Wentz Educational Services

Jan 6, 2012

Classes in Crystal Lake start next week!

Crystal Lake Park District Homeschool Enrichment Classes

All classes are held at the Crystal Lake Park District's "Veterans Acres Park" Rotary Building, located off of Walkup Rd., just north of Terra Cotta (Rt 176). Classes are 6 weeks long and begin next week: so the dates are from 01/12/2012 to 02/16/2012. Unless otherwise specified, classes are on Thursdays

Please visit: http://tinyurl.com/6mdw9cq to register and for full course descriptions.

Class ID:	4442-4
Description:	Pen and Mouse Club - Home School
Times:	10:00am to 11:00am
Age:	8-16 years
Resident Fee:	$ 51.00
Non-Res Fee:	$ 58.00

Class ID:	4442-8
Description:	Home School Art
Times:	11:45am to 12:45pm
Age:	3-7 years
Resident Fee:	$ 27.00
Non-Res Fee:	$ 34.00

Class ID:	4442-5
Description:	Home School Enrichment Karate
Times:	12:00pm to 1:00pm
Age:	8-16 years
Resident Fee:	$ 50.00
Non-Res Fee:	$ 57.00

Class ID:	4442-1
Description:	Home School Enrichment Karate

Dates:

01/12/2012 to 02/16/2012

Times:	1:00pm to 2:00pm
Age:	3-8 years
Resident Fee:	$ 50.00
Non-Res Fee:	$ 57.00

Class ID:	4442-9
Description:	Home School Cooking
Times:	1:00pm to 2:00pm
Age:	7-10 years
Resident Fee:	$ 43.00
Non-Res Fee:	$ 49.00

Class ID:	4442-2
Description:	H.S. - Doorstop to Engineering
Dates:	01/13/2012 to 02/17/2012
Days:	FRIDAY
Times:	2:00pm to 2:45pm
Age:	5-7 years
Resident Fee:	$ 101.00
Non-Res Fee:	$ 116.00

Class ID:	4442-3
Description:	Home School Math and Science Club with Kathy Wentz (Multiplication and Division level)

Dates:	01/12/2012 to 02/16/2012
Times:	2:15pm to 3:15pm
Age:	7-11 years
Resident Fee:	$ 55.00
Non-Res Fee:	$ 63.00

Class ID:	4442-6
Description:	High School. - Genetics Lab with Kathy Wentz
Dates:	01/13/2012 to 02/17/2012
Days:	FRIDAYS
Times:	2:45pm to 4:45pm *this is the correct time The online catalog is not listing the correct times again!
Age:	14-99 years
Resident Fee:	$ 100.00
Non-Res Fee:	$ 115.00

Dec 29, 2011

ixl.com is on sale!

One of my favorite math practice sites is on sale!

ixl.com isn't a game and doesn't have cute critters running around or aliens to shoot. It is a no nonsense math practice site. You can check it out for free (and get up to 20 problems a day for free year-round). Better yet, subscribe for a wonderfully low price and get certificates of accomplishment for students and regular status reports for mom and dad!

https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/index.php?option=com_hsbc_epp_order&Itemid=1029&c=1

Dec 3, 2011

There's an App for That

Looking for some awesome new apps?
Check out the wonderful Apps for Homeschooling web site!

http://appsforhomeschooling.com/free-on-sale-homeschooling-apps/

Nov 20, 2011

Enhanced Education

What is enhanced education, other than a current buzzword in edu-speak? It is a push to try to get classroom teachers to read to their students more, to play more math games and to allow their students more time to read materials that interest them. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Nov 6, 2011

Curriculum Freebies in the HRC!

The Friends of the Johnsburg Public Library book sale is over. There was a lot of wonderful homeschool curriculum left over though, so I placed some of it in the two 'freebie' boxes in the Homeschool Resource Center. Be sure to check it out the next time you drop in!

Oct 9, 2011

Kids Maps | Best Kids Apps

Fun and educational apps abound! Wondering how to use them in your homeschooling? Join us on Monday! (see below)

Oct 3, 2011

The Internet and Beyond: Homeschooling for the 21st Century

What are you doing next Monday?

Join me Oct. 10th at 7pm at the Des Plaines Public Library for:

The Internet and Beyond: Homeschooling for the 21st Century

Children learn amazingly well from the world around them. Learn about how movies, audio books, classic literature, magazines, computer resources and cell phone apps, field trips and, yes, even 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.

Please register at:
http://calendar.dppl.org/evanced/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=14059&rts=&disptype=&ret=eventcalendar.asp&pointer=&returnToSearch=&SignupType=&num=0&ad=&dt=mo&mo=10/1/2011&df=calendar&EventType=ALL&Lib=&AgeGroup=ALL&LangType=0&WindowMode=&noheader=&lad=&pub=1&nopub=&page=&pgdisp=

Sep 30, 2011

Classics on a budget

(copied from an article)

If you are homeschooling on a budget, here are 25 literature classics
from the 1800s that you can download saving the expense of purchasing
them or worrying about library due dates. Over 9,000 pages of work from
authors such as Lousia May Alcott, Herman Melville, Charles Dickens,
Mark Twain, Washington Irving, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Rudyard Kipling,
and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Preview each classic now
<http://www.examiner.com/homeschooling-in-denver/preview-the-downloadabl\
e-literature-selections-picture> !

The collection of downloads includes stories like Little Women, Oliver
Twist, Jungle Book, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Treasure
Island, Moby Dick and the Great Expectations. Click here to go to the
download page
<http://www.christianhomeschoolhub.spruz.com/available-downloads.htm> .
(Each will be under the category: Literature from the 1800's)

Once you've previewed the classics
<http://www.examiner.com/homeschooling-in-denver/preview-the-downloadabl\
e-literature-selections-picture> and you've downloaded each title that
you want to incorporate into your lesson plans, you can go to A-to-Z
Titles <http://classiclit.about.com/od/atoztitles2/AtoZ_Titles.htm> to
find lesson plans, quotes and links for additional learning about the
individual authors and more.

Sep 2, 2011

The Microscopic Biology class starts one week from today! Register now!

I need to know how many students I will have so I can order our specimens!
You won't want to miss seeing fresh (not preserved slides of) Volvox and Spirogyra. They are simply amazing!

http://inet-reg.crystallakeparks.org/wr/wr5234.tbred?page=wrsearch&householdid=-REVIEWONLY-&SESSION-ID=734384.71819444BDJTLVAJVZBIUBXJGFSZ&action=desc&member=000&classid=%20%204242-6&pgmsno=53032606531

Aug 16, 2011

BIG Changes!

I accepted a new job today! It is a part-time teaching job at St. Mary's Catholic School in Woodstock. I will be teaching their Jr. High math classes.

Sadly, I am having to resign from both Heritage and GIFT completely. I have really loved the many wonderful families I have met through these groups and hope that I have a chance to work with them again in the future.

My day at St. Mary's will be ending in the early afternoon and I am working to try to reschedule my local classes and all of my private students to these afternoons.

The classes I am hoping to reschedule include the Conceptual Physics class in Cary on either Mondays or Wednesdays, the Math & Science Club in Crystal Lake on Thursdays, and the High School Biology and Environmental Science classes in Crystal Lake on Fridays.

I will be contacting my private students after I have a better idea when the rescheduled afternoon classes are. That way we can, hopefully, make firm plans and not bounce people around from day to day, time to time.

I realize this is chaotic right before the school year - and I very much appreciate everyone's blessings on the new job and willingness to juggle what we all thought was a fine schedule.

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.