Thursday, October 28, 2010

How Many Days a Week?

A user recently asked if using the system 5 days a week, for every subject, was using it too much? Could the students get frustrated?

They asked the question because some of our marketing material describes benefits that can be received just using the system 5 minutes a day, 3 days a week. This type of minimal use is really for a student studying a single subject, like geography or spelling.

Using HomeSchool Advantage 5 days a week for every subject may be fine,
but it really depends on the student.

Ideally, for your own personal memory, it is best to use the system 5 days a week!

Frustration is the measure, however, that your students are trying to do too much.

If you have a lot of subjects introducing new facts all at once, the best strategy
would be to have the student use the system at multiple times during the day, so they do not get too many facts in one setting.

If a student is getting frustrated, try not to assign more than three new courses in different subjects at a time.

Assign, for example, North American Countries and Capitals, and the Greek Alphabet, and Spelling

Only assign a course in another subject, like US History, only after they have earned a trophy in North American Countries Capitals or the Greek Alphabet.

Another way to combat frustration is to have the student write each new fact
into a Journal the first time it is seen.

Then find a simply way to reinforce that fact. For example, in the case of Geography,
look the fact up on a globe and on a map.

Writing the fact down, and finding the country on a globe and on a map is great reinforcement. And it will help ward off overload and frustration.

I will be posting some more suggestions soon.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Daily Student Status Report

Several of our parent users have requested a special email report of their students' daily HomeSchoolAdvantage activities.


The new "Daily Student Status Report" is ready!


We have just released an automated report that summarizes the daily worksheets your students have started and completed. You have the ability to turn this report off if you do not wish to receive it.


This new report was specifically requested by homeschool parents! Thank you for the suggestions and special thanks to the homeschool moms who helped us design this simple and easy to read report.


Here is an example of what you will see:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello, Hank Hill.

This is the 10/17/2010 HomeSchool Advantage status report for your 2 students.

Bobby Hill
-is assigned 4 worksheets.
-started 3 worksheets.
-completed 2 worksheets.
-answered 15 questions.

Peggy Hill
-is assigned 7 worksheets.
-started 7 worksheets.
-completed 7 worksheets.
-answered 120 questions.

Click on the following URL and login with your parent username (hankHill)
to see more details:
http://www.homeschooladvantage.com/users/progress_rpt


If you would like to unsubscribe from these daily status reports, please go
to http://www.homeschooladvantage.com/users/edit_admin and login with your
parent username. Uncheck the option named 'Email daily Student Progress
Reports' and click the Save button.