Received this via email:

Join Beacon on Tuesday, September 27, 7pm-9pm

We will be joined this evening by Israel Wayne. Israel is a homeschool graduate and father of six who is leading his generation in defending the Christian faith and developing a Biblical worldview. He is a popular conference speaker who desires to see God’s people learn to think and live Biblically. His topic will be Homeschooling From A Biblical Worldview. Join us and invite your spouse and friends!!

Admission is free.  Children are welcome if they sit quietly by their parents.

Beacon is a Christian support group for parents who home educate their children. Our membership is open to any home schooling family for support. Our vision is to help homeschool families achieve their vision. What we offer is a DREAM – Discussion, Resources, Education, Activities, Mentoring. We meet on the 4th Tuesday evening of every month August thru May (except December).

Find us at the Elk Grove Village Public Library at 7pm. www.beaconhomeschool.net

I attended this when I lived in St. Charles and found it helpful.

The librarians offer information on what the library offers, perks to being a St. Charles card holder and some of the lesser known resources at the library. In addition to the helpful info you can connect with other St. Charles homeschoolers. Contact them to register:

Greetings,

Our 2011 Homeschool Workshop is scheduled on Tuesday, August 30 from 10-11:15 am. We will be talking about our services and resources: Internet access, Live Homework Help, research strategies, literature programs, and more. Network with other homeschool parents from 11:15-11:45. You may register by contacting the ASK ME Desk at 630-584-9390. Thanks so much. See you in a couple of weeks.

~ Denise

This time of year finds lots of stores hosting teacher appreciation events, and of course homeschool teachers will want to enjoy these as well.

My favorite of those I have attended in previous years — Office Depot. Here’s the scoop from their site:

Office Depot’s Annual Teacher Appreciation Breakfast events are held at Office Depot retail stores across North America and are designed to provide a venue for teachers to network and prepare for the upcoming school year. More than 100,000 teachers are expected to attend. Office Depot is celebrating our Star Teachers with a spectacular day of savings and special treatment! As our guest, you will enjoy breakfast, 10% off purchases (exceptions  provided if asked), and a tote bag filled with gifts. Take advantage of this exciting event to stock up on all the classroom materials you’ll need in the fall. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will be on hand to make sure you find the best supplies you need to succeed. The Office Depot Star Teacher Program is open to Pre-K through 12th Grade classroom teachers.

Staples

Staples says thank you to teachers with :

• FREE thank you gift bag*
• Great coupon savings
• Get a sneak peek at must-have new items for your classroom

*FREE gift bag available for first 100 teachers. While supplies last. Information on location — Click here

Office Max

Office Max will be thanking teachers starting this coming weekend on July 31 and August 1. MaxPerks members receive free reuseable bag with a 20% discount for everything you can fit in it. More giveaways and gifts as well while they last. More information on their site, just click here.

Big Lots

Saturday, August 13, 2011is Big Lots’ Teacher Appreciation Day. They want to thank America’s teachers and educators for their  hard work and devotion.That’s why they have designated August 13, 2011 as Big Lots Teacher Appreciation Day. Check out special discounts just for educators on that day.

Don’t forget to call ahead to confirm dates and offers at your local store. And, don’t forget your homeschool ID card to verify your status as a homeschooler.

Thanks to Frugal Penny for the heads up.

Reading is an integral part of learning, and more so it is an irremovable part of our family life. Because of this, I am constantly on the lookout for good books. You know the ones. The ones that have withstood the test of time. The ones that both boys and girls can’t wait to hear more of. The ones during which you would never fall asleep. The ones that spark meaningful conversation even after you have closed the cover for the last time.

Sarah Clarkson wrote Read for the Heart to do more than just recommend some good books. She wrote it to help cast a vision for giving reading a place of prominence in your home. By the time you get to the book list you can’t help but be fingering your library card debating which book to put on hold or check out first. I know reading is important, but this book helped reignite my desire to pass my love of reading on to my kids.

Product: Read for the Heart

Details: A 384 page book with encouragement to make family reading and individual reading time a priority. Over 300 of the pages are lists of books that include summaries and background information to help you choose the best reads for your family and your kids.

Price: $17

What I loved . . .

• Inspiring. I can find oodles of book lists all over the internet. While I appreciate getting a good book recommendation now and then, I really appreciated Sarah’s casting of a vision for reading. I love to read, and yet it is one of the first things I drop from my schedule when time gets tight. She reminded me with a passion how important time spent reading is in our home and school.
• Personally and statistically supported. Creating beautiful word pictures, the author shares what crafted this love for reading in her heart. And, she shares statistics, quotes, and other encouragement as to the importance of reading. We owe it to the development of our kids’ minds to read early and read often, and this book can be a great catalyst to encourage you in the endeavor and give you the tools (great books!) to enjoy doing so.
• Lists and more lists. Not just an alphabetical listing of books (although the index does provide that), this book breaks down the lists by popular genres (historical literature, fairy tales, picture books, etc.) Beyond that, each entry includes the author, other books by the author, illustrator, copyright date, and a brief summary of the book. A few quick lists also reference Caldecott winners, Newberry winners, and books especially for boys, girls, and families reading together.
• Reading tips. Aside from rich motivation and abundant lists, she also gives some tips to making reading time special. From locations to treats she will stir your own imagination in this area.
• A must have book. This book offers an incredible resource when doing your book shopping. I am always looking at books at a used book sale and trying to figure out by reading a sentence here and there if I or my kids will like the particular book. I will definitely bring this guide along with me now to see what it has to say when purchasing unfamiliar books. Obviously it won’t have all the good books listed either, but it does have many, and many that I am not familiar with as well. I look forward to bringing Sarah with me to all the book sales now and ask her advice before  I buy.

Some considerations . . .

• One person’s opinion. You might feel differently. Her glowing opinion will not guarantee that you will like it. For example, she loved Across Five Aprils (which I have also heard many other people rave about), and I had to force myself to trudge through this book with my kids a few years ago. I was not impressed. But, we are all entitled to our own opinions and will love what others didn’t and vice versa.  You will still need to determine what books are a good fit for your family’s interests, values, attention span, academic subject, and personalities.

This book stirred up an incredible amount of enthusiasm within me. I cannot wait to finalize plans for the coming school year and include some of the great books recommended in this resource. I would strongly recommend this book to any homeschooling mom needing encouragement and ideas for making reading come to life in your home. You can check out the table of contents as well as a sample chapter if you would like to see a bit of the book for yourself and accept Sarah Clarkson’s invitation to more than just a “reading list, but to a reading life.”

For more TOS Crew reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew blog.

Disclaimer: This product was provided to me free of charge through Apologia as part of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I received no additional compensation and the opinions expressed here come from my personal experiences and sincere thoughts.

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In August the Chicagoland Homeschool Expo will return to the area.The following information is taken from their website and includes links to their site for further information:

2011 Chicago Homeschool Expo

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER $20 per person

$25 for Husband & Wife

Chicago Homeschool Expo August 5-6, 2011

Schaumburg Convention Center (Chicago), IL

1551 N. Thoreau Dr, Schaumburg, IL 60173

Chicago Homeschool Expo Registration
Includes Homeschooling for Excellence 101, Worldview Teen Tract AND KidsZone
August 4-6, 2011

At the door registration is also available at the door the day of the Conference.  Payment accepted at the door includes cash or checks only.

REFUND POLICY – There are no refunds, just as there are no refunds for tickets to events such as concerts, sporting events, etc.

College Fair admission is FREE with ALL ticket purchases including Homeschooling 101, KidsZone, Worldview Teen Track, and Chicago Homeschool Expo.