Last week Daryl Cobranchi at HE&OS asked if you had "a million dollar grant to advance home education, what would you do with it?" There were some interesting and thoughtful comments.
The company I work at every year gives money to a few excellent teachers at public schools. There are some sizeable amounts of money involved. Each year a request goes out for nominations for good teachers. This seems unfair. Each time I think about submitting my wife or some other homeschooler who is doing a great job.
But I'm sure the bureaucracy would reject any such nomination, at least at first. Maybe if there was a campaign by dozens of homeschoolers we might be able to get such companies to stop and reconsider.
Other than having some money to buy more stuff, I don't see any great benefit. The reality is homeschooling doesn't cost that much money. We already have a building to use. The other large expense, salaries for teachers, is not an issue for homeschoolers.
Would it do any good to try and get companies to contribute some resources to homeschoolers? I'm curious to know what other people think about asking companies to help out homeschoolers.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, education, school grants, school funding, teacher awards
4 comments:
I think that most homeschoolers would enjoy winning a modest award. Personally, I would use the money for items that are usually cost prohibitive, like chemistry lab equipment, microscopes and telescopes. Also the money could be used for supplies like pens and paper. Money could also be used for field trips. I would also use money to build a library of favorite books.
I encourage you to nominate your wife next time this comes around.
I would love to see more community wide homeschooling sponsership. Lab equipment, instrument rental or lessons, debate team travel expenses, or just a gym-type place that would throw open their doors once a month (I hear this happens with the Nike Center in Oregon). I think that kind of stuff would be useful for homeschoolers because it is that kind of large scale things we can't afford but the public schools have.
On December 3rd my eldest daughter came home off the bus without her brother. She was so very upset because she did not know where her brother was and having to tell me the bad news was waying down on her. She came in the house with the saddest face as she explains the dilemma. She then tells me that she tried to tell the bus driver of Dallas Independent School District that her brother was not on the bus. Needless, to say the bus driver just looks at her and say she was not going to be waiting. I arrive at the school trying to find out where my child was and no one seemed to know what was going on. I walk down to my son's teachers classroom as she has the cell phone to her ear. I interrupted her and asked is Jibri here? She begins to scan her classroom and then she asked the other students if they seen Jibri. On student stands up and said that he last saw Jibri outside. I went to the lunch room and it was not there. Was stopped by a gentleman teacher inwhich I had to explain the situation all over again. He escorts me to the main office. Eventually the principal was contacted and he came to the office and said "I put your daughter on the bus." I had to correct him and tell him that my son was a boy not a girl. He then states that he put a group of children on the bus because they missed the bus. My son's teacher had all 20 children to miss the bus because she did not hear the bell. She did not escort the children to the bus just 20 children ages 7 and 8 in the second grade running in the hallway by themselves to the bus because she lost track of time. The principals explains that he arranged for the children to just get on a different bus and the bus driver would drop them close to their homes. The bus driver dropped my son at the age of 8 years old off at the freeway and a side street and left him to find his way home. I contacted everyone I could contact and did not even get I'm sorry on behalf of Dallas I.S.D. In order to protect my childrens safety I have decided to homeschool. I don't have supplies or curriculum but I am hoping that someone would be able to help me through this.
Thank you,
Ardelia Sanchez
636 Bow Arrow Dr Apt 2077
Dallas, Texas 75224
Phone: (214) 484-8005
Email: ardelia.sanchez@yahoo.com
Ardelia, I apologize for not responding sooner. The last month has been a little more hectic than normal, and your comment sat in my in-basket.
The short answer is you don't need a lot of stuff to homeschool. Especially with young children. The Moore's book Better Late Than Early makes the argument that early push for academics is bad for young children. My suggestion is you use your local library to keep your children busy learning. You might also contact your local homeschool group. As children outgrow a curriculum parents will look for a good home so it doesn't get wasted.
Good luck.
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