Freedom. Makes one's heart swell. Maybe make the pulse beat a little quicker. Think of the "Freedom speech" from the movie Braveheart. Or the "Band of Brothers" speech from Henry V, Act IV Scene 3.

John Adams wrote, "The jaws of power are always open to devour, and her arm is always stretched out, if possible, to destroy the freedom of thinking, speaking, and writing." He also wrote, "Children should be educated and instructed in the principles of freedom."

With all the bills proposed in Congress currently, I think we need to open our eyes and become even more involved in the political process and involve our children. Hopefully it's not too late.

As you can read in another column today, Heather wrote concerning The UN Convention of the Rights of the Child and the dangers it holds. A signed treaty becomes the supreme law of the land, superseding all federal and state laws. (Check out ParentalRights.org  for more information.)

There's a bill about to be voted on next week (last I heard it would be on Monday, July 6th) called "Cap and Trade." If passed, this bill will require every homeowner who wishes to sell their home to obtain a federal inspector to conduct an energy audit on their home. The cost of the audit will be paid by the homeowner. Before the house is allowed to sell, it will have to have upgrades (windows, hot water heater, furnace, insulation, air-conditioner, roof, etc.) to bring it up to "green standards."

Health care is about to go through some major changes. Although for some things, social medicine may sound like a great idea, but the media doesn't mention the long wait patients have to endure before being seen or getting particular treatments. Those who are aged or those who have any disabilities are prime to be not treated due to the government's decision on how to spend its money for health care to the masses. If one's quality of life won't be deemed "good enough" or if one has lived a long and happy life, someone could determine who should or shouldn't have treatment to prolong their lives.

There are times I think we as a nation have become the frog in the pot over slow heat. Its freedom has been taken away and at first the warming water is pleasant. But before long, it's boiling and he's no more. I hope America has a revival from the Lord and wakes up to what is going on politically. Benjamin Franklin is attributed to this quote, we all need to remember:

They who can give up essential liberty [freedom] to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

Current affairs may mean we need to have "another revolution" of some sort. John Adams wrote, “What do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, of their duties and obligations…This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution.”

Happy 4th of July ~ Independence Day. Remember those who've came before us and who fought & died for our liberty...for our freedom. Let's not let their sacrifices be in vain. 

Donna Conner lives in Fort Worth, TX with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, Donna's mother, Charlotte, and their dog, Lucia. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completed his homeschooling in the fall of 2008. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One in 2003, after discovering that there were many other families homeschooling only one child. Her website is devoted to those with only one student in their homeschool, with listings of online resources. Her website is at  http://donnac.com and read her blog at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/DonnaC

copyright © 2009 Donna Conner ~~ All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of author, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles where the title and author are listed.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

"Can the liberties of a nation be sure when we remove their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people, that these liberties are a gift from God?" -Thomas Jefferson 

"Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." -John Adams

Since those who believe that religion should be taken out of society are quite vocal and articulate, many laws have been passed and traditions altered that make it difficult for Christians to have true freedom of speech.  This is why it is so vitally important that Christians learn to speak up and speak out in grace and with respect in order to articulately present our case as President Jefferson stated in his letter.  This takes more communication skill these days as this has become a controversial and emotionally charged topic. 

This Independence Day, let's do something that will help us speak up for our beliefs in a more effective and persuasive way.  Let's teach our children to speak up and speak out in grace!  It's actually easier than you think!  Check out all the creative and fun eStudies for all ages at Art of Eloquence.com! 

Free speech isn't always free!  It takes preparation and hard work to speak in a way that will be effective in today's society. Start preparing today.  Your children's freedom of speech will depend upon what you teach them today!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer.  Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula.  You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com.  For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com

Greetings and blessings to all the homeschooling high school families!  My name is Lori Havens, and I'm honored to be writing for The Front Porch . . . I'll be taking over for Lori Lane, who is on to new and wonderful adventures!  As I've read through Lori's past entries, I've realized that I am stepping into some very gifted shoes.  My thanks to her for the blessing her writings have been to me and to countless others, no doubt.  I pray that my humble musings here will be a blessing to you all, as well.

Summertime has finally come to Illinois.  Weather-wise, it certainly took its time arriving!  We are enjoying meals outdoors, the gentle sway of the hammock on the back patio, warm sun on our skin, etc.  Just writing about it brings about those feelings of lounging and laziness!  I remember the intense longings for summer vacation when I was in high school . . .

 May into early June . . . intense study for final exams . . . the high school pressure-cooker was full on!  Do you remember it?  Go back . . . picture yourself there.  You're sitting in classroom after classroom, knowing that the end is just around the corner.  The teachers are talking, but for moments at a time, your mind isn't comprehending what they are saying, because you can hear the birds outside the window . . . yes, the one that all that glorious warm sunshine is beaming through.  The leaves on the tree outside that window are deepening in their green color, and thoughts of lazy days with no schoolwork fill your mind.

Fast forward--you've just completed your last final exam . . . your eyes are glued to the clock's second hand, as you and your friends strain to bolt out of the classroom like a bunch of racehorses out of the starting chutes...bbbbrrrrrriiiiinnnnggggg!  There is a collective "whoo-hoo!!!" as an entire building erupts in the shear joy of freedom . . . it's summer vacation!!!

Fast-forward again--this time, to late August or mid-September.  You've just walked into your math class . . . Algebra I, Algebra II...the books are opened, and the teaching begins.  You will spend the next month or two learning absolutely nothing.

Why?  Because you will need to spend these months reviewing what you spent so many hours doing last year, re-learning concepts and formulas that you once knew, but "lost" over those wonderful, lazy, hazy days of summer vacation. 

Mom and Dad, is this what you want to experience in your homeschool math time this coming August/September?  If you're like me, right now all you want to do is climb in that hammock in the sun and rest.  You don't want to think about the upcoming school year just yet!  Believe me, I am with you!  It is very important for both parent and student to have that blessed time of rest . . . a break to allow the body, mind, and spirit to be refreshed. 

Ecclesiastes 12:12 is a good verse to keep in mind as our high school students toil throughout the school year:   " . . . of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh."  At some point in the school year, we do need to let them take a break!  For our family, that break comes primarily in the summer, but there are some studies that we simply do not allow them to break off from completely: math, and foreign language.  These are particularly susceptible to the "use-it-or-lose-it" syndrome, and we do not enjoy spending the beginning of our academic year re-learning "lost" material!  Summertime studies do, however, often take on a different "shape" in our home, in order to provide a rest for their "study-weary flesh."  Join me next week for Part 2 of "Summertime Counts,"  for a discussion of strategies for keeping skills sharp while keeping it restful.

May God Bless you,

Lori

Lori Havens has been married to Kevin for 24 years.  They live in Illinois with their two sons, Bryan (17) and Nathan (15), and dog Sunny (9).  Lori enjoys writing, gardening, reading, and the outdoors.  She is the author of "Should I Be A Nurse? A Journey of Self-Exploration for Those Considering a Career in Nursing" and  "7 Essential Questions Every Future Nurse Must Ask."    You can find her blogging at both Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger .

Here are a few quick and easy ideas for the kids to make to celebrate the 4th of July.  Most can be done with just a little adult supervision, making it even more fun for the children.  They love to tell friends and family, "I made it myself!"

For a delicious and healthy breakfast  treat, layer plain or vanilla yogurt (depending on your family's tastes) with sliced strawberries and blueberries in clear glass serving dishes (if you have a large group, use clear plastic punch cups).  Top with a sprinkle of granola, and garnish with a whole strawberry and a few more blueberries. 

Chips and salsa go with most 4th of July menus- make them even more festive by using blue corn chips or a mixture of blue and white chips.  Place a serving bowl in the center of a platter, fill the bowl with your favorite salsa, and arrange  blue or blue and white chips around the bowl for a pretty patriotic display.  You can buy red corn chips, too, but I would make sure they are made from red corn and not artificially colored with red dye.  Garden of Eatin' has both red and blue chips made from organic corn. 

For an icy cool and healthy snack make these Watermelon Pop Stars. 

If you'd like to add in a bit of kitchen math and chemistry this week, go to this page at Baking 911 to learn about The Chemistry Behind Making Butter and Pound Cakes.  Bake a pound cake using the original English pound cake recipe in the box labelled Sarah Says.  Let the children have fun measuring out a pound of each ingredient and see if they get the same amounts as the recipe says.  The number of eggs may vary depending on the size of the eggs. 

You can serve your pound cake "Strawberry Shortcake style" with sliced strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream to go along with the 4th of July theme. 

And finally, get a few red and blue bandannas.  They are great to use as napkins, line a basket of chips or breads,  and cover a picnic dish to keep the "critters" out.  When it gets hot, wet a bandanna and tie it around your neck to help keep you cool.  You can also stitch up a quick apron or two to keep your clothes neat and clean while making these 4th of July treats. 

I hope you have fun making some of these  with your children and you have a fabulous 4th!

Blessings,

Catherine

Catherine lives in the heart of Texas with her husband Carl, and their 3 daughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Cana.  They enjoy cooking and learning together as a home educating family.  You can read Catherine's Kitchen Adventures and more on her blog- Ramblings from my Heart and Home. 

Hello again, boys and girls!

You did an AWESOME job on this contest! It was so fun reading what you had to say about your favorite animal.

My kids are helping me with the drawing, so we thought we could tell you something about their favorite animals as well.

CameRon wanted to go first. He has a cat, a basset hound dog, two goats and two pigs of his own. Of course, he isn't sure which is his favorite, but he chose to do a picture with the pigs.
Here are his interesting facts about pigs:

1. Pigs are really very clean animals.
2. When they are born they weigh less than 9 pounds but when full grown they can weigh over 900!
3. When raised around humans, they can become very friendly and you can even train them to go on walks with you like a dog would.
4. Pigs have a great sense of humor! (See below)

Cam drew the name of the first winner. That name is:

Jonathan who is three years old. Here is what Jonathan had to say about his favorite animal, a dog:

Jonathan (age 3):
My favorite animal is Princess (Our dog). Dogs get deaf sometimes like Princess when they get old. Dogs like to play with little boys even when they are old. Dogs are nice.

Congratulations, Jonathan! I have sent your mom an email.

Dusty, my other son, has a dog and two calves all his own. He chose to talk a little about his calves. Here are some things he thinks are fun about these little guys.

1. Cows have four digestive compartments similar to stomachs.
2. A milk cow can give 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime.
3. A cow can smell things up to six miles away if the wind is blowing right.

Here are a couple of photos of Dusty and his calves.

Dusty got to draw the name for the second winner:

Christina! Here is what Chirstina had to say about her favorite animal:

Christina likes dolphins. People can play with them

Great answers, Christina! Congratulations! I have sent your mom an email.

Congratulations to everyone who participated! You all did such a great job talking about your animals.

Be sure to check out our WannaBe Series to learn more about becoming a veterinairan where you can work wtih animals, or a firefighter, chef, and many others!

Keep Learning!

~Tandy Sue Hogate
      ~TOS Marketing Assistant

If I may take this choice one step farther, if we choose to classically educate our children, we have the freedom in how we go about in doing that.  There are many ways as to how to give our children a Classical Education.  To name a few  there is the neo-classical way ( The Well Trained Mind,  Trivium Pursuit )  as well as the traditional classical path ( Latin-Centered Curriculum,  Circe Institute,  Classical Liberal Arts Academy)  There are many  different 'versions'  of Classical Education.

There are some people, though, that do not agree with the various versions.  These people  are die-hard traditionalists and say  that Classical Education should be taught exactly how the Ancients taught there students.  These people do not consider Neo-classical as any part of Classical Education.  In their opinion it is a misnomer to classify the education of stages as Classical Education.  This  disagreement has been going on for a very long time. This is nothing new.  What is new, is the article written by William Michael (head of  Classical Liberal Arts Academy.)  Mr. Williams has taken on the gigantuan  task of  combing through  Dorothy Sayers'  essay on Classical Education and disputing her statements on Classical Education.  (You can read the article, in full, here )  Sayers' article was the catalyst for the  Neo-Classical movement.   According to Mr. Michael, Sayers'  followers shouldn't even term what they are doing as Classical Education, as it doesn't even resemble how CE  was traditionally taught.

I, personally,  do not follow  the writings of the Neo-Classicists.  I lean more toward traditional classical.  I am sure, though,  that if Mr. Michael  was a fly on our homeschool wall he would be aghast  that I, too, consider myself a Classical homeschooler.  I would probably be in that article right alongside Ms. Sayers.   I do not see the point  of  criticizing  the ways of others.    If  there are other  people  not doing  things  the exact same way  as it should be done, does it  matter?  In the big picture of things, is it really going to matter?  Isn't it more important  that our children get a good education?  An education that instills wisdom and virtue? I think that regardless of how you homeschool  your children, rather through the traditional methods or those of the neo-classicists, your child will receive a wonderful education.  

Thank goodness that we have the freedom  to choose how to give our children that kind of education, traditional classical or not. 

Julia lives on the Canadian Prairies with her husband, homeschooling their 3 children (10,8,6) and attempting to give them a Classical Education.  You can read more on her blog.

summer

The topic this week is summer.

I sit here in the heat. (It’s over 80° F inside and daytime highs are over 100° F.) There is just nothing exciting or helpful that comes to mind. I’m a cloud, storm-loving gal. I get energized when there are storms and feel totally sapped when “nothing but blue skies do I see.” I think the best weather would be comprised of temperatures in the upper 60s° F with lots of clouds.

For our last 12 years of our homeschooling journey, we went year-round. When one book was finished, we just started the next one. When one year was completed, we just started the next one. Texas summers are known for their heat, so staying inside and being educational is a good thing. It’s definitely a good thing to take vacations and/or breaks when we need them and in seasons where getting out into the weather is pleasant.

So if by chance you are like me, know you’re not alone. We’ll get through this summer eventually…maybe if we’re fortunate, by the end of September, but since I’m in Texas, it will most likely be the end of October before we start to see 60° or 70° F. And if you thrive in hot weather, blue skies, sunshine, and heat—more power to you. Enjoy for those of us who are depleted by such things.

Donna Conner lives in Fort Worth, TX with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, Donna's mother, Charlotte, and their dog, Lucia. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completed his homeschooling in the fall of 2008. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One in 2003, after discovering that there were many other families homeschooling only one child. Her website is devoted to those with only one student in their homeschool, with listings of online resources. You can visit her website at  http://donnac.com and read her blog at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/DonnaC

copyright © 2009 Donna Conner ~~ All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of author, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles where the title and author are listed.

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