Wentz Educational Services: Geology Camp Rocks!

September 2011 Calendar

items with a " * " means the new class starts today!

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
				1 Private Tutoring	2	3
4	5	6	7 & 7-9pm FREE JPL Consult	8 Private Tutoring	9 Crystal Lake Park Dist. Biology & "Math & Science Club" & private tutoring	10
11	12 Heritage Coop in Elgin & private tutoring	13 GIFT Coop in Elgin & private tutoring	14 Physics in Cary, private tutoring & 7-9pm FREE JPL Consult	15 Private Tutoring	16 Crystal Lake Park Dist. Biology & "Math & Science Club" & private tutoring	17
18	19 Heritage Coop in Elgin & private tutoring	20 GIFT Coop in Elgin & private tutoring	21 Physics in Cary, private tutoring & 7-9pm FREE JPL Consult	22 Private Tutoring	23 Crystal Lake Park Dist. Biology & "Math & Science Club" & private tutoring	24
25	26 Heritage Coop in Elgin & private tutoring	27 GIFT Coop in Elgin & private tutoring	28 Physics in Cary, private tutoring & 7-9pm FREE JPL Consult	29 Private Tutoring	30 Crystal Lake Park Dist. Biology & "Math & Science Club" & private tutoring	31

My Winter Schedule at a Glance!

For more details, please see the detailed calendar at the bottom of this page.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday
9 - 1:30 pm St. Mary's Woodstock 3 - 4:30 Conceptual Physics in Cary and private tutoring	9 - 1:30 pm St. Mary's Woodstock followed by private tutoring	9 - 1:30 pm St. Mary's in Woodstock followed by private tutoring and then 7-9 p.m. @ Johnsburg Library for Consult- ations
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
9 - 1:30 pm St. Mary's Woodstock 2:15-3:15 Math & Science Club at CLPD followed by Private Tutoring	9 - 1:30 pm St. Mary's Woodstock 2:15 - 4:15 GENETICS at CLPD followed by private tutoring

Tutoring Services

I believe that every child has the ability to learn well if they are taught in a way that captures their imagination and provides a lot of positive feedback. To this end I bring a wide variety of games and manipulatives to the student in an effort to engage them more than simple, but boring, worksheets.

I specialize in math and science topics through high school and ACT / SAT test prep, but often help with other topics such as vocabulary, spelling and history. I also work as a "I need my child to be accountable to someone other than me on a regular basis" homeschool helper.

I am available to tutor at a variety of times and locations throughout the year. During the 2011-2012 school year I will be tutoring on Monday afternoons, Wednesday afternoons and all day on Thursdays.

I charge $35 an hour for most grade school subjects and $40 an hour for high school subjects. Multiple students in one subjects at one time split the cost. Multiple students in multiple subjects (usually within a family) split a fee agreed upon in advance.

Educational Consultation Services

I am available for full service one-on-one consultations including educational evaluations, testing services and high school transcript development on evenings and weekends through Dynamic Learning 411, a division of the DuPage Community School, a 501(c)(3) http://www.dynamiclearning411.com

I am available for limited but FREE one-on-one educational consultations at the Johnsburg Public Library's Homeschool Resource Center on many Wednesday evenings from 7 - 9 p.m. An appointment is highly recommended. (If Wednesday evenings don't work for you I am available at other times and places for a fee.)

During these free Wednesday evening consultations I help make sure you understand the law and solve any concerns you may have about your unique situation. Next I help you figure out which educational philosophy you lean toward so you don't feel you need to try to reproduce public school at home, as well as what learning styles you and your student have so that you can support how your student learns best. Lastly, I help you match this information with the available curricula so you can hopefully avoid many of the pitfalls of 'trial and error' curriculum choices. My biggest goal is to help you develop and maintain a strong and respectful relationship with your student and don't fall into the traps of burning out or switching curricula constantly (and expensively!) trying to find 'the right one'.

For those of you just leaving school and waiting for an appointment with me, I highly recommend you spend the time "deschooling". This is basically a healing time to get your bearings, to heal from any social or emotional wounds you may have, and to get back to the point where the student wants to learn again. Once the desire to learn is back it makes homeschooling a much better experience for everyone! Spend this time reading good books, watching good documentaries or movies, and going to a few good museums. Just be sure to journal what you did so you don't think the time was totally wasted. Trust me, it will not be!

(Please contact Kathy at
kwentz899261@gmail.com
to make an appointment.)

Math Classes!

The Cure for the Math Curse: Intro to Algebra
(for grades 4 and up)
This series of classes will introduce a fun way (using LEGOs and dice) to learn beginning algebraic concepts from 2x = 8 and ending with -4(5 - x) = 3x - 12. Students need a foundation in both multiplication and division, but do not need to have memorized all their math facts.

There are two additional levels: "Polynomials" and "Factors and More". These three levels combined comprise the majority of Algebra 1.

The Cure for the Math Curse: Math Club
These are sets of four - 90 minute classes on a specific topic. Each class begins with quality math literature and a wide variety of games that all reinforce the topic. Each class is designed to help your student enjoy math, gain a stronger conceptual understanding of the topic, as well as introduce memorization skills. Club topics to choose from are:
Charts and Graphs
Addition and Subtraction
Logic and Strategy
Geometry
Multiplication
Division's Many Faces
Consumer Math
Mathematical Mystery Tour
**Arithmetic Review (8 classes that include a bit of all of the above))

Workshops for Grown Ups

The Cure for the Math Curse

Math, the subject most of us freak out about the fastest. How can we ensure our children LOVE math and are good at it when we don't like it ourselves? Learn how to break the mold of math anxiety by breaking the bad teaching habits that create it, and learn new ways of approaching math to replace the old fear-inducing habits.
(Note: Because of it's length, the workshop packet for this is distributed as a .pdf file unless requested otherwise.)

Homeschooling Sciences
for the Faint of Heart

How is it possible to teach real sciences at home? Where do I find the best materials and resources? Which sciences does my high school student need to graduate? Here is a guide to help any parent maneuver through all the scientific gobbledy-gook to help their student learn what they need to know.

Why are we Homeschooling? Developing Your Own Educational Philosophy

Did you know the average homeschooling family changes styles and curriculum 7 times in the first 2 years? This can be very expensive, confusing, and frustrating! This workshop is designed to help you cut through the confusion and help you find the philosophy that will help you truly enjoy homeschooling as a lifestyle rather than as a challenge to be overcome.
Homeschooling for Cheapskates
Homeschooling doesn't need to be expensive. In fact, many of us find that homeschooling is virtually free! Join us for a discussion about how to homeschool by using materials and resources available for free on the Internet, at the library, or in your community. Be sure to bring your impossible dreams!

Make Mine Multi-Media

Children learn amazingly well from the world around them. Learn about one homeschooling family's use of movies, audio books, classic literature, magazines, computer resources, field trips and yes, TV shows to create a custom curriculum. Tips on how to teach a child with learning differences, how to find the right resources for your family, and where to find resources inexpensively are included.

Embracing Your Inner Expert
In this age of experts for everything we still usually find it necessary to be our own expert. We not only think outside the box but in a way that seems out of step with most of society. Skip down "the road less traveled" with us and see how much better life can be when we can avoid re-creating the same traumas we were raised with and provide our children with a far richer life!

Library Resources for Homeschoolers
Learn about how one homeschooler spearheaded the creation of the first Homeschool Resource Center in a public library and learn how you and you library together can build similar resources with or without a lot of funding. This workshop is designed for both librarians and homeschoolers to take together.

What is this Maths Booklet I'm hearing about?

My maths booklet is an almost 50 page .pdf file that includes:

* why I believe math games and quality math literature chosen by you for your unique student and done at your student's pace are better than any pre-packaged curriculm,

* lists of math games and math game resources parents can buy, find on-line, or get from the library,

* some teaching 'helps' that people frequently don't remember when trying to teach a given skill

* many pages of quality math literature titles for children listed by age/ability group (these, again, can be borrowed from the library),

* and a wide variety of actual math games and board games you can print off as you need them.

Wentz Educational Services

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Jun 7, 2011

Geology Camp Rocks!

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September 2011 Calendar