Getting Organized for Fall

Shopping completed, it's time for most students to head back to school.  With so many distractions out there, it's important to stay organized through the school year.  Pro tip: get a planner. Or make a note with smartphone. The time you'll spend writing things down is worth it to not get a late grade on that big paper.  That goes not just for college  students, but for high school and elementary, as well.


I've always found that it helps to get settled back in for the new year. (September seems more like a new year than January to me.  January isn't even a change of seasons.)  For me this means devoting some time to getting things arranged the way I like them:  stapler tucked away over here, scissors in this box, pen cup over there...  It seems to help me be more productive.

And never forget to add some style.  Unless you like the minimalist look, make sure you have at least one funky piece of desk-stuff.  Get a flowery pen cup/bag, or decorate your binder/inbox with photos.  Make your work space both organized and unique, to make this year as productive as possible.

School Shopping!

It's almost that time again.  You know what I mean.

School.

Families everywhere are scrambling to prepare.  On their first day back, most parents want their students to have all of the important things:

• New gym sneakers
• Number-two pencils
• Notebooks
• Crayons, markers, glue
• A calculator for the older students
• An iPad?

Although I am of the so-called digital generation, that seems a bit strange, even to me.  Though I understand the benefits of browsing on the go, it is still hard for me to see the iPad as an educational-must have.  It is and will probably continue to be more of a convenience or toy to me.  Don't get me wrong, I like that I can check my email, the news, play Angry Birds...  But I will never be able to research and write an essay on a tablet.  There's no keyboard!  I can't open side by side windows.  While it's true they have word processing packages, they are not free, and you have to load them.

At this point, I have to inject: if you are going to buy your student something as expensive as a tablet, consider another route.  Get a notebook.  They are of a comparable price, nearly as portable (depending upon the model), and come with both a keyboard and more functionality.

The Chester Classmate, for example, comes with everything a student could need, including colored keys for typing prowess, internet capability, and a swivel touch screen which can also function as a tablet.  All this, plus the Classmate features ultra-rugged construction designed to withstand anything your student puts it through.

The Case for Homeschool

Pros:

• (relative) Freedom from regulation
• A curriculum adapted to suit each child's needs
• The ability to focus on a child's passions, keeping them focused
• Focus improved by lack of distractions
• The ability to impart knowledge outside of "school" - ethics, values, etiquette, etc... that often is left out at public schools
• Religion to be incorporated - or not - at the discretion of the parent
• Improved test scores in many cases
• Sheer flexibility of program and scheduling
• Studies show that homeschoolers grow up to be more self-confident and less peer-dependent (and therefore less likely to give in to peer pressures)

Cons:

• Increased cost, still less than private school - Homeschooling is not generally government funded
• Loss of income - one parent is home at all times, and therefore not generally working (or working much less)
• The loss of "grown up time" for a parent that is at home with children at all times
• Lack of regulated standards (a societal concern)
• Possibility of unmonitored child abuse (societal concern) - there is no evidence of a higher risk than in public institutions

Sources: Wikipedia, Homeschool.com