Do Homeschool Programs Need to Be Accredited?

FAQ: Accreditation and Homeschool Connections

Q. What is accreditation?
• Accreditation is a voluntary process, performed by private, nongovernmental agencies.
• There is no central control or authority.
• There are good accrediting agencies and bad ones.
• One accrediting organization is not legally designated as being superior over another.

Q. What does accreditation have to do with learning?
• Nothing directly. It measures standards and does not develop educational programs.
• Some of the worst public schools and private schools are accredited.
• Some of the best are not.

Q. What is the purpose of accreditation?
• The main function is to weed out diploma mills and other education scams.
• Gives assurance that the educational institution being reviewed is legitimate and meets minimum standards.

Q. What is the usefulness of accreditation for homeschool families?
• Educationally, there is little usefulness for students and their families.
• Does provide a comfort factor for parents, giving them assurance by a 3rd party that the program meets minimum standards. However, parents must still determine if the accrediting body is legitimate.
• Useful to schools for marketing and recruiting.
• May be helpful in some cases if putting children into a public or private high school after homeschooling partway through high school.
• Possible requirement for NCAA scholarships.

Q. What if I want to design my own curriculum or use a non-accredited program, but am one of the rare cases where accreditation is necessary?
• There are several accredited agencies that will review your course of study and issue an accredited diploma for a fee. These programs include, but are not limited to:
     Clonlara
     NARHS
     West River Academy
We have not used these programs personally, so cannot recommend one over the other. As always, do your research.

Q. Is Homeschool Connections accredited?
• No. Our policy is that parents are the ultimate authority in their child’s education.
• Non-accreditation allows us more flexibility.
• Non-accreditation keeps our classes inexpensive.
• Home education does not involve attending a school.
• We are not a school, but an online curriculum provider.
• Our focus is providing the best online curriculum for use at home, not accreditation.
• As private homeschoolers, parents are the ones who provide “accreditation” for their child’s education.
• The quality of home education is assured by parents, not a 3rd party or accrediting body.
• Students using our program are educated at home by themselves and their parents. We merely assist the students and parents with online classes and other services.

Q. What about transferring to a public or private high school after homeschooling? Will lack of accreditation affect my student? 
• Some high schools will require an accredited transcript.
• If the school will not accept a student’s transcript, they will likely evaluate the student using standardized testing, whether the homeschool program is accredited or not.
• If you have plans to put your child into a local site-based school, check their policy on transfer students.

Q. Is it necessary to have attended an accredited high school or program to be accepted to a college or university?    
• No. The high school’s accreditation or non-accreditation status is not a factor in the evaluation of a high school student’s eligibility for college admission, except in rare cases.  Check with prospective colleges if you are unsure.
• A school’s accredited status from any accrediting organization does not provide a legal guarantee that a student will be accepted into any private or public institution.
• The majority of students are accepted into colleges based on an evaluation of their application, the results of their Classic Learning Test (CLT), Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), or American College Testing (ACT) scores, and their high school Grade Point Average (GPA).

If you have further questions about Homeschool Connections' accreditation policy, please do not hesitate to email us at homeschoolconnections@gmail.com

Note: This FAQ refers to the accreditation of K to 12 education. College accreditation is a completely different topic. We recommend attending an accredited college, especially if you are planning to attend graduate school or if you are entering a profession that requires an accredited college degree.

Tips: Using Online Classes for Summer

Top Ten List

Using Unlimited Access for Summer Learning

There are a lot of different ways you can use Homeschool Connections' recorded classes (aka Unlimited Access) to keep learning alive and fun over the summer. Here are ten ideas to get you started.

10. Take school with you.
We've had students take classes from hotel rooms, Grandma's house, the library, the car on the road, and even the beach. Though we don't recommend taking your laptop anywhere near sand! All you need for recorded classes is a power source, internet, and a computer. You should add ear buds or a headset to the list if you need privacy.

9. Plug the computer into the television.
This is a really fun way to learn together as a family. Pick a subject that everyone is interested in learning. It may be The Hobbit or World War II or American Sign Langauge or something completely different. Make some popcorn and watch together. You may need an HDMI cable and a newer TV (Mac users will need a converter). Do what I do and have a teen set it up for you.

8. Pick a time that works best for you.
Recorded classes are available 24/7. You could watch classes first thing in the morning, getting them done early so the rest of the day can be spent outdoors. It you prefer, watch classes during lunch or just before bed in the evening. Pick the time that is going to help you keep up on your work throughout the whole of summer.

7. Audit a course.
Watch a lecture each day and forgo the homework. For example, instead of taking 12 weeks for World History: 12 Inventions that Changed the World, watch the lectures over 12 days. When auditing, pick a subject that is easy for you. (For a course list, click here: Recorded Course Catalog.)

6. Buckle down on tough subjects.
Need help with algebra? Struggled with science last year? If so, buckle down and get to work. Set aside time each and every day (Sundays off!) and stick to the schedule. Complete all of the homework before moving to the next recorded lecture. If you want extra help, sign up for the optional grading support (Instructor Access).

5. Catch up on subjects for September.
Planning on taking Latin II next year but not quite ready? Perhaps illness or something else kept you from finishing Latin I this year. Whether you simply need a refresher or need to make up for lost time, there are a number of "Bootcamps" available in recording (math, Latin, and more).

4. Ask yourself, "What do I love?"
For example, do you get geeked about books? If so, choose a literature course on a book you love. Reread Romeo and Juliet as you watch Professor Pearce's lectures over a couple of weeks. Or Screwtape Letters, or Space Trilogy, or The Man Who Was Thursday. You can choose from over 20 literature courses.

3. Summer is a great time to hone your writing skills
Writing is a key skill for success in all other school subjects. Focusing on writing skills over summer will help you do better in history, literature, and more when fall arrives. Other courses that help you succeed in core subjects include: Note Taking Skills and How to Use Microsoft Word.

2. Keep a schedule and stick to it. 
How many times have we all laid out grand plans, only to forget about them as the excitement wore off? Write out a reasonable schedule on a white board or print it and post it. Program your computer or phone to remind you each day. Do something tangible to keep you on schedule.

1. Keep it simple.
You don't need a complicated schedule to be effective. Pick just one or two subjects. For example, maybe you weren't able to make time for philosophy in the fall and spring, but you know it would help you a lot to learn it and it sounds interesting. Focus just on philosophy courses for summer.

Bonus: Unlimited Access means just that!
You have unlimited access to over 140 courses for your entire family. Yes, it's true! You can't beat the price ($30 per month!!!) and you can't beat the convenience. Middle school, high school, and adult students can easily learn year round with this independent learning program. It can be as easy or as complicated as you want to make it. It's YOUR program.

To learn more about our recorded, online, independent learning classes, click here now:

Unlimited Access!

Summer School Online

Do you want
     ... to give your child a solid foundation to start the school year?
     ... to forgo lots of review in September?
     ... your child to have the skills needed for success?
     ... your child's education to be steeped in Catholic teaching?

If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, Homeschool Connections wants to help you.

Summer classes are a great way to keep learning alive year round, build foundations for learning, give children self-confidence, and save time on review in September. Homeschool Connections' online classes provide learning with a strong Catholic ethos.

We offer two options for summer classes.

First, we offer recorded, independent learning courses thought our Unlimited Access! service. This service give families unlimited access to over 100 courses that can be taken on your time and at your pace. Everything is provided for you: video lectures, homework, quizzes, support materials, and answer keys. All of this for only $30 per month. Plus, the first 7 days are only $1 so you can try it out without a big commitment. You can keep it as long or as short as you need it. Click here to learn more or sign up:
Unlimited Access!

Second, we offer live, interactive courses. Students meet with their teacher in real time online on a scheduled day and time. Students interact live with the instructor and their fellow students. The three live courses offered for Summer 2013 are:

Economics Summer Boot Camp

Introduction to Catholic Social Teaching

(click on course title to register)

Class dates: Monday through Thursday, July 8 to July 11, 2013
Total classes: 4
Starting time: 4:30 pm Eastern
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th grade, but all enthusiastic high school students are welcomed.
Fee: $50 for all four classes (course materials included)
Instructor: Mr. Phillip Campbell
Course description: Introduction to the Church's social teaching on man, economy and the state, studying the benefits and pitfalls of the modern economy through the lens of Catholic Tradition.
Course outline:
Day 1: Catholic teaching on man and our duties to society and our neighbor
Day 2: Synopsis of the teachings in the Catholic Social Enyclicals
Day 3: Belloc and Chesteron
Day 4: Modern efforts at implementing the Church's social teaching
Course materials: Provided free online by instructor
Homework: Light reading, plus a comprehensive exam at the conclusion of the week.

Middle School Writing Essentials Bootcamp: Excellent Sentence and Paragraph Writing

(click on course title for registration page)

Class dates: August 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, and 13, 2013
Total classes: 6
Starting time: 10:30 AM Eastern (9:30 Central)
Duration: 45 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 6th to 8th grade
Fee: $75 for all 6 classes.
Instructor: Erin Brown Conroy
Course description: This is an essential writing course for all middle school students to make sure that your student has strong middle school writing foundations in place. Give your middle school student exactly what’s needed for writing well-crafted sentences and paragraphs—including the absolute “must-have” knowledge and practice for the use of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and prepositional phrases, and compound sentence structures, as well as capitalization, end punctuation, and the use of quoted material. Even if your student has learned the composition of a sentence and paragraph before (in elementary materials), the approach for this class is to use middle school vocabulary and structures that are more complex. Help your child finally master the details that are holding him or her back from writing well. Sentence constructions are designed to prepare your student for upper level middle school writing.
Course outline:
Class 1: Nouns, verbs, and capitalization in sentences
Class 2: Adjectives, adverbs, and end punctuation in sentences
Class 3: Prepositions, prepositional phrases, and compound sentence structures
Class 4: Using quotes in dialogue and academic writing
Class 5: Transitions and connectives in sentences
Class 6: Putting it all together: Transitions and linear sentences in paragraph writing
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. eBook: Simplified Writing Foundations: Sentences and Paragraphs for Middle School Students by EB Conroy. Students may purchase the ebook on Amazon (plus download the Kindle app for free to use on any computer, iPad, iPod, or smart phone).
Homework: Approximately 45 minutes to one hour per day, reading and completing coursework.

High School Writing Essentials Bootcamp: Excellent Paragraph and Essay/Test Writing

(click on course title for registration page)

Class dates: August 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, and 13, 2013
Total classes: 6
Starting time: 11:45 AM Eastern (10:45 Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 11th grade
Fee: $75 for all 6 classes.
Instructor: Erin Brown Conroy
Course description: This is an essential writing course for all high school students, to make sure that your student has critical high school writing foundations in place. Give your high school student exactly what’s needed for writing well-crafted sentences and paragraphs—including the absolute “must-have” knowledge, review, and practice for the use of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and prepositional phrases, and compound sentence structures, as well as transitions and connectives, the use of quoted material, summary, and paraphrase. Even if your student has learned foundational concepts before, the approach in his class is to use high school vocabulary and structures that are more complex and needed for upper-level writing. From mastering the details that are holding your student back from writing well to providing much-needed practice, help your student perfect the essential tools for high school writing.
Course outline:
Class 1: Using strong nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in well-constructed sentences
Class 2: Capitalization, punctuation, and using quotation marks in dialogue and academic writing; prepositions and prepositional phrases
Class 3: Linear writing, transitions, and connectives in sentences and paragraphs
Class 4: Writing with summary and paraphrase
Class 5: Answering essay questions: structure, form, and content I
Class 6: Answering essay questions: structure, form, and content 2
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. eBook: Simplified Writing Essentials for High School Students by EB Conroy. Students may purchase the ebook on Amazon (plus download the Kindle app for free to use on any computer, iPad, iPod, or smart phone) after June 2013.
Homework: Approximately one hour per day, reading and completing coursework.

Summer Writing Classes

Homeschool Connections is offering two summer writing courses, one for middle school and one for high school. These courses will help your students get the basics and be prepared for the school year. We want your child to be successful and our writing courses are a great step in that direction. See below for details and links to register.

Middle School Writing Essentials Bootcamp: Excellent Sentence and Paragraph Writing

(click on course title for registration page)

Class dates: August 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, and 13, 2013
Total classes: 6
Starting time: 10:30 AM Eastern (9:30 Central)
Duration: 45 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 6th to 8th grade
Fee: $75 for all 6 classes.
Instructor: Erin Brown Conroy
Course description: This is an essential writing course for all middle school students to make sure that your student has strong middle school writing foundations in place. Give your middle school student exactly what’s needed for writing well-crafted sentences and paragraphs—including the absolute “must-have” knowledge and practice for the use of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and prepositional phrases, and compound sentence structures, as well as capitalization, end punctuation, and the use of quoted material. Even if your student has learned the composition of a sentence and paragraph before (in elementary materials), the approach for this class is to use middle school vocabulary and structures that are more complex. Help your child finally master the details that are holding him or her back from writing well. Sentence constructions are designed to prepare your student for upper level middle school writing.
Course outline:
Class 1: Nouns, verbs, and capitalization in sentences
Class 2: Adjectives, adverbs, and end punctuation in sentences
Class 3: Prepositions, prepositional phrases, and compound sentence structures
Class 4: Using quotes in dialogue and academic writing
Class 5: Transitions and connectives in sentences
Class 6: Putting it all together: Transitions and linear sentences in paragraph writing
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. eBook: Simplified Writing Foundations: Sentences and Paragraphs for Middle School Students by EB Conroy. Students may purchase the ebook on Amazon (plus download the Kindle app for free to use on any computer, iPad, iPod, or smart phone).
Homework: Approximately 45 minutes to one hour per day, reading and completing coursework.

High School Writing Essentials Bootcamp: Excellent Paragraph and Essay/Test Writing

(click on course title for registration page)

Class dates: August 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, and 13, 2013
Total classes: 6
Starting time: 11:45 AM Eastern (10:45 Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 11th grade
Fee: $75 for all 6 classes.
Instructor: Erin Brown Conroy
Course description: This is an essential writing course for all high school students, to make sure that your student has critical high school writing foundations in place. Give your high school student exactly what’s needed for writing well-crafted sentences and paragraphs—including the absolute “must-have” knowledge, review, and practice for the use of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and prepositional phrases, and compound sentence structures, as well as transitions and connectives, the use of quoted material, summary, and paraphrase. Even if your student has learned foundational concepts before, the approach in his class is to use high school vocabulary and structures that are more complex and needed for upper-level writing. From mastering the details that are holding your student back from writing well to providing much-needed practice, help your student perfect the essential tools for high school writing.
Course outline:
Class 1: Using strong nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in well-constructed sentences
Class 2: Capitalization, punctuation, and using quotation marks in dialogue and academic writing; prepositions and prepositional phrases
Class 3: Linear writing, transitions, and connectives in sentences and paragraphs
Class 4: Writing with summary and paraphrase
Class 5: Answering essay questions: structure, form, and content I
Class 6: Answering essay questions: structure, form, and content 2
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. eBook: Simplified Writing Essentials for High School Students by EB Conroy. Students may purchase the ebook on Amazon (plus download the Kindle app for free to use on any computer, iPad, iPod, or smart phone) after June 2013.
Homework: Approximately one hour per day, reading and completing coursework.

Instructor biography: Mrs. Conroy designed and taught writing and research as a professor for Patrick Henry College's Distance Learning program for six years, taught writing and leadership courses at Cornerstone University's Professional and Graduate Studies Division for seven years, and has been the course designer/Master Teacher for Patrick Henry College Prep Academy’s AP English Language and Composition courses for three years. She is an author of several non-fiction books, including Simplified Writing 101: Top Secrets for College Writing Success. Professor Brown Conroy also speaks at conferences on the teaching of writing and is completing her Masters in Fine Arts (MFA) in Genre Fiction. A member of the Society of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators and the American Christian Fiction Writers, she is also a fiction writing coach for high school and college students, has judged writing contests, and has been a freelance professional writer and ghostwriter for over 15 years. Professor Brown Conroy also authored True North Reading: The Complete Mastery Reading and Spelling Program, a five-level multisensory learn-to-read program for children ages 3 to 15 and has been homeschooling for 28 years. Mrs. Conroy enjoys walks with her dogs, playing the wooden flute, and homeschooling four of her 13 children who still live at home.


Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live, and interactive. Students are required to have a computer, high-speed internet, and a headset with microphone, which can be found as cheap as $12.
Misc:
Professor Brown Conroy will be available via email or phone in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.

 

NOTE: Students wishing to prepare for the 2013/2014 School Year can also take advantage of our Unlimited Access! program. These are recorded courses that can be taken at your own pace on your own schedule. Unlimited Access! is an independent-learning program that gives your whole family unlimited access to over 125 courses, including several designed for summer learning.

High School Economics and Catholic Social Teaching

Homeschool Connections has opened registration for this short economics course, which will take place in July. Whether you are looking for a basic introduction with a Catholic ethos or a solid foundation for future economics studies, this is the class to take.

Economics Summer Boot Camp

Introduction to Catholic Social Teaching

(click on course title to register)

Class dates: Monday through Thursday, July 8 to July 11, 2013
Total classes: 4
Starting time: 4:30 pm Eastern
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th grade, but all enthusiastic high school students are welcomed.
Fee: $50 for all four classes (course materials included)
Instructor: Mr. Phillip Campbell
Course description: Introduction to the Church's social teaching on man, economy and the state, studying the benefits and pitfalls of the modern economy through the lens of Catholic Tradition.
Course outline:
Day 1: Catholic teaching on man and our duties to society and our neighbor
Day 2: Synopsis of the teachings in the Catholic Social Enyclicals
Day 3: Belloc and Chesteron
Day 4: Modern efforts at implementing the Church's social teaching
Course materials: Provided free online by instructor
Homework: Light reading, plus a comprehensive exam at the conclusion of the week

Economics Summer Boot Camp

Introduction to Catholic Social Teaching

(click on course title to register)

NOTE: Students wishing to prepare for the 2013/2014 School Year can also take advantage of our Unlimited Access! program. These are recorded courses that can be taken at your own pace on your own schedule. Unlimited Access! is an independent-learning program that gives your whole family unlimited access to over 124 courses, including several designed for summer learning.
          Mr. Campbell offers a 12-week economics course through Unlimited Access: Economics As If People Matter (Micro and Macro Economics). It is recommended that students of the Economics Summer Boot Camp follow up with Economics As if People Matter.

Life Skills for Teens: Note Taking and Getting an A+

We all want to help our children become strong and confident students. One important step in succeeding in high school is to have strong note taking and test taking skills. Homeschool Connections, along with Professor Erin Brown Conroy, has developed a course for your teen. We want to give him or her what is needed to be able to study for any high school level course with success and get straight A's.

When we originally opened this course for registration it filled up right away and went to wait list. For this reason, we've added a second day so that everyone has a chance to learn these important skills.

Life Skills: How to be an Excellent Student: Note Taking, Test Taking, and How to Get an A 

(click on course title to register) 

Class dates: Thursdays, April 4 to 25, 2013
Total classes: 4 Starting time: 3:30 pm Eastern (2:30 Central, 1:30 Mountain, 12:30 Pacific)
Duration: 50 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 7th to 11th
Fee: $55 for all 4 classes.
Instructor: E. B. Conroy, MA
Course description: This course is designed to help your student become strong, confident, and able to study for any high school level course with success.
Course outline:
Class 1: Active listening and how to take notes effectively
Class 2: Active reading and how to study effectively
Class 3: Critical reading skills for comprehension
Class 4: Test-taking in a timed setting
Course materials: All materials provided free from the instructor
Homework: This is a lecture course with approximately 2 hours of outside-of-class work per week.


Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live, and interactive. Students are required to have a computer, high-speed internet, and a headset with microphone, which can be found as cheap as $12.
Misc:
Professor Brown Conroy will be available via email or phone in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.

Life Skills: How to be an Excellent Student: Note Taking, Test Taking, and How to Get an A 

(click on course title to register) 

Religion and American Politics

Maria Rioux provides this list of online resources for the Catholic homeschool student studying American government. This is an excellent additional reading list for any Homeschool Connections student who is taking one of our government or law courses.

Click on the title to read:

The Secularization of the West by Richard John Neuhaus

Living Within the Truth by Archbishop Chaput

The Vocation of Christians in American Public Life by Archbishop Chaput

John F. Kennedy's Houston Address to Protestant Ministers

It is interesting to juxtapose Barack Obama's second inaugural with JFK's Houston address.

Barack Obama's Innaugural Address 2013

Free Webinar: Chesterton and Play Time with Children

ADDENDUM: We regret to announce that tonight's webinar has been cancelled. Our presenter is under the weather. With her very busy schedule, we were very lucky to secure this night for the webinar. Therefore, we do not anticipate rescheduling this webinar in the near future. To watch this year's past webinars or register for future ones please visit our conference page: Refresh! Midwinter Homeschool Conference.

Tonight!!!

Refresh! Midwinter Homeschool Conference

Your Own Toy Theater: G.K. Chesterton's Legacy with Children

(click on title to register)

http://www.secondspring.co.uk/spring/gkcphotolibrary.htm

Date: Thursday, February 7, 2013
Starting time: 8:00 pm, Eastern
Duration: 1 hour plus Q&A
Presenter: Nancy Brown

Description: Everyone already knows the importance of play. One of the reasons we homeschool is so our children have enough time to play. We know their imaginations are fired when children's schedules are free enough to have free time. And when adults play with children, adults find pleasure and activate their own imaginations. How can a busy parent take time to play with their children? Try a toy theater, like G.K. Chesterton had in his home. Find out more about the joys of a tiny theater in Nancy Brown's upcoming webinar, "Your Own Toy Theater: G.K. Chesterton's Legacy with Children."

Presenter's biography: Nancy is our resident expert on Frances Chesterton, wife of the British Author G.K. Chesterton. Nancy has compiled a collection of Frances’s plays and poetry which was published last year, and is just finishing up her biography, which will be out either late this year or next. Frances was instrumental in Gilbert’s conversion, and there are many who say that when the cause for Gilbert’s canonization is opened, it should be opened together, for Gilbert and Frances, as a married couple. Nancy also has 2 Chestertonian study guides to help high school parents introduce their teens to Chesterton, a study guide for Chesterton’s biography of St. Francis of Assisi and a study guide to the first Father Brown mystery, The Blue Cross. For younger children, Nancy has adapted the Father Brown stories for ages 8 to 12 with the Father Brown Reader One and Two. Nancy works at the American Chesterton Society as their Social Media Manager. She has spoken at their conferences, and writes for Gilbert Magazine.

Sponsor: Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, we are able to bring the Refresh! Conference to you completely Free. The sponsor for tonight's webinar is The American Chesterton Society. Please visit their website and see all they have to offer (including the great magazine Gilbert!). Thank you!

Free Webinar: Helping Your Middle School Student Be a Great Writer

Tonight!!!

Refresh! Midwinter Homeschool Conference 

Simplified Writing: What Every Middle School Student Needs to Know to Succeed

(click on webinar title to register) 

Date: Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Starting time: 8:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time
Duration: 1 hour plus Q&A
Presenter: E. B. Conroy (Erin)
Description: Every student needs to know how to write! Whether your student is going to college or simply wants to succeed in life—there are critical how-to skills for writing that get the good grade and business promotion. Come to this one-hour free webinar (plus Q&A) to learn the 7 most important skills of writing—and how to easily teach them to your teen. Get inspired—and learn how to inspire your teen to love writing!

Speaker biography:
Erin is an instructor for Homeschool Connections and also a professor for Patrick Henry College. She is an author of several non-fiction books, including the recently published Simplified Writing 101: Top Secrets for College Writing Success. Professor Brown Conroy has designed four college writing courses, including an AP English Language and Composition course for PHC Preparatory Academy online. Professor Brown Conroy also speaks at conferences on the teaching of writing. A member of the Society of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators, she is also a fiction writing coach for high school and college students and has judged writing contests. She is also a freelance professional writer and ghostwriter. Professor Brown Conroy also authored True North Reading: The Complete Mastery Reading and Spelling Program, a five-level multisensory learn-to-read program for children ages 3 to 15. Professor Brown Conroy has been homeschooling for 27 years. She enjoys her two Australian Labradoodles, playing the Irish wooden flute, and homeschooling five of her 13 children who still live at home.

Free Webinar: Joseph Pearce on the Catholic Revival in Literature

Addendum: Last night's webinar went fantastic! Even though you missed the live webinar, you can still watch it for FREE because it was recorded. You can either stream it live or download to your computer here:
Stream: Catholic Revival
or
Download:Catholic Revival

Refresh! Midwinter Homeschool Conference 

The Catholic Revival from Newman to Tolkien with Joseph Pearce

(click on webinar title to register)

Date: Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Starting time: 8:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time
Duration: 1 hour plus Q&A
Presenter: Joseph Pearce
Description: Many of the greatest works of literature over the past two centuries have been written by Catholics, many of whom were converts to the Faith. Discover these great works of literature in this introduction to the Catholic Cultural Revival and learn how to teach these priceless jewels of culture to your children.
Presenter biography: Professor Pearce is an internationally acclaimed author of many books, which include G. K. Chesterton: Wisdom and Innocence, Literary Converts, Tolkien: Man and Myth, Solzhenitsyn: A Soul in Exile, The Quest for Shakespeare, and Old Thunder: A Life of Hilaire Belloc. Professor Pearce converted to the Catholic faith in 1989. As a younger man, Pearce was “extremely anti-Catholic” and even had opposed Pope John Paul II’s visits to England. His viewpoint gradually shifted as he learned more about the writings and beliefs of the literary converts he would later profile, particularly G. K. Chesterton. As Writer in Residence and professor of literature at St. Thomas More College in New Hampshire, Pearce also serves as Editor of the Saint Austin Review and is editor-in-chief of Sapientia Books. Professor Pearce shares his expertise and enthusiasm with Catholic high school students as an instructor for Homeschool Connections, teaching Shakespearean literature.
Sponsors: We are able to provide this talk FREE to the public thanks to the generosity of our sponsors. Tonight's sponsors are Emmanuel Books and Arx Publishing. Please visit their websites by clicking on their names. We very much appreciate them and their support of Catholic homeschooling families!

Renew! Rejuvenate! Recharge! 

Free Webinar: High School Writing

Addendum: Last night's webinar went fantastic! Even though you missed the live webinar, you can still watch it for FREE because it was recorded. You can either stream it live or download to your computer here:
Live Streaming: Simplified Writing for High School
Download: Simplified Writing for Middle School

Refresh! Midwinter Homeschool Conference 

Simplified Writing: What Every High School Student Needs to Know to Succeed

(click on webinar title to register) 

Date: Monday, February 4, 2013
Starting time: 8:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time
Duration: 1 hour plus Q&A
Presenter: E. B. Conroy (Erin)
Description: Every student needs to know how to write! Whether your student is going to college or simply wants to succeed in life—there are critical how-to skills for writing that get the good grade and business promotion. Come to this FREE one-hour free webinar (plus Q&A) to learn the 7 most important skills of writing—and how to easily teach them to your teen. Get inspired—and learn how to inspire your teen to love writing!

Speaker biography:
Erin is an instructor for Homeschool Connections and also a professor for Patrick Henry College. She is an author of several non-fiction books, including the recently published Simplified Writing 101: Top Secrets for College Writing Success. Professor Brown Conroy has designed four college writing courses, including an AP English Language and Composition course for PHC Preparatory Academy online. Professor Brown Conroy also speaks at conferences on the teaching of writing. A member of the Society of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators, she is also a fiction writing coach for high school and college students and has judged writing contests. She is also a freelance professional writer and ghostwriter. Professor Brown Conroy also authored True North Reading: The Complete Mastery Reading and Spelling Program, a five-level multisensory learn-to-read program for children ages 3 to 15. Professor Brown Conroy has been homeschooling for 27 years. She enjoys her two Australian Labradoodles, playing the Irish wooden flute, and homeschooling five of her 13 children who still live at home.
Sponsor: We are very grateful to the companies who sponsor the Refresh! Conference. They partner with us to cover the expenses that accompany a conference of this magnitude. We are grateful for Celtic College Consultants sponsorship for this talk. (Thank you!) Please visit their website (by clicking on their name) to learn how you can get the best scholarships for your children.

Speakers for the Refresh! Conference

Renew! Rejuvenate! Recharge!

We have some great speakers lined up for the Refresh! Virtual Midwinter Conference. Here are their biographies:

Joseph Pearce
Professor Pearce is an internationally acclaimed author of many books, which include G. K. Chesterton: Wisdom and Innocence, Literary Converts, Tolkien: Man and Myth, Solzhenitsyn: A Soul in Exile, The Quest for Shakespeare, and Old Thunder: A Life of Hilaire Belloc. Professor Pearce converted to the Catholic faith in 1989. As a younger man, Pearce was “extremely anti-Catholic” and even had opposed Pope John Paul II’s visits to England. His viewpoint gradually shifted as he learned more about the writings and beliefs of the literary converts he would later profile, particularly G. K. Chesterton. As Writer in Residence and professor of literature at St. Thomas More College in New Hampshire, Pearce also serves as Editor of the Saint Austin Review and is editor-in-chief of Sapientia Books. Professor Pearce shares his expertise and enthusiasm with Catholic high school students as an instructor for Homeschool Connections, teaching Shakespearean literature.

A native of Great Britain, Pearce relocated to the United States in 2001 to serve at Ave Maria University. An accomplished teacher and speaker, Pearce has participated and lectured at a wide variety of international and literary events throughout the U.S., Britain, Europe, and Canada. He has served as a consultant for film documentaries on J. R. R. Tolkien and Alexander Solzhenitsyn. His thirteen-part television series, The Quest for Shakespeare, has appreaded on EWTN.

Professor Pearce's free webinar for Refresh! is: The Catholic Revival from Newman to Tolkien (click on title to register).

Nancy Brown
Nancy is our resident expert on Frances Chesterton, wife of the British Author G.K. Chesterton. Nancy has compiled a collection of Frances's plays and poetry which was published last year, and is just finishing up her biography, which will be out either late this year or next. Frances was instrumental in Gilbert's conversion, and there are many who say that when the cause for Gilbert's canonization is opened, it should be opened together, for Gilbert and Frances, as a married couple.

Nancy also has 2 Chestertonian study guides to help high school parents introduce their teens to Chesterton, a study guide for Chesterton's biography of St. Francis of Assisi and a study guide to the first Father Brown mystery, The Blue Cross. For younger children, Nancy has adapted the Father Brown stories for ages 8 to 12 with the Father Brown Reader One and Two. Nancy works at the American Chesterton Society as their Social Media Manager. She has spoken at their conferences, and writes for Gilbert Magazine.

Mrs. Brown's free webinar for Refresh! is:  Your Own Toy Theater: G.K. Chesterton's Legacy with Children (click on title to register).

Rita Munn
Rita and her husband Ronald are the parents of 10 grown children. They have been on the homeschooling journey for approximately 20 years and have found that journey to filled with enough challenge to make it interesting and enough fun to make it joyfilled. God is good and in His gracious and abundant mercy He allows that our journey continue and remain the focus of our family life. Catholic homeschooling continues to be a very real part of our life and watching the new generation of grandchildren begin is indeed a great blessing.

Mrs. Munn's free webinar for Refresh! is: Fueling the Peace Lamp to Prevent Burnout (click on title to register).

Katherine O'Brien
Katherine is the founder and principal college planning specialist at Celtic College Consultants where she's been serving families all across the USA since 2004. As an award winning speaker who has addressed local, regional, and national educational conferences, she is known for her no nonsense style and her ability to get to the heart of the matter quickly. Katherine, a graduate of Northwestern University in engineering and Franciscan University of Steubenville with a Master's in Theology, is a seasoned home educator with over a dozen years of teaching experience. Her first book, The Ultimate Guide to Getting Top Quality College Planning is due to be released through Amazon in February, 2013. She resides in southern California with her six children and can be found online at www.CelticCollegeConsultants.com.

Mrs. O'Brien's free webinar for Refresh! is: 20 Factors Admission Committees Consider and How Students Can Develop Themselves into Excellent Applicants and College Students (click on title to register).

Mary Ellen Barrett
Mary Ellen is a homeschooling mother of eight children. She is a longtime columnist for The Long Island Catholic (Life in Our Domestic Church) and speaks on a variety of topics at Catholic conferences and parishes around the United States. Mary Ellen is currently working on two books, on about mothering a large family and the other is an Advent Books of Days. She can be found blogging at Tales from the Bonny Blue House and during the Advent season at O Night Divine.

Besides writing and blogging, Mary Ellen enjoys cooking, sewing, photography, and studying theology.

Mrs. Barrett's free webinar for Refresh! is: How to Homeschool and Not Lose Your Mind (click on title to register).

Erin Brown Conroy
Erin is an instructor for Homeschool Connections and also a professor for Patrick Henry College.  She is an author of several non-fiction books, including the recently published Simplified Writing 101: Top Secrets for College Writing Success.  Professor Brown Conroy has designed four college writing courses, including an AP English Language and Composition course for PHC Preparatory Academy online. Professor Brown Conroy also speaks at conferences on the teaching of writing. A member of the Society of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators, she is also a fiction writing coach for high school and college students and has judged writing contests. She is also a freelance professional writer and ghostwriter. Professor Brown Conroy also authored True North Reading: The Complete Mastery Reading and Spelling Program, a five-level multisensory learn-to-read program for children ages 3 to 15. Professor Brown Conroy has been homeschooling for 27 years. She enjoys her two Australian Labradoodles, playing the Irish wooden flute, and homeschooling five of her 13 children who still live at home.

Professor Brown Conroy's free webinars for Refresh! are:
Simplified Writing: What Every High School Student Needs to Succeed 
Simplified Writing: What Every MIDDLE School Student Needs to Succeed
Healthy Mind, Happy Heart: How to Build Your Child's Attitude and Focus
Schooling Multiple Ages: Tips from a Mom of 13 (Homeschooling 27 Years and Counting)
Balanced Parenting: Real Actions that Make Parenting Easier 
(click on title of your choice to register)

Ana Braga-Henebry
Ana homeschools her seven children with her husband, Geoff Henebry, a research scientist and university professor. They live in an acreage north of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Ana has an art degree from the St. Teresa d'Avila College, Brazil, and a Masters in Humanities/Aesthetic Studies from The University of Texas at Dallas. The family has lived in Texas, Kansas, Brazil, New Jersey, and Nebraska as they followed Geoff's career in academia.  Today they are experimenting with acreage life, collecting fresh eggs daily, and attempting to care for vegetable gardens in South Dakota, which is a long way from Ana's childhood years in the very big city of Rio de Janeiro.

Ana reviewed children's and parenting materials for Parent Council, LTD. from 1994 until 2002. She has enjoyed reviewing for Love2Learn, the premier Catholic Resources reviews site, since March 2006. Ana writes a monthly feature for Faith & Family Live and has worked on a variety of writing projects. She has also been on the editorial board of mater et magista, the Catholic homeschooling periodical, writing both feature articles and book reviews, since its inception. She blogs vignettes of family and acreage life with pictures, recipes, and occasional favorite books or opinions on contemporary issues at anabragahenebrysjournal.blogspot.com.

Mrs. Henebry's free Refresh! webinar is: Twenty Years of the Henebry Homeschool; What Worked for Us (click on title to register).

Maria Rioux
Maria began her undergraduate studies at Thomas Aquinas College. There she met her husband, Jean, Homeschool Connections' philosophy instructor and chair of the philosophy department at Benedictine College (where Maria is a theology major slowly completing her degree).  Together they have been homeschooled their nine children for more than 20 years. In those early days of homeschooling there were not many resources available. As a consequence, they developed their own curriculum which reflects their love for classical education as well as their affection for Charlotte Mason.

Maria is owner and co-moderator of the yahoo group The History Place. She loves to write and is a regular contributor to mater et magistra magazine. She is also a reviewer for Love2Learn.

Maria has been a speaker at homeschooling conferences and a guest lecturer at Benedictine College. Her talks include: Living the Liturgical Year in the Domestic Church, The Woman's Role in the Church, The Best of Both: Merging a Classical Education with Charlotte Mason's Methods, The Blessings in Crosses, and Ora et Labora: Service as Prayer. Maria is a member of the planning committee which helped to develop the Charlotte Mason based curriculum, Mater Amabilis. She is a contributing author to Cay Gibson's book, Literature Alive! 

Mrs. Rioux's free webinar for Refresh! is Ora et Labora: Loving Service as Prayer (click on title to register).

Carol Reynolds, Ph.D.
Professor Carol was Associate Professor of Music History at the Meadows School of the Arts, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas for 20 years. More recently, she has served the homeschooling community through her curriculum Discovering Music: 300 Years of Interaction in Music, Arts, History, and Culture. Professor Carol will begin as an instructor for Homeschool Connections in the 2013/2014 school year.

Carol is a uniquely talented and much sought-after speaker for arts venues and general audiences. Never dull or superficial, Carol brings to her audiences a unique mix of humor, substance, and skilled piano performance to make the arts more accessible and meaningful to all. Carol has led tours to Russia, Austria, Germany, San Francisco, and Broadway on behalf of several arts organizations. Her enthusiasm and boundless energy give tour participants an unforgettable experience. She makes her home on a farm near Bowie, Texas, where, with her husband and teenage daughter, she raises La Mancha goats and soaks up the rich cultural heritage of rural America. The family maintains a second residence in Weimar, Germany — the home of Goethe, Schiller, Bach, and Liszt, and the focal point of much of Europe’s artistic heritage.

Professor Carol's free webinars for Refresh! are:
Bringing American Geography and History Alive through the Arts
Transitioning to College: Top Five Skills for Academic Success
(click on title of your choice to register).

Renew! Rejuvenate! Recharge!

 

Free Catholic Homeschool Conference Online

Renew! Rejuvenate! Recharge!

Hey! I'm totally excited to tell you about this!

First, I have to ask you ... Have you ever felt those midwinter doldrums? Does homeschooling tend to bog down for you during certain times of the year? I know it does for me. Here's something we can get excited about!

Beginning in next week, you'll get a chance to rejuvenate your spirit, encourage your heart, and feel inspired & recharged in your homeschooling with our upcoming series of FREE webinars for homeschool parents (Yes, 14 webinars that you attend from home, all free, with nationally known speakers)--all online and even recorded, spread out over the month of February, so that you can get great inspiration and ideas exactly when you need it.

Click here to see a list of all the talks and register: Refresh! Midwinter Virtual Conference. 

February is known as "Burnout Month" in homeschooling circles, and we thought it would be good to help us all get through that tough month with something extraordinary: the Refresh! Midwinter Virtual Conference.

Refresh! begins Monday, February 4, and lasts through the entire month of February with a full schedule of practical how-to helps, to keep your homeschool vital, alive, and fun! When you come, you'll join us online and have access to speakers who will do everything from encouraging you in your vocation to giving you great practical tips to apply every day.

We pray that February 2013 will be your best month ever for homeschooling and for your family--so that you no longer think of February as as Burnout Month, but instead, as Refresh! Month. Please pray for us as we organize this free online conference.

Review: The Complete Catholic Homeschool Planner

The Complete Catholic Homeschool Planner 
Review by Maria Rioux 

The Complete Catholic Homeschool Planner is just that: it organizes everything you need to plan the year, and then some. It opens with a school year calendar, for this year and for next, so one can easily determine what date one would like to start, when to schedule breaks, and when to close out the year.

I really like the simple overview, with all the dates for the whole year on one page, both sides. One can then easily determine the number of school days per month, number for each quarter, and total number of days for the year. This, of course, is essential in planning out the syllabus for each child. I've never actually planned out our school year in this way as we always follow my husband's teaching schedule, which works best for us as some of our children attend the same college were he teaches. If he were not a professor with a built in teaching schedule, this simple way to concretely plan out the year, month by month, would give me peace while also keeping me honest at those times when I would be tempted to ditch the plan.

For each child there is an opening page to help you consider the best approach/how to tailor this year to his particular strengths and weaknesses. Like the year plan, it's a simple overview: learning style, strengths, weaknesses, goals, subject to over, programs/curricula of interest, books to use, and a place for additional notes all on one page. It's a great way to reflect on the individual child before drafting a plan for him. There is then a section to, in a general way, plan out the year, then each quarter(referred to as term), followed by weekly outline forms and a page for notes. In another section there are forms for daily lesson plans, starting with an overview for the month and followed by forms for detailed daily lesson planning. There is a separate section for grading, organized by daily grades and quarter test grades. It makes record keeping a snap, with everything in one place: the yearly plan neatly broken down but tailored to each child, followed by an accounting of his accomplishments. It would give one a concrete sense of the progress the child is making, as well as a sense of where he might be struggling and what might need tweaking/extra attention.

The Complete Catholic Homeschool Planner supplies extra forms: attendance forms, and a student page I really like. I wish I had thought to do something like this when we were starting homeschooling 24 years ago. It records the height, weight, signature, likes, dislikes, and personal goals for the beginning and end of the school year, and separating the two is a spot to put a picture. It is such a lovely idea. Not only would I have treasured such a record, I think our children would have enjoyed seeing the changes over the years.

There are also forms for extracurricular activities, music, reading, audio/visual and website logs, as well as forms for planning the coming year: books and topics to consider, and notes. I like the contact pages at the end of the planner, because I could have the names, addresses, phone numbers and emails of all my homeschooling friends all in one place.

Best of all, it is wonderfully Catholic. There is a whole section titled, "For the Love of God". It begins with a list of prayers, each geared toward ordering the day to doing the will of God with love and obedience. There are those which focus upon the child, the mother, the family and one's husband, plus novenas. There are prayers I was familiar with, but some I expected to know yet had never heard before, and now plan to say at the end of each day. For example, An Act of Contrition:

Forgive me my sins, O Lord, forgive me my sins; the sins of my youth, the sins of my age, the sins of my soul, the sins of my body; my idle sins, my serious voluntary sins, the sins I know, the sins I do not know, the sins I have concealed so long, and which are now hidden from my memory. I am truly sorry for every sin, mortal and venial, for all the sins of my childhood up to the present hour. I know my sins have wounded Thy tender Heart, O my Savior. Let me be freed from the bonds of evil through Thy most bitter passion, O my Redeemer. Amen. O Jesus, help me with Thy grace to avoid all sin. Amen.

The feast days of the saints are listed (according to the traditional calendar). There is a section for recording your prayer intentions, virtues to work on, as well as your plan to concretely work on those virtues.

Lastly, on each page of the daily lesson plans there is an inspirational quote from a saint. Some will be familiar, but some were certainly new to me and perfect for mothers, fathers, and children alike. For example:

Consider every day that you are then, for the first time, as it were, beginning; and always act with the same fervor as on the first day you began.
     ~ St. Anthony of Padua. 

The Complete Catholic Homeschool Planner supplies enough forms for five students. If that is not enough, permission is granted to print more for the school year. It is spiral bound and very sturdy.

The cover is beautiful: Mary with the Child Jesus cradled in one arm, and a spotless lamb in the other. Both the front cover and the back are of glossy card stock, and the various sections are separated by tabbed dividers for ease of use. They're strong and capable dividers, too, and will stand the test of time and use. You could take this around with you everywhere and it would hold up.

For ordering information please visit: Cascia Books

24 New Online Courses Now

Twenty Four Reasons to Try Unlimited Access! with Homeschool Connections

With the start of the Spring 2013 semester, we've added 24 brand new recorded courses to our catalog of 100 courses, bringing us to 124! Yes, 124 recorded courses for independent learning in your homeschool. The wonderful thing is that you can have Unlimited Access to all 124 courses for only $30 a month. It's the best deal in Catholic Homeschooling today. Click here: Unlimited Access to learn how.

Here are the 24 new courses:

• German I; German is Fun! Part One 
• Latin III; Wheelock, Part One 
• Spanish ½: Beginning Spanish, Part One 
• Spanish II; Intermediate Spanish, Part One 
• Constitutional Law: Supreme Court Jurisprudence I 
• Early American History (1492-1763); Discovery to the Dawn of Revolution 
• Middle School History: The American Revolution; Liberty! 
• Literature: The Hobbit; There and Back Again for Middle School 
• Literature: The Hobbit; There and Back Again for High School 
• Literature: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings for Middle School 
• Literature: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings for High School 
• Math: Algebra 2, Part One 
• Math: Geometry, Part One 
• Logic II; Advanced Formal Logic 
• Thomistic Christian Philosophy: An Overview 
• Health, Fitness, and Wellness for Middle School Students 
• Environmental Science 
• Musculoskeletal System and Nervous System (Human Biology in the Catholic Tradition) 
• Apologetics: Defending the Bible in a Modern World 
• Middle School Writing II: Essays and Papers 
• Advanced High School Writing; Rhetoric, Figures of Speech, Essays, & Papers 
• Characters and Dialogue (Write Your Own Book Fiction Writing Series) 
• Theme, Style, and Point of View (Write Your Own Book Fiction Writing Series) 
• Conflict and Creating the Breakout Novel (Write Your Own Book Fiction Writing Series) 

Next semester we will be adding another 21 brand new titles for you and your family.