Category: Homeschoolers

DUO Education Asks Questions to Grow a More Effective Educational Service

10/1/2014

Hello everyone. I have questions for all you parents, educators, learners, daycare providers, homeschoolers, librarians, and children's authors (including MG and YA authors) out there.
What sort of educational materials do you think will be helpful? Would you use educational materials that go with specific books? Would you use an activity book that was created with your needs in mind? Would you prefer a service like this based on a piece by piece basis or based on a membership?
I want to help you! I want to make things better for you! I want to provide a quality and individualized educational service!
Please, contact me or comment below. Thank you!

2 Comments

What is Online Tutoring, Who Can it Help, How Can You Use it, and Why Choose DUO Education?

9/24/2014

2 Comments

Hello everyone. I often promote my online tutoring page. Yet, it has occurred to me that some of you may not know much about online tutoring. I know that there wasn't such a thing when I was going through school.
Online tutoring or distance learning is becoming more and more prevalent. People are finding that learning from the comfort of their own home at a time that works for them is much easier than going to a school, library, or tutoring center to learn. It cuts down the need to get childcare or to use the car and waste gas unnecessarily.
There are quite a few online learning establishments. If you want to learn online, there are a variety of places to check out. Some of them are big, established places with many tutors. Why consider DUO Education instead of those places? Most of the bigger places give tutors a percentage of the tutoring fee. So, in order to make the program worth it to both the company and the tutors, the fee has to be more expensive. I am a one woman show. I only have to make it worth it for myself. So, my prices are apt to be less expensive.
How does online tutoring actually work? What is involved? For me, it would be a case by case basis. It depends on what is needed and what technology the learner may have to use. It could be any where from emailing or chatting back and forth to Skyping or using Google Hangouts to have more of a face to face feel. There is technology where a learner and tutor can share use of an online white board or chalkboard, so that you can work on problems together. Sometimes tutoring involves gathering resources and learning activities for learners to practice in between sessions. With DUO Education, it may also creating custom activities individualized for optimum results for each learner.
That leads me to my next point to consider, while considering online tutoring… or any tutoring for that matter. What is the educational philosophy of the tutor? Does he or she have a variety of strategies in teaching? Is he or she willing to cater to your learning style and abilities? Is the tutor encouraging and understanding?
There is another plus to online tutoring. It is safe. You or your child is not side by side of someone you don't know. Yes, there is a "side by side" feel on the computer. But…there isn't any rubbing shoulders in a home, center, library, or school.
What are some ways you can use DUO Education's online tutoring?
*Your child is struggling for understanding and the grades you want in specific academic skills
*Your child has difficulty being motivated to WANT to learn
*Your child has special needs and falls behind with what he or she receives during the school day
*Your child sometimes has homework questions and you have a difficult time getting answers for him or her and you would like to sign up for a "homework help program"
*Your child has difficulty with study skills in general and staying organized with school work
*Your child enjoys writing and you want to help him or her hone the skill to the point where he or she can some day get a book published
I know what you are wondering. You are wondering with all this mention of children, if I only work with children. No, I work with people of all ages. I am happy to work with people of all ages and abilities.
If there is a specific subject or skill that you are wanting to learn, please let me know. We can talk about it. If I can't help, I will try to point you in a direction that will be helpful.
Are you ready to check out DUO Education's Online Tutoring Services? Do you know anyone who may benefit from online tutoring services? You can check out the services here. And, if you have any questions or are ready to start your online tutoring journey, please feel free to contact me. It is free to contact me. It is free to discuss your needs. Try it, today!

2 Comments

DUO Education Offers Sample Daily Homework Log

8/27/2014

2 Comments

Hello everyone. With the beginning of school, I thought it would be good to include a sample of a homework log in today's blog. This is just one sample. Yet, it gets students to think, not just about the assignment itself, but also about the preparation and follow through of the assignment. Students decide the priority level of the assignment, whether or not they have all the materials needed, if they understand the assignment, and when it is finished.
Help your child to be organized and thoughtful about his or her homework. Homework logs can help your student be more efficient and more confident.
Feel free to click on the image and download the sample homework log. If you would like a customized homework log, feel free to contact me for details.

2 Comments

Getting to Know You Questions for the Beginning of the School Year

8/13/2014

1 Comment

Hello everyone. The beginning of school is here for some people and soon approaching for others. So, I created a sheet for students to tell about some of their interests.
Teachers, homeschoolers, or school counselors can use these "Getting to Know You Questions" to get a feel for your students' interests at a quick glance. That way, you can tailor some of your teaching strategies around your students' interests. Make the lessons come alive more for your students when you keep their interests in mind!
What questions do you ask at the beginning of the school year to get to know your students better? Please. comment below. I would love to see your ideas.

1 Comment

DUO Education will be Stocking Up on Binder Covers

7/30/2014

2 Comments

Hello everyone! August is almost here. That means educators and students will be preparing for school soon. So, I decided that I would start creating some binder covers.
I hope to have some to give away and some to sell. Please check the binder cover page on DUO Education often.
If you have a specific subject, topic, or theme you would like on a binder cover, please feel free to comment below or contact me.
Binder covers are great for classroom teachers, homeschoolers, and students of all ages. They can also be used for professional developments and trainings.

2 Comments

Book Report Organization Questions for Beginning Writers

7/23/2014

2 Comments

Hello everyone. I thought I would create some "Book Report Organization Questions" to share. This is a great way to have children organize their thoughts before writing a book report. In some instances, you may also want to use these questions as the book report.
These questions are also great for gathering thoughts for a book review. Questions like the one asking students to recall a detail from the beginning and whether the beginning hooked him or her into the story or not, go beyond just the "normal" book report. This resource begins to address a higher order thinking instead of just recalling facts about a book.
Whether your student is working on book reports or book reviews, this is a wonderful resource for the beginning writer. It can be adapted to any level. You can even write in the answers dictated by a child too young to write his or her own answers. So, whether you are a homeschooler or a classroom teacher, this resource would be great for you.
For your copy, click the image for your two page "Book Report Organization Questions." (It is pictured here as one page only for ease of display purposes.)

2 Comments

Learning with Quotes

6/4/2014

2 Comments

Hello everyone! Before I start, I want to thank Betty Jo for giving me the idea for my post today. You can read her educational post that inspired me here. To read more of her posts, go to her blog, Still Learning Something New. (I love her blog title, because she did teach me something new today. It is very fitting.)
Anyway, while Betty Jo's post was about homeschooling plans about Aesop and retelling his fables, mine focuses on quotes. (She did have a link to some of his quotes, which is really what gave me the idea for my post.)
Quotes are a great way to teach life's lessons and concepts. They are short and to the point. Often, the quotes "pack a punch" with their message. It doesn't matter where you find the quote. However, if you can find a powerful source, it makes it all the more powerful of a lesson.
For example, if you want to teach your child a lesson or drive home a principle, instead of saying "this is the way it is" or "you should do this," you can find a quote and build a lesson around it. Maybe read one of Aesop's fables as an example. Get your child excited about the author. Then, show him or her the quote that drives home the message that you wanted to share. It could be one like, "We would often be sorry if our wishes were gratified." (Aesop) Ask your child what that means. Have him or her look up any words that he or she doesn't understand. (I am thinking that "gratified" might be difficult for some children to understand.) After doing a little research, I have found that "The Tortoise and the Eagle" might teach that lesson. Maybe, have your child read it. It may be more exciting for a child to say, "Aesop said…" or "this story said…" instead of Mom told me to "be careful what I wish for."
Note, if you teach in a public school and want to teach values, you may want to send a note home to parents to make sure they are fine with the values that you plan on teaching. Not everyone shares the same beliefs. However, sometimes it is good to teach a quote just as a fact of what someone has said. Let the right and wrong of it, be up to each individual student and his or her family.
Whether you are a classroom teacher, a homeschooler, or a parent looking for a way to drive home a specific point, quotes are great resources and wonderful teaching tools. What are some of your favorite quotes?

2 Comments

A Shout Out to Homeschoolers from DUO Education

5/7/2014

0 Comments

Hello everyone! I would like to give a great big shout out to all the homeschoolers out there. Most homeschooling parents are the most dedicated and most creative teachers out there.
Homeschooling parents chose to teach their children at home for a variety of reasons. Some parents do it for religious and spiritual reasons, whereas others homeschool because they do not feel that their children will get the same level of education in a school as they would at home.
I have homeschooled in the past. I know the kind of passion and care that goes into teaching your own child. I feel it is more of a natural education. Homeschoolers can take more field trips and do more hands on learning. If a child has a particular interest, a homeschooler can use that interest to develop an awe of learning and individual learning habits. As a homeschooler, there are no set times or set way in which a child has to be taught. The latter may be one of the reasons why some parents are choosing to homeschool now, whereas they may not have in the past.
More and more parents are choosing to homeschool because of the new Common Core State Standards. Parents may not like the rigid rules of how students are taught and graded. They may not like some of the content being taught with the new Common Core.
No matter what the reason for homeschooling, homeschoolers are often misunderstood or put down. I know that I have been put down while I was homeschooling years ago.
People tend to feel that parents are not trained educators, so they are not able to give children the same quality of education that certified teachers could provide. However, most of the homeschooled students that I know, get better grades and learn more at home than the average child in school. The children also have a greater passion for learning and put a high value on family.
So, again, I want to give a shout out to all the homeschoolers! I understand and I admire what you are doing! You are appreciated! If there is anything I can do to help a homeschooler out there, please let me know! I also want homeschoolers to know that I appreciate at your support and that you have my support.
And, if you are interested in learning more about homeschooling, there are plenty of information out there. There are quite a few groups on Facebook and other social media sites. I am also happy to help you find a group for you. Please, feel free to contact me. Thank you.

0 Comments

Fun & Friendly Dinosaur Assignment

1/15/2014

4 Comments

Hello everyone! When I was thinking about today's blog topic, I had thoughts of my kindergarten teaching days. Of course, that gave me a wonderful idea for a blog post.
When I was teaching kindergarten, I did a unit on dinosaurs. All of us kindergarten teachers in the school did the same units at the same time, but sometimes put our own spin on it. The students enjoyed this unit. I don't know if I have ever seen a kindergarten student who didn't like the dinosaur unit. LOL!
I don't remember, but I think we did this unit at about the same time that "Earth Day" came about. So, we also talked about recycling and re-using things. Anyway, as a culminating activity to the unit, the students would be asked to create a dinosaur out of regular household items and/or craft trinkets; such as pompoms, pipe cleaners, and the like. They weren't to spend very much, if anything, to create the dinosaur.
It was okay for parents to spend some quality time with their children and help with this project. It was even encouraged, as long as they were helping and not doing it all.
Children had to create a dinosaur, name it, write about it…what it did, what it ate, where it lived, etc. Also, in class, we had a big show and tell, where students told about their dinosaurs. It was fun! Then, we put them on display for teachers, students, and parents to admire.

Okay… here is your "Fun & Friendly Assignment," if you so choose to use it. Give a child the activity as described above. Have him or her create a dinosaur using things commonly found around the house… food, containers, tidbits of craft supplies, etc. This can be a formal assignment at school or homeschool, as well as a fun activity to do at home. It is also great for daycares and preschools. You can help, but please don't do it. Let the child use his or her imagination, not yours. When you are finished, take a photo of the child's masterpiece, and email it to [email protected] as an attachment. In the subject line, put the title of this post. (I will not spell it out here, but you will find it at the top of the page.) Emailing the photo gives me permission to post it on my website. If you want a name or age posted with the picture, please include that as well. Usually, I like to use like first name, age, and maybe the state where the child is from. But… nothing revealing. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.
Have fun with this!

4 Comments

An Old Time Reading Activity

10/30/2013

2 Comments

Hi everyone! Today I decided to recreate an activity page that I did for my brother years ago, when I was first teaching him how to read and spell. I was only like seven or eight at the time.
This is a simple match the word to the picture activity. It can be used as part of a spelling or reading lesson. Here I drew simple pictures. And, I mixed up the labels for the pictures on the right hand side.
Why did I choose to show you this activity? I did it for a few different reasons.
First of all, I did it to give you some insight as to the type of activities I used to teach my brother reading and spelling when I was a young child. Apparently a teacher gave me similar activity at one time. I enjoyed it, so I thought my brother would enjoy it as well. What a wonderful way to tell that it is an effective tool... have a child spontaneously give the same activity to her brother in "playing school."
Secondly, this activity is fairly easy to do. And, you don't have to be an artist in order to do it. When I was little, sometimes I would give blank squares and have my brother even draw the pictures. And, today, there is clipart that can be easily used at home. I did this in Photoshop, but back then I did it with pencil and paper. Sometimes, I would turn it into a coloring activity as well and have my brother color the pictures after he was done the matching.
Finally, this activity in an example of something that can be done together with your child. I had a homeschooling mom tell me once that she wanted to wait until she could buy a curriculum until she taught her children. But... there are things you can do without a curriculum. Learning doesn't always need a curriculum. Learning can be a spontaneous, spur of the moment sort of thing.
The point is... the most effective teaching is when you make the subject fun. It isn't the curriculum you choose. It isn't something that has to be complicated. Sometimes the motivation to learn is to spend some quality time with a loved one. You don't have to be perfect at teaching, just willing to try.

Please remember that you still have a chance to get a copy of Clarinda Cloud donated to your favorite elementary school, library, daycare, or children's counselor. I have already given the hint that this photo was taken in Franklin County, Vermont. Yes, "Clarinda Cloud" is on a tractor. The tractor is at a place that sells many pumpkins. Any idea where it might be? That is okay... even if you don't, please comment with the name of the elementary school, library, daycare, or children's counselor you would like to receive the book. (Please, U.S. addresses only at this time.) I will donate one, even if nobody knows the answer. Good luck! Thank you!

2 Comments

<<Previous

DUO Education Asks Questions to Grow a More Effective Educational Service

What is Online Tutoring, Who Can it Help, How Can You Use it, and Why Choose DUO Education?

DUO Education Offers Sample Daily Homework Log

Getting to Know You Questions for the Beginning of the School Year

DUO Education will be Stocking Up on Binder Covers

Book Report Organization Questions for Beginning Writers

Learning with Quotes

A Shout Out to Homeschoolers from DUO Education

Fun & Friendly Dinosaur Assignment

An Old Time Reading Activity

Jodi Desautels

Archives

Categories