Jul. 1, 2009 - Homeschooling: Under Pressure all over Europe
The Washington Times
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June 29, 2009
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Washington Times Op-ed—Homeschooling: Under Pressure all over Europe
by J. Michael Smith
HSLDA President
While the freedom to homeschool in America continues to expand, the opposite is true in Europe. Since 1982, 38 U.S. states have adopted homeschool statutes or regulations that have removed restrictions on homeschoolers. This year, two more states, North Dakota and Idaho, made significant progress in recognizing the value of homeschooling.
North Dakota, which was one of the most regulated states, just amended its homeschool law to make it possible for more parents to homeschool freely. No longer will a homeschooling parent have to hold a baccalaureate degree, be a certified teacher or be monitored by a certified teacher if they have only a high school diploma in order to homeschool. All homeschooling parents in North Dakota can provide the individualized education that best fits their children.
Idaho, which has been a homeschool-friendly state, got even better. A recently passed law allows parents to use people outside the immediate family to support their homeschool program, and gives more flexibility to homeschoolers regarding their teaching schedule.
While homeschooling freedom and flexibility continues to improve in the U.S., it appears to be going in the opposite direction in Europe. Germany leads the way as the most oppressive European state, because it routinely fines and threatens to imprison homeschoolers.
While other European countries have not embraced the German methods, there is a move in some countries to crack down on homeschoolers. For example, in Sweden, the government released a suggestion on June 15 that all schools, including homeschools, must provide an education that is acceptable to all pupils regardless of religious or philosophical beliefs, or the beliefs of the parents. The study concludes that there is no need for the new law to recognize the possibility of homeschooling because of religious or philosophical reasons in the family. We are confident the authors are aware that this effectively would end homeschooling in Sweden as most families are homeschooling for religious or philosophical reasons.
Equally shocking are the events in Britain. A June 11 report on home education in England by Graham Badman, former managing director of Children, Families and Education in the County of Kent, makes the case that homeschooling should be extensively regulated. More troubling, the report has been accepted in full by British Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls.
The underlying philosophy behind Mr. Badman’s conclusion is based upon children’s rights contained in the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, which came into force in Britain on Jan. 15, 1992. Mr. Badman contends that current homeschool law, which is very similar to many homeschool laws in America, does not address children’s education needs or protect the child from harm by the parents.
The U.N. Convention would give children more than 40 “fundamental” rights, including the right to express their views freely, the right to be heard in any legal or administrative matter that affects them, and the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas. Mr. Badman is urging that England make it possible for children to form their own views and express themselves freely in all matters affecting them, including how they are being raised and what form of education they are receiving. Who will decide the conflict between the rights of the child and the responsibility of the parents? The government.
Among his suggestions for homeschool law is the right of designated local authorities to enter homes and speak to each child alone. This idea of unbridled power to enter a home is abhorrent to Americans because of the Fourth Amendment, which protects our homes from unreasonable searches and seizures and recognizes the fundamental right of privacy and family integrity.
Mr. Badman also cites the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child as the justification for the state choosing the curriculum homeschoolers may use.
HSLDA has opposed the UNCRC since its formation in 1989 because we are deeply concerned about the implications this treaty would have for homeschoolers and parents in general. The interpretation of the treaty by Britain further supports our position that the UNCRC should not be ratified by our Senate.
For more information about the issues involving the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and international homeschooling, visit our issues page.
Michael Smith is the president of the Home School Legal Defense Association. He may be contacted at (540)338-5600; or send email to media@hslda.org.
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Jun. 21, 2009 - June 2009
Gabriel has been a total joy and wonderful addition to our family. He's very laid back and always smells like a warm sugar cookie! His days are filled with eating, sleeping, diaper changes and seeing the world from the view of his baby sling. The kids all love him and adore taking turns holding him and helping with him. It's so nice to have all these helpers! When I'm busy driving I always have a big boy in the back seat to hold the pacifier for the baby. Naomi is a busy mommy and always let's me know when our baby cries as well as "nursing" her baby dolls.
Zion turned six this week!!!!!! Another amazing happening. We buzzed down to Busch Gardens and Water Country USA and had a sleepover with his cousins for his birthday trip. All of our kids are awaiting our family's “Birthday Bash” where we'll be celebrating all 4 birthdays on a Saturday this Summer. Gabriel May 27, Zion June 20, Jadin Aug 4 and Naomi Sept 19. Number five will need to be a July baby! With all these summer babies it makes since for us to have one huge party (“Bash” ;) and have all our friends and family.
The kids are enjoying summer to no end. The fire flies are out and that adds to their evening excitement. Naomi says they have “light bulb fannies.” Lots of playground days and visiting w/ friends going on. Yesterday the boys went to a Jousting Tournament and Renaissance Festival at Natural Chimneys. This week we're having another Busch Gardens Day along w/ going to the movies etc. I'm almost done w/ my two summer classes toward my 4-year degree in Education, Bible 105 and Education 200. I'm also studying to CLEP out of College Algebra by end of Summer (which is for my next Nursing degree that I'm also working on “slow and steady” :) More real excitement in our life. I finally got the paint and wallpaper for my down stairs bathroom...yes this is exciting! We've looked at the wallpaper I started tearing off when we bought the house for the last 2 ½ years. Now I'm going to turn a shabby bathroom into something! Crazy weather on our side of the mountain. We had a hail storm the 1st week of June that wiped out all my gardens. I get great joy working in them and watching my babies bloom. Some hoastas now are pushing up fresh leafs and the holly hocks look like they might bloom still. I could salvage them yet! I'm planning and getting excited about our next year of homeschooling. There's so much we'll be doing but I know a nice summer break is good for everyone.
Travis has lost 50 .lbs and I'm very inspired to join him. Of course nursing a baby and craving peanut butter in all its wonderful forms doesn't help.
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May. 13, 2009 - Is Congress Moving Toward Nationalized Standards?
http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/200905110.asp?
Is Congress Moving Toward Nationalized Standards?
HSLDA's Federal Relations Department
May 11, 2009
On Wednesday, April 29, the U.S. House of Representative’s Education and Labor Committee held the 111th Congress’s first hearing on the potential reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (also known as the No Child Left Behind Act). Entitled “Strengthening America’s Competitiveness through Common Academic Standards,” the hearing could foreshadow a serious threat to the freedom of homeschoolers nationwide and America’s constitutional tradition of limited government.
While not connected with any bill yet proposed in Congress, the U.S. representatives on the committee dedicated the hearing to the discussion of a plan to potentially eliminate virtually all state control over the education system, and centralize education in Washington, D.C. through nationalized standards, which would lead to nationalized curriculum tests, and textbooks.
The committee heard from various expert witnesses. Some, like Ken James, who is the commissioner of education for the Arkansas Department of Education, stressed that any plan should not be mandatory, or require the federal government to establish its own national standards: “First and foremost, this is a voluntary, state-led effort to establish a common core of standards across the states. Let me be clear, this is not an effort to establish federal standards,” said Mr. James.
Other expert witnesses, however, seemed to desire the federal government to be more involved in establishing academic standards, and possibly even testing and curricula. One witness, David Levin, who is the co-founder of KIPP Schools, made an ambiguous comment at the end of his testimony that left HSLDA wondering if he wanted Congress to regulate all education: “Before the Civil War, when talking about our country people would say, ‘The United States are….’ After, it became ‘The United States is….’ It is time that we do the same in education and adopt one set of common standards.”
Other witnesses called for “common national standards that are rigorous and relevant,” and urged Congress to take action.
In the face of these calls, HSLDA is closely monitoring Congress’s actions. If groups of states on their own want to establish common standards for public schools, that is one thing. HSLDA firmly believes that educational decisions should be left up to the states and local school boards, not Washington, D.C. However, we believe that any attempts by Congress to create nationalized standards, curriculum, or testing would be unconstitutional, and harmful to students and families. Homeschool families have demonstrated that parents, not bureaucrats in Washington, best know their children and what they need to learn.
Congressman Buck McKeon (CA), the ranking member on the House Education and Labor Committee recognized this when he said during the hearing, “Some people in Washington seem to think that the federal government created the states to administer its far-reaching programs and policies. But that’s not the case. History tells us that the states created the federal government.”
Congressman Mark Souder (IN) also shared his concerns about calls for Congress to create national standards. He asked some of the witnesses, “By the way, how do homeschoolers fit into this? How do Christian schools fit into this? How do colleges fit into this?” His question was never answered.
Mr. Souder soundly called any plans for centralized top-down education “a straitjacket which will be politically manipulated,” which will be exploited by special interests, and which will not advance education, but rather “advance whatever the political agenda is of those who are in power.”
For the past several decades, America’s education system has become more centralized and more disconnected from parents and local control. This has weakened academic quality as the federal government’s grip on the education system grows tighter. Local control over education is always better than centralized federal control. We are extremely concerned by any calls for nationalized standards, especially since it is unclear what room would be left for educational freedom, or how homeschoolers will be affected.
HSLDA urges you to contact your representative, as well as the representatives on the House Education and Labor Committee, and tell them to oppose any calls for nationalized standards, testing, or curricula. You can find the contact information for your representative on HSLDA’s Legislative Toolbox. A list of members of the House Education and Labor Committee can be accessed here.
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May. 1, 2009 - Blogginess, Spiritual Awakenings and Bullfrogs….
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O.k. time has gotten away from me. It’s been at least 6 weeks since I’ve done an updated blog post and the entire month of April is goooooone! We’re counting down the last few weeks until our sweet Gabriel Judah is due to arrive. Naomi is no longer saying “I like your fat tummy mommy.” Now she’s verbalizing “there’s a baby in your tummy, can you make him come out?!” Jadin and Zion are excited since they know all the snuggling and goo-gooing a new baby brings. They have big plans for him already. Since he is their third brother, they can now live out their dreams of remaking the three Amigo’s movie. My mom is doing a baby shower shindig later this month. I’ve done the whole registering at Target thing and am digging through the attic bags for little boy clothes etc. Each kid goes through so much “stuff” and I’m definitely NOT going any further in life w/o a double stroller (in Jesus mighty name)!
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We are wrapping up school for this year. I’m pacing that we’ll finish up around the week the baby is due. All though we never really stop ;) The kids want me to reread them all the E.B. White books and the C.S. Lewis Narnia Series this summer. Both boys are going to continue working through their reading levels this summer as well, no reason to ever stop the reading. Zion is reading on a 3rd grade level now and still carries books with him wherever he goes. He also has discovered a new love of alphabetizing word lists like big brother Jadin does. He begs for more math mazes of 1-100 to unscramble and put in proper number order. Home Educating the 2nd for me has been such a blessing b/c as I always tell Jadin, he’s been my genie pig ;o) We’ve known since Jadin was 2 that Homeschooling was what God had for our family. Our first 2 years, although I never thought twice or questioned our decision, were bumpy while we ironed out wrinkles and found a mode of learning that worked well for our family. It’s been a journey that we’ve had to trust the Lord on. He never leads us on any other kind. There are families who come to us now for advice that are seeking direction for their family on home education. They generally are receiving a lot of opposition and negativity from people in their lives that they’d like support from. Our words of wisdom are just like anything that God calls you to do, your going to have opposition. Ultimately, you have to know what God has directed your household to do and let His peace lead you. As we move toward our 5th year, I can say without a moment of hesitation, that once I stopped trying to work my plan and sought God for His plan on our curriculum, subjects taught, books read, sports played etc, these last 2 years have been peace filled and very successful. The greatest aspect is we know the best is yet to come! Last night Zion read me a book all about the Anatomy of a Snail. He thought it was so cool and kept saying “Look at how God made him!” He was amazed that all the same organs are curled up in a different way, however, it works well for the snail.
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Jadin’s math brain has really turned on and he’s very useful! This was proved out the last time we did our big grocery-shopping trip together. He rounded each individual item (of two full carts of food) to the nearest dollar amount as we shopped. His overall estimate was within 84 cents of the grand total! The best part is I didn’t say “o.k. do you’re rounding while we shop, let‘s get some math out of this.” He was self-led and I know all the home educating moms will give me an “Amen” here! Jadin has started his “2009 catch-and-release program” for bullfrogs, giant goldfish, crayfish and water lizards. I count this as Animal Science credit. I came home the other day to a bucket full of 32 bullfrogs. Yesterday after his lessons he took out to the big pond rock his art supplies and binoculars. He sat there and bird watched for over an hour and drew several outstanding bird/wildlife pictures. We also had one beautiful day this week that was 90 degrees. For “P.E” we broke out the new wiggling water sprinkler in the field. I got some great videos and pictures of that afternoon. It also wouldn’t be spring without us rereading Ol’ Yeller. The kids have it practically memorized and laugh/cry out loud throughout it. Ice-skating continues for both boys. Their group classes are finished until Fall. Grandmother has them taking private lessons from her coach who is a former Disney skater (and was home schooled 7-12 grade ;0) until their group lessons start again. Naomi want’s nothing more than to turn 3 and get her “pink princess ice skates.” Last time I went to watch the boys skate it was a full cardio work out for me to keep her off the ice. Jadin is torn now between being a professional Ice Skater or a MMA fighter (since he saw his uncle’s fight). I told him at 8 it’s o.k. to do it all (or be a grown up like mom and still do it all ;)
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Praise God, Trav got his new position on day shift at his work that we‘ve been believing for! No more zombie night shift or cut hours! 7-3 Monday-Friday w/ every weekend off!!! It’s a Preventive Maintenance position that only he and one other person do for his company that runs machines 24/7 with over 300 employees. What this means is they need him to keep things running and that‘s good job security! At home he’s been busy in the yard, hauling loads to the landfill, making rock piles at the pond etc. He’s in “Man Heaven” getting his Cub Cadet mower next week (lightly used/2 years old). It’s all he talks about…it’s engine…the size of it’s mowing deck…there’s a twinkle in his eye about it…maybe I should worry?
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We did have 2 foster children for 3 weeks. It was a good experience over all, we learned a lot…and we’ll be looking to the Lord for his perfect fit for our family. I have 2 more weeks in my current Liberty University classes. May 11th I start two more for the summer, Bible 104 and Education 200. I’m on track to finish this B.S. degree by next spring. I’ve been very blessed getting scholarships for most of it so it’s been like paying for 1 class a semester vs. 4 - Thank You Lord!
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Besides all our little family updates I’ve been really pushing deeper in the things of God and making starting my days spending time w/ Him a priority. My challenge has been needing extra sleep while carrying the baby and trying to still get up early. Satan uses anything to keep us/me out of God’s Word. I’ve been making my flesh sow that precious time with Him even when I’ve gotten up late (which is everyday these days :0) and even when my to-do list is overwhelming. He really has multiplied my time and I’ve lost nothing but only gained by doing this. I know God spoke some awesome truths to me twelve years ago about His call on my life. Yep, twelve years. Where have they gone, well that’s another book for later, but I believe nothing is wasted in the Lord! All of lifes experiences will be used for His glory! As our Pastor has been preaching lately, I’m ready to stop living under the radar and push deeper into knowing Jesus in a mighty way. I want to be ready for whatever God has for me. The main lie that I’ve heard from the enemy is “Jesus is coming back soon, so don’t worry about it anyway...there's not enough time.“ Well, should the Lord come tonight I want Him to find me pushing forward into the things of Him. Not sitting around being lukewarm and coasting through the finish line. Maybe I’ll never get to live out the ministry in my heart, but as long as I have Him, I really don’t care anymore. I just want to know Jesus more, hear from Him more, and sit at His feet more. I want to wake up in the mornings with Him singing over me, close my eyes one day and wake up beholding His beauty. I’m all sappy over my Lord and proud of it! I heard another Pastor in our church say “ I wish I had more than one life to live for Jesus” and that rings so true for me…Lord I wish I had 1,000 life times to live everyday for Your glory….but help me live this one and not miss one thing you have for me! Let me not waste one day of this precious gift. It's NOT about me, it's all about You Lord!
"TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS
LOOK FULL IN HIS WONDERFUL FACE
AND THE THINGS OF EARTH WILL GROW STRANGELY DIM
IN THE LIGHT OF HIS GLORY AND GRACE."
Words/Music by Helen Howarth Lemel
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http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aNR-gnyzyGR98CzSfotYgA?feat=directlink
~90 Degree Day Pictures ~Princess Naomi Pictures~Homeschooling Table Work Pictures~
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Mar. 17, 2009 - "Obama’s Zero to Five Plan Doesn’t Add Up"
The Washington Times
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March 17, 2009
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Washington Times Op-ed—Obama’s Zero to Five Plan Doesn’t Add Up Direct Link
by J. Michael Smith
HSLDA President
To no one’s surprise, President Obama plans to ask Congress to spend billions of dollars on public education. As he stated in his presidential agenda on education, the country cannot afford four more years of neglect and indifference. This neglect and indifference, according to the president, occurred despite the fact that in the last four years, the federal government and the states have spent more money on public education than at any other time in the history of our nation.
What is surprising about Mr. Obama’s education initiative is his priority on early childhood education. His “Zero to Five Plan” targets early care, beginning with infants. States will be given grants to begin moving toward universal preschool.
The presumption by Mr. Obama is that the earlier children start formal education, the better chance they have of being successful in life and being competitive in the global market. Sounds good, but is this policy backed by evidence that government involvement in child rearing from birth actually works?
The answer is “No!” In a 2005 Stanford University/University of California study that focused on children attending preschool, it was confirmed that attendance in preschool centers, even for short periods of time each week, hindered the rate at which young children developed social skills. These findings refuted the assertion by many that for children to develop socially, they must be involved in a classroom setting at a very early age.
The Southwest Policy Institute concluded: “Contrary to common belief, early institutional schooling can harm children emotionally, intellectually and socially, and may later lead to greater peer dependency.”
Child psychologist and author David Elkind, who has researched early childhood education, wrote: “When we instruct children in academic subjects … at too early an age, we miseducate them; we put them at risk for a short-term stress and long-term personality damage. … There is no evidence that such early instruction has lasting benefits, and considerable evidence that it can do lasting harm.”
If the government schools can’t successfully educate children in 10 years (some states’ compulsory attendance laws end at 16, although many states require attendance until age 17), then why do we believe they would be any more successful if we add four or five years?
One group that has seen the benefits of spending more time together as a family is homeschoolers. Most homeschool families have firsthand experience that the research studies are right. The Zero to Five Plan will encourage less parental involvement and much more government involvement, especially if states provide a free preschool experience for every child.
Some may say, “But it is not mandatory. Parents that don’t want their children attending preschool don’t have to.” Unfortunately, when the government becomes involved in a voluntary program, too many times it ends up being mandatory.
The proper place for this issue to be discussed and decided is within the state legislatures. When Congress became involved in funding public education, the assumption was that the states were not competent to figure out how to provide an education system for the people in their states. However, since Congress became involved in funding public schools, the quality of education has declined.
Focusing the federal government on its constitutional responsibilities and removing it from education policymaking would do two things. First, it would save taxpayers billions by eliminating the federal education bureaucracy. Second, it would help Congress and the president focus on their constitutionally mandated responsibilities.
Funding the Zero to Five Plan is simply more wasteful spending the country can ill afford.
Michael Smith is the president of the Home School Legal Defense Association. He may be contacted at (540)338-5600; or send email to media@hslda.org.
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Mar. 3, 2009 - Is the Government right to be concerned about home-schooling?
The below article is from a U.K. Newspaper. I find it interesting since Europe is just a few years ahead in their socialism than the U.S. It is always a good idea for we Educators to stay informed and on our toes about the imposing threat of Government controlled education (Thank you HSLDA.org). Our Government would love to get its hand’s on our children just as the European Government is attempting to do.
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Is the Government right to be concerned about home-schooling?
The NSPCC is backing a national Government investigation into home-schooling, leaving many devoted parents feeling they're in the firing line. Hilary Wilce speaks to some of the mothers and organisations involved.
Article Direct Link
Tens of thousands of home-educating parents are in a fury about a government decision to set up an inquiry into home schooling because of fears it could hide child abuse. They say there is no hard evidence, and the investigation smears them all with suspicion. Two thousand parents and organisations have written to the Government in protest at what pressure group Action for Home Education call "vile and unsubstantiated" allegations.
The inquiry is a "clear incitement to hatred of home educators" says Clare Murton, a supporter of Action for Home Education. Many rank and file home educators agree. According to Katie Bell, 45, a mother of two in Croydon, the Government is almost saying that home-educated children are prone to abuse: "It's an attack on our beliefs. If they said something like that about any other minority they would be lynched."
The decision follows a case where 19 years of abuse went unnoticed partly because the three children concerned were home-schooled and no one saw their bruises and broken bones. Last year the children's foster mother, Eunice Spry, was jailed for 14 years. Child welfare agencies say one or two other such cases are in the pipeline.
In addition, education authorities claim that some of the estimated 20,000 parents who home- school do it to avoid being prosecuted for having truanting children, to hide forced marriages, or to mask the fact that a child is babysitting younger siblings. So, in a climate made jumpy by recent high-profile abuse cases, the Government has asked Graham Badman, former director of children's services for Kent County Council, to review the safeguarding and support of home-educated children. Badman has also been appointed chair of Haringey's local safeguarding children board, in place of Sharon Shoesmith, who was sacked after the Baby P inquiry.
"If there are problems we have to look at the evidence," says Baroness Morgan, the Children's Minister. "Home education is a small but important part of keeping children properly safe. Also local authorities have a significant duty to ensure all children are receiving a suitable education and some are saying they don't have the tools for that. But we have no desire to undermine a parent's right to educate their child at home. The vast majority are almost certainly doing a decent job."
But home-schooling families feel persecuted, according to Ann Newstead, of charity Education Otherwise. "The authorities say that if they can see a child every day in school then they can look for subtle changes that indicate abuse, but 99.9 per cent of cases of abuse and neglect are happening to children in school," she says. "There is no evidence of abuse in home-schooled families, and when you push people for this they just say: 'Well, statistically it has to be happening.'"
The Spry case, she claims, was about welfare failure not home schooling. New home education guidelines were brought in only two years ago. "Many of us think that the real aim of this review is to gain educational control over parents. The authorities didn't get the powers they wanted last time, so now they are using welfare as their trump card. They want some form of compulsory monitoring. They are under pressure to get results, and they live by outcomes and performance indicators."
However Tony Mooney, a retired head and home-school adviser for a local authority, says there are good reasons for wanting closer monitoring. He visits families on deprived estates who turn to home schooling after problems with bullying or school attendance. "I'm very worried that a lot of young people are not getting the schooling they ought to," he says. "Authorities have no right to see the child, or to see what they are doing. Parents can just list what they've been doing, and give examples of their work, but who's to say that it's actually the child who has done that work?"
Vijay Patel, policy adviser for the NSPCC children's charity, also sees the need for a review. "Some people use home education to hide. Look at the Victoria Climbié case. No one asked where she was at school. We have no view about home education, but we do know that to find out about abuse someone has to know about the child."
Currently, parents whose children have never been in school are not obliged to inform the local authority of their existence, but pupils withdrawn from school are subject to local authority inspection. Relationships between home schoolers and education authority varies widely. Areas such as Sheffield and Milton Keynes are models of good practice, say others, while others have no idea how to approach it. One authority groups home-educated and vulnerable children under the same heading.
Home-educators vary widely. Some do it for religious or philosophical reasons; others withdraw their children from school because of problems. Some opt for an unstructured approach, while others follow the curriculum closely.
Katie Bell has educated Robin, 12 and Ben, eight, at home for four years. "I was thinking about it for a long time. Then one morning they were unhappy, we were late, everything was wrong, and I just said 'Right, that's it'. We bagged up their uniforms for the charity shop and we've never looked back."
Her sons have been tutored for maths and science, and learned French from another home-schooling mother, but do most of their learning at home.
"We are keen on the freedom of it, they can do what they want, when they want. My older son couldn't sit still at school, or concentrate, but now he plays his guitar or does his Rubik's Cube for hours. My younger son didn't read until about a year-and-a-half ago, so we bought him comics and things he was interested in, and he reads fluently now.
"This review is all about wanting to control how children are taught the curriculum. I personally wouldn't mind if social services were called in to see if children are all right, but if it's about their education – well, for most home-educating parents, education is their greatest passion."
The figures bear this out. US research shows that home-educated children – even less advantaged ones – markedly outperform children in school by the age of 14. Research by Paula Rothermel of Durham University has similar findings. "They do very well compared with the norms for state school children. It may be school dumbs children down, or it may be to do with how the brain works when left to its own devices."
Local authorities already have the power to give parents an attendance order followed by a supervision order if they are dissatisfied by a situation, she points out. "But they seem very frightened to say to a parent 'you have failed'. And if they don't use the powers they've got, why do they need more?"
The only thing everyone agrees on is that the numbers of home-schooling children are rising fast. Katie Bell's children may soon not be counted among them, however. If the authorities take away her freedom to educate her children as she wants she says she's off to Canada. "They even give you money for home schooling there," she says.
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Do not forget in Germany that they put Home Educators in the mental hospital when they do not comply…...
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Feb. 26, 2009 - JOY IN THE JOURNEY!!!
 On our side of the world it was 60 degree’s today, thank you Jesus! We played outside for several hours. Zion and Naomi are very cute together. Wherever they sit is where they dig and side-by-side they were working hard. It was almost like Forrest Gump and his son fishing together, when even their heads were cocked in the same direction. Naomi is certainly the “girly-girl.” But she loves keeping up with her boys!
Jadin has been very diligent about his school work. He completed his end of week test a day early in math. Alphabetizing word lists is his latest Language Arts skill. At first it deterred him and now he’s conquered it. He's also working on his story and illustrations for the Reading Rainbow Young Authors contest and his project for "The X-Fair." Zion and I have been doing much of his work in our big over-sized chair. He worked well sitting with me at our kitchen table for a long time. Now as he’s progressing through the levels of his math and penmanship it seems he needs the comfort of “snuggling” too. It’s a lot of work for a 5-year-old brain who is determined to work several years ahead in many areas. Sure, we can snuggle as he reads me definitions of “Equator” or “Pollination.” I’m flexible! Now Naomi sits around, with an upside down book, determined to read too. I can see another early reader in our mist.
Jadin completed level-one in his ice skating and has begun level-two classes. Zion also started his level-one classes. Now both boys can’t wait for Monday’s to go with Grandmother for Ice Skating, Children’s Museum and Pizza! I’ve heard they also have a surprise of going skiing this year before the season is over. I have not been skating or skiing. My sport is baby growing! The baby is a B-O-Y, “Gabriel Judah.” We can’t wait to meet him! Naomi laid on the ultrasound table with me (w/ her shirt pulled up as well, not missing out on anything). She was confused when we left as to why we were leaving the baby in the TV. Oh well, it’ll all come together for her.
We got a call this week about a very specialized foster case. We’re going next week to meet/greet and find out more details. Prayers for God’s perfect plan and will are appreciated! It’s the kind of situation I hoped to minister in at some point waaaaaaaaaaay down the road when I'm older, wiser and all around that "person I want to be when I grow up."  God must want to stretch me and our faith. Whether we take it or not, at least we're on their radar.
Trav has been “roughing it” on night shift. He loved this job when he worked only 14 days a month, we all did. But, yes, this Night Shift move is “the pits” for all of us. We’re looking at the *BRIGHT* side, he didn’t get a pink slip as 80 of his co-workers did. He/we feel blessed he even has a job. As a total teaser the security company he did his last contract through gave us a pleasant surprise about another full-time/permanent position (the one he wanted last summer) opening up. Full-time travel sounds great right about now but it doesn’t coincide w/ fostering or reality. I just like to think about it and then go lead the kids in folding a few loads of laundry.
JOY IN THE JOURNEY!!! 
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Feb. 18, 2009 - Record-Breaking Crowd Sends Message to Legislators
http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/nh/200902130.asp
The New Hampshire legislature is known as the third-largest representative body in the world, ranking behind U.S. Congress and British Parliament. It also has an interesting tradition that all bills newly introduced get an up or down vote by the entire body. This makes for high-stakes legislation, explaining in part why all 400-plus seats in Representatives Hall and the visitors gallery were filled, with homeschoolers standing in aisles and doorways, and lines extending out the door and down several flights of stairs. Homeschool parents came to show their concern over proposed legislation that would radically rewrite the way they must annually assess their students.
Former State Senator Dave Wheeler, who is also a Christian Home Educators of New Hampshire (CheNH) board member, said he thinks the attendance was record-breaking, “I can’t remember there ever being such a large crowd of homeschoolers at the State House, ever.”
Rep. Scott Merrick of Lancaster, a member of the Education Committee, thought that the showing proves the bills are unnecessary. “I think if we take a look at the crowd, the homeschool community seems to be pretty well aware of the RSAs,” said Merrick. House Bill 368 would require participating agencies to send a copy of the law and “other resources” to parents. While in the act of complying with the law by submitting a notice of intent, parents would have to “affirm” that they intend to comply with the law.
House Bill 367, the more onerous of two proposed changes to New Hampshire’s homeschool law, would require parents to provide to public school authorities both a portfolio evaluation conducted by a certified teacher and standardized test results. Authorities would then have the discretion to determine whether a homeschool program should continue.
Close to 100 people testified against the bills, while less than 10 testified in favor. Those testifying in favor of the bill included Mary Heath, deputy commissioner of education and Roberta Tenny of the Department of Education.
“This is meant to be informative, not punitive,” said Heath. “I’m speaking for the parents who aren’t here today, who may not have the depth of understanding.”
Rep. Judith Day, the sole sponsor of the bills, tried to explain that her intent was to help—not harm—children in the state. However, the overwhelming testimony ran 10 to 1 against the proposed legislation. “This was not an attempt to end homeschooling,” said Day.
Rep. David Bates of Windham testified that superintendents of two school systems in his district were opposed to these bills because they were unnecessary and would place more work on their already overloaded public school staff. Responding to the argument from the few proponents of the legislation that 5–15% of homeschoolers are failing, Bates told the committee that “When I asked the superintendents how many times there had ever been a homeschooler put on probation for failure to demonstrate educational progress in compliance with the law, the answer was ‘never’ .”
Bates estimated that the cost to New Hampshire taxpayers would be over a million dollars for this proposal. “When I shared my calculations with the superintendents, they told me I was being overly conservative in my estimates and that costs would likely be substantially higher.”
Senator Sharon Carson, who served on the House Education Committee last year during the S.B. 337 proposal, told the committee that she didn’t understand what had gone wrong with the process. “Last year we were all here, and created a study commission, and added two legislators to the Home Education Advisory Council to insure that there was communication between homeschoolers, the legislature and other stakeholders. Something has gone wrong with the process we set up to get so many people to come here to oppose this legislation.”
Several homeschoolers testified, including one mother and her daughter. Responding to claims that homeschooled children are “falling through the cracks”, the daughter, diagnosed with Asberger’s syndrome, told the assembly:
“I was in public schools for nine years. I had some good teachers, bad ones, and some who didn’t care. I was one of those students who fell through the cracks, but it was a crack in the public school. I struggled through all nine years and wasn’t getting an education. Finally my mom did the only thing she could—she pulled me out of the school to homeschool me. After three years at home I am now getting the education that I need.”
HSLDA Staff Attorney Mike Donnelly pointed out that New Hampshire has experienced smooth relationships between homeschoolers and government since the law was passed in 1990, in contrast to surrounding states. “The troubles between the government and homeschooolers in the surrounding states of Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts have not existed in New Hampshire because you got it right the first time,” Donnelly told legislators. “The current law appropriately balances the state’s interest in education with parents’ rights to direct the education and upbringing of children. Passing this bill would make New Hampshire’s homeschool law among the nation’s most restrictive,” Donnelly stated.
Donnelly explained that no other state requires two evaluations. “The only state that requires portfolio evaluations every year is Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania has many problems each year between homeschoolers and superintendents because the law is vague. But even in Pennsylvania children are only tested three times during their education. Requiring both testing and portfolio review every year is unreasonable and unnecessary. H.B. 367 would be a huge step backward for homeschoolers in New Hampshire and would run counter to the national trend of easing regulatory burdens on homeschoolers. Twelve states in recent years have eased the regulatory burden on homeschoolers, including Nevada, which now requires only a one-time notification and no annual assessments.”
Proponents of the bill, including the sponsor, claim that the state needs more data to make sure that all children are getting an adequate education. Committee Chairman Emma Rouse told the assembly that it was the responsibility of the Education Committee to make policy for all of New Hampshire’s children and not just those in the public schools. There were nearly a dozen representatives and senators who testified in opposition to the proposals.
One homeschooler testified that the idea that there was no data on homeschoolers performance was outrageous. “For nearly twenty years superintendents, non-public school principals and the Department of Education have been receiving end-of-year assessments on homeschoolers. The data is there—if you want to do the work to gather it and analyze it. And it shows what we all know—the overwhelming majority of homeschoolers are doing well and are not ‘slipping through the cracks’. It doesn’t make sense to impose this kind of regulation to catch the tiny fraction of homeschoolers who aren’t complying with the law, especially when the law does nothing to address that specific problem.”
Donnelly provided the committee with preliminary findings from a forthcoming study by Dr. Brian Ray. “Dr. Ray has found that New Hampshire homeschoolers perform better than their public school counterparts on standardized tests, and when compared to the scores of homeschooled students in more highly regulated states, New Hampshire homeschoolers’ scores are slightly higher, demonstrating that increased regulation does not produce better test results.”
Wrapping up the testimony at 6:30 p.m. was Jim Parison, president of CheNH. “I’d like to break the rules here and applaud Chairman Rouse for her conduct of this hearing,” he said The remaining hundred or so people clapped as Chairman Rouse thanked the assembly and commented on how well behaved the children had been and how courteous everyone was during the proceedings, although at several points during the day she had threatened to clear the chamber when attendees applauded some speakers.
The Education Committee will meet sometime in the coming weeks in executive session to take up the bills and decide whether to recommend passage to the rest of the House.
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Feb. 18, 2009 - "Legislator Kelli Stargel Defies Stereotypes"
By Bill Rufty
Ledger Political Editor
LAKELAND | The next time you see a woman who tells you she is a "housewife," don't attempt to stereotype her. She could be another Kelli Stargel: mother of five, wife, manager of family rentals, home-schooler, church volunteer and one of the most powerful Republican women in the county.
State Rep. Kelli Stargel, the wife of a Circuit Judge John Stargel, whom she put through law school and helped in his elections, is a mover and shaker in her own right.
But she says she didn't start out that way.
Kelli Marie Whipple was born March 23, 1966 in Tampa, the youngest of three daughters.
"My dad kept trying to move us farther out of Tampa and into smaller communities. We moved first to Lutz and then to Land O'Lakes," she said.
"We always had a boat and we'd go scalloping on the shore and then shrimping between the bridges in Tampa. Vacation was always the first two weeks of lobster season," she recalled.
It was an almost perfect middle-class life. But her father, an avid man of the water, died in a scuba diving accident when she was 13.
"My childhood ended at 13," she said.
With her sisters older than she and her mother having to take over as a single mom, Kelli began hanging out with teens she refers to as "questionable people" and basically became undisciplined.
"I would say my family was a moral family, but not churchgoers. We attended church at Christmas and Easter," she said.
When she was 14, she was invited by a friend from Land O'Lakes High School to go with her to Hillsdale Baptist Church.
"It was a youth gathering and I think the members were told to pick out the worst kid they could find and ask them to come," she said with a sardonic smile.
Stargel is not happy with her behavior following the death of her father but doesn't shy from talking about it and she turned her life around with her new found faith.
"My relationship with Christ was a deliberate turning point in my life," she said of the youth rally.
Family and Work
She became a regular at church and at the youth groups. It was there she met John Stargel, who was a little more than a year older than she.
Their first date was at a Tampa Bay Rowdies game, where they double-dated with John's brother. The hour to and from the game plus sitting together on the bus trip to a North Carolina church camp, talking all the way, convinced him that he was in love with this beautiful and highly intelligent girl, John Stargel said.
At 17, Kelli became pregnant. She said she and John never considered an abortion.
"John and I talked about what we would do. He was the only guy I ever dated. I just kept thinking, 'My mother will kill me,' but she was understanding and it brought us closer together."
Kelli and John married. She was 17. He was 19 and a student at the University of Tampa. On Wednesday, while she was in Tallahassee for legislative committee meetings, John went up so they could celebrate their 25th anniversary.
After Rebekah, now a U.S. Army officer, was born, the couple had four more children.
She held jobs at Olin Ordnance, a ball powder company south of Tallahassee, and then later at the Game and Fish Commission, to put her husband him through law school.
She also worked at a pregnancy Crisis Center.
At the center, she said, she heard the argument that "teenagers don't get married and survive."
She has tried to use her own experiences to disprove that argument.
"God created that baby," said Stargel, an opponent of abortion. "We had some tough times. We had two kids and John was in law school, I look back and wonder how we did it sometimes. But we did it."
After law school, her husband became corporate counsel for Badcock in Mulberry and the family moved to Polk County. Kelli Stargel transferred to the Lakeland office of Game and Fish.
Entry Into Politics
The Stargels had bought a house each place they had lived and rented them when they left. She managed the family's rental houses, raised five children, home-schooling four of them for part of their education. And she became more and more active in politics.
"I registered to vote at 18 and I registered as a Republican. My whole family was Democrats."
After the family moved to Lakeland in 1991, she volunteered to work for Charles T. Canady's first and successful run for Congress, then for other candidates.
In the controversial presidential election of 2000, both parties in Florida had lawyers watching recounts in every county. As a lawyer, John Stargel was asked to watch the recount in Polk for the Republicans. It brought him to the attention of the local party and he ran for Florida House District 64 in 2002.
At the same time, his wife had also come to the attention of local and state Republicans.
"In Tallahassee, a lot of wives go out to lunch while their husbands are busy in legislative session. I would go check the bills in other committees that he couldn't get to. It's always been a tag team. He gets involved in my things and I get involved in his," she said.
In 2006 John Stargel was elected as circuit judge and Rep. Dennis Ross moved to District 64. Ross was term limited in 2008 and Kelli Stargel, encouraged by a few Republican bigwigs, felt her time had come.
She won the Republican primary and easily defeated two write-in candidates, which her campaign had recruited to keep Democrats and independents from voting in the Republican primary.
She already has two special sessions under her belt.
A 'Fresh Outlook'
One of Stargel's closest friends in the party, Polk's state Committeewoman Linda Ivell, said Stargel is just who she says she is. She is for real.
"She is someone rooted in her beliefs, but she really listens to people with different points of view. It is a real quality about her that she wants to hear what others think and listens to them," she said.
"When Kelli says she is pro-life, that is not some lofty, better-than-you saying. She is down to earth and she doesn't just talk about what she believes. That is really her," Ivell said.
"She is really bringing a fresh approach to the Legislature because she always has a fresh outlook," Ivell said. "She was talking about the new keyboard layout in computers. The kids know all about it, but not us - except for Kelli." Ivell said.
Stargel still has not given up on all her many other duties of mother, wife, family property manager and church worker. But don't think those define her.
Her husband says she can't be stereotyped.
"There is this perception about her to some people - mother of five, John's wife - but she brings so much experience to the process. She has lived it," John Stargel said, adding with a laugh, and a tone of pride, that his wife may become a better legislator than he was.
Kelli Stargel said her goals as a mom are to give their children and other children the understanding that they can accomplish anything.
"I feel that is really shortchanging someone, telling them they are not going to be successful for whatever the reason," she said, perhaps thinking of the times she was told teenage marriages didn't work.
On one of the church mission trips she takes with her family, she and daughter Amanda went to Africa.
"I want children to know that it (life) is not just about them. We can help others at the same time," she said.
[ Ledger Political Editor Bill Rufty can be reached at bill.rufty@theledger.com or at 802-7523. ]
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Feb. 10, 2009 - Homeschooling goes boom in America!
+74 percent increase in number of families teaching own children+
By Chelsea Schilling
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
Homeschooling Boom!
A homeschooling movement is sweeping the nation – with 1.5 million children now learning at home, an increase of 75 percent since 1999.
The Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics reported homeschooling has risen by 36 percent in just the last five years.
"There's no reason to believe it would not keep going up," NCES statistician Gail Mulligan told USA Today.
A 2007 survey asked parents why they choose to homeschool and allowed them to provide several reasons. The following are the most popular responses:
- Concern about the school environment, including reasons such as safety, drugs or negative peer pressure – 88 percent
- A desire to provide religious or moral instruction – 83 percent
- A dissatisfaction with academic instruction at other schools – 73 percent
- Nontraditional approach to children's education – or "unschoolers" who consider typical curriculums and standardized testing as counterproductive to quality education – 65 percent
- Other reasons, such as family time, finances, travel and distance – 32 percent
- Child has special needs (other than physical or mental health problems) that schools cannot or will not meet – 21 percent
- Child has a physical or mental health problem – 11 percent
Parents who report that they homeschool to provide religious or moral instruction increased from 72 percent to 83 percent from 2003 to 2007.
Above all other responses, parents cited providing religious and moral instruction as the most important factor in the decision to teach their children at home (36 percent). The second most important issue was concern about the school environment (21 percent), while the third reason was dissatisfaction with academic instruction at other schools (17 percent).
Research has shown the positive effects of homeschooling through the years. While some critics say teaching children at home may stunt their social growth, Dr. Brian D. Ray, president of National Home Education Research Institute, reveals homeschooled students fare well or better than public and private school students in terms of social, emotional and psychological development.
Additionally, homeschoolers earn higher marks than peers who attend public schools. In Academic Leadership, and online journal, Dr. Ray and Bruce K. Eagleson also cite findings from at least three nationwide studies across the United States and two nationwide studies in Canada.
"The home educated in grades K to 12 have scored, on average, at the 65th to 80th percentile on standardized academic achievement tests in the United States and Canada, compared to the public school average of the 50th percentile," the report states.
Three studies also show that demographics, income and education level of homeschooling parents are generally irrelevant with regard to quality of education in a home setting. On average, homeschoolers in low-income families with less formal education still score higher than state-school averages.
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Feb. 7, 2009 - Sun-Shine Day!
Yes...it's 65 degree's and we're soooo happy about it!  We went to the Home Depot building workshop this morning where the boys built Valentines boxes for their Grandmother/Grandma. Then it was time for some ice cream and playground run. Naomi had a "2 year old-I need a nap-I can no longer function" melt-down so we had to blow off our plans for the pet store. Home now and the boys are running the back field (2 hours and still going...did I mention mud covered?). Our pond has around 100 huge goldfish swimming the surface, this is just a teaser guys...go back to sleep! Apparently, I’ve been an above-average mom this week b/c Zion has filled my kitchen window with “Lego trophies” for all my "good work." He’s requesting a new dictionary (already read through the last two and now calls them "boring") and a special time out with mommy, so we’ll be working in his “mommy date” to Barnes and Noble soon. Jadin and I had a “date day” yesterday and did our "super shopping." 8 hrs worth, but it is so nice to have it done. The menu is planned for the month and I have chicken cooking for homemade "Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo" for this weekend (Trav's Fav). Yesterday, Jadin picked where we ate out for lunch and really enjoyed the one-on-one time (I also really enjoyed the extra cart pusher and had my fill of "arm pit" jokes :). Next week we’re going to our favorite Air & Space Museum at Dulles. We also find out Thursday "what" our next baby is! As I joke, I’m still fielding highest bidder $ PRN/Charge Nurse offers. I haven't worked any PRN in about a year, since we were traveling full-time w/ Trav's job. Then once we were home in July we hit the ground running w/ weekly foster/adoptive training classes, inspections, paperwork up to our eye balls etc. Now we've been waiting for awhile and I'm hearing it may not be until late Spring/Summer before we'd get a placement we'd be interested in (and of course I've gotta "birth" again in July). So we'll see what God is doing with all that, as I always say so good to "know the ONE who knows!" In the mean time I'm looking at picking up a night a week for my "mommy time out." I’m only required to work one day a month at each facility I sign on with. One location wants to pay me more then the other and wanted a few days to try to make a better offer. I go in Tuesday to hear. In the winter one night a week seems do-able, but I like the flexibility of only being committed to “one day a month” (and I like knowing it's there for what I call "Disney Dollars" - wink, wink!) I know this summer they’ll be lucky to catch me for even that one day :O)
(I didn't say this recipe is healthy...but BOY IS IT GOOD!!!)
On Allrecipe.com you can pick your portion sizes etc. I use this site to plan most of our monthly menu. I triple this recipe below and make enough for at least two nights/lunches, Trav to take to work and enough to freeze for later in the month. Don't think about the Calories...it's bad for ya!
 http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Alfredo-with-Fettuccini-Noodles/Detail.aspx
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettuccini and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear.
- In a large saucepan combine ricotta cheese, cream, salt, Parmesan cheese and remaining butter. Cook over medium heat until well combined, about 10 minutes. Stir in cooked fettuccini and chicken; cook until heated through
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Feb. 5, 2009 - Justice Candidate a Threat to Parental Rights
Justice Candidate a Threat
to Parental Rights
Dear HSLDA Members and Friends:
David Ogden has been nominated by President Barrack Obama to the position of deputy attorney general of the United States, the second highest position in the Justice Department. His hearings are scheduled for today, February 5, 2009.
Note: It would be best to call the local offices of your senators in your state, as phone lines on Capitol Hill are tied up by voters concerned about pending economic incentive legislation.
Home School Legal Defense Association urges all of its members to immediately telephone both U.S. senators from your state to oppose the nomination of David Ogden.
The most important reason to oppose Ogden’s nomination is his belief that the rules found in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are already binding on the United States under the doctrines of international law.
In the Supreme Court case of Roper v. Simmons, 543 U.S. 551 (2005), Ogden argued in a brief that the rules banning the juvenile death penalty contained in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child were customary norms of international law “binding on all states.”
For background information on this doctrine, see Michael Farris’ article, “A Deeper Understanding of the Threat of International Law” in the November/December 2007 Home School Court Report.
This means that Ogden believes that the legal rules contained in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are already binding on the United States, even though this treaty has never been sent to the U.S. Senate for ratification.
Homeschoolers have long understood the dangers of this international treaty, which contains the core principle that the government may decide what it believes is best for each child without any proof of wrongdoing by the child’s parents. Ogden promoted the use of this UN treaty in the Supreme Court to reach the conclusion that America’s courts have the power to overrule state law, using international law as their guidepost for constitutional interpretation. Unfortunately, he was successful in doing so in the Roper case.
It also means that Ogden is a proven advocate for the position that international law should be used to interpret the Constitution of the United States and bind the decisions of our elected officials.
If this weren’t enough, Ogden has a history of representing Playboy and other purveyors of pornography in high-profile legal cases. He also challenged the legality of using filters on library computers to protect children from seeing pornography. It would be hard to imagine how Ogden would faithfully enforce the nation's pornography laws if he is placed in this position at the Justice Department.
The United States Senate needs to understand right now that the American public will not countenance the idea of the nation being led by people who believe that international law trumps American law.
Please call both of your U.S. Senators today to register your opposition to David Ogden.
Sincerely,
Michael P. Farris
HSLDA Chairman
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Jan. 21, 2009 - Thank you Lord your mercy is new each morning!
We didn’t have any significant snow fall this week but enough to excite the kids. They’ve been braving the 25 degree’s daily for a few more chances to play in the white stuff....or breaking ice on the pond...or sledding on the wet grass :O) The wood cutting by Trav and stacking by the boys continues. Boy, we are so thankful for our wood stove! Jadin’s ice skating went great on Monday and he’s excited about all he’s learning. Him and Grandmother practiced before and after his lesson together. I’m signed up for my next 2 Liberty University classes. They run March-May so I thought I should be able to sneak through those :O) I’m also toying with the idea of picking up 1 to 4 Charge Nurse days at a rehabilitation center about 10 miles away. All I’d have to work is 1 day a month and nurses are paid well for their time, so we’ll see. We’re still awaiting a foster placement and jump at the phone every time it rings. We know God has the right one for us! Zion started his 2nd grade level "reading box" Monday. Out of 20 books he picked out one in the middle level, read it with no problem and moved onto the next. I see he needs more challenging books! Jadin is almost done with his reading level. I’ll be letting him pick out his favorite books and reviewing them before he moves on to reinforce his confidence level. He has made incredible progress forward, 2 grade levels in one year. This is why I’m so thankful for home schooling, we can celebrate the successes and take all the time we need with the challenges. We’ll, I’m off to go steal my quite Jesus time before the day gets rolling!
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Jan. 15, 2009 - Playing Catch Up!!!
I would like to say I came back from vacation and hit the ground running. I have been over my head this week in the catch-up mode that getting back leaves one in. When we traveled full-time we pretty much stayed packed, but these "normal" family vacations are a lot of work. I’ve had several inglorious loads of laundry haunting me…not to mention the Christmas stuff I swore I’d haul back to the attic before we left. Yep, I left it. Tonight I have finally conquered it, Thank You Jesus! I did very good at sticking to my word of us starting lessons back up on Monday. Even though it’s been tempting to take a day off for a “home economics” day, we’ve plunged ahead into table work and our current book list. I’ve been practicing “shutting out the to-do list” during school time and we should feel in normal routine by next week. Jadin has completed his first unit in math this week and takes his end of the week test tomorrow. He’s earned his sticker in one book and re-read several favorites. Jadin also started his new Language Arts workbook and has been working on unscrambling mixed-up sentences as well as putting word list in alphabetical order. Zion finished 10 pages in his math book and finished the “Red Box” reading series, earning his sticker today in “Camper Kim.” We also started our introduction to Benjamin Franklin and are on Chapter 8 of “Benjamin Franklin-American Hero.” We have been studying Daniel in the bible and continuing our “Jesus Freaks” Martyr stories. We’re in the middle of “Where the Red Fern Grows” for our leisure reading. Today our homeschool group day was cancelled b/c of snow, which turned out to be a blessing. Grandmother has blessed Jadin with Ice Skating lessons in Charlottesville that he also started this week. Zion will be going to watch her skate on Saturday and is still deciding whether he wants to learn to skate or not. With his very analytical mind at age 5 he must thoroughly think through every option in life-God Bless Him! For the moment the boys “future” in Christian Karate is on hold to partake in this ice skating opportunity. I am a mother that refuses to run my family from one lesson to activity, day after day. One thing at a time please! :O) It’s for their benefit as well as mine. Jadin apparently fell a lot in his 1st lesson, but by the end of the hour (and one of the instructors taking him privately to the side for some private lesson time) he was gliding. He can’t wait to go again next week and they‘re going for free skating time as well. I went to the baby doctor yesterday. Looks like we’re on track with a July 5th due date for baby number 4. On 2/12 we’ll find out “what” the baby is, which is always fun. Below is a few more Orlando pix and some cute pix of Zion and Naomi during school time this week. The rest are on our picture web site if your interested.
I'm off to get kids out of baths, put kids to bed and tackle my Laundry room...that is officially a room full of laundry! (I’m very thankful though for my new dryer ;O) As I re-read this post I certainly sound like a spoiled brat...it's hormonal...15 weeks pregnant...I have pregnancy immunity! LOL!!!
-Busch Gardens Africa/Tampa Bay-
  
  
-More SeaWorld-
  
  
-Central Florida Zoo-
  
-Zion Reading to Naomi-
 
-Zion working in his math book-
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Jan. 7, 2009 - "Tim Tebow a shining example for homeschooled athletes"
BY JENNI CARLSON
Homeschool High Alumni
Here’s a look at some former homeschoolers who’ve made it big in athletics:
→Jason Taylor, Washington Redskins: The All-Pro defensive end was homeschooled in Pittsburgh but played football for Woodland Hills High School. That helped him land a football scholarship at the University of Akron before being selected in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft.
→Tim Tebow, Florida Gators: Because of the Craig Dickinson Act, Tebow was allowed by Florida law to play football for Nease High School in Jacksonville. That led to a scholarship at Florida, a national title in 2006 and a Heisman Trophy in 2007.
→Katie Hoff, Olympic swimmer: With the exception of fourth grade, she was homeschooled throughout her life. That flexible schedule came in handy with high-level competitive swimming, which climaxed with a silver and two bronzes last summer in Beijing.
→Pat Venditte, Staten Island Yankees: Homeschooled in Omaha, Neb., the pitcher walked on at Creighton and became a YouTube sensation. Being ambidextrous, he’s able to pitch with either hand. He was drafted last year by the Yankees and had 23 saves in the minors.
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Jan. 2, 2009 -
I just read a very good article on MotherJoy's Blog, from the Harvard Crimson. I had to post a part of the article and link on my site for those who check in w/ me. It's not written by a homeschooler or those who even support our movement but it's very interesting!
Abolishing High School
Decline and Fall By ROSS G. DOUTHAT
"What we really need to do is to get rid of high school.
Oh, I'm perfectly aware that we never will. The idea of high school is, alas, so deeply embedded in American life that it would take some sort of natural disaster to uproot it.
Still, it would nice if we recognized that there is something bizarrely ill-fashioned about the way we go about "educating" our adolescent population. The teenage years are a critical period of transition, when "children" are transformed into "adults," with all the privileges and responsibilities of age. Teenagers are dangerous--they have adult desires and passions, but without the experience necessary to handle their new-found inner turmoil. In a word, they need to be socialized.
Of course, this is exactly what high school sets out to do. But high school socializes adolescents by forcing them to spend all their time, not with adults who offer examples of maturity, but with other adolescents. The only adults in grades 9-12 are teachers, whose role as disciplinarians casts them as adversaries rather than as role models. Few high school students set out to emulate their instructors--instead, they set about emulating their peers....But it's so important for kids to spend time with their peers, the objectors will bleat. Well, yes, time with one's peers is great--but must it be every day, from eight till five and beyond? Surely this is arrant nonsense. Adolescents are messed-up, confused, insecure human beings, each buckling under an individual, angst-ridden burden. Why on earth would it be good for them to spend all of their time with other angst-ridden, insecure, unhappy types?
In a saner world, they would be forced to live with, and as, adults for large chunks of time--making it more likely that they would actually become adults. Such a world would encourage home-schooling, for instance, by easing the economic burden for parents who choose to stay home and teach. It would offer a more flexible, decentralized system of education, balancing classroom time with, say, vocational training and programs allowing kids to work under and alongside adults in local workplaces. It would be a world where adolescents were integrated into society, not ghettoized in the local high school. "
To read the entire article http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=103526
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Grace, Grace and More Grace
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"Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 -------------------------------------------------------
I am a mother of three beautiful blessings from the Lord...and one in the oven due Summer 09! We're in our 4th year of our joy-filled Home Education journey. We strive to raise our children in a loving, Christ-centered, atmosphere so they can develop and mature into men and women used for God‘s Glory. We base all our learning foremost on the Word of God and intertwine rich literary classics for a living book structure.
This year we’re utilizing: Every Newberry winner we can get our hands on :o), Math-U-See, Hooked-on-Phonics (complete program for 4-8 year olds), Draw-Write-Now, Sonlight for History/Geography/Science. We also are mixing in “Lapbooking” Unit Studies through “In The Hands Of a Child” and “Notebooking.” Natural learning experiences are plenteous living in a rural area...watch out frogs and crayfish! We’re members of several state and local Homeschool groups and enjoy meetings, field trips and additional learning opportunities with them. We also love "milking" our annual passes for every penny to the Children’s and Science museums, Zoo’s, Busch Gardens/SeaWorld, Historic Battlefields and whatever else we can get into!
We’re prayerfully beginning our foster-adoptive journey and are now licensed therapeutic foster/adoptive parents. My hobbies are gardening, learning to cook-my family is thankful for that-and decorating. I'm a life long "professional" college student, always picking away at college classes in various disciplines. I also am a Licensed Nurse when the mood hits me :o) I enjoy Joyce Meyer, Ruth Beechick, Clay and Sally Clarkson, Raymond Moore, and This Old School House Magazine.
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