My Ramblings
Aug. 29, 2008
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The State of Education: Two Views on Reading
Posted By
Gena Suarez, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Public schools and homeschoolers have two very different ways of looking at reading.
Most public schools tend to believe that reading is an important skill to have but that it doesn’t really matter what you read – just as long as you do. So, why is it important? Maybe so you can read the warnings on your prescriptions or the clauses in your healthcare plans or the terms of employment on your contract so a greedy employer can’t take advantage of you. Then there are the street and restroom signs – and the menu, of course.
Homeschoolers, on the other hand, tend to believe reading is a means to an end. That end is wisdom, which means that what we read is of the utmost importance. What we put into our minds comes out in our attitudes and behavior. That’s not to say that we can’t read for relaxation or entertainment, but homeschoolers understand that even this is important – that entertainment reading does not have to be vacuous reading, that what we consider fun and funny is also a reflection of the sort of people we are and want to grow into.
What we read is critical because it shapes our worldview, and our worldview determines how we will respond to life’s trials and triumphs, how we will treat others, how we will conduct ourselves every moment of every day in every situation.
Here are some quotations to fuel your thinking about reading…
“Education... has produced a vast population able to read but unable to distinguish what is worth reading, an easy prey to sensations and cheap appeals.” - G. M. Trevelyan
“I read my eyes out and can't read half enough. The more one reads the more one sees we have to read.” - John Adams
“When you have mastered numbers, you will in fact no longer be reading numbers, any more than you read words when reading books. You will be reading meanings.” - Harold S. Geneen
“Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all.” – Henry David Thoreau
“Few are sufficiently sensible of the importance of that economy in reading which selects, almost exclusively, the very first order of books. Why, except for some special reason, read an inferior book, at the very time you might be reading one of the highest order?” - John W. Foster
“Read good, big important things." - Peggy Noonan
“Live always in the best company when you read." - Sydney Smith
“Reading is a basic tool in the living of a good life." - Mortimer J. Adler
Tammy Drennan homeschooled her sons from 1985 through 2003. She now works as a writer and tutor and maintains several web sites and blogs, including www.educationconversation.wordpress.com and www.homeschoolstarter.com |
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Aug. 29, 2008
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Freebie Friday - Simple, Paper Pinwheel Craft
Posted By
Gena Suarez, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Aug. 29, 2008
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Homeschooling Only One ~ Excerpts from HOOville
Over on my message board dedicated to those who are homeschooling only one (affectionately called “HOOville”), we have a lot of discussions—some serious, some fun. There is plenty of camaraderie, plenty of shoulders to cry on, plenty of encouragement and rejoicing with those who rejoice. We also discuss homeschooling in the news.
Recently this article came to our attention about homeschooling under attack in Brazil.
Excerpt:
Homeschooling Showdown in Brazil:
Children to be Tested by Court in Battle Over Educational Rights of Parents
by Matthew Cullinan Hoffman
Two homeschooled children face a battery of tests this week in a showdown between the Brazilian government and a Christian family over the educational rights of parents in the South American nation.
The children of Cleber and Bernadeth Nunes have already passed the entrance exams for law school at the ages of 13 and 14, but that doesn't satisfy the Brazilian government, which has been trying to force them into its troubled school system since 2006.
(Underline is mine for emphasis.)
I thought this comment by one of our HOOville members was especially true:
To have as many educational problems as the [public schools] have you must work VERY HARD at it. I've been watching my daughter (sort of) pick up reading on her own in a lot of ways lately, and the other day she was collecting pine cones, got out the identification book and told me what kind of tree it came from. (I had to read the name to her, but she found it.) This was all her idea and she's FIVE. She's not Einstein, I am not doing anything supernatural with her. So, how do the public schools STOP kids from learning things? I literally don't understand it! How is it possible? I'm not joking, I really am amazed at the whole thing.
Why don't [they] just come out and say that the schools are really just training grounds for good comrades...and free babysitting. It's time to stop using "education" to thinly disguise what is really going on. If people really cared about "education" they wouldn't care if the kids went to public school or not.
Isn’t it sad that institutional settings can suck the life and fun out of a subject? Adventure stories like Moby Dick and The Three Musketeers become drudgery when they are dissected to death and a report required. Granted in that setting, a lone teacher won’t know what the student has learned, since there isn’t enough time in the day for her to spend with each student. She or he is forced to ask students prove what they know of a subject by what they write (whether that is the best way for them to express themselves or not).
HOOville is a good place to express ideas, share thoughts, commiserate, as well as help each other out with input on various educational materials, programs, and books. If you’re educating your first, last, one of many, or only child, please know that the Welcome Mat is out and we’d love to have you join us!
Donna Conner lives in Fort Worth, TX with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, and their dog, Lucia. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completes his homeschooling this year. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One five years ago, 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 © 2008 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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Aug. 28, 2008
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Featured Blogger ~ kirstenjett
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How about meeting a fairly new blogger for a change? Kirstenjett of 4jetts Adventures in Life is who I've picked. She looks like someone who could handle the adventure of being the Featured Blogger!
The first thing you are going to notice is that this family dives right in to science. King Cluck's Embalming takes an adventurous spirit or at least a strong stomach. My family tried this experiment and it seriously went awry. As do all of our science experiments, but I digress...
How many of you have a name for your homeschool? The Narrow Gate sounds pretty good to me, although I'm not personally opposed to Space Cowboy School. It sounds kind of exciting in a dusty, atmospheric sort of way.
Homeschooling in another country can be difficult. Kirsten's family did so for a short time in the Netherlands. She gives a fascinating account of Dutch education requirements. I had no idea. I think I'd move to another country.
I'm glad you're blogging here Kirsten! It was fun to meet you and read your blog.
Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB |
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Aug. 28, 2008
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State History from a Christian Perspective
Posted By
Gena Suarez, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
I am SO excited about the new State History from a Christian Perspective series we have just added to the Schoolhouse Store!
These are a complete course, from a Christian perspective, for grades 3 through 12, they consists of a 2-book set which includes the Student Booklet and the Master Lesson Plans book.
The student textbook include:
- history,
- geography,
- state symbols,
- weather,
- major cities,
- local and state government,
- industry,
- and agriculture.
With:
- text,
- maps,
- color state symbol pictures,
- 6 quizzes,
- 2 tests,
- an answer key,
- a study guide for the Alabama state constitution, and
- a 10-page appendix with information about all fifty states.
Students remove the text and pictures from the consumable textbook and transfer them into a project notebook which they will construct about their state.
The Master Lesson Plans give instructions for 30 lessons which can be completed in 6 weeks or expanded to a full year or more using instructions and additional project options listed at the end of each lesson. The difficulty level may be easily and individually adjusted, allowing you to teach all grade levels simultaneously.
These will give your children all the tools they need for a great study of whatever State you choose! Each State is only $25.00! We have all 50 States available, you will find them all HERE. |
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Aug. 28, 2008
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Costco Takes Up the Debate
Posted By
Gena Suarez, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
I was sitting in my car the other day waiting for my husband while he ran into the tool store. I decided to look over the mail, to be more precise, the Costco Connection magazine that Costco members receive. I don't care for most of the stuff in it, but I was bored so I decided to thumb through the pages. I discovered that Costco has jumped on the bandwagon with their latest poll, "Should parents be certified to homeschool their children?"
Polls asking this, and similar, questions have been rampant in the aftermath of the California court case that determined whether or not parents had the right to teach their own children. Polls usually do run after all such incidents and probably will again in the future.
What always stand out to me is the so called "experts" who say that parents can't possibly teach their children as well as a state approved educator. They site that these teachers are certified and experts in their field. Except that many of these expert teachers aren't actually teaching in their area of expertise.
I spoke with a certified teacher this summer. He is trained in history but is teaching English. I said, "Hey, maybe you could give me a few pointers on some grammar questions I have." He replied, "I don't think so. I stink at grammar and I'm just glad I only teach the freshmen."
So much for being an expert. A good teacher I'm sure, just not qualified in English. I do hope the sophmore English teacher isn't glad he only teaches the sophmores and so on.
If you feel like taking the time to vote in yet another poll on homeshcooling then go to the Costco Connection page and click on the cover of the magazine where it says, September > Click Here. Click on over to page 17 of the digital magazine. You'll find the poll and the articles written by the experts on both sides of the fence.
Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB |
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Aug. 28, 2008
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Communication Corner ~ Words Mean Things, Don't They? Part One
Pardon my absence for the last week, but I have been moving out of state. I now write to you from Arizona instead of California. I am beginning a new Tuesday Tips series. Here is part one:
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You may never know it by listening to political rhetoric, TV commercials or the main-stream media, but words actually mean things. Specific things! If we allow ourselves to get caught up in the current trend to re-define words and to use them as we see fit, we end up with confusion or saying nothing. If we don't realize that today's societal trend is to adopt a Shakespearian attitude in applying meanings to words, we may be fooled into believing just about anything.
In the next several weeks, I will be sharing some of the ways in which words are misused, the main reasons words are purposely misused and how to discern the truth by paying close attention the real meaning of words.
This week's word is...Natural. Natural is a word misused by the advertising industry and is one of my Dad's pet peeves. Natural means "existing in or produced by nature : not artificial." (Merriam Webster.com) Let's take a look at some of the ways in which the word natural is used in advertising.
"All Natural"
"Natural Goodness!"
"Naturally Good!"
Advertisers use the word "natural" in a way that leads you to believe that, if it occurs in nature, it has to be good for you. This is simply not true. Here is a short list of things that exist in nature that are NOT good for you.
- Tornados (and other Natural Disasters)
- Scarlet Fever (and some people reportedly die of Natural Causes)
- Cocaine (but this is not what you would consider a Natural High)
Why is this an important distinction? There are things that exist in nature that are not good for you when taken in large amounts-like salt. If you drink too much water in a short period of time, you can die. We know this from the radio stations that have had water drinking contests! "Natural" potato chips may be better for you, but if you eat them in excess, you will still gain weight. If you eat them exclusively, you are not getting the nutrition you need.
Related to all things natural is the word "Organic". Organic foods are all the rage lately. Naturally good for you. Consumer Reports did a study several years ago about Organic Foods. They determined that organic foods containing no pesticides were no more healthy than those that used pesticides. In fact, they determined that some organic foods might contain a larger amount of micro organisms for which the pesticides are used. In fact, it found that it can be dangerous to buy organic fish and seafood because fish can contain mercury which is also natural.
In general, it is true that things are better the way they are created by God in nature. However, let's not be fooled. The Lord gave the Jews many laws in the Bible, the purpose of which was to protect them from some of the more deadly things that are "natural".
Words mean things, don't they? Stay tuned for next week's edition of Tuesday Tips featuring another misused word or term.
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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
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Aug. 28, 2008
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Languishing in Languages? ~ Mixing Languages?
Many parents ask if it's a good idea to have their children study more than one language at a time, or even to mix the language study within the household.
Big Brother is learning German, Little Sister wants to study Spanish. Beginning a new study of languages concurrently is not a good idea. The brain treats all second languages as a whole. Meaning, whatever is not a native language gets lumped together. So the frustration of keeping vocabulary words memorzed and in the correct categories actually becomes doubled!
I remember when...
As anecdotal evidence, I performed for an oral exam in college completely in French. I had beautiful pronunciation, my professor was QUITE impressed. However, she was conducting the exam in Spanish! I had studied French for three years in high school and when the pressure was on, I understood the questions and my brain translated to the second language most readily available. Happily, my professor was a kind soul, and also trilingual, and allowed me to come the next day to try to converse in Spanish. (I passed!)
Younger students are almost immune
Even today, my three year old mixed German and Spanish as she expressed a desire to use the restroom. At her age, she will figure it out, and I need to do little to change her path. With older students, though, be sure they have at LEAST two years of a foundation in one foreign language before throwing a second one in the mix. This includes Latin!
Two at once?
In your house, you do not necessarily need to separate the students studying separate languages, as long as one of them began study at an earlier time. Any amount of time lapse is good. If you have to make a decision - both want to study this year, and both are choosing separate languages, choose ONE as a family (the older one's choice, most likely.) After a year, allow the younger one to switch, or perhaps the choice will remain!
It's food for thought, and I welcome any specific questions regarding this issue. As always, feel free to post your own anecdotes and comments on language systems or ideas you have come across.
Buena suerte! (Good luck!)
Senora Gose
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Aug. 27, 2008
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Blog Tip of the Month ~ It's a New School Year Open House!
As my family schools year round, I tend to forget this time of year that others are beginning in earnest. Over the last week I have read several blogs that shared their first day of school for the year. I thought, "Why not share that with everyone?" So that's this month's Blog Tip Challenge, an Open House.
Blog Tip Challenge of the Month
If you haven't already, blog about your first day of school. If you school year round that's okay. Just blog about why you made that choice for your family and what you are doing now. Post pictures, describe what curriculum you are using, what extra classes your children are taking outside the home, and don't forget to share any scheduling programs you may be using!
Once you have your entry posted share it with us here so we can see your classroom! Just leave a comment with a link to your blog post.
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Aug. 27, 2008
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Enter to Win an iPod Nanoฎ Worth $199 in Our Affiliate Contest!
Posted By
HomeschoolBlogger Company Blog
in
Contests
Become a TOS Affiliate and You Could Win an iPod Nano® Worth $199 !
TOS is giving away an 8 mb iPod Nano®, worth $199 to one lucky blogger who joins our affiliate program and blogs about it.
(You can read all of the specs on the 8mb iPod Nano® HERE. Color shipped will be based on availability. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter for the drawing. International residents may join the TOS affiliate program. However, the drawing is open to US residents only.)
Here’s what you have to do to enter:
- Become a TOS affiliate via Share A Sale. Click HERE to register. Once you complete the registration process, Share A Sale will review your information and send a confirmation email. After you receive this email, write down your affiliate id.
- When you have your affiliate id, visit THIS PAGE on the TOS site to get the html you’ll need for your blog.
- Place the html on your blog.
- Post an entry on your blog about becoming a TOS affiliate.
- Come back here and let us know you have become an affiliate. You will then entered into the contest!
If you are already a TOS affiliate, you can still enter. Here’s what you do:
- Update the affiliate html on your blog by visiting THIS PAGE http://www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/affiliates/getcode.php. You’ll need your affiliate id to do this.
- Place the html on your blog.
- Post an entry on your blog about being a TOS affiliate.
- Come back here and let us know you have become an affiliate. You will then entered into the contest!
It’s that simple! Join..Paste..Blog…Comment – 4 easy steps!
If you’ve never joined an affiliate program, here are some step-by-step instructions we have created for you.
Have questions about affiliate programs? Check out our Affiliate FAQ.
HURRY! Contest ends at midnight EST on Friday,
September 26, 2008.
You must be at least 18 years of age and live in the U.S. to enter the contest. If you live outside the U.S. you can still join our affiliate program unless your country is not listed with ShareASale.
Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB
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