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Wondering what happened to Teacher's Toolbox? Trying to figure out what has replaced it? TOS is bringing you MORE with SchoolhouseTeachers.com. More content, more freebies, more curriculum . . . more of what you need to educate your children. Login with your kids daily to do their homework with them. Join upcoming classes and clubs (Lego Robotics is coming!). Complete the daily, weekly or monthly lapbook and unit study projects, hands-on-lessons, drills and other assignments that will spice up your homeschool year-- day after day. Come do your homework with us!
SchoolhouseTeachers.com is making its debut with some exciting enhancements and even more to come in April and the months ahead, including access to TOS digital back issues. Keep reading to discover what's in store for you at SchoolhouseTeachers.com. | 
Spring has sprung, as they say (at least it's sprung in Florida, Springtime in Florida differs greatly from springtime in my old Kentucky home, but the thrill of seeing the blooms on the trees and taking long walks on sunny afternoons is the same.
In case you haven't noticed, our March 2012 issue of the magazine offers some fabulous articles about gardening. Check these out, and get started with your garden, whether it's a one-pot garden on your second-floor patio or a half-acre masterpiece in your backyard: |  | |
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Previous issues of TOS have included these excellent articles related to gardening as well:
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- "Lessons Learned From the Garden Center" by Nancy Carter, Spring 2008
- "Flowers of the Bible" by Amelia Harper, Spring 2010
- "Holiday Gifts From Your Garden" by Mari Almon, Fall 2010
- "Preparing in Winter for a Spring Garden" by Mari Almon, Winter 2009
| One of the most delightful aspects of spring is that of hearing the birds again; after a long, silent, cold winter, the joyful sounds of birds twittering is most welcome! "Our" mockingbird has returned and serenades me daily. Our mailbox post is his favorite perch, and although the mailbox is not quite as white or shiny as it could be after he perches there for a while (ahem), I'll gladly put up with that loss in exchange for the recital performed from that stage. Sing on, little bird!1
Have you ever planted a garden? When I was a young mother, my dear landlord and neighbor, Mr. Green, offered to till a small area of the backyard and show me how to get started. His beautiful garden occupied more than half of his backyard, and he always reaped bountiful harvests. Mr. Green grew the sweetest, biggest tomatoes I have ever tasted! Yummm.
I got excited about the opportunity to learn from a pro about how to become a successful gardener. Mr. Green dug up the soil with his tiller (approximately 8' x 8'), and I planted seeds: carrots, zucchini, green beans, and lettuce. Within a short time, things began to sprout in my little garden; I was thrilled!
However, a few weeks later I realized that I had made a big mistake. You see-I had planted the zucchini seeds . . . in the very center of that little garden plot!
If you've never grown zucchini before, let me assure you that my choice was a disastrous one. Zucchini plants grow huge leaves and spread far and wide on top of the soil. If you have zucchini plants in the center of a little garden, pretty soon it becomes . . . a zucchini garden. The other stuff just can't survive; the zucchini takes over. Sigh.
I'm sure that dear Mr. Green politely chuckled (albeit with a twinkle in his eye!) as he observed what I had done. He knew what the outcome of my foolish choice would be long before I figured it out! But . . . there was always next year.
And, there was next year! I learned much from Mr. Green, including how important it is to keep trying and not to give up. My gardens got bigger and better every year, but that first garden will always rank as my favorite, even though we mainly harvested zucchini and not much else.
As you approach the end of your school year, are you rejoicing about the harvest or focusing on what "could have been" or "should have been"? I confess that every year we homeschooled (sixteen years), I would get depressed in the spring. Instead of focusing on the good harvest, I would focus on what had not been harvested, which usually was a reflection not of my students' failure but of my failure to properly plant good seeds-in the right spot, at the right time, and for the right reasons.
The enemy of my soul stole my joy, and I let him get away with it. Shame on me.
Every spring, I wanted to quit homeschooling. But every summer . . . God renewed my strength, gave me grace to ask for forgiveness for my failures (the results of my ignorance, laziness, foolish choices, or rebellion), and encouraged me to start over, to plant another garden and watch HIM grow the harvest, for His glory. Just as "real" gardens sometimes fail, our homeschools can also experience failure or, at the very least, not meet our expectations.
But . . . there's always next year (even if your kids graduate, because learning should never end)! Praise the Lord for new beginnings, lessons learned, and bountiful harvests.
As I prepared to write this little introduction, the Lord kept drawing my heart to the verse below; I place it before you in His name-for your good and for His glory. I'm really tempted to tell you how He encouraged me as I meditated on these words, but that's not the plan. The Lord wants to plant unique seeds in your heart, as you meditate on them. And the Lord's seeds always produce a bountiful harvest.
I challenge you to ask the Lord to give you ears to hear the message He wants to speak into your heart as you ponder these precious and simple words:
"And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire
in scorched places and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail" (Isaiah 58:11, ESV).2
Happy spring, happy gardens, and happy homeschooling, dear ones! | Endnotes: - To learn about mockingbirds and even hear a sample of their singing, visit this website page: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_mockingbird/sounds/ac.
- Study these related verses, as the Lord leads: Psalm 1; John 4:14, 7:38; Isaiah 27:3, 61:1; Matthew 13; Genesis 2-3; Jeremiah 31:11-13.
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|  | Every month, find your daily lessons here for a number of subjects. Our
Schoolhouse Teachers are rotating daily lessons to give you variety each
month. | |
For March enjoy old and new favorites like:
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- "This Day in History" section, where you can click through hyperlinks to learn more about each day's historical event.
- Schoolhouse Kitchen, with an entire month of great recipes just waiting for you!
- Daily home economics lessons from Malia Russell.
- Daily writing from Kim Kautzer.
| You and your children can make this your first stop as you begin your homeschool day. Add these special activities to your regular curriculum or create your own curriculum by mixing and matching the different lessons.
In April, watch for even more daily lessons. Our Schoolhouse Dailies section will grow each month!
Not a member yet? Join us today! Limited time $1.00 first month special! |
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| The March 2012 issue of The Old Schoolhouse� Magazine is here!
Take a peek at what's inside the nearly 150 pages: |
- On page 110, learn how to explore shipwrecks, watch wild animals in Africa, explore Ancient Rome, or fly over your neighborhood in a jet aircraft with Google Earth.
- Denise Mira discusses women of faith in a video on page 36.
- On page 46, learn how to identify and correct blocked learning gates with Dianne Craft.
- And that's not all! Check the table of contents for even more homeschool helps.
| Want even more help? Not a member of SchoolhouseTeachers.com yet? Join Now! Only $1.00 for first month for a limited time!
*Note: Current subscribers of TOS magazine will receive a SchoolhouseTeachers.com membership for the remaining time on their subscription. Watch for details. |
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|  | In addition to online access, The Old Schoolhouse� Magazine can now be accessed from your smartphone or tablet making it even easier to get homeschool advice anywhere, anytime. | |
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| IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS ON
HOW TO ACCESS SCHOOLHOUSETEACHERS.COM | Teacher's Toolbox is now SchoolhouseTeachers.com, our totally new subscriber website. If you are a current TOS subscriber you are already a member. Many subscribers have already received an e-mail to activate their account. If you have NOT received an e-mail with your log-in information, please contact CustomerService@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com. In the subject of your email, please enter "SchoolhouseTeachers.com - am I entitled to a membership." After Customer Service verifies your account, you will be sent an e-mail with your log-in information.
If you are not a member, you may purchase a one-month Ultimate membership during March for just $1! Visit this page to learn more: http://schoolhouseteachers.com/sign-up/. Shortly after you purchase a membership, your log-in information will be e-mailed to you.
When your membership is confirmed and you log-in to the website, you will be able to enjoy all the daily lessons, This Day in History, Schoolhouse Kitchen, and more! This is a website that you and your children will want to make your first stop before your start your homeschool day. | |
These Schoolhouse Teachers are joining us for our launch:
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- Kim Kautzer, Writing: Your kids can log in daily for their writing prompts and other assignments!
- Malia Russell, Home Ec: Ready to teach your children the home arts? Weekly lessons from a pro!
- Diana Waring, History: In March, Diana will provide an exciting history lesson. Beginning in April, Diana will provide weekly/daily lessons or activities, every month!
- Terri Johnson, Geography: Terri gives you weekly lessons, access to free maps, and much more.
- Adam Andrews, Literature: Adam uses the Teaching the Classics approach to teaching context, structure, and style-and offers a great monthly lesson, including story charts.
- Joy Sikorski, Music/Singing: Sikorski, accomplished musician and singer-who homeschooled three children in an Alaskan log cabin (no joke)-teaches music with an emphasis on training the entire family.
- Andy Harris, Technology: In March, access simple but easy-to-use lesson plans on Google Earth. Talk about fun: lessons for the younger kids, middle school, and high school-and advice for using the Internet safely.
| Many more Schoolhouse Teachers will be joining us in the months to come!
Be amazed at all the enhancements, and then be prepared to be astounded once again on April 1 when SchoolhouseTeachers.com rolls out even more homeschool helps like free content from all digital back issues of TOS magazine. | |
| | The value is unbelievable. You'll receive daily, weekly, and monthly content in nearly all subject areas. See you soon at SchoolhouseTeachers.com! |
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| Many of the great worksheets, crafts, and articles you use each month come from an amazing group of people we call, Star Contributors. Each month these volunteers collaborate to bring you new and exciting content. They all have one thing in common, they are passionate about homeschooling and sharing what they do and know with you.
 Who: Blossom Barden
What: Wife of 15+ years, homeschool mom of two, Christian, and part-time employee. Although Blossom wanted to homeschool from the start, back in 2001, it wasn't possible until 2009. Now, three years later, she cannot imagine sending the kids to public school again. Besides being a wife, mother, and homeschooler Blossom especially likes to read in her free time--almost any genre (as long as it is wholesome and not a romance). Drawing has always been part of her life, although it seems to happen less and less as the years pass. Recently, writing has become an interest that she is exploring more.
When: 24/7/365! Throughout the day you can find Blossom doing an assortment of tasks that pertain to being a wife, homeschooler, mom, or employee. She sometimes feels that if there was just one more hour in the day she could do it all. She isn't terribly organized, but she is a constant work in progress to get more organized. Mornings find her rising early and checking emails and feeding the cat. School for her kids, a 7th and a 9th grader, begins after breakfast has been made and eaten, generally by 10:00 am. While the kids do independent work, she works at her other job duties (sometimes outside the home, sometimes at home on the computer).
Where: Cleveland, OH, USA. This is where Blossom and her family call home. The diversity of the area has proven to be a wonderful surprise for the family. It has led to many outdoor family activities. The family moves about every 2-3 years, however, for her husband's job so homeschooling has been a blessing. In the last 7 years alone they have moved four times.
How: Lots of prayer and looking to God! Since their recent move to Ohio, the family has been blessed to attend a church that has a number of homeschooling families. The support has been helpful to Blossom and her kids as they homeschool with a Christian perspective. Blossom uses Ambleside Online free curriculum (with Charlotte Mason method) as the base of their studies but may use other materials as needed.
Why: Bottom line--For the love of her kids! Blossom attributes the closeness her family has shared the last three years to homeschooling. It has helped them grow closer to God and lean on Him in all aspects of their lives. Trying to find the good in all situations (and subjects when it comes to homeschool *wink*) is what she feels God has instructed her and her family to do; and that's what she plans to do!
Visit Blossom's blog (http://www.nlfamily.net) to read more about how their day goes--whether it's life in general or the school day--and you can read some of the many reviews she posts. |
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|  | Take your kids on a sunflower learning adventure with this fascinating unit study.
Look at all you'll learn: tips for growing sunflowers, using harvested seeds, cool crafts, lots of copywork, quotes, vocabulary, drawing, activity pages, sunflower acrostic poetry lesson, and more!
Have fun with Sunflowers this month and don't forget to check back next month for an all new download! |
Don't miss tonight's | |
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March 05, 2012
from 6 p.m.- 9:30 p.m. EST
Less than 100 Seats Remain!
| You'll enjoy great speakers, door prizes, and more! Read more about this exciting expo here.
 Want to know how to make geography come alive? Interested in using Google Earth in your homeschool and not sure where to start? Andy Harris, the TOS Tech Homeschooler columnist will show you how to use this great tool to make learning fun.
 Do your kids find star gazing fascinating? Wish you knew how to teach astronomy? Learn how to study the night sky with Jay Ryan from Classical Astronomy. Discover what you and your kids can see when you're sky watching in March.
Registration is limited to 1000 live attendees and already over 900 seats are GONE, so get your seat now! Registering does not guarantee you a seat, so show up a bit early tonight, March 5th at 6pm EST, to grab one of 1,000 available live "seats."
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Visiting the SchoolhouseTeachers.com website:
1. Go to www.SchoolhouseTeachers.com. Log in at the on the right-hand side of the page under the header bar with the password you received in an email from TOS. Once you are logged in, you will be able to see the content on each page. Note: if you did not receive your login information, please contact CustomerService@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com.
2. Be sure to check back often. New material is added frequently, and the free resource will be changed monthly. You and your children will want to make SchoolhouseTeachers.com your first stop before you begin your homeschool day.
Not sure if you are a SchoolhouseTeachers.com member or need help?
Email our friendly customer service department - CustomerService@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com .
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