Welcome to Jamin's Internet Academy!  I am a homeschooling Mom who is fasinated with finding low cost - no cost ways to supplement our homeschooling through the internet.  There is a treasure trove of free goodies  online.  So join me here on the Front Porch every Wednesday as I share a little of what I have found with you!

It is always a good idea to recycle!  Here are some wonderful ideas for incorporating recycling into your Christmas!

Recycled Christmas Crafts
http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/miscchristmas/a/112000a.htm

What to do with your old Christmas Cards
http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/greetingcards/a/122600a.htm

Have Fun!

Jamin  is the homeschooling Mom of 3 great kids, ages 2, 5 and 12.   She loves homeschooling and finding creative things to do with her kids.  She and her husband have been married 17 years.  She is also a Usborne Book Consultant.  You can visit her bookstore at http://www.usborne2u.com  where you can check out Usbornes wonderful selection of  Internet Linked Titles

Lorraine Curry is just the sweetest thing.  She contacted me and wanted to offer some of her books as prizes on The Company Porch.  Lorraine is all about Easy Homeschooling.  She gives lots of advice about keeping things simple and oftentimes FREE!! Her site is really wonderful.  You'll want to check it out.

Anyway, I thought it would be nice to get some tips from you all on keeping things simple.  This can kind of be the homeschool burnout time of year, plus many are already making plans for next year.  What do you do to keep things simple in your homeschool?

Give us your tips here as a comment and the 14th commenter (since today is March 14) will win Lorraine's Easy Homeschooling Techniques. Our first five commenters will get the Featured on the Front Porch button to proudly display on their blogs! Just be sure to leave your email address as yourname-at-whatever.com so that the spammers don't pick it up.  I can't wait to read all of your responses!!!

~Nancy Carter

Managing Public Relations Consultant

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/PRMama

www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/tn3jcarter

NCarter-at-TheHomeschoolMagazine.com

Algebra can be kind of tough for some kids (and for some parents for that matter). Have any of you found an Algebra program that you really like?  There are a few that I've heard about, but haven't gotten to see in person like

Jacobs' Elementary Algebra  and Teaching Textbooks.

What algebra programs, computer programs or supplemental materials have you used?  Did you like them?  What seemed to work best for your child? 

The first five to comment will receive the "Featured on the Front Porch" button. To make it quicker for us to award you your button, we'd like to ask you to include your email in your comment in this format (so that it will not easily be grabbed up by those email-seeking programs) - yourname-at-yourserver.com ... or you can email me letting me know you commented (my email is below: just replace the -at- with the @ symbol!)

~Nancy Carter

Public Relations Assistant

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine,LLC

www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com

www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/tn3jcarter

www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/PRMama

NCarter-at-TheHomeschoolMagazine.com

Reading comes easily to some children, to other children it does not. How do you encourage those struggling readers?

Have you ever dealt with the frustration of working with a child one day and they seem to have “the” down pat, then the next day they act like they've never seen the word? How do you keep them motivated to try their hardest? Have you found a phonics program or technique that really helps?

We want to hear from you! Remember the first five commenters will get the Featured Blogger button for their blog. To help us get the button to you, please leave your email addy in your post in this (spam proof) format - ncarter-at-thehomeschoolmagazine.com. If you don't leave your addy, then we'll assume that you already have the Featured button.

Have a great day!

Nancy Carter
Managing Public Relations Consultant
www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com
www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/PRMama
www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/tn3jcarter

Do any of your homeschool support groups have end of the year banquets or fellowships?  I have heard of some groups having them to recognize the first year families, the graduating seniors, and just homeschooling in general.  My support group is going to have one this year, our first.

Can you all tell me about yours or ones that you've heard about?  What were the best parts?  How well attended was it?  Was it formal or casual?  I want to hear all about it.

Also, do any of you know where I can find a book or website that has skits for just a few kids? We want our kids to provide the entertainment.

The first five to comment will receive the "Featured on the Front Porch" button. To make it quicker for us to award you your button, we'd like to ask you to include your email in your comment in this format (so that it will not easily be grabbed up by those email-seeking programs) - yourname-at-yourserver.com ... or you can email me letting me know you commented (my email is below: just replace the -at- with the @ symbol!)

~Nancy Carter

Public Relations Assistant

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine,LLC

www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com

www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/tn3jcarter

www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/PRMama

NCarter-at-TheHomeschoolMagazine.com

It's so awesome to see poised, well-mannered, articulate children. 

My local support group has had Arts Night where the kids recite something they've memorized, the International Fair where the kids each present a country from around the world, a science fair, and then this year will be the American History Fair. I know some kids participate in 4H public speaking events or even have their own speech and debate groups.

What opportunities do your children have for public speaking?  How do you encourage the shy or reluctant ones? Share your tips for public speaking for your children!

The first five to comment will receive the "Featured on the Front Porch" button. To make it quicker for us to award you your button, we'd like to ask you to include your email in your comment in this format (so that it will not easily be grabbed up by those email-seeking programs) - yourname-at-yourserver.com ... or you can email me letting me know you commented (my email is below: just replace the -at- with the @ symbol!)

See you tomorrow for some Wednesday Whimsey!

~Nancy Carter

Public Relations Assistant

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine,LLC

www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com

www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/tn3jcarter

www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/PRMama

NCarter-at-TheHomeschoolMagazine.com

I spent Sunday afternoon reading through the Winter issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and one of its main features is on Homeschool Conferences and Conventions. There are almost 25 pages of great articles about how the annual conferences have grown, what it's like to attend one, what products are featured there, etc. Then, there is a listing of some conferences by state. We are currently work on a trip schedule for Paul Suarez for May-July (and maybe August) as he will be traveling to as many conventions as he can to spread the word about TOS and to meet homeschoolers and talk to them. We'll share his schedule with you once it's finalized so you can look for him if he is coming to YOUR area!

To see what conferences and conventions are taking place in YOUR state, you can go to this site. The questions for the day are do you go to these annual events? If so, why? If not, why not? What do you like about them? What isn't so great? What would you like to see more of at conventions?  I personally have never attended one, but I will be manning the TOS booth with my husband at the FPEA Florida Homeschool Convention in May and so will get my first taste of what it's like to "go to convention." So, leave a comment below and share your experiences with attending these conferences - the good and the bad!

The first five to comment will receive the "Featured on the Front Porch" button. To make it quicker for us to award you your button, we'd like to ask you to include your email in your comment in this format (so that it will not easily be grabbed up by those email-seeking programs) - yourname-at-yourserver.com ... or you can email me letting me know you commented (my email is below: just replace the -at- with the @ symbol!)

See you tomorrow for some Wednesday Whimsey!

Kris Price
Assistant to the Publishers
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC
www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com
www.homeschoolblogger.com/ClassicalEducation4Me/

kprice-at-thehomeschoolmagazine.com

Last Friday, my local homeschool support group had our curriculum round table discussion.  For that meeting we get a few moms to commit to bringing curriculum that they love as a show & tell, but then everyone at the meeting just throws in their 2 cents too!

We went through all of the main subjects letting everyone give their recommendations, but you know what kept being echoed time and time again? 

Read to your kids, read with your kids, get your kids great books to read!!!

Some of our moms shared their favorite titles for books that give recommendations on books and others shared their family's favorite books.  I've got to say that as a Sonlight user, I am constantly wowed by some of the books we read!  Last year  was on our list.  I finally bought our own copy and WOW that is a must read.  So inspirational.  It's one of those books that comes to mind very often and I want to reread so that I don't forget the details. 

If you are looking for a book that will suggest other great books to read, Kate Kessler and her gang at TOSOnline Lab has a couple of reviews that you'll want to read.   Books Children Love by Elizabeth Wilson and Best Books for Kindergarten through High School from Bob Jones University Press Publishers.

Oh and they are having a contest that you'll want to enter while you're over there too!  All you have to do is comment there about why you love the Draw, Write, Now books and 4 randomly drawn commenters will each win a FREE Draw, Write, Now Book 6!

Meanwhile... Do you have a favorite book that recommends great books that will interest your kids?  Do you have some suggestions for different ages or reluctant readers?  For instance, it took a while to find books that my 13 year old son would read for pleasure, but once we found we found what he loves to read!  What have been your favorite read alouds for your family?  What are some great books for beginning readers?  I was so excited when we found A is for Adam and D is for Dinosaur from Answers in Genesis.

So take a few minutes to comment here and share your favorite tips for books with us on the porch.  Remember the first five commenters get our *featured blogger* button.

~Nancy Carter

Public Relations Assistant

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC

www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com

www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/tn3jcarter