A place for homeschoolers living in Pennsylvania to connect and find information on news, events and resources. Part of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's Homeschool Nation. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Wed, 26 Nov 2008 08:51:00 -0600 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 08:51:00 -0600   <a href="http://www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/assets/banners/blackfridaybanner3rd.gif" alt="The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Black Friday Sale" border="0"></a> The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine is having an amazing sale on subscriptions during their annual Black Friday Sale November 26 – 30. For those 5 days only, they are actually lowering their new one-year U.S.  subscription price to $7.95! That's the price you would usually pay for just one issue at a bookstore!   This is their lowest price ever on the magazine and they want all of you to take advantage of this offer and share the info with your friends.   Please don't miss out. Your one-year subscription will pay for itself time and time again as you receive practical tips and Biblical encouragement to keep going strong in your commitment to homeschooling and to the Lord. Since it's a quarterly magazine, they even have a monthly subscriber's only E-Newsletter called Teacher's Toolbox that will give you seasonal teaching ideas and a free E-Book download! It's like joining a unit study of the month club! The free E-Books alone are valued at almost $250/year. It's really perfect for people who are homeschooling on a shoestring or just wanting to add in some little extras to your teaching.   Plus during the Black Friday Sale, they have all kind of bonus gifts when you spend $50, $75, $100, or $150. Some are electronic downloads that you can download immediately, while other are physical products mailed from various vendors directly to your home.   Visit The Old Schoolhouse store at:  www.TheOldSchoolhouseStore.com   Order Yours Today!  And don’t miss out on this great price!!!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/624554/ Wed, 26 Nov 2008 08:51:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/624554/ If you're new to homeschooling you may want to connect with other homeschoolers.  Where are they, you may wonder.  How do I find them and will I be welcome?   We've all been there.  There is anxiety associated with entering an established group, so don't worry if you're nervous.   I've found that the best place to find local homeschooling groups is to go to Yahoo! Groups and type in "Homeschool PA".  It will give you a list of groups across the state and you should be able to find some that are local to you.  It seems as though many of the groups in PA organize by county, so you may want to add your county's name to your inital search.   If you belong to a homeschool group that you'd like to list on this site, please email me at irishlass7299-at-aol.com and I'll be happy to add it.  The more connections we can make with other homeschool families, the stronger our homeschooling voice will be.   Have a great week! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/618101/ Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:04:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/618101/ Don't forget to vote on Tuesday, November 4th!  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/613934/ Mon, 3 Nov 2008 15:06:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/613934/ It's here and I am so excited.  There's nothing quite as delicious as curling up on the end of the sofa wrapped in a cozy blanket with a hot cup of coffee and a great book...or in this case, magazine.  To be able to read it cover to cover in one sitting would require more time than I usually have on any given day, but knowing that I can break it down into small ten minute moments....well, it's priceless.   So, what magazine am I so excited about?  It's The Old Schoolhouse's Fall edition.  It arrived yesterday and I nearly wept for joy, because it always gives me that extra homeschooling boost and reaffirms why homeschooling is the right choice for our children.  For me, it really is so much more than a magazine....it's encouragement and hope.   I thought I was the only one in our household who read the magazine, but last night I learned differently.  When I came home from work late at night I discovered that my previously plastic ensconsed magazine was now out of it's shell and bearing the unmistakable creases of a thorough read.  My husband freely admitted to getting to it first and was excited about what he read.  He said he enjoyed reading it, but more than that, it made him appreciate that we homeschool.  Hmm.....    That's exciting for a homeschooling mom/wife to hear.   If you haven't had a chance to ever read The Old Schoolhouse  magazine I can't recommend it highly enough.  In fact, if you've never read it leave a comment and I'll send out a free copy to one "lucky winner".  And now, I'm off to curl up for 10 minutes before "school starts" and I try to figure out how to fix our leaky roof.  Have a great day!  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/611071/ Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:29:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/611071/ Did you know that if you have an AccessPA sticker on your library card you can access virtually all public libraries in Pennsylvania?  Truly, a library card is the best resource a homeschooling family can have!   At our local library they offer Educational Videos (from Bill Nye to PBS Documentaries to exercise to nutrition) free for a week of borrowing.  Entertainment Videos are $1/week and New Releases are $1/2 days.  Still, the selection is great and my boys love the free videos.  In fact, we've been able to find free DVDs on every subject we've studied so far this school year!   You might also be unaware of the downloadable audio books that some libraries offer.  Forget iTunes and go straight for your local library's website!  The audiobooks are formatted for your mp3 player or you can burn them to a CD and listen to them in the car.  It's a great FREE resource!   So, I challenge you...check out your local library this week and see what new programs, offerings or services you can find.  Then let us know!  There will be a prize.....  =) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/610638/ Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:19:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/610638/ According to PA law, unless you've filed under the private tutor option you are required to be evaluated yearly.  As with many laws there is some confusion over who qualifies to be an evaluator.  I strongly encourage you to read the law for yourself so that you know exactly what it says.   If you do a web search for PA evaluators you'll yield quite a few listings and perspectives.  Again, a good evaluator for one family may not be best for another.  Get recommendations and don't be afraid to ask questions.  Make sure your evaluator's view of homeschooling gels with your family's.   If you use a fantastic evaluator won't you take a moment to share his/her name with us?         http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/607614/ Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:33:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/607614/ Lunch and Learn at Valley Forge Park Saturdays from Noon to 1 pm in the Valley Forge Park Education Center. Bring a bag lunch, lemonade will be provided. Open to all ages. October 11 Colonial Toys - Learn what toys were available during the Revolution and experience their use. This program is specifically designed for the kids October 18 Washington's Indispensable Men -Park volunteer Bruce Hustis will discuss Washington's aides de camp with particular attention to those at Valley Forge. October 25 Patrick Henry: Rousing Patriot and Founding Father -Carris Kocher, Friends of Valley Forge Park Board member, will discuss Patrick Henry with an emphasis on his role at Valley Forge. November 8 Discovering "Negro Hannah," An Icon Into Understanding the American Revolution - Join Park Ranger Agena Rogers and her alter ego Hannah for another perspective of the Valley Forge encampment. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/600717/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 11:55:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/600717/ If you and your family enjoy skiing you may want to check out Camelback Mountains' offer for Homeschoolers... Dear Home School Family:   Over the past several winter seasons, Camelback Ski Area has hosted numerous Home School groups and families.  After speaking with Home School groups, and learning of their interests for fitness, recreational and social activities, Camelback has created a special program for Home School families to learn to ski and snowboard.   Our Home School Ski Club is offered Mondays – Fridays, during non-holidays, for groups of 20 or more.  For a (5) visit program the cost is $165 per participant.  Included are an Open-to-Close Lift Ticket, Ski or Snowboard Rental and a Group Lesson for any level.  This is equal to $33 per visit!  Camelback provides a pass and complimentary lift tickets to the person that organizes the group.   Skiing and snowboarding are great activities for fitness and learning self-discovery.  At Camelback we take great pride in our programs and I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you in more detail about our programs.  Please feel free to call me at (570) 629-1661 ext.1133, or email, craig@skicamelback.com to learn more.   Think Snow! Craig Low http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/600614/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 07:56:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/600614/ Some Interesting Places if you're near.... Erie: Lake Erie Nature & Science Center   Pittsburgh: Carnegie Science Center State College: Palmer Museum of Art   Grantham: The Oakes Museum at Messiah College   Scranton: Houdini Museum   What are some favorites by you?? http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/598958/ Fri, 3 Oct 2008 14:30:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/598958/ I'm a planner.  Well, I like to think I am.  I plan, but I tend to plan too much.  Sometimes I can plan to the point of paralysis.  Have you ever done that...plan so much that it seems impossible to even start?   Well, I discovered that without planning (at least a little) I'm left at an equally unappealing point of paralysis.  I know what needs to be done, but not exactly.  So, I tend to just coast along and that's not any good either.   I finally bit the proverbial bullet and worked out 2 1/2 weeks of planning for the boys last Sunday.  I'm happy to report that we are almost a week into it and everything has gotten done.  My oldest was a little shocked on Monday that we were actually spending (gasp!) 45 minutes on language and writing, but hey, he got over it and has been asking to do it first for the rest of the week.  Go figure.    The Schoolhouse Planner looks like a great tool if you're in need to planning forms and don't mind printing them out.  Unfortunately, my printer has gone on strike and refuses to print much of anything until I spend a day cleaning it, so I got a simple, cheap teacher's plan book from Lakeshore Learning in King of Prussia.  U.S. Toy Company in North Wales/Lansdale also has a great teaching section and I'm sure you could find a myriad of plan books there.   For some simple homeschooling forms be sure to check out AskPauline.com.   There are forms for just about everything, but again, your printer will need to be working.      Whatever you decide to do, and no matter how you decide to make it work for you, just know that if it works for you it's perfect.  No two homeschooling families have the exact same schedule, the same routines, the same way of planning.  You have to do what works best for your family.  And isn't that the wondrous beauty of homeschooling?   So, off with you....go plan....or not....but have a great day and know that you're doing a super job!       http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/598654/ Thu, 9 Oct 2008 21:58:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pennsylvania/598654/