Wentz Educational Services

Aug 23, 2015

Looking for Activities and Resources in or near McHenry County, IL?

Aug 16, 2015

Another plug for playing board games with your kids

Hey Steve, they are fantastic year round!

Check out Steve's article
Board games a good "summer school" lesson
by Steve Rosen
Kids & Money

Aug 12, 2015

It's a FREE Double Header!

Please spread the word.

Tuesday, Aug. 18

Huntley Public Library

Part I is 5:00-6:15 p.m.

Everything You Wished You Knew About Homeschooling In Northern Illinois, But Were Afraid to Ask.

Covered topics will include the many options available in education today, current legal information affecting home educators in our local area, getting into college, and much more. Everyone is Welcome!

**6:15-6:30 p.m.

Snack break (snack provided)

Part II - 6:30-7:45 p.m.

Homeschooling for Cheapskates

Homeschooling doesn’t need to be expensive. In fact, many find that it is virtually free! Join us for a discussion about how to homeschool using free materials and resources available on the internet, at the library, and in your community. For adults. Please share the information with others who would be interested. Everyone is welcome!

Registration required. Call the Children’s Desk at 847-669-5386 ext. 26 to register for Part I, Part II, or both.

Aug 8, 2015

Jul 26, 2015

Upcoming Events!

In addition to offering my FREE weekly (by appointment only) consultations where I help families one-on-one I am offering several workshops and opportunities for more general support in the next few months. You are invited to attend one or all. All of the listed workshops are located in McHenry County, are FREE, and are open to anyone with questions at any level.

NEXT WEDNESDAY, July 29th

Homeschool Roadmap

Homeschooling is a lot like going on a road trip. Some of us like to just get in the car with a destination in mind and have fun finding loads of cool things to see and places to eat and stay along the way. Other folks plan out every mile and every stop with two weeks of hotel reservations made in advance or they hire a guide to do that for them. It doesn't matter how you travel as long as you have a fun and successful time. We will discuss the law, resources, and lot of the options on the homeschooling road and help you figure out which options will work for your unique situation.

7 - 9pm at the Johnsburg Public Library (one block east of the traffic circle no matter what your GPS tells you!)

no registration required

Ideal for the new homeschooler or one who is frustrated or confused with the sheer abundance of choices available today.

(I will offer another of these at the Johnsburg Library in August if there is enough interest.)

Tuesday, Aug. 18

Huntley Public Library

Part I is 5:00-6:15 p.m.

Everything You Wished You Knew About Homeschooling In Northern Illinois, But Were Afraid to Ask.

Covered topics will include the many options available in education today, current legal information affecting home educators in our local area, and much more.

**6:15-6:30 p.m.

Snack break (snack provided)

Part II - 6:30-7:45 p.m.

Homeschooling for Cheapskates

Registration required. Call the Children’s Desk at 847-669-5386 ext. 26 to register for Part I, Part II, or both.

Tuesday, September 8th

11 - 2 pm

Homeschool Expo - no presentations but a lot of different resources available to you during that time

Park Place in Crystal Lake (CL Park District)

Saturday, September 19th

10 am - 4 pm

Used Curriculum Flea Market (10-1:00) and

Eat, Meet and Greet with Q&A (1:15-3:00)

Illinois HOUSE Fall Meeting (3-4:00) open to all homeschoolers. Loads of information!

If you want to sell INDOORS at the Flea Market you DO need to register. It is recommended that you register for the outdoor spaces as well - but is not required.

For full details and to register to sell please visit https://sites.google.com/site/hrcopenhouse/

The folks at ARC are working to develop a non-common core college placement test as an alternative to private schools who are not teaching CCSS. This would be an alternative to the ACT and SAT.

Already we have over 800 colleges and universities that do not require or use the SAT or ACT. (For a list please visit fairtest.org ).

I am not finding a web page for it this group though. If anyone finds it please let me know!

Jul 9, 2015

Google's 4 Week Internet Camp starts Monday!

Google has brought together Khan Academy, National Geographic, National Parks, and NASA to launch Camp Google: a free, four-week online camp for kids 7-10, filled with fun science activities and exploration. Talk about an awesome collaboration! Wow.

Every Monday camp kicks off with a live adventure that you can access right from the Camp Googlesite. The adventures begins July 13th with Ocean Week. Your kids will head deep into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean to explore. Later this summer, they can join a live hike up an active volcano with a Park Ranger and a jam session with a music star. Everyone is welcome and you can jump in anytime.

Jun 21, 2015

We came, We shopped...

We had a great turn-out for yesterday's Used Curriculum Flea Market, Open House, and Panel Discussion! I heard that most of our sellers sold quite a bit and that most of the buyers went away happy. We had a terrific discussion about a lot of "hot topics" during the panel discussion as well.

Were you there???

Did you miss the June used curriculum sale? If so, be sure to put the next one, sponsored by Illinois HOUSE, on your calendar today!

September 19, 2015

and thanks to Michelle H. for permission to use the photo!

Cream of the Crop Photo Contest

PHOTOGRAPHERS WANTED FOR CREAM OF THE CROP PHOTO CONTEST

Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs announces the 3rd annual Cream of the Crop agriculture photo contest for Illinois photographers ages 8 to 18.

“We hope students take the opportunity to showcase their creativity and learn more about Illinois agriculture,” Frerichs said.

Participants must be Illinois residents and amateur photographers. Contestants will compete in three age categories: 8 to 10, 11 to 14, and 15 to 18. Each contestant is limited to two photo entries. Photo entries must be in JPG format, 300 dpi, and no larger than 5MB.

To find more contest rules and to submit photos, go to the treasurer’s office website atwww.illinoistreasurer.gov. Click on the Cream of the Crop Photo Contest link and follow upload instructions or read the rules. The submission deadline is July 9, 2015.

Winners and runners-up will be notified by telephone call and email. Winning entries will be published online and in print.

The Cream of the Crop photo contest is a part of the Treasurer’s Ag Invest program. For more information, visit www.illinoistreasurer.gov, call (217) 558-6217 or emailaginvest@illinoistreasurer.gov .

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.