Joanne, who blogs at A Day in Our Lives, hosts Unschooling Voices, a blog carnival of unschoolers.
She has put out the call for submissions to the March edition:
"There are two topics this month. Answer both, one...or neither and blog about something else (#1) Use the letters U-N-S-C-H-O-O-L to write about unschooling. Use what ever method you want, for example you can use each letter like "U is for..., N is for..". Or you can have each letter start a new sentence or paragraph or try writing an acronym. (#2) A topic that comes up on the unschooling e-mail groups a lot is TV/computer/video games and how hard it is for parents to let go of control in those areas. What has been your experience?"
Send entries to: unschoolingvoices@yahoo.com, and put "unschooling voices" in the subject.
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Technorati tags: unschool, unschooling
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Self help online
Several years ago the self help book industry had a major change with the Dummies Books. Each book had a basic pattern of explaining some concept or skill to the reader. Customers felt comfortable with the name brand. Sales were good. Others copied this approach, for example the Complete Idiot's Guide.
This approach has moved online. I've come across the Beginner's Guide. They have sections on horseback riding, snowmobiles, and even homeschooling. The sections are not as long as a full fledge book, but maybe over time more content will be added.
I am often amazed at how technology prompts change in the business world. Decades ago it was almost impossible to get specialized information. Years ago it was merely expensive or time consuming. Now we are overwhelmed with information, and it is free.
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Technorati tags: self help, self, help
This approach has moved online. I've come across the Beginner's Guide. They have sections on horseback riding, snowmobiles, and even homeschooling. The sections are not as long as a full fledge book, but maybe over time more content will be added.
I am often amazed at how technology prompts change in the business world. Decades ago it was almost impossible to get specialized information. Years ago it was merely expensive or time consuming. Now we are overwhelmed with information, and it is free.
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Technorati tags: self help, self, help
Did you need some homeschool supplies?
You might want to consider checking out Discount Homeschool Supplies. Tami, who has twice hosted the Carnival of Homeschooling, is having some specials. We've order a few things from her before and were pleased with the price and service.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education
Steve Jobs gets it right on teacher unions
The Houston Chronicle reported last week on some remarks Steve Jobs (Apple Inc. CEO) had about public education. Steve said that no amount of technology in the classroom would improve public schools until principals could fire bad teachers.
Steve Jobs explained that "I believe that what is wrong with our schools in this nation is that they have become unionized in the worst possible way."
A couple years back some friends of ours had a child in a local public elementary school. The teacher was bad. We're talking bad like evil. The teacher picked on children, and told them horrible lies designed to frighten a particular child. For years the administration had tried to get rid of the teacher. Students from decades ago who had had this teacher came to testify about how bad the teacher was. The school had trouble firing the teacher. Finally a new principle was able to convince the teacher to take early retirement.
This took way too much effort. Hundreds of children had a poor education. Dozens of children were emotionally scarred. My understanding is the school district spent over a million dollars, just to fire this one teacher.
Public education would improve if bad, and even marginal, teachers could be fired. Other teachers would be more motivated and the students wouldn't suffer.
(Hat tip: Goldwater Institute)
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Technorati tags: education, public education, Steve Jobs, teacher, teacher unions
Steve Jobs explained that "I believe that what is wrong with our schools in this nation is that they have become unionized in the worst possible way."
A couple years back some friends of ours had a child in a local public elementary school. The teacher was bad. We're talking bad like evil. The teacher picked on children, and told them horrible lies designed to frighten a particular child. For years the administration had tried to get rid of the teacher. Students from decades ago who had had this teacher came to testify about how bad the teacher was. The school had trouble firing the teacher. Finally a new principle was able to convince the teacher to take early retirement.
This took way too much effort. Hundreds of children had a poor education. Dozens of children were emotionally scarred. My understanding is the school district spent over a million dollars, just to fire this one teacher.
Public education would improve if bad, and even marginal, teachers could be fired. Other teachers would be more motivated and the students wouldn't suffer.
(Hat tip: Goldwater Institute)
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Technorati tags: education, public education, Steve Jobs, teacher, teacher unions
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
The Carnival of Homeschooling and Presidential Trivia
Shannon of HomeschoolHacks is hosting this week's Carnival of Homeschooling.
She drops in some fun facts about the presidents of the United States into the carnival.
There is a large collection of posts. Drop in and browse for awhile.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, Carnival of Homeschooling
She drops in some fun facts about the presidents of the United States into the carnival.
There is a large collection of posts. Drop in and browse for awhile.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, Carnival of Homeschooling
Monday, February 19, 2007
Remember, it is important to say thanks
From the mailing list A Word A Day:
Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.
-Gladys Browyn Stern, writer (1890-1973)
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Technorati tags: gratitude
Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.
-Gladys Browyn Stern, writer (1890-1973)
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Technorati tags: gratitude
Words of Wisdom from Reader's Digest
We recently started checking out old Reader's Digests from the library. My 12 year old daughter found the following joke in the January 2006 edition, "Laughter, the Best Medicine" section.
I wonder if it should have been put in the true story section:
In a recent article, Fremont Bulletin reported the following:
Extension granted for exit exam requirement
To clarify one point: The seniors who took the test were the seniors who had most likely failed the test multiple times in the last 2 years. The over all failure rate for 10th graders taking the test for the first time was 13% in English and 12% in math, which is really not that bad. However, keep in mind that to pass the test a student need only score 60% in English and 55% in math. Students may also take the test 6 times.
I couldn't find the pass/fail rate for seniors or an explanation of why English is 60% and math is only 55%. I also read that they recently removed a few questions from the math portion of the test to make it easier.
Wow. Fremont, California is only 30 miles from where we live. We homeschool for many reasons, but results like this strengthen our resolve. The sad part is that Fremont Unified School District had better results than my local school district.
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Related Tags: Exit exam, CAHSEE, Fremont Unified School District, homeschool, public school, Reader's Digest, Laughter, the Best Medicine
I wonder if it should have been put in the true story section:
Twenty percent of this year's high school seniors in California flunked the state's graduation exam. Educators are still trying to calculate how many passed.
Ben Walsh
In a recent article, Fremont Bulletin reported the following:
Extension granted for exit exam requirement
Fremont's Board of Education unanimously but reluctantly approved a policy extension at its Jan. 31 meeting that allows students to participate in graduation ceremonies and receive a certificate of completion in 2007.
"I'm supporting this proposal, however, it's reluctantly, because these kids have six chances to pass a two-part test that consists of ninth- and 10th-grade English and math," trustee Larry Sweeney said.
During a January 2006 board meeting, trustees made a motion to give a certificate of completion to those special education and regular education students who complete all high school requirements, but do not pass the exit exam.
Those students are allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies, walking across the stage with students who receive high school diplomas. The school board made a request to revisit this issue in one year, with information on the number of graduates in August 2006.
Last May, 63 high school seniors took the exit exam. Only six seniors passed. However, they received their diplomas in August.
Last Wednesday, other trustees echoed Sweeney's concerns about permitting students to participate in graduation.
"I'm having a lot of difficulty with this, and giving a waiver to students when this is a requirement," trustee Lara York said. "The graduation ceremony is for people graduating, getting a diploma and meeting all the requirements. I feel they should have completed all the requirements their classmates have."
Trustee Peggy Herndon suggested the district collect additional numbers to see how many students still have not passed the exit exam by June.
To clarify one point: The seniors who took the test were the seniors who had most likely failed the test multiple times in the last 2 years. The over all failure rate for 10th graders taking the test for the first time was 13% in English and 12% in math, which is really not that bad. However, keep in mind that to pass the test a student need only score 60% in English and 55% in math. Students may also take the test 6 times.
I couldn't find the pass/fail rate for seniors or an explanation of why English is 60% and math is only 55%. I also read that they recently removed a few questions from the math portion of the test to make it easier.
Wow. Fremont, California is only 30 miles from where we live. We homeschool for many reasons, but results like this strengthen our resolve. The sad part is that Fremont Unified School District had better results than my local school district.
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Related Tags: Exit exam, CAHSEE, Fremont Unified School District, homeschool, public school, Reader's Digest, Laughter, the Best Medicine
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Fifty hours and counting
You have just fifty hours to get in a submission to the next Carnival of Homeschooling.
Shannon will be hosting it at HomeschoolHacks.
Entries are due Monday evening at 6:00 PM Pacific Standard Time. Send your entry to: CarnivalOfHomeschooling@gmail.com
Here are more instructions on sending in a submission.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, Carnival of Homeschooling
Shannon will be hosting it at HomeschoolHacks.
Entries are due Monday evening at 6:00 PM Pacific Standard Time. Send your entry to: CarnivalOfHomeschooling@gmail.com
Here are more instructions on sending in a submission.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, Carnival of Homeschooling
Thursday, February 15, 2007
How do you praise your children?
Danny Carlton posted on his blog, Jack Lewis, a reference to a study on Raising kids and praising kids. The study found that children who were praised for working hard were more likely willing to try harder problems. Children who were praised for being smart were more likely to select easier problems.
As parents we need to praise our children. We need to be thoughtful in what we praise them about.
Michael LeBoeuf writes in GMP: The Greatest Management Principle in the World that which gets rewarded gets done.
If we ignore our children when they clean the room, and fuss at them when they have a messy room, most children will tend to have a messy room. They want our attention.
We need to give our children positive, honest acknowledgement for the good things they do, and praise them in a way that will help them to stretch themselves.
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Technorati tags: parenting, children
As parents we need to praise our children. We need to be thoughtful in what we praise them about.
Michael LeBoeuf writes in GMP: The Greatest Management Principle in the World that which gets rewarded gets done.
If we ignore our children when they clean the room, and fuss at them when they have a messy room, most children will tend to have a messy room. They want our attention.
We need to give our children positive, honest acknowledgement for the good things they do, and praise them in a way that will help them to stretch themselves.
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Technorati tags: parenting, children
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Romance in Middle School
A User's Guide To Middle School Romance was published in the Washington post two years ago. I think the author was trying to be cute. As a mother of a 7th grader, I find it anything but cute.
Here are a few excerpts:
That's the scary part. What are children learning about relationships that will actually benefit them as adults?
From what I've read, it is the same in high school. Relationships are about moving up your position in the pecking order.
Yuk. Boy, that's so ugly.
This article got me thinking about what my daughters are learning at home about love and relationships. I don't think it resembles anything they would learn at school.
So, on this Valentines day, I ponder on something from the Good Book about charity which is another word for love.
I Corinthians Chapter 13
I hope this is what our children will learn about love at home.
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Related Tags: romance, middle school, homeschool, dating
Here are a few excerpts:
Ask a group of seventh-graders how to conduct relationships, and much of their advice could apply just as well to adults: "Don't dance with another girl if your girlfriend isn't at the dance." "Don't hold hands with your best friend's boyfriend." "Tell your parents as little as possible."
Relationships sometimes only involve two clumsy conversations: the asking out and the breaking up.
These maladroit transactions are the training wheels of love, explains Bradford Brown, a human development professor at the University of Wisconsin, ....
That's the scary part. What are children learning about relationships that will actually benefit them as adults?
"They could be playing a joke on you," says Lime Kiln seventh-grader Shannon Bishoff. It's painfully common for a group of boys to pay someone to ask a girl out; $20 is the going rate.
In high school, kids begin to go out with whom-ever they find attractive. But in middle school, relationships are a form of currency among peers, a way to jostle for position.
From what I've read, it is the same in high school. Relationships are about moving up your position in the pecking order.
"Because romance at this stage is such a public affair, you really are essentially creating headline news," Brown says. Sneaking a kiss in a little-traveled spot by the buses after school is dismissed is okay, if you're up for it, which some kids are by eighth grade. And, of course, during Spin the Bottle at boy-girl parties: Making out there is fine, because, hey, you have to. That's where the bottle landed. Nobody can question your judgment, call you a slut. You were just following the rules.
Yuk. Boy, that's so ugly.
This article got me thinking about what my daughters are learning at home about love and relationships. I don't think it resembles anything they would learn at school.
So, on this Valentines day, I ponder on something from the Good Book about charity which is another word for love.
I Corinthians Chapter 13
1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity denvieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth...
I hope this is what our children will learn about love at home.
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Related Tags: romance, middle school, homeschool, dating
How public education reacts to people who try to fix it
Monday Tom Patterson wrote a column called: Chopra on the Chopping Block.
Dr. Raj Chopra was hired to turn around the Phoenix Union School District. He said the key was “changing the culture of this district from an adult-centered district to a child-centered district.”
Over the last five years he has done an impressive job.
The Arizona Association for Bilingual Education (AABE) reports that:
* Test scores and the graduation rate are up.
* Teachers are among the highest paid in the state.
* New schools are opening nearly every year, including specialty schools in bioscience and law enforcement.
Both Tom Patterson and the AABE say that Dr. Chopra has upset the teachers union. The teachers union has backed several of the new members to the school board. It appears that Dr. Chopra will probably be let go.
It is clear the teachers unions are not concerned about the children, but about their jobs.
This is one of many reasons why public schools are failing and why it will be hard, if not impossible, to fix the public schools.
Year, after year the children continue to suffer as they get a poor education.
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Technorati tags: Raj Chopra, Dr. Raj Chopra, Phoenix Union School District, public schools
Dr. Raj Chopra was hired to turn around the Phoenix Union School District. He said the key was “changing the culture of this district from an adult-centered district to a child-centered district.”
Over the last five years he has done an impressive job.
The Arizona Association for Bilingual Education (AABE) reports that:
* Test scores and the graduation rate are up.
* Teachers are among the highest paid in the state.
* New schools are opening nearly every year, including specialty schools in bioscience and law enforcement.
Both Tom Patterson and the AABE say that Dr. Chopra has upset the teachers union. The teachers union has backed several of the new members to the school board. It appears that Dr. Chopra will probably be let go.
It is clear the teachers unions are not concerned about the children, but about their jobs.
This is one of many reasons why public schools are failing and why it will be hard, if not impossible, to fix the public schools.
Year, after year the children continue to suffer as they get a poor education.
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Technorati tags: Raj Chopra, Dr. Raj Chopra, Phoenix Union School District, public schools
Spanish Word of the Day
A friend at work recently sent me a link to a Spanish Word of the Day mailing list. To join go to this web site. I signed up yesterday.
I took a couple years of high school Spanish and every now and then I think it would be nice to improve my vocabulary. This mailing list may be a good way to expand it.
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Technorati tags: Spanish, Word of the Day
I took a couple years of high school Spanish and every now and then I think it would be nice to improve my vocabulary. This mailing list may be a good way to expand it.
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Technorati tags: Spanish, Word of the Day
The Carnival of Education, week 106, is up
The Education Wonks is hosting this week's Carnival of Education.
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Technorati tags: carnival, education
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Technorati tags: carnival, education
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
A fun thought from A Word A day
From the mailing list A Word A Day:
It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way. -Rollo May, psychologist (1909-1994)
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Technorati tags: thoughts, life
It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way. -Rollo May, psychologist (1909-1994)
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Technorati tags: thoughts, life
The Carnival of Homeschooling, week 59, is up at Nerd Family
As an engineer I often smile when I read the tagline for the Nerd Family blog: Pro-Nerd. Pro-Family.
The NerdMom sorts the posts for the Carnival of Homeschooling this week by walking around her home.
Drop by her home and see what homeschooling bloggers are writing about these days.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, Carnival of Homeschooling
The NerdMom sorts the posts for the Carnival of Homeschooling this week by walking around her home.
Drop by her home and see what homeschooling bloggers are writing about these days.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, Carnival of Homeschooling
Monday, February 12, 2007
Eating and Education
Steve McConnell makes an interesting point in Code Complete. In chapter two he writes about how metaphors help in providing insight and understanding. A good model can help us solve a problem. For example Steve McConnell writes about how scientists use a wave model, to better understand light, and how this model pointed scientists towards new experiments. A bad model can be misleading.
There are a number of similarities between eating and education. Good food provides nutrients for a healthy body. A balanced diet gives the foundation needed for a body to grow. A bad diet will hurt, or even destroy a body. One of the hazards of sailing hundreds of years ago was running out of the right types of food. Scurvy could lead to death.
Likewise education can provide a foundation for a healthy life. Giving children exposure to a wide range of information and ideas will prepare them for the challenges of life. If we focus only on history, or literature, or science, we would greatly handicap a child.
Recently I was thinking about poor and toxic educations. At the basic level some times children are little more than babysat at some schools. The children’s time is being wasted. At the extreme there are times when children are taught things which are harmful lessons. I’ve struggled much of my life with being a bad speller. A large part of this was because I wasn’t taught phonetics.
It is sad to see parents react so strongly to children taking something bad for the body of their children, like poison, but to tolerate years of a poor education.
If you wondered about the education of your child, and I’m mostly thinking of parents who have children in public schools, think about how you would react if your children were eating similar food. If your child is being fed a poor diet, or worse a toxic one, then you need to take action, and not allow you child to continue getting a bad education.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education
There are a number of similarities between eating and education. Good food provides nutrients for a healthy body. A balanced diet gives the foundation needed for a body to grow. A bad diet will hurt, or even destroy a body. One of the hazards of sailing hundreds of years ago was running out of the right types of food. Scurvy could lead to death.
Likewise education can provide a foundation for a healthy life. Giving children exposure to a wide range of information and ideas will prepare them for the challenges of life. If we focus only on history, or literature, or science, we would greatly handicap a child.
Recently I was thinking about poor and toxic educations. At the basic level some times children are little more than babysat at some schools. The children’s time is being wasted. At the extreme there are times when children are taught things which are harmful lessons. I’ve struggled much of my life with being a bad speller. A large part of this was because I wasn’t taught phonetics.
It is sad to see parents react so strongly to children taking something bad for the body of their children, like poison, but to tolerate years of a poor education.
If you wondered about the education of your child, and I’m mostly thinking of parents who have children in public schools, think about how you would react if your children were eating similar food. If your child is being fed a poor diet, or worse a toxic one, then you need to take action, and not allow you child to continue getting a bad education.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education
Saturday, February 10, 2007
A reminder, just in case you are distracted
I know many of you are focused on Valentine's Day, so this is a gentle reminder: Don't forget to send in your submission for the next Carnival of Homeschooling.
The NerdMom will be hosting at Nerd Family. Here is her request for submissions.
As always, submissions are due on Monday, at 6:00 PM.
Click here for information on how to submit a post.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, Carnival of Homeschooling
The NerdMom will be hosting at Nerd Family. Here is her request for submissions.
As always, submissions are due on Monday, at 6:00 PM.
Click here for information on how to submit a post.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, Carnival of Homeschooling
Friday, February 09, 2007
National Geographic site for children
My mother found a fun site: National Geographic site for children.
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Technorati tags: children, education
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Technorati tags: children, education
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Carnival of Homeschooling, week 58: Celebrating new life
Beverly Hernandez of About Homeschooling is hosting this week's Carnival of Homeschooling.
With the recent birth of a grandson Beverly decided to work the posts this week around new life and parenting.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, Carnival of Homeschooling
With the recent birth of a grandson Beverly decided to work the posts this week around new life and parenting.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, Carnival of Homeschooling
Monday, February 05, 2007
How bad is bullying?
Two weeks ago Joye Brown printed a story about a 10-year-old boy and his battle with school bullies. As an isolated incident, this would be a sad story. The truly great sadness is that yesterday Joye wrote a follow up article A bully story everyone knows.
In response to her first story she writes:
"For days, e-mails poured into my mailbox. From teachers, a lunchroom aide, lawyers, moms, dads and kids. They told of their experiences, and their battles with bullying.
"The most chilling were the e-mails that said they knew the boy, they knew the school district and even knew the school principal. The e-mails named names, but every last one of them was wrong. What does that say about bullying on Long Island?"
Think about what that means.
It seems like everyone personally knows of at least one incident of bullying in public schools. The great tragedy is that often the school's responses are ineffective. The bullies go unpunished.
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Technorati tags: bully, school
In response to her first story she writes:
"For days, e-mails poured into my mailbox. From teachers, a lunchroom aide, lawyers, moms, dads and kids. They told of their experiences, and their battles with bullying.
"The most chilling were the e-mails that said they knew the boy, they knew the school district and even knew the school principal. The e-mails named names, but every last one of them was wrong. What does that say about bullying on Long Island?"
Think about what that means.
It seems like everyone personally knows of at least one incident of bullying in public schools. The great tragedy is that often the school's responses are ineffective. The bullies go unpunished.
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Technorati tags: bully, school
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Cool links from reddit - 3 Feb 07
The following are some cool selections I found via reddit.com:
A few general items:
The Newseum posts the front page from hundreds of newspapers around the world. They also have the front pages from selected dates for particular events. The front pages are captured as images and so it takes awhile to down load them. This might be a good place to go for more information when there is a major even in the future.
John Wesley has a post with a provocative title of Why You Should NEVER Give to the Poor. A less provocative title might have been on intelligent giving. A wise friend once told me he never gives money to people on the street, but he always will offer to buy them food. I've found about 80% will take me up when I offer to buy them a meal.
On the education front:
Rodger Constandse has a post on Do You Want a More “Educated” Mind? Seven Common Traps You Need to Avoid. He starts with a quote from Aristotle: "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Then he has some good ideas for how to improve our ability to really consider opposing ideas.
This may be a hot topic for some. One of the myths in education is that teachers are poor and underpaid. In the Opinion Journal Jay Greene and Marcus Winters challenge this belief in $34.06 an Hour. On a per hour basis public schools teachers make more than most professions.
I liked 4 Things College Grads Need to Know. I especially liked the first point: A degree doesn’t mean you deserve the job.
Reading about something is not has helpful as doing it. This is one of the reasons we have homework. A student may kind of understand a principle, but it isn't until they use it that they really understand it. If you have a child who wants to learn about engines, it may be too expensive to buy various engine parts. Your salvation may be in Animated Engines. This is really cool.
Uncool:
Have you been getting a lot of spam recently? The Postini report found that Spam Made up 94% of all eMail in December.
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Technorati tags: education, teacher, engine
A few general items:
The Newseum posts the front page from hundreds of newspapers around the world. They also have the front pages from selected dates for particular events. The front pages are captured as images and so it takes awhile to down load them. This might be a good place to go for more information when there is a major even in the future.
John Wesley has a post with a provocative title of Why You Should NEVER Give to the Poor. A less provocative title might have been on intelligent giving. A wise friend once told me he never gives money to people on the street, but he always will offer to buy them food. I've found about 80% will take me up when I offer to buy them a meal.
On the education front:
Rodger Constandse has a post on Do You Want a More “Educated” Mind? Seven Common Traps You Need to Avoid. He starts with a quote from Aristotle: "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Then he has some good ideas for how to improve our ability to really consider opposing ideas.
This may be a hot topic for some. One of the myths in education is that teachers are poor and underpaid. In the Opinion Journal Jay Greene and Marcus Winters challenge this belief in $34.06 an Hour. On a per hour basis public schools teachers make more than most professions.
I liked 4 Things College Grads Need to Know. I especially liked the first point: A degree doesn’t mean you deserve the job.
Reading about something is not has helpful as doing it. This is one of the reasons we have homework. A student may kind of understand a principle, but it isn't until they use it that they really understand it. If you have a child who wants to learn about engines, it may be too expensive to buy various engine parts. Your salvation may be in Animated Engines. This is really cool.
Uncool:
Have you been getting a lot of spam recently? The Postini report found that Spam Made up 94% of all eMail in December.
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Technorati tags: education, teacher, engine
Unschooling Voices #7 is up
Speaking of Carnival, Joanne of A Day in Our Lives has posted this month's Unschooling Voices. She asked submitters to write about deschooling. She got 21 submissions in all, many about deschooling. If you've wondered about unschooling, or want to learn more, check out Unschooling Voices.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, Carnival of Homeschooling, family, unschooling, unschool
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, Carnival of Homeschooling, family, unschooling, unschool
Reminder: Send in your submission for the next Carnival of Homeschooling
Beverly Hernandez runs About Homeschooling. She will be hosting the next Carnival of Homeschooling. Think about what you have posted recently that would be interesting for a wider audience. Then send in the post.
Submissions are due in two days, at 6:00 PM on the 5th of February.
Click here for information on how to submit a post.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, Carnival of Homeschooling
Submissions are due in two days, at 6:00 PM on the 5th of February.
Click here for information on how to submit a post.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, Carnival of Homeschooling
Some good lines from Homeschool is Dangerous
Philip Faustin follows up on an article posted in World Magazine. Philip's post (found via a Google alert) is titled Homeschool is Dangerous. It has a couple good line, and is worth reading.
Philip has a few quotes from Robert Reich and then Philip responds with:
"Now we see what he’s really worried about. It’s not the academics, but who gets to control what the children believe and what kind of environment they are raised in."
And from the article Bruce Short makes the same basic point:
"What he is really objecting to is not the ineffectiveness of homeschooling, but its effectiveness. A homeschooled child is effectively a child outside the grasp of the state and, therefore, outside the grasp of those who control the state's educational institutions. He fears that these children will have a worldview of which he disapproves and that he finds threatening. That is what drives Reich. His real concern is not 'ethical autonomy' or the welfare of children in any conventional sense; it is ideological control."
Someone once commented that there are always at least two reasons someone is pushing for an action. There is the public reason which typically sounds good and noble. And then there is the real reason, often not very noble. As homeschoolers we sometimes have to address the "noble" reasons. But we also need to be aware of the other reasons people are fighting homeschooling.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children
Philip has a few quotes from Robert Reich and then Philip responds with:
"Now we see what he’s really worried about. It’s not the academics, but who gets to control what the children believe and what kind of environment they are raised in."
And from the article Bruce Short makes the same basic point:
"What he is really objecting to is not the ineffectiveness of homeschooling, but its effectiveness. A homeschooled child is effectively a child outside the grasp of the state and, therefore, outside the grasp of those who control the state's educational institutions. He fears that these children will have a worldview of which he disapproves and that he finds threatening. That is what drives Reich. His real concern is not 'ethical autonomy' or the welfare of children in any conventional sense; it is ideological control."
Someone once commented that there are always at least two reasons someone is pushing for an action. There is the public reason which typically sounds good and noble. And then there is the real reason, often not very noble. As homeschoolers we sometimes have to address the "noble" reasons. But we also need to be aware of the other reasons people are fighting homeschooling.
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Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children
Thursday, February 01, 2007
PJ's and homeschooling
We've recently gotten some interesting comments on an old post. Nicole brought up the following point in her recent comment. I want to thank Nicole for the respectful way she made her comments and for signing her name.
So, here's the comment:
It is funny that I'm sitting here in my pj's beginning this response. It is around 8:30 am and all my children are in their pj's too. My two oldest daughters are sitting at the kitchen table writing letters to their cousins. My 10 year old daughter just finished her letter and walked in to the office to ask if she could do Latin now. She recited her Latin vocabulary and asked me to quiz her. Next, I suggested that she practice with the audio.
My six year old walks in and asks to do Latin too. The two younger children begin to quarrel. My ten year old doesn't want to let the six year old listen to her Latin lesson. Since Henry is now out of the shower, the argument stops while the ten year old goes to take a shower and get dressed.
The six year old, still in pj's wanders off and begins to practice the piano. It will be my 12 year old's turn in the shower next, then the six year old. I hope there is hot water left when it's finally my turn.
So, why are we in our pajamas?
Today we purposely had a slow start. Last night the children didn't get to bed until about 9:30 pm (which is late for our family). We attended a Music, Art, Dance and Drama festival. My oldest daugher performed a piano solo and a clarinet solo.
Because we believe that sleep is an intregal part of learning, we told the kids last night to sleep in the next morning. If they were tied to a school schedule, they would be going on a about two hours less sleep today.
We started school work in pj's because they were ready to learn but hadn't yet gotten dressed as a result of sleeping in. Our schedule (or lack there of) is designed to maximize learning. Interrupting a child in the middle of writing a letter to get dressed doesn't serve the child. I'm very pleased that my daughter began writing a letter in the middle of breakfast.
We are focused on learning, not conforming to someone else's schedule. We do know how to arrive at places, on time, properly dressed. We simply choose to make schedules that serve our needs.
However, most of the time, we do get dressed first.
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Related Tags: learning, school, pj, homeschool, public school, schedule
So, here's the comment:
I understand what you're saying Henry, but I'm not in full agreement. I think it is possible..even in a 'sub-optimal school' for a parent to aid their child and be involved enought to make the most of what is offered and even extending and improving upon their educational experience in the home before/after school/weekends/summers.. etc... It depends on the student's personal experience, the parental involvement as far as pushing for higher level classes..honorary or advanced placement involvement..taking advantage of other educational venues..etc. I personally find sub-optimal to represent this proud proclamation by so many h/s moms of "I school my kids in my PJs!" Come on..is that really what's best for the kids? Your family sounds like there is some element of structure..but there is something that deeply disturbs me about moms/dads proudly educating their kids in their PJs..in the long run, how does that teach kids to get up and get out to join society and reality?
It is funny that I'm sitting here in my pj's beginning this response. It is around 8:30 am and all my children are in their pj's too. My two oldest daughters are sitting at the kitchen table writing letters to their cousins. My 10 year old daughter just finished her letter and walked in to the office to ask if she could do Latin now. She recited her Latin vocabulary and asked me to quiz her. Next, I suggested that she practice with the audio.
My six year old walks in and asks to do Latin too. The two younger children begin to quarrel. My ten year old doesn't want to let the six year old listen to her Latin lesson. Since Henry is now out of the shower, the argument stops while the ten year old goes to take a shower and get dressed.
The six year old, still in pj's wanders off and begins to practice the piano. It will be my 12 year old's turn in the shower next, then the six year old. I hope there is hot water left when it's finally my turn.
So, why are we in our pajamas?
Today we purposely had a slow start. Last night the children didn't get to bed until about 9:30 pm (which is late for our family). We attended a Music, Art, Dance and Drama festival. My oldest daugher performed a piano solo and a clarinet solo.
Because we believe that sleep is an intregal part of learning, we told the kids last night to sleep in the next morning. If they were tied to a school schedule, they would be going on a about two hours less sleep today.
We started school work in pj's because they were ready to learn but hadn't yet gotten dressed as a result of sleeping in. Our schedule (or lack there of) is designed to maximize learning. Interrupting a child in the middle of writing a letter to get dressed doesn't serve the child. I'm very pleased that my daughter began writing a letter in the middle of breakfast.
We are focused on learning, not conforming to someone else's schedule. We do know how to arrive at places, on time, properly dressed. We simply choose to make schedules that serve our needs.
However, most of the time, we do get dressed first.
---------------------------
Related Tags: learning, school, pj, homeschool, public school, schedule
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