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LATEST
NEWS
Winter proper
1 July 2010
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The past month has been very exciting as we celebrated
a big birthday with family members from far afield. It was
lovely getting to know the family again and spending some time
together. They were fortunate to miss the worst of
the cold. This week we've been shivering during cold nights
and crisp days.
Spending more time cooped up in the
office means we've
added more books to the site. Some of these have been waiting
patiently on the shelf to get the opportunity to make an
appearance on the website.
The Core
A customer alerted us to
a wonderful book about classical
education:
The Core: Teaching Your Child the Foundations of
Classical Education.
In this
well-organised book author Leigh A Bortins gives clear guidance
on how to apply the foundations of classical learning in the
home environment. Although the book is aimed at the parents of
primary age students, Bortins gives plenty of suggestions for
use with older students. Read our
full review here.
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Teach Yourself Series
Talking about older
students, they have been neglected in our choice of books
reviewed in the newsletter. This month we are focusing on a few
titles from an interesting series that was first published in
1938 and which has grown to include more than 500 titles, "from
Arabic and Beekeeping to Yoga and Zulu"!
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If you want us to find a title
that suits your interests, just ask.
Teach Yourself: Good Study Skills
This is a practical book that is readable and to the
point. Not everyone knows how to go about absorbing
knowledge effectively. Not everyone has an aptitude for
it. But whatever your aptitude, the way that you go
about learning makes a big difference, and there is a
lot of practical know-how that can be taught. This book
does that.
It starts with practical suggestions about setting aside
a place and time to study, and outlines how to put
together a work plan. Once that is arranged, the book
provides useful tips in developing the skills, from
note-taking and critical thinking, through research –
including computer-based research.
A
worthwhile purchase for all who sometimes struggle to
get down to studying – and that includes most of us! Age
14+
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Teach Yourself: Basic Accounting
For those
of us who are starting out with no knowledge of accountancy this
will provide more than the basics. Taking a step-by-step
approach it introduces the reader to basic concepts and
principles, while focusing on the practicalities of business
accounting. All the bases are covered, including PAYE, cashflow
statements, accounting for share capital and non-financial
reporting. Explanations are practical and down-to-earth and use
simple examples.
Basic Accounting would be useful
not only for anyone facing an accounting examination, but also
for those who are running a business and would like to
understand the basics of recording and managing the financial
side of a business.
A practical, down-to-earth guide that illustrates
basic principles and concepts with reference to concrete
examples and situations. Age 14+
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Teach Yourself: Writing Essays and Dissertations
This is a really useful work, and not just for school pupils or
beginners. Packed with valuable guidance, insights and advice,
this text may be a tough read for many school pupils, but is a
comprehensive guide and well worth the effort. After all,
writing a good essay involves clarity of thought and effective
use of language – core skills of crucial relevance, not just for
students of English.
Read
this from cover to cover, or use as a reference work, covering
as it does all aspects of essay-writing, from understanding how
markers think, to punctuation and reference techniques.
Age
14+
Colouring Books
Some more titles
in our growing collection of Dover colouring books:
Life in Ancient Polynesia,
Life in Old Japan,
Holidays Around the World and
All About the Weather. These are
more than mere colouring books. They sport extensive captions
providing interesting information turning these titles into
excellent resources.
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You can also see
previous
newsletters in this format.
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Website
of the Month
We all love music and therefore this month we
are sharing with you the Canadian National Arts Centre's site
for music teaching,
Arts Alive. Here you'll find complete resource kits
featuring the life, times and work of four classical composers.
Included are some cross-curricular activities, teacher's notes
and student pages. Although some are Canada-specific, most can
be adapted with very little effort. Scroll further down that
webpage to find more activities and information on an additional
six composers. This wonderful site can save a lot of preparation
time!
Please provide parental guidance for children using the internet.
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About Us
This month it is Sebastian's turn to tell you
a little about himself:
I am almost 18 and have been homeschooled for
5 years. At the moment I am doing a TAFE Certificate III in
Media, through distance education, and some other subjects such
as philosphy and C++ (with tutors). My interests include making/modifying
games and reading, although I don't get much time to do either
at the moment.
I enjoy reading social and
satirical fantasy and sci-fi. These genres focus on the
sociological and ethical problems of fictional civilisations,
commenting on the similarities with today's human society.
Some of my favourite books are the Enderverse
books by Orson Scott Card, the Discworld series by Terry
Pratchett and the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling.
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Contact
Us
We always
welcome your suggestions and comments. We can also find books
that are not on our site, so just ask if you want us to help you
find something.
Happy reading!
Elsa, Peter, Seb & Lila
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