Text Hammer

Do you know that numbers are the key to life? Indeed numbers form the foundations of mathematics from number theory all the way up to partial differential equations. Without these curious creatures, we could not calculate, estimate, or compute (as in computer); nor could we transact any of the business that occurs daily throughout the known world. Yet most people find these most interesting entities just a bothersome part of life. Why should this be so? Well maybe a person’s ambivalence towards numbers derives from childhood frustrations experienced when struggling to learn the basics of arithmetic and the rote calculations associated with this discipline.

Lacking an appreciation for numbers can be a sad state of affairs for any person since such a condition often leads to mathematical illiteracy. As parents we should try to instill a love and curiosity for numbers into the minds of our children so that they never arrive at this blighted condition. One way we can do this is by teaching our children early on the amazing properties of numbers and some of the magical calculations that can be performed with them. Indeed the Teenage Number Trick, the Nifty Five Square Technique (see my other articles on these topics), and the techniques laid out in this article should suffice to arouse and stimulate curiosity even in the most torpid learners. Thus here we go on to introduce a calculation that permits one to square any “one” number with blinding speed. In a future article we will learn how to multiply any two arbitrary “one” numbers with no difficulty at all.

But in order to begin this short educational journey, we need to understand what we are talking about in the first place. What is a “one” number. Take a stab at it before reading further. Okay, now the definition. A “one” number is simply a number whose digits consist entirely of 1’s. Thus 1 11 111 1111 11111 are all “one” numbers. Because 1 is such a special numberin fact one of the most important constants in mathematics, much like water is one of the most important compounds in chemistryits presence as the sole digit in forming numbersthe “one” numbersmakes squaring these numbers such an easy task. Watch what I mean.

To multiply the number 11 by itself, something called “squaring 11″ or taking the square of 11, we obtain 121. Stepping up to 111, squaring we have 12321. If we square 1111, we get 1234321. I think by now the pattern has become clear to you and we can thus form a rule for squaring any “one” number: write down the digits consecutively from 1 to the number represented by the number of 1’s forming the “one” number and then count backwards from this number to 1. So in 1111, we have four 1’s. To square this number write the numbers from 1 to 4 consecutively, and then back from 4 to 1 so as not to repeat the 4 twice: 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 to get 1234321 or one million two hundred and thirty-four thousand three hundred and twenty-one. That’s all there is to it. Want a bigger example. Try 11,111 x 11, 111. How many 1’s? Five. So we get 123454321 or one hundred twenty-three million four hundred fifty-four thousand three hundred twenty-one.

If you show your kids how to do these calculations so that they can multiply and square numbers which produce results in the hundreds of millions, do you think they might have a new outlook on mathematics and their ability to master this subject? I think you’ll agree that the answer to this question is self-evident. Stay tuned for Part II which is even more amazing than this one.

Tip #1

Basic Lesson Planning

If you use different books from different publishers, it can get a little confusing trying to figure out and remember how many lessons (or pages) per day (or week) you need to complete to finish each book by the end of the year.

First, take your teacher’s manual and see how many lessons there are. Then, divide this by the total number of school days you have in the year. Let’s say, for example, that your literature book has 122 lessons. If there are 180 days in the school year, you need to do three lessons per week to finish the book, with a few weeks needing four lessons. If your history book has 112 lessons, you will do three per week and will able to finish a little earlier than the end of the year.

Once you established this, write it down in your lesson plan book in a prominent place to serve as a reminder.

Tip #2

Calculate Percentage of Book Finished

To determine if you are “on track” to finish a book by the end of the school year, first find out how far along you are in the school calendar. For example, if you have just finished school day number 36 and you have 180 school days in the year, you have completed 20% of the school year (36 divided by 180 = 20%).

Next, determine how far you have come in each subject. To do this, take the lessons completed and divide them by the total lessons. For example, if you just finished lesson 35 in your English textbook and there are 160 lessons, you are 22% finished. If you just finished lesson six in science and there are 64 lessons, you are about 9% finished. If you’ve completed 20% of your school year, you are slightly ahead in English, but significantly behind in science.

Tip #3

Avoid Burnout

Tip #1 and Tip #2 are only guides. Becoming a slave to them will lead to homeschool burnout. Life will interfere with homeschool plans. This is part of what makes homeschooling so great–you will have many opportunities to turn real life into real lessons. Get creative: taking your neighbor to the hospital become a social studies lesson for your forth grader. Getting the oil changed in your car becomes a auto shop lesson for your teenage son. Grocery shopping becomes a math and home economics lesson for your junior high student. Setting the table is a sorting activity for your pre-schooler.

Think on your feet, and remember that learning occurs in many forms, a few of which are from textbooks.

Jennifer Thieme began homeschooling her three children in 1996. She’s the administrator for a small, private ISP she established for herself and a few friends. Her articles have appeared in Practical Homeschooling and the Intuit ProConnection Newsletter. She operates a bookkeeping and tax service out of her home. Visit her business website: http://www.jenniferthieme.com.

Are you thinking of home schooling your child or children in Florida? Wondering what the requirements are and how to get started? It’s really not as scary as you may think. Florida is actually a pretty easy state to begin home schooling in.

Home education, as defined by Florida law, is “sequentially progressive instruction of a student directed by his or her parent or guardian in order to satisfy the requirements of Statute 1003.21 and 1002.41.” Florida’s home schooling law is broad giving parents almost unending freedom in educating their children.

Basically there are six requirements that must be met to Florida home school.

1. Notify the District School Superintendent in your county of your intention to home school. The notice of intent must be filed with the superintendent’s office within 30 days of beginning your home school program.

Currently there is no “official form” that is used to supply notice but your written (or typed) letter of intent should include at the bare minimum the following information; Name of child (or children), Birthday of each child named, Address and a Parent’s Signature. It is recommended that you send your letter of intent via certified or priority mail and file the receipt as proof in your child’s portfolio.

2. Maintain a portfolio of records. While there is no proper or “official” way to record your child’s home schooling progress you must maintain a portfolio of records. The portfolio must consist of two main parts; Documented Records and Sample Materials. Documented Records is defined as “A log of educational activities which is made contemporaneously (the documentation should occur at the same time as the instruction) with the instruction and which designates by title any reading materials used.”

Florida home schooling law does not require lessons to be planned or approved in advance. Sample Materials is defined as “Samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks or creative materials used or developed by the student.” Showcasing your child’s “sample materials” can be accomplished in various ways. Keep in mind that whichever method you adopt to showcase your sample materials they need to be organized in chronological order for ease in showing educational progress. More elaboration on this topic in the future… hopefully.

3. Keep your portfolio organized and available. Florida home schooling law requires you to make your portfolio “available for inspection by the superintendent or the superintendent’s agent, upon 15 days’ written notice.” The last thing you will want to do is be scrambling around trying to remember what you did when for the last 3 months and what was the name of those books you read again…. The inspection is only to make sure that the portfolio is legal; the superintendent cannot evaluate its contents.

4. Submit your Annual Evaluation. The law requires an annual education evaluation by a Florida-certified teacher of your choosing. You are required to have your child or children tested annually and submit the evaluation to the superintendent’s office no later than one year from your letter of intent date.

Alternatives to having an evaluation performed include; any nationally normed student achievement test administered by a certified teacher, a state student assessment test, a psychological evaluation or any other method mutually agreed upon by the parent and the superintendent.

5. Hang on to those Portfolios, your going to need them. Florida home schooling law dictates that “The portfolio shall be preserved by the parent for two years.” Enough said.

6. Submit your Notice of Termination. If you decide to no longer home educate under 1002.41, move from the county, enroll your child in a public or private institution or if your child graduates or completes the Florida home school program you must file a letter of termination with the superintendent. The notice of termination should include the same information as the letter of intent and should be filed within 30 days of the date or termination.

7. Relax. Okay I know we said there were only six requirements but this one is worth mentioning. As long as there have been parents and children, “home schooling” has been happening. Today an estimated 1.6-2.0 million children are being taught at home by their parents. By grade 8, the average home school student performs four grade levels above the national average.

Research has found that most homeschooled students are involved in a wide variety of outside activities, interact with a broad spectrum of people, and make positive contributions to their communities. Experience has shown that homeschoolers are well socialized and able to make lasting friendships across age and cultural divides.

Painless right? We promised it wasn’t that bad and now that you have all of your legal bases covered you can concentrate on enjoying the home schooling experience and enriching the lives of your children through learning. Now all that’s left is to decide on a curriculum… Decisions… Decisions…

Tanya Stesen is a work at home, home schooling mother of two. In addition to home schooling and caring for her children and family she runs a successful web site design business,
http://www.dezignsbyt.com from her home. Her most recent project, http://www.free-home-school-curriculum.com, is a resource for new home schooling
families. When she’s not busy working or creating curriculum she can be found curling up with her cats and reading email.

Looking for alternative methods like school scholarships to help finance a degree is often challenging and intimidating. School scholarships are unlike a student loan because they are a grant for education, and therefore, do not have to be repaid. When looking for ways of funding a college education, research the unusual options, for instance funding for southpaw scholars. Left-Handed Scholarships: — A left-handed scholarship may at first seem a little bit different, however look at this: Bill Gates is left-handed, so is the president of the US, Barack Obama. Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Paul McCartney and were also left-handed. Statistics propose 11% of the population are lefties. Often thought to be more talented in the arts and to have a higher IQ, lefties have frequently suffered from discrimination in the past. Discrimination is not an issue any longer, lefthanders are no longer thought of as unusual, and may even have many things associated with the exceptional individuals noted above.

If you’re lefthanded and researching scholarships for lefthanded students, plenty of grants for left-handed people exist which you could acquire. A Frederick and Mary F. Beckley Scholarship for $1,000 is currently available at Juniata College in Huntington, Pennsylvania. Presented to scholars attending Juniata College and it was launched in 1979, this college fund aids many southpaws in their pursuit for a college degree. Whilst looking for school scholarships, do be mindful that some scholarships have requirements and restrictions. Sometimes certain grades can be asked for or particular monetary requirements have to be satisfied. Go For for as many scholarships as achievable to increase the prospects of funding a university education incurring a minimal level of debt. You might also consider local organisations, clubs and groups connected to hobbies. Grants for left-handed scholars aren’t a isolated case; financial help is accessible in other instances such as the people from military homes or if you have a disability.

Most people need to invest quite a bit of time looking for grants, even so the return can potentially be huge. In conjunction with student loans, they can significantly cut back the inevitable debt established by a university education. Leave no stone unturned and explore each grant. Be aware the other options as well as left handed grants — be inventive! Apply for every grant you might possibly qualify for, keeping your academic costs to a an absolute minimum, also you will very likely be looking at a better financial future after graduation.

Searching for different avenues such as university bursaries to help pay for your degree is challenging and frustrating. These scholarships are different from a normal student loan because these are a grant for education, so it doesn’t need to be paid back. As you look for methods to finance a higher instruction, suss out afew of of the special alternatives, for example lefthander scholarships. Lefty Scholarships

It may appear unusual to provide a bursary dependent on being left-handed, but it’s worth looking at this: Albert Einstein was a left-hander, so is the president of the United States, Barack Obama. Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Paul McCartney and J.F. Kennedy were left-handed as well. Figures indicate up to 11% of the population are southpaws. Although in the past lefties experienced substantial discrimination, today they are supposed to be more intelligent and more artistic. Stigmatization is now a thing of the past, lefthanders are no longer thought to be different, in fact they may even be associated with the many great people mentioned previously.

Should you be left handed and looking for scholarships specifically for southpaw students, a lot of left-handed scholarships exist which you could obtain. The Frederick and Mary F. Beckley Scholarship for $1000$1k is available at Juniata College stuated in Huntington, PA. Awarded to pupils attending Juniata College and it was established in the late 1970’s, this grant has assisted over 40 southpaws in their quest for advanced education. When you are looking for scholarships, be mindful that some of them may have prerequisites or restrictions. These can be minimum grades and monetary needs. Multiple applications will give you a greater chance at financing a college education with as little debt upon graduation as is feasible. Societies, groups affiliated with hobbies and community organizations may be a source of grants. Bursaries for southpaw students are not the only example; financial help is accessible in other instances such as to the children of veterans or if you are disabled in some way.

Make sure you take a gander at this vast webpage for scholarships for cross country runners running the race of educational pursuit guidelines

Researching grants can be time consuming, even so the payoff will be worth it. The debt generated by a university degree can be diminished through such funds employed in conjunction normal borrowing. Be sure to explore every suitable scholarship. Left-handed grants are not the only choice - be inventive! If you think you might be suitable, then apply, keeping your student costs to a minimum, additionally you will be facing improved prospects when you graduate.

Many individuals may feel that high school is not for them and they would prefer to get a GED and enter the workforce early. After all, a GED stands for General Equivalency Diploma, meaning it is equal to the high school diploma and it takes less work. The GED may seem like the easy way out for many, but the fact is a GED is not such a great option.

The unfortunate thing about the GED is that it does not allow you to get a full education. Yes, you have to pass a test to get it, but the individual misses out on too much information that would be taught in a high school class that is not on the test. Of course, the student may think that most of it is useless information, but the fact is it makes you a person with a more rounded education.

The GED also does not teach you self-discipline. It is, as stated, the easy way out, but in the end will make things much more difficult. When you have to attend classes on a daily basis and pass in homework on time, it teaches you self-discipline. Not passing in homework and being late or absent to classes does not hurt anyone but the student and their grade. A person that is getting their GED misses out in this important life lesson.

Another reason a GED is not such a great option is if the individual is going to apply for college, they may have a difficult time. Colleges will want to see the student’s high school transcripts and when they see they dropped out and received their GED, they may look a little harder at their potential student. Will the student be able to get through the classes without dropping out? Will the students fully apply themselves? The colleges will look at this GED student closer than others.

While the GED will allow you to get a job and even go to college, it does not provide you with the full education you deserve. A high school diploma requires you to complete a set of courses designed to give you an education in several subject areas, as well as allowing you to enhance them with enrichment classes and extra-curricula activities. By getting your GED, you’re missing out on a lot of great information and experiences.

Do you want more information on Homeschooling or a High School GED?. Visit www.citizenschool.com/ged.htm and download a FREE 14 page report for a limited time only. If you need immediate help phone 1-800-736-GRAD(4723) or email studentservices@citizenschool.com. This article can be distributed and used free as long as it remains unchanged and includes links.
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Finding help to fund university degree courses may be problematic and will need time. College scholarships are unlike a normal student loan because they are a grant for a college education, and, do not need to be paid back. While searching ways of funding a university degree, suss out some of the more other options, for example funding specially for southpaw students.

Southpaw Scholarships: - A left-handed scholarship may seem out of the norm, however it’s worth looking at these facts: Bill Gates is a lefty, so is the president of the United States, Barack Obama. Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Sting and J.F. Kennedy Jr were also lefties. Close to eleven percent of the population are left handed. Often thought to be more artistic and more intelligent, left handers have frequently suffered from discrimination. Discrimination is now a thing of the past, lefthanders are no longer thought to be unusual, as a matter of fact they may even be associated with the many great people referred to above. If you’re left-handed and researching scholarships specifically for left handed students, many scholarships for left handed people exist which you may be able to acquire. A Frederick and Mary F. Beckley Scholarship for $1,000 is currently available at Juniata College in Huntington, Pennsylvania. For students of Juniata College and it was set up in 1979, this unique school scholarship has helped over forty southpaws through college.

Many grants do have requirements or limitations. Sometimes certain grades may be involved or certain monetary prerequisites have to be satisfied. Apply for the maximum amount of scholarships feasible to give you a better chance of finishing with a minimal level of debt. Consider local organisations, clubs and even hobby associated groups. Left handed scholarships are not a unusual case; funds are available in other instances such as the people from military households or if you have a disability.

Exploring college bursaries can take some time, of course the advantages may be huge. When utilised with regular lending, they should significantly cut down the student debt generated by a college degree. Leave no stone unturned in searching each scholarship. Be aware there are other choices as well as left-handed grants - be inventive! Apply for every grant you might possibly qualify for, you may keep your academic costs to a an absolute minimum, and you will very likely look forward to improved prospects when you eventually graduate.