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Types of schools:Special education,charter school and more

by Mary Ann on January 22, 2011

This is a continuation of the post, Educational options:Public, private, magnet schools and more

Charter School

What is a Charter School – The first charter school in the United States opened in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1993. Charter schools are described as a cross between public and private schools. They are granted a “charter” or contract by the local school board to operate as if it were an independent school for a period of time (usually 3-5 years). During the contract period, charter schools are given a lot of freedom from regulations that other public schools have to follow. In return for this freedom, charter schools have to produce positive academic results during the charter period or the School Board may not renew their charter.

Girl reading in Home School

What is Home School – In general, the makeup of a home-schooling family is fairly traditional. In 1999, the most recent year for which NCES (Nationa Center for Educational Statistics) has figures, some 850,000 students between the ages of 5 and 17 were being schooled at home. Approximately 697,000 of these children are schooled completely in their homes; the remaining 153,000 are schooled primarily in their homes but also go part-time to a traditional school.

The most common reason parents give for home-schooling (a reason voiced by nearly all of them) is that they feel they can provide a better education for their children at home than the schools can. Home schooling is a lifestyle and a commitment. Local home schooling groups are usually the best source of precise information about how to fulfill the requirements of the home schooling laws in your state.

What is Distance Learning – Distance learning is the use of telecommunications technologies to broadcast classes from a central location to varied locations. Since the late 1980s, it has been used in elementary and high schools. Distance learning provides access to lessons not otherwise available. This arrangement is useful for students living in remote rural areas, but it also proves effective in urban locations. Many distance learning programs are interactive and thus engage children in a way designed to hold their attention.

Montessori School

What is a Montessori School – Their namesake is a turn-of-the-century educator who preached the virtues of holistic, child-centered learning. The Montessori approach usually means no grades and an individualized curriculum that emphasizes hands-on learning. The practical application of the Montessori method is based on human tendencies— to explore, move, share with a group, to be independent and make decisions, create order, develop self-control, abstract ideas from experience, use the creative imagination, work hard, repeat, concentrate, and perfect one’s efforts. Though most are private elementary schools, a few public magnet schools specialize in the Montessori approach.

Maggie learning to read

What is Special Education – This is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students’ individual differences and needs. Common special education needs include challenges with learning, communication challenges, emotional and behavioral disorders, physical disorders, and developmental disorders. In most developed countries, educators are modifying teaching methods and environments so that the maximum number of students are served in general education environments. Special education in developed countries is often regarded less as a “place” and more as “a range of services, available in every school.”

Students with special needs can be included full time in regular classes in public and private school. They are often mainstreamed meaning, they spend specified time during the day in regular classrooms and the rest in a resource room. Some special needs students are segregated in special classrooms or separate schools. Many special needs students are educated at home.

I am sure that I missed a few options but this list should be a help to those who are trying to decide what type of education is right for their child.

If you are educating your children at home or just want to have a “blast” with your children, you might want to check out how to make a volcano for school.

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Educational options:Public, private, magnet schools and more

by Mary Ann on January 21, 2011

There are many educational options

I have received a request to define some of the educational options available to families. The list is long and it can certainly be confusing. So I did a bit of research. Here is what I found.

For parents and students, the type of education they choose is critically important. Some parents choose a public school education because they believe it will give their children a more well-rounded experience. Some may choose private educational options for their varied and creative courses of study. Some parents choose religious schools because they want a spiritual component to their child’s education. A growing number of parents are choosing home school because they feel it allows them more control over what and how their children will learn.

Each system has its advantages and drawbacks and parents make their decision based on many varied criteria. For parents and children to make informed choices, they need to understand the options.

Public School

What are public schools – The concept of providing free public education to all children was born in Boston in 1635 with the establishment of a public institution that still exists today as the Boston Latin School. By the end of the nineteenth century, public education was available to children across the country. The quality of education has always varied, from region to region. Today, public school curricula are regulated by state and local governments.

What is a magnet School – These are specialized schools within the public school system that attract certain types of students. Many magnet schools have good reputations for teaching students, especially in their specialty areas. Students in magnet schools are surrounded by students who have similar interests to them. Some magnet school programs are whole school magnets, where all students in the school participate in the magnet program. Others are programs within school (PWS) magnets, where only a portion of the students in the school participated in the magnet program.

Options for Vocational Education – Since the early twentieth century, public high schools have had work opportunities in the form of vocational education (also called occupational education). This includes shop and home economics courses, as well as courses geared toward specific occupations such as electrician, automobile mechanic or cosmetologist. Sometimes students have time out of the classroom for on the job training.

Private School

What are Parochial and Private Schools – Private schools do not rely on government funding. They are supported by tuition and by grants from charitable organizations and in the case of religious schools, by religious institutions. Private schools include nonsectarian schools and religious schools covering many denominations.

Some parents are willing to pay a tuition cost because they feel it is worth what they perceive as a stronger academic climate and more one-on-one teaching. In the case of religious schools spiritual curricula can be taught that cannot be taught in the public school system.

Independent Schools

What are Independent schools – These are private, nonprofit schools governed by elected boards of trustees. This category includes such famous private schools as Andover and Exeter. Independent schools draw their funds from tuition payments, charitable contributions, and endowments rather than from taxes or church funds. Many accept boarding as well as day students.

What are Proprietary schools – These are private schools that are run for profit. This is a relatively new category of school. They do not answer to any board of trustees or elected officials. Because of this they claim to be able to respond quickly to the demands of the market.

Trust me, the list of options is long so I will give you the rest tomorrow. : ) Special education,charter school and more

While you are learning about learning options you may want more information on Standardized testing pros and cons

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The Home School Coach is on Twitter

by Mary Ann on January 21, 2011

Well it has finally happened! I have made another step into the world of technology. I have an active Twitter account. This may not seem like a big deal to many of you but you can’t imagine the stretch it has been for me.

Since I discovered the joy of The Spark Station and the life changing effects of the five principles I have had a huge desire to share. I realized that just talking to people one on one was not going to accomplish the desire of my heart, for families to have a magical learning space in their homes and to love being with one another. That was going to take more.

With fear and trembling I thought about a blog. I found some wonderful help and here I have this beautiful site where I can share the feelings of my heart and the knowledge I have acquired over the years. I cried some tears of frustration as I learned to navigate this new territory.

Then I found more help in the form of wonderful experts who knew how to help me spread the word even better. They moved me into the world of Face book fan pages and now I have a new Twitter site. I have had to learn that it is a tweet and not a twit. Don’t laugh!

Please follow me on my new Twitter page @MaryHomeSchool. I’ll be updating everyday and you can expect to find wonderful information on home schooling and educational topics in general. There will be information and videos of general interest. In fact, this will be a very interesting twitter page to follow.

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Epiphany about moving ahead in life

by Mary Ann on January 20, 2011

Moving forward matters, not perfection

Getting started is HARD!! You know you want to move ahead, it is your plan, but you find yourself stuck, over and over again. When people are trying to implement The Spark Station or are working on making the five rules part of their lives they run into this wall – I just can’t get started.

I have a friend named Jody who has been mentoring with me. The other day she shared an epiphany that she had about moving forward and I want to share it with you.

She used an analogy of a wagon train. We each are part of the movement forward and we each have a wagon. However, we sometimes find ourselves sitting by the side of the road waiting for a better wagon to be built.

If we sit waiting for perfection we will be left behind

What is wiser is to take our weak wagon wheel, with cracked hub, and put it on our hand cart, if that is all we presently have, along with our few meager supplies get on the trail. If we sit long enough waiting for that beautiful, perfect ride, the rest of the pioneers will be long gone and we will be left behind. The ride may be bumpy and uncomfortable and less than perfect, but at least we will be moving forward. (This is a good time to remind yourself of the 1% principle found in the article Concentrate on one RIGHT thing for consistent improvement)

My friend Jody views her life as a trail that she is on even with her wobbly wheels and less than perfect wagon; better wobbly than left behind.

This applies when we are working on making adjustments to the atmosphere in our home or home school. As Jody said,. “If we wait until we have the perfect Spark Station or the perfect room to put it in, we may well be left behind. The kids will be grown and will not have had the magical experience of The Spark Station.”

This progress, even if imperfectly, is even more important for the five rules of engagement. These principles when lived will make a huge difference in our family relationships and in the level of our happiness.