WHAT IS “STEP 2”?
STEP 2 is two years of secular, religion-friendly curriculum, designed for use by two kinds of students:
- Students ages 7-8
- Students who are developing literacy.

IS STEP 2 FOR HOMESCHOOLING?  OR THE CLASSROOM?
STEP 2 is independent study for homeschoolers, but works best when two or more students work (and play) together.

ARE STEPS 2 COURSES BOOKS?  HOW DO I GET THEM?
STEPS courses come as PDFs, online downloads.  When you purchase courses on our site, they are immediately sent to the email address you give us.

HOW DOES STEP 2 STUDY & LIFE SKILLS WORK?
Like all STEPS studies, STEP 2 courses are broken into daily lesson plans.  Each lesson plan is made up of small things to be done, in sequence.  What is read is right there in the lesson plan, no guess work, “writing” by the teacher or student, or hunting for materials needed.   The student does each step in the lesson plan, in order.  Sometimes, the course shows students some art work, video, or photography – all found in sequence, in the lesson plan.  And in every lesson plan, the student uses what has been taught and does things, sometimes in the form of games, but there are always activities.  There are eight Step 2 Study & Life Skills courses, and they’re generally done two per semester, for four semesters (two years of study).

Step 2 Study & Life Skills Courses develop literacy, while introducing ideas and skills essential for a young student’s survival and well-being. The very first course, one of our most successful, develops study skills, along with the ability to organize, make and carry out plans.  This is followed by a course that deals with nothing but fair trade with others.  Then, two courses deal with ways the student can maintain his own health, and assist those around him in this regard.  There is a course that covers things it is not a good idea to try at this age, another course of activities one should try.  Finally, the last two courses focus on ways the student can prepare for the more advanced and complex studies to follow.  These courses are very hands-on, and the student fully doing each course will “own” the ideas that will make more difficult and comprehensive studies to follow far easier.  The courses also develop life skills (like planning, health regimen, and critical thinking) which will prove invaluable in the years to follow.

Study & Life Skills is a series of courses which help the student understand and expand his control over the world around him.

As an example, in the first semester, the student learns how to handle money, how to use phones and the Internet safely, how to organize time to get good results, and similar skills. These courses are fun for the student, and are indispensable in helping orient him. There are several courses per semester, each one targeting specific areas of concern. These should be done twice weekly.

Some other areas covered include maintaining one's own health, dealing with others who are ill or injured, safety in and around cars, the development of study skills, planning and execution of plans, and other essential understandings and skills.

Let's add to this our Step 2 Reading & Spelling Programs.  No skill is more important to a student... any student... than literacy.  All of the student's successful studies rely on this one set of skills and understandings. We feel that extraordinary emphasis should be placed on this skill set.  The abilities to read and write are cornerstones in education, and without them, a student really has the cards stacked against him.

With that in mind, we have developed a special level of studies, Step 2, not just for ages 7-8, but also for the student who needs to develop literacy. Our spelling and reading program at this level is simple, effective, and proven.

Spelling is usually taught by providing the student lists of words they "should know how to spell". Who decides which words should be known to the student, by which age, and why? Well, apparently, everyone but the student. Such lists are not individualized, but are rather one-size-fits-all. As you will see in looking over our spelling program, that’s not how STEPS teaches spelling. Ours is a student-centric approach that may surprise you, but looking at it closely, we think you’ll be thrilled.

Our Reading Program is based around a teaching technique called "whole word recognition", rather than phonics. It can be used alongside phonics and any other study, but does not need to be.  We're only interested in what will work for the student.  There is no area of education more important than literacy, it simply has to work.  We provide an alternative to business-as-usual (phonics) that you may find of real use.  Additionally, we provide a lengthy recommended reading list, and even links to books that can be found to read on the Internet, which take a lot of the work hunting down appropriate reading out of the equation.  Reading should be fun.  It should be student-motivated and directed.

CAN I PURCHASE INDIVIDUAL STUDY & LIFE SKILLS COURSES TO FILL NEEDS IN MY CHILD’S EDUCATION?
Yes.  Each STEPS course is a free-standing, independent study.

CAN I PURCHASE THE FULL PROGRAM OF STUDY & LIFE SKILLS FOR STEP 2?
Yes, as two 1-year “bundles” on our site.  Bundles are the least expensive way to purchase STEPS courses.

HOW QUICKLY COULD I START USING STEPS 2 STUDY & LIFE SKILLS?
Start now.  You can start STEPS at any time of the year, 24/7/365.   Everything you need is pretty much included in the courses you will download, for STEP 2.

HOW MUCH DO I, THE TEACHER OR PARENT, NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STUDY & LIFE SKILLS IN ORDER TO USE STEPS?  HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO DO?
You (teacher/tutor/parent) do not need any expertise in subjects your student is studying, using STEPS.   Not as a teacher, or in the subjects being taught.  You do not need a degree, or experience as a teacher.  Each course does the “teaching”.

HOW QUICKLY CAN I MOVE MY STUDENT UP STEPS?
A student can move up at any time he has the literacy skills and maturity for the next level.  The student does not need to “complete” a lower level of curriculum to move up.  The student just needs to be able to successfully do the next higher level of curriculum as far as difficulty and literacy.  With STEPS, a student is never “behind” or “ahead” – each student moves at the pace they’re comfortable with, every step in every lesson plan, every course, and every level. 

SUCCESS STORIES ABOUT STEPS STUDY & LIFE SKILLS!
This course is terrific, my 8 yr old insisted on doing the second lesson immediately after finishing the first! The content is aimed at encouraging students to think deeper about their choices and their options. This is done simply, but VERY effectively. The message is easy to understand, but thought provoking and offers the student the means to be able to really comprehend the material. These are true Life Skills, I think they could even be used with older children with great results. –   by J.D. Homeschool Mom
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I want to tell you a story of a child sleepover my son enjoyed with a friend last night. One of the conditions for the sleepover was to allow time for the Study & Life Skills lesson before bedtime. This lesson happened to be about talking behind someone else’s back. 

During the do's, the three of us took turns talking behind the third person's back. A lively and imaginative interchange began in my son's mind as he thought of many situations where someone might talk behind someone's back and situations where he could put an end to it and how. We all took turns, two against one. Although my son's friend was given a number of opportunities to participate and was encouraged to do so, it was readily apparent that the thought processes of the two boys were very different. My son was thinking of many different scenarios where talking behinds someone else’s back might take place. His friend kept saying, I don't know. 

It is times like these that I fully realize what homeschooling combined with your curriculum had done for my child. Alex can really think and form his own opinions. Your Study & Life Skills curriculum takes my child well beyond the typical education of reading writing and arithmetic. My son can think and pursue his dreams. Thank you very much for giving me the tools to REALLY educate my son!

Our experience is from Things not to do and How not to do them. All of the lessons are good, but as I have told my son, some parents wish that they only taught their children how to avoid drug abuse. As usual, the lessons help a child to understand the reasons and to find their own opinions on the subject. I love your theme of using time in beneficial ways.  R.P., Homeschool Da