As we head into summer, many parents want to ensure that their kids keep reading even though most tend to lighten up on other subjects.  This is also a great time to sit down with your local librarian and brainstorm on some creative incentive programs!

Some libraries already have incentive programs in place.  For example, in Southern Nevada, the Clark County library district has an incentive program that encourages children to read a specific number of books to earn coupons for free hamburgers at In-and-Out Burger.  Pizza Hut's Book-It program is an excellent incentive program – kids read books to earn a free individual pizza!  The issue with these two examples is that, first, both of them are geared for children ages 12 and under.  Second, the Book-It program starts in the fall (and homeschoolers need to register by August to receive the program package).

What programs are in place for teens?  Again, this would be a great topic to brainstorm with your local librarian.  You wouldn't think a librarian would be so kind and so willing, but really their job is to keep people reading and using the library on a regular basis.  Let me tell you about our libraries.

Our libraries are very special – we actually have two different counties we can choose from because we are on a state border.  

In Arizona, the Mohave County library is expanding and our librarian here in our little desert town is amazing.  If you tell her you want to do something, she gets to work right away to see how to get it approved and move forward.  She has come out to our homeschool park days to read to the children, she has participated in game days, and also served as an esteemed judge in our Valentines Mailbox decorating contest.  Her goal is to get children reading, and she doesn't care what age they are.  And when you look at it from the librarian's perspective, homeschoolers are their dream customer!  Our kids are generally quiet, and for the most part they LOVE to read!   So with that, she is always willing to help out with homeschool activities as long as there is a reading objective involved (that way she can get approval from her supervisors to attend).  Although, I have to say she has even taken her lunch hour to come out to some occasions just because she loves our group so much.

Now, on the Clark County (Nevada) side, we have a great librarian too.  However, she can't cross the state line to come to our events.  But she is always willing to accommodate us with special programs and projects.  As I mentioned earlier, they have the burger incentive for kids ages 12 and under, but she will also allow the teens to participate, she just gives them a higher goal (after getting approval from her supervisor of course!)  She will also help us out by allowing us to use the meeting rooms for free classes, and if we don't have a teacher for a subject we want our kids to learn about, she will put out a call to find one for us.

Can your librarian do these things?  Of course!  Remember, the library is generally paid for through county taxes, hence the librarian is accountable to the patrons who live in their county.  Be kind, visit your librarian, express what your needs and your ideas are, and help them do their job better.  Libraries not only focus on books, but they have an interest in sharing knowledge on any variety of topics.  You need only ask.

Please share with us what makes your library so special!

Log in and comment below, or comment on our Facebook page.  Tell us what your library does to encourage kids to read.  Do you have a special program for teens?  And if you are having difficulty with your library, share that as well.  Someone might be able to offer some good suggestions to remedy your situation.

Do you feel like every day is Autism Awareness day in your house?  Many parents feel this way. Rebecca Ruiz, member of the Special Needs Advisory Board for HECOA says, "It feels even more so because we are homeschooling."

When you first take your autistic child out of public school you might feel scared and doubtful as Rebecca did, afraid that you might fail them.  "I had to come to the realization that there is no one way to homeschool a child – any child – and there is no right or wrong way either," she says.  With children on the autism spectrum though, you may have to think outside the box on how to approach curriculum, support groups, and even how to navigate through a homeschool convention.

Rebecca offers a few tips in this month's Special Needs Newsletter, which members can get for free.  And there will be a free teleconference on April 26th where parents can get their questions answered and find lots of support.

Rebecca encourages parents by stating, "Eventually your doubts and fears will fade like mine did. An autistic child may never be fully on grade level, whatever that means, but he or she can learn at their own pace and much more comfortably at home. It’s definitely not easy. We have our bad days, but we have awesome days as well!"

In her newsletter, and in the upcoming teleconference, she gives great tips on how to Incorporate sensory activities into your schoolwork and sensory breaks throughout the day to help with focus.  Socialization is also approached differently with children on the autism spectrum.  Rebecca says, "That’s one I’ve had to work with in different ways.  My son prefers to be alone. He’s ok not having friends.  Some parents may or may not be okay with this, and may feel children need good friends in their life."  Rebecca and her son started off joining a social skills group, then worked with specific learning materials and social-modeling resources.

Homeschooling with a child on the autism spectrum can be challenging in the beginning, but with the right resources and plenty of support, you can do it!

To join the teleconference, you must be a member of HECOA.  Membership is free and only takes a few minutes to complete the request and then confirm your email (to prevent autospamming).  Click JOIN now, then login and access the Special Needs page on our site (the tab will appear after you login).

Approximately 10 million children in the United States alone suffer from reading disabilities.  Judy Waitley, member of the Special Needs Advisory Board for HECOA says,  "Not only does this affect their ability to learn to read but it affects every area of their lives."  Out of the 10 million children that are diagnosed with reading disabilities, only 2% of them actually go on to finish a four year college degree.  Judy advises that early intervention is the best way to increase success rates of overcoming their diagnosis.  

            Judy explains, "A reading disability won’t “magically” go away but it can be managed successfully.  For many children suffering from a reading disability, the problem lies in decoding."  Judy explains what decoding is in the March Special Needs Newsletter from the board.  This newsletter is available to HECOA members and can help with many challenges and special needs that you may be facing.  Each month is a different special needs topic. 

In this month's newsletter (March 2012), Judy also addresses dyslexia, and another reading disability called visual processing disorder, or VPD.

            "Dyslexia… has nothing to do with a child’s intelligence or the “want” to learn," Judy comments, "In fact, many dyslexics have an above average IQ score."  Writing essays, understanding textbooks, and even grammar skills are all harder for a student that has dyslexia thus making it harder on the homeschooling parent trying to help their child succeed.  

            Visual Processing Disorder (VPD) also affects a child’s ability to read but this diagnosis is a bit different in that it is a reduced ability to make sense of information taken in through the eyes.  Judy says, "As with any diagnosis, it is not a sentence for poor reading and language skills if intervention is sought early and treatment is consistent.  Even if the issues aren’t found early in childhood, a student can still have success in managing the issue with consistent treatment." 

            There are many simple things you can do during your homeschool day to help your student with dyslexia or visual processing disorder.  Some of those ideas are shared in the March Special Needs newsletter, and many more will be shared on the members-only call on March 22nd.  You won't want to miss this one if your child is struggling with any type of reading challenges. 

"A reading disability does not mean a child will never become a good reader.  It does not mean they will never enjoy reading.  Seek help early on if you feel there is an issue.  Most importantly, remember that you are not alone in this," Judy says.  The HECOA Special Needs board is more than happy to answer any questions you may have concerning reading disabilities and can provide resources and encouragement to help you in your homeschooling journey.  

Be sure to join us March 22^nd at 7pm Pacific time (that is 8pm Mountain, 9pm Central, 10pm Eastern) for a teleseminar on reading disabilities. The Special Needs Advisory Board will discuss reading disabilities, dyslexia and VPD in-depth and provide resources, advice, and tips for making your homeschooling experience even more enjoyable.

Visit the website on the Special Needs page for information on the teleseminar:

http://hecoa.com/special-needs

Are you Ready to Homeschool thru High School?

Simplification is the premise at Home Education Council of America.  How do you simplify something as complex as high school?

Dianne McLean, director for HECOA, has successfully graduated her children from homeschool and helped them get into college with one simplified checklist and a transcript – yes, with scholarships in hand! 

"Anyone who knows me, knows full well that I don't like complicated forms or procedures," she says, "homeschooling high school has no secret passageway, it's a pretty straightforward road.  You just need to know where you are going and then understand how to get there with the least amount of detours and roadblocks."

Known for her "bootcamp" type of classes, Dianne breaks down everything you need to know about teaching high school into 4 hours of intensive training in a special session called:  "How to Write Transcripts and Prepare for High School and Beyond".  The 4 hours are split into two days, two hours each day, so you can get everything you need without delay and without all the unnecessary fluff.

The most important things you must teach your children to prepare them for life beyond high school are revealed in this 4 hour intensive course.  What do they need to know and when do they need to know it?  You will learn everything about transcripts in a simple, straightforward manner.  You will NOT be overwhelmed with 200 pages of forms, or reading, reading, and more reading to understand how to prepare your child for homeschooling high school.  Dianne will show you how to get it all done and be successful using ONE checklist and a transcript!

This course is for adults and Dianne suggests that parents with children who are as young as 11 need to take this course so that you can take advantage of every opportunity for your child.  "Advanced planning would have just made life even more sweeter had I known then what I know now."

Sensory Processing Disorder

Those 3 words can throw a homeschool day completely out of whack! Especially if you homeschool a child who has sensory processing disorder issues.

Rebecca Ruiz, member of the Special Needs Advisory Board for HECOA, has two children with varying sensory issues who are at complete opposite ends of the sensory spectrum.  "One of my sons can't stand loud noises, does not notice when he gets dirty or messy, hates to have his shoulders and ears touched, HATES socks and shoes, does not notice when his clothes are on sideways, gets hyper very easily, fine motor and gross motor skill delays, etc… " Rebecca says, "My other son gets very hyper as well, has no
attention span, freaks out when he gets the least bit dirty and has to constantly clean his hands, face, or any other skin, his socks have to be on just right, no tags in the shirts, cannot stand having his hair washed, cut, or touched in general, teeth brushing is
difficult at best, and nails being clipped, forget it!" You can bet the Ruiz family deals with a myriad of issues throughout the day.

When it comes to getting academic work done in the midst of all of this, it can be a challenge but it can be done.  Keeping a list of
creative activities on hand for these moments is helpful, and Rebecca has learned the hard way that she must actually schedule sensory breaks into her day.

Rebecca has a lot of fantastic ideas for activities that can be done without breaking the bank to help your SPD child, and she shared them this month on the Advisory Board Special Needs Newsletter.  By becoming a member at the Free/Basic level of Home Education Council of America, you can go to the Special Needs section of our website and sign up for that monthly newsletter and get Rebecca's tips on SPD!

She is also heading up the monthly Special Needs teleseminar on February 23rd for HECOA members (no fee is required) where she and other board members will discuss more ways to help a child with SPD.  Callers will have the opportunity to ask questions and get support, so please plan to attend if SPD is a challenge for your family.

Please plan to join us on February 23rd at 7pm Pacific Time for this live teleseminar.  We hope to be able to answer many of your
questions about SPD, and help you put together a workable plan to go forward.
====================
Visit the website on the Special Needs page for information on the teleseminar:
http://hecoa.com/special-needs
===================

Budgeting principles, financial goal setting, managing money. 

Daunting subject matter.

Daunting statistics.

64% of Young Adults say that financial fitness is more important than physical fitness.†

55% of teens say they want to learn more about how to manage their money.††

93% of Americans believe financial literacy education should be a required class for all High School students.†††

What a puzzling set of data in a country that is supposed to be the most advanced in the world!

One of the most under-served areas in education is financial literacy. And yet, knowing how to manage money is critical to succeed in life. Many adults are now starting to understand that fact and receive training through various resources.

What about tomorrow’s adults?  

Recent economic turmoil proves there is a high need to teach children – TODAY.  Many are proposing mandating the teaching in public schools. Others advocate it is the parent’s responsibility. The challenge is that neither group has really taken action, perhaps it’s because adults and leaders are feeling inadequate in this area?

Teaching financial literacy to your children will give them a major advantage in life. Think about it. No matter what career they choose, they need to know how to manage their finances. Everyone from all walks of life, from all economic backgrounds needs to understand basic financial principles to be successful.  Teach kids when they are young and they will build upon those principles for years to come.

Where do you start?  How can you impact and teach financial principles without sounding like you are nagging or lecturing your kids about something so personal – yet so critical – as THEIR money?  You can’t just “tell” them how to manage their money, it won’t sink in.  They need to be shown how to do it.  Children of all ages generally learn best by doing. Teaching sound financial principles any other way just doesn’t seem to work.

Someone needs to step up and help answer these questions, to name a few:

• What age is appropriate to begin teaching children about their finances? 
• How do you make the lessons fun and engaging, yet make the concepts stick?
• What are the guidelines for prioritizing needs and wants?
• How do you teach them to set multiple goals? Track their money?
• Where can you find mock situations to teach about making purchases, and learning from mistakes?

A Homeschool Co-op? Great Solution!

At Home Education Council of America, we believe that it’s the parent responsibility to ensure that good principles and value be taught in the home – and that it’s the family’s choice to determine what are good principles and values.   We also believe that parents should have the best resources available to teach their children and that ensuring something is taught doesn’t always mean you have to add more to your plate.  There is nothing wrong with hiring outside resources to teach good principles.

With our new online homeschool co-op facility, we think we’ve nailed the financial literacy issue by pulling in two results-driven courses to choose from.  Both courses are extremely comprehensive in materials and are packed with age-appropriate hands-on activities that make learning about money fun and effective.

For children ages 8-12, we recommend the Kidbudget course with Kim Daley.  This course begins March 15, 2012.

For children ages 12 and up, we recommend the Economics course “Where’s the Money” with Elmarie Hyman.  This course will start again in the Fall 2012, and is actually comprised of two separate units (equivalent to two semesters).

Don’t wait to teach your kids about money – the time to act is now – to ensure that the adults of tomorrow are well prepared to overcome economic challenges.

Kidbudget with Kim Daley will include activities, games, riddles, contests, and similar ways to help children learn in a way that sticks.  Putting the principles into practice will happen during the classes and will definitely happen when the course is complete.  Students will be equipped with the skills needed to succeed financially. They will budget and save for goals, meet those goals and make purchases. They will evaluate those purchases and determine if they were the correct choices – time and time again. They will make mistakes. Hooray! Better now than later. All part of the learning process.

In our current economic climate, it is even more important than ever to teach teens and tweens about basic economics, personal finance and how to start their own businesses.   These are the adults who are right around the corner – and will absolutely need to be armed with all the financial education they can get to pull our country out of its economic crisis.  The newest adults will be the ones who can effect change through innovation, financial knowledge, and business saavy.  Come learn about all that in Where’s the Money with Elmarie Hyman.   We are calling this High School Economics because the material satisfies core economics requirements for most American high schools and can be placed onto a homeschool high school transcript as “Economics”.  But students as young as 12 can easily comprehend and get a lot out of this course.  Learning about these topics has never been this enjoyable! Note:  This course has been postponed until the Fall of 2012.

So What’s possible Tomorrow?

Despite world economic turmoil, use of sound financial principles will help our kids be successful. What’s possible tomorrow…

ADULTS…

• who can distinguish between needs and wants.

• who can delay self-gratification when necessary.

• with savings – not debt.

• with a solid understanding of financial principles.

• who can balance a checkbook, use a credit card wisely (if at all) and can withstand financial “wolves.”

• who have excellent credit ratings.

• who pay off their houses early and don’t have to rely on Social Security to live.

• Adults who have understood and prepared for disasters and unforeseen challenges and mitigate the risks they present.

Home Education Council of America is not a publicly funded organization.  It is an organization by home educators for home educators.  Our new online co-op facility is a state of the art teaching platform which allows for homeschool parents to bring quality outside resources into their homes.  Teachers are home educators who give of their time for a reduced group rate.  HECOA courses are not accredited, however most courses meet (and often exceed) core standards because some states impose such requirements on homeschoolers and we provide required syllabi to meet those requirements.

† 2009 Young Adults & Money Survey sponsored by Charles Schwab

†† Capital One Back to School Survey August 2011

††† Visa Back to School Survey July 2010

One of the things we focus on at Home Education Council of America is making things easier for the home educator.

I've noticed that in many of the online forums, a lot of discussion the past week has been centered around planning for the new year.  Many parents are tossing out curriculum that they might have paid hundreds of dollars for, only to purchase more curriculum worth hundreds more dollars, and they aren't even sure that will solve all their problems.

Why continue to spend money on textbooks and lessons for all subjects, especially a subject you know nothing about?  Is that really going to lift your load? Probably not – because now you have even more reading to do to familiarize yourself with the lesson layouts and then customize them to your child's learning style and your schedule.
  STOP!!

The best way to teach a subject you know nothing about is…..DON'T TEACH IT!   Homeschoolers all over the world understand that no matter what your background is, a parent can't possibly know how to teach every subject.   We also know that although home education is a constitutional freedom, some states and countries do regulate what courses students have to take – particularly when you get to the middle school and high school years.  This presents a problem for parents as children get older and there are courses that parents know nothing about (or in my case, just don't understand).  In some college applications your child might have to include transcripts or syllabi from certain core subjects.  Because you are free to choose HOW your child receives the core requirements, why not find someone else to teach certain subjects while you focus on the ones you do know?

There's lots of ways to do this – from trading with other parents, to private tutoring, to taking online courses.  Taking an online course is much like participating in a co-op class – co-ops are a very popular approach for homeschool groups. 

Asking for help or supervising a course that someone else is teaching does not signal defeat.  In fact, it shows that you know how to use your resources wisely.  While your older child is taking an online science course, you could be teaching a younger child handwriting or grammar, while still supervising your older child if you so desire.  Online courses such as those from HECOA open up a whole new window of opportunity.

For me, teaching Chemistry was the single hardest course I ever taught my kids when they were in middle school/high school.  It was hard enough to teach them math at levels that I never reached in high school (I later resolved to expensive private tutoring for math), but all of the equations and scientific notations in Chemistry made my brain feel like it was going to burst some days!  I cross-taught my 7th grader and my 9th grader because I absolutely did not want to have to teach this subject twice.

I have found a teacher who not only LOVES everything about science, but her lessons and activities are so engaging that even the most rigid student can love science as well!  Elizabeth Johnson is an incredible, fun-loving, KNOWLEDGEABLE teacher who has put together a Chemistry course that rivals any textbook course on the current home education market.

I've worked with Elizabeth on a variety of projects for some time now, and I highly recommend her courses.  She's a homeschool mom of all boys – and also teaches at her local homeschool co-op in California.  Those students who took her Astronomy course this past fall through HECOA were blown away by the content they received in each and every class. (and their parents loved it too!)

If you were to walk around your neighborhood, or even just stand outside the local grocery store, and poll people with this question:  "What is the significance of the Bill of Rights?" how many would be able to answer the question?

Consider this explanation of why we have the Bill of Rights:

"During the debates on the adoption of the Constitution, its opponents repeatedly charged that the Constitution as drafted would open the way to tyranny by the central government. Fresh in their minds was the memory of the British violation of civil rights before and during the Revolution. They demanded a "bill of rights" that would spell out the immunities of individual citizens. Several state conventions in their formal ratification of the Constitution asked for such amendments; others ratified the Constitution with the understanding that the amendments would be offered.

On September 25, 1789, the First Congress of the United States therefore proposed to the state legislatures 12 amendments to the Constitution that met arguments most frequently advanced against it. The first two proposed amendments, which concerned the number of constituents for each Representative and the compensation of Congressmen, were not ratified. Articles 3 to 12, however, ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures, constitute the first 10 amendments of the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights."

As we ponder this, we can come to an understanding that the Bill of Rights is definitely part of our Constitution.  Yet most people don't connect the two documents.  Both documents together not only spell out our basic human rights, but they detail with exactness the duties of the President of the United States, his restriction of power, and the duties and responsibilities of Congress with limitations to their power.

Every person who is of legal age to vote should KNOW what was in our founding documents.  Some politicians don't think it's necessary for you to know – because if you know, then they can't convince you to vote for corrupt bills and laws under the guise of false promises.  American Government should be a requirement for all students, yet it is an elective course in most public schools.

I felt it was essential to teach American Government to my children shortly before the last presidential election campaign.  One evening, my son was watching the debates with us on television.  As candidates began offering their speeches, he listened carefully to what they were promising the American people.  My son stood up and shouted, "He CAN'T promise that – it's unconstitutional!"  and my son was quite confident that people could not be so ignorant as to vote for someone who doesn't even know what our constitutional rights were.  Yet people believed this candidate because they were unaware that Congress would never allow him to fulfill those promises.  Not because Congress is mean, but because it's simply not permitted under our Constitution.  Some time later, after this candidate was actually elected, my son's frustration grew as he watched speech after speech of blatent intent to take away our constitutional freedoms.

As we enter in to yet another election year, our Constitution is clearly hanging by a thread. Education is essential to making the right decisions when we vote.  Not just for presidential candidates, but at the local and state level.  American voters must understand what the rights of the President are, and the rights and responsibilities of Congress.  Knowledge is freedom, ignorance binds us.  Knowledge will help us to hold candidates accountable, ignorance will allow them to continue in corruption until we have nothing left.

Which do you want for your posterity?  Freedom or bondage?

If you are not sure how to teach American Government or where to start, consider enrolling your child in the American Government course from HECOA. 

Are you struggling to teach an older child who is behind in math?  Did you recently transition from institutional school to home education and realize your child doesn't know the basics to be in an Algebra class?

You are not alone.  Many parents are discovering that schools have pushed children thru without really teaching the concepts – or, they spent so much time "teaching to the test" that students don't learn anything other than how to keep guessing until they get the right answer. 

Parents of children with special needs are especially frustrated.  Teachers are packed with more and more students in their class, and are not trained to teach to varying levels.  They teach one grade or proficiency level, yet studies consistently prove that most people learn math at a different pace.  Students who can't keep up are either ignored, failed, or sent to a "special" math class.  If you have ever spent time in the remedial math classes, it's often an even worse situation. 

When I was in middle school (in the 70's), I got pretty good grades in math until I reached financial math and pre-algebra, then things got tough.  When I look back, there are certain skills that were not emphasized as important when I was preparing for high school.  One of them is word problems.  All of my teachers – ALL of them – had a policy that if the students did well on the "regular" problems (usually 50-60 equation drills of some sort) then we were permitted to skip the word problems.  BIG MISTAKE!

When students prepare to take the ACT, the SAT, or other college entry exams, you can bet that every single math problem on those tests is a word problem.  If a student has little experience with word problems, it's like reading a foreign language.  For visual students such as myself, financial math and equations with x's and y's were confusing and pointless.  Does this sound like something your child would say?

When it came time for me to teach my kids, creativity was essential to not only help them understand but so that I could finally understand.  I was able to discover numerous methods to engage them, and later used those same methods to teach other kids.  I have helped a number of students to adequately prepare for Algebra, and they have gone on to do very well in higher maths.

If your child is struggling to retain the basic skills needed to prepare for Algebra, or they are trying to take Algebra and just not getting it because something was missing and not taught, check out the live courses that HECOA offers today.   No stress for you, high energy learning for your child!

There is no doubt that home educators want the BEST academic experience for their children.  We all want our kids to go far and to have every opportunity afforded to them.  Yet sometimes it's just not practical for a parent to teach ALL the subjects their kids want or need to learn.  What do you do if you can't get it all in?  What if you have many children?

Many people do "cross teaching" which essentially means you teach a subject to more than one child at the same time, and the same level.  My son was doing a 9th grade level curriculum (boxed type) and I was simply exhausted from trying to teach him chemistry and then do general science with my daughter who was in 7th grade.  As well, two separate English courses, and two separate history courses, while teaching really advanced math, it was just too much – and I only had two children at home at the time!! Imagine having 4, 7, or 11 children in all different levels. 

So anyways, I thought it might be interesting to let my daughter sit in on some of the lessons with my son.  She was so ready for this – and actually helped HIM with understanding the chemistry (ah, the simplicity of the younger mind!).  They began having discussions about the history, and the English assignments.  My thoughts were – if she can keep up, then why am I teaching her to a lower level?  So I did the cross teaching successfully.  Math still had to be kept separate, but thankfully I was able to find really great tutors to take the higher math off my plate.

And that's another point – as home educators, we have that flexibility to utilize tutors.  It does not signify failure or lack of knowledge to hire a tutor.  Rather, it shows that we know how to use our resources wisely!  It doesn't always have to be fee based, some parents trade services with tutors, and others live in an area with a high population of homeschoolers and can work with co-ops.

Besides cross teaching, tutors, and co-ops, there are online courses in a wide variety of subjects. The important thing to remember is that the parent can supervise all of these options, and if it's not what you expected or wanted it to be, then you can walk away at any time.  Unlike public school (or private school) where you are stuck with whatever they have to offer. 

One of the special areas that Home Education Council of America tries to work on is making things easier for home educators.  You don't have to do it all yourself.  We've seen a lot of parents waste hundreds of dollars switching curriculum halfway through the year because they get frustrated.  If we learn to lean on reliable resources, and communicate our needs with each other, our kids can receive a superior education while we supervise the quality and ethics.  

That just makes sense!  This is why HECOA now offers courses online.   The courses we have are top notch, fully enriched with activities and engagement, and are highly academic and priced competitively.  We take a lot of time researching and listening to our members – and come up with the courses they are asking for.  We now have two types of courses to choose from – the live courses (meets at a specific day and time each week online live) and the self-paced courses (no interaction with other students).

Our live courses are in a web-based classroom – the instructor is live on a screen, she/he uses a whiteboard and a variety of interesting tools to present the information and activities, and the students can engage with the teacher using a headset or the chat feature.  If you miss a session because you are out of town, you can catch the recording (number of recordings is limited per student, because we want them in the class to get the highest quality experience – you may not miss the first class.)

It's very safe – the students can see each other's name on the attendance roll, they can interact under the teacher's supervision, but they cannot see personal contact information or email addresses.  If you want your student to connect with other students outside the classroom, simply let the teacher or our administration know and we will send a request to the parent of the other student. 

We even have a money-back guarantee!  HECOA Basic/Free members can enroll in any of our courses for just $97.00, and HECOA Plus Members get a 50% discount on all courses – ALWAYS!  If you enroll in a course and do not like it after the first day, simply email us with a withdrawal request before the day of the second class, and we'll refund your course fee in full.

There has never been a better time to become a HECOA Plus member and enroll in our online courses – come and try it out!

What about you? Have you used any outside resources?