Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau

Educator, Coach, Life Strategist

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Mar 31 2011

Household Binder

Just about every parent has a place, often in the kitchen or maybe somewhere else, where things tend to accumulate.  These little piles, usually consisting of calendars, notes, recipes, mail, and other reminders of things to do, can clutter even the tidiest of homes and cause additional chaos — not organization.

One way that busy moms (and some dads, but usually moms) stay neat and organized is by using a Household Binder.  This binder, usually kept where it is needed most, contains everything that even the busiest of moms could possibly need — right at her fingertips. 

Anything can go inside the binder; as a matter of fact, each will be slightly different depending on mom’s individual needs. Some of the pages in a typical binder are listed here — but don’t hesitate to add any other pages of your own, too.

Household Binders may include:

  • menu planning pages
  • cleaning schedules
  • the household budget
  • a weekly shopping list
  • school schedules
  • bills to pay
  • folders for every child
  • notes to self
  • a list of household repairs

But that’s not all.  Consider the binder your personal system of household organization.  Add anything inside that you usually need to access during a typical day, week or month.  See these free PRINTABLES for additional ideas. 

Used by moms everywhere, the household binder provides an attractive and efficient solution for keeping track of tasks and information in a very busy household.  Everything is always stored neatly in one place and ready when it is needed– which is much better than scribbled notes scattered all over the kitchen counter!

Written by Marie-Claire · Categorized: Homeschool · Tagged: calendars, chores, events, household, large families, recipes, scheduling, storage

Feb 25 2011

Homeschooling conventions

Spring into summer is often the time when homeschoolers gather for conventions and book fairs. From coast to coast, families join together for information, shopping and — above all — supporting one another.

There is nothing like an exhibit hall full of homeschooling families to make one feel a part of a group.  Or, seeing a friendly face during a workshop and striking up a conversation.  Meeting other families and talking about the things that are important to homeschoolers can offer a great sense of peace and comfort.  Just knowing that so many other people share the same experiences and, often, the same worries and frustrations is truly priceless.

There are many conventions to choose from all across the US.  From local conventions hosted by homeschooling groups to the larger, regional conferences bringing in tens of thousands of families, every major city is bound to have some type of homeschooler event coming up.

Below, you’ll find a list of some of the largest conventions in the country. However, you can find just as much help and support at smaller events as well — so look for those in your area, too.

MIDWEST Homeschool Convention
March 31-April 2, 2011 Cincinnati, OH
http://www.cincinnatihomeschoolconvention.com/speakers/

WHO Convention
June 17-18, 2011, Puyallup, WA
http://washhomeschool.org/convention/convention.html

2011 Southeast Homeschool Expo
July 29-30, 2011, Marietta, GA
http://www.southeasthomeschoolexpo.com/

2011 CHAP Homeschool Convention
Hosted by: Christian Homeschool Association of Pennsylvania
May 13-14, 2011, Harrisburg, PA
http://convention.chaponline.com/

NCHE Annual Conference and Book Fair
Hosted by: North Carolinians for Home Education
May 26-28, 2011, Winston-Salem, NC
http://nche.com/conference

2011 Annual Homeschool Convention
Hosted by: ENOCH of New Jersey
June 17-18, 2011, Edison, NJ
http://www.enochnj.org/index.php/

HEAV Virginia Homeschooling Convention
Hosted by: Home Educators Association of Virginia
June 9-11, 2011, Richmond, Virginia
http://www.heav.org/convention/index.html

FPEA Homeschool Convention
Hosted by: Florida Parent Educators Association
May 26-28, 2011, Kissimmee, FL
http://www.fpea.com/Convention/index.htm

Annual Michigan Home Education Conference
Hosted by: Information Network for Christian Homes
May 20-21, 2011, Lansing, MI
https://inch.hosting-advantage.com/convention/

Northwest Arkansas Convention
Hosted by: The Education Alliance
May 20-21, 2011 in Searcy, AR
August 4-5, 2011 in Siloam Springs, AR
http://conventions.arkansashomeschool.org/

[Photos: Moreau]

Written by Marie-Claire · Categorized: Homeschool · Tagged: conference, events

Jan 26 2011

Science fairs

 

It’s science fair season!  For schools, that is.  Students from coast to coast will be spending the next two to three months conducting research, writing reports and designing display boards.

Homeschooled kids enjoy science fairs, too.  There is nothing like a little competition to get creative juices flowing and showcase the talents of budding scientists and engineers.

Some districts allow homeschoolers to participate in science fairs along with public schooled kids.  If you’d like your child to compete against district kids, find out how to sign up.

But sometimes, parents prefer that their homeschoolers compete only against other homeschoolers.  That’s fine, too.  See if there is already a science fair going on in your region.  If not, get a couple of parents together and start one of your own.

There are plenty of resources for science fairs, both in print and online.  You’ll find books full of great science fair ideas, plus guides for how to pull the project off. 

Get started by visiting Discovery Education’s “Science Fair Central“.  There, you’ll find everything that students, parents, teachers and coordinators need to know about science fairs, including project ideas, display tips, and even judging sheets for scoring.

Keep in mind that homeschooler science fairs don’t have to be limited to science.  Yes, you heard that right.  By calling it a “Project Fair” instead, you can allow all kinds of projects to be entered, dividing entries into categories for individual scoring.

Though most science fairs do have winners, judging is optional, too.  For the very young, you can choose to award certificates to all students just for participating.  Or, every child can receive a ribbon or medal.  Judging just the older students will take the pressure off of parents of younger kids, while allowing them to get a flavor for what a science fair is all about.

When judging older students, divide projects into age groups or project categories, according to your guidelines.  Then, reward all students with praise, but award only the most extraordinary projects ribbons or trophies.

Science fair projects can be woven into the regular at-home curriculum, completed in a student’s spare time, or families may choose to drop everything and work on just the science project for an extended period of time.  However you do it, it’s a great experience that many homeschoolers will enjoy.

[Photo: Classroom Clip Art]

Written by Marie-Claire · Categorized: Homeschool · Tagged: elementary, events, extracurricular, high school, middle school, science

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