago or as compared to those who live on a farm, having to get up at dawn and work until evening. If jobs are not readily available then families need to gardeningcreate work and demand excellence, according to the child’s skills and maturity. One of my friends (who has 11 children) makes her child repeat a job 10 times if he/she does not do it right the first time. She discovered that it does not take very many times before a child becomes determined to do a job right the first time.  I have another friend whose motto was, “If someone’s working, we all work.” My children will tell you they heard me say, repeatedly, “Many hands make light work.” Let your children know that work comes before play. Demand obedience, excellence, and be consistent.

Even when everything is going as planned, parents often worry that their children might be behind. Behind what?  Behind who? I suggest you strike those words from your vocabulary. Every family is unique. Your children may excel in some areas while they may be slower in other areas.  It is not a race.  There should be no comparison.  When life gets in the way and formal academics are neglected the schedule may change, but lessons are still learned.  Whether it’s a move, a death in the family, an emergency, working on character issues, or for any other reason, switching gears does not mean that your students are getting behind.

Below are fifteen lessons I learned over the course of my many years of homeschooling:

  1. Your child’s relationship with the Lord and with the family is more important than anything else.
  2. Children of all ages love to be read aloud to, especially when the book is a great book.
  3. Instilling a strong work ethic goes a long, long way (both in lessening the work load at home and in preparing a child to be a responsible adult).
  4. Children can do chores at quite a young age. Their work may not be perfect, but boy cutting carrotstheir skills will improve (eventually).  Hint for large families:  Assign “chores for life or until you state otherwise” so that you always know who is not doing their chore or who is doing their chore well! (No more chore charts.)
  5. Stress is lessened when learning is fun and exciting. Read Cheaper by the Dozen to see how one dad made learning unique and oftentimes fun (this book is nothing like the movie of the same title, by the way).
  6. We speak every single day so be intentional about planning speaking opportunities with your children and public speaking skills will be honed at a young age. (As mentioned, once a week co-ops are perfect for this.)  There are many Christian homeschool speech and debate leagues. Two of the most popular are STOA and NCFCA
  7. Planning studies around areas of interest to you and your children facilitates learning.
  8. Identifying false logic and avoiding the use thereof is a great skill and something that should be taught during the high school years, if not before.
  9. Learning how to properly debate is invaluable and very helpful with conflict resolution.  Whether your students compete, or not, joining a speech and debate club will provide much insight and experience with speech and debate skills. (See clubs mentioned in #6 above.)
  10. No one can know everything. Being curious and knowing how to find information is more useful in the long run than memorized facts. If you teach your child how to find information then you never have to worry about what you may have left out. Listen to  Sir Ken Robinson talk about how schools kill creativity!
  11. Having (or starting) a home business is a wonderful way to teach students practical consumer lessons (while earning money).
  12. Knowing what to expect during the high school years is a must.  One of my regrets is missing out on opportunities that I did not even know about until it was too late.  For this reason I have put together a free E-Resource for homeschooling parents.  (Request a free copy here.)
  13. Whether you agree that college entrance exams are adequate indicators of a student’s ability to be a good student or not, the reality is that most colleges award academic scholarships according to test scores.  For this reason it is important that you prepare your students accordingly if they are headed to college and financial scholarship is needed. Although every student will not go to college, it is better to be prepared and not go that route than to not be prepared and end up scrambling to make it work at a late date.
  14. There are no black and white formulas for success.  (If there were I would write a book and make millions.)
  15. Parenting is hard, but God is good and prayer is your best friend.

If you find yourself suffering from burn-out mid-year, do not despair. Take a deep breath, prioritize, and make changes that will lessen your stress and increase the enjoyment of your homeschooling journey. If you are brand new to homeschooling, welcome to our world! And, if you did not read the first article referenced above, here’s the link. Read it right now. You’ll be glad you did!

I am the Homeschool Specialist at Bryan College and love telling families about Bryan. Feel free to email me if you have questions or if you want to know more about Bryan College! Email:  pat.wesolowski@bryan.edu

If you are on Facebook, “like” our page to stay up-to-date with what’s going on at the college!  https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolstudents/

 

A Third College Entrance Exam? Yes, Please!

Posted on by patweso

CLT logoFor many years the only two college entrance exams offered to students have been the SAT and the ACT.  Oftentimes Christians have felt at a disadvantage for several reasons, to-wit:

1.  Some of the questions put the students in a moral dilemma (should students give the politically correct answer, gaining a point, or answer according to their beliefs?)

2.  The reading content often contains biases and politically charged articles that do not line up with a Christian’s beliefs

3.  The tests are aligned with Common Core and many homeschooling families as well as private schools do not teach Common Core material.

estee-janssens-zni0zgb3bkQ-unsplash

Another disadvantage to these tests is the fact that one must register for the test more than a month prior to the test or pay a hefty late fee.

These disadvantages are remedied with the new CLT (Classic Learning Test).

The CLT is offered five times a year. Writing is optional and free.  Students can sign up for the test up until a week before the test is administered.  The test is taken on-line either with a student’s device or with a device offered by the site proctoring the exam. Scores are received by the end of the day when given at a proctored sight. If given online as a virtual test, the scoring process will take longer.

The CLT is a two hour online test. The CLT8 is for 7th and 8th graders and they can take the test at home. The CLT10 is for 9th and 10th graders and they, too, take the test from home with a parent proctor. The CLT10, like the PSAT, comes with scholarship potential for high scoring students.

Here is an article put out by HSLDA comparing the SAT, ACT and CLT.

Bryan College will proctor the CLT on our campus.

The test dates and locations are found here.

Practice the test to see for yourself what it is like!  (The practice test I took included a reading passage containing an article by C. S. Lewis!)

Write an Essay and Win 4 Years Tuition?

Posted on by patweso

students meeting and writingYes!  You read that right, but time is of the essence.  If your senior has applied and been accepted to Bryan College (submitting a score of ACT 21 or higher) then he/she will be invited to a special scholarship event taking place the first weekend in November!  The event is free of charge and each participant will receive an additional $200 40 $2,000 in scholarship money, up to a full ride!  The amounts awarded will be based on interviews, auditions, and an essay (written on campus)! Those qualifying for the honors program receive additional funds!  Families are encouraged to attend this free event as well. A reception is planned for those attending.  If you have a senior who has not yet applied, but may be interested in this event, email me at pat.wesosolowski@bryan.edu.

The What, Who, and Why of FAFSA

Posted on by patweso

fafsaFAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid   Every college bound student (and parents of the student) should fill out the FAFSA even if the student does not plan to receive Federal aid. Colleges use the information provided by the FAFSA to help determine private scholarship amounts.   Quoted from the FAFSA website:  Federal Student Aid is responsible for managing the student financial assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. These programs provide grants, loans, and work-study funds to students attending college or career school.  https://fafsa.ed.gov/

FAFSA now allows you to fill out your senior student’s information in October (previously this was done in January of the senior year).  When filling out the FAFSA be sure you go to the official site. There are sites that look like authentic FAFSA sites, but after one fills out all of the information a request for payment pops up.  The FAFSA is free so be sure you go to the official site.   In order to fill out the FAFSA one must first create a FAFSA ID.  In the past a PIN was required, now it is an ID.  The FAFSA ID can be requested at any time.  Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about the FAFSA.

The FAFSA has recently changed and the changes are noted on this document.   One of the changes is related to reporting tax information on the form.  One of the important changes has to do with the tax information reported.  From the site:  Beginning with the 2017–18 FAFSA, applicants will provide income information from one tax year earlier—the “prior-prior” year. This means that the 2017–18 FAFSA will collect 2015 income information. As a result of this change, more students and families will be able to complete their FAFSA using income information imported electronically from the IRS, using our IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT), rather than submitting applications with income estimates that may need correcting, or worse, waiting until the previous year’s tax return has been filed. This is important because in many cases money is awarded on a first-come-first-serve basis.  The earlier the FAFSA is filled out and the tax information is provided, the better your student’s chance for scholarships and grants.

Below is a chart from the FAFSA website that shows changes in the dates for submission along with which prior year income and tax information one should use.

“Like” our Facebook page to stay up-to-date with what Bryan College offers homeschooled students!

 

The PSAT and Why it is Important

Posted on by patweso

psatAs the Homeschool Specialist at Bryan College I plan to use this forum as a means to communicate information useful to parents of teens as they prepare their children for life after high school!  Let’s talk about the importance of the PSAT!

The PSAT is a test that students should take before taking the SAT and/or the ACT.  The PSAT is given only once a year (in October) and the student’s junior year score is the score that counts towards the National Merit Scholarship.  A student can begin taking the PSAT before the eleventh grade, but the only score that counts towards the National Merit Scholarship is the test taken during the junior year.  Semi-finalists awarded the NMS qualify for full tuition at Bryan College.

The PSAT is not only a “practice” test of sorts, but it is the test that determines National Merit Scholarship awards!!

The PSAT is:

1.  Only given once a year (in October)

2.  Quite affordable ($13 – $25 depending on location)

3.  Offered to students younger than juiniors (as practice)

4.  Offered at most public and private schools

5. To earn a National Merit Scholarship a student has to qualify by scores earned in addition to meeting requirements.

6.  Becoming a NMS finalist is possible for each semi-finalist (a semi-finalist receives full tuition at Bryan College) who completes additional requirements.

The PSAT covers reading, writing, and mathematics. In 2015 the PSAT was changed in a manner similar to the SAT changes.  Homeschooled students can take the PSAT at a public or private high school.  Register your student for this test in September or early October so that a test booklet will be reserved for the student. Some schools require the student to be present at registration and the student must have an acceptable form of ID. This site includes a list of schools where this test is given.

The test is quite affordable, so having high school students take this test is advantageous for many reasons.  Again, it is only offered in October of each year.  Although the score received during the student’s junior year is the score that counts toward the National Merit Scholarship, a student can begin taking this test as early as ninth grade, and perhaps even earlier, depending on the policy of the staff at the facility offering the test.