Who is this Terrie Lynn Bittner, Anyway?
Terrie Lynn Bittner is a freelance writer living in the Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania. Growing up in a house which had books falling from shelves, poking out from under sofas, and stacked in every odd corner, Terrie naturally became curious about the people who wrote her books. Her mother taught her how to create her own stories and was Terrie’s personal creative writing coach. Her father helped her learn to explore the world as an independent scholar.
She married Lincoln Bittner in 1980 and is the mother of three children. When she is not writing, she enjoys computers, reading, family history and teaching. Together, she and her husband own TML Business Services. Terrie volunteers as an ESL teacher and literacy leader through her church.
Terrie has published in various educational, religious, historical and family publications both online and off. Her publishing credits include LD Online, Education World, Homeschool Horizons Magazine, Ensign, New Era, Liahona, Feminista, Teach at Home, Canada5.com, and Heroines in History, She has written online columns for several sites and currently writes a weekly column on writing nonfiction at BellaOnline.com.
Terrie began formally homeschooling her children thirteen years ago, although she had preschooled them and supplemented their educations all their lives. Early in her homeschooling career, Terrie became frustrated by the unrealistic portrayal of homeschooling she found in most books, and later on the Internet. When she began her web page, now called Treasured Time, she was challenged by a reader to tell the truth about homeschooling. She continued that mission when she wrote a homeschooling column. Her goal has been to show parents how they can successfully teach their children regardless of disability, organizational skills, lack of education or other challenges that might seem to stand in the way. She believes that successful homeschooling requires little more than love and desire and her first homeschooling book promotes this ideal.
Her second book, due out this year, shows parents how to prepare their toddlers and preschoolers for school, whether it is to be a traditional school or a homeschool. She does not believe the current rhetoric that good school preparation can only be done by trained professionals. A mom who can potty train a child can most certainly teach him his letters, shapes, and numbers, and can help him learn to share and play nicely with others.
About Princess Ashilyn Michelle: The lovely little princess is the creation of my friend Michelle Anne Cope . She (the princess, not Michelle) is named after my goddaughter Ashilyn and, of course, the artist. She wanders around the site handing out free advice and will later get her own section of the website. She is very impatient and will nag me until her section is created! Her little firefly is named Sparky.
Reviews of first book:
Publishers Weekly, November 22, 2004
Calls the book "down-to-earth and practical" and says, "Designed to empower the novice toward home-schooling success, this book is friendly, reassuring and endlessly supportive, and, like a very well-informed neighbor"
Read full review on my publisher's page
Booklist (American Library Association)Booklist, November 15, 2004 p. 536
calls the book "honest and commonsensical...This is an encouraging and helpful resource for parents considering homeschooling their children."
"What a wonderful resource! This book could have saved me buckets of frustration had it been around when I began homeschooling. What a gift to any parent who doesn't feel they're up to the task of homeschooling. Instead of sharing yet more 'Super Mom' stories, Terrie addresses real concerns in a way that disarms the fear and boosts the confidence. It is like sharing a cup of tea with the successful, resourceful 'homeschooling friend' you always wished you had."
—Carol Barnier, author of How To Get Your Child Off the Refrigerator and on to Learning and If I'm Diapering A Watermelon Then Where'd I Put the Baby?
Terrie's book is a great help for parents who doubt their ability to homeschool. She's right—you CAN do this! Even if you are perfectly ordinary parents with foibles, strengths and weaknesses. As she points out, you really need only two traits: mostly patience with children and a willingness to be flexible, and not to throw in the towel, sending the kids back to school the first time there are tears when something doesn't go right. And your homeschool days won't always be ideal. Terrie knows that some days, especially around holidays, kids will feel they are missing out on school parties. She talks to you like a friend who has gone the way before, giving you encouragement, whether you are homeschooling one child or several, or trying to teach older children while there is still a baby in the home. Some planning is key to success, but don't feel you have to adhere to a minute-by-minute plan. A daily and weekly routine will do. Best of all, Terrie points out that it is easy for homeschoolers to plan in plenty of activity into our days! No need to sit for hours each day! Learning can be fun and sort of silly at times. Relax! You CAN do this!"
—Ann Zeise
Creator of the Web site: A to Z Home's Cool, one of the internet's largest homeschool web sites,
http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com
