Wentz Educational Services: September 2010

Sep 27, 2010

The Great Ground Bee Disaster of 2010

Day 1

A nice sized hole! But who dug it up?

Day 1

A close up shot of the lovely honey filled combs.

Day 2

Scat. Racoon scat. I guess we know who dunit now.

Day 2

The comb, broken and sucked dry. Poor bees.

Sep 1, 2010

A good deal on a great Constitution resource!

I very rarely do this, so I hope I am forgiven. This is an offer for a good deal (from a very nice man) on an excellent movie about the Constitution. Many of the speeches in the movie were actually taken pretty much word for word from the minutes taken by James Madison during the Constitutional Convention. It is an amazing find and a great way of introducing first-person accounts to your visual students.

Plus - here it is for a pretty good deal. Seeing as the copy that is in the Johnsburg Library's Homeschool Resource Center is out most of the time I thought I would pass on this deal.

The study guide can be downloaded for fre at:

http://www.nccs.net/constitution-week/teacher_guide_book.pdf

U.S. History Question of the Day!

History teacher Greg Feldmeth's 2010-11 U.S. history "question of the day"
began this week. You can sign up to receive the question by e-mail every
day or you can go to his website, where the questions are archived.

To sign up for the question of the day, find the archived questions, or see
the rest of Mr. Feldmeth's teaching website, go to
http://faculty.polytechnic.org//gfeldmeth/USHistory.html

This is a terrific resource for anyone 'into' history or studying for the A.P. History exam!

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 frequently work as a "I need my child to be accountable to someone other than me on a regular basis" homeschool helper / teacher.

I am available to tutor at a variety of times and locations throughout the year.

Educational Consultation Services

I offer two options for families seeking help:

1) I am available for FREE, but limited, one-on-one educational consultations via Zoom or at the Johnsburg Public Library's Homeschool Resource Center on most Tuesday evenings from 7 - 9 p.m. An appointment is required.

2) I am also available for full service one-on-one consultations including educational evaluations, testing services and high school transcript development on evenings (other than Tuesdays) and weekends for a fee.

During the free Tuesday evening consultations I

*help make sure you understand the law

*solve any concerns you may have about your unique situation,

*help you figure out which educational philosophy you lean toward and

*what learning styles you and your student have so that you can support how your student learns best and then

*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'.

If you need help beyond my abilities I will let you know up front and try to help you find someone who can.

Please contact Kathy at
kwentz899261@gmail.com
to make an appointment for either consultation option.

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.

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!

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.

Wentz Educational Services

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Sep 27, 2010

The Great Ground Bee Disaster of 2010

Sep 1, 2010

A good deal on a great Constitution resource!

U.S. History Question of the Day!