Education that unleashes the creative spirit.
By Jeremiah Vandermeer
Published: December 16, 2005
From The Tyee (Online)
The Navigator
Bashu Naimi-Roy is a smart kid.
"In college, the students are like customers," he says matter-of-factly, "but in high school, they're more like…"
He pauses for just long enough for his mother, Anita Roy, to finish his sentence.
"Prisoners," she says and laughs. "I just had to throw that in. It's true though."
At age 12, Bashu was the youngest student ever to enroll at Malaspina University-College. He's 13 now and still studying there.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Monday, December 19, 2005
Homeschooling requires dedication from parents
Families choose to accept responsibility of educating their children
By BOB HANEY
Staff Writer
(Staff Photo by Bob Haney) Emma Hoard, 4, and her brother, Ethan, 2, are being homeschooled by their mother, Rebecca Hoard. Emma is able to read sentences and plays the piano and violin. Ethan spends part of his day working with the usual prekindergarten activities such as puzzles and coloring.
This is the third article in a four part series on the topic of homeschooling. In this article, seven mothers with varying experience in homeschooling explain why they chose this educational option for their children.
April Struckhoff knew from birth she couldnít turn her daughter over to someone else to raise ó to teach their values, their beliefs, and to teach them on their timetable.
After reading ìThe Successful Family Homeschool Handbook,î by Dorothy and Raymond Moore, Struckhoff felt she could do homeschooling; however, her husband was not in favor of it. He felt that public school was fine, but, he now supports the endeavor.
By BOB HANEY
Staff Writer
(Staff Photo by Bob Haney) Emma Hoard, 4, and her brother, Ethan, 2, are being homeschooled by their mother, Rebecca Hoard. Emma is able to read sentences and plays the piano and violin. Ethan spends part of his day working with the usual prekindergarten activities such as puzzles and coloring.
This is the third article in a four part series on the topic of homeschooling. In this article, seven mothers with varying experience in homeschooling explain why they chose this educational option for their children.
April Struckhoff knew from birth she couldnít turn her daughter over to someone else to raise ó to teach their values, their beliefs, and to teach them on their timetable.
After reading ìThe Successful Family Homeschool Handbook,î by Dorothy and Raymond Moore, Struckhoff felt she could do homeschooling; however, her husband was not in favor of it. He felt that public school was fine, but, he now supports the endeavor.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Homeschool elves
So many things for groups of homeschoolers to do... here's another idea -
From Mt Shasta News - to read story click on the title above.
By Paul Boerger Updated: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 12:20 PM PST
The 8th Annual Homeschool Elves Workshop saw homeschoolers of all ages gather at the Mt. Shasta City Park to make Christmas decorations and gifts from a wide variety of arts and crafts materials.
Dozens of homeschoolers made Christmas decorations and other hands-on projects during the Eighth Annual Homeschool Elves Workshop Friday at Mt. Shasta City Park
From Mt Shasta News - to read story click on the title above.
By Paul Boerger Updated: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 12:20 PM PST
The 8th Annual Homeschool Elves Workshop saw homeschoolers of all ages gather at the Mt. Shasta City Park to make Christmas decorations and gifts from a wide variety of arts and crafts materials.
Dozens of homeschoolers made Christmas decorations and other hands-on projects during the Eighth Annual Homeschool Elves Workshop Friday at Mt. Shasta City Park
Homeschool elves
So many things for groups of homeschoolers to do... here's another idea -
From Mt Shasta News - to read story click on the title above.
By Paul Boerger Updated: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 12:20 PM PST
The 8th Annual Homeschool Elves Workshop saw homeschoolers of all ages gather at the Mt. Shasta City Park to make Christmas decorations and gifts from a wide variety of arts and crafts materials.
Dozens of homeschoolers made Christmas decorations and other hands-on projects during the Eighth Annual Homeschool Elves Workshop Friday at Mt. Shasta City Park
From Mt Shasta News - to read story click on the title above.
By Paul Boerger Updated: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 12:20 PM PST
The 8th Annual Homeschool Elves Workshop saw homeschoolers of all ages gather at the Mt. Shasta City Park to make Christmas decorations and gifts from a wide variety of arts and crafts materials.
Dozens of homeschoolers made Christmas decorations and other hands-on projects during the Eighth Annual Homeschool Elves Workshop Friday at Mt. Shasta City Park
Monday, December 12, 2005
Mothers Share Reasons for Homeschooling
Mothers share reasons for homeschooling
Dice, Ferguson enjoy opportunity to see their children learn
By BOB HANEY
from Salem-Times-Commoner (To read article, click on title.)
by Bob Haney
Staff Writer
This is the second of a multi-part series on homeschooling, a trend being followed by nearly two million students in America. As part of the research for this series, nearly three hours was spent with nine mothers who are homeschooling their children. Two of the nine are veterans of homeschooling, one having started over 20 years ago and the other having eight years of experience educating her children.
Jim and Cindy Dice began homeschooling their children in 1982. They hadn't even heard of this education option until Cindy heard a tape on homeschooling by Raymond and Dorothy Moore, home schooling advocates.
Dice, Ferguson enjoy opportunity to see their children learn
By BOB HANEY
from Salem-Times-Commoner (To read article, click on title.)
by Bob Haney
Staff Writer
This is the second of a multi-part series on homeschooling, a trend being followed by nearly two million students in America. As part of the research for this series, nearly three hours was spent with nine mothers who are homeschooling their children. Two of the nine are veterans of homeschooling, one having started over 20 years ago and the other having eight years of experience educating her children.
Jim and Cindy Dice began homeschooling their children in 1982. They hadn't even heard of this education option until Cindy heard a tape on homeschooling by Raymond and Dorothy Moore, home schooling advocates.
Homeschool Academic Achievements
by Debra Dragon, Homeschooling Columnist Note-niks.net
Whenever the topic of homeschooling is mentioned, people inevitably want to know how well the average homeschooled child is doing academically.
"Some people argue that parents should not be legally allowed to teach their children in their homes unless they themselves have been educated and formally trained as a teacher."
While standardized test scores are often used as the basis for evaluating academic achievements, the tests in of themselves are controversial as to whether they are testing the child’s knowledge, or just their ability to take tests. Nevertheless, over the years, hundreds of these studies have been conducted in an effort to compare the academic achievements of homeschooled children versus those who are traditionally schooled. The results are positive: one study of 5,402 homeschool students entitled: “Strengths of Their Own: Home Schoolers Across America”, released in 1997, indicated that, on average, homeschooled children outscored traditionally-schooled children by around 34 percentile points across all subject matters.
To read entire article, click on the title.
Whenever the topic of homeschooling is mentioned, people inevitably want to know how well the average homeschooled child is doing academically.
"Some people argue that parents should not be legally allowed to teach their children in their homes unless they themselves have been educated and formally trained as a teacher."
While standardized test scores are often used as the basis for evaluating academic achievements, the tests in of themselves are controversial as to whether they are testing the child’s knowledge, or just their ability to take tests. Nevertheless, over the years, hundreds of these studies have been conducted in an effort to compare the academic achievements of homeschooled children versus those who are traditionally schooled. The results are positive: one study of 5,402 homeschool students entitled: “Strengths of Their Own: Home Schoolers Across America”, released in 1997, indicated that, on average, homeschooled children outscored traditionally-schooled children by around 34 percentile points across all subject matters.
To read entire article, click on the title.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Homeschooling trend growing in America
From the Salem Times-Commoner
Click on the Title to Read the Article
by Bob Haney Staff Writer
This is the first of a multi-part series on homeschooling, a trend that has consistently grown in popularity across North America. The series will be featured in the next few Friday editions off the Times-Commoner. This story is written as an informational article to help our readers stay abreast of national trends that affect the local area.
The information for this series of articles was taken from educational research, articles written by both opponents and proponents of home schooling, as well as interviews with families that have adopted homeschooling as their choice for educating their children.
"Homeschooling isn't for everyone," said one mother. ìIt is a calling. It takes dedication and a willingness to spend most of your time with your children.î
Across this vast nation, a trend is taking shape that began in the 1980s with a handful of dedicated parents who felt it best for their children to be removed from the educational systems of the country in favor of the mother and/or father educating them at home. It has grown considerably since then.
Click on the Title to Read the Article
by Bob Haney Staff Writer
This is the first of a multi-part series on homeschooling, a trend that has consistently grown in popularity across North America. The series will be featured in the next few Friday editions off the Times-Commoner. This story is written as an informational article to help our readers stay abreast of national trends that affect the local area.
The information for this series of articles was taken from educational research, articles written by both opponents and proponents of home schooling, as well as interviews with families that have adopted homeschooling as their choice for educating their children.
"Homeschooling isn't for everyone," said one mother. ìIt is a calling. It takes dedication and a willingness to spend most of your time with your children.î
Across this vast nation, a trend is taking shape that began in the 1980s with a handful of dedicated parents who felt it best for their children to be removed from the educational systems of the country in favor of the mother and/or father educating them at home. It has grown considerably since then.
Not Homeschooling? What's Your Excuse?
From The American Daily
By Tricia Smith Vaughan (12/04/05)
My favorite excuse is “but the schools here are so wonderful!” The parent will go on and on about how little Johnny or JoEllen is learning the clarinet or Chinese or times tables in their local public kindergarten, something that Johnny or JoEllen’s mommy and daddy claim not to be smart enough to teach. If you think that I’m being demeaning to the mommy or daddy, I am merely repeating what he or she has told me.
I’ve had moms of four-year-olds tell me how much their child is learning, things that the mom says that she couldn’t possibly teach. When I pry with a question or two, I find that what I’m teaching my child at home is at least as good as what Johnny or JoEllen is learning at preschool or kindergarten. And if we need to find a clarinet teacher, we will.
My just-turned-five-year-old has not spent a day in a government institution of learning and yet, he talks with ease to adults, knows his alphabet, writes words correctly with an adult’s spelling help, and works hard at learning to read. From all accounts, he’s just as smart as the heavily schooled.
What’s placed the idea in our heads that the government can educate our children better than we can is none other than our public school system, the government darling of our unconstitutional Department of Education. Most of us grew up with the government’s feeding us lunch, teaching us knowledge and values, and suggesting what careers we should have, all under the guise of educating us. Is it any wonder that we allow this seemingly benevolent entity to provide an education to our children?
Continue reading this article by clicking on the title.
By Tricia Smith Vaughan (12/04/05)
My favorite excuse is “but the schools here are so wonderful!” The parent will go on and on about how little Johnny or JoEllen is learning the clarinet or Chinese or times tables in their local public kindergarten, something that Johnny or JoEllen’s mommy and daddy claim not to be smart enough to teach. If you think that I’m being demeaning to the mommy or daddy, I am merely repeating what he or she has told me.
I’ve had moms of four-year-olds tell me how much their child is learning, things that the mom says that she couldn’t possibly teach. When I pry with a question or two, I find that what I’m teaching my child at home is at least as good as what Johnny or JoEllen is learning at preschool or kindergarten. And if we need to find a clarinet teacher, we will.
My just-turned-five-year-old has not spent a day in a government institution of learning and yet, he talks with ease to adults, knows his alphabet, writes words correctly with an adult’s spelling help, and works hard at learning to read. From all accounts, he’s just as smart as the heavily schooled.
What’s placed the idea in our heads that the government can educate our children better than we can is none other than our public school system, the government darling of our unconstitutional Department of Education. Most of us grew up with the government’s feeding us lunch, teaching us knowledge and values, and suggesting what careers we should have, all under the guise of educating us. Is it any wonder that we allow this seemingly benevolent entity to provide an education to our children?
Continue reading this article by clicking on the title.
Friday, December 02, 2005
This Christmas Give Gifts for Learning
Our two homeschooling families used to sit around the kitchen table doing these puzzles at one or the other of our homes. The kids complained a bit when the adults took over the puzzles, but hey…we deserved some fun, too.
This is a great article (almost a review) of some of the greatest toys that can also be used in your children's homeschool learning...
Click on title to read the whole article.
This is a great article (almost a review) of some of the greatest toys that can also be used in your children's homeschool learning...
Click on title to read the whole article.
Close to Homeschooled
Close to Homeschooled
Experts say homeschoolers enter college better prepared for the challenge.
by Brianna Bailey
December 01, 2005
Carolyn Sandonato, entrepeneurship junior, had never seen the inside of a classroom until her first day of college.
“It definitely took some getting used to,” Sandonato said.
Like a small but growing number of college students, Sandonato was homeschooled from kindergarten through 12th grade.
In the 2005 freshman class at OU, 22 students were homeschooled, according to OU Institutional Research and Reporting.
For full story - click on the title.
Experts say homeschoolers enter college better prepared for the challenge.
by Brianna Bailey
December 01, 2005
Carolyn Sandonato, entrepeneurship junior, had never seen the inside of a classroom until her first day of college.
“It definitely took some getting used to,” Sandonato said.
Like a small but growing number of college students, Sandonato was homeschooled from kindergarten through 12th grade.
In the 2005 freshman class at OU, 22 students were homeschooled, according to OU Institutional Research and Reporting.
For full story - click on the title.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Home Educator's Family Times News Online
Freedom to Learn Who You Are by Rebecca Auerbach
Perhaps the most common argument against homeschooling is that children who do not experience the school social scene, especially in high school, will never be able to learn how to handle the difficult aspects of relating to peers. After their "sheltered," "protected" lives as homeschoolers, they will enter college or the adult world incapable of fitting in, coping with peer pressure, or making friends. But as a graduate of twelve years of homeschooling who now attends college and lives on campus, I have found that my homeschool background is largely an advantage. Homeschooling gave me the opportunity to become sure of my identity, my priorities, and my beliefs. Now I can meet the college social scene with confidence, free to choose my level of conformity without doubting myself or becoming a slave to the judgments of my peers.
How Homeschooling Isolates Me by Rachel Cote (Homeschool Student Guest Editorial)
Homeschooling is a wonderful thing. I think it's a lot better than public or private school. Home schooling isolates me, but in a different way. It isolates me in a good way.
Adding Humor (and Fun) to Homeschooling by Lois Corcoran
Home schooling is one of the most serious responsibilities one can undertake, but that doesn't mean it must be a somber experience. Not only does humor generate enthusiasm, it increases the likelihood of retaining knowledge.
That said, how can we inject levity into the learning process’ Here are some ideas for a variety of subjects and grade levels:
Much Too Early by David Elkind
Children must master the language of things before they master the language of words.”—Friedrich Froebel, Pedagogics of the Kindergarten, 1895
In one sentence, Froebel, father of the kindergarten, expressed the essence of early-childhood education. Children are not born knowing the difference between red and green, sweet and sour, rough and smooth, cold and hot, or any number of physical sensations. The natural world is the infant’s and young child’s first curriculum, and it can only be learned by direct interaction with things. There is no way a young child can learn the difference between sweet and sour, rough and smooth, hot and cold without tasting, touching, or feeling something. Learning about the world of things, and their various properties, is a time-consuming and intense process that cannot be hurried.
Dads: How to Have a Presence in Your Absence by Derek Carter
Working outside the home has always frustrated me because I always want to connect with my kids in a tangible way. It has long been documented that a father's proactive presence in the home really seals a child's success. I have worked with families in crisis for over twenty years and have seen the agony of fatherlessness up close in fragmented families, and the long term personal and societal pain. Thus, I have always wanted to really spend quality time with my family. This desire was intensified the more when my wife and I decided to home school our children. I was convinced more than ever that I needed to have a strong presence.
Men of Character, Boys of Fortune by Rebecca Hagelin
Picture the scene: Boys and their parents gathered to discuss a “youthful indiscretion” and its consequences. I was once at such a meeting, and I was struck by the thought that what America needs perhaps more than anything else is fathers who will father.
Decluttering Our Lives by Cheryl Carter
All of us recognize that clutter is a deadly vice in our lives; none of us will argue with that assertion. It is just that we do not know how to begin to de-clutter our lives. So let's get to the root of the problem. Much of our clutter is accumulated because of fear. We hold onto things because we think we will need them one day. I have worked with clients buried in masses of clothing but afraid to throw any of it away, because they thought that one day, they might need it. Unfortunately, what they could not see was that even if they really needed it one day, they would not be able to locate it because they were buried in clutter.
Have Kids Will Travel by Dale Bartlett
When the Bartlett family goes on vacation it isn't just around the corner. They have traveled the world visiting such places as England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and many more. They have accomplished this for less than the average family spends for a week at Disneyland. Dale and Michelle Bartlett have four children, and to say the six of them have the travel bug would be an understatement. They have however, found incredible ways to travel the world, most of the time for the cost of food and fun.
How Do I Know if My Child Gets It? by Kathryn Stout
It's easy to believe a child "gets it" when he answers a question using the exact words he just heard or read. Actually, all that proves is a good memory. I used questions from a study guide for discussion of a book I hadn't read, and, at first, wasn't sure whether or not the student I was tutoring was quoting the book. His answer to the third question, however, seemed unusual. I asked what he meant by "erratic." He then confessed that he had no idea what the word meant, but that's what the book said (and he was right). Even after using a dictionary to find its meaning, he could not explain how it fit the context.
The Farmer and the Teacher by Shirley M.R. Minster
A farmer works in all seasons. He is a futurist, always looking to future but not forgetting the present and the past. He knows that by being prepared, he will save time. The soil is continually studies and a timeframe is followed. There is a time for the ground to lie fallow so it will be better prepared for the next season of growth. Once the harvest is complete, the resting begins. Not for the farmer, though. He has many steps to take so that the soil will be its strongest for its next job of providing sustenance to plants. The farmer walks his land for closer inspection, checking the soil for moisture content and removing stones so young plants will not be hindered in their growth. Then fertilizer is added to restore nutrients. Lastly, the soil is tilled, turning it over to mix the fertilizer in and to allow the air to do its part.
Breakfast in Moonlight by Jon Remmerde
We had many interruptions of our scheduled home schooling classes, and it never bothered any of us. We all understood that learning was not confined to classes but came from the entire process of living.
College Visits: Worth the Trip by Lynn Scully
After my last student went out to his car and was out of earshot, his concerned mother agonized, “He doesn't seem interested in college at all! When we ask him where he wants to go, he shrugs. Big? Small? Private? Close to home? We get no response! I don't know if he is just lazy, or if he doesn't really want to go. It's as if he wants us to do all the work!”
Math SAT Tip - Mind and Body by Larry Shiller
This Math Tidbit marks our first foray into helping students ace the math SAT. It is excerpted from my new book 100 Days/100 Ways to Ace the New Math SAT.
Inseparable...
To take care of your mind you must take care of your body: Think of your SAT test as a sports event for your brain and you will realize that mind and body training start well before the test.
Profession Found by Peter Kowalke
Unschoolers at College
Recently I set a Hampshire College record for youngest student to run the campus newspaper. Well, technically I might not have been the youngest-I entered Hampshire a few months ago as a 19-year-old transfer-student, and I'm probably not the first 19-year-old to run the paper. I am the most green, however, having been at Hampshire less than a semester.
Public School Access by Michele Giroux
While it is steadily becoming a trend for individual states to permit homeschoolers to have wide range public school access in the U.S., relatively few homeschooling families actually use this resource.
Those Awful Gimmes by Dr. Renee Fuller
The screams from the raging child were deafening. She had thrown herself on the tile floor of the discount house shaking her four-year old fists and even legs at her mother. The mother looked tired, overwrought, at the end of her tether. It had been one of those days.
Perhaps the most common argument against homeschooling is that children who do not experience the school social scene, especially in high school, will never be able to learn how to handle the difficult aspects of relating to peers. After their "sheltered," "protected" lives as homeschoolers, they will enter college or the adult world incapable of fitting in, coping with peer pressure, or making friends. But as a graduate of twelve years of homeschooling who now attends college and lives on campus, I have found that my homeschool background is largely an advantage. Homeschooling gave me the opportunity to become sure of my identity, my priorities, and my beliefs. Now I can meet the college social scene with confidence, free to choose my level of conformity without doubting myself or becoming a slave to the judgments of my peers.
How Homeschooling Isolates Me by Rachel Cote (Homeschool Student Guest Editorial)
Homeschooling is a wonderful thing. I think it's a lot better than public or private school. Home schooling isolates me, but in a different way. It isolates me in a good way.
Adding Humor (and Fun) to Homeschooling by Lois Corcoran
Home schooling is one of the most serious responsibilities one can undertake, but that doesn't mean it must be a somber experience. Not only does humor generate enthusiasm, it increases the likelihood of retaining knowledge.
That said, how can we inject levity into the learning process’ Here are some ideas for a variety of subjects and grade levels:
Much Too Early by David Elkind
Children must master the language of things before they master the language of words.”—Friedrich Froebel, Pedagogics of the Kindergarten, 1895
In one sentence, Froebel, father of the kindergarten, expressed the essence of early-childhood education. Children are not born knowing the difference between red and green, sweet and sour, rough and smooth, cold and hot, or any number of physical sensations. The natural world is the infant’s and young child’s first curriculum, and it can only be learned by direct interaction with things. There is no way a young child can learn the difference between sweet and sour, rough and smooth, hot and cold without tasting, touching, or feeling something. Learning about the world of things, and their various properties, is a time-consuming and intense process that cannot be hurried.
Dads: How to Have a Presence in Your Absence by Derek Carter
Working outside the home has always frustrated me because I always want to connect with my kids in a tangible way. It has long been documented that a father's proactive presence in the home really seals a child's success. I have worked with families in crisis for over twenty years and have seen the agony of fatherlessness up close in fragmented families, and the long term personal and societal pain. Thus, I have always wanted to really spend quality time with my family. This desire was intensified the more when my wife and I decided to home school our children. I was convinced more than ever that I needed to have a strong presence.
Men of Character, Boys of Fortune by Rebecca Hagelin
Picture the scene: Boys and their parents gathered to discuss a “youthful indiscretion” and its consequences. I was once at such a meeting, and I was struck by the thought that what America needs perhaps more than anything else is fathers who will father.
Decluttering Our Lives by Cheryl Carter
All of us recognize that clutter is a deadly vice in our lives; none of us will argue with that assertion. It is just that we do not know how to begin to de-clutter our lives. So let's get to the root of the problem. Much of our clutter is accumulated because of fear. We hold onto things because we think we will need them one day. I have worked with clients buried in masses of clothing but afraid to throw any of it away, because they thought that one day, they might need it. Unfortunately, what they could not see was that even if they really needed it one day, they would not be able to locate it because they were buried in clutter.
Have Kids Will Travel by Dale Bartlett
When the Bartlett family goes on vacation it isn't just around the corner. They have traveled the world visiting such places as England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and many more. They have accomplished this for less than the average family spends for a week at Disneyland. Dale and Michelle Bartlett have four children, and to say the six of them have the travel bug would be an understatement. They have however, found incredible ways to travel the world, most of the time for the cost of food and fun.
How Do I Know if My Child Gets It? by Kathryn Stout
It's easy to believe a child "gets it" when he answers a question using the exact words he just heard or read. Actually, all that proves is a good memory. I used questions from a study guide for discussion of a book I hadn't read, and, at first, wasn't sure whether or not the student I was tutoring was quoting the book. His answer to the third question, however, seemed unusual. I asked what he meant by "erratic." He then confessed that he had no idea what the word meant, but that's what the book said (and he was right). Even after using a dictionary to find its meaning, he could not explain how it fit the context.
The Farmer and the Teacher by Shirley M.R. Minster
A farmer works in all seasons. He is a futurist, always looking to future but not forgetting the present and the past. He knows that by being prepared, he will save time. The soil is continually studies and a timeframe is followed. There is a time for the ground to lie fallow so it will be better prepared for the next season of growth. Once the harvest is complete, the resting begins. Not for the farmer, though. He has many steps to take so that the soil will be its strongest for its next job of providing sustenance to plants. The farmer walks his land for closer inspection, checking the soil for moisture content and removing stones so young plants will not be hindered in their growth. Then fertilizer is added to restore nutrients. Lastly, the soil is tilled, turning it over to mix the fertilizer in and to allow the air to do its part.
Breakfast in Moonlight by Jon Remmerde
We had many interruptions of our scheduled home schooling classes, and it never bothered any of us. We all understood that learning was not confined to classes but came from the entire process of living.
College Visits: Worth the Trip by Lynn Scully
After my last student went out to his car and was out of earshot, his concerned mother agonized, “He doesn't seem interested in college at all! When we ask him where he wants to go, he shrugs. Big? Small? Private? Close to home? We get no response! I don't know if he is just lazy, or if he doesn't really want to go. It's as if he wants us to do all the work!”
Math SAT Tip - Mind and Body by Larry Shiller
This Math Tidbit marks our first foray into helping students ace the math SAT. It is excerpted from my new book 100 Days/100 Ways to Ace the New Math SAT.
Inseparable...
To take care of your mind you must take care of your body: Think of your SAT test as a sports event for your brain and you will realize that mind and body training start well before the test.
Profession Found by Peter Kowalke
Unschoolers at College
Recently I set a Hampshire College record for youngest student to run the campus newspaper. Well, technically I might not have been the youngest-I entered Hampshire a few months ago as a 19-year-old transfer-student, and I'm probably not the first 19-year-old to run the paper. I am the most green, however, having been at Hampshire less than a semester.
Public School Access by Michele Giroux
While it is steadily becoming a trend for individual states to permit homeschoolers to have wide range public school access in the U.S., relatively few homeschooling families actually use this resource.
Those Awful Gimmes by Dr. Renee Fuller
The screams from the raging child were deafening. She had thrown herself on the tile floor of the discount house shaking her four-year old fists and even legs at her mother. The mother looked tired, overwrought, at the end of her tether. It had been one of those days.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Slayings highlight how easily teens can keep secrets from their parents
(Every parent and family needs to be vigilant.)
By KATHLEEN BRADY SHEA and SANDY BAUERS, Knight Ridder Newspapers
PHILADELPHIA – Perfect parents. Perfect home. Perfect kids. Or so it seemed.
Then, unbelievably, two families in agony. A community in shock.
The double-murder case in Lititz, Pa., – 18-year-old David Ludwig charged with shooting the parents of his secret girlfriend, Kara Beth Borden, a 14-year-old he met in their Christian homeschooling network – has provoked more than speculation about the Nov. 13 incident itself.
It has caused a wave of anxiety among many parents in the region, who wonder if anything ever truly is what it seems with their children.
“It’s so frightening,” said Kathy Roth of Lititz, mother of an 18-year-old daughter who has graduated from high school and lives at home.
You monitor them, you stay observant, you lead by example, “but what if it’s not enough?” Roth asked. “I guess you just never know. That’s the scary part.”
The Bordens and Ludwigs were, by all accounts, involved in their children’s lives.
Zach Acox, who went to school with the oldest of the five Borden children and has set up a trust fund for the family, said the Bordens were loving, supportive and “devoted” to their children.
Michael Borden, who worked at a scientific publisher in Ephrata, Pa., was an elder and a popular Sunday school teacher at his evangelical Plymouth Brethren church. His wife, Cathryn, was educating the family’s three school-age children, including Kara Beth, who baby-sat, was a fan of Christian rock bands and loved to play soccer. The parents had laid down the law
By KATHLEEN BRADY SHEA and SANDY BAUERS, Knight Ridder Newspapers
PHILADELPHIA – Perfect parents. Perfect home. Perfect kids. Or so it seemed.
Then, unbelievably, two families in agony. A community in shock.
The double-murder case in Lititz, Pa., – 18-year-old David Ludwig charged with shooting the parents of his secret girlfriend, Kara Beth Borden, a 14-year-old he met in their Christian homeschooling network – has provoked more than speculation about the Nov. 13 incident itself.
It has caused a wave of anxiety among many parents in the region, who wonder if anything ever truly is what it seems with their children.
“It’s so frightening,” said Kathy Roth of Lititz, mother of an 18-year-old daughter who has graduated from high school and lives at home.
You monitor them, you stay observant, you lead by example, “but what if it’s not enough?” Roth asked. “I guess you just never know. That’s the scary part.”
The Bordens and Ludwigs were, by all accounts, involved in their children’s lives.
Zach Acox, who went to school with the oldest of the five Borden children and has set up a trust fund for the family, said the Bordens were loving, supportive and “devoted” to their children.
Michael Borden, who worked at a scientific publisher in Ephrata, Pa., was an elder and a popular Sunday school teacher at his evangelical Plymouth Brethren church. His wife, Cathryn, was educating the family’s three school-age children, including Kara Beth, who baby-sat, was a fan of Christian rock bands and loved to play soccer. The parents had laid down the law
Monday, November 28, 2005
Have Kids Will Travel
When the Bartlett family goes on vacation it isn't just around the corner. These homeschoolers have traveled the world visiting such places as England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and many more. They have accomplished this for less than the average family spends for a week at Disneyland. Dale and Michelle Bartlett have four children, and to say the six of them have the travel bug would be an understatement. They have however, found incredible ways to travel the world, most of the time for the cost of food and fun.
10-year-old girl going on 20
‘10-year-old going on 20’
Youth waits on tables — and adulthood
November 28, 2005
By JOANIE BAKER
Index-Journal staff writer
There have been many jaws dropping at T.W. Boons lately, and it’s not just because the food is good.
It’s because the 10-year-old barely able to peep over the counter is taking orders and waiting tables just as well as peers twice her age.
Sarah Ellen Wideman might have to stand on a folding chair to ring up orders and stretch a little farther than most to reach the sweet tea canister, but the 4-foot tall waitress handles a couple of tables with as much ease and charisma as if it were all pretend. But unlike other girls her age who pour tea to their teddy bears with a snuggle in return, Sarah Ellen receives tips from customers who say she’s the best waitress they’ve ever had.
Tony and Anna Wideman, owners of T.W. Boons and parents of Sarah Ellen, said they hadn’t really planned to let their daughter waitress at first.
Youth waits on tables — and adulthood
November 28, 2005
By JOANIE BAKER
Index-Journal staff writer
There have been many jaws dropping at T.W. Boons lately, and it’s not just because the food is good.
It’s because the 10-year-old barely able to peep over the counter is taking orders and waiting tables just as well as peers twice her age.
Sarah Ellen Wideman might have to stand on a folding chair to ring up orders and stretch a little farther than most to reach the sweet tea canister, but the 4-foot tall waitress handles a couple of tables with as much ease and charisma as if it were all pretend. But unlike other girls her age who pour tea to their teddy bears with a snuggle in return, Sarah Ellen receives tips from customers who say she’s the best waitress they’ve ever had.
Tony and Anna Wideman, owners of T.W. Boons and parents of Sarah Ellen, said they hadn’t really planned to let their daughter waitress at first.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
The Stress Test
Note: As in many states, the standardized tests administered in certain grades
to test the efficiency and effectiveness of the school curriculums, teachers and
administrators has become most effective at inducing anxiety in children and even
parents and teachers. Washington state is just one example.
The Stress Stest from the Seattle Weekly
Choose all that apply: (a) The WASL was intended to improve schools and pupil performance. (b) It's become an unhealthy obsession among teachers, parents, and students. (c) The WASL inspires alarming anxiety among 9-year-olds. (d) It's actually stultifying public education.
by Nina Shapiro
Susan and Nathan Conners of Normandy Park working on science and social studies at home—because they get short shrift at school. In the world of WASL, the three R's rule the classroom.
(Pete Kuhns)
One morning last spring, 9-year-old Tyler Stoken awoke in his modest rambler in Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County, and asked his mom to make him bacon. He was about to take the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, the statewide test better known as the WASL ("Wassle,"), and Tyler had been told at school to have a good breakfast. The test was important to Central Park Elementary, as it is to all schools. The WASL is the linchpin of a decade-old movement in Washington, mirroring efforts in other states and at the federal level, to reform education by raising standards. Newspapers publish the test results, underperforming schools are subject to potential federal sanctions under the No Child Left Behind Act, and, as Central Park Principal Olivia McCarthy later told an investigator for the local Educational Service District (ESD), educators "are under constant pressure to perform."
to test the efficiency and effectiveness of the school curriculums, teachers and
administrators has become most effective at inducing anxiety in children and even
parents and teachers. Washington state is just one example.
The Stress Stest from the Seattle Weekly
Choose all that apply: (a) The WASL was intended to improve schools and pupil performance. (b) It's become an unhealthy obsession among teachers, parents, and students. (c) The WASL inspires alarming anxiety among 9-year-olds. (d) It's actually stultifying public education.
by Nina Shapiro
Susan and Nathan Conners of Normandy Park working on science and social studies at home—because they get short shrift at school. In the world of WASL, the three R's rule the classroom.
(Pete Kuhns)
One morning last spring, 9-year-old Tyler Stoken awoke in his modest rambler in Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County, and asked his mom to make him bacon. He was about to take the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, the statewide test better known as the WASL ("Wassle,"), and Tyler had been told at school to have a good breakfast. The test was important to Central Park Elementary, as it is to all schools. The WASL is the linchpin of a decade-old movement in Washington, mirroring efforts in other states and at the federal level, to reform education by raising standards. Newspapers publish the test results, underperforming schools are subject to potential federal sanctions under the No Child Left Behind Act, and, as Central Park Principal Olivia McCarthy later told an investigator for the local Educational Service District (ESD), educators "are under constant pressure to perform."
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Lifelong benefits of cuddling your baby
Lifelong benefits of cuddling your baby
by JULIE WHELDON, Daily Mail09:39am 22nd November 2005
Cuddling: vital to emotional wellbeing
It may come as no surprise to parents, but cuddling your baby provides them with social benefits for years afterwards, according to scientists.
They found a clear link between love and attention in the early years and healthy emotional responses in later life.
Children who have been deprived of physical contact as babies have lower levels of social-bonding hormones, the researchers found.
Read entire article by clicking on the title.
by JULIE WHELDON, Daily Mail09:39am 22nd November 2005
Cuddling: vital to emotional wellbeing
It may come as no surprise to parents, but cuddling your baby provides them with social benefits for years afterwards, according to scientists.
They found a clear link between love and attention in the early years and healthy emotional responses in later life.
Children who have been deprived of physical contact as babies have lower levels of social-bonding hormones, the researchers found.
Read entire article by clicking on the title.
Stepbrothers work aids hurricane kids
Stepbrothers' work aids hurricane kids
Stuffed animals go to those affected by Katrina
By Marie Ratliff
Dayton Daily News
DAYTON | Stefan Saus, 12, and Chris Mann, who turns 8 today, have proved that some hard work and caring for others can benefit many.
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Lieutenant charged in infant son's death
Driver of pickup goes into pond
Woman indicted in boyfriend's slaying
Dayton No. 17 on danger listing
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The stepbrothers launched Project Teddy Bear as a response to Hurricane Katrina after members of Chris' family, who live in Hattiesburg, Miss., were affected.
Stuffed animals go to those affected by Katrina
By Marie Ratliff
Dayton Daily News
DAYTON | Stefan Saus, 12, and Chris Mann, who turns 8 today, have proved that some hard work and caring for others can benefit many.
Tools
Print this page
E-mail this page
Most popular
Top 5 stories
Lieutenant charged in infant son's death
Driver of pickup goes into pond
Woman indicted in boyfriend's slaying
Dayton No. 17 on danger listing
Sinclair law officers to decide on union
RSS headlines available
The stepbrothers launched Project Teddy Bear as a response to Hurricane Katrina after members of Chris' family, who live in Hattiesburg, Miss., were affected.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
For one local family, homeschooling the right choice
Allegheny Record
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
At first she was totally against it.
Now, she and her family willingly make sacrifices so that they can make it happen.
"It" is home schooling, and Jeny Jansen says that, although she had fought against it for her family in the past, it actually is well worth the luxuries they sometimes may have to do without.
Both Jeny and her husband, Robert, think that the benefits of educating their daughter themselves at their North Fayette home far outweigh the disadvantages.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
At first she was totally against it.
Now, she and her family willingly make sacrifices so that they can make it happen.
"It" is home schooling, and Jeny Jansen says that, although she had fought against it for her family in the past, it actually is well worth the luxuries they sometimes may have to do without.
Both Jeny and her husband, Robert, think that the benefits of educating their daughter themselves at their North Fayette home far outweigh the disadvantages.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Graham Elementary, where family learns together
By Kristy Graver, Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
When class is in session, Victoria, Christiana and Elisabeth Graham sit at their kitchen table surrounded by books, binders, pencils and paper. As the girls work quietly, their mother circles the room, peeking over their shoulders with a proud smile on her face.
At "Graham Elementary," everyone's the teacher's pet.
Even before the arrival of their first child, South Fayette residents Robert and Deborah Graham began weighing the pros and cons of home-based education, taking into account their own lackluster public school days.
"We wanted to be able to have classes with a Christian perspective," Deborah says. "You can't do that in public school because of the separation of church and state, and private school is too expensive."
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
When class is in session, Victoria, Christiana and Elisabeth Graham sit at their kitchen table surrounded by books, binders, pencils and paper. As the girls work quietly, their mother circles the room, peeking over their shoulders with a proud smile on her face.
At "Graham Elementary," everyone's the teacher's pet.
Even before the arrival of their first child, South Fayette residents Robert and Deborah Graham began weighing the pros and cons of home-based education, taking into account their own lackluster public school days.
"We wanted to be able to have classes with a Christian perspective," Deborah says. "You can't do that in public school because of the separation of church and state, and private school is too expensive."
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Why emphasize "Homeschool" in PA murder case
Leave it up to the media to draw a conclusion that
there must be a psychopathiclink between homeschooling
and a motive to commit murder. I'm referring to the
murders that took place in Pennsylvania. Read the story
(and media spin) here:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05319/606646.stm
If these two young people attended public school
or had met at the community recreation center would
the name of the school and the local town have been implicated?
Anti-homeschooling types will have another field day with this bitterly sad tragedy
there must be a psychopathiclink between homeschooling
and a motive to commit murder. I'm referring to the
murders that took place in Pennsylvania. Read the story
(and media spin) here:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05319/606646.stm
If these two young people attended public school
or had met at the community recreation center would
the name of the school and the local town have been implicated?
Anti-homeschooling types will have another field day with this bitterly sad tragedy
Monday, November 14, 2005
Not all homeschoolers fit the stereotype at UNL
(Do you think homeschoolers are stereotyped?) Hmmm...
By MARK CODDINGTON
November 14, 2005
After a year and a half at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Burke Street couldn’t keep his background as a homeschooled student a secret any longer.
His friends were looking up online satellite photos of each of their high schools, and finally the dreaded question came to Street: “Burke, where’s your high school?”
“I couldn’t duck that question. Other things I could just kind of be ambiguous about,” said Street, a finance and economics major. “But I was like, ‘Well, actually, I was home-educated.’”
Now a senior, Street said waiting until midway through his sophomore year to tell his closest friends he was homeschooled was probably a bit excessive. But he was simply trying to avoid being hassled with the stereotypes that haunt many other homeschooled students at UNL, he said.
Like Street, many of UNL’s homeschooled students say they’re frustrated by the stereotypes of the homeschooler who is impossibly book-smart, painfully socially awkward and extremely sheltered and conservative.
By MARK CODDINGTON
November 14, 2005
After a year and a half at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Burke Street couldn’t keep his background as a homeschooled student a secret any longer.
His friends were looking up online satellite photos of each of their high schools, and finally the dreaded question came to Street: “Burke, where’s your high school?”
“I couldn’t duck that question. Other things I could just kind of be ambiguous about,” said Street, a finance and economics major. “But I was like, ‘Well, actually, I was home-educated.’”
Now a senior, Street said waiting until midway through his sophomore year to tell his closest friends he was homeschooled was probably a bit excessive. But he was simply trying to avoid being hassled with the stereotypes that haunt many other homeschooled students at UNL, he said.
Like Street, many of UNL’s homeschooled students say they’re frustrated by the stereotypes of the homeschooler who is impossibly book-smart, painfully socially awkward and extremely sheltered and conservative.
Monday, November 07, 2005
Schoolhouse crock - by Doug Powers - WorldNetDaily
More on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' Ruling Trampling Parents' Rights.
Posted: November 7, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
Just when you thought kids were safer now that Michael Jackson is out of the country ...
In Kelo vs. New London, Conn., the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that it was OK to rob people of their property if the community (community of government) could collect more taxes if somebody else owned the property. Now, out west, the legendary 9th Circuit Court has, in essence, proclaimed that the government has a sort of sexual eminent domain over children in public schools.
"Eminent domain" is the right of the government to seize peoples' private property for public use.
Posted: November 7, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
Just when you thought kids were safer now that Michael Jackson is out of the country ...
In Kelo vs. New London, Conn., the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that it was OK to rob people of their property if the community (community of government) could collect more taxes if somebody else owned the property. Now, out west, the legendary 9th Circuit Court has, in essence, proclaimed that the government has a sort of sexual eminent domain over children in public schools.
"Eminent domain" is the right of the government to seize peoples' private property for public use.
9th Circuit Court of Appeals - All your children belong to us
The 9th Circuit has a well-deserved reputation for judicial rulings that fly in the face of common sense, let alone coming from the outlands of Left elitism. The latest ruling is jawdropping in its patently offensive and blatantly anti-parent basis.
Parents' rights were not violated when a Southern California elementary school conducted a psychological survey of their children and asked them about sexual feelings and masturbation, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. ...
"Parents have a right to inform their children when and as they wish on the subject of sex,'' said Judge Stephen Reinhardt in the 3-0 ruling. "They have no constitutional right, however, to prevent a public school from providing its students with whatever information it wishes to provide, sexual or otherwise.''
This is not just about the appropriateness of demanding six year olds to answer questions about masturbation and suicide, this is a direct ruling that parents, once they deliver their children to the school house door by legal compulsion, have no inherent rights to control, oversee or even question what the teacher wishes to teach to the children.
No wonder vouchers plans and homeschooling are hated by the Education Elites ... it interfers with their Great Social Experimentation on a legally captive audience.
Nov 6th, 2005: 12:31:50
Parents' rights were not violated when a Southern California elementary school conducted a psychological survey of their children and asked them about sexual feelings and masturbation, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. ...
"Parents have a right to inform their children when and as they wish on the subject of sex,'' said Judge Stephen Reinhardt in the 3-0 ruling. "They have no constitutional right, however, to prevent a public school from providing its students with whatever information it wishes to provide, sexual or otherwise.''
This is not just about the appropriateness of demanding six year olds to answer questions about masturbation and suicide, this is a direct ruling that parents, once they deliver their children to the school house door by legal compulsion, have no inherent rights to control, oversee or even question what the teacher wishes to teach to the children.
No wonder vouchers plans and homeschooling are hated by the Education Elites ... it interfers with their Great Social Experimentation on a legally captive audience.
Nov 6th, 2005: 12:31:50
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Overturning establishment oligopolies
Another voice added to those who applaud parents for their creative "entrepreneurial skills" in education and elsewhere.
The Washington Examiner (Click on the title above to read the article.)
By Paul Chesser
The success of Lowe's and Home Depot aren't the only reflection of the do-it-yourself movement's popularity. An increasing number of Americans are discovering that they can handle the work of two other traditionally outsourced services all by themselves: education and the media.
Sure, there are some that are sloppily measured and whose angles are off, but the successful ones that make people take notice are doing so because they outperform the so-called "professionals."
The academic achievement of homeschooled students is well-documented. Set aside the highly publicized victories in spelling and geography competitions and just look at the overall statistics. As a group they do better on standardized aptitude tests than publicly schooled children. For those concerned about "socialization," studies show that they adapt to society just fine.
As for bloggers, they are the standard-bearers of the Internet. The line on the news is not official until the bloggers have scrutinized it and made sure all the facts are known. They include important context that newspapers often can't or won't provide (largely due to space limitations).
The Washington Examiner (Click on the title above to read the article.)
By Paul Chesser
The success of Lowe's and Home Depot aren't the only reflection of the do-it-yourself movement's popularity. An increasing number of Americans are discovering that they can handle the work of two other traditionally outsourced services all by themselves: education and the media.
Sure, there are some that are sloppily measured and whose angles are off, but the successful ones that make people take notice are doing so because they outperform the so-called "professionals."
The academic achievement of homeschooled students is well-documented. Set aside the highly publicized victories in spelling and geography competitions and just look at the overall statistics. As a group they do better on standardized aptitude tests than publicly schooled children. For those concerned about "socialization," studies show that they adapt to society just fine.
As for bloggers, they are the standard-bearers of the Internet. The line on the news is not official until the bloggers have scrutinized it and made sure all the facts are known. They include important context that newspapers often can't or won't provide (largely due to space limitations).
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Home-schooling in France on the rise
Mon Oct 31,10:13 AM ET
FONTAINEBLEAU, France (AFP) - When twelve million French children return to school in early November after a two-week holiday, several thousand others will stay home because their parents have opted out of a system they claim no longer adequately teaches basic skills.
Home-schooling in France remains marginal compared to other countries.
In the United States five percent of school-age children -- more than one million -- are educated outside of schools, many on religious grounds, according to the US Census office.
And in Britain about 50,000 kids hits the books at home, almost half of them because of bullying by classmates according to Mike Fortune-Wood, author of "The Face of Home Education in the UK."
Click on title to read entire article.
FONTAINEBLEAU, France (AFP) - When twelve million French children return to school in early November after a two-week holiday, several thousand others will stay home because their parents have opted out of a system they claim no longer adequately teaches basic skills.
Home-schooling in France remains marginal compared to other countries.
In the United States five percent of school-age children -- more than one million -- are educated outside of schools, many on religious grounds, according to the US Census office.
And in Britain about 50,000 kids hits the books at home, almost half of them because of bullying by classmates according to Mike Fortune-Wood, author of "The Face of Home Education in the UK."
Click on title to read entire article.
De-minding our young
(Another voice added to the little heard cries about the dumbing down of education today.)
Yesterday I listened to a discussion, aired by the radio station of the University of Guadalajara, on how to get Mexican children to read more, which it seems theirs don't either. A group concerned with the question had compiled a solid list of suggested reading for Mexican students (including Dumas and Robert Louis Stevenson). I wish them well.
What caught my attention was that, as Mexico tries to raise its standards, we have sought to lower ours, with notable success. It seems a perverse thing to do. My daughters recently graduated from high school (and do read) so I have an idea of the state of bookish affairs. By all reports, even smart children today read little, and still less that is worth reading. I have seen the science fiction and political correctness required of them. It is sorry stuff. They have missed, I think, an important boat.
The wonderful children's books of the past were not merely for children, and were not in the least dumbed down (I prefer "enstupidated") or unsophisticated. Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner are delightful things, notable for the sheer quality of the writing. Through the Looking Glass and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland are not easy books, unsurprising since Dodgson was a mathematician, and swim in deep philosophical waters. The Wind in the Willows likewise bears rereading by grownups and, may I emphasize, isn't easy reading unless a child has truly learned to read. These required of children a mastery of the language that adults now do not have. Read entire article by clicking on the title.
Yesterday I listened to a discussion, aired by the radio station of the University of Guadalajara, on how to get Mexican children to read more, which it seems theirs don't either. A group concerned with the question had compiled a solid list of suggested reading for Mexican students (including Dumas and Robert Louis Stevenson). I wish them well.
What caught my attention was that, as Mexico tries to raise its standards, we have sought to lower ours, with notable success. It seems a perverse thing to do. My daughters recently graduated from high school (and do read) so I have an idea of the state of bookish affairs. By all reports, even smart children today read little, and still less that is worth reading. I have seen the science fiction and political correctness required of them. It is sorry stuff. They have missed, I think, an important boat.
The wonderful children's books of the past were not merely for children, and were not in the least dumbed down (I prefer "enstupidated") or unsophisticated. Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner are delightful things, notable for the sheer quality of the writing. Through the Looking Glass and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland are not easy books, unsurprising since Dodgson was a mathematician, and swim in deep philosophical waters. The Wind in the Willows likewise bears rereading by grownups and, may I emphasize, isn't easy reading unless a child has truly learned to read. These required of children a mastery of the language that adults now do not have. Read entire article by clicking on the title.
Long hours (in daycare and preschool)...impair social development
Long hours help academically, but impair social development
By Helen Gao
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
November 1, 2005
Two new studies have concluded that extended time in preschool or day care can thwart a child's social development, a finding already fueling a debate surrounding a nationwide movement to expand early education programs.
HOWARD LIPIN / Union-Tribune
Carlos Juarez, 4, listened to Natalie Beissel read at a preschool class at Whitman Elementary yesterday. Studies show that early education programs help develop children's academic skills.
One study found that the social harm persists through third grade, regardless of how well caregivers work with preschoolers. Read this important article by clicking on the title.
By Helen Gao
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
November 1, 2005
Two new studies have concluded that extended time in preschool or day care can thwart a child's social development, a finding already fueling a debate surrounding a nationwide movement to expand early education programs.
HOWARD LIPIN / Union-Tribune
Carlos Juarez, 4, listened to Natalie Beissel read at a preschool class at Whitman Elementary yesterday. Studies show that early education programs help develop children's academic skills.
One study found that the social harm persists through third grade, regardless of how well caregivers work with preschoolers. Read this important article by clicking on the title.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
House and school
Religion, other factors lead area parents to teach their children at home
By Amy Conkling
The Hutchinson News
aconkling@hutchnews.com
PARTRIDGE - There's a lot that goes on in this little room.
A washer and dryer rest against a wall with clothes scattered across the top.
A table and chairs stand near a second wall, providing just enough space for dinner.
Laundry and dinner aside, the room serves as a classroom, where Tawnya Byarlay and her mother, Melinda Speaker, teach Byarlay's three children for seven to eight hours each day.
Read article by clicking on the title.
By Amy Conkling
The Hutchinson News
aconkling@hutchnews.com
PARTRIDGE - There's a lot that goes on in this little room.
A washer and dryer rest against a wall with clothes scattered across the top.
A table and chairs stand near a second wall, providing just enough space for dinner.
Laundry and dinner aside, the room serves as a classroom, where Tawnya Byarlay and her mother, Melinda Speaker, teach Byarlay's three children for seven to eight hours each day.
Read article by clicking on the title.
Probing Question: Why do some people choose to homeschool their kids?
This article which includes dialogue with Penn State University professor of education
J. Daniel Marshall bounces back and forth between the "pros and cons" of homeschooing - ending with a "con" from Prof. Marshall. What is the "tragic loss affecting civic America" if
parents don't send their children to school? More rational, thoughtful, independent Americans?... J. Boswell
The final paragraph of the article:
"While the once-illegal homeschooling trend is indisputably on the rise, Marshall -- while applauding those families who teach their children well -- remains concerned that there may be a societal price paid for this movement. "For these families to dismiss opportunities which can perhaps best be provided through the educational agency of school is a tragic loss which affects everyone who cares about civic America." "
***
J. Daniel Marshall is professor of education in the College of Education, and can be reached at jdm13@psu.edu.
Probing Question: Why do some people choose to homeschool their kids?
Thursday, October 27, 2005
By Melissa Beattie-Moss
Research/Penn State
J. Daniel Marshall bounces back and forth between the "pros and cons" of homeschooing - ending with a "con" from Prof. Marshall. What is the "tragic loss affecting civic America" if
parents don't send their children to school? More rational, thoughtful, independent Americans?... J. Boswell
The final paragraph of the article:
"While the once-illegal homeschooling trend is indisputably on the rise, Marshall -- while applauding those families who teach their children well -- remains concerned that there may be a societal price paid for this movement. "For these families to dismiss opportunities which can perhaps best be provided through the educational agency of school is a tragic loss which affects everyone who cares about civic America." "
***
J. Daniel Marshall is professor of education in the College of Education, and can be reached at jdm13@psu.edu.
Probing Question: Why do some people choose to homeschool their kids?
Thursday, October 27, 2005
By Melissa Beattie-Moss
Research/Penn State
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
True love and flatter abs - how to navigate Teen magazines
By Nancy Gruver
Even with cable and the Internet, many girls still turn to Seventeen, Cosmo Girl and Teen Vogue for the latest on celebrities, fads, fashion, makeup, music, movies, and other “must-buy” products.
Many of these magazines’ articles -- and ads, which can fill as much as 75 percent of the pages -- prey upon girls’ normal adolescent desire to be popular and attractive. They send the damaging message to girls that they are lacking and need certain products to try to make the grade. And they can have quite an impact: Studies have shown a relationship between reading fashion and beauty magazines and loss of self-confidence and healthy body image in girls.
How can we protect the girls in our lives from these hostile messages? Ban the magazines? I don’t advocate that, even though my daughters eventually banned Seventeen themselves, because they felt depressed after reading it. Teen girls need to make such decisions themselves. Rather than turning Cosmo Girl into forbidden fruit, try this:
(Read entire article by clicking on the title above.)
Even with cable and the Internet, many girls still turn to Seventeen, Cosmo Girl and Teen Vogue for the latest on celebrities, fads, fashion, makeup, music, movies, and other “must-buy” products.
Many of these magazines’ articles -- and ads, which can fill as much as 75 percent of the pages -- prey upon girls’ normal adolescent desire to be popular and attractive. They send the damaging message to girls that they are lacking and need certain products to try to make the grade. And they can have quite an impact: Studies have shown a relationship between reading fashion and beauty magazines and loss of self-confidence and healthy body image in girls.
How can we protect the girls in our lives from these hostile messages? Ban the magazines? I don’t advocate that, even though my daughters eventually banned Seventeen themselves, because they felt depressed after reading it. Teen girls need to make such decisions themselves. Rather than turning Cosmo Girl into forbidden fruit, try this:
(Read entire article by clicking on the title above.)
Monday, October 24, 2005
Home-schoolers give high marks to flexible schedules
Monday, October 24, 2005
By KATLIN RICH
Homeschool Junior
The boom in the popularity of home education might seem curious to some. Why would a teen give up attending a school, complete with friends, teachers and extracurricular activities, to stay home and be instructed by a parent?
"The best part of home schooling is playing video games during lunch break," said a joking Jim Bedsole, a sophomore at Crossroads Christian School, one of several local home-school umbrella groups. "But, really, I like choosing my own electives."
Home education allows students to count hobbies such as martial arts, ballroom dancing, hiking or running a small business as electives on their transcripts. These activities are not offered in traditional schools, yet are as acceptable as cheerleading, track or football.
Read entire article by clicking on the title.
By KATLIN RICH
Homeschool Junior
The boom in the popularity of home education might seem curious to some. Why would a teen give up attending a school, complete with friends, teachers and extracurricular activities, to stay home and be instructed by a parent?
"The best part of home schooling is playing video games during lunch break," said a joking Jim Bedsole, a sophomore at Crossroads Christian School, one of several local home-school umbrella groups. "But, really, I like choosing my own electives."
Home education allows students to count hobbies such as martial arts, ballroom dancing, hiking or running a small business as electives on their transcripts. These activities are not offered in traditional schools, yet are as acceptable as cheerleading, track or football.
Read entire article by clicking on the title.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
From the kitchen table to the lecture hall: Homeschooled students adapt to college life
Note: More on homeschooled students making positive adjustments to college life both
academically and socially...
By Felicia Baskin (Washington University, St. Louis)
On the first day of classes, the grand lecture halls on Washington University's campus amaze many freshmen. Classes of 300 shock students who are accustomed to classes numbering in the low multiples of 10. For some, however, even the act of learning in a classroom is a change.
For senior Cash Carr, the shift was a positive one. In Colorado, Carr had studied with his brother Nick, now a freshman in college, at home. The switch from a classroom of two to an introductory physics course of hundreds was daunting at first, but Carr noted that "it didn't seem like an impersonal setting."
In fact, according to Carr, the only notable difference between the homeschool setting and the classroom setting was the ability "to interact and ask questions, and immediately get an answer."
There is no official program for homeschooled students in the United States, so studies on homeschooling vary widely. Many students' parents serve as teachers, as was the case with freshman Hannah Sharp.
"[Being homeschooled] gave me a great opportunity to become close to my parents," said Sharp.
Frequently, homeschooled students supplement their work at home with classes at local colleges.
Junior Katherine Martin, a Missouri native, had the opportunity to take classes at Washington University during her senior year of high school, which she said "eased [her] into a college atmosphere of learning."
Sophomore Robyn Haas, however, relied entirely upon home-based coursework for the 10 years before college. Having a set class schedule was noticeably different from the structure of classes at home, where she was able to determine the order of her subjects and the time spent on each subject.
As a result of planning their own academic schedules in the past, homeschooled students at Wash. U. have found that their time management skills are well-tuned for college.
"Even before college I had to figure everything out on my own," said Haas.
For Carr, reserving time for school work is also not a problem.
"Finding time to do things is actually a lot easier," said Carr. "There aren't as many distractions… it's just me and the homework."
While in high school, homeschooled students have access to just as many extracurricular distractions as students in local schooling programs. Both Haas and Martin were active participants in Girl Scouts and interacted with children from other schools in local youth organizations.
Like Haas and Martin, Sharp was involved in a local homeschooling network. She even coordinated the homeschooling conference for her home state of California. Homeschooling networks coordinate field trips, sports and even dances for homeschooled children living in the area.
Carr's family home is 20 miles from the nearest town, so "there weren't a lot of other kids [his] age around."
Yet, Carr's weekly schedule involved four days in a nearby mountain range, practicing with a competitive skiing team. Teammates were actually quite jealous of Carr's schooling situation, because he didn't have to engage in the "political games" of requesting time off from teachers for ski races.
Other homeschooled students also found that their academic arrangements allowed them to pursue personal passions. Martin and her siblings spent their nights practicing piano and other forms of art.
Haas' love for computer science morphed into a custom class taught by her father. She is now a computer science major.
"[Computer science] isn't something my siblings are necessarily going to do… because I was interested, my dad created the class for me," said Haas.
Haas' pioneering didn't stop with her customized academics. The oldest of six children, Haas was also the first go to through the college application process. Without an advisor, it was up to Haas to research schools.
Carr received help from the local public school counselor, but since he "didn't know how well [he'd] do getting into college," he submitted applications to a broad range of schools.
Sharp feels that her application process did not differ much from that of her fellow college students.
"College applications were the same for me as for everyone else-a pain!" exclaimed Sharp.
Nanette Tarbouni, Director of Admissions, noted that the admissions department addresses the distinctive situation of homeschooled students.
"[The admission department's] goal is to get to know each applicant individually and to review their application in the context of the settings they have been in," Tarbouni said.
Since homeschooled students do not always receive measurements of academic achievement (like a GPA), Tarbouni acknowledged that the admissions team does "place more emphasis on standardized testing for these students and [is] clear about that."
Martin recognized that her strong SAT scores likely helped her get into the University, but believes that homeschooling prepared her for much more than superb performances on standardized tests.
"So much of college is studying by yourself," Martin said. "It's not just classroom studies, and I think my homeschooling taught me that."
Though Haas had "no idea at all what to expect" when coming to Washington University, she didn't find herself struggling in the new social environment.
"People seem to have an idea that homeschoolers aren't socialized," Haas said. "But the truth is, they are able to interact better with people of a whole range of personalities."
Carr noted that he "gradually adjusted over the last three years to being more social" in a dormitory context, but he attributes this adjustment period to his personality rather than his home schooling.
The dormitory atmosphere has also been quite influential in Sharp's adjustment to college. An only child, Sharp was not used to living with other children, let alone in a coed environment. She feels, however, that her adjustment into University culture has been easy.
"Forsyth House has done a great job of making it feel like family," said Sharp.
Reflecting on their own high school years, other students might assume homeschooled students have missed out on valuable experiences.
"I don't feel like I missed out on anything," said Martin.
Haas echoed Martin's sentiments and appreciates the effects home schooling had on her character.
"Without going through the middle school and high school phases of peer pressure, I became more independent," Haas said. "And I don't care what other people think of me."
Martin noted that people's perceptions of homeschooled students have changed for the better.
"Too commonly, people think that just because we have strong views we are backwards in education," said Martin.
She then added, her voice gaining a note of delight, "I've noticed over the years that more and more, people seem to have an admiration. There is more respect now."
academically and socially...
By Felicia Baskin (Washington University, St. Louis)
On the first day of classes, the grand lecture halls on Washington University's campus amaze many freshmen. Classes of 300 shock students who are accustomed to classes numbering in the low multiples of 10. For some, however, even the act of learning in a classroom is a change.
For senior Cash Carr, the shift was a positive one. In Colorado, Carr had studied with his brother Nick, now a freshman in college, at home. The switch from a classroom of two to an introductory physics course of hundreds was daunting at first, but Carr noted that "it didn't seem like an impersonal setting."
In fact, according to Carr, the only notable difference between the homeschool setting and the classroom setting was the ability "to interact and ask questions, and immediately get an answer."
There is no official program for homeschooled students in the United States, so studies on homeschooling vary widely. Many students' parents serve as teachers, as was the case with freshman Hannah Sharp.
"[Being homeschooled] gave me a great opportunity to become close to my parents," said Sharp.
Frequently, homeschooled students supplement their work at home with classes at local colleges.
Junior Katherine Martin, a Missouri native, had the opportunity to take classes at Washington University during her senior year of high school, which she said "eased [her] into a college atmosphere of learning."
Sophomore Robyn Haas, however, relied entirely upon home-based coursework for the 10 years before college. Having a set class schedule was noticeably different from the structure of classes at home, where she was able to determine the order of her subjects and the time spent on each subject.
As a result of planning their own academic schedules in the past, homeschooled students at Wash. U. have found that their time management skills are well-tuned for college.
"Even before college I had to figure everything out on my own," said Haas.
For Carr, reserving time for school work is also not a problem.
"Finding time to do things is actually a lot easier," said Carr. "There aren't as many distractions… it's just me and the homework."
While in high school, homeschooled students have access to just as many extracurricular distractions as students in local schooling programs. Both Haas and Martin were active participants in Girl Scouts and interacted with children from other schools in local youth organizations.
Like Haas and Martin, Sharp was involved in a local homeschooling network. She even coordinated the homeschooling conference for her home state of California. Homeschooling networks coordinate field trips, sports and even dances for homeschooled children living in the area.
Carr's family home is 20 miles from the nearest town, so "there weren't a lot of other kids [his] age around."
Yet, Carr's weekly schedule involved four days in a nearby mountain range, practicing with a competitive skiing team. Teammates were actually quite jealous of Carr's schooling situation, because he didn't have to engage in the "political games" of requesting time off from teachers for ski races.
Other homeschooled students also found that their academic arrangements allowed them to pursue personal passions. Martin and her siblings spent their nights practicing piano and other forms of art.
Haas' love for computer science morphed into a custom class taught by her father. She is now a computer science major.
"[Computer science] isn't something my siblings are necessarily going to do… because I was interested, my dad created the class for me," said Haas.
Haas' pioneering didn't stop with her customized academics. The oldest of six children, Haas was also the first go to through the college application process. Without an advisor, it was up to Haas to research schools.
Carr received help from the local public school counselor, but since he "didn't know how well [he'd] do getting into college," he submitted applications to a broad range of schools.
Sharp feels that her application process did not differ much from that of her fellow college students.
"College applications were the same for me as for everyone else-a pain!" exclaimed Sharp.
Nanette Tarbouni, Director of Admissions, noted that the admissions department addresses the distinctive situation of homeschooled students.
"[The admission department's] goal is to get to know each applicant individually and to review their application in the context of the settings they have been in," Tarbouni said.
Since homeschooled students do not always receive measurements of academic achievement (like a GPA), Tarbouni acknowledged that the admissions team does "place more emphasis on standardized testing for these students and [is] clear about that."
Martin recognized that her strong SAT scores likely helped her get into the University, but believes that homeschooling prepared her for much more than superb performances on standardized tests.
"So much of college is studying by yourself," Martin said. "It's not just classroom studies, and I think my homeschooling taught me that."
Though Haas had "no idea at all what to expect" when coming to Washington University, she didn't find herself struggling in the new social environment.
"People seem to have an idea that homeschoolers aren't socialized," Haas said. "But the truth is, they are able to interact better with people of a whole range of personalities."
Carr noted that he "gradually adjusted over the last three years to being more social" in a dormitory context, but he attributes this adjustment period to his personality rather than his home schooling.
The dormitory atmosphere has also been quite influential in Sharp's adjustment to college. An only child, Sharp was not used to living with other children, let alone in a coed environment. She feels, however, that her adjustment into University culture has been easy.
"Forsyth House has done a great job of making it feel like family," said Sharp.
Reflecting on their own high school years, other students might assume homeschooled students have missed out on valuable experiences.
"I don't feel like I missed out on anything," said Martin.
Haas echoed Martin's sentiments and appreciates the effects home schooling had on her character.
"Without going through the middle school and high school phases of peer pressure, I became more independent," Haas said. "And I don't care what other people think of me."
Martin noted that people's perceptions of homeschooled students have changed for the better.
"Too commonly, people think that just because we have strong views we are backwards in education," said Martin.
She then added, her voice gaining a note of delight, "I've noticed over the years that more and more, people seem to have an admiration. There is more respect now."
UC Riverside Actively Recruits Homeschool Students
A new program allows admission through an assessment of a student portfolio
(October 17, 2005)
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) -- In November, as applications start pouring into the University of California system, UC Riverside will become the first UC campus to specifically recruit homeschooled and other nontraditionally educated students.
UCR will offer a Web site and an admissions process that includes a faculty review of a portfolio of the student’s projects and curriculum.
The campus’ effort kicks off with an information workshop for interested families from 9 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday, Nov. 12, in the University Lecture Hall.
“UCR is interested in students with high levels of achievement, promise, and contribution,” said LaRae Lundgren, director of admissions. “"We are looking for creative ways to discover these students.”
She said actively recruiting nontraditional students fits with UCR’s profile as a place serving a diverse population. The same portfolio review process can handle students who come from small charter schools, which might not have all the resources of a large comprehensive high school. The effort at UCR started at the request of several faculty members familiar with homeschooling.
To read entire article, please click on the title.
(October 17, 2005)
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) -- In November, as applications start pouring into the University of California system, UC Riverside will become the first UC campus to specifically recruit homeschooled and other nontraditionally educated students.
UCR will offer a Web site and an admissions process that includes a faculty review of a portfolio of the student’s projects and curriculum.
The campus’ effort kicks off with an information workshop for interested families from 9 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday, Nov. 12, in the University Lecture Hall.
“UCR is interested in students with high levels of achievement, promise, and contribution,” said LaRae Lundgren, director of admissions. “"We are looking for creative ways to discover these students.”
She said actively recruiting nontraditional students fits with UCR’s profile as a place serving a diverse population. The same portfolio review process can handle students who come from small charter schools, which might not have all the resources of a large comprehensive high school. The effort at UCR started at the request of several faculty members familiar with homeschooling.
To read entire article, please click on the title.
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Alternative schools abandoning structure
by JAMES KELLER (click on title to read entire story)
HALIFAX (CP) - There are no classes at Fairfield School, housed in a three-storey farmhouse in the heart of a small Nova Scotia town. There are no certified teachers, no grades and no required curriculum, either.
Instead, students at the park-like campus in Wolfville decide what they're interested in learning and how they want to be taught.
If they want to learn Japanese instead of crunching integers, or if younger children would rather play with Lego than learn how to read, that's up to them.
The school is one of several dozen around the world - and three in Canada - following the principles of the Sudbury Valley School in Framingham, Mass.
The philosophy is simple: children are naturally curious and will take the initiative to learn if given the chance.
And experts say this alternative model, which is regaining popularity, can benefit students.
"Within the traditional school model, children are being told what's important, when to study, and they're being evaluated continuously," says John Grant, who has enrolled four of his five children in Fairfield since it opened in 2002 and is now an adjunct staff member.
"What we're hoping to produce are students who are innovative, interested and self-reliant."
HALIFAX (CP) - There are no classes at Fairfield School, housed in a three-storey farmhouse in the heart of a small Nova Scotia town. There are no certified teachers, no grades and no required curriculum, either.
Instead, students at the park-like campus in Wolfville decide what they're interested in learning and how they want to be taught.
If they want to learn Japanese instead of crunching integers, or if younger children would rather play with Lego than learn how to read, that's up to them.
The school is one of several dozen around the world - and three in Canada - following the principles of the Sudbury Valley School in Framingham, Mass.
The philosophy is simple: children are naturally curious and will take the initiative to learn if given the chance.
And experts say this alternative model, which is regaining popularity, can benefit students.
"Within the traditional school model, children are being told what's important, when to study, and they're being evaluated continuously," says John Grant, who has enrolled four of his five children in Fairfield since it opened in 2002 and is now an adjunct staff member.
"What we're hoping to produce are students who are innovative, interested and self-reliant."
Homeschool assignment: Rescue men from lake
... Jesse said he and two of his sisters, who are homeschooled, were sitting at their kitchen table, tackling assignments from their mother, Deb Dykema, when 13-year-old Lydia noticed the men in the water.One was holding onto a boat as it took on water. The other was struggling to get back to the craft.
Jesse launched a kayak and his mom hopped in a paddle boat. Eleven-year-old Moriah called 911 and Lydia navigated another kayak to the men.
The family eventually dragged both men to shore, covering them with blankets just as rescuers reached the scene. Seventeen-year-old Abby Dykema arrived during the effort, helping with recovery efforts on shore.
Read the entire article online by clicking on the title.
Jesse launched a kayak and his mom hopped in a paddle boat. Eleven-year-old Moriah called 911 and Lydia navigated another kayak to the men.
The family eventually dragged both men to shore, covering them with blankets just as rescuers reached the scene. Seventeen-year-old Abby Dykema arrived during the effort, helping with recovery efforts on shore.
Read the entire article online by clicking on the title.
Monday, October 10, 2005
The Homeschool Bug
Article from Washington state about several homeschool families and their experiences.
by Cathy Zimmerman The Daily News (Online) Longview, Washington
Chloe Evans pleaded with her mother.
"Mom, I really want to go to kindergarten at Beacon Hill," the 5-year-old said last summer.
"OK. I'll think about it," Melanee Evans replied.
Chloe pressed. "Just let me do it, Mom."
Evans had been homeschooling Chloe and big sister Alexandra for two years. But the Kelso mother of three -- Lily is 1 -- realized her middle child needed to try public education.
Read entire article by clicking on the title above.
by Cathy Zimmerman The Daily News (Online) Longview, Washington
Chloe Evans pleaded with her mother.
"Mom, I really want to go to kindergarten at Beacon Hill," the 5-year-old said last summer.
"OK. I'll think about it," Melanee Evans replied.
Chloe pressed. "Just let me do it, Mom."
Evans had been homeschooling Chloe and big sister Alexandra for two years. But the Kelso mother of three -- Lily is 1 -- realized her middle child needed to try public education.
Read entire article by clicking on the title above.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Group Announces Project to Bring a Million More Children Into Homeschooling
By Christian Wire Service
Oct 6, 2005, 11:51
COLUMBIA, SC -- Exodus Mandate announced today that it has launched "Homeschooling Family-to-Family" (HFTF) with strong support from important homeschooling organizations such as the Home School Legal Defense Association, the Southern Baptist Church Home Education Association, and the National Black Home Educators Resource Association. Homeschooling Family-to-Family encourages experienced homeschoolers to "share their heart for homeschooling" by offering to mentor families they already know into homeschooling. HFTF's goal is to bring over one million new children into homeschooling over a five to seven year period, thereby strengthening state and local homeschooling organizations.
Read this article at its source by clicking on the title above.
Oct 6, 2005, 11:51
COLUMBIA, SC -- Exodus Mandate announced today that it has launched "Homeschooling Family-to-Family" (HFTF) with strong support from important homeschooling organizations such as the Home School Legal Defense Association, the Southern Baptist Church Home Education Association, and the National Black Home Educators Resource Association. Homeschooling Family-to-Family encourages experienced homeschoolers to "share their heart for homeschooling" by offering to mentor families they already know into homeschooling. HFTF's goal is to bring over one million new children into homeschooling over a five to seven year period, thereby strengthening state and local homeschooling organizations.
Read this article at its source by clicking on the title above.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Homeschool grads move on to campus life
Education
Homeschool grads move on to campus life
By JEFF HAUERSPERGER, jeffh@tmnews.com
Wednesday, August 24, 2005 12:59 PM CDT
"(Colleges) just consider them being from a small private school that they know nothing about."
- Anne Wegener, homeschool parent
Homeschooled children have the same options as students from public schools when it comes to life after 12th grade.
For Kara and Andrew Wegener, the choice was college. They are now in their second and third years, respectively, at Purdue University.
Kara and Andrew are two of Timothy and Anne Wegener's nine children, with the youngest nearing a second birthday.
Click on the title to read the article.
Homeschool grads move on to campus life
By JEFF HAUERSPERGER, jeffh@tmnews.com
Wednesday, August 24, 2005 12:59 PM CDT
"(Colleges) just consider them being from a small private school that they know nothing about."
- Anne Wegener, homeschool parent
Homeschooled children have the same options as students from public schools when it comes to life after 12th grade.
For Kara and Andrew Wegener, the choice was college. They are now in their second and third years, respectively, at Purdue University.
Kara and Andrew are two of Timothy and Anne Wegener's nine children, with the youngest nearing a second birthday.
Click on the title to read the article.
Nine is just enough
Nine is just enough
By Jennifer Hill, ancnews@pclnet.net
To teach by example seems to sum up what the Rollins family of Elkmont is all about. Teaching is a discipline within its self, but if the behavior of the nine children of Cindy and Tim Rollins reflects anything, it's that they are great students of their mom and dad.
Some would say that manners, politeness, and good attitudes are things of the past but the Rollins children are a reassurance that there are good kids out there and in our community, with many 'yes ma'ams,' 'no ma'ams,' 'pleases,' and 'thank yous,' and behavior that would put many adults to shame.
Tim, 44, and Cindy, 43, said they met when they were 19 and 18 years old, respectively, while attending the same Christian college, Toccoa Falls College, in Georgia. It was a small campus and they met in passing and just hit it off. Later, while still at college, they met another couple who were married with a large family.
Click on above title to read the article.
By Jennifer Hill, ancnews@pclnet.net
To teach by example seems to sum up what the Rollins family of Elkmont is all about. Teaching is a discipline within its self, but if the behavior of the nine children of Cindy and Tim Rollins reflects anything, it's that they are great students of their mom and dad.
Some would say that manners, politeness, and good attitudes are things of the past but the Rollins children are a reassurance that there are good kids out there and in our community, with many 'yes ma'ams,' 'no ma'ams,' 'pleases,' and 'thank yous,' and behavior that would put many adults to shame.
Tim, 44, and Cindy, 43, said they met when they were 19 and 18 years old, respectively, while attending the same Christian college, Toccoa Falls College, in Georgia. It was a small campus and they met in passing and just hit it off. Later, while still at college, they met another couple who were married with a large family.
Click on above title to read the article.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Mother Care is Best... Working mother dilemma
Here is more research - making waves - that most homeschooling parents have
been aware of for years through the work of Dr. Raymond Moore and his wife
Dorothy and just plain parenting experience.
Working mother's dilemma: will leaving children damage them?
by Lucy Bannerman The Herald (Online)
CHILDREN whose mothers stay at home show more advanced development than those in nursery group care, according to a report from leading childcare experts.
been aware of for years through the work of Dr. Raymond Moore and his wife
Dorothy and just plain parenting experience.
Working mother's dilemma: will leaving children damage them?
by Lucy Bannerman The Herald (Online)
CHILDREN whose mothers stay at home show more advanced development than those in nursery group care, according to a report from leading childcare experts.
Monday, October 03, 2005
100 % Control for 6.5% Funding
by Linda Schrock-Taylor (LewRockwell.com)
We are selling the souls and minds of our children, and the future of our country, for 6.5 cents on the dollar! The federal government pays only a few cents of each dollar needed to fund public schools, yet a large percentage of school expenses have been forced upon local districts by federal mandates to test, consolidate, and adhere to innumerable laws, including ADA and IDEA...laws, laws, laws, most illegal and harmful to the interests of States' Rights, and to the citizens of each state.
Now consider the other side of this 'balance' sheet. With the addition of this most recent No Child Left Behind 'education' law, and all of its destructive ramifications, contingencies and attached strings, the federal government now holds 90% of the control over the schools. THINK ABOUT IT – 90% control in exchange for 6.5 cents on the dollar. Are you agreeable to such terms? You should not be. Every American should challenge this travesty; this violation of the Constitution and of the rights of the People. (Read complete article by clicking on the title above.)
We are selling the souls and minds of our children, and the future of our country, for 6.5 cents on the dollar! The federal government pays only a few cents of each dollar needed to fund public schools, yet a large percentage of school expenses have been forced upon local districts by federal mandates to test, consolidate, and adhere to innumerable laws, including ADA and IDEA...laws, laws, laws, most illegal and harmful to the interests of States' Rights, and to the citizens of each state.
Now consider the other side of this 'balance' sheet. With the addition of this most recent No Child Left Behind 'education' law, and all of its destructive ramifications, contingencies and attached strings, the federal government now holds 90% of the control over the schools. THINK ABOUT IT – 90% control in exchange for 6.5 cents on the dollar. Are you agreeable to such terms? You should not be. Every American should challenge this travesty; this violation of the Constitution and of the rights of the People. (Read complete article by clicking on the title above.)
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Love Changes Everything
This hope-filled article discusses how homeschooling and nurturing has saved two "throw-away" children who were saved from neglect and hardship. (Click on title above to read the article.)
Love changes everything
By Beth Dalbey
bethdalbey@bpcdm.com
If you believe people are ìcalledî to certain tasks in life, you have to believe it was destiny that led Sean Kearney and Alissa Tschetter-Siedeschlaw to adopt two foster children many people had given up on.
Kearney is the chairman of the speech and theater arts department at Grand View College, and his wife, Tschetter-Siedeschlaw, is a stay-at-home mom who homeschools their children. Together, theyíre two of the most effective advocates in Iowa ñ or anywhere ñ for children dumped in the child-welfare system.
Love changes everything
By Beth Dalbey
bethdalbey@bpcdm.com
If you believe people are ìcalledî to certain tasks in life, you have to believe it was destiny that led Sean Kearney and Alissa Tschetter-Siedeschlaw to adopt two foster children many people had given up on.
Kearney is the chairman of the speech and theater arts department at Grand View College, and his wife, Tschetter-Siedeschlaw, is a stay-at-home mom who homeschools their children. Together, theyíre two of the most effective advocates in Iowa ñ or anywhere ñ for children dumped in the child-welfare system.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Comeuppance for bullying
Will school bullying or bullying elsewhere for that matter end with
anti-bullying legislation. 22 states are going to try. Were you or your
children bullied?
Read beginning of article below and to read the rest click on the title above.
By Jen Waters
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
September 26, 2005
Bullying is no longer considered a harmless rite of passage in childhood, says Capt. Stephanie Bryn, a spokeswoman on the issue for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
"Adults need to recognize it's not OK," Capt. Bryn says. "In the past, we really didn't deal with bullying. We said, 'Boys will be boys. Girls will be girls.' We don't let that go anymore. We ask that people would stop and address bullying."
Bullying, repeatedly lashing out at other people physically or verbally, can affect students' well-being. Harassment can lead to problems such as depression and a drop in grades.
Currently, 22 states have anti-bullying legislation, including Maryland and Virginia, which both adopted laws this year. Virginia law requires that students receive instruction on the inappropriateness of bullying and provides legal protection to school authorities who report incidents of bullying. Maryland law requires that incidents of student harassment or intimidation be reported.
anti-bullying legislation. 22 states are going to try. Were you or your
children bullied?
Read beginning of article below and to read the rest click on the title above.
By Jen Waters
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
September 26, 2005
Bullying is no longer considered a harmless rite of passage in childhood, says Capt. Stephanie Bryn, a spokeswoman on the issue for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
"Adults need to recognize it's not OK," Capt. Bryn says. "In the past, we really didn't deal with bullying. We said, 'Boys will be boys. Girls will be girls.' We don't let that go anymore. We ask that people would stop and address bullying."
Bullying, repeatedly lashing out at other people physically or verbally, can affect students' well-being. Harassment can lead to problems such as depression and a drop in grades.
Currently, 22 states have anti-bullying legislation, including Maryland and Virginia, which both adopted laws this year. Virginia law requires that students receive instruction on the inappropriateness of bullying and provides legal protection to school authorities who report incidents of bullying. Maryland law requires that incidents of student harassment or intimidation be reported.
Mom With a Kick
Great story about another homeschool mom who manages to make time for 8 kids
and much more... be inspired...
She homeschools 8 kids, coaches debate and teaches tae kwon do
By NATE WILKINSON The York Dispatch
The cars come to a stop and the kids enter the academy, lugging gym bags bigger than their bodies.
Shoes and socks come off at the door. Bags go on the back wall.
Somewhere near the sea of Nike sneakers and Spider-Man sandals, Karen Caroe is about to begin class. The mother of eight, the homeschool teacher, the debate coach, is about to teach tae kwon do.
It all started just like everything else. Caroe never expected to get a black belt. She never expected to become a teacher, to spend her weeknights standing in front of barefoot kids wearing white robes and belts of all different colors.
A learning tool: Caroe started her son, Stephen, in tae kwon do about three years ago because she thought it would be good for his learning disability. He was 9 years old and didn't know his home address.
The classes were supposed to be a learning tool. Instead they became a way of life.
Read the article by clicking on the title above.
and much more... be inspired...
She homeschools 8 kids, coaches debate and teaches tae kwon do
By NATE WILKINSON The York Dispatch
The cars come to a stop and the kids enter the academy, lugging gym bags bigger than their bodies.
Shoes and socks come off at the door. Bags go on the back wall.
Somewhere near the sea of Nike sneakers and Spider-Man sandals, Karen Caroe is about to begin class. The mother of eight, the homeschool teacher, the debate coach, is about to teach tae kwon do.
It all started just like everything else. Caroe never expected to get a black belt. She never expected to become a teacher, to spend her weeknights standing in front of barefoot kids wearing white robes and belts of all different colors.
A learning tool: Caroe started her son, Stephen, in tae kwon do about three years ago because she thought it would be good for his learning disability. He was 9 years old and didn't know his home address.
The classes were supposed to be a learning tool. Instead they became a way of life.
Read the article by clicking on the title above.
Homeschooling and the Curriculum of Love
Homeschooling and the Curriculum of Love
by David H. Albert
As a former book publisher, I duly understand the obligation placed upon an author that, when he chooses the title for a book, he should be expected to explain it. The problem is, as the author of this one, I am very reluctant to do so.
I would like to believe that the very notion of a curriculum of love
should be able to stand on its own, without any need of explication. Love - combined with anything regarding children - is its own testament, and doesn't need some high-fallutin' homeschooling author pontificating about it.
Read the rest of the article by clicking on the title above.
by David H. Albert
As a former book publisher, I duly understand the obligation placed upon an author that, when he chooses the title for a book, he should be expected to explain it. The problem is, as the author of this one, I am very reluctant to do so.
I would like to believe that the very notion of a curriculum of love
should be able to stand on its own, without any need of explication. Love - combined with anything regarding children - is its own testament, and doesn't need some high-fallutin' homeschooling author pontificating about it.
Read the rest of the article by clicking on the title above.
All in the Family
By John Leo Sun Sep 25, 8:10 PM ET
Two decades of research produced a consensus among social scientists of both left and right that family structure has a serious impact on children, even when controlling for income, race and other variables. In other words, we are talking about not a problem of race but about a problem of family formation or, rather, the lack of it. The best outcomes for children -- whether in academic performance, avoidance of crime and drugs, or financial and economic success -- are almost invariably produced by married biological parents. The worst results are by never-married women.
Read this article by clicking on the link above.
Two decades of research produced a consensus among social scientists of both left and right that family structure has a serious impact on children, even when controlling for income, race and other variables. In other words, we are talking about not a problem of race but about a problem of family formation or, rather, the lack of it. The best outcomes for children -- whether in academic performance, avoidance of crime and drugs, or financial and economic success -- are almost invariably produced by married biological parents. The worst results are by never-married women.
Read this article by clicking on the link above.
Homeschooled students do well in spelling, geography bees
Now, because homeschooled children are, in most states, the winners, or among the top
placers in spelling bees and the like... parents and schools are getting jealous??? Read article by
clicking on the title.
September 26, 2005
PROVIDENCE, R.I. --Homeschooled students have won the past three state spelling bees, prompting some jealousy among parents and peers who attend public and private schools.
But education officials and homeschool advocates say homeschoolers win because they have focus, family support and a genuine interest in their education.
placers in spelling bees and the like... parents and schools are getting jealous??? Read article by
clicking on the title.
September 26, 2005
PROVIDENCE, R.I. --Homeschooled students have won the past three state spelling bees, prompting some jealousy among parents and peers who attend public and private schools.
But education officials and homeschool advocates say homeschoolers win because they have focus, family support and a genuine interest in their education.
Homeschool your kids and save the planet!
One more reason to homeschool ...conserve energy, clean the air... To read article click on the title.
byDoug Powers
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
Fossil fuel: enemy of mankind. It burns dirty, spews its smoky bilge into the air, clogs our lungs, causes global warming, and yes, even strengthens hurricanes – or so we're told by some. How can this be combated? Homeschooling is a good start. It might sound crazy, but it's a solution even Al Gore should embrace.
School buses alone burn hundreds of millions of gallons of diesel fuel every year, which is harmful to the environment, not to mention the fact that our children stand next to those idling smokestacks, loading their lungs with more toxic gunk than they'd inhale riding in Willie Nelson's tour bus with the windows up.
byDoug Powers
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
Fossil fuel: enemy of mankind. It burns dirty, spews its smoky bilge into the air, clogs our lungs, causes global warming, and yes, even strengthens hurricanes – or so we're told by some. How can this be combated? Homeschooling is a good start. It might sound crazy, but it's a solution even Al Gore should embrace.
School buses alone burn hundreds of millions of gallons of diesel fuel every year, which is harmful to the environment, not to mention the fact that our children stand next to those idling smokestacks, loading their lungs with more toxic gunk than they'd inhale riding in Willie Nelson's tour bus with the windows up.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Homeschoolers split over education bill
Thursday, September 22, 2005
By Aurora Meyer Southeast Missourian
The bill would clarify some of the federal laws that were written for public schools but impact homeschool education.
Education legislation has divided those in favor of homeschooling with supporters applauding efforts to guard against discrimination, and opponents fearing government intervention.
Introduced in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on Sept. 13, the Homeschool Nondiscrimination Bill would clarify some of the federal laws that were written for public schools but impact homeschool education. (To read article, click on the title.)
By Aurora Meyer Southeast Missourian
The bill would clarify some of the federal laws that were written for public schools but impact homeschool education.
Education legislation has divided those in favor of homeschooling with supporters applauding efforts to guard against discrimination, and opponents fearing government intervention.
Introduced in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on Sept. 13, the Homeschool Nondiscrimination Bill would clarify some of the federal laws that were written for public schools but impact homeschool education. (To read article, click on the title.)
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Homeschooling - Families educate their own children for variety of reasons
Published for the community of Fort Leavenworth Kansas
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Homeschooling - Families educate their own children for variety of reasons
Kyle Tarvin reviews sign language and increases vocabulary with her daughter, Aerin, during a home-schooling session Sept. 6. Lamp photo by Prudence Siebert.
by Jeff Crawley, Staff Writer
When Kyle and Maj. Tony Tarvin decided to homeschool their daughter Aerin it was a decision based on many factors. Like most military families, the Tarvins move often so a primary reason to homeschool was to maintain continuity in their 9-year-old's education.
"Aerin is just starting fourth grade, and she would have been in four schools already if we didn't homeschool," said Kyle Tarvin, who began homeschooling her daughter in kindergarten. Maj. Tarvin works at the TRADOC Analysis Center.
Whatever the considerations, homeschooler David Foreman of Lansing said parents homeschool for the same reason that other parents send their children to public or private schools: "They want to provide the best possible education they can for their children."
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Homeschooling - Families educate their own children for variety of reasons
Kyle Tarvin reviews sign language and increases vocabulary with her daughter, Aerin, during a home-schooling session Sept. 6. Lamp photo by Prudence Siebert.
by Jeff Crawley, Staff Writer
When Kyle and Maj. Tony Tarvin decided to homeschool their daughter Aerin it was a decision based on many factors. Like most military families, the Tarvins move often so a primary reason to homeschool was to maintain continuity in their 9-year-old's education.
"Aerin is just starting fourth grade, and she would have been in four schools already if we didn't homeschool," said Kyle Tarvin, who began homeschooling her daughter in kindergarten. Maj. Tarvin works at the TRADOC Analysis Center.
Whatever the considerations, homeschooler David Foreman of Lansing said parents homeschool for the same reason that other parents send their children to public or private schools: "They want to provide the best possible education they can for their children."
(Homeschooled) Siblings enter UC Berkeley as junior transfers
The Pierce children's parents did not want to see their children's learning
slow down in a traditional school environment - so they homeschooled them.Now, at 13 and 14 years old, they begin their junior year at college.
Read the article by clicking on the title above.
Article By Noel Gallagher, Media Relations | 21 September 2005
BERKELEY – Charles Pierce really likes playing video games. He practices piano and violin. He used to study aikido, but lately he's been more interested in taking up fencing. Lately, however, the 13-year-old has mostly been hitting the books.
Charles is the youngest transfer student this fall at the University of California, Berkeley, where he's now in his junior year. His 14-year-old sister, Mayumi, also transferred in this fall as a junior.
slow down in a traditional school environment - so they homeschooled them.Now, at 13 and 14 years old, they begin their junior year at college.
Read the article by clicking on the title above.
Article By Noel Gallagher, Media Relations | 21 September 2005
BERKELEY – Charles Pierce really likes playing video games. He practices piano and violin. He used to study aikido, but lately he's been more interested in taking up fencing. Lately, however, the 13-year-old has mostly been hitting the books.
Charles is the youngest transfer student this fall at the University of California, Berkeley, where he's now in his junior year. His 14-year-old sister, Mayumi, also transferred in this fall as a junior.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
No Place Like School
Laramie, Wyoming homeschooling family makes the news.
No Place Like School...
By Micah Sturr
No Place Like School...
By Micah Sturr
Boomerang Staff Writer
Fourth-grader London Homer-Wambeam gets to cook and write and do art in school. He’s pretty good with his multiplication tables. He writes and illustrates his own magazine complete with puzzles, games, how-to-draw sections and serialized science fiction cliffhangers.
London loves his teacher. He literally loves her.
His teacher is his mom, Laurie Homer.
“It’s a lot of fun because if I have trouble with a problem — in public school, they would have tons of kids with the problem and the teacher would have to go back and forth — at home, there’s only one kid,” London said.
HONDA - Again - Please Read
HONDA - Home School Non-Discriminatory Act - proposed by HSLDA - has revived old disputes
and passionate debate. Please read what is posted on Home Education Magazine Blog pages. (Click on the title above URL link below.)
http://www.homeedmag.com/blogs/editorial/?p=70
and passionate debate. Please read what is posted on Home Education Magazine Blog pages. (Click on the title above URL link below.)
http://www.homeedmag.com/blogs/editorial/?p=70
Monday, September 19, 2005
Homeschooling as a better alternative to Public School
(An editorial opinion from OpinionEditorials.com) Click on the Title to read the article.
by Chris Liakos
Hundreds of thousands of families have made the decision to homeschool. According to Christine Scheller, an estimated three to four percent of the school age population, approximately two million students, participate in homeschool (Scheller 47). While the reasons for individual decisions to homeschool may vary, many parents cite serious concerns about the academic failures of the public school system and the on-campus social exposure of students to the use of tobacco, drugs, alcohol, and sexually explicit behaviors. The homeschool environment promises a more wholesome atmosphere and academic progress that can be monitored closely by parent instructors with a vested interest in the student's learning outcome. *Although a homeschool program may not meet the needs of every student, it is becoming recognized as a decidedly superior alternative to the public school system for many.*
by Chris Liakos
Hundreds of thousands of families have made the decision to homeschool. According to Christine Scheller, an estimated three to four percent of the school age population, approximately two million students, participate in homeschool (Scheller 47). While the reasons for individual decisions to homeschool may vary, many parents cite serious concerns about the academic failures of the public school system and the on-campus social exposure of students to the use of tobacco, drugs, alcohol, and sexually explicit behaviors. The homeschool environment promises a more wholesome atmosphere and academic progress that can be monitored closely by parent instructors with a vested interest in the student's learning outcome. *Although a homeschool program may not meet the needs of every student, it is becoming recognized as a decidedly superior alternative to the public school system for many.*
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Elizabeth Family Subject Of Documentary (NJ)
LIZABETH—The Borenstein-Burd family of Elizabeth is the subject of the groundbreaking documentary Inventing a Girl: An Experience in Homeschooling by filmmaker Fernanda Rossi.
It will be shown Saturday, Oct. 1, 2 p.m., at the Elizabeth Public Library, 11 South Broad Street.
Lily Borenstein-Burd and her brother Russell are among the two million kids who are being taught at home. Rossi was introduced to them in 1996, and she lived with and filmed them for a period of over one year. In a unique twist, Rossi puts Lily in charge of the action and together they compile a list of essential questions about homeschooling, which they present to Lily's parents, Paula Borenstein and David Burd. (Read article by clickng above title.)
It will be shown Saturday, Oct. 1, 2 p.m., at the Elizabeth Public Library, 11 South Broad Street.
Lily Borenstein-Burd and her brother Russell are among the two million kids who are being taught at home. Rossi was introduced to them in 1996, and she lived with and filmed them for a period of over one year. In a unique twist, Rossi puts Lily in charge of the action and together they compile a list of essential questions about homeschooling, which they present to Lily's parents, Paula Borenstein and David Burd. (Read article by clickng above title.)
Monday, September 12, 2005
CULPEPER LIFE Homeschooling
Pamela Kulick - Staff Writer
Culpeper Star Exponent
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Noreen Shorey and her daughter Emily talk about how to search for information at the library.
“An assignment from God” is how Noreen Shorey and Ann Harrell view their profession.
Shorey and Harrell homeschool their children and while they admit there are many challenges that come with their job, they said the benefits far outweigh the stumbling blocks.
“God gave me my children for a reason and I believe it is my responsibility to teach them,” Harrell said. “I made the decision after I looked at children who were homeschooled and those receiving a public education. I realized those who had been homeschooled were part of a very close family and had developed a love for reading through their studies. That has always been my heart’s desire to foster a love of reading within my children.” Read Article by Clicking on Title Above.
Culpeper Star Exponent
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Noreen Shorey and her daughter Emily talk about how to search for information at the library.
“An assignment from God” is how Noreen Shorey and Ann Harrell view their profession.
Shorey and Harrell homeschool their children and while they admit there are many challenges that come with their job, they said the benefits far outweigh the stumbling blocks.
“God gave me my children for a reason and I believe it is my responsibility to teach them,” Harrell said. “I made the decision after I looked at children who were homeschooled and those receiving a public education. I realized those who had been homeschooled were part of a very close family and had developed a love for reading through their studies. That has always been my heart’s desire to foster a love of reading within my children.” Read Article by Clicking on Title Above.
Support networks are key when children are schooled at home
Support networks are key when children are schooled at home
By Pierre Comtois
GROTON -- As the new academic year begins, most children in Groton and across the region will be shrugging into backpacks and boarding familiar yellow buses for the ride to their local school buildings. A small minority, however, will not be following them.
For these other children, it will be enough to simply roll out of bed, have breakfast and walk into the next room to start their studies. Known as homeschoolers, these students are frequently taught by a parent in the comfortable surroundings of their own homes and enjoy a schedule far less defined than their counterparts in classrooms of 15, 20 or 25 children. READ ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON TITLE ABOVE.
By Pierre Comtois
GROTON -- As the new academic year begins, most children in Groton and across the region will be shrugging into backpacks and boarding familiar yellow buses for the ride to their local school buildings. A small minority, however, will not be following them.
For these other children, it will be enough to simply roll out of bed, have breakfast and walk into the next room to start their studies. Known as homeschoolers, these students are frequently taught by a parent in the comfortable surroundings of their own homes and enjoy a schedule far less defined than their counterparts in classrooms of 15, 20 or 25 children. READ ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON TITLE ABOVE.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Home away from home
Home away from home
Co-ops give an added dimension to homeschool
By Melanie M. Sidwell
The Daily Times-Call
LONGMONT — When the new kid in the neighborhood asked the Matthews boys where they went to school, they replied: “Downstairs.”
Josh, 10, and Zach, 8, have always been homeschooled, a style of education sometimes misconstrued as socially inept or curriculum-intense.
Their mother, Carrie, and other parents of homeschooled children are turning to co-operatives, or co-ops, to change those misconceptions.
“(My sons) are not huddled at home with the door shut,” Carrie Matthews said. “This provides a varied way of teaching to expose them to just more than studying at home.”
Co-ops give an added dimension to homeschool
By Melanie M. Sidwell
The Daily Times-Call
LONGMONT — When the new kid in the neighborhood asked the Matthews boys where they went to school, they replied: “Downstairs.”
Josh, 10, and Zach, 8, have always been homeschooled, a style of education sometimes misconstrued as socially inept or curriculum-intense.
Their mother, Carrie, and other parents of homeschooled children are turning to co-operatives, or co-ops, to change those misconceptions.
“(My sons) are not huddled at home with the door shut,” Carrie Matthews said. “This provides a varied way of teaching to expose them to just more than studying at home.”
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Area students get ready for a new year
By ANDREA JOHNSON, Staff Writer ajohnson@ndweb.com
Eight-year-old Ben Talley and his 9 1/2 year-old brother Sam have a yen to learn all about rocks, so they collected a few boxes of them outside their house.
Though school won't technically start until Aug. 31 for the home-schooled kids and their siblings, they're already trying to figure out what type of rocks they've collected.
"I think this one is slate ... or petrified wood," said son Ben, 8, as he pulled out a dark, chunky rock and held it up for his mother's inspection.
"I think that might be too light for petrified wood," said his mother, Dawn.
"I read a book about them," explained Sam.
Dawn Talley plans to help her boys start a rock collection and get a rock polisher for them while their interest in the subject is white hot.
Eight-year-old Ben Talley and his 9 1/2 year-old brother Sam have a yen to learn all about rocks, so they collected a few boxes of them outside their house.
Though school won't technically start until Aug. 31 for the home-schooled kids and their siblings, they're already trying to figure out what type of rocks they've collected.
"I think this one is slate ... or petrified wood," said son Ben, 8, as he pulled out a dark, chunky rock and held it up for his mother's inspection.
"I think that might be too light for petrified wood," said his mother, Dawn.
"I read a book about them," explained Sam.
Dawn Talley plans to help her boys start a rock collection and get a rock polisher for them while their interest in the subject is white hot.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Kids learn at home, but no one's watchin
With homeschooling on the rise in Michigan, critics want tougher laws and more monitoring.
By Doug Guthrie / The Detroit News
Clarence Tabb Jr. / The Detroit News
"I didn't really find it challenging at all," Kelly Flack, 15, an Olympic figure skating hopeful, says of her time at Stoney Creek High.
Homeschooling
Michigan doesn't require homeschool families to follow the same rules as public schools, which are governed by state and federal laws. It asks that homeschool families register with the Michigan Department of Education, but doing so is voluntary.
What the law says
• Mandatory attendance: Parents and legal guardians are responsible for sending all children ages 6-16 to public school except under provisions of the Nonpublic School Act, which provides for home schools and private schools.
• Exemption: A child may be educated in a parent or guardian's home in an organized educational program covering reading, spelling, mathematics, science, history, civics, literature, writing and English grammar.
• Registering: Those planning to homeschool are asked to voluntarily submit to the state the number of students, the grade, teacher qualification and course of study offered.
Resources
• Choosing a curriculum: Homeschool families may purchase textbooks and instructional materials or an entire course curriculum from teacher bookstores or from a growing number of Internet providers. Support services can be found through homeschool associations.
• Public school classes: Homeschool students may enroll in some elective classes at their resident public school. Such classes may include band, drama, art, physical education, music, computer and advanced placement courses. Special education assistance also is available.
• Testing: Homeschool students may take the Michigan Educational Assessment Program, or MEAP, and the state's Merit Award Board is required to provide test sites. Homeschool students are eligible for the Michigan Merit Award.
• Michigan Virtual High School: Homeschool students may take virtual courses and access online tools for test review, career development, orientation to online learning and skill building.
• Athletics and extracurricular activities: In order to participate in public school extracurricular activities, a student should be enrolled part time in the public school.
• Student records: Parents are encouraged to maintain student records of progress throughout the year but are not required to do so. Most colleges demand accurate transcripts.
• Transfer of grades and credits: The granting of credits and placement of students is solely determined by the receiving public or nonpublic school. Homeschool families are encouraged to determine what the public school policy is for grade placement and granting of credits should a student decide to return to the public system.
More information
• For information about the law, contact the Michigan Department of Education, Bureau of School Finance and School Law Nonpublic Schools Unit at (517) 373-1833 or visit www.michigan.gov/mde.
• For information about Michigan homeschool support groups, visit
Source: Michigan Department of Education
Kids learn at home
Do you support homeschool education? Why or why not?
Yes
No
Get results and comments
Comment on this story
Send this story to a friend
Get Home Delivery
ROCHESTER -- Kelly Flack twirls on the ice at Onyx Skating Center while her mother teaches elementary school in Illinois.
A heavy practice schedule and dreams of competing in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games have the 15-year-old figure skater living away from her family and taking self-paced homeschool courses on the Internet under the supervision of her grandparents in Rochester.
She's part of what experts say is a growing trend of parents pulling their kids out of the classroom and teaching them at home. But critics complain that because Michigan has one of the nation's most liberal homeschooling laws -- requiring only voluntary registration -- there is no way to monitor how many children are involved and whether they are getting a better education or any education at all.
While providing a religious values-based education used to be the main motivation, many of the newest homeschoolers are simply dissatisfied with the educational experience provided by public schools.
By Doug Guthrie / The Detroit News
Clarence Tabb Jr. / The Detroit News
"I didn't really find it challenging at all," Kelly Flack, 15, an Olympic figure skating hopeful, says of her time at Stoney Creek High.
Homeschooling
Michigan doesn't require homeschool families to follow the same rules as public schools, which are governed by state and federal laws. It asks that homeschool families register with the Michigan Department of Education, but doing so is voluntary.
What the law says
• Mandatory attendance: Parents and legal guardians are responsible for sending all children ages 6-16 to public school except under provisions of the Nonpublic School Act, which provides for home schools and private schools.
• Exemption: A child may be educated in a parent or guardian's home in an organized educational program covering reading, spelling, mathematics, science, history, civics, literature, writing and English grammar.
• Registering: Those planning to homeschool are asked to voluntarily submit to the state the number of students, the grade, teacher qualification and course of study offered.
Resources
• Choosing a curriculum: Homeschool families may purchase textbooks and instructional materials or an entire course curriculum from teacher bookstores or from a growing number of Internet providers. Support services can be found through homeschool associations.
• Public school classes: Homeschool students may enroll in some elective classes at their resident public school. Such classes may include band, drama, art, physical education, music, computer and advanced placement courses. Special education assistance also is available.
• Testing: Homeschool students may take the Michigan Educational Assessment Program, or MEAP, and the state's Merit Award Board is required to provide test sites. Homeschool students are eligible for the Michigan Merit Award.
• Michigan Virtual High School: Homeschool students may take virtual courses and access online tools for test review, career development, orientation to online learning and skill building.
• Athletics and extracurricular activities: In order to participate in public school extracurricular activities, a student should be enrolled part time in the public school.
• Student records: Parents are encouraged to maintain student records of progress throughout the year but are not required to do so. Most colleges demand accurate transcripts.
• Transfer of grades and credits: The granting of credits and placement of students is solely determined by the receiving public or nonpublic school. Homeschool families are encouraged to determine what the public school policy is for grade placement and granting of credits should a student decide to return to the public system.
More information
• For information about the law, contact the Michigan Department of Education, Bureau of School Finance and School Law Nonpublic Schools Unit at (517) 373-1833 or visit www.michigan.gov/mde.
• For information about Michigan homeschool support groups, visit
Source: Michigan Department of Education
Kids learn at home
Do you support homeschool education? Why or why not?
Yes
No
Get results and comments
Comment on this story
Send this story to a friend
Get Home Delivery
ROCHESTER -- Kelly Flack twirls on the ice at Onyx Skating Center while her mother teaches elementary school in Illinois.
A heavy practice schedule and dreams of competing in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games have the 15-year-old figure skater living away from her family and taking self-paced homeschool courses on the Internet under the supervision of her grandparents in Rochester.
She's part of what experts say is a growing trend of parents pulling their kids out of the classroom and teaching them at home. But critics complain that because Michigan has one of the nation's most liberal homeschooling laws -- requiring only voluntary registration -- there is no way to monitor how many children are involved and whether they are getting a better education or any education at all.
While providing a religious values-based education used to be the main motivation, many of the newest homeschoolers are simply dissatisfied with the educational experience provided by public schools.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
When Them is Us (Sojouners magazine)
My life among conservative Christians.
by Danny Duncan Collum
By now we all know that American politics and American Christianity are divided into warring camps. The labels may shift. Sometimes it’s progressive vs. orthodox, or Christian vs. secular; sometimes it’s red vs. blue, but always the discussion comes down to Us vs. Them.
I’ve thought about this a lot lately, because I’m one of Us who spends many of his non-working hours embedded with the forces of Them. I am against the war and free trade. I’m all for government environmental and labor regulations, and more of them. I don’t think gender roles are mandated by God for all time, and I am not bothered by the fact that life on earth has evolved over millions of years. But for the past seven years, I’ve found myself actively involved in voluntary associations often dominated by people who don’t share any of these views. And I’ve found that I have more in common with some of Them than I do with many of Us.
My life among conservative Christians began when my wife and I decided to homeschool our children. Anyone who homeschools must have a support group, and the children must have peers. And, especially in the South, most homeschoolers are evangelical-to-fundamentalist Protestants, although we eventually joined up with a conservative Catholic group. These associations led us to a Boy Scout troop in which about half the members are current or former homeschoolers and to a Suzuki violin teacher who leads a children’s fiddle group in which at least 80 percent of the members are from homeschool families. That all adds up to lot of hours in which our poor vehicle, with its bumper stickers reading "Another Pro-Life Democrat" and "Support the Troops: Bring Them Home Now," sits in a lot surrounded by "Bush-Cheney" and that omnipresent "W."
(Read article by clicking on the link.)
by Danny Duncan Collum
By now we all know that American politics and American Christianity are divided into warring camps. The labels may shift. Sometimes it’s progressive vs. orthodox, or Christian vs. secular; sometimes it’s red vs. blue, but always the discussion comes down to Us vs. Them.
I’ve thought about this a lot lately, because I’m one of Us who spends many of his non-working hours embedded with the forces of Them. I am against the war and free trade. I’m all for government environmental and labor regulations, and more of them. I don’t think gender roles are mandated by God for all time, and I am not bothered by the fact that life on earth has evolved over millions of years. But for the past seven years, I’ve found myself actively involved in voluntary associations often dominated by people who don’t share any of these views. And I’ve found that I have more in common with some of Them than I do with many of Us.
My life among conservative Christians began when my wife and I decided to homeschool our children. Anyone who homeschools must have a support group, and the children must have peers. And, especially in the South, most homeschoolers are evangelical-to-fundamentalist Protestants, although we eventually joined up with a conservative Catholic group. These associations led us to a Boy Scout troop in which about half the members are current or former homeschoolers and to a Suzuki violin teacher who leads a children’s fiddle group in which at least 80 percent of the members are from homeschool families. That all adds up to lot of hours in which our poor vehicle, with its bumper stickers reading "Another Pro-Life Democrat" and "Support the Troops: Bring Them Home Now," sits in a lot surrounded by "Bush-Cheney" and that omnipresent "W."
(Read article by clicking on the link.)
How to fight for your kids (Link to Article)
By Rebecca Hagelin
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
As I travel the country speaking about my book, "Home Invasion: Protecting Your Family in a Culture that's Gone Stark Raving Mad," I'm met with nearly universal desperation from parents who are sick and tired of the battle for their kids' hearts, minds and very souls.
As the mother of three teens, I admit that I sometimes "fall back" in my own war with the culture. It's often tough, tiresome and even tedious. But raising children who will tower above the culture makes the battle well worth my unwavering commitment.
So where to start? Here are five basics:
1. Envision, assess, compare.
Envision the type of adult you want your child to become. Whether you are liberal, conservative or somewhere in between, all decent parents pretty much want the same thing for their kids. We all want them to grow up and have happy families of their own. We all want them to be marked by good character; to be responsible, honest, healthy and courageous; to be respected and respectful. But taking the time to actually picture our children's best future reminds us that we need to do our best every day to help shape them in to all that they can be.
Next, assess the media your child is consuming. According to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation report, today's teens consume 6.5 hours of media every single day. The No. 1 cable choice for girls is the racy MTV; the No. 1 music genre choice for kids from all races and socio-economic levels is the often foul rap and hip hop; 90 percent of kids who go online stumble across hard-core porn, simply because parents have never taken the time to install a filter. (I protect my kids with a great filter from www.bsafe.com). What are your sons and daughters watching and listening to? Do you even know? Time to spend some time in their world ñ to find out the messages that are being pumped into their still-developing brains.
Now, compare: Do the messages and materials your child is feasting on teach the values and behaviors you want him to embrace as an adult? If the vision and what you've discovered in the assessment are at odds, it's time to move to step two.
2. Commit to the daily battle.
And believe me, it is a daily battle. The attacks of the killer culture are relentless. From the commercials, to the gangsta and street-walker clothing styles, to the movies, magazines, games and music marketed to teens, decency is under attack. Try breaking it down to one day at a time, and you will succeed. I awake every morning with a simple prayer, "Lord, please help me today to uphold the values and standards my husband and I have set for our family."
3. Teach your child that he has intrinsic value in God's eyes.
The greatest gift we can give our children is to let them know there is a God who loves them and knows them by name. We must teach our sons and daughters that the God of the universe is intensely interested and familiar with every aspect of their lives and wants what is best for them. Today's culture teaches even the young child that he is here by accident, and that he is just another creature on a big, impersonal planet, no different from any other animal. It's no wonder that kids today are experiencing depression and loneliness in record numbers.
4. Improve your family life.
A few years ago the mantra was, "It's quality time, not quantity time, that counts." WRONG! Kids need a good dose of both from their parents. If we think we can spend one great hour a day with our kids and counteract the negative garbage they're getting from the culture "24x7," we're fooling ourselves.
Drop the senseless activities that take everyone's time and leave your family stressed out and exhausted. Spend more time talking with your kids and less time watching television. The Heritage Foundation reviewed stats on the tremendous impact that even the simple act of having family meals has on our kids and found that teenagers who eat dinner with their families only two nights a week or less are more than twice as likely to smoke, drink or use illegal drugs than teens who have frequent family dinners.
5. Take a hands-on approach with your child's education.
Whether your kids go to private or public schools, you should be intimately acquainted with what, and how, they are taught. When was the last time you picked up your child's English book, or science book, and actually read it? Do you know what she is being taught in history? Exercise your right to opt your child out of misguided sex-ed classes. Challenge the reading lists if the assigned books are pop garbage. The point is to remember that you, as the parent, have every right ñ and the ultimate responsibility ñ to make sure your child is taught well, and well taught.
HOT NEW OFFER!
Get your copy of Rebecca Hagelin's powerful new book, "Home Invasion: Protecting Your Family in a Culture that's Gone Stark Raving Mad." Speaking as a nationally known social commentator and mother of three, Hagelin offers words of encouragement and practical suggestions as she coaches parents on how to lead their families to victory in difficult times. Order from ShopNetDaily now!
If you'd rather order by phone, call WND's toll-free customer service line at 1-800-4WND-COM (1-800-496-3266).
Rebecca Hagelin is a vice president of the Heritage Foundation and the former vice president of communications for WorldNetDaily. Her 60-second radio commentaries can be heard on the Salem Communications Network.
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
As I travel the country speaking about my book, "Home Invasion: Protecting Your Family in a Culture that's Gone Stark Raving Mad," I'm met with nearly universal desperation from parents who are sick and tired of the battle for their kids' hearts, minds and very souls.
As the mother of three teens, I admit that I sometimes "fall back" in my own war with the culture. It's often tough, tiresome and even tedious. But raising children who will tower above the culture makes the battle well worth my unwavering commitment.
So where to start? Here are five basics:
1. Envision, assess, compare.
Envision the type of adult you want your child to become. Whether you are liberal, conservative or somewhere in between, all decent parents pretty much want the same thing for their kids. We all want them to grow up and have happy families of their own. We all want them to be marked by good character; to be responsible, honest, healthy and courageous; to be respected and respectful. But taking the time to actually picture our children's best future reminds us that we need to do our best every day to help shape them in to all that they can be.
Next, assess the media your child is consuming. According to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation report, today's teens consume 6.5 hours of media every single day. The No. 1 cable choice for girls is the racy MTV; the No. 1 music genre choice for kids from all races and socio-economic levels is the often foul rap and hip hop; 90 percent of kids who go online stumble across hard-core porn, simply because parents have never taken the time to install a filter. (I protect my kids with a great filter from www.bsafe.com). What are your sons and daughters watching and listening to? Do you even know? Time to spend some time in their world ñ to find out the messages that are being pumped into their still-developing brains.
Now, compare: Do the messages and materials your child is feasting on teach the values and behaviors you want him to embrace as an adult? If the vision and what you've discovered in the assessment are at odds, it's time to move to step two.
2. Commit to the daily battle.
And believe me, it is a daily battle. The attacks of the killer culture are relentless. From the commercials, to the gangsta and street-walker clothing styles, to the movies, magazines, games and music marketed to teens, decency is under attack. Try breaking it down to one day at a time, and you will succeed. I awake every morning with a simple prayer, "Lord, please help me today to uphold the values and standards my husband and I have set for our family."
3. Teach your child that he has intrinsic value in God's eyes.
The greatest gift we can give our children is to let them know there is a God who loves them and knows them by name. We must teach our sons and daughters that the God of the universe is intensely interested and familiar with every aspect of their lives and wants what is best for them. Today's culture teaches even the young child that he is here by accident, and that he is just another creature on a big, impersonal planet, no different from any other animal. It's no wonder that kids today are experiencing depression and loneliness in record numbers.
4. Improve your family life.
A few years ago the mantra was, "It's quality time, not quantity time, that counts." WRONG! Kids need a good dose of both from their parents. If we think we can spend one great hour a day with our kids and counteract the negative garbage they're getting from the culture "24x7," we're fooling ourselves.
Drop the senseless activities that take everyone's time and leave your family stressed out and exhausted. Spend more time talking with your kids and less time watching television. The Heritage Foundation reviewed stats on the tremendous impact that even the simple act of having family meals has on our kids and found that teenagers who eat dinner with their families only two nights a week or less are more than twice as likely to smoke, drink or use illegal drugs than teens who have frequent family dinners.
5. Take a hands-on approach with your child's education.
Whether your kids go to private or public schools, you should be intimately acquainted with what, and how, they are taught. When was the last time you picked up your child's English book, or science book, and actually read it? Do you know what she is being taught in history? Exercise your right to opt your child out of misguided sex-ed classes. Challenge the reading lists if the assigned books are pop garbage. The point is to remember that you, as the parent, have every right ñ and the ultimate responsibility ñ to make sure your child is taught well, and well taught.
HOT NEW OFFER!
Get your copy of Rebecca Hagelin's powerful new book, "Home Invasion: Protecting Your Family in a Culture that's Gone Stark Raving Mad." Speaking as a nationally known social commentator and mother of three, Hagelin offers words of encouragement and practical suggestions as she coaches parents on how to lead their families to victory in difficult times. Order from ShopNetDaily now!
If you'd rather order by phone, call WND's toll-free customer service line at 1-800-4WND-COM (1-800-496-3266).
Rebecca Hagelin is a vice president of the Heritage Foundation and the former vice president of communications for WorldNetDaily. Her 60-second radio commentaries can be heard on the Salem Communications Network.
N.C. quintuplets' mom chats on the joys and trials of raising her brood
y MARTI DAVIS, martidav@comcast.net
August 10, 2005
Kent and Nancy Olson Miller avoid drawing attention to the fact that five of their children share the same birthday.
It's sometimes unavoidable, for instance, on their real birthday, which they recently celebrated in Knoxville at the home of their grandparents Art and Betty Olson. The Olsons live at Lyons Bend and Duncan roads on the Riverbend Peninsula in West Knoxville.
Advertisement
Ellie, Emery, Grace, Maggie and Martin Miller, now 7, were all born July 7, 1998, the first surviving set of quintuplets born in the state of North Carolina and one of very few nationally to survive without any physical or mental handicaps.
The Miller quintuplets, their sister, 10-year-old Anna, and parents live in Wake Forest, N.C., but often visit Knoxville, where the children enjoy playing on the sprawling family homestead with their Olson cousins, who live next door to their grandparents.
The Millers and their Olson cousins especially look forward to rides on Hercules, a dappled white Shetland pony that Art and Betty Olson keep in a pasture next to their home. He's not only a favorite with their grandchildren but has become something of a neighborhood pet, attracting children and adults who feed him carrots and lumps of sugar.
Nancy Miller, a 1978 graduate of Bearden High School, became pregnant with the quintuplets using the same fertility drugs she used to conceive their first daughter, Anna. Upon learning they had quintuplets, the Millers refused their doctor's insistent pleas to reduce the number of fetuses.
"Most quints don't make it, and we knew that," Nancy Miller said. "Either they won't all be born, or only one will live. In most of them, there's one with some pretty significant problems. We knew the risk of severe disabilities was higher," she said.
Though very small at birth, the quintuplets are now all within the normal range in height and weight, and all are quite intelligent and curious.
"We are very, very blessed that they are healthy. It makes life considerably easier than if some of them had special needs," their mother said.
Nancy Miller, who trained as a speech therapist at the University of Tennessee, homeschools all her children, a decision she and her husband made before the quintuplets were expected.
"We just love being with our children and (deciding) what we want them to focus their energies on," she said. "A lot of people feel like it would be insanely difficult." In fact, she finds teaching the children a joy and perhaps less chaotic than it would be if she were getting six children off to school each morning, meeting with a posse of different teachers and keeping up with multiple projects and homework assignments.
(Click on title to read entire story.)
August 10, 2005
Kent and Nancy Olson Miller avoid drawing attention to the fact that five of their children share the same birthday.
It's sometimes unavoidable, for instance, on their real birthday, which they recently celebrated in Knoxville at the home of their grandparents Art and Betty Olson. The Olsons live at Lyons Bend and Duncan roads on the Riverbend Peninsula in West Knoxville.
Advertisement
Ellie, Emery, Grace, Maggie and Martin Miller, now 7, were all born July 7, 1998, the first surviving set of quintuplets born in the state of North Carolina and one of very few nationally to survive without any physical or mental handicaps.
The Miller quintuplets, their sister, 10-year-old Anna, and parents live in Wake Forest, N.C., but often visit Knoxville, where the children enjoy playing on the sprawling family homestead with their Olson cousins, who live next door to their grandparents.
The Millers and their Olson cousins especially look forward to rides on Hercules, a dappled white Shetland pony that Art and Betty Olson keep in a pasture next to their home. He's not only a favorite with their grandchildren but has become something of a neighborhood pet, attracting children and adults who feed him carrots and lumps of sugar.
Nancy Miller, a 1978 graduate of Bearden High School, became pregnant with the quintuplets using the same fertility drugs she used to conceive their first daughter, Anna. Upon learning they had quintuplets, the Millers refused their doctor's insistent pleas to reduce the number of fetuses.
"Most quints don't make it, and we knew that," Nancy Miller said. "Either they won't all be born, or only one will live. In most of them, there's one with some pretty significant problems. We knew the risk of severe disabilities was higher," she said.
Though very small at birth, the quintuplets are now all within the normal range in height and weight, and all are quite intelligent and curious.
"We are very, very blessed that they are healthy. It makes life considerably easier than if some of them had special needs," their mother said.
Nancy Miller, who trained as a speech therapist at the University of Tennessee, homeschools all her children, a decision she and her husband made before the quintuplets were expected.
"We just love being with our children and (deciding) what we want them to focus their energies on," she said. "A lot of people feel like it would be insanely difficult." In fact, she finds teaching the children a joy and perhaps less chaotic than it would be if she were getting six children off to school each morning, meeting with a posse of different teachers and keeping up with multiple projects and homework assignments.
(Click on title to read entire story.)
Public Schools: Enforced Socail Conversion & Parental Denial
Nancy Levant
August 6, 2005
NewsWithViews.com
Caring parents have read Goals 2000, Brave New Schools, and the New Freedom Initiative on Metal Health. They also clearly understand what Outcome-Based Education means. They understand that not only American children, but children all over the world are being converted to social compliancy and servitude. If you haven’t read all the above, you have no opinion of importance to declare when it comes to the subject of education. Ignorance, apathy, and baseless opinions have been tolerated for far too long.
No parent in the United States has any excuse, whatsoever, for ignoring the political-corporate take-over and manipulation of knowledge and learning. Every parent knows schools have changed, and they know their parental rights are taken once children set foot into the public school system. You even have to sign weekly and or monthly forms stating that your children have “mastered” a specific skill. Every year, the school rulebooks get larger and more complicated, and with your signatures, you must also swear to the fact that you’ve read and mastered all rules from cover to cover. Excuse me – who is paying for these schools? (Click on title for link to full article.)
August 6, 2005
NewsWithViews.com
Caring parents have read Goals 2000, Brave New Schools, and the New Freedom Initiative on Metal Health. They also clearly understand what Outcome-Based Education means. They understand that not only American children, but children all over the world are being converted to social compliancy and servitude. If you haven’t read all the above, you have no opinion of importance to declare when it comes to the subject of education. Ignorance, apathy, and baseless opinions have been tolerated for far too long.
No parent in the United States has any excuse, whatsoever, for ignoring the political-corporate take-over and manipulation of knowledge and learning. Every parent knows schools have changed, and they know their parental rights are taken once children set foot into the public school system. You even have to sign weekly and or monthly forms stating that your children have “mastered” a specific skill. Every year, the school rulebooks get larger and more complicated, and with your signatures, you must also swear to the fact that you’ve read and mastered all rules from cover to cover. Excuse me – who is paying for these schools? (Click on title for link to full article.)
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Somebody call 911: Get our kids out of public schools
Somebody call 911: Get our kids out of public schools
by Nick Jackson
I write as a public school graduate from Ohio. Ohio was the Key State in the 2004 elections. We are often considered a reflection of the rest of the country. Our political and moral landscape gives a snapshot of what the rest of the country may be experiencing. Sometimes we are affectionately known as "The heart of it all." This article is however not an advertisement for everyone to flock to Ohio but an admonishment and an indictment that our school systems have failed to protect our children. This is also a warning that this brief review of recent incidents in Ohio schools, reflects trends that are happening all around the nation.
by Nick Jackson
I write as a public school graduate from Ohio. Ohio was the Key State in the 2004 elections. We are often considered a reflection of the rest of the country. Our political and moral landscape gives a snapshot of what the rest of the country may be experiencing. Sometimes we are affectionately known as "The heart of it all." This article is however not an advertisement for everyone to flock to Ohio but an admonishment and an indictment that our school systems have failed to protect our children. This is also a warning that this brief review of recent incidents in Ohio schools, reflects trends that are happening all around the nation.
Homeschooling mysteries unlocked
ACTON-For people who had to hop a school bus or catch a ride to get to class, the world of homeschooling is a mysterious realm, little understood and perhaps a little frightening.
The reality, of course, is slightly less gothic. Parents and children decide to homeschool for a wide range of reasons, some of them educational, some social, some cultural or religious. With the help of an educational industry geared precisely to providing homeschool families with curricula, textbooks and educational software, homeschooled kids can get an education at least as good as what they might find in school. And through networks of families and support organizations, home-educated children can interact with each other and with other children, becoming as well-adjusted and socialized as if they had logged hours of recess-time mixing it up on the playground.
The reality, of course, is slightly less gothic. Parents and children decide to homeschool for a wide range of reasons, some of them educational, some social, some cultural or religious. With the help of an educational industry geared precisely to providing homeschool families with curricula, textbooks and educational software, homeschooled kids can get an education at least as good as what they might find in school. And through networks of families and support organizations, home-educated children can interact with each other and with other children, becoming as well-adjusted and socialized as if they had logged hours of recess-time mixing it up on the playground.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Unschoolers in College - Summer Employment: Year One
(Please click on the Title Link above to read article.)
by Peter Kowalke
At exactly ten-thirty in the morning on June Sixteenth, give or take a few hours and a day, I was ushered into a tiny office adorned with Cleveland Indians baseball bats and black & white photographs of Ohio State football coaches. Dressed professionally with tie and well-creased slacks, I took a seat and mentally debated the most effective location for my hands to rest. I’d like to boast that my posture usually exudes confidence and poise, but a habit of fidgety fingers has always proved a minor, if not extremely subtle, liability. It has been said that an artist can fudge the rest of the human body so long as the hands and face are believable. Hands and face are the most expressive part of the body. So what did my hands express? My hands betrayed the consternation of an individual lacking leverage; where did I gather the audacity to approach a business professional, asking for a job that didn’t even exist?
by Peter Kowalke
At exactly ten-thirty in the morning on June Sixteenth, give or take a few hours and a day, I was ushered into a tiny office adorned with Cleveland Indians baseball bats and black & white photographs of Ohio State football coaches. Dressed professionally with tie and well-creased slacks, I took a seat and mentally debated the most effective location for my hands to rest. I’d like to boast that my posture usually exudes confidence and poise, but a habit of fidgety fingers has always proved a minor, if not extremely subtle, liability. It has been said that an artist can fudge the rest of the human body so long as the hands and face are believable. Hands and face are the most expressive part of the body. So what did my hands express? My hands betrayed the consternation of an individual lacking leverage; where did I gather the audacity to approach a business professional, asking for a job that didn’t even exist?
Feet, Shoes and Shoehorns
(Please click on Title Link to read article.)
Feet, Shoes and Shoehorns
by Ed Dickerson
Wherever two or three homeschoolers gather together, they discuss curriculum, as in, "What curriculum do you use? I use XYZ!" Few weeks pass that I don't receive a call something like this: "I have a nine-year-old boy that I'm going to home school. What curriculum would you recommend for him?" Sometimes, families apologize for using a particular curriculum, as in, "I know you don't approve of . . ." These ideas reveal a fundamental misunderstanding and common misuse of curriculum, a misunderstanding and misuse which cause frustration and burnout.
Feet, Shoes and Shoehorns
by Ed Dickerson
Wherever two or three homeschoolers gather together, they discuss curriculum, as in, "What curriculum do you use? I use XYZ!" Few weeks pass that I don't receive a call something like this: "I have a nine-year-old boy that I'm going to home school. What curriculum would you recommend for him?" Sometimes, families apologize for using a particular curriculum, as in, "I know you don't approve of . . ." These ideas reveal a fundamental misunderstanding and common misuse of curriculum, a misunderstanding and misuse which cause frustration and burnout.
Accelerating Into High School
(Click on the Title Link above to read entire article.)
Accelerating Into High School
by Shirley M.R.Minster
Each spring (and summer) parents and students make plans for the next homeschool year. One consideration is if a child should bypass eighth grade and move right into high school in the fall. Recently one parent told me that she heard that junior high is pretty much a review of all the elementary years and teaching eighth grade is not necessary. My experience has been that skipping this grade is often a mistake because children need time to mature mentally and emotionally and this grade gives them time to rest, grow, and play. Once they reach high school, courses become more difficult, the program tends to become more tightly structured, and careers and the future are more seriously considered. It is a tremendous responsibility for both the parents and the children to determine when to start high school because of these concerns.
Accelerating Into High School
by Shirley M.R.Minster
Each spring (and summer) parents and students make plans for the next homeschool year. One consideration is if a child should bypass eighth grade and move right into high school in the fall. Recently one parent told me that she heard that junior high is pretty much a review of all the elementary years and teaching eighth grade is not necessary. My experience has been that skipping this grade is often a mistake because children need time to mature mentally and emotionally and this grade gives them time to rest, grow, and play. Once they reach high school, courses become more difficult, the program tends to become more tightly structured, and careers and the future are more seriously considered. It is a tremendous responsibility for both the parents and the children to determine when to start high school because of these concerns.
Friday, July 29, 2005
Socialist Public Schools or Homeschooling - Good Parents on the Line
by Nancy Levant Sierra Times
I have very little hope for this nation. The bulk of the populace is still clueless as to the Executive Orders, Acts, and partnership bureaucracy system that have turned our Constitutional Republic into a new banana republic. The ongoing ignorance of the masses is beyond all comprehension and reason.
The Southwestern U.S and the West Coast have become a foreign and illegal nation. Every Constitutional right is under perpetrated and highly orchestrated attack, and still the masses watch TV, sports, drink beer, and do and say nothing. Most don’t even know that anything has changed. And why is that? Because public education has changed American people into silent, sacrilegious, non-reading, pleasure-seeking, group-thinking morons – that’s why.
I remember reading a study about 30 years ago on the educational effects of computers coupled with television. The study concluded that the TV-computer combo, and the over stimulation of visual senses, was detrimental to reading and writing skills. Gee, do ya think?? However, the public school system was to be the saving grace. Pour more money into the public schools, incorporate computer technology into classrooms, and American schools could guarantee the best public education in the world. And for the past 30+ years, American schools have choked on their promises to deliver.
Today, illiteracy is commonplace. The first two years of college repeat high school basics, and the last 2 years teach group dynamics and Socialist theory. In today’s world, a four-year, $100,000.00 college degree is as useless as a high school diploma. To even think of getting a job, people are forced into master degree programs, which are also rapidly becoming useless in American society. In today’s America, if you want a good job with good pay, you need to spend about $200,000.00 on higher education and obtain a doctoral degree in the sciences. Then, your job opportunities with the government will be abounding.
So, let’s get this straight once and for all – Socialism requires ignorance in mass numbers. Intelligent, well-read people do not choose to be lowly paid employees who are subservient to multi-millionaires and their purchased politicians. Intelligent people do not desire to be socially and culturally controlled by dictatorial-governmental elites. Knock-knock, America - is anyone home??
The U.S. citizenry has been incrementally dumbed down by the Federal government, the NEA, the AFT, and idiot teachers who are still largely unaware of the Socialist curriculums and agendas imposed in their classrooms. I have talked to at least 50 teachers who were totally unaware of the New Freedom Initiative on Mental Health and TMAP, Goals 2000, Outcome-Based Education, Agenda 21, or social re-engineering educational strategies that enforce global citizenship. Our teachers are clueless. It is, therefore, guaranteed that our children are educational victims of government, unions, and ignorance. (Click on above Title for link to the article.)
I have very little hope for this nation. The bulk of the populace is still clueless as to the Executive Orders, Acts, and partnership bureaucracy system that have turned our Constitutional Republic into a new banana republic. The ongoing ignorance of the masses is beyond all comprehension and reason.
The Southwestern U.S and the West Coast have become a foreign and illegal nation. Every Constitutional right is under perpetrated and highly orchestrated attack, and still the masses watch TV, sports, drink beer, and do and say nothing. Most don’t even know that anything has changed. And why is that? Because public education has changed American people into silent, sacrilegious, non-reading, pleasure-seeking, group-thinking morons – that’s why.
I remember reading a study about 30 years ago on the educational effects of computers coupled with television. The study concluded that the TV-computer combo, and the over stimulation of visual senses, was detrimental to reading and writing skills. Gee, do ya think?? However, the public school system was to be the saving grace. Pour more money into the public schools, incorporate computer technology into classrooms, and American schools could guarantee the best public education in the world. And for the past 30+ years, American schools have choked on their promises to deliver.
Today, illiteracy is commonplace. The first two years of college repeat high school basics, and the last 2 years teach group dynamics and Socialist theory. In today’s world, a four-year, $100,000.00 college degree is as useless as a high school diploma. To even think of getting a job, people are forced into master degree programs, which are also rapidly becoming useless in American society. In today’s America, if you want a good job with good pay, you need to spend about $200,000.00 on higher education and obtain a doctoral degree in the sciences. Then, your job opportunities with the government will be abounding.
So, let’s get this straight once and for all – Socialism requires ignorance in mass numbers. Intelligent, well-read people do not choose to be lowly paid employees who are subservient to multi-millionaires and their purchased politicians. Intelligent people do not desire to be socially and culturally controlled by dictatorial-governmental elites. Knock-knock, America - is anyone home??
The U.S. citizenry has been incrementally dumbed down by the Federal government, the NEA, the AFT, and idiot teachers who are still largely unaware of the Socialist curriculums and agendas imposed in their classrooms. I have talked to at least 50 teachers who were totally unaware of the New Freedom Initiative on Mental Health and TMAP, Goals 2000, Outcome-Based Education, Agenda 21, or social re-engineering educational strategies that enforce global citizenship. Our teachers are clueless. It is, therefore, guaranteed that our children are educational victims of government, unions, and ignorance. (Click on above Title for link to the article.)
Never too old for children's books
By Nell Minow
Special to the Tribune
Published July 26, 2005
This story contains corrected material, published July 28, 2005.
Charlie Bucket is still finding the golden ticket for a tour of Willie Wonka's candy factory, 40 years after Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" was originally published. A new anniversary edition of the book is out in time for the release of the second movie version. It holds up very well, though the movie understandably updates Mike Teevee's obsession from television shows to video games and the Oompa Loompas are not African (as in the book) or dark orange (as in the first movie), but computer-generated duplicates of one actor (this sentence as published has been corrected in this text).
Special to the Tribune
Published July 26, 2005
This story contains corrected material, published July 28, 2005.
Charlie Bucket is still finding the golden ticket for a tour of Willie Wonka's candy factory, 40 years after Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" was originally published. A new anniversary edition of the book is out in time for the release of the second movie version. It holds up very well, though the movie understandably updates Mike Teevee's obsession from television shows to video games and the Oompa Loompas are not African (as in the book) or dark orange (as in the first movie), but computer-generated duplicates of one actor (this sentence as published has been corrected in this text).
Monday, July 25, 2005
Children Learn How?
Daily Journal staff writer
jweedman@thejournalnet.com
July 25, 2005
Parents in Johnson County say they mostly want the same things for their kids when it comes to education.
They want a curriculum that matches their interests and needs; friends that teach them about life outside of the classroom; a wide range of experiences in arts, academics and other clubs and activities; and caring adults who help their children navigate life. These are all important factors when thinking about a childís education.
Decisions about how and where to educate their children are some of the toughest decisions they make, some parents said.
ìAs a parent, you really want to do whatís right for your kid no matter what anyone else thinks,î said Cindy Johnson, a mother who homeschools one child and will send another to public school kindergarten in the fall.
jweedman@thejournalnet.com
July 25, 2005
Parents in Johnson County say they mostly want the same things for their kids when it comes to education.
They want a curriculum that matches their interests and needs; friends that teach them about life outside of the classroom; a wide range of experiences in arts, academics and other clubs and activities; and caring adults who help their children navigate life. These are all important factors when thinking about a childís education.
Decisions about how and where to educate their children are some of the toughest decisions they make, some parents said.
ìAs a parent, you really want to do whatís right for your kid no matter what anyone else thinks,î said Cindy Johnson, a mother who homeschools one child and will send another to public school kindergarten in the fall.
Too young to drive, 15-year-old heads to college
By RACHEL TAPLEY
Staff Writer
Unlike most students who are clinging to their last weeks of summer break, Brittany "Nikki" Griffitts of Danville is excited about going back to school. She's 15, but she won't be returning to high school. Nikki is enrolled at Eastern Kentucky University as a freshman.
"I'm eager to get to EKU," she says. "I'm also kind of nervous."
Nikki attended Boyle County High School for ninth grade and part of 10th grade. She then switched to homeschooling and completed all of her homeschooling curriculum in a year. So, having earned her homeschool diploma, she took the ACT and applied to EKU. The application process was the same as if she had graduated from public school at the age of 18, and Nikki was accepted.
Art is her passion, and she plans to become an art teacher after college.
"Art has always meant a lot to me," she says. "It's my way of expressing my emotions and saying things that would've otherwise been difficult to put into words."
Nikki wants to become a teacher because of the good teachers she has had. "It was influences like Mr. Camic, Mrs. Preston, Mr. Warren, Mrs. Wilson, and Mr. McKee that made me want to be a teacher," she says, listing the names of some of her teachers at Boyle County High School.
Staff Writer
Unlike most students who are clinging to their last weeks of summer break, Brittany "Nikki" Griffitts of Danville is excited about going back to school. She's 15, but she won't be returning to high school. Nikki is enrolled at Eastern Kentucky University as a freshman.
"I'm eager to get to EKU," she says. "I'm also kind of nervous."
Nikki attended Boyle County High School for ninth grade and part of 10th grade. She then switched to homeschooling and completed all of her homeschooling curriculum in a year. So, having earned her homeschool diploma, she took the ACT and applied to EKU. The application process was the same as if she had graduated from public school at the age of 18, and Nikki was accepted.
Art is her passion, and she plans to become an art teacher after college.
"Art has always meant a lot to me," she says. "It's my way of expressing my emotions and saying things that would've otherwise been difficult to put into words."
Nikki wants to become a teacher because of the good teachers she has had. "It was influences like Mr. Camic, Mrs. Preston, Mr. Warren, Mrs. Wilson, and Mr. McKee that made me want to be a teacher," she says, listing the names of some of her teachers at Boyle County High School.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Heads of Their Class
Springfield siblings Sam and Abby Clark, both home-schooled, will enroll in MIT in the fall.
By Glenn McCarty
July 20, 2005
Photo by Glenn McCarty/The Connection
Sam Clark and sister Abby of Springfield have been dual-enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College. They finished their homeschooled high school career this spring and will both enroll at MIT in the fall.
Graduation at the Clark home in Springfield was a low-key affair in June. Although two children, Sam, 17, and Abby, 15, both were ending their high school careers, the two homeschooled students were already beginning to think about the next step in their academic journey ó enrolling as freshman in the fall at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
"We're a very free-flowing family. We just kind of glided into preparing for MIT in the fall," said the students' mother, Katarina.
Not that graduation wasn't a cause for excitement. The Clark siblings have been homeschooled for their entire school careers, and this will be the first time they move away from Northern Virginia.
To get college-ready, the Clarks have both been dual-enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) for several semesters. This spring, they finished their community college education by taking Organic Chemistry II and University Physics together. Sam began at NVCC in the spring of 2003, at the age of 15, when he took General Chemistry. Abby joined him for Organic Chemistry I and University Physics a year later, at the age of 14.
By Glenn McCarty
July 20, 2005
Photo by Glenn McCarty/The Connection
Sam Clark and sister Abby of Springfield have been dual-enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College. They finished their homeschooled high school career this spring and will both enroll at MIT in the fall.
Graduation at the Clark home in Springfield was a low-key affair in June. Although two children, Sam, 17, and Abby, 15, both were ending their high school careers, the two homeschooled students were already beginning to think about the next step in their academic journey ó enrolling as freshman in the fall at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
"We're a very free-flowing family. We just kind of glided into preparing for MIT in the fall," said the students' mother, Katarina.
Not that graduation wasn't a cause for excitement. The Clark siblings have been homeschooled for their entire school careers, and this will be the first time they move away from Northern Virginia.
To get college-ready, the Clarks have both been dual-enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) for several semesters. This spring, they finished their community college education by taking Organic Chemistry II and University Physics together. Sam began at NVCC in the spring of 2003, at the age of 15, when he took General Chemistry. Abby joined him for Organic Chemistry I and University Physics a year later, at the age of 14.
Haven for homeschoolers at local convention
Haven for homeschoolers at local convention
By Nick Pinto/ Staff Writer
Thursday, July 21, 2005
BOXBOROUGH-For people who had to hop a school bus or catch a ride to get to class, the world of homeschooling is a mysterious realm, little understood and perhaps a little frightening.
The reality, of course, is slightly less gothic. Parents and children decide to homeschool for a wide range of reasons, some of them educational, some social, some cultural or religious. With the help of an educational industry geared precisely to providing homeschool families with curricula, textbooks and educational software, homeschooled kids can get an education at least as good as what they might find in school. And through networks of families and support organizations, home-educated children can interact with each other and with other children, becoming as well-adjusted and socialized as if they had logged hours of recess-time mixing it up on the playground.
The growing infrastructure of these parent networks, educational supply companies and support organizations that undergird modern homeschooling in America were all on display at this year's New England Homeschool and Family Learning Conference, held July 15 and 16 at the Boxborough Woods Holiday Inn. Organized by Home Education and Family Services, a resource center based in Gray, Maine, the event drew families from nearby and from all over New England.
By Nick Pinto/ Staff Writer
Thursday, July 21, 2005
BOXBOROUGH-For people who had to hop a school bus or catch a ride to get to class, the world of homeschooling is a mysterious realm, little understood and perhaps a little frightening.
The reality, of course, is slightly less gothic. Parents and children decide to homeschool for a wide range of reasons, some of them educational, some social, some cultural or religious. With the help of an educational industry geared precisely to providing homeschool families with curricula, textbooks and educational software, homeschooled kids can get an education at least as good as what they might find in school. And through networks of families and support organizations, home-educated children can interact with each other and with other children, becoming as well-adjusted and socialized as if they had logged hours of recess-time mixing it up on the playground.
The growing infrastructure of these parent networks, educational supply companies and support organizations that undergird modern homeschooling in America were all on display at this year's New England Homeschool and Family Learning Conference, held July 15 and 16 at the Boxborough Woods Holiday Inn. Organized by Home Education and Family Services, a resource center based in Gray, Maine, the event drew families from nearby and from all over New England.
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