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.
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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.)
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
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.
Monday, July 18, 2005
How to Save Society (Homeschool)
How to save society - Vox Day
Posted: July 18, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
One of the great mysteries of modern faith is knowing how and when to act. Unfortunately, God seldom appears as a burning bush, and when He speaks to us, we hear him with our hearts, not our ears. Regardless of whether one believes in an omniderigent Divine or a God who has created us in His image with genuinely free will, it can be difficult to know whether we are acting in accordance with His will or simply following the capricious whims of our own.
Posted: July 18, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
One of the great mysteries of modern faith is knowing how and when to act. Unfortunately, God seldom appears as a burning bush, and when He speaks to us, we hear him with our hearts, not our ears. Regardless of whether one believes in an omniderigent Divine or a God who has created us in His image with genuinely free will, it can be difficult to know whether we are acting in accordance with His will or simply following the capricious whims of our own.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Childhood Pastimes are increasingly moving indoors
Fishing, biking and sports giving way to video games
By Dennis Cauchon
USA TODAY
BELLBROOK, Ohio ó Being a kid isn't what it used to be.
Dakota Howell, 9, went fishing in this town of 7,000 the other day with his mom, dad and little brother. ìIt's fun,î he says, happily reeling in sunfish from Spring Lake during a fishing derby sponsored by Wal-Mart.
But, to be honest, he'd rather be doing something else: playing video games. ìThat was my first choice," he confides. "But mom says they rot your brain."
Misty Pollock, his mother, smiles. "When I was a kid, we wanted to be outdoors,î she says. "Today, you have to push kids outside."
The fundamental nature of American childhood has changed in a single generation. The unstructured outdoor childhood - days of pick-up baseball games, treehouses and "be home for dinner" – has all but vanished.
Today, childhood is spent mostly indoors, watching television, playing video games and working the Internet. When children do go outside, it tends to be for scheduled events - soccer camp or a fishing derby - held under the watch of adults. In a typical week, 27% of kids ages 9 to 13 play organized baseball, but only 6% play on their own, a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.
By Dennis Cauchon
USA TODAY
BELLBROOK, Ohio ó Being a kid isn't what it used to be.
Dakota Howell, 9, went fishing in this town of 7,000 the other day with his mom, dad and little brother. ìIt's fun,î he says, happily reeling in sunfish from Spring Lake during a fishing derby sponsored by Wal-Mart.
But, to be honest, he'd rather be doing something else: playing video games. ìThat was my first choice," he confides. "But mom says they rot your brain."
Misty Pollock, his mother, smiles. "When I was a kid, we wanted to be outdoors,î she says. "Today, you have to push kids outside."
The fundamental nature of American childhood has changed in a single generation. The unstructured outdoor childhood - days of pick-up baseball games, treehouses and "be home for dinner" – has all but vanished.
Today, childhood is spent mostly indoors, watching television, playing video games and working the Internet. When children do go outside, it tends to be for scheduled events - soccer camp or a fishing derby - held under the watch of adults. In a typical week, 27% of kids ages 9 to 13 play organized baseball, but only 6% play on their own, a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.
Monday, July 11, 2005
Traveling Riverside Blues: Having 15 Children, Little Less Ridiculous
TRAVELING RIVERSIDE BLUES: Having 15 children, little less rediculous
Marie Zatezalo is a graduate student and writes 'Traveling Riverside Blues' for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper.
Marie Zatezalo
July 11, 2005
It's 10 p.m. Do you know where your 16-year-old is? How about your 12-year-old or your 11-year-old? How about your 7-year-old twins? And what about your 3-year-old, not to mention your newborn?
Keeping track of these seven children would be a daunting task for any parent. Double the amount to 15 children, however, and throw in a bun in the oven for good measure, and you have the makings of absolute pandemonium. However, this is just how Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar live each day.
Marie Zatezalo is a graduate student and writes 'Traveling Riverside Blues' for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper.
Marie Zatezalo
July 11, 2005
It's 10 p.m. Do you know where your 16-year-old is? How about your 12-year-old or your 11-year-old? How about your 7-year-old twins? And what about your 3-year-old, not to mention your newborn?
Keeping track of these seven children would be a daunting task for any parent. Double the amount to 15 children, however, and throw in a bun in the oven for good measure, and you have the makings of absolute pandemonium. However, this is just how Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar live each day.
Friday, July 08, 2005
Digital School at the Mall Available to Homeschool Students
Digital School at the Mall Available to Homeschool Students
Colorado Springs School District 11 is now accepting enrollment in a new program for homeschool families with high school students. The Digital School for HomeSchoolers will provide high school students the opportunity to supplement their home education with classes on NovaNet. Located in the Citadel Mall, the Digital School for HomeSchoolers will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until noon.
For more information, or to register, please call Kim Hennessy, School District 11 Homeschool Liaison, at 520-2216.
Colorado Springs School District 11 is now accepting enrollment in a new program for homeschool families with high school students. The Digital School for HomeSchoolers will provide high school students the opportunity to supplement their home education with classes on NovaNet. Located in the Citadel Mall, the Digital School for HomeSchoolers will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until noon.
For more information, or to register, please call Kim Hennessy, School District 11 Homeschool Liaison, at 520-2216.
Rivers, Litter and Puppets
Homeschoolers Organize Effort to Keep Water Clean
By Mike Shands
Cindy and Lee J. Ball and their son, Spencer, show off some of the litter they found in just 30 seconds during a recent cleanup of the New River. Photo by Mike Shands.
Several local homeschool families have developed a creative way to interest children in keeping rivers and streams clean. They are using puppets to help convey the importance of clean water
.
Friends School, a local cooperative homeschool group, is planning a variety of events this summer to involve all area children in an effort to pick up litter from local water sources.
“We kind of decided that for the summer we wanted to do a project rather than just kind of meet and do our lessons that we like to do,” said Cindy Ball, a Friends School parent and representative.
The schedule of events begins Monday, July 11 with a fun learning session at the Watauga County Public Library from 10 a.m. to noon. The free session is open to all ages, but will be targeted toward children.
Wendy Patoprsty, a watershed education agent with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, will lead part of the session.
By Mike Shands
Cindy and Lee J. Ball and their son, Spencer, show off some of the litter they found in just 30 seconds during a recent cleanup of the New River. Photo by Mike Shands.
Several local homeschool families have developed a creative way to interest children in keeping rivers and streams clean. They are using puppets to help convey the importance of clean water
.
Friends School, a local cooperative homeschool group, is planning a variety of events this summer to involve all area children in an effort to pick up litter from local water sources.
“We kind of decided that for the summer we wanted to do a project rather than just kind of meet and do our lessons that we like to do,” said Cindy Ball, a Friends School parent and representative.
The schedule of events begins Monday, July 11 with a fun learning session at the Watauga County Public Library from 10 a.m. to noon. The free session is open to all ages, but will be targeted toward children.
Wendy Patoprsty, a watershed education agent with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, will lead part of the session.
Conference Highlights Newest Learning Opportunities, Homeschooling and School Choice
All Press Releases for July 8, 2005
No Child Has To Be Left Behind: Conference Highlights Newest Learning Opportunities, Homeschooling and School Choice
Home education offers hope and optimism for choices in education and brighter futures for children. Parents today have the opportunity to make changes, ponder many educational choices and get the information they need to provide the best possible education for their children. The annual New England Homeschool and Family Learning Conference is held annually. This year the event is set for July 15 and 16 at the Boxborough Woods Holiday Inn, Boxborough, MA, and features dozens of workshops and interactive sessions for parents, teens and children.
Boxborough, MA(PRWEB) July 8, 2005 -- The annual New England Homeschool and Family Learning Conference will be held July 15 and 16 at the Boxborough Woods Holiday Inn, Boxborough, MA. Featured will be dozens of workshops and interactive sessions for parents, teens and children.
Conference supporters believe that home education offers hope and optimism for choices in education and brighter futures for their children. Parents today have the opportunity to make changes, ponder many educational choices and get the information they need to provide the best possible education for their children.
No Child Has To Be Left Behind: Conference Highlights Newest Learning Opportunities, Homeschooling and School Choice
Home education offers hope and optimism for choices in education and brighter futures for children. Parents today have the opportunity to make changes, ponder many educational choices and get the information they need to provide the best possible education for their children. The annual New England Homeschool and Family Learning Conference is held annually. This year the event is set for July 15 and 16 at the Boxborough Woods Holiday Inn, Boxborough, MA, and features dozens of workshops and interactive sessions for parents, teens and children.
Boxborough, MA(PRWEB) July 8, 2005 -- The annual New England Homeschool and Family Learning Conference will be held July 15 and 16 at the Boxborough Woods Holiday Inn, Boxborough, MA. Featured will be dozens of workshops and interactive sessions for parents, teens and children.
Conference supporters believe that home education offers hope and optimism for choices in education and brighter futures for their children. Parents today have the opportunity to make changes, ponder many educational choices and get the information they need to provide the best possible education for their children.
Friday, July 01, 2005
No Child Has to be Left Behind: New England Homeschool Conference Highlights the Newest Learning Opportunities
July 1, 2005
Contact; Jane Boswell, Conference Coordinator,
Home Education & Family Services
Telephone: 207-657-2800 • FAX: 207-657-2404 Email: royala@securespeed.net
Conference Information:
New England conference in Boxborough, MA highlights the newest learning opportunities and school choice
Home education offers hope and optimism for choices in education and brighter futures for our children. Parents today have the opportunity to make changes, ponder many educational choices and get the information they need to provide the best possible education for their children. The annual New England Homeschool and Family Learning Conference is held annually at the Boxborough Woods Holiday Inn, Boxborough, MA, on July 15, 16 and features dozens of workshops and interactive sessions for parents, teens and children. One of the conference speakers, Dr. Samuel Blumenfeld, well known educator, author, commentator and champion of school reform writes, "Fortunately, there are a growing number of parents who have seen the light and have turned to home-schooling… we ought not to expect politicians to solve our education problems. They will have to be solved by parents... for the only true reform of education will take place when the government gets out of the education business."
The public is welcomed to join hundreds of families for a weekend of learning, encouragement and support. Veteran home educators, beginners or those simply looking at the option will be provided with a full selection
of workshops to meet every need. Additionally, some parents want to supplement their children’s traditional education with the methods that are succeeding for over a million American children, Today, options abound. All of these will be discussed.
One of the most respected educational conferences, this annual event offers over one hundred workshops taught by nationally recognized experts to help all families develop a lifestyle of learning. Workshop tracks include: Homeschooling: Getting Started; Homeschooling and the Law; Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Gifted Children; Dealing with Learning Disabilities; Developmental Stages from Birth to Adulthood; Discovering Children's Learning Styles; Succeeding with High Schoolers; Early Childhood Education; Teaching Math, Science, Reading, Literature, Social Sciences; College Preparation; Houesehold Management and Organization and much more. Methods of homeschooling and alternative education are presented: eclectic homeschooling, unschooling, Waldorf methods, Montessori, umbrella schools, virtual homeschooling, distance learning, online education and much more; it's all under one roof. The full exhibit hall features over 70 companies and thousands of the finest educational resources..
This year's guest speakers include:
* Jim Weiss, an internationally known and respected recording artist and live performer and storyteller. Literature truly comes alive when Jim Weiss performs! From fairy tales to Sherlock Holmes to the ancient world of Archimedes the mathematician, Jim's performances and workshops combine the richenss of oral language with the best in world literature, and the result is entertainment (and learning) magic.
* Attorney Deborah G. Stevenson, founder of National Home Education Legal Defense. Ms. Stevenson has a private practice in Southbury, Connecticut, handling cases in all aspects of education and appellate law. In addition to her legal practice, Attorney Stevenson is also a veteran homeschool Mom and founder of Connecticut's Citizens to Uphold the Right to Educate (CT's C.U.R.E.) and Executive Director of Home Education Legal Defense of Connecticut, newly reorganized as NHELD.
* Derek Carter, president of Foundations for Success and a licensed family, marriage and parenting counselor, active in the Long Island Greater New York homeschool community as a leader and homeschooling father.
* Cheryl Carter, founder and director of "Organize Your Life" an organization that helps people reach their maximum effectiveness and productivity. She is a writer, homeschool leader and homeschooling mother.
* Shirley Minster, a Master Degree certified teacher who holds credentials in education, educational guidance, and counseling. As an ardent supporter of homeschooling and individualized learning programs, she uses her extensive credentials to advocate for individual families and the right to choose the educational program that works best for the children.
* Suzanne H. Stevens is an internationally acclaimed author and lecturer. She has published seven books. Her titles include The LD Child and the ADHD Child: Ways that Parents and Professionals Can Help and Classroom Success for the LD and ADHD Child. Ms. Stevens is a popular talk show guest on numerous television programs all across Canada and the US. She has lectured professionally to packed houses since 1982 and regularly speaks and leads workshops at educational conferences.
* Josh Shaine, former director of the MIT High School Studies Program and former headmaster of Massachusetts Academy for Gifted students. He has taught at public, private, and alternative schools, and has also worked with special needs students who were either at home or institutionalized for a number of public school districts in several different states.
* Thomas Clark, a lifelong teacher of mathematics and science with more than 30 years of experience at all levels, from elementary through adult. He began his career with twelve years of classroom teaching, including a full year of graduate study, and then served for five years as the state mathematics suprvisor for the Indiana Department of Education. Currently, he is president of Video Text Interactive, a company that specializes in bringing the textbook to life through technology.
* Amelia Harper is the author of the extremely popular Literary Lessons From The Lord of the Rings, a complete one-year literature curriculum for secondary level students. She is also the Media Editor for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, a national homeschool publication, freelance writer, educator and mentor.
* Dr. Susan Snyder is principal member of IDEAS—Inventive Designs for Education and the ArtS, LLC, a company dedicated to facilitating child appropriate educational models and programs. She has taught at all levels, Pre-K - post-graduate, and holds a BS and MA in Music Education, a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, an Orff Master Teachers Certificate, and a Cooperative Learning Trainers' Certificate.
* Dr. Samuel L. Blumenfeld, author, educator, international commentator and school reformer, who has spent the last 30 years writing about American education and seeking answers to such baffling questions as: Why is America experiencing a decline in literacy? Why are so many American children afflicted with learning disabilities? His six previous books on education answer these and many more questions puzzling the public. His best-selling expose of the National Educational Association, N.E.A. Trojan Horse in American Education, has virtually become a classic in critical educational literature.
* Lynn Scully is the founder and developer of the get IT Independent Tutorial SAT Preparation course. Lynn’s 16 years of tutoring experience range from the elementary level through the master’s level and has covered many topics. Lynn has conducted numerous workshops and classes and is actively involved with various New Jersey schools as a testing and curriculum consultant. She currently works at Blair Academy in Blairstown, NJ.
* Special Conference Event: The FRC Museum & Community Education Expo joins the fun as a major exhibitor at the conference occupying over 1500 sq. ft of exhibitor space and 4 workshop classrooms. This space will be completely devoted to hands-on programs and learning opportunities presented by the best New England area Museum & Community educators. Featuring:
• 40 Museum & Community Educators
• 5 LIVE Animal Presentations
• Over 50 Educational Workshops for children, teens and families
• An Evening Planetarium Show and
• A Family LUAU Party Friday Night!
Families, parents, educators, and those interested in the future of education are invited to Boxborough, MA on July 15 and 16 for the 15th annual New England Homeschool & Family Learning Conference. This event offers newcomers, veterans or the interested everything they need to know about the opportunities offered by homeschooling and school choice.
Walk-in registrations are welcome and the public is invited.
Registration information can be found online: http://www.homeeducator.com/conferences.htm
Walk-in registration begins at 8:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
There is a special Friday Daytime Rate available for those wishing to browse the exhibit hall and buy resources.
Press Passes are also available.
For more information, contact Home Education & Family Services
207-657-2800 or fax 207-657-2404. Email: royala@securespeed.net
Contact; Jane Boswell, Conference Coordinator,
Home Education & Family Services
Telephone: 207-657-2800 • FAX: 207-657-2404 Email: royala@securespeed.net
Conference Information:
New England conference in Boxborough, MA highlights the newest learning opportunities and school choice
Home education offers hope and optimism for choices in education and brighter futures for our children. Parents today have the opportunity to make changes, ponder many educational choices and get the information they need to provide the best possible education for their children. The annual New England Homeschool and Family Learning Conference is held annually at the Boxborough Woods Holiday Inn, Boxborough, MA, on July 15, 16 and features dozens of workshops and interactive sessions for parents, teens and children. One of the conference speakers, Dr. Samuel Blumenfeld, well known educator, author, commentator and champion of school reform writes, "Fortunately, there are a growing number of parents who have seen the light and have turned to home-schooling… we ought not to expect politicians to solve our education problems. They will have to be solved by parents... for the only true reform of education will take place when the government gets out of the education business."
The public is welcomed to join hundreds of families for a weekend of learning, encouragement and support. Veteran home educators, beginners or those simply looking at the option will be provided with a full selection
of workshops to meet every need. Additionally, some parents want to supplement their children’s traditional education with the methods that are succeeding for over a million American children, Today, options abound. All of these will be discussed.
One of the most respected educational conferences, this annual event offers over one hundred workshops taught by nationally recognized experts to help all families develop a lifestyle of learning. Workshop tracks include: Homeschooling: Getting Started; Homeschooling and the Law; Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Gifted Children; Dealing with Learning Disabilities; Developmental Stages from Birth to Adulthood; Discovering Children's Learning Styles; Succeeding with High Schoolers; Early Childhood Education; Teaching Math, Science, Reading, Literature, Social Sciences; College Preparation; Houesehold Management and Organization and much more. Methods of homeschooling and alternative education are presented: eclectic homeschooling, unschooling, Waldorf methods, Montessori, umbrella schools, virtual homeschooling, distance learning, online education and much more; it's all under one roof. The full exhibit hall features over 70 companies and thousands of the finest educational resources..
This year's guest speakers include:
* Jim Weiss, an internationally known and respected recording artist and live performer and storyteller. Literature truly comes alive when Jim Weiss performs! From fairy tales to Sherlock Holmes to the ancient world of Archimedes the mathematician, Jim's performances and workshops combine the richenss of oral language with the best in world literature, and the result is entertainment (and learning) magic.
* Attorney Deborah G. Stevenson, founder of National Home Education Legal Defense. Ms. Stevenson has a private practice in Southbury, Connecticut, handling cases in all aspects of education and appellate law. In addition to her legal practice, Attorney Stevenson is also a veteran homeschool Mom and founder of Connecticut's Citizens to Uphold the Right to Educate (CT's C.U.R.E.) and Executive Director of Home Education Legal Defense of Connecticut, newly reorganized as NHELD.
* Derek Carter, president of Foundations for Success and a licensed family, marriage and parenting counselor, active in the Long Island Greater New York homeschool community as a leader and homeschooling father.
* Cheryl Carter, founder and director of "Organize Your Life" an organization that helps people reach their maximum effectiveness and productivity. She is a writer, homeschool leader and homeschooling mother.
* Shirley Minster, a Master Degree certified teacher who holds credentials in education, educational guidance, and counseling. As an ardent supporter of homeschooling and individualized learning programs, she uses her extensive credentials to advocate for individual families and the right to choose the educational program that works best for the children.
* Suzanne H. Stevens is an internationally acclaimed author and lecturer. She has published seven books. Her titles include The LD Child and the ADHD Child: Ways that Parents and Professionals Can Help and Classroom Success for the LD and ADHD Child. Ms. Stevens is a popular talk show guest on numerous television programs all across Canada and the US. She has lectured professionally to packed houses since 1982 and regularly speaks and leads workshops at educational conferences.
* Josh Shaine, former director of the MIT High School Studies Program and former headmaster of Massachusetts Academy for Gifted students. He has taught at public, private, and alternative schools, and has also worked with special needs students who were either at home or institutionalized for a number of public school districts in several different states.
* Thomas Clark, a lifelong teacher of mathematics and science with more than 30 years of experience at all levels, from elementary through adult. He began his career with twelve years of classroom teaching, including a full year of graduate study, and then served for five years as the state mathematics suprvisor for the Indiana Department of Education. Currently, he is president of Video Text Interactive, a company that specializes in bringing the textbook to life through technology.
* Amelia Harper is the author of the extremely popular Literary Lessons From The Lord of the Rings, a complete one-year literature curriculum for secondary level students. She is also the Media Editor for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, a national homeschool publication, freelance writer, educator and mentor.
* Dr. Susan Snyder is principal member of IDEAS—Inventive Designs for Education and the ArtS, LLC, a company dedicated to facilitating child appropriate educational models and programs. She has taught at all levels, Pre-K - post-graduate, and holds a BS and MA in Music Education, a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, an Orff Master Teachers Certificate, and a Cooperative Learning Trainers' Certificate.
* Dr. Samuel L. Blumenfeld, author, educator, international commentator and school reformer, who has spent the last 30 years writing about American education and seeking answers to such baffling questions as: Why is America experiencing a decline in literacy? Why are so many American children afflicted with learning disabilities? His six previous books on education answer these and many more questions puzzling the public. His best-selling expose of the National Educational Association, N.E.A. Trojan Horse in American Education, has virtually become a classic in critical educational literature.
* Lynn Scully is the founder and developer of the get IT Independent Tutorial SAT Preparation course. Lynn’s 16 years of tutoring experience range from the elementary level through the master’s level and has covered many topics. Lynn has conducted numerous workshops and classes and is actively involved with various New Jersey schools as a testing and curriculum consultant. She currently works at Blair Academy in Blairstown, NJ.
* Special Conference Event: The FRC Museum & Community Education Expo joins the fun as a major exhibitor at the conference occupying over 1500 sq. ft of exhibitor space and 4 workshop classrooms. This space will be completely devoted to hands-on programs and learning opportunities presented by the best New England area Museum & Community educators. Featuring:
• 40 Museum & Community Educators
• 5 LIVE Animal Presentations
• Over 50 Educational Workshops for children, teens and families
• An Evening Planetarium Show and
• A Family LUAU Party Friday Night!
Families, parents, educators, and those interested in the future of education are invited to Boxborough, MA on July 15 and 16 for the 15th annual New England Homeschool & Family Learning Conference. This event offers newcomers, veterans or the interested everything they need to know about the opportunities offered by homeschooling and school choice.
Walk-in registrations are welcome and the public is invited.
Registration information can be found online: http://www.homeeducator.com/conferences.htm
Walk-in registration begins at 8:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
There is a special Friday Daytime Rate available for those wishing to browse the exhibit hall and buy resources.
Press Passes are also available.
For more information, contact Home Education & Family Services
207-657-2800 or fax 207-657-2404. Email: royala@securespeed.net
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