Build Your Talent and Commitment

It's easy to assume that starting a rock band is as simple as, say, cooking a meal. You get the ingredients, pre-heat the oven, throw some stuff in a pan and that's it, right? Wrong. Starting a band -- or, rather, starting a successful band -- is a far more difficult and involved process. It's a lot like making a movie; before you can even consider shooting the scenes, you have to write the script, scout locations, cast the parts and find financiers. Movies are all but made in pre-production, and awesome rock bands are hinged on their very beginnings.
 
The following article will supply you with the information you need to not only start a band, but to build up your talent and commitment to a point that will all but guarantee your success. Learning how to become a rock star has never been so easy.
 
Learn About the Music Industry
 
Before you can truly commit to the task of starting a band, it's important that you understand the industry that you're about to navigate. Talk to friends or coworkers who may have done this before, or go to your local bookstore and browse the music section; there are always tons of great titles about both specific rock and pop artists and the music industry in general. Learn about how labels, booking agents and publicists work on the independent and major levels, and try to imagine how your band might fit into that.
 
As you learn more about the music industry, make goals for the start of your band. Aim for the stars, of course, but also use your new-found industry knowledge to create smaller, more achievable goals for yourself. The more you know about the music industry, the better you'll be able to imagine without question what you can or cannot achieve right off the bat.
 
Consider Lessons
 
Even if you are already pretty proficient with your chosen instrument, it can never hurt to try a lesson or two. Not only will music lessons get you used to playing constantly, they will also improve your ability to branch out into different styles and improvise. And, if you find an instructor who has worked within the music industry on a professional level, you might even pick up a few songwriting pointers! Check the closest college for classes in your instrument, or talk to someone at a well-respected music store; they'll almost certainly know where you can find a great music instructor.
 
And while you are at it, why not try a lesson or two in an instrument you don't already play? Every musician interested in starting a band can benefit from knowing a bit about all the instruments they intend to incorporate in their group. Learn some piano (especially how to read music), try your hand at vocal lessons, or get acquainted with the drums. Knowing your way around several instruments will aid in your ability to both write songs and find proficient band members.
 
Practice, Practice, Practice
 
Sure, it might go without saying, but practicing your instrument (or instruments) is the only surefire way to start a band; after all, the music itself is the key predictor of your success. Prioritize your time, make a rigid practice schedule and stick to it! Don't flake out on important obligations like work or school, but you can afford to skip a night of Gilmore Girls, can't you?
 
If you have a four-track recorder, or even a small tape recorder, consider recording your practice sessions. That way you can truly hear which aspects of your playing are improving and which need work. You'll also be able to pick out a general playing style that is characteristic of you, and knowing your strengths in that area is absolutely vital to starting a band.
 
See Live Music
 
No one can start a band in a vacuum -- you need to know what's going on in the world of music! If you have been out of the loop for awhile, or just downright too busy to get out that often, check your local papers for upcoming concerts and make a real effort to attend them. Try to encompass as many genres as possible, really get the full range of what bands are up to these days. Listen intently, even take notes, as to what seems to be prevalent among artists. You may hear some things you really want to try, or you may be disgusted and decide to completely buck tradition; either way, your band will have an instant leg up simply by knowing what other people are doing.
 
Seeing live music is also important when starting a band because shows can often help you forge fantastic contacts. If you see a band you like, don't hesitate to talk to them. Local bands are often extremely generous in giving you pointers and maybe even helping you set up your first show. Contacts, after all, are a lifeline for those interested in starting a band.
 
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Expand The Band

What Kind of Music Do You Want to Play?

General music genre is typically a given for musicians interested in starting a band, but what happens if you love tons of different musical styles and are unsure about which you'd like to pursue? The problem is completely understandable; it's sometimes difficult to sift through the muck and figure out which music genre suits you best or, even more importantly, at which you're naturally talented. If you're feeling up in arms about what kind of music you really want to play, read on -- these tips could save your sanity.
 
Weigh Your Options
 
Flip your CD collection, or, better yet, put your iTunes on random and listen carefully; do you notice a pattern? Which music genre comes up most often, gets your blood truly pumping? Are you interested in, say, the lyrics of one musical style and the guitars of another? The sort of music to which you're naturally drawn is very often the best indicator of what you should be playing, even if it's a style you least expected. That's not to say that everyone is suited for every music genre you love -- there's a lot to be said for a diversity in taste -- but you should actively pursue whichever musical style makes your heart pound, whichever type of song that makes you think a man, I wish I could do that. And don't underestimate the power of new music to inspire. Seek out new musical styles whenever you get the slightest chance -- you might be surprised with what you find out about yourself.
 
Evaluate Your Playing Style
 
Before you can truly dive into a musical style, you need to take a long, hard look at how you play. Maybe you're intensely drawn to flamenco guitar, but if your playing abilities aren't up to flamenco par you might find yourself disappointed, frustrated and unable to get yourself motivated. Learn the parts for some of your favorite songs in any music genre -- not based on ease of the tune, but rather what you love -- and see how naturally the musical style comes to you. If you're breezing through the song with absolutely no problems, you're golden. But if you're struggling more than a little, having a truly difficult time mastering even the first few notes, it might be time to re-evaluate the music genre you've chosen.
 
Of course, that's not to say that you can't play in whichever musical style you'd like; learning and writing songs will just be a bit more work. If you're dead set on playing a style that doesn't come naturally to you, find an instructor who specializes in it. Talk to your local music store owner and employees about who they know, or get in touch with local bands playing that musical style. A lot of times, a local band member will be happy to tutor you for a small fee, or maybe even free of charge.
 
Write Some Songs
 
Even if you're not a natural songwriter, try to pen a few tunes without tying yourself to a music genre. You may never intend to keep them, the songs might get thrown out the minute you start writing a record or playing shows, but what you write will ultimately tell you which musical style is deeply embedded in your brain. But be easy on yourself; you don't need to write a Top 40 hit to get the benefits of this exercise. It's what you're attempting to learn about musical style that matters, not whether you've written the best song since the Beatles.
 
If you already know a bit about songwriting and feel like getting really creative, try rewriting the same song in several different music genres. See what feels natural, listen to the nuances of every musical style you're playing withtin. Even if you're already set on a music genre, you might wind up surprising yourself.
 
Break Out
 
No matter what anyone tells you, there are absolutely no hard and fast rules about music genre, so don't feel obligated to stick to the rote rules of whichever one you've chosen. Unless you're writing symphonies or fugues, classical forms that absolutely adhere to steadfast rules, feel free to go out on your own a bit when it comes to musical style. Play around, write what you know and love. Some of the most interesting music has come out of a melding of music genre, and sometimes the combination creates a whole new music genre of its own. Terms like alt-country, pop-punk, rap-rock and nu-metal get thrown around so often that you barely have a moment to think about what they really are, but those music genres only became popular based on a few bands, willingness to take risks with whatever they loved. So be a risk-taker with musical style; it could just propel your band to historic fame.

How About Rehearsal?

Ah, band rehearsal. Time to flesh out those new songs, get a feeling for what your band can do together, drink a few beers, play and bond. Fun, right? Sure, band practice can be the most fun you'll ever have in the life of your band, but it's also the place where you'll work the hardest and develop the most. And, contrary to popular opinion, a band rehearsal is nowhere near as simple as just setting up and playing some songs. You have to have a workable schedule, a great space and an inherent sense which aspect of your playing needs the most fine-tuning. If you're having some troubles getting your band practices in shape, settle in and take the following tips to heart.
 
Create a Schedule
 
Scheduling band practice days that work for your band both musically and personally is absolutely vital; you can't afford to leave anyone feeling angry or misrepresented, but you also can't afford to skip three practices due to the guitarist's weekly poker game. The first step, obviously, is to find the times when every member is available. If it amounts to more than one day, fantastic! In the early stages, band rehearsal is best set at more than once a week. But if it's completely impossible to all be in the same room more than one day a week, don't sweat it. You can still make the most out your schedule. Consider holding a segmented band practice or two: times when only two or three of the members get together to flesh out certain parts or go over old songs.
 
A lot of times, the specific time of day during which you hold band practice will be already dictated by work schedules, but if you have a choice, get together when your band collectively has the most energy. It might be difficult to balance everyone's daily high points, but find a happy medium and stick to it. And if you don't have a choice over time of day, make sure to come to band rehearsal as prepared as possible. Do whatever it takes to keep you awake and moving (short of, of course, drugs).
 
Find a Space
 
Maybe you're totally lucky and you, or one of your bandmates, have a basement or spare room just waiting for a band to set up shop and fill it with greatness. If you're not so fortunate, however, you'll have to find an alternate rehearsal space for your band practice.
 
A good practice space is difficult to come by. It can be tempting to grab whatever you can get for the lowest fee, but there are a few things your band rehearsal absolutely needs. Ideally, you'll want to find a medium-sized, windowless rehearsal space where you can leave your equipment -- which means it locks and no one else has access to it. Some cities have places that will rent a practice space for a monthly fee, and sometimes storage spaces will let bands take up residence there (though you'll have to provide both heat and fans). Talk to other bands in your area about where they hold band practice; referral is often the best bet for finding a good practice space. And if money is a concern, ask a friendly band if they'd be interested in sharing their practice space (and the rent) with your band.
 
Once you find the perfect practice space, it's time to customize it. How you set up rehearsal space is a matter of personal taste, of course, but you'll definitely need: a space heater (if your band practice is in a storage space), fans, a blackboard or dry erase board and music stands. Also, remember to pad any windows and put rugs some other sort of cheap insulation on the walls to absorb sound. You may even want to get fancy with your practice space and add, say, a mini-fridge if you're planning a long band rehearsal.
 
Use Your Time Well
 
How a band organizes time within a single band practice is relative to the band, of course, but you'll want to at least know what each practice is meant to accomplish before you walk in the door. In the early stages, you'll want to focus mostly on learning to play together so it might be good to work on a cover or two. As each band practice gears itself more and more to writing, you'll start striking a balance between writing new material and rehearsing the old, and when getting ready for a show, tour or recording session, band rehearsal will be in pursuit of making the set as fluid and tight as possible.
 
Whatever you do, whenever you do it, make sure to spend a little time each band rehearsal just hanging out with your bandmates. Take some smoke breaks, have a beer after band practice, or just talk for a few minutes between every other song; the strongest bond in any band is friendship, and band rehearsal is the best time to nurture that.
 
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The Dark Side

Sometimes musicians -- or entire bands, for that matter -- lapse into a state of disrepair due to avoidable outside influences. Everyone knows the stories; VH-1's Behind the Music is based entirely on the explosive nature of rock bands on the rise, how quickly they can dissolve into fits of drug abuse or alcoholism. These things may seem like just another rung in the rock music ladder, like something every young musician must go through, but they aren't. This is no rite of passage; substance af buse can completely ruin the lives oeven the most dedicated bands, and while there's no all-encompassing method to keep this problem from coming up, there are specific ways to handle it if, or when, it does.
 
Alcohol
 
Alcoholism is typically the most common problem among rock and pop bands for one very understandable reason: alcohol is constantly shoved at you. Every bar, every club, even a ho-hum band practice usually features at least a beer or two, and those beers can quickly become a drinking problem. What was once a few drinks to loosen up before a show can suddenly morph into full-fledged alcoholism, and before you know it, you (or one of the other band members) can't separate your drinking habits at shows from your drinking habits at home. This is precisely how alcoholism starts.
 
While it's usually impossible to ban alcohol from the band completely (and who would want to, anyway?), it's wise to put a limit on the number of drinks consumed at shows or on tour. The occasional drunken night is fine, of course, but if the whiskey starts coming out at 2pm, it's probably time to give it a rest. Alcoholism can, and will, sneak up on young musicians suddenly, and denying that you have a substance abuse problem, or enabling the substance abuse problem of a band member, will not make the threat of alcoholism evaporate into thin air.
 
Of course, that's much easier said than done, so what happens if one of your bandmates lapses into a drinking problem? First, do not under any circumstances dismiss it as part of the rock music lifestyle; sure, it might be common, but we only hear the horror stories. No one talks about the young musicians successfully staving off alcoholism every day. This is your friend, remember, and you have a responsibility to him or her outside of band obligations. Talk to him or her about the substance abuse, mention it to the family, stage an infamous intervention; do whatever it takes to keep your bandmate away from the alcohol. If the alcoholism proves to be more powerful than any intervention, offer to help set him or her up with AA meetings or rehab, if necessary. And don't be afraid to put your band on a hiatus to take care of someone's drinking problem. You may lose some momentum, but your friend and bandmate won't be stuck in the terrible substance abuse cycle.
 
Drug Abuse
 
Like alcoholism, drug abuse is a common problem among rock musicians because of the availability. Fans and promoters alike are often anxious to offer drugs to bands, and it's usually not with malicious intent; they just want to have some fun. And maybe it starts off as just a little here and there, some lines in the bathroom before a show, a pill to take the edge off. Maybe it's nothing at first, no serious drug abuse to be seen. But then, suddenly, it's an addiction. Full-blown substance abuse, the likes of which is notoriously difficult to cure in young musicians.
 
The best possible way to keep drug abuse at bay is to ban all drugs from the band; they aren't necessary after all, and most of them (save for some strategically prescribed pills) are illegal. Make sure every one of your bandmates understands that any drug use will get them thrown out of the group. It sounds harsh, but drug abuse affects even the non-users in rock and pop bands. Consider it; most bands will get pulled over at least once or twice on tour, and the better part of them will be questioned by police for no reason other than their appearance. If you look like you live the rock music life, authorities will tend to treat you accordingly, however unfair. And if you or one of your bandmates has any illegal drug in tow, you'll go to jail. No questions asked.
 
But what can you do if someone in your band is dealing with substance abuse? Like alcoholism, don't treat it as part of the rock music lifestyle. This is a serious problem that needs serious attention. Stick to your promise, however difficult, and ask that person to leave the band. Don't, however, end it there. Out of sight is absolutely not out of mind, and you have an obligation to help this person get past their substance abuse. With the help of his or her family, get your bandmate to rehab or therapy. Again, put the band on a hiatus if you must, and don't discount the idea of allowing the person back in the band once they've cleaned up. Young musicians have the ability to be fierce and resilient, and signs of good faith are always appreciated.
 
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What Music Fits Where

Knowing where to play is just as important as knowing how to play. Though landing a gig anywhere is a huge event for any new rock or pop band, understanding the music styles most typically found at any given club is vital to getting your music to the right people. You may play the best pop music in history, but your music will fall on deaf ears if you're playing at a bluegrass club.
 
But knowing where to play isn't simply a matter of fitting your music style with a venue's preference. The venue's size will also figure prominently into whether or not you play there. The following article takes you on a virtual tour of concert venues, their sizes, how they operate and what they love to hear.
 
Large Venues
 
Large concert venues, such as arenas or pavilions, are usually unavailable to new bands, even if you've garnered a massive local following. These places have thousands of seats to fill, after all, and most local bands just aren't capable of doing that. Large concert venues are famous for spending thousands, sometimes millions, of dollars on one concert; they typically supply all production elements, occasionally even providing house music equipment to streamline the set-up and break-down process, and have beautifully accommodating backstage areas complete with food, drink, and offstage entertainment per each act's rider (a written request for supplies). These concert venues tend to favor rock music and pop music, mostly because these are the acts that sell the most tickets, and are notoriously discriminating in the concerts they choose to host.
 
That said, it's not impossible for a new bands playing rock music or pop music to get a gig at an enormous concert venue; it just takes a bit of strategy. Getting acquainted with your local radio stations, for instance, is a great way to get into a large concert venue. Many stations host showcases or promotional concerts that either feature new bands or put them in opening slots. And if you manage to land a slot on one of these showcases, you have a way to show the promoter that your music style is worth remembering. Let the concert promoter know that you're always available for opening slots, even if you have to go on hours and hours before the touring bands play. Having a large concert venue listed on your tour history looks good to agents, labels and publicists.
 
Mid-Sized Venues
 
Large clubs and dance halls -- spaces falling in the mid-sized concert venue category -- are decidedly more accessible for local bands, even new ones. Venues such as these tend to host large indie rock music acts or smaller commercial rock music acts and don't usually provide as many amenities as the larger spaces. Unlike some large concert venues, however, mid-sized spaces almost always have a bar (effectively making them 21+) and usually charge far less for admission.
 
Getting in with the concert promoter at these places is often as easy as an email or phone call. You'll be better off if you've played the smaller venues, but it's completely possible to make some waves at these mid-sized venues even if you haven't. Make friends with other bands in the area, get hip to the local community, and try to persuade those bands to put you on a show with them. The beauty of mid-sized spaces is that these concert promoters often let bands they trust almost completely dictate the bill. And, what's more, you'll make more money here than you would at a large venue due to far fewer topline costs.
 
Bars and Cafes
 
Everyone's got to start somewhere, you know, and often the best place to kick off your musical career is at a local bar or cafe. Some of the hippest places in town will convert their business into a concert venue for the express purpose of turning their patrons on to new bands and music styles. The owner or bar manager will double as concert promoter and help you organize a fantastic show, but be forewarned: there's not guarantee that you'll be paid to play these spaces, especially if the concert promoter decides not to charge admission (a good bet for new bands looking for an audience). You will, however, typically get free drinks and be allowed to sell merchandise, and small concert venues like these are invaluable jumping off points for new bands.
 
Other Areas
 
Bars, cafes and concert-designated arenas aren't the only places you can play. Some innovative concert promoters have in the past fifteen or so years been turning warehouses, record shops and even houses into concert venues. These places may be more difficult to come by, but they're almost always worth playing. A record shop, for instance, will often stock your CD in advance of your playing there, effectively boosting both sales and promotion. House and warehouse shows operate on donations, of which you'll get most, and many of these places will provide a modest dinner or a place to stay if you're on tour. Concert venues such as these are fantastic opportunities for new bands, especially since many of the spaces have a built-in clientele and tend to trust the concert promoter's decision in choosing new talent.
 
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Networking and Conquering the Clubs

There's no better way to get your name out in the music scene than to network. It sounds like a cliche, sure, but meeting people is pretty much the only option if you want to advance the career of your band. Easier said than done, right? The mere idea of networking in the music scene is intimidating; all that approaching and cold-calling, it raises insecurities in even the most confident of musicians. But it's got to be done in order to conquer the rock clubs and make your band a prominent, and undeniable, member of the music scene. And while networking isn't exactly a science, there are a few points you'd do good to remember.
 
Create a Buzz
 
If your band is new to the local music scene, buzz will quickly become your best friend. It spreads like wildfire and significantly reduces the amount of networking you'll have to do completely on your own. Before hitting up some of the bigger rock clubs, get your CD or demo to prominent people in the music community: music journalists, radio station managers (or even interns), independent club promoters. Think outside the box; who really has a say in what the music scene listens to? Music store owners, for instance, are notoriously influential, but tend to remain sort of on the outside when musicians think about networking. And don't forget to approach other local bands. If they like what you're doing, they'll often refer you to music clubs or request that you be added to a show they've already booked.
 
Wow the Promoters
 
The thing about promoters at prominent rock clubs is that they're often immune to the marketing wiles of new musicians. These people are incredibly busy; they receive tons of press kits and show requests everyday from new bands, the vast majority of which are completely unremarkable. In order to truly wow the music clubs, you've got to step it up a notch. Revamp your press kit to be as professional and unique as possible; include bios, quote sheets and tour histories with your band's logo as the letterhead, spend the few extra dollars on high-quality press photos, even make unique artwork for your demo cover. Just make sure to not be obnoxious or too over-the-top. Few things are more annoying to rock clubs than an overly flashy band with an entirely unwarranted ego.
 
Another way to get into a rock club's good graces is to request a show with a band who has frequently played there, so get in touch with your friends in the music scene. Music club promoters will pay way more attention to a group if they're coming in on the heels of a band they already know and trust, and they'll be far more likely to offer you another gig if they like your music.
 
And always, always be as easy to work with as possible. Once you're offered a gig at a great rock club, don't put any unreasonable demands on the promoter. Do as much publicity for it as you possibly can and generally make the promoter's job a million times easier. You'll quickly get a reputation for being a real team player, which counts for just as much in a promoter's eyes as the music itself.
 
Keep 'Em Happy
 
Don't think you're done with the networking just yet. Now that you've landed the gig, you've got to live up to the hype, and that can be the most difficult part of all. Audiences, after all, don't just magically show up to rock clubs; you've got to give them a good reason to be there. Promote your show like there's no tomorrow. Network with music editors and writers and try to get at least a write-up in the local papers, inform radio stations of the event and ask if they'll mention it once or twice on the air, and post fliers for the gig all over town. Call everyone you know in the music scene to let them know about the gig and ask them to tell another person. Create yourself an audience out of thin air.
 
Audiences aren't the only people you've got to keep happy, however; this all goes double for the music club promoter. Do exactly what he or she asks of you. Show up on time (or a little bit early), set up and break down as quickly as you can, play when and for how long the promoter requests. The more reason you give them to love you as business associates, the less it'll matter that they barely know you at all. And if you bring tons of people into their club, they'll continually call on you to open, or maybe even headline, gigs. It's an entirely win-win situation. See? Networking, intimidating or not, does truly have its benefits.
 
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Guerrilla Tactics: Handbills

What good is a fantastic gig at a fantastic club if no one's there to see it? Promoting a concert is just as important as playing the concert itself, but it usually takes more than just a little word of mouth to get the buzz going. And even if you've already tacked up tons of posters and fliers, it's important to remember that people aren't always interested in an event they only know about via generic promotion tactic.
 
That's why handbills are an amazing form of concert promotion. By creating and passing out handbills, you get to promote your concert with face-to-face contact, really getting in there and giving the people a reason to see you play. Audiences want to feel connected to the music they're experiencing, be it rock, pop or even opera, so engaging them in conversation while promoting a concert gives your show a much better chance of being completely packed. Handbills are interactive and personal -- and often a savior to new bands looking for a built-in audience.
 
Handbills Defined
 
Handbills are, simply, small versions of a flier or poster used to promote a concert. They're typically about the size of a postcard or standard photograph and include promotional information about the event they are advertising. Beyond that, though, there aren't many rules. Much like concert promotion itself, handbills are unique and relative to the band or event they are promoting.
 
It's important to understand, however, that while handbills may look like miniature versions of posters and fliers, they function very differently. Fliers promote a concert with almost full anonymity; people reading them never really get a sense of the people behind the event and will often forget the information 30 seconds later. And because there are so many fliers posted on a bulletin board or telephone post at any given time, the document's design is an important aspect of the concert promotion. You can't physically grab the person and tell them about your show, so your stand-out flier has to do it for you.
 
Handbills, on the other hand, are interactive. Though you'll most certainly want to think about the design aspects of your handbill, the biggest selling point will be how you interact with the person receiving it. You'll need to engage the person in a way that doesn't smell of a sales pitch and make them forget that you're actively promoting a concert. Discuss their musical interests, talk about what's happening in rock music today, and let them know why your concert is in line with their taste. Talk to them, not at them. Though you'll of course want to rehash the promotional information found on your handbill, make sure to give people room to ask you questions.
 
Learning the Layout
 
Though page layout isn't the most pressing concern when it comes to promoting a concert by way of handbills, you definitely want to create something eye-grabbing, easy to read and indicative of your band's personality. You can achieve this one of two ways: a computer-based layout program like Photoshop or the cut-paste-photocopy method.
 
Photoshop is the program of choice for many bands doing their own concert promotion. It offers a vast array of tools to create the most professional looking handbills while still managing to be user-friendly. And even if you've never used a layout program before, it's easy to create a handbill using the basic functions of a program like this. Choose the document size (4x6 or 5x7), color (black and white if you intend to photocopy, color if you're printing the handbills yourself) and font (something clear and readable), and let your imagination run! Just make sure to include your band's logo, if you have one, and to create a thin border around the page so the handbills don't cut off important parts of the text. And always print a few test copies before you commit to a design. Be sure that nothing is blurry, the color is uniform (no too-dark or too-light areas) and that each piece of text is completely readable.
 
Even if you aren't comfortable using page layout programs, you can still create handbills to promote your concert; you'll just need to do it in a more organic manner. Cut a piece of paper to the size you desire and physically paste the images and text onto it. Grab images from magazines or newspapers, create a background collage and paste your band's logo on top. Then, use a simple word processing program to create the text; cut the sentences into strips and paste those below your logo. Once you've cut and pasted your way into a unique and interesting handbill, photocopy the original. It will definitely look hand done, but even professionals are using this design tactic in recent years. Personality, after all, is the best form of concert promotion.
 
Getting Guerrilla
 
Now that you've finished creating your handbills, you need to distribute them. Take your handbills with you everywhere you go -- tuck them in a backpack or purse -- and give one to each person you talk to; promoting a concert is a full-time activity, and you should be prepared to discuss the show at any given time. But don't use only this gradual method of concert promotion; plan specific outings for the sole purpose of distributing your handbills. Go to concerts or events similar to yours and talk to people, get them interested. Take a small stack to your local music store or record shop and ask the employees to keep them on the counter and talk to customers about the event. You could even ask your concert's venue to place some handbills at the bar or on tables, or to hand them out with cocktail napkins; it's not the most interactive way to promote a concert with handbills, but every little bit counts.
 
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How to Keep Ties in Your Band

No matter how successful your rock group has become or how immune to band problems you feel, maintaining a good relationship with your bandmates is vital. Watch any episode of VH-1's Behind the Music, and you'll understand why; famous bands have this peculiar habit of imploding just when things are going well, usually due to some sort of turmoil or disagreement between two band members. So how do you avoid becoming another sad story on "Behind the Music"? Just as you care and nurture for your equipment and songs, you must care and nurture for the relationships with your bandmates. The following article will show you how.
 
Air Your Concerns
 
In order to keep band problems from festering and turning into seething resentments, you've got to get any concerns out in the open the very minute they pop up. It may be easier said than done, especially if your concern has the potential to hurt a bandmate's feelings, but better deal with it quickly now than have it end up another reason for why your group eventually broke up. Talk to the band members about whatever the problem is, and do it in a respectful and congenial manner; hurt feelings tend to be mitigated when the concerned band member is nice about it. And remember to always bring a solution or two to the table. Talking to your bandmates about a specific concern without mentioning any method of solving it is a good way to prolong an argument unnecessarily.
 
To combat band problems before they even come up, try to find the time each week for a short band meeting. Not only will this give you a chance to talk about any business issues, but it also affords each band member the opportunity to air their concerns in a non-judgmental space. Make sure your bandmates know that these meetings are in place specifically to deal with problems and that it's better for everyone to mention them now instead of later. And if a problem does come up, always try to come to an agreement with your bandmates before the meeting is adjourned. It's sort of like mom always said: Never go to bed angry.
 
Remember the Friendship
 
The best bands are often built on incredibly strong friendships. Yours is probably no different. After all, you wouldn't be working with these people if you didn't have some affection for them. And even if you didn't know your bandmates prior to forming the group, chances are good that you've become close since; hours and hours of practice tends to bring the band members together. And, conversely, band member togetherness tends to make those hours and hours of practice a lot easier.
 
That's why it's important to focus on the friendship even outside the normal course of rock band business. It sounds sappy -- rock bands are tough, right? -- but making time for your bandmates will do nothing but strengthen the life of your rock band. Schedule the occasional band outing, something like paintball or snowboarding. If no one can get away for those sorts of activities, try at the very least to catch a live show together or grab a few drinks. Maybe even consider organizing some sort of dinner party for the band members and their families to give everyone a chance to meet a chance. Get creative; what kind of activity you do with your bandmates isn't important, really, so long as you make the time to do one.
 
Take Some Breaks
 
Perhaps most important to the life of a band and its band members is the ability to goof off. Yes, of course, band practice is supposed to be serious and focused if your rock band has any chance of getting ahead, but all work and no play makes band members sometimes take themselves too seriously. And ego of any sort, even if it's warranted, causes tons of acrimony.
 
If you find yourself in the middle of an especially taxing band practice, the kind that has your bandmates' nerves completely on edge, whip out a riff to a famous song and encourage everyone to play along (this is where it comes in handy to know how to play something like, say, Warrant's Cherry Pie). Or stop practice altogether and force your bandmates to sit down, have a beer and watch something hilarious on television. Stepping away from tension is usually the best way to resolve it, even if it's at the expense of a particularly important band practice. If you don't give your bandmates the chance to be silly or laughingly play some cover songs, all those band practices will be moot anyway; all that seriousness will put you straight on the path to "Behind the Music" and its special sort of rock stardom.
 
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Now That You Have a Record Deal, How About a Lawyer?

Entertainment lawyers are an inevitable part of the music business. Even if you've been mostly self-sufficient up to this point, landing a major record deal means lots of contracts, lots of meetings and lots of money exchanging hands, none of which you want to navigate without legal representation.
 
But don't freak out: retaining the services of a music attorney isn't nearly as difficult and expensive as you probably assume. In fact, a lot of the larger record companies will often provide legal representation for you and pay the fees either out of your advance or charge them against future royalties. But if your label has no ties with an entertainment lawyer, or you feel that it's necessary to find your own legal representation, read on. The following article will tell you everything you need to know.
 
Finding an Entertainment Law Specialist
 
Though it's true that a lawyer is a lawyer, musicians in search of legal representation need more than the everyday attorney. An entertainment lawyer's merit is based not only on how well he or she knows the law but also how inside the industry his or her firm is. Many of your legal needs will require that your entertainment lawyer be well connected, that he or she know some of the most influential people in the industry. So while it might be difficult for you to break with your longtime family attorney, it's absolutely necessary -- unless, that is, he or she moonlights as a club promoter.
 
So how does one go about finding these specialists in entertainment law? The easiest, and most obvious, way is to slip through the yellow pages and start making calls. That tactic is problematic, however, because not all entertainment lawyers are created equal; in fact, some just shouldn't be lawyers at all. You'll probably spend more time screening sketchy music attorneys than you will actually writing music. Not exactly the most efficient use of your time.
 
Your best bet for finding a great legal specialist is to ask around. Talk to your musician friends (or anyone else you might know in the industry) and see whose names pop up most frequently. And while you're at it, ask about any entertainment lawyers you should absolutely avoid; this will go a long way in helping you to pare down your list.
 
Researching the Prospects
 
Before you schedule a meeting with any music attorney, it's important that you conduct a bit of research. If you're sticking strictly to your list of referrals, it isn't very likely that you run into anything immediately negative. But the myriad of entertainment lawyer horror stories that float about the industry coupled with the small chance that you might fall prey to one makes the research completely worth your time. Besides, even if you know the music attorney's record to be spotless, it's not a bad idea to familiarize yourself with the sorts of artists they typically represent.
 
The first step in your research is simple: check to see if the entertainment lawyer as a website. Most entertainment law firms maintain webpages that list their clients, availabilities and any major milestones. Glance through the client list and see if your band fits there. Is it mostly rock music? Rock and pop? Do they specialize in genres or worth with the entire spectrum?
 
If no client list is available, or you're still itching for more information, call the entertainment law firm and ask for a list of references. Music attorneys very frequently keep a list of client references on hand and will be more than happy to put you in contact with a few people they've represented. Just be sure that the entertainment lawyer had recent contact with the client; the music industry shifts at the drop of a hat, after all, and you absolutely need the most up-to-date information.
 
Digging into an entertainment lawyer's professional history is another way to obtain vital information. It's also the way to find out anything negative; obviously the entertainment law firm's own website won't post any complaints or disparaging comments. Get in touch with your local branch of the Better Business Bureau and ask if any complaints have been filed against the music attorney's office. If you do find a complaint, take great care to confirm the validity of that claim. More often than not, claims filed with the Better Business Bureau are valid, but you'll want to make absolutely sure. Call anyone you know in the industry and ask what they know about the firm; you may never get the perfect answer -- meaning that you may want to stay away from this particular entertainment lawyer -- but you'll certainly get a general idea of how based in trust the complaint is.
 
And one last word to the wise: never trust complaints against an entertainment lawyer posted on a random website, unless several people are complaining of the same problems. Though these sorts of things might put up a red flag for your research, an entertainment lawyer's merit can never be judged purely on rumor.
 
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Next Steps: Radio, Local TV, MTV

You've conquered the clubs, recorded a killer album and landed a deal -- now it's time to spread the word about your music. While print outlets like magazines and newspapers are fantastic publicity tools, there's nothing quite like radio and television to truly sell people on your music. After all, hearing is believing; a writer could shower you with the highest possible praise, but audiences won't be entirely convinced until they've actually heard your songs.
 
So how exactly do you go about getting played on the radio or landing a spot on TV ? Figuring out how to get your songs played on the radio is definitely an art, but the following article will break it down for you, step by step.
 
A Note About MTV
 
Before we dive too deeply into the world of radio airplay and music television, it's important to mention that unless you've got a great deal with one of the most prominent major labels, getting played on MTV will be pretty much out of the question. It sounds discouraging, but think about it this way; MTV is the most dominant force in the music industry, and thousands of bands are constantly vying for a slot. What's more, MTV doesn't play nearly as many videos as they once did, so the limited time they have for videos is usually reserved for already gigantic acts like Aerosmith and Eminem.
 
That's not say getting played on MTV is completely impossible; you just need to know how to approach it. Talk to your publicist and label owner about trying to get a slot on MTV2 -- the station runs shows specifically for new bands -- and constantly check the MTV website for any special contests. At times, they'll run promotionals specifically for the purpose of breaking new bands. But even while you're investigating your future at MTV, put most of your efforts into getting played on the radio and local television. It's far more likely -- and often just as beneficial.
 
Radio
 
It used to be that in order to get your songs played on the radio, a band had to hire and independent -- and often extremely expensive -- radio promoter. This tactic isn't without benefit; radio promoters are well-connected members of the music industry and can usually get your songs radio airplay at major stations all over the country. But for a band minding their dollars -- or just deeply entrenched in the art of self-sufficiency -- radio promoters can seem like a bit of an extravagance.
 
That's where college radio comes in. Not only are college radio stations known for bringing new talent to light, they're also open to receiving unsolicited material from people other than radio promoters. Follow these steps for maximum radio airplay on college radio stations:
 
Find a Match: Locate the most widely listened to college radio stations via a search engine directory, and look at their websites. Make sure your music fits the styles they typically play (glance through their playlists if you aren't sure), then get the name, number and address of the music director; this is who you'll be directing your packages to. But always remember to call the station to confirm that the website's information is correct. College radio stations are notorious for constantly changing music directors.
 
Send a Perfect Package: Along with your CD and press kit, send a cover letter that includes a brief summary of the packages contents, which song you're pushing as a single and any other college radio stations that are currently playing the song. Getting played on the radio is often easier once one other college radio station has picked up your music. Also include any tour dates or other promotional shows you might be playing in the station's area.
 
Follow-up Appropriately: Music directors are busy people, and they often take several weeks to respond to unsolicited requests for airplay. But if it's been more than two weeks and you haven't heard a thing, it doesn't hurt to give the college radio station a call just to make sure the package got to them safely. Be patient if the music director hasn't had a chance to listen to it yet, and do not under any circumstances badger them. One call is a nice push, two calls is just plain pushy.
 
Local Television
 
Local television has undergone a massive facelift in recent years. Though it was once just the province of local newscasters and those creepy late-night shows, the medium now hosts some of the most diverse programming around. And a lot of that programming is geared toward young rock and pop music fans.
 
Creating a relationship with a local television station is similar to making contact with a college radio station (except you'll be seeking out the program director or station manager, not the music director). But before you can get in touch with anyone, you'll need to investigate your local programming options.
 
College Programming: If you have a mid-sized college near your town, chances are good that you've got a college television station. Programming at these stations is extremely diverse, and most of them have a local arts and culture show.
 
Public Broadcasting: Most towns have a local television branch of PBS (and many of them are tied to the college television stations). Since viewers fund it, public broadcasting frequently holds fundraisers, and many of these fundraisers feature local artists. Check with the PBS program director for the next fundraiser's date and send off your press kit; local television fund drives usually rate fairly well within the community.
 
Local News: It's rare, but local news programs sometimes feature local musicians on the nightly news; the key to landing this sort of local television gig, however, is to create an event of public interest. If any of your upcoming shows are fundraisers, or you're releasing a new CD on a well-respected label, send a press release to the station's news director. If it's newsworthy and of local interest, they'll get back to you quickly.
 
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Creating a Hit

Every famous rock band has at least one hit song to their credit; it's just part of the job description. But most of these stars didn't stumble into their hit single overnight. It took months, or maybe even years, of writing, re-writing and recording to latch onto the track responsible for catapulting them into stardom. But whether they worked for days or months or years, these famous rock bands knew instinctively what it took to write a hit song. Read on, and so will you.
 
Forget the Trends
 
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when writing a hit song is that imitation rarely pans out in the long run. Though you may have noticed a specific trend in rock music -- pop-punk, for instance, or maybe a resurgence of new-wave -- the music industry moves so quickly that by the time your song makes it to the airwaves, the trend may have passed. And hit singles do not operate on the better-late-than-never policy; if you've caught on to a trend mere days late, audiences will view you as a poor, starstuck imitation. Following trends unfortunately can hurt your career (and the life of your hit song) far more than help it.
 
Of course, it's perfectly fine to work from your influences while creating a hit. Just be absolutely certain that you're writing exactly what you want to write, not what you think will sell. Most rock and pop groups rise to stardom based purely on their willingness to take songwriting risks.
 
Hunt the Hook
 
Think about one of your favorite songs, one you know by heart. Now imagine that you're trying to remind someone of it, someone who doesn't know the song title, and hum the most recognizable part. That's the hook.
 
A hook is a clear melody that functions as the catchiest and most definitive part of a hit song. It can be found in the vocals, the guitars, the keyboards -- some songs even manage to put a rhythmic hook in the drums (Nirvana's Scentless Apprentice, for instance). But wherever it is, it has to be there; hooks are what make songs catchy, what keep them in the minds of listeners. Creating a hit song is often a matter of hunting that perfect hook.
 
So how does a songwriter write amazing hooks? To be honest, there's no clear formula for hook-writing; you just have to feel it. You can, however, beef up your ability to hear, and write, the sort of hooks found in hit singles. Sit down with several of your favorite records and find the hooks in each hit song. On what instrument are they played? How often do they come up? Are they mimicked on any of the other instruments? Mapping out the way hooks work in your favorite hit singles is a great way to figure out how you could make one work in your song.
 
Solidify the Structure
 
Finding the perfect structure is sometimes the most difficult part of creating a hit. Sure, it may seem easy enough -- just put a few parts back to back and call it a day, right? -- but a strange or messy structure can ruin a song that may have otherwise been your hit single.
 
The verse-chorus-verse structure is the kind most frequently found in hit songs, but it comes with several variants. Consider the following structures taken straight from hit songs, and see how some artists chose to put their songs together:
 
Chorus/Intro - Verse - Pre-Chorus - Chorus - Verse - Pre-Chorus - Chorus - Solo - Chorus - Outro
(Nirvana, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" -- this is a very typical sort of arrangement for hit songs. The intro is based directly on the chorus, and the solo is played over a verse variant.)
 
Intro - Verse - Solo - Verse - Chorus - Solo - Verse - Chorus - Chorus - Outro
(Scorpions, "Still Loving You" -- a strange arrangement, but one that works based on the huge dynamics of the song. The intro is a verse variant, as are the solos, and the outro is a mixture of the verse and chorus. )
 
Intro/Hook - Verse - Pre-Chorus - Chorus - Intro/Hook - Verse - Pre-Chorus - Chorus - Intro/Hook - Solo - Chorus - Outro/Hook
(Elastica, "Connection" -- another basic structure, except this one places the most recognizable hook in the intro and then subsequently throughout the song. The verse is a variant of that, and the chorus is mostly a build-up to the hook.)
 
The most important thing to notice about these three hit songs, and most hit songs of their type, is that the chorus comes up at least three times. As the chorus is usually the part carrying the hook (except for the Elastica song, which repeats the hook part three times as well), it's important to get it in your hit single as often as possible without overdoing it. Three repetitions are fairly tidy; any less and you risk burying the most important part, but any more and you might bore your audience.
 
It's also important that you keep it short. Hit singles usually clock in somewhere between three and four minutes, with three-and-a-half being the most common. Some hit songs do break this rule, but it's usually after the artist has been established. The Scorpions track, for instance, is a little over five minutes, but it's a very slow ballad. It also isn't their most notable hit; "Rock You Like a Hurricane" conforms to the standard length of hit singles.

Publicity and the Internet

Since its rise to a status of household necessity, the internet has been an amazingly effective way to promote your band. And though it was once considered to be vaguely amateurish, internet publicity is now known as one of the most viable means to spread the word, even by publicists who once favored working with print publications. Internet promotion gives you an accessible face to the world while at the same time allowing you to interact with people in a way previously unavailable.
 
But the internet is a big, big place. There are tons of websites, and many of them are of little use when it comes to promoting your band. Follow these guidelines to get the most out of your internet publicity campaign.
 
Personal Websites
 
Every band needs a website; internet promotion would be nearly pointless without one. Buy a domain name (preferably your band name), sign up with a hosting service and start planning your content. What information do you want to share with the world? Most band websites have sections for news, member information, tour dates or local shows, and media (pictures, music and videos), and you might want to set up a merchandise section if you plan to sell CDs or t-shirts. Also, some bands have taken to creating online versions of their press kits for easy access by venues, record labels and radio stations. This is a fantastic way to promote your band online; if you make that sort of information available to the general public, you might find that music writers and radio stations approach you before you get the chance to approach them.
 
The design of your website is just as vital to your internet publicity campaign as the content; after all, the last thing you want is to appear amateurish or unprofessional. If you know some HTML or Flash, you're all set. But if you haven't the faintest how to program even the simplest content, you might want to consider hiring a professional. Many small design companies will create your website for reasonable fees, and you might even be able to find a graphic design student willing to do it simply to beef up his or her portfolio.
 
Mailing Lists
 
Another way to get the most out of internet promotion is by way of mailing list -- quite literally a list of email addresses. Since many people don't have the time, or interest, to constantly check individual band websites for upcoming shows, delivering the information -- be it tour dates, album releases or whatever else your band deems newsworthy -- directly to their email inboxes is a perfect convenience.
 
But where do you get these addresses? While some bands and publicity houses have taken to buying mailing lists from direct mail companies, it's generally best to solicit contact information from people who've shown at least a little interest. Set out a sign-up sheet at every show you play, and ask people to jot down their email addresses if they're interested in having information delivered to them. You might also consider adding a subscription feature to your personal website; that way, anyone checking out your website can easily sign up for updates.
 
Myspace, Friendster, Facebook, et al
 
Community websites such as Myspace and Friendster have recently become fantastic developments in internet publicity. These sites provide a space -- in addition to your personal website, of course -- at which you can host music, videos and audio for absolutely no cost. What's more, they give you access to bulletin boards, message boards, blogs and internet groups, all of which allow you to interact further with other users.
 
The thing to remember about promoting your band on sites such as these, however, is that tons of other people are doing it, and most of them are doing it the wrong way. Respect is the name of the game with this sort of internet publicity; never randomly add people to your friend list without first messaging them, and always respect a user's request to not be contacted by bands.
 
Also make sure to always keep your information current and interesting. Post any show dates as soon as you book them, and create bulletin posts and blogs to promote your band's event. Perform regular maintenance on your mp3s and videos -- such highly visited websites often have technical issues -- and try to keep the features from interrupting the load time of your page. Users will sometimes shun your honest attempts at internet promotion if it takes 10 minutes for your page to load. Keep it simple, snappy, informative and professional; aside from your personal website, a page on a community website is your face to the world. Make it reflect your band's tastes and attitude, but do it in the most non-intrusive manner possible. Internet publicity only works if you strive to use it differently than those who randomly abuse the access.

Climbing to the Next Level: You're a Star!

Congratulations, you've done it! After all that hard work -- the writing and recording, the networking and touring -- you've made it to the top. Nice job, rock star! Stop for a minute, pat yourself on the back and revel in the moment. It really doesn't get much better than this.
 
But don't get too comfy: becoming a successful musician doesn't mean all the work is over. In fact, some of the most difficult aspects have yet to start; successful musicians have the responsibility to stay successful. And with the music industry as it is, constantly moving from trend to trend in an exaggerated state of flux, staying successful is lots of work. Fans are fickle and real rock stars are in short order, so you've got to play your next moves carefully and with a complete understanding of the possible pitfalls successful musician's face.
 
The Sophomore Slump
 
Sometimes a successful musician with a hit record will release a follow-up album that leaves a little (or a lot) to be desired. The phenomenon is known as a sophomore slump, and it's a rock stars worst nightmare. The music industry is notoriously unforgiving ; one not-so-good release can ruin a famous band's career, even if they just recently had a hit.
 
And strange as it sounds, the sophomore slump is often completely out of a successful musician's control. So much time passes between the release of your first record and the writing of your second, it's not uncommon to find that your sense of musical direction has changed in the interim. Of course, fans and record critics don't care; they only just become acquainted with you as a famous band. No one's ready for a drastic change.
 
So how do you avoid this potentially career-ruining problem? Many successful musicians ward off the dreaded sophomore slump by stockpiling songs -- in other words, writing more material for your first record than you intend to use and tweaking the leftovers for later release. The problem with this tactic, however, is that you run the risk of your second album sounding like a carbon copy of your first -- or worse, like a collection of mediocre B-sides.
 
That's why many famous bands release five or six song EPs in the interim between their debut and its follow-up. That way, the stockpiled material is put to use, but the shorter format reduces the risk of it sounding like an overblown imitation. EPs also provide a nice transition between the old material and the new, especially if you, like many successful musicians, plan to take your second record in a new direction.
 
Of course, not every rock star has the luxury of stockpiled material. If you find yourself forced to write a new record completely from scratch, just remember one thing: fans and critics want a second record that stays within the boundaries of your band's sound, but breaks away just enough to be refreshing. A successful musician's sophomore record will almost always be a development of ideas introduced on the first, a more mature versions of his or her earlier self. Save the massive stylistic changes for your third record -- the industry becomes more forgiving as newly successful musicians grow to be more established.
 
Falling Off the Radar
 
Becoming a successful musician is a tough process, so it makes perfect sense that a famous band might want to drop out of sight for awhile after their first brush with notoriety. It's a well-earned vacation, right?
 
Well, sort of. There's absolutely nothing wrong with taking a little time off after a long stretch of recording and touring; rock stars, after all, need to recharge their creative batteries. But that time off can be a problem for newly famous bands. Fans and critics have a fairly short memory. Unless your band stayed on top of the charts for weeks, you'll need to keep your name in the public eye. Even the most successful musicians have to fight to keep themselves on the radar. The phrase "out of sight, out of mind" has never rung more true than it does in the music industry.
 
That doesn't mean you need to rush out and release a new record mere months after your first (a year is typically a nice interim). You don't even need to plan some expansive worldwide tour. Small steps often make big strides for famous bands; talk to your booking agent and publicist about small about small events at which you can perform while you're recharging your batteries. Think about trying to get one of your songs on a compilation and strive to play a few nearby out-of-town shows instead of launching a full-fledged tour. Also consider holding contests and giveaways via your label or website. Anything you can do to keep your name in the minds of fans is a good step toward keeping your rock star status.
 
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How to Start Making Money

Even musicians with the most modest sort of integrity eventually wonder when they'll start making money. It's nothing to be ashamed of; with all the time and brainpower you've invested in your band, you're bound to look forward to the day when you'll make money from your music. And though it can be pretty difficult for anyone below the level of, say, U2, making music for money is definitely possible if you go about it with a little bit of know-how. So read on, rock and pop musicians; this article will provide just what you need.
 
Merchandise
 
While the most popular rock bands make money from gigantic door deals with equally as gigantic venues, young bands in their earliest stages tend to start making money with merchandise: CDs, DVDs, t-shirts, posters -- seriously, the only limit is your imagination. Create a great logo for your band and stick it on anything that will stand still; boasting a diverse merchandise catalogue is an important way to make money from your music.
 
But be careful in your selection of merchandise items -- you don't want to break your bank. While novelty items like personalized compact mirrors, matchbooks or denim jackets look absolutely amazing on a merchandise table, they tend to be very expensive to produce. You'll have to price the items very, very high just to make cost, which will significantly lower the number of buyers.
 
Since you'll already be spending money to make the essentials -- t-shirts, CDs and stickers, maybe even posters and one-inch buttons -- you'll want to increase the amount of profit on novelty items to really start making money. Ask around; maybe someone you know is especially skilled at making things -- handmade posters, maybe, or fabric wristbands -- and would be willing to cut you a good deal on merchandise production. Or ask someone to teach you a few simple screenprinting techniques and start making merchandise items yourself. It'll take a lot of practice, but once you start making money you'll see that it was completely worth the trouble.
 
Live Shows
 
Though they aren't always immediately lucrative, live shows are an essential part of any plan to make money from your music. That's how all the huge rock stars do it, right?
 
Understand, however, that in the early stages of your band, most venues will only pay you a portion of the money collected at the door (and sometimes not even that, depending on how much the door needs to pay out the bar and the sound person), and cash guarantees are difficult to get until you've garnered a pretty predictable following. But don't start panicking just yet; there are definite ways to move around the industry and make money from your music at live shows.
 
Play Often: The best way to grab a lot of money from live shows is to play as often as you possibly can. Aim for at least one show per week, possibly two if you can manage to hop to the next town over for one of them. You might also want to consider talking to a venue about setting up a residency, a set of live shows performed once a week for a specific amount of time. You'll be paid for the residency and you'll also get the ability to meet and play with a number of other local bands.
 
Publicize: If you know for sure that you'll be paid a cut of the door for you live shows, it's completely incumbent upon you to get tons of people there; more people, more money and less chance the club will try to stiff you for not bringing in a crowd. Paper your town with fliers, personally call everyone you know, get in contact with local media; do whatever it takes to get as many people through the door as possible.
 
Push Merchandise: Quite possibly, the biggest cut of your money will come from your merchandise sales, so you need to make sure people are completely aware that you have things for sale. Mention it once or twice during your set (but not too many times -- you don't want to appear pushy or desperate) and make sure to point out where the merchandise table is set up. After you've finished playing and tearing down, go straight for the merchandise table and stay put. A lot of times, bands will miss out on potentially great merchandise sales simply because they were getting a beer or hanging out with friends. If the idea of sitting behind a merchandise table all night doesn't appeal to you, then ask one of your bandmates to do it or offer to run it in shifts. It doesn't matter how exactly you coordinate it, just make sure that someone is sitting at that merchandise table at all times.
 
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Importance of the Media

It's no grand secret that musicians have a fairly contentious -- if mutually tolerable -- relationship with the media, specifically music critics. Bands tend to feel that music writers are snotty, subjective know-it-alls, while music writers are famous for complaining that bands are arrogant, demanding and impossible to work with. Yet somewhere beneath all that Sturm und Drang is a delicate understanding; music writers would be nothing if it weren't for musicians. And musicians would be nothing if it weren't for music writers.
 
Love 'em or hate 'em, the mainstream music media is a crucial component in your band's rise to the top. And even if you've chosen to stay mostly removed from the process by hiring a publicist to do your music media bidding, it's still vital for you to understand the inner workings of the music media and how heavily they will factor into your career.
 
What They Do
 
The music media is in place to publicize bands and musicians they find newsworthy. It's a type of publicity that can't really be bought, however, as music writers have their own craft at stake; music writing is an art in itself. It's incredibly difficult to hone the descriptive skills necessary to accurately describe a piece of music, and it's just as difficult to acquire the aural skills to pick out the most important elements of a song.
 
Music writers are tastemakers. These are people paid to give you their opinion, and though it may not be technically more valid than anyone else's, a music critic automatically holds more weight due to the platform afforded them by a widely read publication.
 
But the music media isn't nearly as pure as it used to be. More and more frequently, writers, editors and publishers find themselves beholden to publicists and advertisers for reasons that are as varied as the bands they choose to cover. Sometimes it's not in the best interest of a publication to like something (the controversy may give them weight with advertisers), so they very purposefully don't. And sometimes they seek out music writers with a bias toward something, or assign a piece that requires very little criticism even though it's masked as a review. It's difficult to know which publications are beholden to which, if any, outside elements.
 
Of course, this is why it's important that you have a good publicist. Though publicists can't necessarily change the minds of music critics, they can definitely put the most important musicians in front of them, swaying them to give certain things a chance. It's rare for a music writer to have their opinions changed, but those who walk the line can often be pushed over the edge by a good publicist.
 
How They Do It
 
A music publication functions pretty much like any newspaper or magazine, except instead of culling information from police reports or AP wires, they receive news via publicists (or writers who pitch a story). Music publications plan their issues based on their demographic, the newsworthiness of events, the accomplishments of the bands in question, and sometimes the sheer strength of a publicist's pitch.
 
The ways in which music publications can give your work some lip service is extremely varied, though the following formats tend to be the most typical:
 
Interview/Profile - This is the most difficult sort of coverage to obtain, but also the most desirable; it's very rare that an interview/profile will be negative.
 
Show Preview - Like an interview/profile, show previews are more often descriptive than critical, giving you a much better chance of being shown in a good light. And, of course, these pieces carry the added bonus of getting people to your show.
 
Record Review - Another difficult sort of coverage, but extraordinarily influential. If a prominent music critic loves your record, your sales will probably skyrocket. Similarly, if a prominent music writer hates it, you might have some trouble. Record reviews tend to be scary, scary things for musicians.
 
Show Review - Like a record review, show reviews are risky in terms of your being spun positively. Who knows -- you could play the one bad show you've ever played on the one night a music writer comes out to see you. When deciding whether to ask your publicist to pitch a show review, think about your strengths; if your live shows have a tendency to fall a bit flatter than your records, maybe steer clear of this sort of coverage until you've beefed up your performance.
 
Why You Care
 
The story goes like this: a promising artist recently received a terrible review by a music writer on quite possibly the most influential music website. This artist was not new to the industry; he'd been a member of an incredibly well liked band from the late 90s on and had garnered a lot of interest in his solo project. But because this one music critic decided to pan the record, he suddenly found himself in a strange position: his records stopped selling. Even the staunchest fans of his previous project were skeptical, simply because they’d heard the record was bad and didn't want to risk the money.
 
That story, right there, is why you should care about the music media.
 
Say what you want about music writers, but these are very tough, very influential people. They take a lot of flak from music fans who think they can do their job, from publicists who don't appreciate their candor, from their very own editors putting on the heat for a certain story. Most of them are acerbic and austere, jaded by years of hearing the same thing. Most of them have a razor sharp intelligence and wit. And most of them, deep down below the sometimes bitterness, truly love and respect music. Rub them the wrong way (either personally or musically), and you could have a huge catastrophe on your hands. But give them something to really write about, and they will -- usually with as much passion, fire and honesty as they've got in them.
 
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Studio Time/Recording

Quite possibly the most vital -- and sometimes stressful -- aspect of a rock band's rise to the top, studio recording has changed quite a bit in recent years. And maybe the most important change of all is the fact that recording at a studio has become a choice, not a necessity; the rise of incredible sounding and cost effective home recording equipment has made it easy for bands to simply record themselves at home, or at another space of their choosing, without having to shell out the bucks for expensive studios and highly sought-after producers.
 
Of course, that's not to say studio recording doesn't have its merits. There exist times that bands will want to book studio time and use a producer instead of trying their hand at home recording. Those times, however, are different for every band, so this article will guide you through the benefits and drawbacks of studio recording and let you know what to expect when, and if, you decide to pursue the studio recording route.
 
The Benefits
 
The biggest benefit to booking studio time and using a producer is how easily it allows you to step away from your own thought process and hear your songs from a different perspective. A professional producer's job, after all, is to help you clean up songs and create the best record you possibly can; quite often, this means dramatically changing certain aspects of arrangement or construction that you'd never before questioned. Through the ears of a producer, you may suddenly understand why the chorus just wasn't working or how important it is for a certain verse to pop. And even if you've booked studio time without an official producer, decided to pursue recording at a studio simply because you're not all that technologically savvy, playing your songs in a room away from the practice area (and not with the big, booming sound of club PA's) can sometimes open up the air around you and let you hear which tiny details need the most extensive work.
 
It's important to remember, as well, that the people working with your studio recording are well-trained professionals. They're extremely proficient with recording techniques and know how to create the exact sound you hear in your head. And most importantly, they have the equipment to do it; all too often, bands buy home-recording equipment only to find that for just a little more money, they could have worked with a studio to create a sound 100 times more professional and clean, minus all the hassle of difficult programs and strange techniques. Let the studio concentrate on the sound. You stay focused on your songs.
 
The Drawbacks
 
The one aspect of studio recording that tends to send rock bands' blood pressure soaring is the time limit. Assuming that you don't have a huge disposable income or a gigantic major label backing your every whim, you'll for sure have only a limited number of hours in which to create your masterpiece. And if those hours run up without the album being completed, well, you've got a difficult decision to make: either release an album that's only partially finished and not anywhere as amazing as you'd hoped, or suck it up and shell out hundreds, maybe even thousands, more dollars to get the album sounding the way you want. And neither choice seems very good, does it?
 
Another problem that commonly plagues bands recording at a studio is how easy it is to clash with a producer or engineer. If you've chosen to work with someone recommended by the studio, someone you don't know very well, it's entirely possible that the both of you will have completely different visions for your record. Maybe you can work past them (lots of bands do), but if you decide that the differences are just too severe, you might have already paid tons of money and not be able to pack it up and move on to a different studio.
 
The Process
 
If you've decided once and for all that recording at a studio is definitely for you, there are a few things you need to keep in mind while planning your studio time.
 
Find a Match: Make sure to find a studio that works with bands similar to yours. Ask around your local music scene and see who your friends' bands are recording with. Some of those bands may even have their own home studio set-up!
 
Book Early: Regardless of whom you're recording with, it's vitally important that you book your slot as early as possible, anywhere from one and a half to three months in advance -- and if you're working with an especially sought-after producer, you may even need more than that! Talk to the studio and find out how early they book up, but never book less than a month in advance even if the space is open (unless, of course, that's the only open space for a year); you'll need the time to practice and get ready for your studio time.
 
Be Realistic: Though you may have dreams of completing your record in a long weekend, chances are good that it'll take much, much longer than that. It may be way more cost-effective to only book a few days of studio time, but you'll be so rushed and panicked that you'll settle for less than the best. It generally takes at least three weeks to make a decent full-length album, and even that's rushing it. Talk to your friends' bands and your studio and be realistic about how long you'll be recording at a studio, even if it means spending more money than you intended.
 
Practice, Practice, Practice: It's definitely tempting to go into your studio time unpracticed; after all, you can always go back and fix mistakes, right? Sure, if you want to end up hundreds of dollars over budget. Before even setting foot in the studio, get your songs down cold. Practice them as if you're about to play the biggest show of your career and fix any problems right there in the practice space. Knowing your songs backwards and forwards is the best way to streamline your studio recording experience -- and spend less money.
 
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Taking It To the Road

Bands inexperienced in the ways of touring tend to think of it as a thing that just sort of happens, like this crucial part of band life falls quickly and easily into your lap the minute your record is released. And sometimes it does; record labels often hire booking agents for their bands to provide musicians the ability to concentrate on playing, not deal-making.
 
But more often than not, you'll be responsible for booking a tour yourself at least once. In fact, some booking agents won't even consider working with a touring band unless they've had at least a little experience in tour booking, so it's important that you learn how to do it -- and how to do it right.
 
Start Early
 
In order to avoid some of tour booking's most stressful problems (or, at the very least, have time to work around them), it's crucial that get an early start. Give yourself at least three months before the first date of your tour to contact venues, send press kits, follow-up with promoters and secure any guarantees. If everything goes completely as planned, you'll have a few weeks to relax before you hit the road. But be prepared: the process of booking a tour almost never goes as planned. Venues will close, promoters will flake out, shows will be suddenly and inexplicably canceled. Getting an early start on tour booking allows you some buffer time to deal with these issues.
 
There is something to be said, however, for waiting, especially if you're a brand new band. A lot of times, booking a tour with slightly less lead time will allow you to hop on bills with already established bands in the area. Of course, there's absolutely no guarantee that this will prove effective, and it's a tour booking strategy best approached when you have a booking agent behind you; he or she will have the influence necessary to get you a space on an already packed bill.
 
Find Great Contacts
 
Perhaps the most important aspect to booking a tour is having a host of fantastic contacts. If you're working with a booking agent, or if someone well-versed in the industry is giving you a little help, these contacts will already be built in. But if you're like most new bands, familiar only with the venues and promoters in your area, you'll have some research to do.
  
The easiest way to find contacts is to ask around. Talk to your friends in touring bands and find out the names of promoters they've worked in various areas, or even ask the promoter at your favorite local venue; a lot of times, local promoters will have ties in other cities and can become invaluable resources to tour booking.
 
Also take a look at the tour schedules of some of your favorite bands. Where are they playing? What cities seem to be the most popular? Find the websites for the venues you see popping up most often, and put any email addresses and phone numbers in your contact file. Just be sure that the venues are an appropriate size and style for your type of music; it always helps to look at the schedule of touring bands who play a similar style of music to yours, or who are on roughly the same level career-wise. Sounding a lot like Aerosmith isn't enough to secure you a date at a huge arena.
 
Tweak Your Press Kit
 
Though a standard press kit is fairly adequate for the purposes of booking a tour, you'll need to make a few minor adjustments in the interest of helping a promoter get to your information as quickly and easily as possible. The following elements (all printed on your logo letterhead, of course) are vital for a tour booking press kit:
  
Cover Letter -- A brief, half-page letter telling the promoter who you are, which date you're trying to book (and whether or not that date is flexible) and the contents of the package.
 
Bio -- A copy of your standard bio (which should already be an important component in your press kit). If your bio is over one page, shorten it for the purposes of the tour booking package; promoters only really want to know who you are, where you're from, which label you're on and what you sound like.
 
Press Quotes -- This is by no means vital, but if you've received some favorable mentions from national publications, or any local to the area you're pursuing, feel free to send them along. But don't send magazine or newspaper clippings; format the quotes on a single sheet of paper, with the writer's name, publication and article date under the quote.
 
CD or Demo -- Obviously the most important part of your tour booking press kit, your CD or demo lets the promoter actually hear what they'd be booking. Make sure to include a full track listing and star any tracks you feel are completely necessary for the promoter to hear. Also, if you have MP3's available online, make that explicitly clear somewhere on your package; sometimes promoters prefer to hear your music online.
 
And make absolutely sure that you put your contact info on every piece of your tour booking press kit. If things get separated, the last thing a promoter wants to do spend time matching everything together again.
 
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And Time for Equipment

You've found your members, decided on a sound and tested your talent and commitment to make sure you're in this for the right reasons: now it's time for equipment. Sometimes an overlooked aspect of starting a band, the right band equipment is vital to both your sound and your ability to play live; those little practice amps won't last forever, you know.
 
But maybe you don't have tens of thousands of dollars to spend on musical equipment. No worries! The following article will guide you through the band gear process, and give you the inside scoop on what you need and what you absolutely don't.
 
What You Need
 
Since you probably already have your main piece of band equipment covered (your chosen instrument, be it guitar, bass, drums or keyboard), your biggest concern is going to be things through which to play said instrument; namely amps. In an ideal world, you'd have amps built specifically for every instrument, especially bass, as the make of these pieces of band equipment can change exponentially with each individual instrument. But this isn't an ideal world, so chances are good that you'll have to make do with what band gear you can afford.
 
A good guitar amp is the best place to start. If you have no aspirations of playing shows (at least not anytime soon), you're fine with your 10-30 watt practice guitar amp. But if you're banking on hitting the clubs as soon as possible, you'll want to find a guitar amp worthy of live sound. The best bet for beginners is a 1x12 combo amp; it contains a 12 inch speaker and runs at about 50 watts (though some run at much more than this). The only problem with these combo guitar amps is that they can be mercilessly unpowerful. Be sure to shop around and talk to the employees at your local music shop to find one that is both affordable and powerful enough to hold its own on stage.
 
You can use these same general principles to find a good bass guitar amp (running a bass guitar through a regular guitar amp will sound absolutely terrible and can potentially ruin your band equipment), but be forewarned: bass players may want to seek out greater wattage. While bass does carry the low end and tends to be very powerful on its own, it often lacks the ability to cut through a wall of sound the way a guitar does; treble waves and bass waves function very differently. Some musicians recommend that bass players get a bass guitar amp of 300 watts or more, but your particular wattage will be entirely dependent on how many watts your guitarist is running, if you'll have more than one guitarist and if keyboards will be in the mix. Talk to your local music store owner about your band's set-up; he or she should be able to point you in the direction of a bass guitar amp that will cut through the other instruments.
 
Though microphones aren't absolutely essential to new bands, especially if you plan to focus on instrumentals before nailing down the vocals, it's a good idea to have a few on hand. Nearly every club will provide microphones as part of their house band equipment, but night after night of gigs will ruin their quality very quickly. What's more, the mics are rarely sterilized; imagine all the germs hanging out on one of those things. Constant use of club microphones is one reason touring bands find themselves with colds and the flu so frequently.
 
Microphones aren't difficult to purchase. The industry standard tends to be a Shure SM57 or a Shure SM58; these are perfect pieces of band gear for both performing and recording, though you'll probably want to reserve each for either one or the other. And they're very cost effective, usually hovering right around $100. The price may seem like a lot now, but it'll pay off extremely; this is one piece of band gear you'll find yourself holding onto for years and years, especially if you treat it well.
 
What You Don't
 
Bands sometimes go a little crazy with musical equipment, buying not only amps, microphones and cables, but tons of expensive gear more suited for recording than performing. Though those shiny new pieces of band gear might be tempting (especially if you have the money to spare), try to restrain yourself. Mixers are nice, yes, but you most likely won't need one for performing, unless you have tons of keyboards and samplers running at once and at different levels per song. Similarly, a PA is an absolutely unnecessary piece of equipment for new bands. Almost every venue in which you set foot will have one installed in the room, and the ones that don't (house shows, or places where concerts don't often take place) will almost always rent one specifically for your event. Focus your spending on the pieces of band equipment that will make your individual instruments sound best; let the clubs worry about the overall sound.
 
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Home Recording, Demo and DIY CDs

Recording a demo is one of the best ways for a band to make their mark early on; not only will you have something to send to labels, booking agents and publicists, you'll also be able to sell your demo at shows or via your website. It's an amazing tool with which to gather a broad fan-base.
 
But more often than not, bands find themselves balking at the idea of shelling out the bucks to record a demo at a studio, especially if they anticipate spending a lot of money on a future studio recording. This is where the concept of home recording comes in; thanks to new technology and fairly cost-effective equipment, anyone can record a professional sounding demo at their own home studio. You just need the right recording equipment.
 
Computer Considerations
 
If you're planning to record into your computer (which is usually the most cost-effective choice, as someone in your band or someone you know is bound to have one), you'll need to understand how to make your system home recording ready.
 
Macs: The favored for choice for creative purposes, Macs are all but designed for home recording. If you've got a G4 or G5, you're probably set as far as space and speed is concerned, but if you're running on an older G3, you'll want to install as much RAM as you possibly can within your budget. 256 MB is the bare minimum, but 384 MB or more is highly recommended. You'll also need a USB or FireWire audio interface, as newer Macs don't have serial ports.
 
Window PCs: Though setting up a home studio with a PC used to be next to impossible, Windows system updates have in recent years made home recording a lot easier. You'll need a Pentium 4 processor running at least 2.6 GHz. 512 MB of RAM with 60 GB of hard drive space is the bare minimum, and you'll want to update to the newest version of the Windows operating system (currently, Windows XP). The audio interface issues are the same with PCs as they are with Macs; just double check that the interface is designed to work with a Windows system.
 
Software: Most of the best recording software is now cross-platform, so it's unlikely that your choices will be limited by the type of computer you own. Pro-Tools is by far the most widely used audio program by industry professionals, but it tends to be extraordinarily expensive; Cubase or Digital Performer are less costly choices, though they don't have as many features. Reason and Ableton Live work well for electronic music, and Frooty Loops, though very basic and sometimes not very functional, is very cheap and a decent choice if you're making something for your ears only.
 
Remember, using computer-based software for home recording is extremely cost-effective, even if it doesn't seem like it on the surface; they include on-board mixers and preamps, as well as a host of effects and compressors. You can, of course, buy separate mixers and preamps to create a cleaner sound, but for demo home recording, using the ones built into the software is usually the best bet.
 
Mics and Lines
  
The first step in setting up a home studio is finding the right equipment to actually record the sound itself. For this, you'll be using both microphones and line inputs.
 
Microphones, as you well know, are used to amplify acoustic instruments (drums, some guitars, pianos) and vocals. While most of the larger studios use several mics geared toward various instruments, those just starting out with DIY recording really only a multi-purpose mic like the Shure SM-58. You can use this mic to record just about anything, though you'll want to have several on hand when it comes to recording drums (one for every piece of your kit, unless you choose to record drums by simply using an overhead mic).
 
Line inputs are responsible for recording anything that doesn't need a mic and can plug directly into your recording source. You'll probably be using the same inputs for both mics and lines, so you'll need a converter to smooth the process. DI's, or direct injection boxes, are the best choice and can be found at any pro-audio store.
 
Headphones
 
They may seem a frivolous expense, but a fantastic pair of headphones are absolutely vital to any home recording set-up. Every member of your band will use them while recording, and you'll find yourself relying on them during mixing to pick out details. You'll need a closed-back pair that doesn't bleed sound and expresses the fullest range of frequencies. MDR 7506 or MDR 7505 tend to work best for home recording purposes, but discuss this aspect of recording equipment with your local pro-audio shop. They'll be able to provide something spot-on perfect for your DIY recording needs.
 
Monitors
 
Like headphones, a good set of monitors is vital to your home recording set-up; you want to accurately hear the sound you've recorded, right? You'll need a set with 6.5 inc h woofers or larger, which ensures that all frequencies are represented. You'll also want to find a pair that are designed to be heard in a small room, or at a close range; chances are you won't be setting up your home studio in a huge space, so you want something that represents your sound at the closest range possible. A good rule of thumb for setting up your monitors is to space them about three feet away from each other and position yourself dead center and three feet away from the speakers. Of course, this might not be possible while you're working with your system, but when listening back for accuracy of sound, always keep this space equation in tact.
 
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A Home School Philosophy of Education

A philosophy of education, or theory of education was discussed by men such as Plato, Socrates and Aristotle more than a thousand years ago and the discussion continues today. People such as Jean Piaget and Maria Montessori, have all contributed to the field of educational philosophy and learning theory. Educational philosophy is the study of both how individuals learn, but also what the best teaching methods are. As you may imagine, although philosophers have agreed on some points of educational theory, they also disagree on others. The home school theory of education is no different. Advocates of home schooling differ in their beliefs about the philosophy of education and the best way to educate children. However, one of the educational theory points that people who use home school generally agree on is that the public school system is not the best place to apply educational or learning theory, while the home environment is.
 
Modern Day Theory of Education
 
Just over two centuries ago, children by and large were taught at home or in a small community setting using the Bible and other limited materials with no regard to educational theory and those who received a more liberal and broad e[ducation were generally those of the upper, more wealthy class. However in the last 200 years, this educational philosophy has largely been replaced as innovators in the philosophy of education felt that children of all classes could benefit from a more broad application of educational theory and towards the end of the 19th century, public schools which taught a liberal arts curriculum (math, reading, geography, etc.) were established in many communities and compulsory attendance policies began to be more commonplace. But, it was not long before families became unhappy with the learning theory and educational philosophy that was being practiced in public schools and began looking for alternatives such as home schooling.
 
Arguments Against the Public School Educational Philosophy
 
People who choose to home school their children do so for many various reasons, they may want their child to have a curriculum that has a more religious basis, or they may feel that the school environment is too dangerous, or they feel that their child's needs are not being met with the philosophy of education that is advocated by their public school. They may also subscribe to the educational philosophy that they are their children's first and best teachers. Public schools tend to rely more heavily on a text based, standardized curriculum with pencil and paper tasks taking up the large majority of teaching time. This is not the theory of education that many parents and also some educators feel is in the best interests of the child. Although the learning theory behind each home school program is based on a slightly different educational theory or philosophy of education, most have the underlying belief that each child should be taught in the way that they learn best and that it is different for every child.
 
Overview of Basic Educational Philosophy and Learning Theory in Home Education
 
Classical Learning Theory: This philosophy of education advocates using classical literature and presenting the material using the Socratic Method. Teachers present abstract material which encourages students to think, discuss and debate to achieve a greater understanding. Many home school and a few public schools have adopted this approach with success.
 
Waldorf Theory of Education: This learning theory bases its philosophy of education on the assumption that there are 3 developmental stages of childhood. First children learn through doing in the primary grades, then through feeling in the middle grades and then through understanding. Emphasis in all grades is put on teaching practical skills, artistic activities, and innovative approaches and thinking. This learning theory emphasizes educating the whole child.
 
Montessori Method: Maria Montessori believed that children can be self-directed learners if they are given appropriate materials, tasks and information to build on. Her philosophy of education has been adopted not only by many home schoolers, but also by private schools and charter schools throughout the world. An important aspect of this educational philosophy is children's rights. Children learn differently from adults and should be treated differently.
 
Charlotte Mason Educational Philosophy: Charlotte Mason was an educator in the 19th and early 20th century. Along with advocating a philosophy of education that included giving all children, regardless of social class a broad education, she also proposed a learning theory that is still used by many home school advocates today. It is based on spiritual or religious principles and uses "living" books rather than text books which have been "dumbed down" to make them easier to read and understand. According to this educational theory education is seen not as an isolated part of life, it is life.
 
John Holt Theory of Education: While most of the other educational philosophy genres of our time involve some sort of curriculum or planning, John Holt advocates a method called unschooling. Unschooling is completely child-directed and has enjoyed some popularity in the last 40 years among parents and home schoolers. According to this learning theory children should be allowed to choose when, how and what they learn. This educational philosophy asserts that children are naturally curious and driven to learn about the world around them.

Age Appropriate Curriculum, Developmental Milestones, and Readiness: What My Child Should Be Learning and When

As a parent who is either homeschooling or considering homeschooling, you may wonder what the age-appropriate curriculum should be for your child. Although each child is different, most reach the developmental milestones and achieve learning readiness at around the same time or age. Much of this is due to neurological and biological maturation and cannot be influenced by pushing a child harder to excel in tasks that he/she is simply not ready for. However, there are times when a child's readiness for a particular skill or intellectual task is optimum and it is age appropriate to take advantage of this window of opportunity.
 
There has been a lot written about the developmental milestones for the child in the birth to 5 year old range before the child enters regular school. Most parents have watched to make sure that their child crawled at around 6 to 8 months, walked at a year, and began speaking in 2 or 3 word sentences before their 3rd birthday. But, what is age appropriate for a child of 9 to know and do? What are the developmental milestones for a 12 year old? When you homeschool, how do you know what the age appropriate curriculum for your child is? These considerations are very important because they will affect your child's ability and readiness to meet their educational goals.
 
As you choose your home school curriculum, you will need to consider whether it is age appropriate, judge your child's readiness for the curriculum, and see if it meets your educational goals. Many of these educational goals may be based on state required standards, but they can also be based on your child's strengths, weaknesses and interests. If you have a child with a learning disability or special needs, you will need to take these factors into consideration as well as the developmental milestones, readiness and age appropriate skills. A child with special considerations such as these may reach developmental milestones in a completely different sequence than a "typically developing child" and you will need to adjust your educational goals and expectations accordingly.
 
Here are some guidelines for age appropriate curriculum and basic readiness for each age group:
 
4-5 years old: Children at this age are still using concrete thinking, and will not be able to do the abstract thinking that older children are capable of. However, one of the developmental milestones is that they do know the difference between real and fantasy and they are asserting their independence as an individual. At this age some of the developmental milestones are:
- knows the basic colors
- knows basic shapes
- can count to 10 and identify a few letters
- Can hold a pencil or crayon correctly and can draw a simple human figure along with letters in their name.
- Enjoys telling stories and knows that stories have a beginning, middle and end.
 
Basic curriculum at this age should include:
- Continued development and refining of small and large motor skills.-Practice using scissors, and jumping, galloping and skipping as well as balancing activities. Use movement in all curriculum areas when possible.
- Beginning reading through phonics instruction, letter recognition, and rhyming. Reading readiness will vary by child, but by the age of 6 most children are beginning reading.
- Beginning math, learning one to one correspondence, and simple addition based on concrete thinking level and math readiness.
 
6-8 years old: Children of this age have reached more advanced developmental milestones with their small and large motor skills and also their level of concrete and abstract thinking. Here are some of the highlights:
- Uses scissors and writing utensils effectively
- Can tie their own shoes
- Written and spoken vocabulary increase by 100 percent
- Abstract thinking is beginning to develop, but is not advanced. Concrete thinking still dominates reasoning.
- Problem-solving skills becoming more developed.

Here are some age appropriate curriculum activities for the 6 to 8 year old student:
- Have them write their own stories and plays to share with others.
- Give them simple 2 and 3 step problems to work out-allow and encourage abstract thinking or answers that are non-traditional when suitable although concrete thinking is acceptable and age appropriate as well.
- Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division can be included in the math curriculum in that order as readiness indicates.Continue to use manipulatives to tap into concrete thinking.
- Talk about feelings and relationships with others. This allows the child to use more abstract thinking. Encourage cooperative play and non-competitive games.
- Small and large motor skills are largely developed, but are becoming more refined, so plan curriculum in all academic areas that includes movement.
- Introduce literary forms such as poetry and have them create their own works.
- Let the child have input on what they would like to learn and give them age appropriate suggestions for curriculum. They may challenge themselves more than you would challenge them.
 
9-12 years old: This is an age with a lot of changes physically, mentally and emotionally but developmental milestones are not so clear cut. Age appropriate activities, skill readiness and developmental milestones may vary greatly from child to child. This is the time that many children are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD because they can no longer keep up with the demands placed on them in a traditional classroom setting. However, it is also an age where the level of abstract thinking increases to a large degree, likes and dislikes are well-defined, and they are trying to find where they "fit in" with their peers.
Age appropriate curriculum could include:

-Self-directed study or unit curriculum that focuses on a theme and includes more than one academic subject area.Let the child choose the theme if possible.
- Lessons which involve ethical or moral judgment.  Children of this age have a strong sense of right and wrong.
- Higher level math with fractions, decimals, estimation, etc. 
- Allow for social interaction with peers to encourage relationship skills.

Choosing a Home School Curriculum

When you are choosing a home school curriculum to use with your child or children, whether it is an online course, home study course, or independent study, there are many different factors to consider. You will need to match the home school curriculum with your child's interests, learning style, and also with the legal requirements of the country or state where you live. Another issue that you will need to think about is the cost. The cost of home school curriculum, online course or independent study can range from very affordable to quite costly. Finding a curriculum to use for home study can be a process that will be time-consuming, but when it comes to educating your child and matching their unique learning style, you don't want to cut corners. Luckily, the internet is a very valuable tool that you can use to find a good curriculum for your home school use.
 
What Type of Curriculum Will Meet Your Needs?
One of the first things that you will need to think about when you are shopping for home school curriculum materials is what exactly your child needs. Will you be providing the complete home school curriculum in your home, or will you be sending your child to another school setting for some subjects? Maybe you are going to use an all-inclusive online course with curriculum in all subject areas, or an independent study program instead of a direct teaching approach for your home study. These are factors that must be considered when you are choosing any home school curriculum.
  
Questions About Home School, Home Study, Online Course, or Independent Study
  
Are there any legal requirements for home school curriculum, independent study programs or online course programs for children in your area? Will they meet national or local education curriculum standards? What is the age of your child? Which learning style is most appropriate for your child? Are you going to be teaching more than one child a home school curriculum at different grade levels? What grade level of materials do you need? Do you want to buy all of your materials from the same source, or do you want to shop around and get different subjects from different sources? Do you know where to find an advanced online course for algebra, or an independent study course for beginning French?
 
Learning Style
 
Next, you will need to consider your child's learning style. People generally use one of the 3 basic learning "styles" more than the others. This learning style can be visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (or touch). People, and children who prefer a visual learning style need to see what they are learning either through demonstration or in picture or word form on paper. Auditory learners need to hear things in order to learn them, while kinesthetic learners need to be able to experience things in a truly hands on manner to take full advantage of their learning style. When choosing a home school curriculum, you will need to match the curriculum with your child's learning style. A curriculum which has a lot of reading may not be appropriate for an auditory learner or kinesthetic learner-unless you can modify it (i.e. reading all of the material out loud to an auditory learner.)
 
Tailoring the Curriculum to the Child
 
Although you will need to make sure that any home school curriculum that you utilize is balanced, one of the advantages of educating your child this way is that you can tailor the home study lessons to your child's interests. If your child is really interested in dinosaurs, for example, you can find units about dinosaurs that include not only science and biology, but also language arts and math as well. If your child likes to use the computer and internet, you can use it as an additional resource or they can even do all of their coursework through an online course or independent study program. Some school districts even offer these courses as an option. This will help to retain the interest of the child and make learning more enjoyable, while still meeting educational goals.
 
Meeting Legal Requirements for Home School Curriculum
 
In order to ensure that children who are enrolled in home schooling programs are taught those things that society and educators have deemed important, many local, state, and national governments have set up curriculum standards that these programs are required to meet. These may include everything from detailed lists of standards for each age/grade level/subject to standardized testing. When you choose a curriculum, you will need to base your decision on the standards which apply to your area.
 
How Much Will It Cost to Home School?
 
Cost is one of the most important considerations for any home school curriculum. You can find many free and low cost resources such as reproducible worksheets, lesson plans, online forums, etc. which will give you a good starting point when you are shopping for your curriculum. However, there are also some very highly regarded home school curriculum programs, online course offerings or independent study programs that are available for purchase that may cost you more, but will be worth it in the long run, because of the value that you get with the included materials and information. You can also sign up for some online courses that are suitable for home schoolers. You may also want to think about purchasing one or two of your core subject areas from one of the more comprehensive and higher quality companies, and then supplement it with some of the lower cost extra-curricular courses at home or in your local school.

Choosing a Unit Studies or All-in-One Program for your Homeschool

If you are new to homeschooling you may be unfamiliar with the terms "Unit Studies" and "All-in-One program" and what types of curriculum they cover. Both Unit Studies and an All in One Program have unique features that may appeal to you, your child, and your child's learning style and abilities. Both are a form of comprehensive curriculum. Both are a great way to do homeschooling with your child. As you learn the things that differentiate a Unit Studies Program from an All-in-One program you will be able to make a more educated decision about which if either of these comprehensive curriculum programs is right for you.
 
The All-In-One Program:
An All-in-One program is sometimes called a comprehensive curriculum in a box or school in a box. It contains all of the materials and information that you will need to teach your child in a homeschooling setting. It is usually grade based-meaning that it will match the things taught at that grade level in a public school and the All-in-One program often includes items such as standardized testing and even exams that will qualify students for a diploma from an accredited private school. It is generally one of the more expensive homeschooling options because it is such a complete and comprehensive curriculum package and it most closely resembles the traditional school model as far as curriculum.
 
If you plan for your child to go back to the public or traditional school at some point, or if you would like to follow the general curriculum guidelines for the traditional school, the All-in-One program may be exactly what you are looking for. People who live in remote areas without access to public schools also find the All-in-One program to be a very appealing option. Some people choose this option simply because their child does not thrive in a traditional school setting, but they want their child to have the comprehensive curriculum choices and materials that are available. With its comprehensive curriculum it can include everything from mathematics to music. You can find many of these types of homeschooling programs available for purchase online.
  
Unit Studies Homeschooling Program
The Unit Studies program is a comprehensive curriculum like the All-in-One program, but it uses a different theory and methodology. Students may learn about many, if not all, subjects through a thematic unit based program. A thematic unit is chosen or provided, and then through the activities chosen, math, language arts, science, art, social studies and even music can be explored. Although some Unit Studies programs do focus on one particular academic area, most offer a multi-subject approach to education.
  
For example, if you were to be using a Unit Studies comprehensive curriculum and you wanted to have a thematic unit about American Pioneers, you might look at maps to determine where they traveled for geography. For the math part of the Unit Studies you could look at how far they went and estimate their supply needs per person. Language arts would be covered in this thematic unit through looking at personal accounts, diaries, journals and other documents relating to the pioneer experience. They could learn about folk music and dancing and the role it played in the lives of early pioneers and Western civilization to add yet another layer to the comprehensive curriculum. For science, the students could study about the animal and plant life or even the climate in the areas where the pioneers traveled. The possibilities for this type of thematic unit are almost endless. Once you were done exploring this topic, you could choose another Unit Studies program to try.
 
One of the advantages of the Unit Studies program is that it is possible to use it for many ages at the same time because you can tailor activities to their educational level unlike the All-in-One program. It is also a comprehensive curriculum which can benefit children with many different learning styles. With a thematic unit, you can study things related to local or state standards if it is required, or you can choose your own themes for your Unit Studies program. However, there are disadvantages of the Unit Studies program. If you want to design your own thematic unit it will take some time. Tailoring lessons to your particular needs may also take some extra time. But, there are Unit Studies available for free and for purchase through some homeschooling groups and online.
  
Which Comprehensive Curriculum to Choose
If you want to consider either a Unit Studies program or the All-in-one Program for your homeschooling, there are many resources available to you. A quick search online will give you pages and pages of potential comprehensive curriculum packages exclusively designed for those who do homeschooling. You will need to consider the overall cost, the materials included, your time limitations, the age, interests, learning style and abilities of your child or children, and also the legal educational requirements in your area. You may decide that you would rather purchase materials for each subject separately, or purchase some materials, get some free plans, and design some of your own. This is just one choice, but it may be the one you are looking for.

Extracurricular Activities and Home Schooling: Including Sports, Music, Drama, Art, Volunteer Opportunities

More and more home schooling families are discovering the benefits of extracurricular activities that supplement their curriculum beyond the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. One of the most popular and accessible resources for extracurricular activities is the public school system which probably already has organized sports, music programs such as band and choir, drama, and art classes. But, you can also involve your child in activities through the community or city recreational department, however sometimes these activities carry a larger price tag and are not as extensive. Another of the optional extracurricular activities that is becoming more popular for children and their families is volunteer opportunities.This is a way to be involved with the community in a very personal way and it can teach many lessons which could not be learned in any type of school setting.
 
Some public schools do not allow children who are home schooled to participate in extracurricular activities. So, you will need to find out what the regulations in your area are regarding home schooled children participating in extracurricular activities such as organized sports, music, drama and art. They may require your child to pay some added fees to participate in these extracurricular activities.  Also, some of these offerings are actually not extracurricular activities, but are part of the general curriculum, like music and art classes. If this is the case, you may want to find out if your school district allows home school students to be on campus for only some courses while taking others at home.
 
Organized sports can be team or individual sports. Everything from badminton to basketball and everything in between can be offered through a public school or community organized sports program. If you are unable to participate in organized sports in the public school you may want to see about working with home school organizations in your area or possibly private or charter schools that offer extracurricular activities and organized sports. Organized sports are a good opportunity for children to learn how to cooperate, to lose and win graciously, to get physically fit, and to meet other children. Being part of a team in organized sports can also build confidence.
 
Music programs and lessons are another important part of a well-rounded education. Although private lessons are ideal for learning to play the piano and also to build skills on any particular instrument or voice, playing with a music group such as a band or orchestra or singing in a choir, develops other important music skills. It is much like organized sports on a team in some ways; everyone is working towards the same goal of a good performance. General music courses have been cut as some schools struggle financially, but they may offer it as one of the extracurricular activities for students.
 
Drama is an area of extracurricular activities where it is almost essential to go beyond the homeschool framework to get a really well-rounded experience. Many elementary schools do not have drama programs due to budget cuts, but many communities have a drama or theater program which people can get involved in. However, if neither of these is an extra curricular activities option, you can also work with other home school groups to form your own drama "program" to put on small plays and productions. Drama also has the advantage that there are lots of different skills and tasks involved, such as writing, technical work (lights, filming, sound, etc.), scenery and props, and choreography and acting. Drama can also easily fit into a Unit Studies curriculum.
 
Art classes or instruction allow children to express themselves in a way that they may not experience in any other subject or curriculum area. But, like drama and music, there are some public schools which are cutting art classes out of the curriculum because they are too expensive and they do not offer them as extracurricular activities. Regular classroom teachers may be required to include some art in their curriculum, but this is not the same as having regular art classes. If you are home schooling and you live in an area where art classes are part of the general education curriculum, you can find out if home school children are allowed to attend, otherwise, you may be able to find art classes and lesson plans included in a unit studies program, an all-in-one curriculum or with a community course or a private teacher.
 
Volunteer opportunities may be the most meaningful extracurricular activities that your child can participate in. Depending on the type of volunteer opportunity they choose, they may work with people of all ages and in all different cultures and situations. Some volunteer opportunities are ongoing while others are a one-time offering. Let your child choose (within reason) the type of volunteer experience they would like to have.The volunteer opportunity may be as simple as collecting books for the hospital or it may be something like putting on a music or drama program for a nursing home.
 
As you can see, there are many extracurricular activities which you can be involved in while you homeschool. You choose the extent to which you are involved in them and make adjustments as needed. Don't over schedule yourself or your child to the point that it is not enjoyable-but do get involved in something beyond the four walls of your home if possible-it will open up a world of possibilities.

Foreign Language Studies in Homeschool: Learning a Second Language Such as Spanish, French or German

Foreign language study can be an important part of any home school curriculum.Whether you want to focus on the practical aspects of learning a foreign language by introducing Spanish, French, German, and even English as a Second Language, or you want to learn Latin or Greek in order to better understand the ancient origins of modern day language, you are in luck. There are hundreds and thousands of teaching tools and tips available for anyone in a home school situation who wants to teach or learn Spanish, French, German, Latin, Greek, or even English as a Second Language from the elementary school student to the high school grades. Some of the teaching tools include Audio Tapes, DVDs and online courses. But, it is also important in the study of any foreign language to have some interactive experiences with an experienced or native speaker of the foreign language.
 
Your choice of a foreign language study program will depend largely on what your goals are for learning the language in the first place. Some people may choose to learn a foreign language such as French, Greek, or German because they want to travel to that country at a future date-this may require a minimal amount of language knowledge. On the other hand, some people may want to become fluent in a foreign language such as Spanish because it will be helpful to them in furthering their career goals-many jobs almost require applicants to be bilingual. Still other foreign language learners want the intellectual challenge of learning a second language such as Latin. Young children who learn a second language either through a course or total immersion have better overall language acquisition skills and better understanding of their native tongue.
 
As stated previously, there are many tools that are available to teach a foreign language like Greek or French in a home school setting. Some are free or very inexpensive, while others are quite expensive-but also very highly rated and comprehensive in scope. The types of materials that you use should be influenced not only by your budget, but also by your ultimate goals for foreign language study. If you would like to buy one of the more expensive foreign language programs or curricula, you may want to consider teaming up with another home school family or group and sharing not only the materials but possibly even the instruction time as well. You could organize a group or club of Spanish, German, French or other foreign language speakers and get together for practice and cultural activities.
 
It is important in foreign language study that you do not rely on audio tapes, DVDs and online courses for all of your interactive instruction.  This will not allow for live feedback or discussion. If you do not speak the foreign language that you are teaching, you might want to consider enlisting the help of a friend, family member or even a tutor to assist you, so that you can get those skills that you cannot get on audio tapes, DVDs or online courses. This may be incentive to study one of the more common languages such as Spanish, French or German-you will be more likely to find someone who speaks it.
 
That said, some of the online courses, audio tapes and DVDs are very highly rated and can be extremely helpful in teaching foreign language skills, such as rote practice, pronunciation, and grammar. Regional differences in accents and grammar may be problems that you encounter if you use a tutor.  Also those programs such as online courses, audio tapes and DVDs usually have workbooks, texts and other activities to supplement the media based instruction.
 
Spanish, French, Italian and German and some of the other "modern" foreign language courses are quite prevalent on the internet and in textbook and curriculum packages. This is because they are some of the most commonly sought after. There are also a number of home school associations and other groups which provide free or low cost Spanish, French, Italian and German lessons online with printable materials such as worksheets to use.
 
Greek and Latin and some of the ancient languages are harder to find curriculum for, but they are available. Many of the Greek courses have a religious component with the goal being to help students understand the Bible. Latin courses may concentrate on word origin. The study of Greek or Latin can be a valuable tool for those who want to go into careers which require them to have command of languages and also writing and speech.
 
One of the products that you may not be aware of in the world of foreign language instruction for home school is English as a Second Language. If you are home schooling, or would like to, and you want to learn English as a Second Language as part of your curriculum, there are materials which are available for home use. This may be a more effective choice for some families and individuals than the English as a Second Language programs offered at schools or through communities. Or, it may be useful to get the English as a Second Language curriculum to supplement those programs.
 
Any home school foreign language program can easily be combined with other curriculum areas such as cultural studies, geography, and even science. Rather than teaching a language as an isolated skill, teach it in a meaningful and connected way.
 
Foreign language acquisition will always be useful whether you use it in travel or career, or in everyday life.

Homeschool Curriculum Choices: All-In-One Program, Online classes, Electives, Core Curriculum, and a Unit Study Program

When choosing homeschool curriculum, there are many options available to you. Two of the more comprehensive homeschool curriculum choices are the all-in-one program, and the unit study program. Other types of curriculum choices focus on a single subject or simply the core curriculum subjects of reading, writing and/or math. If you like a particular source's homeschool curriculum, you might want to see if they offer one of the comprehensive packages like the all-in-one program or the unit study program, but if you find that you like some subjects from several different sources, then you should choose a different type of package. Here are some brief descriptions of the types of homeschool curriculum offerings and pros and cons for each type:
 
All-In-One Program: This type of homeschool curriculum is sometimes referred to as "school in a box". This is because in the all-in-one program you basically get all of the materials that you need for your homeschool curriculum for a year or any other specified period of time. In the all-in-one program you get all of the core curriculum subjects as well as testing and evaluation materials, textbooks, quizzes, and a teacher's guide-it may also include accessories and other equipment that you may need.
 
The good part about the all-in-one program is that you don't have to buy any other supplemental material. It is all there. If you really like the educational philosophy behind any particular all-in-one program it might be the perfect homeschool curriculum. The all-in-one program is also a popular homeschool curriculum choice for people who live far away from a public school or who want to get accreditation from a private school, but they don't live near one.
 
One of the drawbacks to an all-in-one program is the price. It can be very expensive to purchase an entire homeschool curriculum from the same source. Also, if you don't like a component of the all-in-one program, you are stuck with the whole package, and if you want something different you will need to buy that as well.
 
Unit Study Program: The unit study program is also an inclusive curriculum, but it caters to a different philosophy. Each unit study program is based on a different theme and students learn about several different subject areas of the homeschool curriculum using that same theme. For example: a unit study program on South America, could include lessons about the geography of the area, the history, as well as figuring out the land area, language lessons, cultural studies, and even music and art. Once the unit study program is completed, the student begins another one.
 
Positive aspects of a unit study program include high student interest and involvement, particularly when they have a say in what they will be studying next. A unit study program can also be grade level appropriate for more than one age-group or child-although this may take some adaptations.
 
A unit study program may take extra time and materials to implement and you may not want to use all of the materials. Also you will need to choose a unit study program that meets the homeschool curriculum standards in your area-and this may not be available.  It may also be a more expensive choice if you buy it from some sources.
 
Core Curriculum: Many people choose to get single subject courses from the core curriculum to ensure that all of the standards that are required in a homeschool curriculum in their area are taught. Core curriculum includes math, language arts, science, and science. There are grade level appropriate core curriculum textbooks, workbooks, computer programs to teach these subjects. By buying or acquiring each core curriculum subject separately, you can have more control and choice over the types of materials you get for your homeschool curriculum.
 
Electives: Electives are student or teacher chosen courses that are not part of the core curriculum. They may include things like keyboarding, computer science, or even Latin or Home Economics. While each core curriculum subject may be required to get high school diploma, which electives a student takes is up to them and their interests. You can find many electives available that are suitable to include in a homeschool curriculum. Some are online classes; some are included in a unit study program or in an all-in-one program. In some areas, the public school district or private schools or even some community colleges will allow students who are following a homeschool curriculum to take electives in their program for credit.
 
Online classes: Online course can fall into many categories in the homeschool curriculum. They may be part of an all-in-one program or unit study program that is offering online classes rather than more traditional curriculum. On the other hand, many online classes are strictly single subject courses such as a math or language course. The positive aspect of this type of course is that you can complete it at your own speed. However, with online classes the interactive aspect could be lacking if there are not message boards, chat rooms, support, etc.

Homeschool Language Arts: Teaching Reading and Writing

Reading and writing are two of the most important skills that every child should master in an educational program. Without the skills of reading and writing, they will have difficulty mastering and learning other skills in the other subject areas such as mathematics and science. Once the basics of reading and writing are acquired, children can work on building vocabulary knowledge, spelling, and grammar.
 
While there are many approaches to teaching reading and writing, most curriculum programs feature some type of phonics instruction, grammar, vocabulary, spelling and also literature based teaching. When you home school your child (or children) you should find the reading and writing curriculum that will best meet their needs and also teach them the skills which will match the required standards. Within that context, there are many reading and writing curriculum choices available both online and in text and worksheet form.  Some programs are included as part of a Unit Studies program, while others are taught as an isolated subject.
 
Preschool Reading and Writing Instruction:
For the Pre-K age child, reading and writing instruction has hopefully begun soon after birth. As you take the time to read books to them, they will begin to have a love of reading and literature. They will learn other skills as a byproduct such as book-knowledge (knowing where the front and back of the book are, that you read from left to right, how to hold and book and turn the pages, etc.) as well as inflection, letter recognition, etc. They will also have a larger vocabulary. But, most importantly, they will have gained a love of reading. They may also show and interest in beginning phonics as they learn the alphabet and the sounds that the letters make. Build on this phonics skill by encouraging them to name the beginning letters in family members' names, favorite foods, activities, and toys.
 
At this age the main thing to do is to keep reading to children. Once they show an interest in reading and writing on their own, you can begin to teach those pre-reading skills and teach them about writing.
 
Beginning Formal Instruction in Reading and Writing: Kindergarten and First Grade
Once you begin more formal instruction in reading and writing, you will start with teaching letter sounds and phonics. This can be accomplished through one of the many phonics-based reading programs available. Look for a program that uses real literature, not just basal readers (books that are written solely for teaching reading that do not necessarily engage the reader.) Luckily there are many children's authors who write literature that has easy to read text, rhyming words, word families, etc. that can easily be adapted for reading instruction. There are also many worksheets available to teach writing skills.  But, children can also build writing skills through creating their own journals and stories. Writing skills include instruction on how to hold a pencil correctly as well as letter and number shapes.
 
You can begin teaching grammar, spelling, and vocabulary at this level, but the focus will be on reading and writing-because if they are not adequately reading and writing, the other areas will not have as much meaning
 
Building on Skills in Reading and Writing: Third to Fifth Grade
When the child moves into the second and third grade the focus shifts from basic reading and writing to comprehension, building vocabulary, grammar, and spelling. Comprehension can be built and measured through discussion, assessment, and writing assignments such as journals. Vocabulary can be discussed as part of your literature based program when you learn new words in a story along with their meanings. Grammar instruction and learning the parts of speech begins with learning basics such as nouns, verbs, and pronouns and then working up to descriptive words (adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions.) As children continue to learn reading and writing, punctuation will come as a natural part of grammar instruction. Up to this point many children are using "invented spelling" and making up their own words based on phonics.
 
Teaching Reading and Writing in the Middle and Upper Grades: Focus on Literature
From sixth to eighth grade, students are increasing their abstract thinking and reasoning skills and this is an ideal time to really analyze literature and begin critical discussions about things that they are reading and writing. Many home school curriculum literature programs use these techniques as well as "living" books to get students to challenge and develop ideas about what they are reading and writing. It will still be necessary to teach spelling, vocabulary, and grammar, but if this is done in the context of real-life writing and reading it will be more effective.
 
The key to a successful reading and writing program in the upper grades is to focus on real literature. Find a subject or genre of literature that interests the student and urge them to not only read this type of literature, but also to discuss it and even write it.
 
Where to Find a Reading and Writing Program:
Resources for home schoolers have never been more abundant. You can find curriculum programs that are taught almost exclusively online which focus on things such as phonics, early literacy, grammar, spelling and even typing skills. There are also single subject curriculum packages that include a text book as well as teacher materials and tests for each grade level. If you want something that is more inclusive or integrated, you can always choose an all-in-one curriculum that has materials for each subject area, or a Unit Studies program with integrates literature, reading and writing into all subject area instruction based on a theme.

Homeschooling a Child with Learning Disabilities

What are learning disabilities? Learning disabilities are neurological conditions which affect the brain's ability to process information in the way that most people normally do. They may have difficulty paying attention, with reading or letter recognition, or with mathematics. It does not mean that people who have learning disabilities are less intelligent. In fact, many people who have learning disabilities are more intelligent than the average person. Mental retardation, emotional disorders and poor socioeconomic status are not considered learning disabilities. The main thing to remember when learning disabilities are discussed is that with proper intervention and teaching and learning techniques, a child with special needs related to one of these disabilities can succeed in school.
 
Many parents of a child with special needs due to one or more learning disabilities have decided to take their child's education into their own hands through homeschooling. This can be very beneficial to a child with special needs because they get one-on-one attention and also because the parents are in the best position to discern their child's strengths and weaknesses. The parents of a child with special needs also have the most at stake when they take their child's education as a personal responsibility.
 
However, it is important for parents who have decided that they want to homeschool their child with special needs to take advantage of all of the resources that are available for children with learning disabilities. Not only are they available online, but there are also community resources both in the public school system and the private sector. Some of these resources include assessment tools, evaluations, and even therapy that parents of a child with special needs may not be trained to offer. It is vital that children with learning disabilities have every opportunity for success that is available to them. The learning disabilities will not go away, but with intervention they may even become assets.
 
Assessment and Evaluation: Many children that have learning disabilities are not diagnosed until they begin school-because this is where the problems are first manifest-although many a parent of a child with special needs has recognized that something is "not quite right" in the way that their child learns and performs on academic or motor skill tasks. Or, they may notice that their child has delays in reaching some of the developmental milestones. Even if you have already decided that you are going to homeschool, your public school district is legally required to give your child assessment tools and evaluations to screen your child for potential problem areas. Once the initial assessments are done, they are also required to provide you with the reports and allow you access to specialists and other special education resources-at no cost to you.
 
However, some parents feel that they would like a second opinion beyond what the school says and this is okay. Find out if your insurance will cover additional assessment tools or evaluations and find out which doctors or other specialists are covered under your insurance. Make sure that the specialists that you use are qualified not only to administer the assessment tools, but that they are also qualified to interpret the results and make a diagnosis of any learning disabilities that your child may have.
 
Common Learning Disabilities:
1. ADD/ADHD Attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are two of the more commonly diagnosed learning disabilities. You may even have a child's teacher say that he/she thinks your child has ADD/ADHD because they are unusually active or distractible. However, do not be too quick to jump to this diagnosis. ADD/ADHD is commonly misdiagnosed. Many gifted children are initially (and mistakenly) labeled as ADD/ADHD. It is important to have the assessment for your child done by a professional who is trained in diagnosing learning disabilities of this type. If your child has ADD/ADHD you should know that there are many treatment options out there beyond medication and also that there are teaching methods which will be more effective for this type of child with special needs.
 
Teaching a child with ADD/ADHD at home: If your child does have ADD/ADHD, you will want to make some modifications and accommodations when you homeschool. You will want to limit visual and auditory distractions which can be accomplished by putting up a blinder and also using headphones to drown out noise. Children with ADD/ADHD also benefit from a lot of movement and even things to keep their hands busy while they listen or learn. Be careful to avoid over stimulating a child with ADD/ADHD.
 
2. Dyslexia: Dyslexia is a neurological dysfunction which causes difficulty in decoding words, reversing symbols, and comprehension. Dyslexia can be related to a visual disorder or to a decoding problem in the way that the brain processes the information. Many young children who do not have dyslexia reverse letters occasionally, but if it is a consistent problem it may very well be an area of concern. One of the first things that you should do if you suspect your child may have dyslexia is to get their vision checked. You need a developmental vision exam performed by a qualified physician, not just a regular vision check like those performed at the doctor's or school nurse's office.
 
Teaching tips for a child with dyslexia: One of the keys to teaching a child with special needs related to dyslexia is to use a multi-sensory approach. This means that you should use as many of the senses as possible when you are presenting material. When you must use written material, combine it with auditory and/or tactile teaching so that the child can integrate it and learn it more effectively.
 
3. Dyscalculia: Dyscalculia is like "math dyslexia". A child who suffers from dyscalculia will have trouble distinguishing number symbols and doing math problems.
 
A suggestion for working with a child with Dyscalculia: The key to working with children who have dyscalculia is to break tasks down into small pieces and also to use repetition and rote learning (memorization) such as by using flash cards where the child holds the cards and does them at their own pace.

How to Analyze Literature

The analysis of a piece of fiction or writing can seem daunting especially if after the first chapter you have absolutely no idea of what’s going on or you think to yourself “So what?”  Well rest assured.  If you read something and don’t understand it you are among the hundreds of thousands of students who also don’t’ get it.  However, one of the things your teacher or professor will explain to you is that the whole point of studying literature is to look beyond the print and find alternative methods for understanding it.  This whole process is called analyzing. 
 
In order to analyze literature you have to understand the various methods one can use to try to understand or present an argument about the piece of writing.  Sometimes it will be necessary to explore several methods before you finally find one that will work for the literature you are to analyze.  Other times a single method will hit you in the face as you are reading it and things will pull together rather quickly. 
 
When deciding to analyze a piece of literature, you should obviously follow the guidelines your instructor has given you and then proceed from there.  However, sometimes your instructor may not give specific guidelines.  Instead he or she rather might offer themes or characters to work around.  Depending on how much practice you have searching for a needle in a haystack, you might find either more challenging.  The best thing to do is to start with a particular method of analysis and then go from there.  Below are examples of methods used to analyze a work of literature:
 
1. Symbolism – This method involves searching for symbols that are either repeated again and again or represented in one particular part of the literature.  For example, is there an object, situation, or person that appears again and again?  Or even, is there an object that doesn’t appear that seems like it should?  If so, what does that mean?
 
2. Character Development – This method is usually the easiest and involves just choosing one character and looking at how they develop throughout the literature.  For example, is there a side-character who serves a particular role in the novel?  Why is that and what is his or her background story?
 
3. Plot – This method involves truly looking at the soul, shall we say, of the literature.  This is where you can analyze the entire piece of writing all the way from the introduction to the climax to the end.  Analyzing this way can sometime be overwhelming depending on the length of the writing and can often end up being a summary verses a real analysis.
 
4. Author Background – This method is extremely important for most college level coursework because often the literature you study will mean absolutely nothing to you if you have no idea what movement it comes from or what was the inspiration of the author who wrote it.  It might be beneficial to use this method of analysis if you are having difficulty understanding the work to begin with.
 
5. Location and Setting – This method is fairly simply and it entails simply looking at the location and setting of the characters in the literature and deciding what is unique about it.  For example, is there a change in setting that happens towards the end of the writing?  What does that mean?
 
6. Writing Style/Point of View – This method of writing is always fascinating to understand because it allows you to take the writing to another level that usually is not seen by most readers right away.  For example, does the author use the first person point of view or third person?  What did that present or exclude for the audience?  Does it mean anything?  Also, does the author use poetry or other breaks in the writing often?  Why do you think the author does this?  Another example would be to analyze the titles of each chapter (if there are any).
 
Now, once you have decided on one of the above methods of analysis, you can begin to find examples within the literature.  Some examples you find may be more useful than others depending on the direction or argument you take with the analysis.  For example, you might find that one character is more present throughout the novel with many examples of him talking or stating his opinion, however they may not be very interesting.  On the other hand, you might find one or two side characters who may not speak many words but represent a lot either through their action or inaction for example.  Either way, once you have found a good number of little examples OR a few big examples, you can develop your argument.
 
Your argument should be based on the examples you will provide using one of the methods above.  The argument should be simple and straightforward that way you can build on it more easily.  It will be easier to build an argument on a few good solid examples that strongly support your argument through the method you choose verses many little examples that could be interpreted in many different ways.
 
Once you have your method, examples, and argument, analyzing literature is really not that difficult.  The difficult part will be putting it all into your own words, which is another topic entirely.

How to Choose a Study Abroad Program

Although you might think it was difficult just deciding that you want to study abroad, some might argue that choosing a program is even more difficult.  In fact, with so many places to travel around the world, the decision can certainly be mind-boggling.  However, even though choosing a study abroad program can be difficult, you want to make a careful and calculated decision in order to truly enjoy your time abroad.
 
While there are many different kinds of study abroad programs, you will want to make your decision by narrowing down your desired programs by using a few categories to guide you.  Once you have an idea of the type of program you want, you can start to make a list of advantages and disadvantages of each program.  Below is an example of ways you can categorize your study abroad programs:
 
1. Language – If your desire to learn a particular language or become more fluent in that language you will need to decide to what extent learning that language will be important.  Some programs encourage students to take classes with native students in whatever subject you desire.  However, other programs prefer students take literature or language courses with their fellow non-native students.  I would offer the advice that if you are more free spirited and really want to become fluent, it’s best that you take coursework with other native students and not be tied down to hang around other students who also speak the language poorly.
 
2. Housing – Some programs offer students the chance to live abroad with a host family.  Other programs offer students the chance to live in a dormitory, while others let you decide.  Again, if your goal is to become fluent in a language and make good use of your financial resources, you should opt to live with a family.  However, if your goal is to study abroad without much home life guidance and no restrictions, then off campus housing or staying in a student dormitory is for you.  
 
Note: When choosing a study dorm, be sure to check out whether the dormitory is a “foreigner’s dorm” or a regular dormitory for natives as well.  I once went on a study abroad program where they had us stay in a dorm that was exclusively for foreigners.  Although it was as nice as a hotel, I felt somewhat out of place with the local friends I made.
 
3. Coursework – If you desire to have your credits transfer back to your school then you will want to go on a program that allows you to take coursework for credit.  If you are less concerned about the coursework transferring or transferring with grades, be sure to check into this as well.  Some countries have universities that may have more or less challenging coursework your school offers.  If you want to go abroad and do coursework that’s not too serious, you may have to go on a program that won’t transfer back to your school.  If you want to go abroad and do coursework that is serious, you may have to investigate a little more and perhaps study abroad all on your own through an exchange program.
 
4. Social Life - This category can be extremely important.  If you know for example you are a bit shy about traveling alone, you probably would like a very well structured program that has an itinerary already made up of different locations to visit and histories to learn about.  However, if you are very adventurous and perhaps are going with a group of friends, you probably want a program that offers the flexibility of doing what you want in a less organized fashion.
 
Now, once you have decided on the type of program you would like to study, there are a few more things to settle out before actually choosing a study abroad program. 
 
First, you should find out how much the program costs and what they include.  Some programs will include the cost of the flight (roundtrip), tuition, room and board, and so on.  Other programs might exclude the flight and food expenses.  Keep in mind that programs sponsored through your school might be very expensive equally what you pay for tuition at your school.  However, if you decide to go on an exchange program you might pay the local tuition rate because your school isn’t paying its own professors to go abroad and teach.  The question in the end really is just how much do you have to spend?
 
Lastly, you should figure out how long you want to spend abroad.  Some people go abroad and never want to come back.  If you think you are one of these people, it might be best to go abroad your sophomore or junior year where you can decide randomly to spend an extra semester abroad without much penalty on academic planning for graduation.  Also, some programs offer short term study abroad programs that last just for the summer.  If you think you want to go abroad just for a vacation from the regular campus scene, a summer program would be ideal.  But again, if you want to become fluent in another language while abroad, it’s best to stay for a year.

Learn Spanish Fast

Yes!  You are reading the right article.  It is possible to learn to speak conversational message in less than 3 months.  The key is to be consistent and practice daily!  All you will need are a few items you can buy at your local bookstore and motivation to keep up daily practice. 
Learning Spanish should be a fun experience and at no point be viewed as a chore.  Learning another language requires using the right side of our brain, which if not usually exercised, may be difficult at first.  The following 7 things are necessary in order to learn conversational Spanish in 3 months.
 
1. English-Spanish and Spanish-English dictionary – You can buy one online or at any local bookstore.  Depending on where you might travel in the future and use your Spanish, you can choose from Latin American Spanish or Spanish that is spoken in Spain.  A good dictionary might even have both.
 
2. Three Children’s Books in Spanish (less than 15 pages) – The books should have roughly 5 to 15 words on a single page and contain
 
3. Access to the Internet – You will need to access the following sites for free lessons: http://www.studyspanish.com/, http://www.conjugation.org/, http://www.myspanishteacher.com/learnspanish_FreeSpanish
 
4. Optional: Verb Conjugation Book – You can buy this book at a well stocked bookstore.  It will contain a list of verbs that are already conjugated in every tense.
 
5. Note cards – You can find these almost anywhere.
 
6. Access to Music or Movies in Spanish – Buy a CD or two that are entirely in Spanish.  Try to rent or buy a single foreign film where the spoken language is Spanish.
 
7. Optional: Access to a local club, restaurant, or café where you can get a little real practice in on occasion.  You could also find a chat buddy online who doesn’t mind practicing with you.
 
Once you have bought or explored he 7 things listed above, you will need to follow the plan below in order to learn conversational Spanish within 3 months.  As you review the plan you will need to keep in mind this: learning anything takes practice and confidence.  If you find you retain information faster by spending more time on one learning method more than another, feel free to do so.
 
• Everyday for 5 minutes read aloud and translate a children’s book.  You should have 3 books, which leaves you time to study from one book each month.  The short duration of 5 minutes is long enough for you to start connecting pictures with the words and leaves just enough time for you to translate a few of the words you don’t know.  The children’s books will serve as a way for you to build vocabulary that you will retain easily if you are an image based learner.
 
• Everyday for 5 minutes write down about 1 word or phrase you want to learn.  Then look it up in the dictionary for the Spanish version of the word.  Afterwards, write it down (by hand) 10 times each.  Then the word to a single note card and use as for flashcards.  This exercise will serve as a way to build vocabulary by repetition.  If any part of the 5 minutes is left, go over your flashcards.
 
• Everyday for 15 minutes access the above mentioned sites and start reviewing basic lessons by reading from them, taking quizzes, or playing the games they have.  These 15 minutes of your study session should help you start building a conversational base for Spanish.  Each site takes a different approach in presenting the information, so be sure to become familiar with the sites before starting a set of lessons.
 
• Then spend the last 5 minutes listening to a song or Spanish radio.  This will help you improve your listening and pronunciation skills if taken seriously.  Try popular artists in the genre you like, that way if you like the music a lot you can listen to the whole album on your way to work, coming home, when running errands, etc.  This part is very important because subconsciously you will be adding vocabulary that even though you won’t understand it all, soon you will start to connect certain words or phrases with the meaning of the song.
 
Beyond doing these exercises every day for 30 minutes, you should also take a break from studying Spanish at home and find some way to communicate with someone (live) who speaks Spanish fluently or very well.  I would say you should try to do this twice a week for about 20 minutes each time.  On the days that you talk with someone live you can spend about 10 minutes prepping for the conversation, that way you do not waste time with just dead silence not knowing what it is you want to say.  This frequent practicing is the best way to actually learn how to speak conversational Spanish within 3 months.

Learning About Our World: Social Studies, History, Geography, Cultural Studies and Government in the Home School Setting

Some educators have described social studies as the "heart of education". This means that as a child learns more about the world that they live in through studying history, geography, cultural studies and government, they will come to better understand their place in the world and their relationship to the people and environment around them. While in many locations the social studies curriculum is covered under the standards that all students must meet, there are many different methods that teachers and home schoolers can use in a social studies curriculum to present history, geography, cultural studies and government to their students. Social studies can be an exciting topic which involves the learner and challenges their ideas and thinking and takes them to a higher intellectual level.
 
In order to make social studies come alive for students it is necessary to get beyond the simple facts, figures, names and dates. The more that you can take your students back in history, exploring distant lands for geography, seeing the world through another's eyes in cultural studies, and finding their voice in government, the more that you will have a positive impact in the social studies curriculum area. There are many social studies resources that are available to teachers and students online, in all-in-one curriculum programs and in Unit studies programs as well as single subject curriculum packets. Here are some ideas for activities and curriculum in history, geography, cultural studies and government:
 
History: The study of history as a general subject for social studies usually does not begin in the primary grades-although many children in the primary grades learn about historical figures such as Christopher Columbus. But, in later grades children may be required to learn about world or national history, or even ancient history. Here are some activities that can be incorporated into a social studies/history curriculum: 

- Read literature about or from the time period-both historical fiction and nonfiction. Have a discussion about the book and compare it with other literature that is available for this time in history.
 
- Make a newspaper page for the time period, including ads and human interest stories.
 
- Listen to music and look at art from the time period. Students may even want to write a play.  This brings history easily to other curriculum areas.
 
- Role-playing is a great way to "live" history. Have students imagine they live back in time and give them roles to play. Incorporate economy, class-structure, employment, and other factors for each character based on the history of the time period.
  
- Put together a time capsule and bury it with instructions on where it is and when it is to be opened. Include items which will tell about the history of our time.
 
Geography: Although geography is not always considered one of the more exciting social studies topics it can be both fun and exciting. The key is to approach this social studies subject in a hands-on manner. A study of the geography in your local area can be interesting-especially if it is done with field trips. Many times the geography of the area also plays a role in the history and culture of the area-so this is also easy to tie in to other social studies curriculum areas.  Here are some ideas to make this area of social studies come alive for your students:
 
- Go on a field trip to study an unusual land form or other geography feature in your area. These might include things like a plateau, a mountain, a river, or even a rock formation.
 
- Draw a map of your area, or create your own map of an imaginary location.
 
- Start a rock collection. Label the rocks a group them in categories of your own choosing.
 
- Do an in-depth study of a volcano or other catastrophic natural geography event. Find out what the repercussions of the event were-loss of life, change in the climate, change in the land form, etc. Make a model of the land form and show the changes.
 
- Do scientific experiments to show how clouds form, how earthquakes occur, etc. This is a great way to combine science with geography.
 
Cultural Studies: Cultural studies can be a really fun area for students as well as teachers. You can study both ancient and modern culture in a cultural studies program. As students learn more about other cultures, it can help them to be more tolerant and understanding of people that are different from themselves.- Although it is most likely that it is not possible to travel the world for a cultural studies curriculum, the internet and media as well as books can give students a better idea about the world around them.
 
- Create a travel brochure or travel guide for the area you are studying-this can be done for modern or ancient cultural studies.
 
- Make a meal from the culture or country that you are studying.
 
- Team up with other home school students or classes and have a cultural studies fair with booths from different areas.
 
- Invite people from other cultures to come into your class or home and interview them about their culture and the differences and similarities between it and your own.
 
- Study art, music and literature from the culture.
 
Government: Most students do not go into this social studies topic until the upper grades (at least out of the primary grades.) It is important that all individuals understand the government where they live. This helps them to be an active participant in the government processes. Students should know about a citizen's rights and responsibilities in the government where they live. Here are some ideas for this social studies area:
 
- Write to a government official asking questions about their role.
 
- Design a home or family government and have a mock election for a position in your home school or family (i.e. activity coordinator, etc.)
  
- Study current events for the area in which you live and create a scrapbook of related articles. Find opposing points of view if possible.
 
- Study how your country is perceived by other countries.
 
- Coordinate with other groups and have a role-playing exercise with interaction between countries. Talk about trade, allocation of resources, interaction between each government etc.
 
- Write a letter to the newspaper editor about an issue in government that concerns you.
 
- Visit your local government offices and see how business is conducted.
 
-Social studies are one of the most important subjects of any curriculum and it can be exciting and fun.

Learning Styles-What You Need to Know Before You Homeschool Your Child

What are learning styles? Just as every person is different their likes and dislikes, each person has a unique style of learning as well. This means that every person has a way that they learn the best. Although there are many different learning theories, one of the common theories about learning styles is that there are three different types of learners: the visual learner, the auditory learner, and the kinesthetic learner. Singling out one style from the three learning styles to label a person with does not mean that the person does not use the other two learning styles, it just means that they use that particular style more or that they prefer that style.
 
Why is it important to know about learning styles when you homeschool? Knowing about each different style of learning is very important when you are educating your child in any home school setting. Some curriculums are designed in such a way that they are better for some learning styles more than others. This is one of the problems that public schools have. Teachers in these settings sometimes only teach in ways that are best for one style of learning such as for the visual learner or auditory learner and neglect the kinesthetic learner. Generally speaking, much of the public school curriculum is best for the auditory or visual learner. But, in a home school setting it is still vital that you select activities and curriculum to match your child's needs. It is especially important that you take into account your student's style of learning when you are introducing new materials.
 
What is a Visual Learner? A visual learner is someone that learns best through what they see. Information for a visual learner is best gathered through watching a demonstration, reading words written on paper, looking at a diagram, picture or chart, or visual representation. The visual learner may not be able to understand things if they are just expressed to them verbally. If you show a visual learner how to do something before they try it for the first time this is beneficial for them.
 
What type of curriculum is best for a visual learner? When you are working with a child that is a visual learner you need to make sure that you have lots of pictures, diagrams, and even books with information on them. The visual learner will be able to absorb the educational content much better than if you use curriculum that emphasizes one of the other learning styles. You cannot just tell the visual learner how to do something-they have to see it.
 
What is an Auditory Learner? As an auditory learner, an individual learns best when they hear information-such as in the spoken word. People who learn this way rather than the visual or kinesthetic learning styles would do well in many of the more “traditional” type classrooms where there are a lot of lectures and discussions. The auditory learner may also have a gift for music, because they can hear a piece of music and learn it that way.
 
What are teaching implications for an auditory learner? When introducing new material to an auditory learner, you should not simply have them read it silently. Read it to them. You can also use audio recordings. If you use videos or DVDs or even online material with an auditory learner, make sure that any demonstrations are not just shown, but also that there are oral instructions as well. This will give the auditory learner the appropriate sensory input for their style of learning. If you want to make your lessons more enjoyable and appropriate for this style of learning you may even want to include music as part of your curriculum.
 
What is a Kinesthetic Learner? A kinesthetic learner learns best through movement and tactile experiences-or by touching. This is one of the most neglected learning styles in traditional education. Children who prefer this style of learning are often forced to sit quietly in a chair and listen or watch as they are taught-which is fine with children who use other learning styles, but not for a kinesthetic learner. A kinesthetic learner would rather try something first than wait for it to be explained to them or shown to them. They want to move around the classroom, touch and feel things.
 
How can you help a Kinesthetic Learner? Give the kinesthetic learner lots of manipulatives to work with such as blocks, puzzles, beads, etc. When you are working with a kinesthetic learner let them move around the class room, tap their foot, move their hands, trace letters in sand, and even walk while they memorize or read. They need to be given every opportunity to move, because it will not only help them to retain the information, it will make it stay with them. When you are in a situation where you want to demonstrate something, let the kinesthetic learner try it along with you rather than just showing them. A home school environment may be a great place for a kinesthetic learner because they will have more freedom to move.
 
Other Learning Theories: There are many other theories about learning styles, such as multiple intelligence theory, etc. and chances are that you will be able to find a something that closely matches your child's style of learning. This is something that should be looked at before you choose any curriculum-because if the curriculum does not fit the child, it will not give them the benefits that you are hoping to achieve through the home schooling process. You may be able to adapt your curriculum to meet your child's needs or to meet the needs of more than one child, and knowing the learning style will be of great benefit in this process as well.
 

Literacy: Teaching Reading, Phonics and Literature in a Home School Program

"Reading." That is the answer you would get if you asked nearly any educator what the most important academic skill is for children to have. Literacy is the key to understanding every other subject not just language arts. If you teach a child reading, they will be able to succeed in life as well as in academics. The rhetorical question "Why isn't Johnny reading?" has been asked for decades. Obviously there is more to reading and the other language arts than phonics or simply sounding out the words, although this is one of the main skills which leads to literacy. The language arts of phonics, reading, writing, spelling, and grammar should be one of the main supports for any educational program whether it is in a public, private or home school.
  
Recent Developments in Language Arts Instruction and Literacy
How do we teach reading and literacy? For many decades, most children were taught reading at home or in small community schools if they were taught to read at all. Many relied on the Bible or other types of religious based texts or primers for their language arts instruction but it was all very basic curriculum. Classical literature, for many years was used only in the finer schools where the elite and wealthy could attend. Early public schools taught a lot of penmanship, grammar, and spelling, with primers used to teach reading, rather than classical literature.
 
The Debate about Early Literacy and Whole Language to Teach the Language Arts
In the recent past, there was a huge debate in the educational community about the topic of teaching language arts and early literacy. Many educators felt that early literacy was achieved by simply reading to the child from "real" books and literature (not text books), having discussions about the book, and writing their own stories, and that going through basal readers (such as Dick and Jane) and direct phonics instruction was secondary or not necessary at all. It is called the Whole Language method. It was based on the literacy theory that children learn any language through using the language both spoken and written and being exposed to real literature-phonics, if it was taught at all, was not emphasized to a great degree in this language arts approach. After all, children learn to talk from the people around them without any direct instruction. Many school districts adopted this reading program for their primary grades as a more "developmentally appropriate" way to teach children about language arts and literacy.
 
The uproar about literacy came from teachers in the upper grades who said that many of these children could not read, spell, or write. They didn't understand phonics or how words were made. There were holes in their literacy skills that would have to be filled before they could achieve academic success in reading and language arts as well as in other areas. This placed a larger burden on language arts teachers in the higher grades who already had a full plate of required curriculum.
 
Back to the Basics of Literacy
Now, many schools have gone back to more traditional language arts instruction and curriculum. They use direct instruction to teach phonics, reading and literacy. But, they still use some of the literacy techniques used in the Whole Language program, such as encouraging beginning readers to write and edit their own stories, and keep personal journals and also through reading real literature rather than relying solely on texts and basal reading programs. In the older grades, students are reading real literature as well, in addition to their instruction in grammar and spelling. They write book reports, stories, poetry, newspaper articles, and even advertisements as part of a more “real life” curriculum.
 
Homeschooling and Language Arts:
If you look at homeschooling curriculum you will find a wide variety of ways to teach reading and the other language arts. Many use classical literature and real books to teach children a love of reading, because if a child is not interested in what they read, they will most likely not learn to read. Most home school curriculum programs for early literacy include instruction on phonics and spelling. If your child is older, you can find programs that are thematic and deal with a particular subject, or unit studies programs that connect language arts with other subject areas for a more comprehensive curriculum. An all-in-one curriculum package will include a language arts program as well as all of the other necessary subject areas for each grade level.
 
What Makes a Home School Language Arts Program Successful?
The key to any successful language arts or reading curriculum is to make it fun and interesting as well as motivating for your child. While some children can learn to read simply by being read to and reading themselves, many children need direct phonics instruction with texts that have rhyming words and word families. Older students may struggle with parts of speech or comprehension and will need extra help and literacy training in these areas.
 
Look at each home school curriculum carefully to see if it matches your personal philosophy or belief about literacy. If you don't believe it, you can't teach it or share it effectively. Consider the learning style of your child as well. A kinesthetic learner can learn to read and write, but it may take a lot of tactile experiences such as drawing letters in the sand or walking in rhythm while reciting a short poem. An auditory learner may prefer to hear you read a selection first before they try it the first time. Adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of the child.

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Mathematics: Choosing a Home School Mathematics Curriculum for Any Age

Mathematics in the home school curriculum is one of the basics. Local, State, and National governments have mathematics standards that all students must meet in addition, subtraction, multiplication, algebra, geometry and so forth. Because mathematics is such an important feature in any curriculum it is important to choose a program that not only covers the basics, but also instills interest and confidence in the student as well as the instructor. The student will need enough information to complete the mathematics assignments and tasks as well as to develop an in-depth understanding of the concepts so that they can apply it to real-life situations. The instructor should be given mathematics teaching materials that will help them to present new material in a way that each student will understand. This may involve a wide variety of teaching techniques.
 
When you are choosing a mathematics curriculum for your home school program you have many options. You can get a text-based mathematics program that includes not only a student manual but also a teacher manual and testing materials. Or, you can print out addition, subtraction, multiplication, or any other type of worksheet tailored to meet your students' needs. There are even online tutorials and courses, games and programs to teach and reinforce mathematics skills.
 
The first thing that you will need to think about in order to choose a mathematics curriculum is the age and the abilities of the student. Following are some basic recommendations about what mathematics curriculum a child could be ready for and at what age. (Remember that each child is unique and may vary in mathematics readiness and skills.)
 
At the Pre-K level of mathematics, children are just beginning to get some number knowledge. If you want to introduce addition or subtraction, you should use manipulatives such as small blocks, beads or other objects. They can also learn counting and one-to-one correspondence which is the beginning of mathematics readiness. This is an ideal age to start teaching about how mathematics helps us in everyday life.
 
In kindergarten, children still prefer tactile and concrete learning to other types of learning-therefore you should continue to use mathematics manipulatives to teach counting, addition and subtraction (single digit.) Children of this age are also learning to write, so include number writing in their instruction. A child who has finished kindergarten should be able to count to 100. Another mathematics skill beyond addition, subtraction, and counting can be comparison (i.e. less/more, bigger/smaller, etc.)
 
In first and second grade children continue to build their mathematics addition and subtraction skills. They use 2 and 3 digit numbers for both addition and subtraction and start borrowing and carrying numbers. Some mathematics curriculum programs also start introducing some early multiplication skills for more advanced learners. However, just because they are older does not mean that they are ready to move completely into abstract thinking. They will still benefit from using manipulatives when they are doing addition and subtraction. Some manipulatives even assist in learning place value (ones, tens, hundreds, etc.)
 
Third grade is usually the time that the mathematics curriculum introduces multiplication and the times tables. While it is important for children to "see" what they are learning through grouping and manipulatives, some children may learn their multiplication facts the best through rote memorization using multiplication flash cards or even songs. After children have a good understanding of multiplication, simple division is introduced. Most mathematics curriculum programs do not introduce double digit multiplication or division until the multiplication facts are mastered and the student has a solid understanding of division as well. Decimals and place value as well as fractions are also introduced in third grade.
 
Fourth through sixth grade mathematics mainly builds on what was learned in third grade. Long division and multiplication with multiple digit numbers are staples, as well as more work with fractions, decimals, and percentages as well as estimation.
 
Once all of the basics of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division are covered, the middle school years of mathematics begin. Students may start pre-algebra, simple geometry, and even statistics which still use multiplication and division as well as addition and subtraction.
 
In the high-school curriculum standards students may have more options as to what types of mathematics courses they are required to take. Some students take advanced math courses of calculus and trigonometry while others limit themselves to the required Algebra 1 and 2 and Geometry. It may be important to see what university entrance requirements are when deciding which courses to take. When dealing with advanced math courses, some home school instructors may feel unqualified and inadequate. If this is the case, you can always find an accredited mathematics course online or even a correspondence course. Just make sure that there is adequate support and teacher help.
 
The key to making mathematics interesting and exciting for any student is to make it tie in to real life. Many students complain "I" am never going to use this, so why do I have to learn it? You will find that much of the home school mathematics curriculum does include real-life applications that will give students a view of how they can use this in their own life. You can also make the instruction more fun and exciting by using some of the online games and programs that teach while entertaining.

Pharmacy School

Science Curriculum with a Hands-On Approach

Science is an important part of any home school curriculum. Teaching children about the world around them through a hands-on learning approach to biology, chemistry, physics, and even technology will better prepare them to attain higher educational goals and to enter the work force. Science advancements in the last century in all areas including technology, chemistry, biology, and physics have dwarfed those made in any previous century and to keep the pace students today must learn more than ever.
 
In a home school environment, students and teachers have the unique opportunity to customize their science curriculum and studies to not only entertain their interests but also get more hands-on learning in science and experiments that most children in traditional or public schools. With tools that can be found in all-in-one curriculum packages, unit studies and single subject course offerings as well as online courses and educational computer programs, there are more resources now than ever before for a hands-on learning home school science program for any age.
 
It is important that any home school science curriculum meets the required standards for the local area in which you live, so you should always check to see what those standards are. But, once you have found out about the science standards you will be better able to choose the curriculum from one of the many available. One hint is that you should look for a science curriculum that has hands-on learning and experiments that can easily be duplicated in a home school environment. Although you can get many supplies and science experiments online or in a store, the easier the materials are to get, the more likely you are to use them.
  
The study of biology concepts can begin as early as preschool and continues through the high school years. Young students will be acutely interested in biology as a science as it applies to things that they see in their everyday life such as animals, plants, and other living organisms as well as their environment. Base your biology curriculum on these areas and let the child direct much of the science and biology learning at this age. Something as simple and directly hands-on learning as planting a bean in a cup with some soil, or caring for and observing a pet are valuable experiments for a child of this age. However, you must discuss the science involved for it to be biology studies. Discussions about health and the body could also be a part of the biology curriculum. Biology for older students will be more complex and may include things like the study of zoology, botany or anatomy. Try to integrate your studies to include math, language arts, history, or any other subject that will relate to the science that you are studying.
 
Chemistry is often thought of as a subject for older students in high school or college, but younger students may find it fun and exciting to conduct simple hands-on learning in chemistry experiments to see how elements can change and the different properties of elements. Make sure that you have the proper chemistry equipment and safety equipment in order to conduct any experiments without incident-and always have adult supervision. Once a student gets to high school age, it may be intimidating to teach chemistry as well as some of the other more advanced science courses. You can always take a look at online chemistry courses or independent study courses to enhance your science curriculum.
 
As with chemistry, physics is often thought of as a science subject for high school students, however in a general science curriculum for younger grades, students can easily learn about the science of movement, mass, density, etc. Levers, pulleys, gears, etc. can all be used to conduct observations and experiments in physics beginning at a fairly young age and these are hands-on learning applications that will pique students' interests. There are also online physics courses and computer programs to enhance your physics curriculum-particularly for the upper grades.
 
Technology and computers are becoming an increasingly bigger part of everyday life for our society and it is important for everyone to have a basic understanding of how these things work. However, beyond keyboarding courses, there are not many ways that technology is taught in the general science curriculum for the younger grades. Some high schools now offer technology courses to teach about computer science and computer programming, as well as auto repair, basic engineering, electronics, etc. and this can prepare a student for those types of majors in college or in a trade school. You will find some of these types of technology courses online or through independent study, but make sure that they are well-designed courses with accreditation.
 
As stated previously, it is important that science curriculum be hands-on learning and interactive. Students who actively participate in this type of program will have a better understanding of the material-whether it is biology, technology, chemistry or physics.  If the cost of materials is intimidating, see if you can share the cost with other home schoolers in your area and if you have more than one child or student, but materials that can be reused to save on replacement costs.

Using Educational Toys to Enrich Your Home School Experience

Educational toys are a key component of any school program, whether it is in a public school setting or in a home. Children learn through play and their play is work. As children play with educational toys such as puzzles, games, and imaginary play items they begin to put together complicated academic concepts in a natural environment and setting which leads to better understanding. Almost all toys that a child plays with can be considered educational toys. However, there are some really good educational toys that would be worthy to take notice of. Although direct instruction becomes increasingly important as the child grows older, educational toys can always play a role in the educating process even for students in the upper grades. Following are some examples of educational toys that you might want to integrate in your home school program:
 
Puzzles and Manipulatives: When you think of puzzles, you may think of the two-dimensional puzzles that you did as a child. However, also included in this category are three dimensional puzzles and brain teasers. When children are working on two or three dimensional puzzles they are using their spatial intelligence as well as their small motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Mathematics can also come into play as they match geometric shapes. Puzzles can also build language ability as children talk about the pieces in the puzzle. Many of the puzzles designed for younger children have simple common pictures and shapes that children can name and identify as they are putting it together. Older children may even enjoy creating their own puzzles and this uses a whole different set of skills.
 
Brain teasers are mental puzzles and may not be considered educational toys but they are a fun way to teach a new concept or to test knowledge and understanding on a previously taught concept. These types of puzzles almost feel like a game and can be a fun way to engage students. They can be based on nearly any subject area. Students may have fun making up their own brain teasers as well.
 
Manipulatives are small items that can be used for counting, matching, sorting, building, and so on.  They are invaluable as educational toys in the early grades where children still do a lot of concrete and tactile learning, but they are also helpful for those children in the upper grades who are visual or tactile learners.
 
Imaginary play is usually confined to the Pre-K and kindergarten years of school. However, children in all of the elementary grades can enjoy and benefit from imaginary play. Simple things such as dress up clothes, stuffed animals, props, toy vehicles, blocks, etc. can all be considered educational toys and are great for imaginary play. Children learn how to relate to others, they self-talk to solve problems, they act out real-life situations, and they problem-solve as they are engaged in imaginary play. Many teachers and educators direct imaginary play in a sense as they make suggestions or rotate the types of materials that are available for imaginary play.
 
Computer programs have become increasingly popular as educational toys in the last 20 years. Young toddlers and even infants have computer programs that are aimed at them. The key to finding computer programs that are useful as educational tools is to look for recommendations as well as to get word-of-mouth personal experience reviews. Just because some computer programs have "math" or "phonics" as part of the title does not mean that they are effective educational tools. You can get some great recommendations for computer games on the internet as well as find websites with free computer programs and games to teach and reinforce skills that your students are learning. The secret is to find computer games that are not only educational toys, but also that children like to play.
 
Other Educational Games: Despite popular belief and what some children may claim there are educational games that children enjoy that are not computerized or electronic-they don't even have to be board games. Some are classic games such as checkers and chess, while others are newer games which have been invented in the last few years. The good educational games are not those that are luck-based. Younger children should be encouraged to work cooperatively toward a goal and to use higher level thinking skills in games. Games for older children can be role-playing games, such as those which require them to think about how early settlers survived tough times. Or, they can play games which require strategy and thinking several moves ahead.
 
Science Equipment can be a really fun way to supplement your science and math curriculum. Some of the science equipment that you can find includes telescopes, microscopes, chemistry sets, and electricity experiments.  You can also find instructions for creating your own science experiments, science equipment and scientific education toys online-items such as a hurricane in a bottle, a tin-can stereo, and a blizzard in a box. The more that children learn about science through hands-on experience with science equipment, the better they will understand the deeper academic concepts. Science equipment is just one tool that you can use.
 
As you incorporate educational toys such as puzzles, imaginary play items, computer programs, science equipment and educational games into your home school program you will make it a more enriching experience for everyone.

Why learn a Foreign Language

Currently less than 6% of the world’s population speaks English as their native language.  The list of reasons why people should learn another language is increasing almost as fast as the human population itself.  There are so many reasons why one should learn another language it is very much possible that someone could right their dissertation on the very subject.  In fact, one could do research on all the reasons why people choose not to learn a foreign language and I would guess that all the results would point to one of two things: either there isn’t an opportunity to effectively become fluent in the language long enough to remember it OR the person is just narrow minded.  These days the latter is becoming more and more the only reason why someone wouldn’t try to learn another language.
 
So, as you review the following list of reasons why you SHOULD learn a foreign language of your choosing, consider this: learning a foreign language is easier than most people think and the consequences of not learning another language are far greater than the benefits of staying monolingual.
 
Practical Reasons for Learning a Foreign Language
 
1. You can increase your IQ.  Studies are showing everyday that children who study foreign languages have a higher IQ than their monolingual counterparts.  In fact, children who start learning a second language from birth usually have an easier time acquiring additional languages. 
 
2. You will open areas of your brain that are a little dusty and could use the exercise.  As we all get older, our short term and long term memory fails us time and again.  The key to living long and healthy is to exercise that part of our brain more often.  Learning a language that is not native to us is indeed a very fun way to keep the brain in shape.
 
3. You can talk to your neighbor in his native language.
 
4. You want to be friends with someone who doesn’t speak your native language very well.
 
5. People have told you that you are narrow minded and you want to prove them wrong.
 
6. You can travel around the world and bargain in the native language, thus saving you lots of money because you will seem like a local.
 
7. You can expand your career in multiple ways including getting a raise and moving on up the career ladder to another position.
 
Ethical Reasons for Learning a Foreign Language
 
1. It is your duty to try to make this world a better place by learning about other cultures.  Learning another language is like saying yes to learning about someone’s culture.
 
2. Some languages are actually becoming non exisistent because no one wants to learn about the language because they don’t believe it will benefit them in anyway.  Think about that…somewhere out there a language will be forever wiped away from our human history all because people who already know a dominant language refuses to learn another.
 
3. For those who immigrate to your country and are fighting hard for basic rights, you can join their fight at least in solidarity because by learning their language you will understand and relate more to their culture and way of doing things.
 
4. For those who live in very poor countries across the globe you will be able to travel to those places and perform voluntary work in the name of peace and unity.
 
Logistical Reasons for Learning a Foreign Language
 
1. The one and only reason in this category is that you will be forced to anyway.  Already in Europe there are many countries that have bilingual or even trilingual people because there is such a collision of languages that in order to function in the community you must know more than a language.
 
2. Once in college, you may find that subjects you are very interested in studying in depth are mainly published in a foreign language.  For example, a lot of old psychology theories were published in German and the artistic movement of surrealism was mainly in French.
 
3. You want to live in another country for an extended period of time and you do not want to stand out or look like a complete idiot.
 
4. There is a community emergency and everyone is trying to communicate with one another and you want to be able to communicate effectively, even if on a basic survival level.
 
Now, after considering all of these reasons for learning a foreign language, you might ask yourself, which language you should learn.  Well, some might say just stick to the European languages because those are the most widespread.  The most popular European languages include French and Spanish which combined are spoken in pretty much half of the world, however, there are many corners of this globe and Asian languages also share a rich cultural diversity as well.  Asian languages like Mandarin (Chinese), Thai, and Vietnamese also deserve equal press time.