Homeschooling Supplies Aust in Wyndham Vale | Education website

Homeschooling Supplies Aust

Locality: Wyndham Vale

Phone: +61 3 9742 7524

Address: 40 Melview Drive 3024 Wyndham Vale, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.homeschooling.com.au

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25.01.2022 Understanding What Subjects are Important and Why Part 2 (Part 1 commenced on 05.02.20) English: Reading/Comprehension...Continue reading

24.01.2022 Understanding What Subjects are Important and Why Part 4 (this topic commenced 5 February, 2020) Maths... Basic maths, previously known as arithmetic, should be learnt by the end of primary school. There is an order to follow in these years, without which further maths becomes harder or impossible. The reason that Australia does so poorly in international maths exams is that the children havent had enough practice to master the basics. (Calculators are only as good as the person using them.) Learning needs to be in the following order: writing and counting numbers to 20 adding and subtracting to 10 from memory adding and subtracting to 20 from memory learning multiplication tables - this will take several years so have a chart up fractions percentages decimals perimeter, area, volume of all shapes including circles basic geometry Every child will need these all their lives. Once these are mastered, students can proceed to more complex mathematics, including algebra, geometry and trigonometry. Learning maths provides: financial independence critical thinking problem solving analytical thinking quantitative reasoning ability to manipulate precise and intricate ideas construct logical arguments and expose illogical arguments communication time management Various levels of maths provide job opportunities in the following areas: accountancy actuary computer programmer doctor engineer investment manager lawyer government research and laboratories theoretical mathematician mathematician numerical analyst statistician teacher market researcher systems analyst banking government space/aircraft industry

23.01.2022 Phonics Wars The reading wars are on again despite the fact that, as a condition of grants, every Prep/Foundation/Kinder and Grade 1 child is supposed to be taught phonics. Hey, what does it matter? Everybody does what they want anyway. Frightening statistics tell us that 1 in 10 people driving on the roads is under the influence of drugs. They may also not have a licence and be drunk. ... Well it does matter because our language is made up of sounds. These sounds make up our words. There are over a hundred individual sounds, not just the forty odd, that even those who teach phonics are teaching. Most of what is being taught is being taught on a computer, e.g., Reading Eggs. The problem is that the computer doesnt know if the child is pronouncing the sound correctly and it doesnt teach rules. When a child starts to read, they need to sound words out and this should be encouraged. Most children initially find running sounds together hard to do and need help. If there are comprehension questions read the passage back to the child afterwards, as reading and comprehending are two different skills. Eventually running the words together clicks and children can run the sounds together automatically. (Our brain is an incredible computer.) I have come to believe that when this occurs is pre-programmed into a childs genetics. Reading is the greatest gift you can give your children. It opens up worlds. For over fifteen years I have watched some of my grandchildren and hundreds, if not thousands, of homeschooling families, teach their children to read using the Learn to Read, Write & Spell series. The results have gladdened my heart. One customer I remember well taught her children to read and then, seeing her friends children having difficulty, bought the books for them and helped them teach their children. As her children grew up she became a very successful tutor to many other children, and not just in reading. Learning phonics takes time but it works. If the sounds are then reinforced in the childs spelling, as in Successful Spelling, most children can, after a few years, read anything.

23.01.2022 Robotics - Few Jobs I lease a photocopier from Konica. Yesterday I received the email I have displayed below from them. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Powering your Business forward with robotic automation.... Cost optimisation is hardly a new concept; SMB owners have always been cost-conscious. However, with the right technologies in place, reducing costs no longer has to come at the expense of something else. The key to cost optimisation while supporting business growth and ongoing excellence is automation and is available now at a price small and micro businesses can afford. RPA can automate any mundane task. The key benefits of automation are: -- Lower costsrobots do mundane jobsno leave, no super. -- Work more efficiently as they can work 24 hours per day -- Free up staff to focus on higher-value work -- Reduce or even eliminate errors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Konica already employ skilled technicians who have worked for them for years. These technicians will come in and install the robot for you and then service it as needed. If, as I am sure they will do, businesses are able to lease them, robots will become very cost effective and will be cheaper than paying employees, so less staff will be needed. It may be possible for a few young people to obtain traineeships, but unless the Government offers substantial incentives, because of COVID traineeshipshis may not be offered for some time. Technicians, electricians, mechanics etc. have always upskilled as the technology changed. My husband began as a radio technician working on valve radios. He first up-skilled as a colour T.V. technician, then later serviced huge computers. Since the pay for computer technicians was ridiculously low he changed jobs and worked as a processor at an oil refinery. This was far below his skill level but it paid well. Two and a half years later, he transferred to working as a technician at the same oil refinery as the hours suited us better when our children were slightly older. Ten years later he became a microwave technician. During this time he up-skilled as a cabler-fibre optic. Once we began our business, he worked with me and installed security alarms and security fences part-time. In summary, what he did to retain work, was constantly up-skill. Don’t be fooled by the courses on offer at TAFEs and Unis. To stay in business they will offer courses that the public want. Businesses frequently complain that these institutions are not training people properly for the workforce.

21.01.2022 WA Secession This is a great topic to discuss with older children. Once again some in WA are flirting with the idea of secession. The idea was proposed in 1933, 1966 and 1974. Some West Australians argue that a great deal of the money earned by the state through mining leaves the state and benefits other states. They feel they are often overlooked because although they have a vast amount of land, they have fewer people and are the furtherest from Canberra, making WA the Cinde...rella State. The Australian Constitution describes the union of the states as "one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth" and makes no provision for states to secede from the union. For WA to secede would then presumably require a referendum to change the Constitution and WA would need a majority of people in a majority of states to agree to it. It seems unlikely that the referendum would pass. Should they manage to secede they would have to bear the costs of : -- Navy and Army and might to make their own agreements with the US and our other allies. -- Border Security - parts of WA are very close to Indonesia and Western New Guinea. There is a lot of coast to protect from illegal immigrants. -- Foreign Affairs - WA could not rely on any future trade agreements. With Britain soon to be free of the EU, Australia is expecting to make many new trade agreements that will benefit both countries. -- Petroleum - they would need to import their own petroleum. Our petroleum is not suitable for cars or trucks. -- Taxes - WA would need to set up its own system to collect taxes and GST. At present the Federal Government collects most of them. -- Laws - many laws would need to be amended. -- Social Welfare - at present this is the responsibility of the Federal Government. On secession this would become WAs responsibility, e.g., unemployment, single parents payments, old age pensions etc. -- Hospital System - this is now partly funded by the Federal Government and would be another cost after seceding. -- Visas - a system would have to be set up to provide visas for those wishing to enter WA from interstate and it would need to be policed. -- Citizenship - another minefield that would need to be sorted. -- Tourism - those from Asia who come for just a weeks holiday would probably still come, but will other overseas visitors if they have to get extra visas or will they by-pass this state and go straight to SA or Melbourne? This happened in the early days of settlement. No doubt there are other changes I havent mentioned that would need to be made for WA to become Westralia, but is it worth it? Can WA afford it? Can we afford to be separated from WA - not in monetary terms, but because of deep national and family ties? Are we not better united as one Australia? And if they did succeed in seceding, and discovered how difficult it was to go alone, how much trouble would they have in returning?

21.01.2022 Homeschooling Hints Homeschooling is not easy but it is rewarding. It is also true that you will only get back what you put in. Below are some hints that may be helpful. Set a steady pace. Do not try and rush through work to get students up to standard. The truth is that after Primary school most students, regardless of whether they come from a private or state school, need to start at the same place since they have gaps in the following areas: fractions, percentages and de...Continue reading

20.01.2022 Recognising the Most Important Things Before the Coronavirus broke out, most lives were very busy. Growing up and spending a large part of my marriage in a much slower time, I had begun to think that life was moving too fast. No-one had time to think or stop or enjoy simple things. The virus has put an end to this and stopped many of us in our tracks. It is time to re-evaluate. Time to realise that the most important thing we have is our family, whether that is two or ten, or...Continue reading

20.01.2022 Homeschooling & Slow Learners (Part 1 of 3) We are a family with six children and homeschooled for several years using a variety of materials. Our children ranged from the very bright to the very slow. Each is an individual and has individual needs and are adults now. As a consequence we sell Australian material that conforms to this understanding and principle. This article was written as a result of our experience in homeschooling a slow learner. While it is written for th...Continue reading

20.01.2022 When I was little, my dad, Michael Alfred Van Gundy, used to create scavenger hunts for me. At the time, I thought they were purely for my entertainment. As a... parent, I realize they were really dual purpose I put together an indoor and outdoor list for our boys, and thought I'd share for anyone else looking for a little creative, somewhat educational, engaging fun. Thanks, dad See more

19.01.2022 Homeschooling & the Slow Learner - (Part 3 of 3) We are a family with six children and homeschooled for several years using a variety of materials. Our children ranged from the very bright to the very slow. Each is an individual and has individual needs and are adults now. As a consequence we sell Australian material that conforms to this understanding and principle. This article was written as a result of our experience in homeschooling a slow learner. While it is written f...Continue reading

18.01.2022 Schools start a two week break in little over a week in some Australian states, later in others. It is possible that many schools will not re-open for some while. The authorities have announced that parents who take their children out of school during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak will not be prosecuted. Those starting homeschooling full-time need be in no hurry to register, but can simply start homeschooling. Those travelling around Australia can not be registered as ...they have no fixed address while they are travelling. We recommend those travelling purchase workbooks for English, Maths and Spelling. When the child is in highschool we also recommend Science. www.homeschooling.com.au

18.01.2022 Further to this weeks article, Im posting a link to an article Jacinta Nampijinpa Price wrote, who, as an aboriginal leader, had something to say about Australia being racist. As she wrote, "Given we are continually being denigrated as a nation and bombarded by accusations of racism and bigotry, I felt it wasnt only necessary to defend my home and the country I love, but to also provide the overwhelming evidence that demonstrates these accusations are lies. We must also ...remember that our nation is not only simply black and white. We are rich with the contribution of Australians of many backgrounds and this is one of our greatest strengths as a nation. What of the 30% of Australians who were born overseas, from every country on earth." Jacinta is an Australian and so am I. I became a citizen in November, 1970. There was no dual citizenship then but I was happy to give up my British citizenship to become an Australian. (I dont think she mentioned it, but Sir Douglas Nichols became Governor of S.A. He was the first aboriginal to hold Vice-Regal office. A real achievement.)

18.01.2022 iouea - proper noun A taxonomic genus within the phylum Porifera - Cretaceous fossil sponges. Interestingly, this is the shortest word used in English containing all five vowels, as well as the shortest four-syllable word in English.... The word was created by M. W. de Laubenfels in 1955 for a fossil called Phalangium Schrammen. Max Walker de Laubenfels (18941960) was an American spongiologist. He was a Professor of Zoology at Oregon State College (now Oregon State University) To pronounce this word you would say it as if you were spelling it out. Dr Michelle Kelly Shanks, a world authority on sponges from Auckland, NZ commented, "I think M.W. de Laubenfels is a real trick! He designed the name in 1955 (Treatise on invertebrate Paleontology) for a fossil called Phalangium Schrammen, 1910. I now realize what he has done, he has taken the vowels "aeiou" and made them into a word. What a joke - I never thought of that! He was always doing this sort of thing! He must have been a wordsmith...as he was noted for the odd names that he gave sponges."

17.01.2022 Time to Wake Up On the 28th October 2020, in an article entitled, We don’t need illiterate Activists, Glen Fahey, an education research fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies, reported that a new OECD report shows that Australia’s school system has an excess focus on students developing awareness of global issues. He said it was little wonder our students’ performance in the OECD-run Program for International Student Assessment has plummeted faster than almost any o...Continue reading

17.01.2022 A Time to Talk to Our Children I never intended to write this article, but the ripples from the killing of George Floyd have gone on too long to ignore. We need to discuss what is happening with our children because the protests, riots and looting have been plastered on all forms of media for over a week. It is also a frequent topic of adult conversation and children listen, even when we think they dont. Either we discuss the implications with them, or they will believe what...Continue reading

16.01.2022 Understanding Our Government One thing that has consistently emerged, especially after the bushfires and Coronavirus, is that most people dont understand how our Federal and State Governments work and what are their jobs. In 1881 Henry Parkes, the Premier of N.S.W., first suggested that a Federal Government be set up, but it was not until 1901 that it took place. The State Governments were, and are, fiercely protective of their rights. Even now, getting agreements by all the... States is very difficult and this is compounded by which political party is in power in the Federal Government and each State. We have a Constitution that sets out the rules by which the country is governed. The Federal Government can only make decisions for Australia under the powers which the Constitution gives it. The main areas the Federal Government has powers are in the areas of: defence, taxation; currency; weights and measures; immigration and emigration; laws of marriage and divorce, but registration of these as well as births and deaths are kept by the states; external affairs; overseas trade; quarantine; invalid and old age pensions; trade. States' responsibilities include everything not within in the Federal duties. Hospitals and education are State responsibilities, but so that the Federal Government has some control, they give grants under specific conditions. The State Governments are responsible for emergencies involving floods, fires or similar disasters. The Federal Government can not interfere unless asked to do so. Those people who blamed the Federal Government for not acting faster during the bushfires did not understand the various Government responsibilities and were blaming the wrong people. GST is collected by the Federal Government. It is then distributed to the States. Originally it was agreed that in return for GST the States would get rid of various forms of sales tax. A few were removed, but a lot still remain. The main responsibilities of Councils or Boroughs are local roads and rubbish removal. Over the years they have branched out into many other areas. Both States and Local Government constantly have their hands out for more money from the Federal Government. This is unrealistic because the Federal Government has a finite amount and after that need to borrow at a high interest. The current level of debt per person, including children, is in excess of $24,000.

16.01.2022 Further to this week's article, I'm posting a link to an article Jacinta Nampijinpa Price wrote, who, as an aboriginal leader, had something to say about Australia being racist. As she wrote, "Given we are continually being denigrated as a nation and bombarded by accusations of racism and bigotry, I felt it wasnt only necessary to defend my home and the country I love, but to also provide the overwhelming evidence that demonstrates these accusations are lies. We must also ...remember that our nation is not only simply black and white. We are rich with the contribution of Australians of many backgrounds and this is one of our greatest strengths as a nation. What of the 30% of Australians who were born overseas, from every country on earth." Jacinta is an Australian and so am I. I became a citizen in November, 1970. There was no dual citizenship then but I was happy to give up my British citizenship to become an Australian. (I dont think she mentioned it, but Sir Douglas Nichols became Governor of S.A. He was the first aboriginal to hold Vice-Regal office. A real achievement.)

15.01.2022 Understanding What Subjects are Important and Why Part 3 (topic commenced on 5 February, 2020) Spelling and Vocabulary...Continue reading

15.01.2022 New Book - in Stock Now "Australia, Japan & China, Our Main Asian Trading Partners" $19.95, 440g, 144 pages, grades 8 - 12... Contents: Australia: Convict Settlement; First Farmers; Squatters; Selectors; The Sheep Industry; Wheat Industry; Self-Government; Federation; What is in the Constitution? An Aboriginal Voice in Parliament? Becoming a Republic? Bob Hawke - Third Longest Serving Prime Minister; John Howard - Second Longest Serving Prime Minister Our Asian Trading Partners: Japan: Religion; Early Japanese Society; Japan Before Perry; An Open Door to the West; Meiji Restoration; An Empire Begins; East Meets West; 1918-1931;1931-37; Up to Modern Times China: Religion; European Trade; Japanese Attack; Post War China; The Cultural Revolution 1966-1976; Results of the Great Leap Forward; Industrialization of China; Spratly Islands; Chinas Belt and Road Initiative; Chinas Future Taiwan Hong Kong Answers. Working On at Present Time: Australian Aborigines I wrote this as two books in the late 80s for three of my children, who were homeschooling, to use. I am revising it into one book and updating it.

13.01.2022 Books I love books, and have since I was a little child. Books seem warm and inviting, as compared to a cold and lifeless screen, and are far better on your eyes. They can be picked up in a spare moment and put down again without firing anything up. Books can be classified as fiction and non-fiction. Fiction can lead you into a variety of different worlds: science fiction, crime, fantasy, romance, western, historical or horror. Some fiction are based on reality, like Joel Ros...Continue reading

12.01.2022 I know this article has appeared before, but with the uncertain times we live in, it is important you understand why you need a Will and what happens if you dont have one. Wills I often hear people say, Oh! I dont like to think about that. Unfortunately, if you do not make a will, should something happen to you, the results can be messy. An Islander who works with my cleaner was left with a three month old baby when his fiancé committed suicide. There was no will and p...Continue reading

12.01.2022 A Warning! I know that many will disagree with what I am about to write, but I have lived a long time, seen numerous changes of Government, the climb and fall of interest rates and the number of unemployed. Dont give up reading in despair because there are solutions, however, most start now. Even when all the restrictions are lifted, we will not be returning to normal. The last twenty years, with ever decreasing interest rates and credit on tap, with most families having t...Continue reading

11.01.2022 Heres over 150 links in one place thanks to Connie-Mark A. Oates over at UKkidswindows. Okay, so LOTS of parents are home with their kiddos and wondering how ...the kids are going to stay busy. Here are some excellect ideas... A few things to remember, this is a PERFECT time to make memories with your children and learn things beyond "normal" math and reading. This is a great time to really help your child dig in and spend hours doing or learning something that they love or are passionate about. Don't forget that there are TONS of documentaries on the streaming services that they might enjoy and learn a lot from. Here are links that I have gathered to TONS of free fun learning options for all ages from toddlers to AP students to adults. Some are always free and some are only free during this current situation. The San Diego Zoo has a website just for kids with amazing videos, activities, and games. Enjoy the tour! https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/ Tour Yellowstone National Park! https://www.nps.gov//lea/photosmultimedia/virtualtours.htm Explore the surface of Mars on the Curiosity Rover. https://accessmars.withgoogle.com/ This Canadian site FarmFood 360 offers 11 Virtual Tours of farms from minks, pigs, and cows, to apples and eggs. https://www.farmfood360.ca/ Indoor Activities for busy toddlers https://busytoddler.com/2020/03/indoor-activities/ Play games and learn all about animals https://switchzoo.com/ Play with fave show characters and learn too https://pbskids.org/ Travel to Paris, France to see amazing works of art at The Louvre with this virtual field trip. https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne This Virtual Tour of the Great Wall of China is beautiful and makes history come to life. https://www.thechinaguide.com/destinati/great-wall-of-china Math and Reading games https://www.funbrain.com/ Phonics skills https://www.starfall.com/h/ This iconic museum located in the heart of London allows virtual visitors to tour the Great Court and discover the ancient Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies. https://britishmuseum.withgoogle.com/ Read, play games, and hang out with Dr. Seuss https://www.seussville.com/ 300,000+ FREE printable worksheets from toddlers to teens https://www.123homeschool4me.com/home-school-free-printabl/ Geography and animals https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/ Math practice from counting to algebra and geometry http://www.mathscore.com/ Fave kids books read by famous people https://www.storylineonline.net/ Crafts, activities, mazes, dot to dot, etc, https://www.allkidsnetwork.com/ High school chemistry topics https://www.acs.org//hi/chemmatters/articles-by-topic.html Math and reading games https://www.abcya.com/ Math and language games https://www.arcademics.com/ Hands on Elem science videos https://www.backpacksciences.com/science-simplified Voice based learning... learn through Alexa https://bamboolearning.com/resources Fun games, recipes, crafts, activities https://www.highlightskids.com/ ClickSchooling brings you daily recommendations by email for entertaining websites that help your kids learn. https://clickschooling.com/ Math as a fun part of your daily family routine http://bedtimemath.org/ Games to get "into the book" https://reading.ecb.org/ Online history classes for all ages preteen through adults https://school.bighistoryproject.com/bhplive Biology https://www.biologysimulations.com/ Elem Math through 6th grade https://boddlelearning.com/ Educational games K-12 https://www.breakoutedu.com/funathome Digital archive of history https://www.bunkhistory.org/ Test Prep for SAT, ACT, etc. https://www.bwseducationconsulting.com/handouts.php Geometry https://www.canfigureit.com/ Resources for Spanish practice https://www.difusion.com/campus/ Chinese learning activities https://chalkacademy.com/ Music is for everyone https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Experiments Science, Math, Social Studies https://www.ck12.org/student/ Grammar practice for middle grades https://www.classroomcereal.com/ Daily free science or cooking experiment to do at home.http://www.clubscikidzmd.com/blog/ Chemistry https://www.playmadagames.com/ Reading passages for grades 3-12, with reading comprehension and discussion questions. https://www.commonlit.org/ Vocabulary, grammar, listening activities and games in Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Korean, and Latin. https://conjuguemos.com/ 35,000 pages of online content on the cultures and countries of the world. https://www.countryreports.org/ K-5th Science lessons https://mysteryscience.com/ Tons of free classes from leading universities and companies https://www.coursera.org/ Free printable K-8 Reading and Math activity packs (available in English and Spanish) https://www.curriculumassociates.com/supporting-students-aw Digital learning content for preschool through high school https://www.curriki.org/ A wide range of math content from middle school through AP Calculus. https://deltamath.com/overview Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing. https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com//learnathome.html 3 Free Weeks of Maker Stations to keep your children creating at home! Each challenge includes simple instructions using materials around the house, QR code video resources, and a student recording sheet. bit.ly/freemakerstations Classes for older teens or adults https://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/lp/t1/freemo Online homeschool platform & curriculum for Pre-K to 12th grade. All main subjects are covered, plus extra curriculum courses. http://discoveryk12.com/dk12/ Printable board games, activities and more for phonics and reading all using evidence-based methods. Can be customized to any student's needs including creating flashcards for other subjects. https://dogonalogbooks.com/printables/ K-8 online math program that looks at how a student is solving problems to adjust accordingly and build a unique learning path for them. https://www.dreambox.com/at-home Engaging reading game for grades 2-8 that combines strategy, engagement, and imaginative reading passages to create a fun, curriculum-aligned literacy game. https://www.squigglepark.com/dreamscape/ Higher level math series... online video series with detailed solutions to more than a thousand publicly-released College Board SAT Math, Subject Test Math Level 1, and Subject Test Math Level 2 problems.https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbQoCpvYRYRkRRvsObOPHaA Foreign languages https://www.duolingo.com/ Interactive video earth science based curriculum supplement. https://www.everyday-earth.com/ A safe research site for elementary-level readers. They are offering -- free 24/7 access USERNAME: read (case sensitive) PASSWORD: read (case sensitive) https://www.facts4me.com/ Resources for AP students including live reviews, live trivia, and study guides! https://app.fiveable.me/ Educational brain breaks to help students review essential literacy and math skills, while getting in some exercise. Find over 900 videos to help your child keep learning at home and burn off some extra energy. Our site is best used for ages 4-8. https://fluencyandfitness.com/register/school-closures/ Movement and mindfulness videos created by child development experts. https://www.gonoodle.com/ 7,000 free videos in 13 subject areas https://hippocampus.org/ Carmen Sandiego videos, stories, and lessons for all subject areas https://www.carmensandiego.com/resources/ Math Videos with lessons, real life uses of math, famous actors https://www.hmhco.com/math-at-work Entertaining & educational videos for all levels and subjects https://www.izzit.org/index.php Online education program for toddler through high school... https://www.khanacademy.org/ Free Printables for PreK-2nd Grade https://www.teacherspayteachers.com//Lite/Price-Range/Free Free printables library with activities for children 0-6 https://www.littlesparkcompany.com/printables-library Free at-home kids yoga lesson plans https://littletwistersyoga.com/online-store/ Magic Spell is a carefully crafted spelling adventure. https://brainbox.games/ Resources for AP students https://marcolearning.com/ Enter your math problem or search term, press the button, and they show you the step-by-step work and answer instantly. 2nd grade through college. https://www.mathcelebrity.com/online-math-tutor.php Elem Math games, logic puzzles and educational resources https://www.mathplayground.com/ Poetry and music https://www.thewell.world/mindful-mu/mindful-poetry-moments 3D printing projects and Coding projects, involving math and other K-12 subjects https://www.instructables.com//EdgertonCent/instructables/ Introductory and intermediate music theory lessons, exercises, ear trainers, and calculators. https://www.musictheory.net/ Scads of free resources, games, learning resources, and lesson plans for teaching personal finance https://www.ngpf.org/ Improve your typing skills while competing in fast-paced races with up to 5 typers from around the world. https://www.nitrotype.com/ Illustrated recipes designed to help kids age 2-12 cook with their grown-ups. Recipes encourage culinary skills, literacy, math, and science. https://www.nomsterchef.com/nomster-recipe-library Online curriculum that builds better writers. https://www.noredink.com/ 80+ do at home science activities https://elementalscience.com//n/80-free-science-activities Daily lessons and educational activities that kids can do on their own https://www.superchargedschool.com/ Adaptive curriculum in Math and ELA for Grades K-8 https://www.scootpad.com/ Novel Effect makes storytime a little more fun for kids (and grown-ups too!) As you read out loud from print books (or ebooks!) music, sound effects, and character voices play at just the right moment, adjusting and responding to your voice. https://noveleffect.com/ Quick & easy at home projects curated for kids 2 and up https://www.kiwico.com/kids-at-home Teaches students how to write a paragraph through interactive online tutorial http://www.paragraphpunch.com/ PreK-12 digital media service with more than 30,000 learning materials https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/ Curricular content hub specifically designed for K-3 students. https://pebblego.com/free-pebblego-capstone-interactive-acc Science and math labs and simulations https://phet.colorado.edu/ An online physics problem and video bank designed for conceptual, standard, honors or AP1 physics. https://www.positivephysics.org/home Prodigies is a colorful music curriculum for kids 1-12 that will teach your kids how to play their first instrument, how to sing in tune & how to understand the language of music! 21 for free https://prodigiesmusic.com/ Free videos from around the world from grade 3-12 https://www.projectexplorer.org/ QuaverMusic is offering free access to general music activities to all impacted schools, including free student access at-home https://www.quavermusic.com/info/at-home-resources/ For students to practice and master whatever they are learning. https://quizlet.com/ ReadWorks is an online resource of reading passages and lesson plans for students of all levels K-12. https://www.readworks.org/ Critical Thinking resources for K-6 students https://marketplace.mythinkscape.com/store/redtkids Music Based Spanish Learning https://rockalingua.com/ Science simulations, scientist profiles, and other digital resources for middle school science and high school biology https://sepuplhs.org/ The Shurley English program for grades K-8 provides a clear, logical, and concrete approach to language arts. https://www.shurley.com/ Sight reading and sight singing practice exercises. https://www.sightreadingfactory.com/ Music practice transformed https://www.smartmusic.com/ Spellingcity is free right now with code VSCFree90 https://www.spellingcity.com/ Kid-friendly workouts choose from Strength for Kids, Agility for Kids, Flexibility and Balance for Kids, Warm-Up for Kids, Cooldown for Kids, Stand Up and Move for Kids, OR create your own custom kid workout. https://app.sworkit.com/collections/kids-workouts A collection of hundreds of free K-12 STEM resources, from standalone models and simulations to short activities and week long sequences of curriculum materials. https://learn.concord.org/ Course sets (Levels 15) that combine and thoroughly cover phonics, reading, writing, spelling, literature, grammar, punctuation, art, and geographyall in one easy-to-use, beautiful course. https://www.goodandbeautiful.com/ At home OT, PT, and ST resources designed to build skills in children through movement and play. https://www.theottoolbox.com/ Science projects that can be completed with or without Internet access https://sciencespot.net/Pages/classhome.html Keyboarding practice https://www.typingclub.com/ or https://www.typing.com/ Next Generation Science video game focused on middle school where students directly engage in science phenomena as they solve problems. https://www.tytoonline.com/ Short videos and readings that answer various burning questions for students. There are vocabulary challenges and comprehension questions. http://wonderopolis.org/ Math practice https://xtramath.org/#/home/index K-5 curriculum that builds deep understanding and a love of learning math for all students https://www.zearn.org/ A quick start resource to help families pull together a plan for surviving the next 1-2 months at home with their kids, but it can also be a time of slowing down and enjoying kids as they learn. Preschool through 8th grade https://abetterwaytohomeschool.com/learning-at-home-everyth 450 Ivy League courses that you can take https://www.freecodecamp.org//ivy-league-free-online-cou/ Spelling 1-4 grade https://www.spellingtraining.com/ 2,500+ online courses from top institutions https://www.edx.org/ 22 languages to learn https://www.memrise.com/ Learn to code https://www.codecademy.com/ Miscellaneous games for all subjects k-8 https://www.funbrain.com/ Phonics and learning to read https://readingeggs.com/ PreK - 5 games for all subjects https://www.turtlediary.com/ Online digital coloring pages https://www.thecolor.com/ Every course you could possibly want to homeschool preschool - 8 https://allinonehomeschool.com/ Every course you could possibly want to homeschool for high school https://allinonehighschool.com/ Phonics worksheets for kids https://www.funfonix.com/ Free stories online ages 3-12 https://www.freechildrenstories.com/ National Geographic Young Explorers is a magazine designed specifically for kindergarten and first grade students. Children can listen to the magazine being read to them as they follow along with the highlighted text. https://ngexplorer.cengage.com/ngyoungexplorer/index.html Learn all about earthquakes https://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/ Learn all about the periodic table https://www.chemicool.com/ Farmer's almanac for kids... Date, weather, moon phase, etc. https://www.almanac.com/kids Guide to gardening for kids https://web.extension.illinois.edu/firstgarden/ Website allows students to play basic games to reinforce math skills and compete against the computer or others https://www.mangahigh.com/en-us/ Space science for kiddos https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html Math Games, Logic Puzzles and Brain Builders https://www.mathplayground.com/ Games, quizzes and fact sheets take kids on a journey through time. https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/forkids/ NGAkids interactives offer an entertaining and informative introduction to art and art history. https://www.nga.gov/education/kids.html News and more for kids https://www.youngzine.org/ Randomly generates 356,300,262,144 story starters https://thestorystarter.com/ Immerse yourself in cryptography https://www.cryptoclub.org/ Math games galore https://gridclub.com/ Tons of science experiments that you can do at home https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/ An interactive way to learn history https://www.mission-us.org/ Just explore, have fun, and learn some science along the way. https://thehappyscientist.com/ Interactive games based on the book series https://www.magictreehouse.com/ Work on the 8 parts of speech https://www.grammaropolis.com/ Learn all about cells https://www.cellsalive.com/ All sorts of learning here if you dig in https://www.google.com/earth/ Scratch draws students of all types into coding and lays a foundation for future learning. https://scratch.mit.edu/ A wonderful, endlessly detailed way to get kids engaged in the world of art. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/online-features/metkids/ Tests kids geography skills. Using images from Googles Street View, it plops players down in the middle of the street and asks them to figure out where they are. https://www.geoguessr.com/ Allows students to type in any city, state, or country to view an archive of historical photographs and other documents. Its a unique way to help them learn about history. http://www.whatwasthere.com// Short videos about numbers that help kids explore complex math topics and make math more fun. https://www.numberphile.com/ A human visualization platform that allows students to explore the human body in really cool ways. https://human.biodigital.com/login?returnUrl=/dashboard Helps kids learn to appreciate the arts by providing them with the opportunity to play games, conduct investigations, and explore different forms of art. https://artsology.com/ Lets kids play instruments online. Instruments include the guitar, piano, pan flute, drums, and bongos. https://www.virtualmusicalinstruments.com/ Crafts, activities, bulletin board designs, and finger plays for early education teachers and parents to use with kids. http://www.preschoolexpress.com/ A large selection of fun songs to help teach preschool and kindergarten students https://www.songsforteaching.com/preschoolkindergarten.htm Resource section includes free flashcards, coloring pages, worksheets, and other resources for children, teachers, and parents. https://supersimple.com/ Life skills curriculum for students in grades K-12. Their resources include strategies for teaching social and emotional skills. https://www.overcomingobstacles.org/ Coding for ages 4-10 https://www.kodable.com/ No need to travel to one of the Smithsonians zoos or museums this website brings your child everything from live video of the National Zoo to the Smithsonian Learning Lab right to their screen https://www.si.edu/kids Cool Kid Facts gives your child access to educational videos, pictures, quizzes, downloadable worksheets, and infographics. They can use these to learn about geography, history, science, animals, and even the human body. https://www.coolkidfacts.com/ This interactive website, hosted by the U.S. Government Publishing Office, allows your child to see the ins and outs of the U.S. government by taking a series of learning adventures with none other than Benjamin Franklin. https://bensguide.gpo.gov/ This NASA initiative covers a wide range of topics including weather, climate, atmosphere, water, energy, plants, and animals. https://climatekids.nasa.gov/ Ask Dr. Universe is a science-education project from Washington State University. Kids can send Dr. Universe any question they may have about history, geography, plants, animals, technology, engineering, math, culture, and more. https://askdruniverse.wsu.edu/ Your child can play games, learn fun facts, and find out how to turn coin collecting into a hobby. https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids From rainbows to tornadoes and winter storms to tsunamis, meteorologist Crystal Wicker breaks down the fascinating world of weather. http://www.weatherwizkids.com/ Kids Think Design explores careers in fashion design, graphic design, interior design, book design, product design, film and theatre, architecture, animation, and environmental design. http://www.kidsthinkdesign.org/ This educational website hosted by the Smithsonian Museum takes a deep dive into ocean life. https://ocean.si.edu/ Brainscape offers over a million flashcard decks for every subject, entrance exam, and certification imaginable. https://www.brainscape.com/ The Theta Music Trainer offers a series of online courses and games for ear training and music theory. https://trainer.thetamusic.com/en Banzai exposes students to real-world financial dilemmas to teach them the importance of smart money management. https://www.teachbanzai.com/ Innerbody explores the 11 bodily systems in depth. With interactive models and detailed explanations, this website will help them learn more about the internal mechanics of the amazing human body.https://www.innerbody.com/htm/body.html

11.01.2022 A lovely mother with two lively daughters (who were unwell with colds but recovering) recently did a brainstorm together after the girls said they were bored. There are some great ideas here!

11.01.2022 Homeschooling Supplies I am well stocked at present and the publisher, the printer I use and the post office are still open so I will continue to remain open. I have always worked from home, so nothing has changed for me. The only thing that has changed is people will not be able to come into the showroom. Those who wish to pick up books can still do so, but if possible, I ask you pay first and I will leave them at the front door for you to collect. Being Grateful...Continue reading

11.01.2022 I received the following email from ACARA on 30th June: 12 , 10 (10) , 2022. , , .... , , , . , , , , . . , , 10 , - , . : I agree the curriculum needs a review. Unfortunately, much of the basic knowledge, e.g., most grammar, that was originally included in the National Curriculum was taken out because the teachers complained there was not enough time to teach everything. Our English books managed to include much of this material, but then Homeschoolers using books work consistently through, and do not hop from place to place. If teachers are to teach the basics, then it needs to be spelt out for them in more than one sentence, followed by a few dot points. Teachers need a complete summary which can easily be expanded slightly into a full lesson and which will fill in gaps in their knowledge. This isnt going to happen. I am not even sure that teachers and parents agree on what the basics are. Unless they do, and unless those reviewing the curriculum for the umpteenth time understand exactly what parents and teachers want, then education will continue to go round and round, circling through systems that just dont work.

10.01.2022 Understanding What Subjects are Important and Why Part 6 (this topic commenced on 5 February, 2020) Geography/History... Now lets look at our history, which is closely linked to our geography. Children in the United States are taught both their geography and their history, the good and the bad. In Australia we too often ignore our history or re-write it to conform with current theories. The development of our country, our successes and mistakes, are all part of our heritage. We have much as Australians to be proud of. We have been in the forefront of many new developments. Some modern ones are: the electronic pacemaker; the black box in aircraft; medical applications of penicillin; electronic ear; wi-fi technology; some forms of refrigeration. These are only a few. As Australians we cope with bushfires and drought. We can be proud of the way that the people in disasters areas cope and the unique response of other Australians to their need for help. Our worst year for bushfires was 1900 when 11% of Australia was burnt. Most fires then were caused by lightning strikes and people near the fires were isolated and unable to put out many of them. Today, we can be proud of our armed forces, our paramedics, our fire fighters, our state emergency workers, our police and all the smaller agencies who cope in emergencies. Children need to learn how we started as small states, but in 1901 united to become a nation; how we wrote a Constitution and set up details of the way we would be governed. They also need to know their responsibilities as citizens of this great country. At eighteen they are eligible to vote and this is a privilege not given to many in the world. Our women were the earliest to get the vote. As children learn the history of the countries around us, few of which have the same freedoms, they will learn about their different forms of government and how these came about. As they become adults they will need to understand this, as there are more and more small groups protesting and trying to force us to change. We are part of one of the most stable governments in the world: a constitutional monarchy. Socialism, Marxism, communism, fascism, dictatorships in whatever guise they come, do not offer the free society we live in today.

09.01.2022 Its Always About Money I have had 4 queries in the last week because schools were hassling parents. Each parent was in a different state. Several of the families were travelling and the others had taken their children out of school. They had all asked the school to take the children off the roll. Next month schools get paid grants based on a childs bottom on a seat, so they are chasing up every missing child they can find.... About five years ago the Federal Government woke up to the fact that they were paying for children two or three times when they changed schools. For example, a state school had received funding and later the child transferred to a private school and the private school also received funding for the same child. To overcome this the Federal Government decided students should be given student numbers. It was also arranged that the school the child had been attending would keep the child enrolled with them until they received notification from another school. This is an agreement. It is not law or regulation and is a schools responsibility, not a parents. Parents are only required to obey laws or regulations. Nothing else. A parents responsibility is to ensure that a child is educated. This usually means that a child will be enrolled in a school, be undertaking distance education or be registered for homeschooling. If the family is travelling they can not register for homeschooling as they have no fixed address. If they register for distance education the school usually enrols them at the address of the school to overcome the problem. Many parents find distance education doesnt work while travelling and anyway as soon as a child changes states, the laws change and distance education may or may not be accepted. The truth is that travelling parents are impossible to prosecute and no-one tries. At a time when 90% of children in Australia are being taught at home it is ridiculous for schools to be chasing any missing children. If they havent worried about these children since February when the last grants were handed out, and grants werent due now, they wouldnt be doing so. Even when schools return, they are only expecting 70% - 80% attendance at first. There is no danger of prosecution in the foreseeable future as meeting the legal requirements to do so is impossible. Robots Recently my granddaughter completed a simple robotic kit her younger brother had been given and had not finished. For her birthday on 1st May she asked for a robotic kit. Jill and I put in together to buy her one. We bought: UBTECH Jimu AstroBot Kit Robot Blue Tooth Stem Education, see photo. By ordering on Ebay we paid $99, much cheaper than from the manufacturer. It took her 2 hours to assemble, but it has given her, her brother and her sister hours and hours of fun. The children run it from Bluetooth. While not usually a fan, I can recommend this product.

09.01.2022 The benefits of books!

08.01.2022 What Subjects are Important and Why Part 7 (this topic commenced 5 February, 2020) In Conclusion ... To maintain the freedoms we have today our children have to have a solid education. Knowledge is power. Knowledge is defined as facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. Knowledge gives power because it helps discern between the true and the false; facts and peoples opinions; scams and biased rewriting of history. Neither we nor our children can know everything, but a solid basis of facts gives children a place to start in checking the information they are given or read, rather than blind acceptance of it. It is true everyone is entitled to an opinion, but that does not mean that every opinion is necessarily true and must be accepted. When the internet first appeared, it was claimed to herald an information revolution. Facts would be at mans fingertips. It has proven to be the opposite. Peoples opinions, theories or attempts at social manipulation far exceed the facts. Manners would dictate that much of the social media via Facebook, twitter etc. would be better left unwritten. Our children need a solid educational framework to be able to cope with and think about the information they are being presented with rather than caught up in the flow of social groups. Networks are fine for businesses, but nets of any sort are not so suitable for education. Nets have holes. Work in spelling, english, maths, science, history and geography needs to build knowledge logically and sequentially year after year, not hop from one place to another. If you, yourself, choose topics for your children to investigate, your children are limited by your knowledge or knowledge they find on the internet and which they have no means of verifying. Perhaps 5% of the internet is fact and 95% is peoples opinions, which may or may not have a factual basis. If education is child directed the results are even worse. Children do not have the knowledge to decide what they should learn. Dont believe me? Look at the descent of Australias education results compared with the rest of the world. China has come an awful long way since the Second World War and this is mainly due to them educating their population, even if it has a political bias towards it. China could not become a democracy after the Second World War because the majority of the people lacked education. (If you want to know more details, see Australia, Japan & China: our main trade partners which will go to the printers shortly and be available next term.) In homeschooling your childrens lives are in your hands. They are yours to shape and mould. It is important to do a good job. There is no-one else to blame if you fail.

07.01.2022 Teaching our Children to be Respectful People’s understanding of English has diminished over the last fifty years, consequently they often misuse words. We can define being respectful as being polite to another person. Everyone is entitled to be treated respectfully. Respect in its true form however is something that has to be earned. It is not a right. It is a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements. ...Continue reading

07.01.2022 Our Constitution is Our Protection You may have heard recently about Whitlam and his Government being dismissed by the Governor General, Sir John Kerr, on 11th November 1975. Labor did not like the umpires decision, or that of the electorate, and is still making a fuss over this despite forty-five years having passed. I remember the events that occurred because I was 23 years old and it was the second time I voted. (I had voted once before in the previous year.) Previous t...Continue reading

07.01.2022 Homeschooling is not to Blame On the News and in both The Australian and the Herald Sun newspapers, educational professionals are saying that homeschooling isnt working; childrens learning will be down by 30% if the children remain at home much longer. They need to be back at school. The problem is not homeschooling, but the investigative learning style used in schools. For at least seven years schools have been following a theory that claims children learn best if th...ey investigate and discover for themselves. In other words, children need to reinvent the wheel. I used self-instructional books with my children, and the books I sell now are better than what I used to start with. Most children at school do not have books. They work either from worksheets or on-line. This handicaps the parents who are trying to help their children while at home, as they have neither the instructions or the answers. To be fair to the teachers, they were thrown into on-line lessons and learning with only two weeks notice to prepare. Given that it takes me about twelve months to write a book at high school level, and at least nine months at prep-two level, and that is only one book for one subject, they were given an impossible task. From the comments made by older politicians, it is obvious that they believe teachers still stand at the front of a class and teach. Over the years I have seen children using the material I sell complete year 10 with knowledge in excess of children at school, enabling them to complete a Diploma or a Bridging Course to University. I have watched as even slow learners have progressed, and although they may have taken longer, managed to get a good basic education which led to a good job. Those who have used, and completed, up to book six of the Learn to Read, Write & Spell programme can read anything and if they do not know what a word means their parents help them use a dictionary to find out. No, homeschooling is not the problem. The problem is lack of suitable material.

07.01.2022 Learning from the Lockdown The lockdown will eventually end. Restrictions will probably be released a little at a time, and perhaps there are some lessons we can take out of this period. 1. We can live with a lot less socialisation. Life didnt stop because we were restricted to our homes and those we lived with, although some, at the start, seemed to have withdrawal symptomsalways worrying. Perhaps the lockdown helped a great many people get to know their children better. ...Continue reading

05.01.2022 Homeschooling & Slow Learners - (Part 2 of 3) We are a family with six children and homeschooled for several years using a variety of materials. Our children ranged from the very bright to the very slow. Each is an individual and has individual needs and are adults now. As a consequence we sell Australian material that conforms to this understanding and principle. This article was written as a result of our experience in homeschooling a slow learner. While it is written for ...Continue reading

05.01.2022 Doing your Taxes These helpful hints come from my accountant, Ken James and Assoc., in Werribee, Victoria. Points to Remember: Income Payment summaries (now called income statements): ...Continue reading

04.01.2022 https://www.facebook.com/127282283965558/posts/3442263262467427/?sfnsn=mo&d=n&vh=e

02.01.2022 How Not to Write a Business Letter Do not write To the Householder or To Mr Smith or even worse, Dear Jim. The current trend of using a person’s Christian name in a letter assumes an intimacy or friendship with a person that does not exist. Instead write Dear Householder or Dear Mr. Smith. Re: Refuse Disposal Facility or Re: Job Advertisement 235 is correct.... Do not follow up with the purpose of the letter is to inform you or the purpose of this letter is to apply for a job in You have already stated your intent in the previous line starting Re:. Launch straight into your letter, e.g., I wish to apply for the position of .. Do not use abbreviations, even if you have put the abbreviation in brackets after the word. Abbreviations can be confusing, especially if several have been used. For example, a letter from our local Council concerning changes to what is locally known as the Tip used the abbreviations EPA and RDF several times. Our city contains migrants from over ninety different countries. Many of them would not have known that EPA stood for Environmental Protection Authority. It took me five readings of the letter before I realised the RDF that was constantly referred to was the Refuse Disposal Facility. If you are providing people with information be clear about what you are referring to. The letter in question referred to cells in which waste had been disposed. I still have no idea what these are. The tip to me has always looked like what it is: a hole made by a quarry that is being filled with rubbish. Be careful when using comparative and superlative. "More" is not added to every word, e.g., "easily" not "more easily," "definitely" NOT "more better." Do not finish a formal letter with Yours sincerely. Finish a formal letter with Yours faithfully.

01.01.2022 Understanding What Subjects are Important and Why Part 5 (this topic commenced on 5 February, 2020) Geography/History... Lets look at geography first. Geography affects every aspect of our life. Where we live determines the daily weather, which determines what our houses are like; what clothes we wear; what food we eat; the type of jobs we have. The geography of a country also affects its history. Australia is an island in the Southern Continent and was isolated from many of the changes and progress that occurred throughout history. The spread of peoples across Europe and Asia did not affect us greatly. The prevailing currents and trade winds, and our rugged western coastline did not encourage sailors who chanced upon Australia to consider remaining. So, for many thousands of years the aborigines remained untroubled, apart from occasional traders from Indonesia or shipwrecks. Men need a moderate temperature, water and fertile soil where they can grow food to settle in large numbers. Geography teaches children that we live around much of the coastline of the continent as these are the most fertile areas. The only large river system is the Murray and the Darling, although we do have the Great Artesian Basin. Further inland the land becomes drier. Three quarters of Australia is either arid or semi-arid. Temperatures in these areas are high. Despite what weather forecasters tell us, very hot weather in our deserts are normal and not record. The period they are comparing the weather to is small. Looking back through history we can see that there were some warmer periods, e.g., the Roman warm period between 250 B.C. and 400 A.D. and also some ice ages, e.g., Middle Ages Ice period from 1300 A.D. to 1870 A.D. Climate does change over long periods and this is normal. Geography also teaches children about the countries around us. We are closely allied to New Zealand and trade with Indonesia, China, Japan and other S. E. Asian countries. Understanding their geography and their history helps us understand their political system and all this influences our trade relations with them. (We will continue with the subtopic of Geography/History next week.)