5. FREE
free.ed.gov—Not only is it the name of
the website, but it’s also the price tag on
more than 1,500 learning resources from
dozens of federal agencies all brought
together in one easy to navigate website.
FREE is actually the acronym for Federal
Resources for Educational Excellence.
The homepage is far less flashy than the
other websites featured here, but don’t
let its simplicity fool you. It is a straightforward portal into a vast array of information broken down by subject. It gives
you a brief synopsis of the resource itself
before you click through to the next website. This feature is particularly beneficial
if you are exploring or brainstorming lesson plan topics.
6. The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine
technology resources
www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com—
If you are reading this article, chances
are you are already a fan of The Old
Schoolhouse® Magazine and its auxiliary
products. Their former online resource,
Teacher’s Toolbox, has recently undergone
a transformation. It has blossomed into
www.SchoolhouseTeachers.com, one of
the most comprehensive web-based resources for homeschoolers available. For
a low monthly fee, members have access
to the website and all its content, including printables, website links, devotions,
downloadable lessons, all five of the
Schoolhouse Planners, a free E-Book each
month, access to digital back issues of the
magazine, webquests, units of study, and
more. The site even has recipes! Plan dinner while delivering a quality education
to your children, or incorporate cooking
into your lesson plans and address math,
science, international culture, and more
(yes, there are suggestions for this too!).
Bob Irvin, Executive Editor for School
house Teachers.com says: “What I’m seeing is that homeschool parents are, in
many cases, more savvy than the average
public school parent. I see these amazing moms and dads connected on their
tablets, social networks, and educational
sites like SchoolhouseTeachers.com.
They are passionate about education and
educating their children.”
With this passionate parent in mind,
The Old Schoolhouse® also has a free app
for Android, Apple, and KindleFire devices so that you can access the support
and encouragement of their publication
from anywhere.
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These six resources put a world of information right at your fingertips. There
is no reason to feel overwhelmed or
alone in the homeschooling experience.
The numbers are growing quickly, as are
the resources to support you and your
children in your quest for a world-class
education delivered on your terms. I encourage you to explore, enjoy, and utilize
these tools. I am confident that they will
enrich your homeschooling experience
and demonstrate the role that technology
can play in the quality education of our
students.
Lauren Cassel Brownell is Director of Marketing for The University of Louisiana at
Monroe and is pursuing her master’s degree in educational technology leadership.
She is the author of the book Zen and the
Art of Housekeeping and has published
numerous articles in a variety of print
and online publications. Visit her website
at www.laurencasselbrownell.com, and
check out her blog Bites to Bytes: Raising
a Family in the Digital Age.
4/23/12 8:57 PM
