ETCNWA serves as a support system for Christian home educators who strive to implement non-traditional teaching methods. We each aspire to prayerfully disciple our own children as the Lord directs us and in a manner that takes into account the dynamics of our individual families, our unique gifts and talents, our personal convictions, our children’s strengths and weaknesses, and our goals for which we aim to train our children.
Mark you calendar...
NWA Homeschool Convention
May 21-22
The Education Alliance is host to Arkansas' only annual home school conventions: One in Searcy, Arkansas and one in Springdale, Arkansas.
Home school conventions offer families the opportunity to interact with other home schoolers from around the state, attend workshops and seminars on home education--with topics ranging from how to start home schooling to how to get into college--and find good deals on the latest curricula. Attendees also have the opportunity to stop by the Education Alliance booth to ask experienced individuals tough questions they have about home schooling in Arkansas.
The Key Note Speaker is Dr. Fred Worth, who has made a number of presentations aimed at encouraging homeschool parents, particularly fathers, in making their homeschool experience as effective and rewarding as possible. The convention will also host a used curriculum sale and a homeschool graduation ceremony.
Registration for conventions is done on a per-family basis, is good for the entire weekend of the convention you choose to attend, and will give you and your family access to the Exhibit, all of the workshops and every other benefit the convention has to offer. You may register online by following the steps below, or you may wait and register at the door the day of the convention. Bear in mind however, that we offer Early Bird discounts to those who register online before May 1, so you may not want to delay too long.
Important: Shop for FREE Thursday, May 20, 2010, at the Northwest Arkansas Convention. This year, the Education Alliance will open the Exhibit Hall on Thursday, May 20, 2010, absolutely free of charge. This is your opportunity to browse the Exhibit Hall without paying to get in the door, but it's only good Thursday night. Call (501) 978-5503 for more information.
Early Registration Underway! For a Limited Time: Only $15 per Family!
Visit the Education Alliance website for more information or to register.
Summary of the Arkansas Home School Law
Standardized Testing
The Arkansas home school law requires home school students to take a nationally recognized norm referenced achievement test in the same grades that norm-referenced testing is mandated for public school students which is currently grades 3 through 9. The State Board of Education has approved use of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) for home school students. They are to take the reading comprehension and math problem solving subtests.
** There are no penalties for students who do poorly on the test.
Registration for the test will begin in the next few weeks. Home educating parents who filed a Notice of Intent to Homeschool will receive a letter in the mail with instructions about how to select a testing site. The state has arranged for the sites listed below. Alternate sites may also be available.
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* You can expect to receive the results of your child's testing in mid June.
For more information bring your questions to the next ETC Meeting or contact...
Bill Ballard
Program Administrator
Arkansas Home School Testing Office (AHSTO)
101 Bulldog Dr.
Plumerville, AR 72127
501-354-3136 (Phone)
501-354-0167 (FAX)
arhomeschooltesting@afsc.k12.ar.us
www.afsc.k12.ar.us/homeschool
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Knowing God Guides Us to Guide our Children
In order to woo your child's heart toward godliness, you must know God and His ways yourself. You must recognize and understand fallen, prideful human nature and its rebellion against God, and you must accept God's remedy – the perfect, sacrificial work of Christ, wrought by His crucifixion and resurrection. Once that is accomplished, further knowledge and understanding of scripture enables us to know the character of God, what he requires of us, what we are to emulate, and what we are to be teaching our children. Written to and about human beings, the Bible is saturated with examples of every species of behavior. It is our one essential divine textbook for understanding the hearts of both God and men. This Biblical understanding of human nature enables us to reflect back on how we thought and acted as a child ourselves. If we can remember what we were like, it will help us to discern the deepest thoughts and motivations of our children. So make scripture reading your constant habit. Let the Bible reveal to you God’s heart; then let it reveal to you your own heart and then to help you in discerning and directing the hearts of your children. … the LORD weighs the hearts. - Proverbs 21:2 |
