Kathleen Desmarais

“School’s” Back in Session

Kathleen — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:21:26 +0000

We start school tomorrow in my house. This is my favorite time of the school year! the beginning. I get all excited gathering materials (especially art materials–I love new paints, markers, pencils, crisp white paper). The anticipation of the school year really gets me gitty. I have all the school books neatly stacked with the [...]

Pandia Press Update

Kathleen — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:01:58 +0000

I’ve been putting off this post. You see, I don’t like being late. Okay, that’s an understatement. In fact it is my biggest pet peeve–running late and waiting on others who are late. When I was in college, I would rather have skipped a class than show up late. I once broke up with a [...]

R.E.A.L. Science Co-op

Kathleen — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:23:38 +0000

After hearing so much positive feedback from the many groups around the country (and in Canada and New Zealand) who are using R.E.A.L. Science with a co-op group, I decided to give it a shot myself. My son, Charlie (7), wanted to learn with some friends, so I put out an email to one of [...]

Pandia Press Update

Kathleen — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:27:40 +0000

I know it’s been awhile since I last posted. But while it’s been quiet here, it’s been crazy everywhere else for Pandia Press. So much to tell… As you know, I have been on a quest to get more science books written. Well in my zeal, I secured not one, but two science writers! I can’t [...]

Thank you to Poll Voters

Kathleen — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:38:26 +0000

Thanks to all of you who participated in my eBook poll. There was enough interest that it looks like I will be going ahead with eBooks. In fact Ancients 1 is almost ready. It has been tedious work getting the guide ready for an eBook. A lot more work than I had anticipated — hyperlinking [...]

Oh! The hectic homeschool and home business days!

Kathleen — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 20:41:54 +0000

Lately, it has been getting harder and harder to juggle my time between family and business. Some days I am so scattered I don’t think I accomplish a thing. My time is so stretched between kids, business, and housekeeping that it seems like none of it gets done. And now our house is on the [...]

Electronic Versions of Pandia Press Publications

Kathleen — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:59:55 +0000

I am in the process of evaluating the marketability of e-books and if Pandia Press publications should be offered as e-books through electronic downloads. These would be offered along side print copies with customers having a choice–hard copy or e-book. Electronic downloads offer several advantages for customers and for publishers. For customers: No waiting. Instantly receive your [...]

Why It Has Been So Hard to Find Science Writers

Kathleen — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 02:19:15 +0000

Every day I receive emails from customers wondering when the next R.E.A.L. Science book is going to be released. (Actually if I had a dollar for each time I hear this question, I could retire now. O.K., maybe not a dollar, but five would probably do it, I would like to retire well.) The [...]

Homeschool Day at Epcot

Kathleen — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:20:09 +0000

Last week my family took a much needed day off and went to Epcot in Orlando for “Homeschool Days.” On this day every year Disney offers a reduced rate to home schoolers and provides a short educational program (meeting employees of Epcot from different countries). We arrived too late for the educational part, but we [...]

The Evolution of Mathematics in the United States

Kathleen — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 13:13:20 +0000

Fifty Years of Math 1957 - 2007 1. Teaching Math In 1950s A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit ? 2. Teaching Math In 1960s A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or [...]

New Years’ Resolution - Create More Time for Business and Family

Kathleen — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 03:46:32 +0000

Happy 2008! Now is a great time to try some changes to your daily routine in order that you can have more time for your home business, home school, and family. I’ll admit that I am not the most organized person in the world. But having juggled home school with home business for several years [...]

Why Am I Paying For My Neighbors’ Education?

Kathleen — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 20:22:50 +0000

This time of the year, when I pay our property taxes, I always have to fight the urge to scream! This year my husband and I are paying over $2100 in the form of property taxes directly to the public school systems in two different counties. And that’s just the property [...]

Block Scheduling - Is It Good for Homeschool?

Kathleen — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 01:26:19 +0000

Yesterday I posted an entry advocating block scheduling for homeschool. While I still believe it to be a good option for homeschool, I am aware that block scheduling has its opponents. Block scheduling has been tried in public schools with varying degrees of success. It has become popular in public schools in Canada and the [...]

Block Schedule Your Homeschool

Kathleen — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 03:54:24 +0000

Block scheduling is something I have turned to many times throughout the last several years of homeschooling my children. I find it has been a huge time saver during those times when I have had confusing or complicated circumstances going on in my family–like the birth of a new baby, moving, or starting a [...]

History Odyssey Ancients Level 2 - Update

Kathleen — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 01:51:33 +0000

The revised edition of Ancients, level 2 is almost ready! It will be going to the printer next week and is scheduled to be ready for purchase by the end of this month. It will be available from Classical Home Education and Rainbow Resources has expressed an interest. The changes to the updated version are: New [...]