Apr. 17, 2008 - short bus and dangers of public school
I just read two great books. One was called Short Bus about a young man who was put in special ed classes. He buys a little bus that is used for transportation for special education students and travels the country interviewing lots of people who were put in special education programs. The fascinating thing about the book is how he talks about the evolution of special education programs, schools, and the definition of "normal". It was just another confirmation to keep my kids far from the schools - they have to label and in general, the student has to fit the school and not the other way around. The kids in these programs call themselves "tards" and basically know they don't belong and their self-esteem suffers. It makes me think that eventhough in the education programs like I went through to become a teacher they tell you to boast kids self-esteem but the system does just the opposite. You don't read at the right "grade" level. You don't get picked for the team. I was never put in the right math class - always too hard or too slow. So most people come out of the school system with hurt self esteems, especially from the social life of middle and high school. Yet, homeschoolers do great because mom never labels them and puts them in a "special" room. Mom can adjust the curriculm to fit the child's needs. The other book I read is the Harsh Truth of the Public Schools. Most of it was not new information to me since I worked in the schools. He has a lot of facts and figures which doesn't get me in the gut like the personal stories of Short Bus, but they are good to have. Some of his facts are a bit tweaked by his opinions but if you can get past that the numbers are good to use. What surprised me the most was the facts on homeschooling. In the schools, they talk about poverty and how those kids never seem to do well. The last school, and the worst, that I worked at was full of racial problems, but according to his statistics, kids from poverty and minority races do just as well as the other kids with homeschooling. I wondered about that. I want to encourage everyone to get their kids out of the school. In a loving environment, anyone can learn. Minority kids are given a message loud and clear that they do not belong in the middle class schools, I saw it first hand. But at home they can learn with their family and about history and culture that they won't learn in the schools. I even heard a report last summer that African American kids do better over the summer with their reading scores, than all year in school. Hmm, makes you think. What do other people think about these books?
Comments
Apr. 22, 2008 - wow
Posted by Anonymous
I am going to get the Short Bus book. My daughter would be in special ed if she were in PS, and has already surpassed what "they" said she would be able to do. They told me she would never read, or be able to do math... I can proudly say, at 7, she is reading Bob Books by herself, and goes around sounding out words all over the place... her math skills are a bit behind, but she does not notice that we are using K-1 workbooks for her. (She is in 1st)...
It amazes me that she has such a high self-esteem... every time I think about possibly entering her into the school system, I see something that reminds me WHY I homeschool. Thanks. :)
May. 1, 2008 - special needs
Posted by homeschoolvideo
Hi! Thanks for posting. See my new entry. I read another book that encourages us that even with children who learn "differently", we can't do any worse at home than in the public schools. We have more time and energy and love to give.
Keep it up!
carol
