Over the years, I've seen many teen homeschooling families turn to brick-and-mortar schools for high school learning. Sometimes it's because the teen craves increased peer interactions. Sometimes it's because the parents need to work outside the home or feel unprepared to mentor high school learning. Sometimes it's a combination of all three! Often, those families wish they could find the support they need without sacrificing the personalized learning piece of homeschooling.
If this sounds like you, the Princeton Learning Cooperative (PLC) could be the solution you seek. Check out this PLC Documentary created by PLC'er Konstantin von Schroder.
Full disclosure: I happily serve on PLC's Advisory Board.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Bill Nye vs. Ken Ham
Should evolution be part of the science curriculum? How about creationism? I'm looking forward to hearing the pros and cons during tonight's debate between Bill Nye the Science Guy and Ken Ham. The debate will be live-streamed at debatelive.org at 7 p.m. Afterward, I invite you to continue the conversation in the comments section of my blog--did the debate confirm your position, change your position, or leave you questioning your choices?
Friday, January 31, 2014
Teen Opportunities at McCarter Theatre
| I'm a big fan of McCarter Theatre in Princeton. Not only do we regularly attend their productions, but all of my children took classes there and both of my daughters worked for them. So I am happy to pass along this announcement about an upcoming audition (Monday, February 10th) for aspiring teen actors (13-16, non-equity) who live in the greater Princeton area. The plays are 2 classics-The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro-and will be performed in repertory from April 1st through May 4th. In addition to the opportunity to perform in the Ensemble, the announcement (scroll down to the bottom) includes details about applying for a summer volunteer apprenticeship. McCarter is offering the following apprenticeships:
I hope you'll let us know if you join the cast of The Figaro Plays so we can look for you on stage!
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Monday, January 6, 2014
Parents, Teens and Starting College
Happy 2014!
Our college-bound high school seniors have submitted (or are close to submitting!) their college applications and our college students are home for winter break, so this seems to be an appropriate time to talk about the question parents most often ask me: How can I best prepare my teen for college?
Parents are usually asking me about the academic piece--what should teens be learning and what's the best way to learn it? The answer to that question is wide-ranging and varies according to each teen's skills, abilities, and goals-- if that's the question you would like me to answer, shoot me an email and we'll set up an appointment!
But an equally important question is: How can we best prepare teens for independent living? In other words, how can teens learn the time management and self-discipline skills that are so crucial for success in college and in life?
The short answer: it's a process, and like any skill, the more you practice, the more capable you become. This KCUR-NPR interview of psychologist Wes Crenshaw and current college freshmen offers insights into the freshman college experience along with helpful advice on how to prepare for success.
Our college-bound high school seniors have submitted (or are close to submitting!) their college applications and our college students are home for winter break, so this seems to be an appropriate time to talk about the question parents most often ask me: How can I best prepare my teen for college?
Parents are usually asking me about the academic piece--what should teens be learning and what's the best way to learn it? The answer to that question is wide-ranging and varies according to each teen's skills, abilities, and goals-- if that's the question you would like me to answer, shoot me an email and we'll set up an appointment!
But an equally important question is: How can we best prepare teens for independent living? In other words, how can teens learn the time management and self-discipline skills that are so crucial for success in college and in life?
The short answer: it's a process, and like any skill, the more you practice, the more capable you become. This KCUR-NPR interview of psychologist Wes Crenshaw and current college freshmen offers insights into the freshman college experience along with helpful advice on how to prepare for success.
Friday, December 20, 2013
McCarter Theatre Costume Design Contest
If your teen is passionate about clothing or costume design, then check out Project Fences: Costume Design Competition sponsored by McCarter Theatre. The contest is open to homeschoolers and the deadline for submissions is Jan. 3, 2014. Happy Designing!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
School is Optional
I am so happy to share this TEDx Talk by North Star's Ken Danford. I encourage everyone to watch the video, but I especially encourage those of you who are:
- a teen or the parent of a teen who is unhappy at school
- a homeschooling teen or parent whose friends, neighbors, or relatives question your choice to homeschool
- a teen or parent of a teen who wonders whether it's possible to lead a happy, fulfilled life (including attending college and/or becoming gainfully employed in your chosen career) without attending traditional school
Enjoy!
Thursday, December 5, 2013
GED Update
It's official: yesterday the Christie Administration announced that the NJ State Board of Education has approved the changes to the GED I discussed here on November 2. Beginning in January 2014, three providers will offer the adult education assessment exam in NJ. There are currently 30 authorized testing centers, many of which are located on community college campuses.
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