Homeschooling and Special Needs

Many parents become stymied by the concept of “normal”, especially when referenced to their child. Normal, as a word, sounds bland, flavorless without expression or meaning. Yet, when your child is defined as being less than the standard homogeneous criteria, it can equate a deep well of sadness that your child is different. It was only when I realized, not even my “typical” children are “normal” in their attributes, personality, and educational pursuits, that I came to accept that labels are merely oppressive identifiers. These classifications could never encompass the vastness that we all inhabit.

Aesop’s tortoise won the race, by ultimately crossing the finish line before the hare; the morale clearly states that speed doesn’t equate success. This concept that a prescribed age equates a predetermined grade level is becoming a more fluid concept, even within mainstream schooling. Parents are electing to hold back their children and not just for intellectual abilities. Post high school graduates are

Franklin Guitar Teacher Marty Keith Now Accepting New Students

Screenshot of Marty Keith playing on ABC's Nashville

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 at 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.

Easter Egg Hunts Williamson County 2016

Hi happy homeschoolers! Here are a few Easter egg hunts in and around Williamson County this year:

Brentwood Library Easter Egg Hunt
Thursday, March, 24, 2016 2-3pm
More details: (615) 371-0060
From the library's blog: The library's Easter egg hunt will take place in the area between the library and Lipscomb Elementary School. Face painting and the jelly bean guess begin at 2:00 and hunt starts promptly at 2:30. The park will be divided into four age groups and there will be thousand of eggs distributed. Bring a basket to collect your eggs and bring your camera to get a picture with the Easter Bunny. Parking is available at the library, at River Park and at the Civitan lot next to Lipscomb Elementary.


Williamson County (Franklin & Fairview) Annual Egg Hunt
Saturday, March 19, 2016 10am
From wcparksandrec.com calendar: Williamson County Parks and Recreation invites area residents to hop on over to the FREE annual community Easter Egg Hunts at 10:00 a.m. at two

Expand Your Child’s Artistic Mind this Summer at the Frist Center

Frist Center for the Visual Arts

It may only be March, but it is already time to start planning and registering for summer activities. Registration for the 2016 summer programs at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts has opened. You will want to check out the Summer Art Camp and the Summer Artlab programs offered to children, ages five to 18 years old. It looks like there will be a summer of fun and learning at the Frist.

Art is one subject that has been widely excluded in the public

Deer Run Camps & Retreats ~ Deeper Faith. Greater Adventures.

Summer Camp adventure for your kids and family can be found at Deer Run — located on 100 wooded acres ten miles southwest of downtown Franklin. Because Deer Run is a traditional camp without the distractions of technology, campers can focus on relationships, physical activity and challenges while having fun. The staff-to-camper ratio is lower than required standards enabling closer relationships with the counselors and other campers plus a better camper experience.

Overnight Camps: One-week sessions for preteen (grades 3–5), middle school (grades 6–8) and high school (grades 9–12). Middle school campers also have an option for two-week sessions.

Activities — Cabin groups: horseback riding, 45-ft climbing tower, paintball, archery, BB guns, recreational games,

How Music Improves a Child's Life by Lauren Conklin

Why do we pour so much time, money, stress, and effort into educating our children? Why do we sacrifice so much of our lives to give them the best possible schooling? Many people would answer, “so they'll make good grades,” or “so they can get into a good college and have a good career,” which is certainly true. But why is it so important for them to make good grades and go to a good school? These things are not an end unto themselves, but rather a means for our children to become what we really want them to be: well-rounded, self-confident, intelligent, curious, driven, creative, successful, and, ultimately, happy.

Unfortunately, there is no curriculum entitled Workbook to Create Confident, Intelligent, Self-Motivated and Successful Children. Instead, we have to decide as parents what steps to take to give our children the best chance at success. One often overlooked area of education that is unexpectedly important is music education. Last year, I wrote an article called Why Music Matters that is full of facts and statistics on how music education positively affects academics and learning ability. Today, I'd like to discuss how music can build children not only into better learners but better people.

Social and Emotional Intelligence
Research shows that students who participate in an orchestra during school score significantly higher on the ACT/SAT than their non-musical peers. But for me, the biggest impact of time spent in orchestra was the social and emotional development it forced me to make. To play in orchestra, you must work as a team—you must communicate with your section to ensure that you play as a cohesive unit at all times. All the violins must ensure that their bows are moving in the same direction; all the flautists must be sure

Homeschool Classes at Green Elephant Arts Studio

Green Elephant Arts Studio is a children’s arts studio located in the Woodbine neighborhood of Nashville at 2517 Nolensville Pike. At Green Elephant Arts Studio, we strive to create a space where your child can be wild and free. We make messes, sing, dance like dinosaurs, be silly, paint with Hot Wheels cars, and so much more! Your child will not always bring home a painting that looks like Picasso (although sometimes they will), but they will always bring home a masterpiece that they created on their own!

We offer many homeschool opportunities such as elementary-level art classes, middle-level classes, and homeschool group field trips. This Spring, we are offering

How to Stay Motivated and Encouraged in the Middle of a School Year by Jennifer Smeltser

The Art of Homeschooling is truly a skill. We are in the trenches with our children as we navigate through the wilderness called home education. Many of us make it through with the reward of a diploma in our child’s hand. Others get lost along the way barely hanging on until the end at graduation. Some completely give up and choose public school, private school or some other type of education. Homeschooling does not have to be hard. There is a lot of support and information available to people who want to learn more about homeschooling or just need encouragement and a reminder as to why they chose this form of education for their child.

During the months of January and February are when many

Bellevue Home School Enrichment and Tutorials Seeks Executive Director

Bellevue Home School Enrichment and Tutorials (BHSE)

POSITION: Part-time Executive Director

OVERVIEW: Bellevue Home School Enrichment and Tutorials (BHSE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Christian home schooling partnership committed to helping parents train up the next generation of Christian servant-leaders.  We provide a Biblically integrated program to encourage growth academically, spiritually, socially, and physically.  Our program is unique and our commitment to quality education is truly distinctive. Our vision is to see ongoing classes of well-rounded BHSE graduates prepared to teach others what God has taught them by living lives which exemplify Christ.

SCOPE OF POSITION: Part-time Executive Director, responsible for providing overall strategic and operational direction for staff, programs, expansion, and execution of mission; serving the tutors, administrative staff, parents, and students by providing resources to ensure their success.

QUALIFICATIONS:
•       Passion for education and home schooling

Free Master's Program at Bryan College by Pat Wesolowski

Bryan College, a homeschool friendly, conservative, Christian college located right here in Tennessee (HOPE scholarships apply) now includes a program for students to receive a free Master’s degree. If your student begins and completes his/her bachelor’s degree at our campus and has a 3.5 GPA then he/she is qualified to receive a free Master’s degree!

What does that mean? That means that in addition to our homeschool scholarship, worldview scholarship, athletic and academic scholarships, music and theater scholarships (and more), your student has added incentive to check out Bryan College. 

We are located in the foothills of the Smokies in Dayton, TN, just north of