Saturday, August 13, 2011

Free Range Learning How Homeschooling Changes Everything by Laura Grace Weldon

Do you homeschool or are you considering it? Are you looking for a unique approach to home education? Are you tired of the textbooks or just need to add a little flavor into your homeschooling day?
This book is packed( and I mean packed) with information, resources, researches and studies, and personal experiences from home education families from around the world. The author has definitely done her homework in putting this one together and brings all of her research into one complete book.
No Free Range is not referring to chickens or complete uninvolvement in your child's education. But it does give the reader a new perspective on learning. Discover ways to use teachable moments, utilizing your community and extended families, letting your child study a favorite topic, using technology or nature and so much more. The author gives the reader a vast amount of ways for our children to learn unhindered by societies definition of learning in just one way.
Our children are individuals with unique personalities, differences, likes and dislikes. Each child learns differently; therefore must be educated differently. This book made be look at home education with more understanding. Its not about what grade my child can achieve or how many facts they have memorized; its what they have learned, how they have learned it and how they can continue to learn as individuals.
This book is a wonderful resource for those already homeschooling or considering home education. Even if you don't homeschool this book can guide you in helping your child how to learn through experiences, observations and hands on activities.
Please take the opportunity to purchase a copy of this book and read it. You won't regret it.
*This book was given to me by the author in exchange for my honest review.

Milk Carton Mania by Christine M. Irvin


Do you have a crafty child or one who wants to be? This book will give them 14 different craft projects for using your used milk or juice cartons. Each project gives you step by step instructions with pictures. Directions are simple and easy to read; a child could actually do the project with no or little help from the parent. Most of the needed items are things you probably have around your house or can purchase at low cost at your local store. What a great way to recycle unwanted cartons.
We actually did the Bird Feeder Project. The instructions were very easy to follow. I actually had my 11 year old read the directions as we all worked on it together. We plan to try the Happy House Project next, and maybe even go for a whole town for my boys to play with their action figures. I loved the simplicity of the whole book and the other ideas the author included with each project(ranging from extra decorating to extra activities to complement the project.)
What a wonderful resource for any parent, teacher, homeschooler, or child.
This is not the authors only book. Look for her other Craft Mania books:
* Cardboard Tube Mania
* Craft Stick Mania
* Egg Carton Mania
* Paper Cup Mania
* Paper Plate Mania
* Pie Pan Mania
* Pipe Cleaner Mania
This book can be purchased from Scholastic, Amazon or other book resources for $6.95.
*This book was given to me by the author in exchange for my honest review.