Homeschooling in Williamson County: 2015

Franklin Guitar Teacher Marty Keith Offers Lessons to New Students

Screenshot of Marty Keith playing on ABC's Nashville

Start something new in the new year: guitar lessons!

Franklin full-time guitar teacher (and homeschool dad!), Marty Keith is accepting new students.

Besides guitar, Marty also offers lessons on bass guitar, ukulele, stage performance, songwriting, and artist development. Adult students are welcome, too! Rental guitars are available for a small fee.

Marty offers first lesson free for homeschoolers. Lessons are 30-minutes, once a week and cost $130 per month (no extra charge on 5-week months.) Hour lessons are available for advanced students.

Marty is conveniently located just half a mile off I-65 (Exit 65, Hwy. 96) in Franklin. Email: johnmartinkeith@hotmail [dot] com or call: 615-415-1942

If you would like more information about Marty's teaching, references from fellow homeschooling families, or more information about his faith and ministry, please check out Marty’s blog or his website.

Free and Educational Music Experiences For Students by Jennifer Smeltser

Homeschooling allows you to introduce your children to a number of experiences. One of the things I enjoy about homeschooling is the opportunity to include fine arts, which is a subject that has been largely eliminated in many of the public schools. We have seen a number of plays; visited museums and listened to music performed by some of the finest orchestras in Tennessee.

Each year, more than 20,000 students attend Young People's Concerts at the Nashville Symphony. The concerts are free and open to public, private and homeschool students. The concerts are just one of the many ways the organization strives to introduce; include and educate students in the area of music.

There are a number of programs for children that continue into the 2016. Some of them fill up quickly, so it is best to make your reservations or register as soon as possible.

Young People’s Concerts
These concerts are geared toward students in specific grade levels, which ensure the performances are ones that will be enjoyed by those attending. There is curriculum that complements each performance and includes the video “Let’s Go to the Symphony”, lessons plans and music selections. These concerts fill quickly and

The Nashville Symphony. Photo credit: Mickey Dobo, courtesy of The Nashville Symphony.

With no disrespect to Thanksgiving, if you want to enjoy Christmas events in December, you have to make your plans now. There are a number of events that will be happening in and around Williamson County. Some require reservations, because events sell out quickly. Others just need to be considered as we plan our calendar, because you will not be able to do everything. The Christmas season is a time to spend with family. Fortunately, there are many events that can be enjoyed by all ages.

Have you got a train lover?

The NorthPole Express with Santa returns leaving out of Nashville and round trips through Lebanon. The two and one half hour, 64 mile train ride will satisfy your train lover with a scenic ride through Tennessee. Other passengers include Santa and his elves, along with carolers singing many Christmas songs that have become favorites over the years. Regular, first-class and dome seating, an ultimate panoramic view, are available. December 5 and 12.

It’s music to my ears.

Any opportunity I have to take my children to the symphony, I do so. Yes, children can enjoy classical music. The Nashville Symphony has three productions you and your children will enjoy. Using familiar stories like Home Alone and A Charlie Brown Christmas, they will be able to make a connection through classical

As I was looking for a fall family field trip, I discovered a wealth of resources in our very own state.

Fifteen years.

I decided fifteen years was too long to pass between trips to the Natchez Trace. Honestly, I didn’t think we really had the time to take off for a trip. We’d already taken a few days to go to the beach, and it’s hard to get 80 days in before December if you’re taking trips every month.

However, I sometimes forget as a homeschooling family you’re always learning wherever you go. Some trips you can count as homeschooling days.

When planning a family field trip, I always look for specific criteria.

• A trip that takes no more than 4 hours to get there.

• Cities with decent and affordable accommodations .

• Fun, educationally appropriate activities for the kids.

• Grocery stores to buy necessities such as sandwich fixings and snacks.

• A few perks: After all it is a getaway. Hotels that provide breakfast or hot tubs to relax in after a day of hiking can make it more of a family vacation and not just another day of homeschooling.

The more I see of Tennessee,

Homeschool Buyers Co-op Provides Low Cost Homeschool Curriculum and Resources

Add the Homeschool Buyers Co-op to your list of go-to homeschool resources. According to their website:

The Homeschool Buyers Co-op is the world's largest buyers club for homeschooling families. Founded in 2005, we are family-owned and operated business dedicated to providing top-quality curriculum at the lowest price possible.

Thanks to Lisa for the tip!

Special Event for Homeschoolers at Barnes & Noble Cool Springs

While Educator Appreciation continues with additional discounts, we would also like to invite all area Homeschoolers for a special event on Thursday October 15, 2015 at 11:00AM. We will be providing demonstrations of our new Maker Faire products and will have our new Da Vinci Jr. 3-D printer and littleBits electronic building blocks available for demonstration from 11 to noon. In addition you can also register to win prizes!

Job Opportunities for Homeschoolers at Chick-fil-A Thoroughbred Square

Chick-fil-A Thoroughbred Square is committed to creating a positive and productive work environment for all of our employees. This environment aids us in our ultimate goal of providing a remarkable experience for everyone who walks through our doors. We are always looking for highly motivated individuals who are passionate about service to join our team. As one of the premier Chick-fil-A locations in the Southeast, you will be a member of an award-winning team focused on both personal and professional excellence. We offer competitive pay, employee scholarships, and guaranteed Sundays off for all shifts and positions. Our flexible scheduling is ideal for homeschool and tutorial students as well as parents. Interested applicants can download an application here and submit it in person anytime. We hope to see you soon!

Belle Meade Plantation Homeschool History Club

Belle Meade Plantation's Home School History Club is open to young learners Pre-K through 12th Grade. Each month the Club explores and experiences different aspects of American history through interactive games and activities, projects, and lessons.

Registration will be available through the Gamma Gazette Newsletter. Click Here to receive Gamma Gazette.

For more information click here to e-mail the Club or click here to find out more about other Home School Events happening this Fall.

Write It Right on National Punctuation Day ~ by Jennifer Smeltser

On Thursday, September 24, Jeff Rubin and his wife, Norma, will celebrate National Punctuation Day (NPD), which is an event they created more than 10 years ago. You may wonder why they would create such an event, and the logical explanation is because “Punctuation counts. A misplaced comma can alter the meaning of a message.”

As homeschoolers, we do understand the importance of punctuation and it’s proper use. There is nothing worse than reading a sentence with punctuation gone haywire.

How many of you just cringed while reading the previous paragraph? Believe me; it was just as difficult for me to write as it was for you to read.

Let us try that again.

As homeschoolers, we do understand the importance of punctuation and its proper use. Is that better?

4-H Eagle Homeschool Club is open to all homeschool families with students in 4-12th grade. We meet once a month during the school year providing hands on learning activities, contest that teach life skills including public speaking, and opportunities to serve the community. We also have a “Clover Buds” group for younger students and siblings, this group meets at the same time as the Eagle Homeschool group. We have an optional potluck lunch at noon before our meeting, bring a dish to share & enjoy some fellowship!

Our first meeting will be Wed. Sept. 16, 2015 at 1:00-2:30pm at the Ag. Expo Park, 4215 Long Lane, Franklin, TN. Free to join!

For more information, visit our website or contact 4-H Agent Mary Beth Antunes by email: mlee60 at utk dot edu or by phone 615 790 5721.

Looking for a Homeschool Cub Scout Pack?

Cub Scout Pack 747 is a Home School oriented Pack and invites you to join us for our Round Up at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 at Forest Hills United Methodist Church located at 1250 Old Hickory Blvd, Brentwood, TN.

To learn more about Cub Scout Pack 747, visit our website or visit the Cub Scouts website.

Thanks,
Kris Thurman
Cubmaster, Pack 747
615.491.8623
kristhurman5 at gmail dot com

Franklin Homeschool Mom Signs Publishing Deal

In February, I wrote a post here on HomeschoolingWC called When Homeschool Moms Write Novels. In it I talked about the side gig that helps support my homeschool. Well, that side gig has swelled into a career and I wanted to share some news, hoping to inspire other moms to pursue their passions.

If you read The Land Uncharted, you know the Uncharted storyline begins in the year 2025 in a hidden land that was settled in the 1860s by Americans. In the Uncharted series, the characters refer to their history as the founders’ story. Tidbits of the founders’ story are given throughout the Uncharted books and many readers have expressed their desire to read the story of how the founders came to the Land.

*~*~*~ Good news! ~*~*~*

I spent last winter writing the first book of the founders’ story. It’s titled Aboard Providence. I’m super excited to let you know that I’ve signed Aboard Providence with

The Natural History Educational Company of the Midsouth

"Physics of Flight" the educational animal program with Bob Tarter will be at Williamson County Public Library August 6, 2015. There will be 3 shows: 2:30pm, 4:00pm, and 6:00pm.

From WCPL:
Come meet and learn about owls, hawks, and more! "Physics of Flight" offers a fascinating view of nature’s first fliers, or “gliders”, and how they uniquely navigate their habitat. Come and meet live birds and other animals that fly!

It's back-to-school planning time and for homeschool families, lesson planning can often take longer than teaching. As a homeschool parent, I get it. I'm a professional guitar teacher, but in our homeschool I am the Science and Bible teacher. I know what it's like to spend 20 minutes prepping something for science class and it only gets a 20 second spotlight in the actual lesson. Combine all the subjects and that's a lot of prep time to meet the 4 hours per day of school children's needs.

That's one of the bonus benefits of music lessons for homeschoolers. Let's say your child takes guitar lessons from me as part of their education. It's a 30-minute lesson, but to truly learn an instrument, students need to practice at least 30-minutes everyday. That takes care of 2 1/2 hours of school time every week!

I am currently scheduling students for the new school year and have a few openings available (ages 6 and up). Lessons are 30-minutes, once a week and cost $25 per lesson. ($100 for a 4-week month, $125 for a 5-week month.) Hour lessons are available for advanced students. Besides guitar, I also offer lessons on bass guitar, ukulele, stage performance, songwriting, and artist development. Adult students are welcome, too!

I'm located just half a mile off I-65 (Exit 65, Hwy. 96) in Franklin. If you'd like to add guitar lessons to your homeschool plan this year, call me, Marty Keith, at 615 415 1942 or email johnmartinkeith at hotmail dot com

Here's what some of my students and their parents have to say

FOR INFO:

Franklin PD Teen Academy

Fun, Educational and Free Field Trips to Plan This School Year By Jennifer Smeltser

Going on field trips is a big part in the lives of homeschoolers. If you are anything like me, you are probably always looking for an excuse to just go somewhere. There are a lot fun and educational places to visit in the Williamson County area. Did you know many of them have free admission days for your children, and sometimes you, to enjoy everything the venues have to offer?

The following is a list of locations in or around the Williamson County area. It is not exhaustive, but gives you a starting point for

Register now for the July classes at the Growing Kids Educational Garden which includes a visit to meet the pigs and cows at Bear Creek Farm. Classes at the Growing Kids garden give children a fun way to learn more about where food comes from; why fresh veggies can help them to be healthy and strong and how their garden can actually benefit the environment. Classes are free and designed for kids from kindergarten through 4th grade.

Class size is limited.

Get more info and register for classes now!

Thanks to Lisa Tidwell of The Franklin Farmers Market Educational Foundation for sharing the Growing Kids information with us!

Barnes & Noble Cool Springs Launches Second Annual Get Pop-Cultured™ Celebration

A Month-Long Series of Events You Won’t Want to Miss Starting July 1, 2015

Barnes & Noble is launching the second annual Get Pop-Cultured with Barnes & Noble celebration on July 1, a month-long series of events you won’t want to miss. Get Pop-Cultured with Barnes & Noble was first established in 2014 to bring to life customers’ favorite books, characters, movies, artists, illustrators and pop-culture icons with themed events, author signings, panel discussions, contests, exclusive content, giveaways and prizes, sneak peeks, activities, and more. This year it continues and features an even more expansive lineup of events, appearances, giveaways and more, including weekly Throwback Thursdays celebrating a different decade every week from the 50s through the 90s, a To Kill a Mockingbird Read-A-Thon, a Minions Fun event, Manga Mania, Fan Girl Friday, Vinyl Day, James Patterson Day a Dr. Seuss Spectacular and many more unique events and promotions all throughout July.

There is no question that human trafficking has been a recurring headline in recent years as people become more aware of the scope and magnitude of this industry, both domestically and abroad. When we face statistics such as 21 million lives held in captivity and a $32 billion industry that is thriving, our common response is to feel numb and helpless.

One local organization, Freedom’s Promise, is challenging us to recognize that we aren’t helpless by inviting us to join in the fight against child

Have you considered homeschooling? By Jennifer Smeltser

When parents choose to homeschool their children, a lot of thought usually goes into the process before making the decision. Homeschooling is not for the faint of heart, but that does not mean you should not consider the challenge if you are feeling led to take the lead role in your child’s education. With the growing number of families seeking alternatives to public school, many common questions arise. If you have considered homeschooling as an option, the answers to the following questions may help you in making your decision.

Is homeschooling legal?

What started out as a novel about an ordinary boy growing up in a small Kentucky town, quickly escalated into a ten book series about a world hidden below the earth—a place where goodness grows in unique garden communities, and evil fights to walk among them. I wanted to provide a clean read with spiritual allegory that was not only appropriate for tweens, but also exciting, relevant, and an alternative to some of the more popular contemporary titles. It shouldn’t have surprised me when I received the following from a parent in Nebraska: Lauren, my family loved your first book, and are looking forward to the second! We are a homeschooling family and chose to use it as a read aloud.

Don't miss the Thompson's Station Homeschool Curriculum Sale!

Saturday May 23, 2015

8am – Noon

Half-Price Sale: Noon – 3pm

2855 Sutherland Drive Thompson’s Station, TN 37179

Homeschool Curriculum: ABeka, Alpha Omega, Apologia, Answers in Genesis, BJU Press, Handwriting Without Tears, MathUSee, My Father’s World, Memoria Press, Rod and Staff, Singapore Math, Sonlight, Story of the World, Teaching Textbooks & more!
Books: children’s books, parenting books, board books, & general interest books.
DVDs and CDs

When your school laboratory is the same kitchen you prepare your family’s dinners in every evening, the word “experiment” can be a little unsettling. Visions of fires, explosions, and poisonous gases may dance in your head. Still, we know that science is at its best when it jumps off the pages of the textbook and allows students to experience it firsthand.

Here are a few things to think of when planning at-home science experiments:

1. You don’t have to break the bank.
There are a lot of great companies out there that you can order

Hi Happy Homeschoolers!

I'm just popping in to share a few links to summer reading programs:

Kids in Grades 1-6 can earn a free book with Barnes & Noble's Summer Reading Program.

Williamson County Public Library has a Summer Reading Program.

Sylvan's Book Adventure program encourages reading by allowing kids K-8 to earn prizes.

Williamson County Homeschool Eagle 4-H Club by Lindsey Scott

Tennessee 4-H is the youth development program directed by UT Extension, with a current enrollment of approximately 200,000 4-H’ers statewide. 4-H provides opportunities for students to grow their leadership and citizenship skills and to learn more about the world around them through numerous activities and events. One of those events is 4-H State Congress. The 68^th Annual Tennessee State 4-H Congress was held March 22–25, 2015 in Murfreesboro and Nashville. Williamson County was represented by 11 active 4-H’ers, among whom were several homeschoolers, including myself. Our county delegates were among the several hundred

Freedom's Promise Benefit Concert at the Franklin Theatre

Join Freedom's Promise at the Franklin Theatre for Collaboration for a cause Thursday, May 14, 2015.

And for a limited time, groups of 10 or more receive their tickets at a reduced price of $75 instead of $100!

Purchase tickets here.

PLEASE CONTACT info at freedomspromise dot org for additional ticketing options or questions.

Based in Nashville, TN, Freedom's Promise is dedicated to the prevention of human trafficking and child exploitation through individualized community development programs and local awareness events providing education and opportunities to join the fight!

Free Classes At The Growing Kids Educational Garden

From Lisa at The Growing Kids Educational Garden:

There's nothing like the taste of

a fresh strawberry, especially

when you picked it yourself.

Picking fresh berries is just one of things happening in May for the children at the Growing Kids Educational Garden.

The classes at the Growing Kids Educational Garden are a fun way for kids to learn more about where food comes from; why fresh veggies can help them to be healthy and strong and how their garden can benefit the environment. Classes are free and designed for kids from kindergarten through 4th grade. The classes in May include a special Strawberry Day, with a visit to Delvin Farms for the kids to learn all about the berries and pick some delicious ones to take home too.

Class size is limited.

Get more info and register for classes now!

The Growing Kids Educational Garden plays a vital role

in the mission of the Franklin Farmers Market Educational Foundation,

a 501 c 3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing agricultural-based

education for health, sustainable food systems and environmental stewardship.

Many thanks to our friends at the

Williamson Farmers Co-op

for their support of the Growing Kids Educational Garden.

Homeschool Teacher Appreciation Day

Tomorrow, April 23, 2015, is Homeschool Teacher Appreciation Day. I didn't even know this was a thing, but there's a website and hashtag (#HSTA) and Google hangouts with webinars. Who knew!

Here is a page of freebies to get the kids involved.

Bethel Family Academy Now Accepting Applications

Bethel Family Academy (BFA) is a one or two day a week Homeschool Supplemental Program and Tutorial for K-6th Grades
Located in Brentwood and a ministry of Bethel World Outreach Church. BFA meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am-3pm  September through mid-May.

2015 Nashville Curriculum Fair Presented by MTHEA

It's almost that time again! Yep, the Nashville 2015 Curriculum Fair presented by Middle Tennessee Home Education Association will be May 15 & 16 at the Nashville Expo Center of the TN State Fairgrounds.

Here's a little info from Kelly at MTHEA:

Hours:
Friday, May 15, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday, May 16, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Renew your MTHEA Membership and Register Early!

Fair Entrance for NEW 2015-2016 members:
*Pre-register before April 20th: $15/family for both or

Spanky's Driving Academy is hosting a meet-and-greet for homeschool students Wednesday, April 15, 2015 at 10:00AM.

If you're interested in driver's ed, this is the perfect opportunity to meet the instructors, tour the facility, and find out what Spanky's Driving Academy is all about.

The meet-and-greet will be held at:
Spanky's Driving Academy
128 Holiday Court, Suite #123
Franklin, TN 37067

Call for more information: (615) 530-5139
email: SpankysDrivingAcademy at gmail dot com

New Developments with TSSAA and Homeschoolers by Ken Shreeve

On March 11, 2015 the TSSAA Legislative Council voted to revise the Home School Rule in their Bylaws. Below are the specific revisions made to the Rule. The portions removed are shown with ~~strike-through~~ text and the additions are in bold.

Article II

Section 25.

A. Definitions

A “home school” is a school conducted by a parent(s) or legal guardian(s) for their own child. To be a “home school” for the purposes of this bylaw, the child must be registered with the LEA that the child would otherwise attend if

DEER RUN HOMESCHOOL FAMILY DAY CAMP

Friday April 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

$10 per person, Free for ages 4 & under

Experience a day of camp with your family!

Advance registration is recommended.

Activities include…

Hayride • Nature Craft • Science Scavenger Hunt • Self-guided Hiking
Creek Splashin' • Playground • Gaga Ball • Sand Volleyball
Hover Ball • Fishing Tutorial and Catch & Release Fishing
Archery & BB Guns • Climbing Tower • Nine Square

New Activities for 2015

Elite Dance is now accepting registrations for 2015 Summer Performing Arts Camps, Dance Intensive Workshops & Summer Classes! For our Summer Dance Intensive Workshops, we have invited several amazing guest choreographers.

We are so excited to be teaming up with "BRICKED" in Franklin to offer our first ever "HIP HOP AND BUILDING BLOCKS" Camps this summer! This camp will include creative adventures with LEGO® building activities, games, hip hop and tumbling for girls and boys. More exciting camp themes for this summer include Frozen, Cinderella, American Girls Beach Party, and Angelina Ballerina.

Anyone interested in auditioning for our 2015-16 Competition Teams are highly encouraged to take all of the summer workshops as well as summer classes in order to continue progressing. In order to audition dancers are REQUIRED to take one of the options listed below...

1. 2 Summer Workshops & at least 4 weeks of Summer Class

2. 1 Summer Workshop & at least 6 weeks of Summer Class

3. 4 Summer Workshops

Early Bird Camp/Workshop & Summer Class Registration:

The Fisk-Vanderbilt Roadshow Planetarium will be at the Brentwood Library on Saturday, April 11, 2015.

By projecting a representation of the night sky onto the dome’s interior, students learn about the constellations and various mythologies, the nature of stars, the Sun-Earth-Moon system, the Solar System planets and their motions.

There are 4 showings and registration is required. Call 615-371-0090, ext. 8290 or register online by selecting the appropriate showing:

10:00am - Ages 6-7 (Must be 6 by August 31)

10:30am - Ages 8-12

11:00am - Ages 6-7 (Must be 6 by August 31)

11:30am - Ages 8-12

Deer Run Camps Open House

It's almost time for summer camp at Deer Run. They are holding an open house Sunday, April 12, 2015 from 2:00-4:00PM. This is a come-and-go guided walking tour. See the camp and meet some of the staff. For details, visit Deer Run's website.

Homeschoolers Eligible for Barnes & Noble's Educator Discount Card

I've added Barnes & Noble's Educator Appreciation Days to our events calendar. And thanks to Robbie Bryan, our local B&N Community Relations Manager, for the reminder that home educators are eligible for Barnes & Noble's Educator Discount Card, which provides a discount on educational products year round. (Apply for the free card in store.)

B&N is also holding an Educator Open House Friday, April 17, 2015 at 3:30pm-6:00pm. Stop by for free educational goodies and enter their drawing for a $500 gift card.

Homeschool Mom Shares the Beginning of Her Adoption Journey

Today, I’m interviewing Vickie Hubbell. Vickie is a Thompson’s Station homeschooling mother of three. She and her husband, C.J., are in the process of adopting two children from Uganda.

Welcome to HomeschoolingWC, Vickie. Adopting is a huge endeavor. What made you decide to try to expand your family through adoption?
For years we have wanted to adopt and always felt it wasn’t the right timing, but we know for sure this is God’s timing! We may not have a lot of space in our home but we do have a lot of love to give. We are all so excited about expanding our family!

International adoption can be especially complicated. Why Uganda?
A good friend of ours started an orphanage in Uganda and we have been sponsoring a little boy there. She has just recently signed up with an agency so that she can do international adoptions and we were selected to be a part of a pilot program.

Guitar Lessons Are Awesome! by Marty Keith

What do Taylor Swift, The Beatles, Chris Tomlin, and Steven Curtis Chapman all have in common? Three things actually. They play multiple instruments, they each started learning at a young age, and I teach their music to my students.

I love music. I love the guitar… and bass… and ukulele. I love teaching these instruments. There is satisfaction in knowing that I get to pass on to a new generation of students all of the wonderful things I have learned as a professional musician. I am a recording artist and have toured all over the United States for 20 years. I will do so as long as the Lord allows me to. But eventually, I will not be able to do it any more and neither will Taylor Swift or Chris Tomlin. Someone will have to fill that position. My goal is to help students

Entering the high school years can be cause for a freak-out moment. However, looking back from a future vantage point, many parents and tutors agree that students who are prepared with a few key tools can transition well into high school.

So here’s your magic WAND:

Writing
Much of high school requires written communication. Being able to write a well-developed paragraph by 6th grade (with a clear topic sentence and supporting facts), moving into three paragraphs by 7th grade, and the traditional five-paragraph essay by 8th grade can be a huge help for high school and beyond.

Bag of Tricks: If your student struggles to get words onto a blank

Due to winter weather damage, Dyer Observatory still closed until further notice. The March Telescope Night has been cancelled, and tickets that have already been purchased will be refunded. See website for more information.

Vocal and Piano Teacher for Spring Hill Area ~ Cindy Statham

My name is Cindy Statham and I am a songwriter, arranger & performer, but I love to teach! I've been playing piano and singing as long as I can remember and have sung all over the world. I moved to Nashville from Atlanta GA in 1984 and was involved in the music business until I got married and started a family. I set all of it aside except for teaching. Now that the kids are in their twenties, I am pitching my songs again, writing and arranging. My teaching style is very practical, mainly because this is Music City! With piano I teach reading notes as well as reading lead sheets/chord charts, composing, arranging, and ear training. With vocal coaching, I teach the classical fundamentals of correct breathing and proper technique, and everything after that is "stylizing." I believe you can sing any style out there correctly. I charge $35/hour if you come to me and $40/hour if I come to you. I only travel in the Spring Hill area. Feel free to email me at cindystatham74 at gmail dot com.

Creative Writing Lesson Ideas by Christina Yother, PhD

Ask most students in a traditional school environment and they’ll likely tell you that there is little room for creativity in their daily curriculum. So much information must be covered and crammed into a short time to prepare for the overwhelming amount of standardized testing they’ll take in the span of a school year. Many students will go one step further and exclaim that they hate writing. They dread the 5-Paragraph essay, the closing sentence, the reference pages, the topics, and the checklist of requirements. They roll their eyes at rubrics and book reports and research papers, often waiting until the last possible moment to try to pull off yet another writing assignment. College writing is

Summer is on the way, and while it may indeed be time for a vacation, summertime also may be the best time for students to catch up, keep up or move up in their studies. Without distractions of after-school activities or splitting limited study time over a full course load, summertime presents a great opportunity to make up lost ground or get ahead, according to the professional educators at the Learning Lab.

Catch Up, Keep Up, Move Up
If your child needs to make up a failed or missing course, earn extra course credit or improve critical skills in reading, math or studying in general, then summer learning may be just what he or she needs

From High School Teacher to Homeschooling Mom by Joni Nichols

My mother used to get choked up when she saw a yellow school bus. She started off teaching in the inner-city--children for whom her classroom was a refuge. I went on to become a public school teacher, too, though the yellow school bus always seemed like a nightmare to me.

Both of my parents were public-school teachers. I never intended to become one, but the bug passed on to me, when in college, I wanted to help kids discover the joy of writing that I had discovered.

Hello homeschooling families! My name is Ben Steckly and I recently opened a music school in Cool Springs called the Nashville Piano Academy. Here’s why:

Prior to living in Nashville, I taught piano in Texas in a wonderful network of music teachers. Last year I moved to Nashville to work in music publishing. As I spent more time getting to know families around the Nashville/Franklin area, I began to get the feeling that many of the music educations their children were receiving were not taking full advantage of the host of opportunities that can be found in “Music City.” It then became my mission to not only educate students about music, but show them how music plays a role in the

We are so happy to be able to talk with you today about the wonders of essential oils! As natural wellness providers, we have been familiar with the use of essential oils for all kinds of ailments both physical and emotional. In the past we have used several different companies and had marginal results so we kind of dropped off from using them at all for a while. Last year we were introduced to doTERRA by a friend who felt like they were something we would be interested in. Honestly we

When Homeschool Moms Write Novels by Keely Brooke Keith

When I started this website, one of my goals was to provide a platform where Williamson County area homeschool parents and students could let the community know about the products and services they provide to fund their homeschooling. So far, I've posted articles from homeschool parents who teach archery lessons, sell essential oils, tutor other students, write children's literature, and teach driver's ed and from homeschool graduates who now teach everything from fencing to violin.

I'm continually amazed by the posts from other parents and the wealth of talent in our community. I didn't plan to chime in myself, but I'm currently preparing for the launch of my second novel and my uber-supportive husband suggested I write a post on HiWC to let my neighbors and friends know about my books. So here goes...

The book launch I'm referring to is for Uncharted Redemption, the second book in the Uncharted series. This series is adult inspirational fiction and began with The Land Uncharted, which was released October 2014.

I'm a fun-driven person and all about the giveaways. So far we've given away smoothies, a massage, and a year's worth of custard on HiWC. For the next couple of weeks I'll take entries to win autographed copies of the first two books in the Uncharted series. If you'd rather buy them now, go for it and support my homeschooling. If you want to try to win them, head over to our Giveaway page and enter to win.

There you have it: when I'm not teaching homeschool lessons, I write books. What do you do between teaching homeschool lessons? Feel free to comment below or message me if you'd like to write a post about your projects.

Happy Homeschooling!
Keely

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Have you got a train lover?

It’s music to my ears.