Barnes & Noble Educator Appreciation Days

A few upcoming dates from Robbie at Barnes & Noble Cool Springs that home educators might want to note:

Date: Saturday, January 9 - 17, 2016
Name: Educator Appreciation Days
Description: Calling all pre-K through grade 12 educators! Join us during Educator Appreciation Days for special discounts, giveaways and events. Kick off the second half of the school year with Barnes & Noble and come see what products to add to your classroom that promote tech literacy and spark creativity.

Date: Saturday, January 15, 3:30PM-5:00PM
Name: Educator Appreciation Open House
Description: Calling all pre-K through grade 12 educators! Join us during Educator Appreciation Days for special discounts, giveaways and events. Drop by our Open House to enter drawings, pick up free items for the classroom and see demos of our newest tech products for the classroom!

Franklin Guitar Teacher Marty Keith Offers Lessons to New Students

Screenshot of Marty Keith playing on ABC's Nashville

Start something new in the new year: guitar lessons!

Franklin full-time guitar teacher (and homeschool dad!), Marty Keith is accepting new students.

Besides guitar, Marty also offers lessons on bass guitar, ukulele, stage performance, songwriting, and artist development. Adult students are welcome, too! Rental guitars are available for a small fee.

Marty offers first lesson free for homeschoolers. Lessons are 30-minutes, once a week and cost $130 per month (no extra charge on 5-week months.) Hour lessons are available for advanced students.

Marty is conveniently located just half a mile off I-65 (Exit 65, Hwy. 96) in Franklin. Email: johnmartinkeith@hotmail [dot] com or call: 615-415-1942

If you would like more information about Marty's teaching, references from fellow homeschooling families, or more information about his faith and ministry, please check out Marty’s blog or his website.

Free and Educational Music Experiences For Students by Jennifer Smeltser

Homeschooling allows you to introduce your children to a number of experiences. One of the things I enjoy about homeschooling is the opportunity to include fine arts, which is a subject that has been largely eliminated in many of the public schools. We have seen a number of plays; visited museums and listened to music performed by some of the finest orchestras in Tennessee.

Each year, more than 20,000 students attend Young People's Concerts at the Nashville Symphony. The concerts are free and open to public, private and homeschool students. The concerts are just one of the many ways the organization strives to introduce; include and educate students in the area of music.

There are a number of programs for children that continue into the 2016. Some of them fill up quickly, so it is best to make your reservations or register as soon as possible.

Young People’s Concerts
These concerts are geared toward students in specific grade levels, which ensure the performances are ones that will be enjoyed by those attending. There is curriculum that complements each performance and includes the video “Let’s Go to the Symphony”, lessons plans and music selections. These concerts fill quickly and

Family Fun During the Christmas Season

The Nashville Symphony. Photo credit: Mickey Dobo, courtesy of The Nashville Symphony.

With no disrespect to Thanksgiving, if you want to enjoy Christmas events in December, you have to make your plans now. There are a number of events that will be happening in and around Williamson County. Some require reservations, because events sell out quickly. Others just need to be considered as we plan our calendar, because you will not be able to do everything. The Christmas season is a time to spend with family. Fortunately, there are many events that can be enjoyed by all ages.

 

Have you got a train lover?

The NorthPole Express with Santa returns leaving out of Nashville and round trips through Lebanon. The two and one half hour, 64 mile train ride will satisfy your train lover with a scenic ride through Tennessee. Other passengers include Santa and his elves, along with carolers singing many Christmas songs that have become favorites over the years.  Regular, first-class and dome seating, an ultimate panoramic view, are available. December 5 and 12.

It’s music to my ears.

Any opportunity I have to take my children to the symphony, I do so. Yes, children can enjoy classical music. The Nashville Symphony has three productions you and your children will enjoy. Using familiar stories like Home Alone and A Charlie Brown Christmas, they will be able to make a connection through classical

Family Field Trips You Must Take in Tennessee by Christa Brown

As I was looking for a fall family field trip, I discovered a wealth of resources in our very own state.

Fifteen years.

I decided fifteen years was too long to pass between trips to the Natchez Trace. Honestly, I didn’t think we really had the time to take off for a trip. We’d already taken a few days to go to the beach, and it’s hard to get 80 days in before December if you’re taking trips every month.

However, I sometimes forget as a homeschooling family you’re always learning wherever you go. Some trips you can count as homeschooling days.

When planning a family field trip, I always look for specific criteria.

• A trip that takes no more than 4 hours to get there.

• Cities with decent and affordable accommodations .

• Fun, educationally appropriate activities for the kids.

• Grocery stores to buy necessities such as sandwich fixings and snacks.

• A few perks: After all it is a getaway. Hotels that provide breakfast or hot tubs to relax in after a day of hiking can make it more of a family vacation and not just another day of homeschooling.

The more I see of Tennessee,

Homeschool Buyers Co-op Provides Low Cost Homeschool Curriculum and Resources

Add the Homeschool Buyers Co-op to your list of go-to homeschool resources. According to their website:

The Homeschool Buyers Co-op is the world's largest buyers club for homeschooling families. Founded in 2005, we are family-owned and operated business dedicated to providing top-quality curriculum at the lowest price possible.

Thanks to Lisa for the tip!

Special Event for Homeschoolers at Barnes & Noble Cool Springs

While Educator Appreciation continues with additional discounts, we would also like to invite all area Homeschoolers for a special event on Thursday October 15, 2015 at 11:00AM. We will be providing demonstrations of our new Maker Faire products and will have our new Da Vinci Jr. 3-D printer and littleBits electronic building blocks available for demonstration from 11 to noon. In addition you can also register to win prizes! 

Job Opportunities for Homeschoolers at Chick-fil-A Thoroughbred Square

Chick-fil-A Thoroughbred Square is committed to creating a positive and productive work environment for all of our employees. This environment aids us in our ultimate goal of providing a remarkable experience for everyone who walks through our doors. We are always looking for highly motivated individuals who are passionate about service to join our team. As one of the premier Chick-fil-A locations in the Southeast, you will be a member of an award-winning team focused on both personal and professional excellence. We offer competitive pay, employee scholarships, and guaranteed Sundays off for all shifts and positions. Our flexible scheduling is ideal for homeschool and tutorial students as well as parents. Interested applicants can download an application here and submit it in person anytime. We hope to see you soon!

Belle Meade Plantation Homeschool History Club

Belle Meade Plantation's Home School History Club is open to young learners Pre-K through 12th Grade. Each month the Club explores and experiences different aspects of American history through interactive games and activities, projects, and lessons.

Registration will be available through the Gamma Gazette Newsletter. Click Here to receive Gamma Gazette.

For more information click here to e-mail the Club or click here to find out more about other Home School Events happening this Fall.

Write It Right on National Punctuation Day ~ by Jennifer Smeltser

On Thursday, September 24, Jeff Rubin and his wife, Norma, will celebrate National Punctuation Day (NPD), which is an event they created more than 10 years ago. You may wonder why they would create such an event, and the logical explanation is because “Punctuation counts. A misplaced comma can alter the meaning of a message.”

As homeschoolers, we do understand the importance of punctuation and it’s proper use. There is nothing worse than reading a sentence with punctuation gone haywire.

How many of you just cringed while reading the previous paragraph? Believe me; it was just as difficult for me to write as it was for you to read.

Let us try that again.

As homeschoolers, we do understand the importance of punctuation and its proper use. Is that better?