What’s the camp’s philosophy? Is it one you’re comfortable with? Is it a good match for your child? Is competition or cooperation emphasized? If it’s a camp run by a religious organization, what religious observances or practices are part of the program? If you’re looking at a sports camp that touts an affiliation with a celebrity athlete, how much time–if any–will the sports star actually spend there?

What does camp do with staff? First aid training? Drug Testing? Do counselors have criminal background checks? What’s the training all about?

What about return rates? How many counselors are returning this year? How many campers are returning? ask the director why?

What’s the ratio of counselors to campers? ACA guidelines for overnight camps call for a 1:6 ratio for ages 7 and 8, 1:8 for ages 9-14; and 1:10 for ages 15-18. Day camp guidelines call for 1:8 for children ages 6-8; 1:10 for children ages 9-14; and 1:12 for ages 15-18.

How old are the counselors? The ACA recommends that 80 percent of the staff be 18 or older and that all staffers be at least 16 and a minimum of two years older than the campers they supervise.

What about Health Care? Overnight camp have a licensed physician or registered nurse on the site daily, Day camps should be have direct phone access. Be sure you are comfortable that the camp will be able to handle your child’s special health care needs.

How does the camp handle conflicts and Discipline? Find out what the camp’s rules are and what breaches would result in a camper being sent home. You should be comfortable that the camp’s practices are in line with your parenting practices.

What does a camp Day look like? This will help you decide if your child will be happy with the level of physical activity or the amount of time devoted to arts and crafts. Ask how much freedom a child has to choose activities.

Does the camp have vans for transportation? How often are camp vehicles inspected? Who will be driving them and what’s the training.

Get References and more References, Get the names of parents with children who have attended the camp. They will tell you what makes camp so special and why they want to return.

Need more ideas to help you make a smart decision? Check out Summer Camp Advice A Summer Camp

About the authors: Jeff and Lonnie Lorenz are the Directors of Swift Nature Camp, a non-competitive, traditional Children’s Summer Camp in Wisconsin. Boys and Girls ages 6-15 enjoy playing in nature, caring for animals, and learning science. Traditional camping activities include canoe trips and more. SNC is so personal it seems like a Homeschool Summer Camp.

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What’s the camp’s ideology? Are you comfortable with this ? Is it a good fit for your child? Is competition or cooperation emphasized? What religious observances or practices are part of the program? I

How does the Summer Camp get and train its staff? Do counselors have criminal background checks? First aid training? Drug Testing? What’s the training all about?

What about return rates? How many counselors are returning this year? The ACA says at most camps, 50 percent of the staff returns. If the number you’re given is lower, ask why. How many campers return? Fifty percent is good, and more is better.

What’s the ratio of staff to camper? Guidelines for overnight camps are for a 1:6 ratio for ages for younger children, and 1:10 for older teens.

How old are the counselors? The ACA recommends that 80 percent of the staff be 18 or older and that all staffers be at least 16 and a minimum of two years older than the campers they supervise.

What medical staff work at the camp and what backup facilities are nearby? The ACA recommends that an overnight camp have a licensed physician or registered nurse on the site every day, and that day camps should have direct phone access. If your child takes medication, has food allergies or a chronic medical condition, be sure you are comfortable that the camp will be able to handle your child’s needs.

How does the camp Punish campers? Know what your summer camp’s rules and regulations. Be sure they match yur parental thoughts. Know what breaches would send a camper home.

What is a day at camp like? This will help you know if your child will find happiness with the level of activity. Is their choice in selecting activities.

Does the camp have vans for transportation? How often are camp vehicles inspected? Who will be driving them and what’s the training.

Get References and more References, Get the names of parents with children who have attended the camp. They will tell you what makes camp so special and why they want to return.

Need more ideas to help you make a smart decision? Check out Summer Camp Advice A Summer Camp

About the authors: Jeff and Lonnie Lorenz are the Directors of Swift Nature Camp, a non-competitive, traditional Children’s Summer Camp in Wisconsin. Boys and Girls ages 6-15 enjoy playing in nature, caring for animals, and learning science. Traditional camping activities include canoe trips and more. SNC is so personal it seems like a Homeschool Summer Camp.

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To find out what your local home schooling rules are exactly, you will obviously first have to discover what your state’s policy on home schooling is. This is because of the fact that some states appear to have no requirement for documents from parents or home schooling programs about their enrollment policies or the subjects that they are going to teach.

When you look for this information on the Internet, you will find that there are four classes of home schooling rules. These rules vary from no legal requirements about home schooling to very stringent laws regarding home schooling. At present there appears to be about six states where the home schooling rules are very stringent. While on the other hand there are 10 states where there are no home schooling rules at all and notification of your intentions is not required.

These various differences in home schooling rules are also to be found in the territories of the US. Because different states have several different criteria for home schooling studies, there are times when you will need to provide documentation as the parents of home schooling children. The records will include parental registration to the state about your child’s studying as a home school student.

For the states where the home schooling rules are very strict, the state requires more than a nonchalant notification from the parents. Among the documents that you may have to produce are accomplishment test scores, a home school syllabus approved by the state and a specialist appraisal of your child’s educational development.

You will also need teaching qualifications for you and your spouse, if you are both to be the teachers of your children, while they are occupied in home schooling. Some states may demand that state officials visit your home to check whether the children are indeed in receipt of an adequate high school education from you. These are just a few of the diverse documents and pertinent facts that you will need to be aware of concerning your state’s home schooling laws.

Since each state has different rules regarding home schooling, it is a good plan if you find out the information, regulations and rules that your state has passed appertaining to home schooling. The main fact that you should keep in mind about state laws and home schooling is that before your child becomes a home school student, you will have to discover what the home schooling rules are in the precise area where you live.

If you are searching for information on home schooling regulations, please go over to our web site now called Home Schooling.

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High school dropouts are a national problem. Alternatives such as online high school can provide a viable option for some students. Internet schools also called virtual high schools are not the answer for all of the problems that can lead to dropping out, but can often rescue significant numbers of potential drop outs.

There are two general categories of the causes of dropping out. These are home related problems, and school related problems. This article will look at the subcategories of drop out predictors and how online high school may address these.

In my view, the guidance that can be provided by a professional case manager would be highly beneficial as soon as a student begins to exhibit predictive signs of dropping out. Typical school counselors are given so many extraneous tasks that they have little time remaining to do actual intervention. When possible, parents should also play as strong role as well.

One area that has predicted drop outs is poor grades, and poor academic performance. Poor grades lead to poor self esteem, low peer acceptance, and discouragement for students. Online high school is private, and efficient and can allow the child to catch up. Many online schools are self paced, allowing the student to learn at his own rate.

Another warning sign is failure of a grade. Holding a child back a grade or two can increase his chances of dropping out to more than 90%. Retention is traumatic to a student. The student’s friends will move on without him. Classes will become repetitive tedium, and graduation will seem more and more out of reach. In this case, as well, going to an internet school can rescue the child from becoming a drop out.

One area where online high school is only partially effective is for serious behavior problems. When negative peer pressure is to blame, internet school can allow parents to better control and supervise the child’s progress. Of course, strong parents are not always available. When a student is often getting in trouble, school can become a place where mostly punishment occurs. An online alternative may be of help.

Behavior problems are difficult to deal with in any setting. When considering switching to online school, it is wise to take into account that online education may require a good deal of self motivation and focus. Without parental supervision and mentoring, these behaviors can disrupt attempt at online schooling as well.

Another predictive sign for dropping out is frequent moving, and frequent absences from school. Portability is a great benefit of online high school. This may be the only way a family that moves often can have continuity of schooling. The only thing needed is an internet connection for the student to attend school. Absences are another case, depending on the cause, but online school may have an answer for this as well.

When drop outs are questioned, they list dislike for school, parental duties, pregnancy, and job priorities as reasons. In these cases, traditional public school may just be too rigid. This is a good situation where the online school can offer the flexibility necessary for schooling to continue to graduation.

Today there is a lot of effort and discussion about drop out recovery. Online high school is an increasingly sound alternative. The obvious consequences of dropping out in terms of quality of life, and financial burden on society force a search for viable alternatives. There are many online high schools to choose from. Finding a school that is best for you is time well spent.

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Here is some advice for those about to take an exam or parents preparing their child for an important exam.

Revising for exams can be a stressful time for both younger and older children. Also for parents anxious that their children will do well. It is important therefore to prepare early.

The earlier your child starts to revise for the exam the easier it will be for them to absorb the information. Cramming in information a few days before the test can just create more stress which can hinder recall during the exam.

How past test papers can assist revision

The key to passing a test is having a good idea of the test questions that will be asked in the exam. There are two main ways of obtaining this information. First talk to the teacher and ask him or her how the questions will be structured. Some questions could involve multiple choice, others may require written answers. Also ask what key areas will be emphasized in the test.

Another important way of preparing your child for a test and helping them revise efficiently is to obtain past test papers.

1. Obtaining past papers will enable your child to see how the questions are arranged and how the answers are marked. It will also provide a general idea of the types of questions and key revision areas to give priority to.

2. If the test papers involve written questions rather then multiple choice some answers will carry more marks then others. The more marks that are rewarded for each question usually the more points that have to be given for that answer. It is important your child dedicates the right amount of time and written material to each answer. Past test papers enable your child to see how to answer a question and not just what answer to give.

3. Obtaining past exam papers will enable you to test your child against the clock. It is vital your child manages his or her time effectively during the exam. Getting every question correct but partially completing a test paper can still result in a fail. Using past test papers enable you to carry out practice timed assessments to establish how they should manage their time during the exam and how much time they should dedicate to each question.

How to use mind maps for revision

Revision involves 3 fundamental steps. Firstly planning and managing your time effectively. A timetable can be useful for this. Secondly focusing on what matters. Past test papers will have made it easier to concentrate on key areas most likely to be asked during the exam. Thirdly writing notes efficiently that can also be reviewed quickly before an exam.

Note taking is an important aspect of revision but only if they employ the rules of note taking and the notes you create are not monotonous and boring.

Notes can either hinder or help revision. Avoid linear notes that are monotonous, boring and time consuming and instead use colourful mind maps which use colour, drawing and brief sentences.

Mind maps utilize imagery, association and order. Key information is arranged closer to the key topic at the centre of the mind map. Related information is connected via branches.

Mind Maps are very effective note taking techniques due to the way that mind maps arrange and present information. Images and drawings are much easier to remember and the branches on the mind map help the mind to organize and associate related information which is crucial for recall. Also the most important information is easier to find and scan quickly making it easier to review information quickly before an exam.

When creating a mind map it is best if they start off creating a mind map of knowledge they have already gained from books, school, the media and elsewhere. Building upon pre-existing knowledge is a great way of improving recall.

The colour and images on a mind map, the branches which connect related information and the keywords and phrases all provide a powerful and efficient note taking technique.

Over time their mind map will become more detailed with drawings, keywords, and phrases representing key ideas and information.

Every few days they should use their mind map to recall as much as possible from memory. The keywords and images should help recall. This practice is what reinforces knowledge in long term memory.

Reviewing before the exam

Reviewing before the exam should be easy with mind maps as it simply involves scanning the mind map and recalling from memory what has been learned. The images and keywords act as triggers for memories. Reviewing a mind map this way also helps to review gaps in their knowledge which can be filled in by revisiting the material.

A day before the exam you should insure they get plenty of rest. Tiredness can hinder concentration. Also dehydration is shown to produce brain fog and tiredness. They should drink plenty of water just before the exam.

If they have prepared well, have studied the relevant material and have created mind maps to absorb the information and aid efficient exam revision this should greatly increase the chances of passing the exam.

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Home schooling or homeschooling, if you want (in deed, you even see it hyphenated, as in home-schooling) has been about for about 30 years now, although, of course it was all parents had before state involvement in education. Remote thinly-populated places in large countries like the USA, Canada and Australia still have to rely on home schooling to a large degree, although it is less difficult now with the wide-spread use of radio, television and the Internet. Video packages also have an important role, as do books still.

Nevertheless, home schooling has become very popular in the cities as an alternative to urban public schools, which are often seen as hotbeds of upheaval, anger and narcotics, especially by the middle classes and not without some due reason, to be honest. Nonetheless, there are also other good reasons for deciding on home schooling, which we will go into at a later stage.

First, it must be pointed out that the decision to go for home schooling has to be a family one. This is because it will turn “normal family life” on its head and place an added monetary strain on the family purse. For instance, one parent will have to cease working. This cannot be allowed to be a cause of resentment, or both parents could take part-time employment and share the children’s educational time. Whichever way you decide, you will not have two full-time incomes any longer. Working from home on the Internet could be a partial solution here.

Home schooling will also disrupt everyone’s social life. So, the parents’ social life is restricted by not seeing work colleagues every day, but so is little Johnny’s, particularly if he has already spent some time in a normal classroom. He won’t see his pals from class as much and they may drift away from him or even be angry with him.

On the plus side is that the family will become a lot stronger as a unit by studying together at home schooling. Both parents will have a complete knowledge of what their child is learning and will be learning. While maintaining a broad-spectrum education, you may however opt to focus on aspects of, say, history or science, that particularly interest your child. It allows you the freedom to match your child’s education to his or her own interests, something that state education cannot do well with large classes. Your child will also be less under the influence of the rowdier elements in school and be able to concentrate more on studying.

A note of caution could be useful at this point. Do not be tempted to compel your child to progress too rapidly. It is tempting for a non-professional teacher-cum-proud parent in home schooling to push the child much harder than he can go. Don’t forget that most pupils are just average. You must be on look out for signs of burn-out and stress at all times.

Once you decide to opt for home schooling, you will have to choose a basic curriculum, run through it yourself to familiarize yourself with it, buy or locate in the library any supplementary books, videos and software, make a load of notes and stock up on pens and paper, folders, binders and filing cabinets and you’ll be ready for your first semester at home schooling.

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