– A place to discover creative curriculum resources for general and special education as well as resources for college preparation.
Purpose of the Blog
It is my hope that the resources for general and special education, as well as college preparation will be beneficial to many parents and educators whether in the classroom or at home. It is a joy to find a creative curriculum which may help children learn and reach their full potential. Further, my hope is that this educational resource blog site will provide resources for families educating their children locally and overseas through the mutual sharing of resources. Please feel free to add your comments and suggestions for the benefit of others.
History of the Blog
Recently, I completed my Masters of Arts in Education at Montreat College in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, which included a thesis. My academic focus was on the choices and challenges of educating children overseas. The result of which is this blog site.
Wendy’s Educational Background and Experience:
Comparing education in foreign countries has been interesting, not only through academic research, but also from personal experience. I grew up in South Africa and so understand the South African educational system (although it has undergone some changes in the recent past). Also, I have experienced parts of the British and American educational systems. I have some grasp on the Croatian educational system having lived in Osijek with two small boys attending kindergarten. From personal experience, I realize there are challenges and choices in educating children overseas. The choices range from boarding school to home school. Personally, we have experienced boarding school, national school, private school, Christian school, and home school.
In some instances, families face additional challenges, such as how to educate special needs children overseas. We have three children (two with special needs and average IQ’s and another child with a high IQ). Educating my own children and having briefly taught in a Christian School, which was setting up a special educational track for children with learning differences, has afforded me personal experience with ADHD, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, processing issues, and other learning disabilities.
Children learn in different ways and have different kinds of intelligences. I have worked with children who are visual spatial, kinesthetic, auditory, or visual learners. Through my research I have learned that there are different intelligences which include musical, artistic, and humor. Tapping into these intelligences help children to learn more easily.
Homeschooling is popular in the US and amongst missionary families living overseas. I homeschooled in the US for five years (grades 2 – 7).
I have tutored individual students, taught in a cooperative school for a small group of homeschooled students ranging from grades 5 – 11, substitute taught at a local Christian school for 2nd – 1Oth grade students, and assisted in both the elementary and middle school Learning Resource Centers as well as a Community Readiness program.
Rachel's Learning Village 