Homeschool HUB News Update--November 12

Homeschool HUB News Update--November 12 Homeschool HUB phone: 269-240-6094 email: homeschoolhub@yahoo.com   website: www.hshub.org Editor: Andrea Bikfalvy   The information below is offered to you as a service.  Please research and decide for yourself the value to your family.  The Homeschool HUB does not endorse any programs or services other than those offered by the Homeschool HUB.    Send information to be added to the update no later than the Thursday before the week you want it to appear:  homeschoolhub@yahoo.com ON THE CALENDAR: Details for the following events are on the calendar at: www.calendar.yahoo.com/homeschoolhub Nov. 19--Bowling at Strikes and Spares, 1:00-3:00, $5/pp HERE'S THE BUZZ: 1) Homeschool Survey 2) Two Kitties Need a Home 3) Online Piano Lessons 4) Homescool Conventions 5) Game Night TONIGHT! 6) HUB Christmas Party 1) Homeschool Survey I am researching the pedagogy of homeschooling at the University of Minnesota (this project is funded/supported by the U of M) as part of a design project involving web applications and tools for homeschoolers. I am disseminating a survey to homeschool parents across the US to find out about certain traits about *how* homeschooling is carried out by different families. More about me: I am a homeschooling mom to my 4-yr-old daughter, and am just getting started on our journey. We live just outside the Twin Cities in Minnesota and participate in local HS groups here. I support homeschooling and educational choice and am seeking to solve some of the logistical/procedur al/technical problems that families face. *If you could, please, forward this message and link to your group members and encourage them to participate in this survey*. The survey is anonymous and the results will be used for this research and design project only, and will benefit the homeschooling community. Follow this link for survey: http://matt0477.wufoo.com/forms/homeschool-management Thanks so much! Happy homeschooling! Amy Mattson matt0477@umn. edu 2) Two kitties need a home Would you like some loving company and need to get rid of mice? Well you might want to look into adopting one of these cute, lovable kittens. Or both! They have been together for all of their lives and have adopted our friend's porch. They came very healthy and active. Since our friend doesn't live in Michigan most of the time, we have been taking care of them at our friend's barn. We had them spayed and neutered and they are ripe for adoption! We think they may be 4 months old at the most. It's not necessary for them to stay together, tho it's hard to imagine them apart. Olive is the girl. She has olive green eyes and is a gray black tiger. She loves people and loves to cuddle. She loves people so much that she would often go across the street (since there was no one home where she lived) and find someone to make happy. She's a pretty mellow little girl and has sleepy eyes that entice you to pet her. She's smaller and more petit than Aqui and she curls up in little ball when she sleeps, tucking her head under her tail. She would make an excellent inside cat. She is spayed and will be ready to go soon. Aqui  is the boy and is completely black with greenish-yellow eyes.  He is very friendly and loves to be petted and scratched. He's squirmy and can't be bothered to be held for long, but you can hear him purring from a mile away! He likes to play and is a great hunter and often brings us moles and voles. He likes to climb and look for food. He'd be great inside or outside. He's adventurous, curious, and loves attention. Sometimes Aqui sleeps on top of Olive – she doesn't seem to mind These kittens are free, have been spayed and neutered, and have been to the vet once already. The preliminary work is done! If you're interested in either one or both of these kittens, please either respond to this email or call our mom's cell phone:  219-628-4322. If you're not interested, please send this on to a bunch of friends you think would make good cat owners. And in case you're wondering, our mom says we can't keep them because we already have 2 cats. Thank you! Sam, Josie, and Ellie Burck 3) Online Piano Lessons Dear fellow homeschooling parents, My name is Melissa and I'm a piano teacher and homeschooling mom of 3 in North Brookfield, Massachusetts.  We began our homeschool journey in 2006 when our oldest two children began Kindergarten.  As with a lot of homeschooling families that I talk to, we have our good days and our not-so-great days with this experience but overall I wouldn't change a thing! I'm writing as I have a very special opportunity to offer the homeschooling community.  With technology changing the way education and business is done these days it is essential that we keep up with the growing demand for online learning.  This is why we have decided to expand and offer private piano lessons - online. Private piano lessons online work the same way as traditional, private piano lessons.  These are not recorded video lessons; they are given live via webcam with a private instructor on a weekly or biweekly basis.  The benefits of online learning are: *Comfort of home *Save money on gas *Comfort of your own instrument *Save time and aggravation fighting traffic or inclement weather commuting to lessons *Consistency – ability to keep the same instructor in the event of a move I've been offering online lessons to children and adults all over the world since October 2009 and believe most of the technical quirks have been worked out.  The quality of the video will depend on your equipment and internet speed.  I am offering a special discount (23%) to those that sign up prior to November 30, 2010.  The discounted rate will be $10 per 30-minute lesson (normally $13) and will stay at this rate through September 2011.  There will be a free online consultation prior to the first lesson to work out any kinks and be sure we can connect on time without difficultly when lessons are scheduled.  Payment is accepted via Paypal or personal check.  There is absolutely NO obligation or long term commitment. In order to register for private online lessons, you must have or be willing to acquire the following: *A computer that is able to be near your instrument *High speed internet connection (no dial-up as the video quality would be poor) *A headset that plugs into the USB port in your computer (optional) *Web camera *Piano or piano keyboard with at least 61 keys *Lesson book – I can recommend one once I learn about the student's age and musical background Enrolled students will also be given a membership to MusicLearningCommunity.com which allows them to utilize 100's of games that reinforce music theory in a fun way.  My current students enjoy being able to play these games at home and their membership also lets me see their scores.  If he/she is having difficulty with a game that reinforces rhythm (for example) I am able to prepare some activities that help my student at the next lesson. If you are interested, please contact me as soon as possible so we can discuss a time that is convenient for lessons.  I'll be happy to answer any questions that you may have as well. 4) Homescool Conventions MidSouth Homeschool Convention - Memphis, TN http://www.midsouthhomeschoolconvention.com/ SouthEast Homeschool Convention - Greenville, SC http://www.southeasthomeschoolconvention.com/ MidWest Homeschool Convention - Cincinnati, OH http://www.cincinnatihomeschoolconvention.com/ NorthEast Homeschool Convention - King of Prussia, PA http://www.northeasthomeschoolconvention.com/ 5) HUB Game Night TONIGHT Don't miss the Homeschool Hub's monthly games night and social.  Every 2nd Friday of the month (THIS FRIDAY) at 7PM at the Niles Police Complex on Silverbrook.  Bring your favorite games and a snack to share. We also have tables reserved to exchange homeschooling materials, books, household goods or whatever you think someone else might want.  For free. Bring or take. Bring any and all books, Campbell's labels, and Box Tops for Education to donate to the Hub.  Also, membership forms are available to join the hub and receive your members only Educator's Discount Card good at area merchants including Border's Books. This event is open to all area homeschool families. SEE YOU THERE! Questions? Call Donnelda Lohr 269-683-2372 6) HUB Christmas Party Our December Games Night will also be a Christmas Party!  We will have a Christmas treat exchange (cookies, candy, fudge, whatever you want to make).  Bring a minimum of 2 dozen and package them in groups of six.  Take as many home as you bring.  Bring a snack to share and your best holiday spirit.  More details to come. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LINKS TO SHARE: Toy Cars for Kids to Make http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/howtomaketoycarsartscraftsideaskids.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CLASSIFIEDS Looking for a group?  Join the HUB! There are several benefits of membership including a travel club and a resource library. Members receive first chance at events and classes when availability is limited.  The cost of membership is only $24/year.  Information about becoming a member is on the website www.hshub.org    PIANO LESSONS BY SARAH CARLSON $13/lesson, kids and adults, beginner to advanced.  Sarah was a homeschooler and has a music education degree.  She welcomes new students www.pianobysarah.com Have something for sale, free or trade?  Advertise here! Homeschool groups are welcome to advertise their group, too.  It's free! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LETTING IT RIDE: The Homeschool HUB is collecting used textbooks.  Contact Diane Day:  joharding_20@yahoo.com or 269-445-1900. The Homeschool HUB is continuing to collect Campbell Soup labels, Campbell's Chunky Soup labels, Campbell's Healthy Request labels, Campbell's Select harvest, Franco-American, Pepperidge Farm, Spaghettios, Swanson, V-8 Beverages, V-8 Fusion, Prego Italian Sauces and Campbell's Food Service.   Give your labels to any board member or bring them to our homeschool functions. --AND-- We are still accepting Boxtops for education labels.  You can find these on many products. Go to Boxtops for Education.org for more info, and then SAVE SAVE SAVE  those labels.  Each one nets 10 cents and every 10 cents adds up. You can give them to any HUB board director or bring them to any of our functions that we will be having.  Thank-you! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DISCLAIMERS: While the Homeschool HUB believes that these events or opportunities may be of value to home educators, announcements do not constitute an endorsement by the Homeschool HUB, or its Board of Directors. It is the responsibility of individual parents to determine the appropriateness of any event or opportunity for their children. Participation in any event is voluntary and the participant assumes complete responsibility and liability for themselves, their family, anyone accompanying them, and their personal property.