Pennsylvania Homeschoolers

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: Often when I talk to families about how their kids did on achievement tests, I have a special question I ask-- it's "What is your child reading independently-- and does he enjoyreading.... or need to be 'nudged' to tackle a book?" I've found, over many years of informally asking this of parents, that a pattern has emerged-- those kids who read widely, and have a lot of personalchoice over what to read, generally do great on achievement tests. Those kids who don't read much at all beyond their required homeschooling studies or texts, and who clearly don't like to read, generally don't fare so well. Doing things that are 'like' achievement tests on a daily basis does not seem to be the key factor -- though definitely familiarity with testing formats is a great help, and I certainly recommend some focused 'test prep'. But I've met kids who have *only* done 'comprehension questions' during the time the family is helping them get ready for standardized testing-- at all other times, the child simply readsand enjoys and talks about his reading informally with his parents every now and then... and these kids generally do just fine when the scores come in. This general trend was shown again in the experience thatPatti T. describes so well in this touching piece-- I hope it is a good encouragement to all other families facing the 'dreaded' 3rd grade testing experience!

I have been homeschooling my son since he was in kindergarten. As we went through our first few years, I had this gnawing feeling about third grade. I knew that was the year we would encounter achievement testing. I knew in my heart I was doing my best to make sure my son was learning and thriving in homeschool, but to have “THE TEST” prove or disprove this point was a little scary for me. OK, very scary!!!! So I was on a mission to be prepared!!!!

I purchased the sample test material from PA Homeschoolers for his appropriate grade. I was glad I did because after the test my son remarked, “The test was just like the one we did at home.” I was glad he felt comfortable from having done the practice tests.

In addition, I combed the PA Homeschoolers website, in the months prior to the test, for any information regarding achievement test taking. I am thankful for the resources I found to help me prepare my son and myself. They really put my mind at ease and helped me to keep the whole test experience relatively stress free. Knowing the test results were not the soul benchmark for how our homeschooling was progressing was the biggest relief!

I remained optimistic waiting for the test scores. When I received them, I could hardly believe my eyes. My son did very well on the test. All of the prep work we did helped, but the biggest preparation was something we had been doing his whole life. We instilled a love of books and reading in our son.

My son is an avid reader. It is not uncommon for us to walk out of the library every other week with 30+ books, and he reads every one of them. I let him pick whatever books he wants, even if they are his old favorites like Henry and Mudge or Mr. Putter and Taby. He likes to read graphic novels such as Stone Rabbit, Lunch Lady, and Tiny Titans. Yes, he also likes Captain Underpants as well. I let him read those books and trade off with books I have selected that are a little more appropriate for his age. I think the reason he loves to read is because he has the freedom to explore and choose the books that interest him. He isn’t just forced to read the material assigned by me for school. His love for reading is the biggest factor as to why he did so well on the reading and language arts portion of the test, so I am told.

Now, interestingly, I should mention at this point that I have a rather unique visual impairment that makes it challenging for me to read without the assistance of visual aids. I developed this issue......

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: We are already starting to get ready for our next year of PA Homeschoolers AP Online classes -- you can click on our website link above or just go to: www.aphomeschoolers.com. We'll be getting course descriptions for next year all updated soon-- and hope there might be a course that will be a great fit for one of *your* homeschool teens. All of our AP Online course websites are of course password protected, and only registered students can access them, protecting student privacy at all times. Taking one of our AP Online classes can help homeschoolers be very well prepared for taking Advanced Placement exams, given by the College Board each May at public or private school testing sites-- and students with strong scores earn credit at most colleges, and get a headstart on college level learning. Our students also love the interaction they have with other homeschoolers in their class-- and the students definitely spur each other on to strong learning. We enroll homeschool students from all across the nation-- and even homeschoolers living abroad!

I'm also delighted to introduce you to our newest PA Homeschoolers AP Online teacher, Molly McMahon-- I could tell right away in our communications that Molly will be a great online teacher with our program, and I know this new course offering might be just the thing for many students.

My name is Molly McMahon, and I am very excited to participate in the PA Homeschoolers

community by teaching AP Environmental Science!

I have a Bachelor’s in Biology and a Master’s in Science Education. I have been teaching in a

traditional school setting for the past nine years. Over the years, I have been supplementing

classroom instruction with online teaching materials and assignments. Last year, I was

surprised to discover students at my school had accessed my online materials without actually

enrolling in the course. I am always happy to assist ambitious and intellectually curious

students, and I communicated with them only through the online course. I was pleased to

see their excellent results on the AP test last May. This experience convinced me that online

teaching is extremely effective and inspired me to seek out additional opportunities to work with

more students in this manner.

I am very passionate about teaching this course for reasons that may surprise you. AP

Environmental Science covers a wide variety of topics that are not typically covered in any

other science or social studies course but are certainly applicable to our everyday experiences.

Units include understanding....

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: It's always great to hear about homeschoolers getting involved in positive and creative activities, especially when they are working as a small team to meet a goal. I hope the following press release encourages your family to look into some unique ways to use your children's strengths and interests. Our warmest congratulations to Zachary and Mitch Blank, and to Elijah and Jude VanHanxleden-- sounds like they've really found a wonderful activity that they love, and that they are enjoying spreading a positive message to others through their unique video productions.

LITITZ, Pa., January 19, 2012 – What’s the risk of not saving money? Zachary Blank and a few friends provided the answer in a video that won Susquehanna Bank’s Lights, Camera, Save! contest for teens, and their effort is now competing as a finalist in the national contest.

Zach’s video “Saving Matters” was honored as part of the Lights, Camera, Save! video contest organized by the American Bankers Association Education Foundation. It is featured on Susquehanna Bank’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/SusquehannaBank. In the contest, students age 13 to 18 submitted 90-second videos about the importance of saving money.

“Saving Matters” shows a boy considering buying a toy tractor, until he imagines what his future may hold if he doesn’t learn to save money as well. Sixteen-year-old Zach made the video with his brother Mitch, as well as Elijah and Jude VanHanxleden.

Together, they formed Zebrafilm Studios, and they’ve been making videos regularly since the middle of 2011. Their videos can be seen at www.youtube.com/zebrafilmstudios.

“We usually like to plan out some absurd storyline, shoot it together, and then relax and edit it afterwards. Once we're done, we put it up on our website, Youtube, and Facebook,” Zach said. “We believe that videos can be funny, entertaining, and clever without being crude, inappropriate, or violent.”....

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: Learning about PA History just got even a bit more fun-- take a look at this new program from the PA Historical and Museum Commission, one of the sponsors of the terrific (and very complete and totally *free*) website Explore PA History. Don't keep PA History limited to a 'workbook' -- get out and truly explore our state! And take notice of those fascinating little blue signs all along our highways that give us a hint of the richness of our past-- and then learn the full story behind each one at the website! And do share below if you have favorite PA history sites you've visited with your homeschooled kids or support group.

Dear Pennsylvania Homeschoolers:

We are offering a new educational program at the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show that may be a great way to make the event more interactive for your home school families.

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) is sponsoring a Historical Marker Scavenger Hunt based on PHMC Historical Markers related to the history of Pennsylvania’s agriculture and food production. PHMC is also promoting www.explorepahistory.com, an online resource developed by WITF, Central Pennsylvania’s public media organization, and PHMC that makes innovative use of the nearly 2,000 historical markers. The website makes Pennsylvania and American history more exciting and available to public audiences, while providing educational resources for K-12 teacher and homeschoolers.

Please extend an invitation to your members to stop by the PHMC Marker Booth in the Family Living Section (Main Hall) at Farm Show to pick up Scavenger Hunt Booklets and information on www.explorepahistory.com. Included below are overviews on both programs and a sample lesson plan related to the agricultural and rural life from the website. We look forward to your participation on our new program.

Thank you for your interest and see you at the Show!

Scott Doyle
Grant and Marker Programs
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
(717) 783-6012
midoyle@pa.gov

PHMC HISTORICAL MARKER SCAVENGER HUNT
Do you like scavenger hunts? Want to learn more about Pennsylvania’s agricultural heritage? Discover what product launched the Heinz food company (and it’s not ketchup!) and other....

Editor’s Note from Susan Richman: I love the annual Poetry Out Loud contest, and it’s wonderful to see that homeschoolers are continuing to have fine opportunities to take part in this program, which has local, regional, state, and national levels of competition. In the past half-dozen years, homeschoolers in Pennsylvania have done very well in this competition—with PHAA graduate Olivia Meldrum (now a junior at Franciscan University in Ohio, majoring in sacred music) one year winning at the state level and going on to National competition. I treasure the opportunity to have heard Olivia recite her poetry selections for me at her annual evaluation meetings—she truly used this contest as a vehicle to explore poetry deeply, gain real presence in recitation, and develop her appreciation of a full range of poems from varied eras. Some years there have been as many as three homeschoolers making it to the ‘top ten’ finalists in Pennsylvania—and I’m sure all gained immensely by participating.

The contest involves memorizing and reciting one poem from the Poetry Out Loud online anthology at the local level, two poems at regionals, and three at the state level. The website gives excellent guidelines to families – you can make this an important part of your English program for your high school homeschooler. Many parents might feel at a loss in approaching poetry—use this contest website to guide your teens towards real appreciation. Below is specific info on the Greesburg area local homeschoolers competition, open to any homeschoolers nearby (Westmoreland County in Western PA). If you know of other local homeschool groups hosting competitions, do post below as a ‘comment’. This would be a *wonderful* activity for a homeschool co-op to consider—I know many co-ops have high school English classes or drama classes, and hosting this contest would be a great activity!

StageRight of Greensburg is offering homeschoolers the chance to participate in the Poetry Out Loud contest,scheduled for Friday February 3, 2012. Artistic Director Tony Marino will be judging the contest. High School homeschool students (Grades 9-12, plus 8th-graders who are taking High School English) need only recite ONE poem from the many listed on the Poetry Out Loud website; the winner gets to participate in the Regional competition in February at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg-- and that winner goes to state (which requires 3 poems). The location will be StageRight, 100 North Main St, Greensburg PA 15601

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: I've heard about Ray Leven and his amazing Spanish-teaching ability for years, as he was the Spanish tutor for a wonderful homeschooling family that I met with annually for evaluations. Ray had long experience teaching Spanish, including AP Spanish, a Philadelphia-area public and private schools (he was also a top Hebrew teacher, too--this man is just fabulous with languages!). Even with his busy teaching schedule, Ray made time for weekly in-depth tutoring for this family, working with both the son and his parents together-- and Ray came to love working with homeschooling families. And I always felt that this student was gaining an exceptional background in Spanish-- much beyond what I saw in families relying just on something 'automated' like Rosetta Stone, useful as those types of programs can be in introducing a new language. Getting close to retirement options, Ray began wondering if homeschoolers might like to learn Spanish with him online-- and soon we were talking in depth about how he could deliver an AP Spanish course with our PA Homeschoolers program. Ray is also branching out into offering online classes in Beginning and Intermediate level Spanish. Read on and find out how you can be involved-- and realize that there are ways other than a local class or tutor or a computerized program to help your child really develop ability with another language. And you'll also all benefit from Ray's many world travels, as you can see in this photo!

Editor's note from Susan Richman: I have had the pleasure of serving as homeschooler Dale Purdy's home education program evaluator from early on in his homeschooling right through his graduation last June. At our last meeting, Dale mother, Letitia Berkey, shared something very, very special with me-- the little essay below titled 'Future Fencer' which Dale had written way back in 3rd grade. In it Dale describes his first experiences in the magical world of fencing-- you know, the real thing... swords, competitions, taking classes. It might be any young boy's dream activity-- but Dale persevered through all his homeschooling years with fencing-- it became one of his major extra-curriculars and passions. And he was good at it, too!

Dale's mom shared with me that even way back then, Dale was absolutely sure where he wanted to go to college-- he wanted to go to the University of Notre Dame, so he could be on their fencing team! I knew this was a long shot-- but each year, Dale would reiterate that, yep, Notre Dame was his goal. And he kept on fencing, and kept on completing strong academic coursework. He eventually met with coaches from Notre Dame who'd seen him fence at national tournaments -- they were very interested in him and urged him to apply. Could he just nudge up those SAT scores a bit, so he'd be more readily accepted? Dale took on that challenge too-- and more than met the mark, after diligent study and practice.

And Dale indeed applied to Notre Dame-- as well as several other schools that each had the type of pre-med program he was looking for in a college. And fencing teams-- an opportunity to be on a university fencing team was always crucial, and definitely helped Dale narrow down his list of possible schools. So, he had choices and options-- but definitely he was most focused on his choice from his youngest years.

dale purdy & me.jpg

Dale with me after his PHAA Graduation ceremony

The upshot??? Dale got that 'big envelope' in the mail from Notre Dame-- he was in, and he was on the fencing team! He's had a great fall freshman semester, complete with fencing tournaments with his new team. Yes, sometimes we need to listen to our kids when they have major passions and deep interests-- these just really might indicate who our child is and where they are headed.

Reminds me of Alan Obuzor, who I evaluated from 3rd grade through graduation. He had just recently started dance classes with his younger sister when I first met me-- and his mother shared that after just a few ballet classes, he'd come home and looked her right in the eye and told her, "Mom, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life." He soon moved up from his local dance school to the Pittsburgh Ballet program for children-- and then made it into their elite pre-professional program for high school students. He went immediately into the PGH Ballet Theatre Company upon his high school graduation-- and this year I have a homeschool student in my AP US History class who has Alan as a teacher at the PGH Ballet high school program (and he's a terrific teacher, too!).

Or I think of our son Jacob, who started playing around with computer programming when 7 or 8 years old, when my husband showed him a few things. Howard also showed the other kids some programming basics, but only Jacob gravitated to it-- the others had to be prodded and cajoled and encouraged, but Jacob took to it with a passion. I think probably there was hardly a day that went by after 3rd grade when Jacob didn't do some sort of computer programming task that he'd chosen for himself on an almost daily basis-- and sometimes he'd spend hours on these very creative projects. What's he doing now?? He's a programmer for Google, out in Seattle WA.

Many times in homeschooling we need to listen to our kids, see what their unique strengths are and where their true passions lie. It just might be their direction for their future university studies or career. Not all kids will have such clear and focused goals early on-- but when they do... we'd do well to support them.

And now, here's what Dale wrote in just 3rd grade-- get ready to be charmed! And this wonderful essay also shows that when homeschoolers are encouraged to write about their passions, they'll have lots to say!

Future Fencer

Tomorrow is my second fencing tournament. The tournament is at St. Vincent College. I want to tell you why I love to fence, who brought me into the fencing world, and what my goals are.

I love fencing because it is a very physical sport and I enjoy physical sports. i also love it because it is called 'chess on your feet.' Fencing has strategy like chess, which is my favorite game. Fencing can be an individual or a team sport. I love fencing.

When I was five, I met Norm Flam. He owns the Toy Soldier Gallery, and I went there because I collect toy soldiers. One year later, I found out that Norm and his wife, Robbie, taught a fencing class. Once I found that out, I asked Norm if I could fence. Norm answered, "You are too young. Come see me when you are ten." Feeling in dismay, I went home. I kept begging Norm to teach me to fence for two years. Near my 8th birthday, I went to Norm's and asked him if I could fence again. Surprisingly, his answer was yes! I was....

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: I am always delighted to hear from parents who have long 'graduated' from their homeschooling years-- and who are now offering their special services to those in the homeschooling community. Deborah Bruckman-Bardun has been a dancer, teacher, and choreographer for many years. Having been a home schooling mother herself, she, her daughter Kristel (homeschooled from 8th grade through graduation from high school, after experiencing bullying in school), and her sister, Charlene Bruckman-Levine are the co-founders of The Home Schooler’s Clubhouse, located in the North Hills area outside of Pittsburgh. Deborah, Charlene, and Kristel wanted to create a place exclusively for the home schooling community and their children to learn, explore, and create in a nurturing and supportive environment. Thus, HSC has been created, with great thought, especially for them. Located at 9142 Perry Highway, Pittsburgh PA 15237, you can contact them at homeschoolersclubhouse@gmail.com or check out their excellent website at www.homeschoolersclubhouse.com. You'll see that besides offering a full range of dance classes, they also offer a *party* service at their studio, including dance activities for the group!

I certainly know many homeschoolers whose children have really blossomed through involvement in dance programs-- it's a terrific example of the type of fitness and arts program that you just can't find within a regular elementary or high school curriculum... but it's out there in the wider community! I've met homeschoolers shining in classical ballet, modern dance, square dancing, swing dancing, 'Jane Austen' era ballroom dancing, and much more. Even if you live far from the North Hills of Pittsburgh, I hope this article helps you decide to add dance to your program on some level. And I know Deborah's thought below on the negative impact of too much TV viewing or computer use will resonate with many homeschooling families-- my guess is that homeschoolers are among those few in the nation that have found ways to curtail TV over-use in their homes. Enjoy this article-- and then get up and dance about for a few minutes with your kids!!

Dance is one of the great forms of art. It is hailed as the oldest of the arts, owing its antiquity to the fact that people dance for the sheer fun of it, for the joy of moving in a way that fits both the inner spirit and the contemporary world. Today, dance is not regarded as merely an art form, but rather an athletic activity. Dance has taken its place beside athletics in the development of the physical being. Every portion of a dancer’s body must be developed for strength, absolute control, and execution on command. The professional dancer requires a long daily workout to achieve this and as such, dancers are also athletes.

The benefits of dance, as opposed to other activities, are immense. It not only encourages physical development, but has been proven to....

I never go shopping on 'Black Friday' after Thanksgiving... instead for the last several years I've set aside the day for a major cleaning up or re-organizing day in my home. You know, those jobs most of us rarely 'get to'... like a huge overhaul of the attic storage area, or repainting woodwork, or re-organizing all my bookshelves. This Friday my plan is to really, really work on blessing our home office, one of the busiest rooms in our home right now-- and one of the most cluttered I'm afraid.

So... today I'd finished the work I'd planned to do for my AP US History class, and I just couldn't wait to get started just a bit *early* on our office. I thought I'd just begin a little, by clearing off the top of my desk and my file drawers. I already have boxes and bags of old unnecessary papers to recycle or burn-- but one of the piles to sort through made me stop and linger. And here's where I come to the Thanksgiving part. One of the things I always save is *thank you* cards and notes from the many families and students that I've worked with over the years. They are all in a nice brass box on a shelf just to the left of my computer-- and the container was overflowing and filled above the brim. I had no thoughts that I'd toss any of these treasures... but I did decide to reread them all. And my heart is so full now, of gratitude for all these people who have touched my life over many years of working with homeschooling famlies in so many ways.

There were letters from my AP US History students, thanking me for the way that the course had helped them stretch in new ways and see our nation's history from different viewpoints. Some specifically thanked us for hosting our annual year-end AP Party at our farm, where they had the chance to really meet many of their virtual classmates face to face-- kids from Texas, California, Washington, Virginia, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and more. Others thanked me for being ready and willing to write them needed college or scholarship recommendation letters. Rereading these cards and notes made me realize, once again, about the many lives all of us leading our AP Online classes have touched. It's so special to be able to help these wonderful young people move on in their lives. And just today....

The Pennsylvania National Guard Counterdrug Joint Task Force, Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs and Drug Free Pennsylvania are launching, for the 5th year, a statewide contest designed to find highly creative middle and high school students.

The Sound Off: Pennsylvania's Drug Prevention Television/Radio Public Service Announcement (PSA) Contest will provide an opportunity for youth to send a positive message to their peers and communities that drugs and alcohol do not have to be part of their activities.

The contest is open to all public, private and home-educated Pennsylvania students in grades 6-12. If necessary, the winning team will professionally produce the PSA that will be aired on television or radio stations throughout the state....

Editor's Note from Susan: Sorry it's been so long since a new posting has gone up!! Howard and I are just now (almost!!) feeling caught up on things after our Fall Testing trip around PA. We've also been *very* grateful and happy that our wonderful daughter Maya (Molly) and her husband just welcomed in their first little baby in Israel where they live-- the baby's name is Nitsah (rhymes with 'pizza' ;-), and means 'little flower bud' in Hebrew ), and the new family is just doing wonderfully! And I've never been so *grateful* for our hi-tech ways of communicating-- getting to see the baby on Skype has been a delight! Amazing times we live in ;-). We'll now be getting back to regularly updating things on our website, and being more in touch with homeschoolers. Thanks for your patience!

Just the other day I went to use the PA Dept of Education (PDE) website link on our right-hand sidebar and realized it was non-functional-- the PDE has changed their website extensively, and they now have a whole new section for homeschooling, and I wanted to give you the link and let you know some of the excellent new resources you can find there.

Their opening 'general info' page is at this link titled Home Education and Private Tutoring HomePage. From here you'll also see helpful sidebar links for: educational options, evaluators, private tutors, diplomas, statistics, laws and regulations, and 'overview of homeschooling'. Explore all these sections-- you'll find valuable information, and I feel most is very accurate and helpful and concise.

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: When we receive info on scholarship opportunities we like to pass this info on to homeschooling families-- especially when the sponsoring organization is seeking ways to let homeschoolers specifically know about their offering. Today I heard from the Washington Crossing Foundation, a non-profit group located in Pennsylvania, about their scholarship program for high school seniors-- perhaps they had heard that many homeschoolers seek to serve our nation through involvement in government or through military service leadership. I hope this opportunity will be helpful ones for homeschool seniors in PA-- and note in the following info that there are some special awards available for students in the Greater Philadelphia counties. The deadline for receipt of application materials is January 15, 2012-- PHAA of course can help with providing official copies of high school transcripts for students enrolled in the PHAA diploma program, and your PHAA homeschool evaluator could be a terrific person to write the needed recommendation letter. Full info on applying can be found at the organization's website, listed below.

The Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the FORTY-THIRD ANNUAL NATIONAL WASHINGTON CROSSING FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS for STUDENTS COMPLETING TWELFTH (or final high school year) in 2012 that are planning careers in government service.

We invite you to explore our web site www.gwcf.org, which contains all of the information candidates should require to prepare and submit an application. Each interested student is invited to write a one-page essay stating why he or she plans a career in government service including any inspiration to be derived from the leadership of George Washington in his famous crossing of the Delaware. The student must confine the essay to viewpoint, attitude and purpose in choice of career.

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: It's always really encouraging to hear about the dedicated work and effort of our AP Online students really paying off-- and often this is quite literally! I was delighted to hear this story from our (wonderful!) AP Statistics teacher, Carole Matheny, about the 1st place win of one of her past students in this excellent project competition. I think this is such a great example of encouraging a student to really go with their interests and stretch to develop a major contest entry, demonstrating how this can often reap real benefits. And I don't mean only the actual prize and special recognition this student won-- but the longterm benefits of knowing he could develop such a major project, follow-through on all the many details, figure his results, write up a major paper and develop graphs of his findings, and get everything in final form by the deadline of June 1st. I'm sure that knowing he could accomplish this will really help him feel confident to try the next major challenge he takes on-- he'll know he's the sort of student who can really shoulder personal responsibility in a meaningful way. I also think this article points out the unique benefits of having your child take part in one of our Advanced Placement Online Classes-- your child might become inspired to really pursue a unique major project that goes beyond the scope of the class itself. Also, besides the project competition, there is also a poster competition (entries due April 1 each year), open even to young elementary age students-- check out the website for the American Statistics Association, as they have lots of examples of past winning entries. Even if you opt not to take part, could be quite fun to look over these posters with your kids!

[Don't worry-- just read on and you'll see why this is the illustration for this article!]

It was May, 2009, and since AP testing was over, my AP Statistics class was also finished for the year. It was that time of year when most students think about their summer vacation or maybe if they’re graduating, about the college they will soon attend in the fall. Several students wrote thank you notes to me for teaching the class and others left encouraging notes to future students about my class. So I wasn’t surprised when I heard from the youngest student in the class, a ninth grader, Jeremiah. Having enjoyed the class, he wanted to continue learning about statistics. Surely four years without working with statistics would be too long of a break from the subject and he might not remember the material when he needed it in college. Besides, he found he really enjoyed statistics and wanted to learn more. That is something I really enjoy about working with homeschool students-- their interest to learn, inside or outside the classroom.

In our email correspondence I pointed Jeremiah to several online courses he might pursue in statistics and to several possible statistical competitions. AP Statistics is similar in scope to a college level statistics introductory course. Being new to online courses, I had heard other PA Homeschoolers AP Online teachers mention how they often had continued contact with past students and how much they enjoyed hearing from them and keeping up with their accomplishments or learning how they found the course useful in their college studies. Helping Jeremiah find these additional statistical courses and competitions was having a similar affect upon me. It also might be quite helpful to future students.

It wasn’t long before Jeremiah decided that he would enter the American Statistical Association Statistical Project Competition. ASA is a large community of statisticians and each year they promote statistics by conducting poster and project competitions for children in grades K through 12. The entries are judged by committees of statisticians and teachers who award cash prizes, calculators and certificates.

Jeremiah decided to run a unique taste test. Living in China, he was familiar with both Chinese made Coke and through visits to the States, US made Coke. Could people tell the difference between the two? Could they identify one as made in China and the other as made in the U.S?....

My Friend, the Piano
Ginger Frack, PHAA homeschool high school student, 9/30/2011

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: I know you are all going to feel inspired by Ginger Frack's wonderful major personal essay about her experiences over many years in playing piano-- and I wanted to give you a sense of why she happened to write this paper. In the PA Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency (PHAA) guidelines for high school English credit, we require students to write at least one major paper that's at minimum 2500 words long each year-- this is roughly 10-pages double spaced typed. Ginger is one of my (wonderful!!) evaluation students, and this was her paper for this past school year -- her 10th grade year. I think this paper is a terrific example of what we're hoping to inspire by this writing requirement-- and may inspire other students to consider tackling a personal topic rather than a subject area 'research paper'. I always hear from families each year who somehow thought we were requiring only a formal research paper. Though those types of writings can certainly meet this requirement, a personal experience extended paper like Ginger's is also a very meaningful way to meet this goal-- and in Ginger's case, I knew this paper deserved a broader audience as I think she has a lot to say to other homeschooling families about the persistence that needs to be shown, and the key role of positive experiences with others, before real motivation might actually 'kick in'. Enjoy this thoroughly-- and know that Ginger is just as delightful and lively in person as she shows herself to be in this paper. I know she has a very meaningful future ahead of her-- and I'm so grateful that she shares both her growing up years with her piano and her future musical dreams here through this paper.

My number was given; my name called. As I walked past the rows of distraught faces I wondered what had happened to the beautiful world that I had known just hours before. Here, shut up in the dimly lit room with so many others who wished for an escape, I trudged to the front to face my doom. This was my first time, but I had heard many tales of horror from those whom fate had also chosen to undergo such torture. This was….my first piano recital.

I can hardly remember life without the piano. When I was very young, my grandma promised her three children, (my mom, my uncle George, and my aunt Gwen) that she would buy them all pianos if they would get lessons for their children. The entire family took the bait. Through this choice, the piano has changed my life, and I believe that God is going to continue to use it to change my future.

I began taking piano lessons when I was only four years old. I can still remember Miss Julie putting a blue crayon sticker on the back of one of my hands, and red one on the other. I couldn’t believe I had to know my right hand from my left hand to be able to play that huge black monster. Was piano really going to be this hard?

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: Grove City College in Western PA has always been so welcoming and interested in homeschoolers-- so I was delighted to get a phone call yesterday from Libby Carbone of GCC specifically inviting homeschooling groups and individual families to come to the special day they are having on October 11, 2011 to host this 'one-woman show' A Visit with Marie Curie.

There will be a one-hour production aimed at 6th-12th grade students from 1-2:00pm on October 11, 2011, and later that evening there will be a two-hour more in-depth performance titled MANYA - The Living History of Marie Curie from 7-9:00pm. Both productions will be in the Pew Fine Arts Center on the southest part of the Grove City College campus. They would appreciate knowing in advance if you plan to come-- please email Libby Carbone at caroneea1@gcc.edu. Both performances are free, but please reserve tickets in advance. Call 724-458-3331 or email theatretickets@gcc.edu for the evening performance.

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: It's been really heartening to see the wide range of fitness and sports activities homeschoolers take part in-- from ballet or Irish step dancing, to homeschool volleyball and basketball, to swim team at the YMCA, to distance running in road races, to martial arts, and public and private school sports programs. BUT-- have you ever thought of rowing as a sport that might really add something to your program? I've really enjoyed communicating with the folks at Steel City Rowing Club, located just outside of Pittsburgh, to learn about all they can offer to homeschool students in this unique sport. Just this past year I had two homeschoolers in my AP US History online class who were competitive rowers-- both girls absolutely loved the sport and all the wonderful opportunities for travel and for really developing team spirit and their overall athletic abilities.... and were they ever fit!!! I'll be posting an essay one of these students wrote about the impact rowing has had on her life below, as a 'comment' -- be sure to check this out. I hope there's a great turn-out at this planned informational meeting at their state-of-the-art facilitiy at Verona PA, just outside of Pittsburgh on the Allegheny River.

WHAT: HIGH SCHOOL ROWING OPPORTUNITY INFORMATIONAL MEETING For LEARN TO ROW PROGRAM

412-828-5565 or dori.tompa@steelcityrowing.org or see www.steelcityrowing.org

Rowing is a sport in which the vast majority of home-schooled students can participate. There is absolutely no requirement for high school affiliation needed in order to row at Steel City Rowing Club (SCRC). In fact, it is advantageous not to have conflicts with any high school related activities.

SCRC aims to foster the spirit of competitive rowing and to support individual rowers in reaching their potential by encouraging teamwork, dedication and self-confidence. At Steel City Rowing Club, some rowers’ interest and potential in rowing is at a recreational level. For others, their aspirations and hard work are dedicated towards competing in national and world championships. It is the long-term goal of Steel City Rowing Club to become a national training center for the sport of rowing and give athletes opportunities to train for national and international competition.

• Height and weight are not critical. There are lightweight and heavyweight categories of competition.

• Rowing is an excellent cross-training sport as it is a total-body activity that builds muscular and cardiovascular endurance and flexibility.

• Athletes injured from contact sports can easily transition in to rowing and achieve athletic success.

• Rowing can be a great athletic pursuit for those who do not consider themselves as talented athletes or are not interested in ball sports, such as basketball, baseball or football.

Editor's note from Susan Richman.... Gwen Fredette is a homeschool mother in the Philadelphia area, and a wonderful 'blogger' about homeschooling, with a great balance on postings about homeschooling opportunities in her region (co-op activities, drama groups, field trips, special programs at area museums), and her own inspirational writing about the challenges of homeschooling and balancing all of our many responsibilities and goals. Do check out her blogsite here. I so appreciate Gwen's readiness to grant permission for PA Homeschoolers to repost selected articles here-- thanks, Gwen! I thought this particular piece would really speak to so many readers, as Gwen talks about something we are all challenged by-- finding the balance between getting 'homeschool stuff' and remembering what's really *crucial* in developing a truly positive and encouraging homeschooling *atmosphere* in our homes. Enjoy-- and looking forward to hearing your comments about what you'd deem your 'homeschooling basic necessities'.

Homeschool Catalogs. I love them. I love looking through them. I love discovering new curriculums I haven’t heard of before. I love buying new books. I love book sets. I love the way they look on my bookshelf. I love bookshelves. I love planners, and organizers, and homeschool notebooks that help me keep my paperwork in order and my day going smoothly. I love cubbies, and baskets, and bins (all color-coordinated) to keep the kid’s stuff straight. I love file systems, and homeschool manipulatives, and dry-erase boards, and bulletin boards with cute borders. I love notebooks and pencils with my kids’ names printed on them.

But, in reality I don’t need all that stuff. They’re fun to have. But when I really think on it, to do a good job homeschooling, I really only need a few important things.

1. A Prayerful Desire to Be the Best Teacher I Can Be. When I think back to my own school days, I have no memory of the bulletin boards, cubbies, or resources we used. I don’t even remember most of the curriculum. I do remember the teachers I had. I remember the better ones as being hard-working, helpful, tough but fair, generally happy, and pleasant to be around. I remember the bad ones as being lazy, grumpy, bad-tempered, unreasonable, or unable to control the class. The best resource I can bring to the homeschool table is being a good teacher - to trust and pray that my God will help me to be the kind of teacher He wants me to be.

2. Curriculum. I do need to get curriculum, but I shouldn’t fool myself into thinking I need to buy it brand new.* I also don’t need to buy the beautiful literature books that go with it. I can buy many excellent used curriculums for half the price....

I'm very happy to announce that our online store, which down for needed updates and repairs from yesterday through right now, is now all fixed and 'open for business' once again. Thanks for your patience!

Final tuition payments for AP Online classes can now be made online-- and registration for Fall Testing.

Many families new to homeschooling in PA may want to order our popular and helpful Guide to the Homeschool Lawor Guide to the PA Homeschoolers Diploma.

Susan and Howard Richman have been offering a Fall Testing Service since the homeschooling law in Pennsylvania was enacted in 1988, helping families to meet the testing requirements for 3rd, 5th, and 8th grade testing in a 'homeschool friendly' setting at regional churches or synagogues. They also welcome students in other 'non-testing' years, 4th grade thru 12th grade, as many families like to make testing a routine part of each school year.

We are very pleased to announce you can now register online or by mail for our upcoming Fall Testing Service. We'll once again be using the TerraNova nationally normed achievement test. Morning testing will coverreading, language arts, and mathematics, and we will again offer optional afternoon testing on science andsocial studies.

A delightful drawing done by a 3rd grader at one of our testing days-- it now hangs on my wall!

We also recommend that you consider using the Scoring High testing preparation practice books in our online store to help you guide your child in being well-prepared.

Further, take a look at the various archived articles right here on our website, on ways to help your child feel ready for testing experiences-- we have lots available! You'll find ideas on how to ease test worries (for both mom and student!), how to see what areas of readiness you have some control over, what to do if your child might not score as well as hoped, links to resources for science and social studies testing, and much more. And if you might have some further areas you'd like to see us cover, do post your comments and thoughts below.

The 'early bird' pre-registration fee of $30 per student (*plus* a $3.95 handling fee on the whole order) is applicable through October 10, 2011....

With the start of every school year, I know every homeschool mom at some point says to herself, "THIS is the year when I'm REALLY going be organized!!" Looking ahead gives us a new chance to try a new organizational plan or to set new goals for ourselves, and we all feel hopeful at this time of year. And sometimes we're on the outlook for some new tools to help us in this perrenial quest... and I've got some suggestions for you!

And know that even though our own homeschooled 'kids' are now adults on their own, I still get that school year organizational rush, as I'm very busy right now planning out my AP US History course for the coming year, seeing what topics I want to do for our monthly Homeschoolers Writing Club, and just in general wanting to hone my often 'challenged' organizational skills.

Maybe it was last night, getting the phone call at 7:05pm that let us know that my husband and I had forgotten all about the homeschoolers Square Dance we were supposed to be calling... right then. We were dressed and off within 5 minutes-- we had a wonderful time at the dance.... but the experience made me (once more!) resolve that this will be the year for me to really remember to LOOK at my calendars!

Or maybe it was the email I just received this afternoon, from a very nice homeschooling mom who wondered where the 'school year' calendar that we 'always' had posted on our website was-- she couldn't seem to find it this time. I had to let her know that we'd *never* had a 'school year' calendar available on our site for download... but then I quickly found her a wonderful website that had just such a form.... and MUCH more.

So first off, here's this site from Donna Young, a former homeschool mom-- and I *know* that many, many years ago, Donna and I used to correspond, so this felt like re-meeting an old friend ;-). Click oncalendars right here, and you'll come to Donna's page with all sorts of calendar options that you can print out....

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: Hands-on experiential learning is crucial to developing lifelong interests in history-- and it's wonderful that Pennsylvania museums offer so many great ways to do this! For great info on using museums and historical sites to learn more about PA History, check out www.ExplorePAHistory.com -- and if you live in Eastern PA, hope you can make it to this special Homeschoolers Day at Pottsgrove Manor. Special thanks to all the museums that offer special events for homeschooling families!

On Friday, September 16^th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., bring your homeschoolers out to Pottsgrove Manor for a fun-filled and educational field trip that will let them explore the skills, trades, and pastimes of the 18^th century.

Around the grounds, children will be able to participate in hands-on activities led by Pottsgrove Manor staff and volunteers, including candle-dipping, quill pen writing, colonial toys and games, gardening, dancing and etiquette. Participants will also see demonstrations of blacksmithing, learn about colonial cooking, and meet a dairy cow! The first floor of the Pottsgrove Manor mansion will be open for self-guided tours, with volunteers stationed in the rooms to share the house’s history and answer questions. The museum shop will be open for the purchase of books, games, souvenirs and more.

The cost is $5 per child. Pre-registration is suggested. Call 610.326.4014 to register or for more information. Activities will be ongoing throughout the day; allow at least 2 hours for your visit....

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: I was delighted to receive a link to Polly Castor's blogsite, where she wrote up a review of her recent experience driving with another homeschool friend all the way from Connecticut to attend our PHAA High School at Home Conference. Her teens will be taking part in three of our AP online classes for homeschoolers this coming school year. Shows that this conference sparks interest from families beyond Pennsylvania-- we welcome families from any state to take part in this great annual day of focused learning and thinking about the high school at home experience. We hope you come next July!

polly castor's nametag

Today I went to the High School at Home Conference in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It was a 4.5 hour drive from here, and I went with a friend who is also a homeschooling mom. We left at 4:15am and returned at 11:30pm, having shared a full and enlightening day. This is the first time either of us had ever been to this particular conference and it was a delight for both of us, having thought that the big, general homeschooling conferences were rather weak on higher level homeschooling support.

This conference was put on by PA Homeschoolers, and two of my children are taking online AP classes with them next year. (I can’t help wishing I knew about them when my oldest was homeschooling!) These classes promise to be rigorous and fruitful. My son will take both AP Economics and AP World History with them next year, and I was delighted to get to meet his Econ teacher. He invites debate and encourages competition in a way I’m sure my son will love. My daughter will be taking AP Studio Art (Drawing) and I met her teacher as well. She also seems to be very competent and a good fit. I saw some of her previous student’s work and it was incredible.

The keynote speaker was Jeannette Webb, a college admissions consultant specializing in homeschoolers. The talk she gave us, “Ten Mistakes Students Make When Planning for College,” is available for a free download on her website aiminghigherconsultants.com. Her talented homeschool kids (admittedly with the enviable demographic advantage of being from Oklahoma) got in every Ivy League school to which they applied, and both turned down acceptances to Harvard....

Editor's note from Susan Richman: I was so pleased to hear at the PHAA High School at Home Conference this year that longtime Pennsylvania homeschooling parent and evaluator, Patti Stoudt, is doing a study of how homeschooling families are working effectively with their special needs children. It is very exciting to see families with children will all types of special learning needs seeing that home education can sometimes be the best answer for them-- it's certainly challenging, but so often these children are really helped to gain the skills and abilities to do their very best in life through the nurturing atmosphere of the home, coupled often with varied services or options in the broader community. We look forward to reporting back on Patti's findings when her doctoral project is completed.

I am a PA homeschool mom and homeschooling evaluator, and am completing my doctoral studies at Liberty University. I am doing a research study of families in PA homeschooling children with special education needs. I would like to invite you to participate in this study.

The purpose of this study is to explore the ways homeschooling parents have found to meet the special education needs of their children who are struggling learners.

Participation in this study is voluntary and would take about an hour of your time for me to interview you. All identifying information will be removed for confidentiality.

I am hoping the information gathered will be helpful to future homeschooling families.

Please let me know by August 10, 2011 if you are interested in participating in this study or if you would like more information.

Thank you,

Mrs. Patti Stoudt

pstoudt@ptd.net

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: One of the delightful student performances at our PHAA Central Pennsylvania Homeschool Graduation Ceremony this year was the Konkle Quartet, singing original arrangements of gospel music in barbershop quartet style-- Hunter Konkle, the eldest son, was one of the graduates. I spoke with the family afterwards, asking how the boys had developed their amazing skills, hoping to share their story with all of our readers. I was so pleased to receive in the mail this week both a professionally made CD of the quartet, and the following newspaper article from the Williamsport Sun-Gazette about the mission of the boys. If you might like to inquire about purchasing one of their two CD's, please call the family at 570-368-7577. I know their amazing music will be an inspiration to many homeschooling families!

Though barbershop music has waned in popularity, four Montoursville brothers, ages 10 to 17, are keeping the genre alive in the name of the Lord.

Known as the Konkle Quartet, Hunter, Walker, Rider and Parker Konkle have spent the last four years singing together at area churches and events.

"Conservative music for a conservative generation" is how Hunter Konkle, 17, described the group's material of older spiritual style hymns such as "I'll Fly Away," "Be Thou My Vision" and "For the Beauty of the Earth."

All of the arrangements the brothers perform are four-part harmony and sung a cappella. Together, the brothers perform an average of 30 to 40 times a year.

The group has produced two CDs, one in 2008 and the second in May. The latter is available at the Hallmark store in the Loyal Plaza.

"We just love doing it," Hunter Konkle said. "We love seeing people's faces. It's a blessing.".....

Editor's Note from Susan Richman: The HAHA group definitely has the best acronym of any homeschool organization! And they put on a wonderful summer event to help area homeschooling families get geared up for the new school year-- hope you can attend!

Below is information about the Fourth Annual Back to School Fair that is sponsored by the Harrisburg Area Homeschoolers Association. As we consider this event a great opportunity to provide area homeschoolers with lots of helpful information and encouragement, we hope you will share this invite with the homeschooling families you know.

Additionally, if you were interested in setting up a table for your homeschool organization, we would be glad to have you participate. Pre-registration for that is required an can be done by visiting the HAHA website and clicking on the link that says "Business Registration."

Activities include: a curriculum sale, a workshop about homeschooling through high school, and the opportunity to gather information from local businesses that provide services and products for homeschoolers.

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