Parent Discussion Forum

Time4Learning is pleased to announce that it has opened an online discussion forum open to all parents interested in home education and online learning for their children from preschool through middle school. Here are a few comments from this week:

debbie24 wrote:
Where can I find information on the FCAT (Florida)? Does my child need to take it?
Fort Lauderdale Homeschool mom in need.


The FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test) is required of all public school students in FL as part of the NCLB mandate. Florida private school students and homeschool students are not required to take the FCAT.

"Home education" families in Florida have three ways to meet the State's legal requirements:
1 Establish and maintain a Home Education Program;
2 Enroll in a non-campus based Private School (sometimes referred to as a "cover" or "umbrella" or "600" school);
3 Hire a Private Tutor.

What's the Difference? In all three cases you can educate your children at home, using the materials and methods you select. The key difference between enrolling in a private school and registering as a home educator is this: Private school students are overseen by administrators you select. Identifying data about the student and samples of the student's work are never shared with anyone outside of the private school (other than at your request). Home education students are overseen by government employees at the school district. Parents must file annual evaluations with the district and are be required to show their record-keeping and samples of the student's work upon demand by the Superintendent. by enrolling them in a "homeschool private school".

Quoted from and for further details: http://www.southcountyhomeschoolers.org/SCHS/How%20to%20Homeschool.htm#_Choices

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I recently joined Time4Learning to help out my 1st grader.

I initially thought Time4Learning would just be computer games. Now that I see how great and substantative it is, I would like to use it differently next year.

This year, I am just using it for reinforcement (so I pick the lessons out that she needs) and frankly, as a good learning tool that she can be on while I'm doing other things for 45 minutes before lunch every day. I would like to put her on Time4Learning next year as the primary curriculum for math. When she doesn't do well on a unit (as measured by the test at the end of each unit), I plan to do additional instruction using a text book.

Here are my questions: - Have any of you tried using Time4Learning this way? - Has anyone organized the 2nd grade math lesson plans on a calender (we go Labor Day to Memorial Day with a winter special studies unit from Thanksgiving to Jan 1? - Any thoughts on what the best math textbook and source of worksheets are to do indepth work in areas where she needs it? I will keep using it for the other subjects but as the secondary curriculum.

Los Angeles, Homeschool mother of 1st grade student
For the answer to this question on Getting Started Homeschooling
John Edelson It's Time 4 Learning. And Fun!