Guest Blog Post by Sarah Klase

We know it’s a biggie… the decision about which method your child will receive his or her education is of monumental importance. Even seasoned parents can find themselves gnawing their fingernails in a back-and-forth state of turmoil over what could be the best decision, or the worst. There are pros and cons to every schooling method – if there weren’t, it would be an easy, cut-and-dried matter. The best thing for a nail-biter to do is take a breath, back up a step, and calmly evaluate each system before making an informed and positive decision that is best for your child and your family.

We live in a world of technology advances that are zipping along at the speed of light. Computers, tablets and ipads, video games, and cell phone packages that require an upgrade every other month. I’m sure you have heard from your parents just how much these things cost – but as teens, we are bombarded with so many big price tags that eventually the sticker shock just seems to fade with each passing trend. Yeah, it’s just another hundred bucks, right? My family just works it out in the end…

Mentoring is a phenomenon that is gaining momentum in homeschooling circles across the country and beyond. You probably have a general concept of what mentoring is, and that it would ideally be a great idea – especially if you have the extra time, money, and resources to fit a mentoring program into your current schedule. Realistically however, we know that most homeschool parents struggle to get it all done in a day, and don’t exactly have a lushly flourishing money tree growing out in the backyard! So what’s the real skinny on homeschool mentoring – and how do you know if it’s right for your family?

Guest Blog Post by Sarah Klase

Inevitably it will happen: you WILL doubt your skills as a teacher. After all, most public school teachers have a thorough knowledge of their subject area – backed up by a degree and classroom experience. And you? You’re merely a parent whose last memory of algebraic equations may have swished out the door with that old pair of bright red parachute pants.

We had a wonderful turnout this year for our annual Christmas Card Design Contest!  We received lots of very creative entries, but only one can be featured on the Bridgeway Academy Christmas Card — and that’s where our Facebook Fans came in.  This year’s winner was selected via a voting process on Facebook by our Facebook Fans!

Our Winner is Anthony Willis – a 3rd Grader from Texas!

Congratulations Anthony!

It’s an age-old dilemma: for generations, parents have been struggling to manufacture (without success at time of print) additional increments of time. The production of added time in the course of each day becomes especially meaningful when the homeschooling of our children is involved! But alas, according to scientists, we are forced to bend and fit our daily schedules, goals, and needs into one mere rotation of the earth on its axis. So how do we make the passage of time and homeschooling requirements work hand in hand – instead of against one another? Here’s our step-by-step approach.

There is definitely a dark side to the high school years, and as much as teens hate to substantiate parental worry – at some point the unsavory truth needs to be faced. Bullying happens, sex happens, and peer pressure intensifies, causing many youngsters to engage in activities that are unhealthy, unwholesome, and even potentially deadly.

The homeschooling wave has been gaining momentum over the past decade, and it’s no mystery why: homeschooling is producing confident, well-adjusted kids who excel academically, and in many cases far exceed the national average of public school students who move on to college pursuits. The statistics prove homeschoolers on average score 25-40% higher on standardized tests than their public school counterparts.