March 16th CHEG - Final Meeting Summary

Our LAST MEETING of the 2009-2010 School Year
"COMMON EDUCATIONAL APPROACHES AND MATERIALS FOR HOMESCHOOLING"



ANNOUNCEMENTS from March 16th CHEG meeting:
Did your child get good grades this year? The following businesses want to reward them (and you!)

Shelly Sigafoos announced that a number of businesses have "Incentive" programs for children who achieved good grades on their report card (usually A's).
They generally accept home-produced homeschool report cards (check Google search for a format you like, or ask Shelly for how she produces hers). Take your child(ren) to these stores and get your free or discounted products! To learn what each store offers, check out the website for each individual store, or talk to your local store manager. Here are some good ones in our area: Graeter's, Chuck E Cheese's, Krispy Kreme, Family Video.
If you have a favorite restaurant where your kids love to eat, it might not hurt to ask if they offer any 'Good Student' rewards!

DEVOTIONAL: Linda Thiel

At the 3/16 meeting, we heard an edifying testimony of God's faithfulness from Linda Thiel. She shared how God has blessed her in helping her to see how her attitude needs to be kept in check on good days, but even more on the 'not-so-easy' school days by remembering the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and its application to her schoolday. Linda reminded us all that when our focus is properly on the Gospel, we will recognize ourselves and our kids as sinners in need of a Savior. We must ask Christ to help us, for we are utterly dependent upon Him for the grace to love our children and nurture them as individuals. We need to remember that we truly cannnot homeschool or train-up our children successfully without God's help in everything.

Thanks so much, Linda, for your transparency and this much-needed reminder that we can only educate our kids well, or be the kinds of wives and mothers who please the Lord unless we do it by remembering the glorious Gospel, and homeschool for God's glory!

TOPIC TIME: Crystal Syring and Kathy Bloom

Our topic for this meeting was a summary of some common educational approaches and curriculum used by home educators. Included were: Traditional, Classical, Charlotte Mason, Eclectic, Literature Based, and Unschooling. Handouts with an abbreviated version of this information were distributed to all CHEG attenders. Anyone desiring a more detailed information, including weblinks and some fact-lists, please contact Kathy Bloom at futureandahope84@gmail.com. The document will be sent to you in electronic form unless you specify otherwise that you need a paper-copy.

CURRICULUM DISPLAY:

Curriculum was brought in for display by a number of our Clifton home educators, representing almost all of the above educational approaches. THANKS to all who took the time to box-up materials to share with other parents. We had time to peruse the books and supplies, and to ask one another questions.

SHOUT OUTS!!!
Every meeting this year, our CHEG attenders could be seen milling around with treats and drinks provided by Denise Swicegood and her "aides"! Here's a HUGE SHOUT OUT to Denise, for making sure we had goodies at every meeting! HOO-RAY, Denise!

Thanks also go to our sweet junior high girls who cheerfully served every meeting watching the little ones in the nursery, so the moms could learn and encourage one another! WE LOVE YOU, GIRLS!

Our gratitude also to Lauren Ward (and other moms throughout the school year) for serving our littlest children during CHEG meetings - checking-in and supervising the nursery for us,and making sure it got cleaned up afterwards! Bless you, Lauren!

[I was reminded how important this ministry is childcare was when a mom recently told me, "I can only come to meetings when there's someone there to watch the kids - otherwise I'd have to stay home." THANK YOU!]

Finally, a huge word of gratitude for the ideas and motivation provided on the Steering Team this year by Shelly Sigafoos and Margaret Sexton! They have encouraged me, prayed for CHEG members and our meetings, remembered when meetings were approaching (and tactfully reminded forgetful-me!), faithfully written-up and sent off announcements to the Bulletin and Messenger, and have supported this ministry in many, many ways! May God grant you both grace and blessing for these acts of love and service, ladies!

Have a wonderful remainder of the school year, and a fun (and educational) summer!

~Kathy

We Need YOU!

YOU ARE NEEDED! CAN YOU HELP WITH THESE CHEG ACTIVITIES?

FEB 27-8 OR MAR 6-7 - Sugarbush Maple Sugar Festival, Salem, IN
One or two parents needed to be the contact person for this event - simply gathering names of other CHEG members who hope to attend, and plan to meet out there for a fellowship time, or to see the demonstrations together?


MAR 16 - NEXT CHEG MEETING
Curriculum Display - we need parents to offer their curriculum items for display, and a willingness to answer individual questions about their books at the tables.
No public speaking involved!

Apr 8-10 OHIO Homeschool Conference - Cincinnati, OH
One-two parents needed to take names of those parents interested in attending this conference. Arrange carpool/rides/hotel.

Apr 24 - Spring Saturday Showcase
Gretchen Wright is the contact person for this event, but she needs the names of your children who are interested in participating with their music, art, speech, poetry, lego-creations, science displays, etc...
She'd probably love an "assistant" to help with set-up/tear-down as well!
(Great opportunity for an older student!)

1/19/10 - Adult Homeschoolers Panel

Huge thanks go to the five adults from Clifton were spoke on our Adult Homeschoolers Panel on Tues, 1/19/10:

Melissa Munger, Jeremy Pellum, Elise McIntosh, Beth Bloom, and Mara Tucker!

We asked them many questions about their years as students under the training of their parents, and found they had quite a variety of educational experiences.

It was clear that different curriculum choices are needed to meet the individual needs of each unique student. Some of the panelists loved a particular math curriculum, while others disliked it. Panelist's parents had also chosen to enrich their children's educations in a variety of ways: cottage schools, public school in the later years of high school, sports programs, 4-H, music lessons, speech and debate club, dance competition, college and online coursework, etc.

All five panelists agreed on the benefits of homeschooling as it provided opportunities for spiritual growth and family closeness. All agreed that some time spent with non-homeschooled peers, especially in the high school years, was very important to prepare them for a college setting and adulthood. One panelist pointed out that one significant advantage to homeschooling is that children learn to relate comfortably with adults in conversations without awkwardness.

Our panelists were asked questions by the audience regarding: discipline in the home, managing daily schoolwork and responsibilities in the home, dad's involvement in their homeschool, and how their mothers multi-tasked as they were growing up. One panelist even called her mother "Superwoman!" :)

Again, our WARMEST thanks to our five panelists for their willingness to share their real-life stories and experiences with us! We hope our kids all grow up to be just like YOU!

The devotion-time and panel discussion were both audio-taped for those who could not attend. To obtain a copy of these, please contact Kathy at (812-944-2210).

CHEG Steering Team