Homeschooling on the tropical island of Guam, a US Territory...where America's Day Begins. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:00:00 -0500 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:00:00 -0500 There is no better time to homeschool on Guam than now. All you have to do is pick up a copy of Guam's daily newspaper the Pacific Daily News and you will read another story on what is happening with public schools on Guam. Last week 33 schools were shut down for two days because of an issue with food services for the cafeterias. With no food being served, the children could not attend. After all (according to the news) the meals these children get at a school may be the only meals they get! I find that very incomprehensible to understand. Back when I went to school, we didn't even have cafeterias. We had lunchrooms....places where children could eat the lunches brought from home. No food was served. It never occurred to me until arriving on Guam that schools would or could provide lunch for the children. But apparently this has been a practice in place for years.  After researching I found that the US does have a National Lunch program for schools. A federally funded program. So why is it that Guam can't manage to feed the kids? It is all about procurement procedures. The AG's office decided last week that the procurement for the caterers for the lunch program was not done "correctly". As a result schools were shut down until the Governor could declare a "state of emergency" and award the contract to the existing company for 30 days until new bids could be submitted. I predict that the current company will win the bid in the end. So why all the fuss? Bottom line for me is -  I'm so glad I homeschool. My kids do not have to wonder where their meals come from. I will provide them. As a parent on Guam, if my kids were in public school I would pull them out. You see, once the food issue is solved, that does not solve the other issues. Next week it could be the power or the water. Then there are shortfalls of teachers. The list goes on and on. If you care about your child's education, take charge of it. Homeschool them. If you need help, come check out our new Homeschool Resource Center for tips, ideas, and encouragement. Your children are worth it. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/722274/ Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:00:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/722274/ My husband, Les, and I have decided to start a new venture on Guam. The Guam Homeschool Resource Center. We plan to operate as an independent resource center for homeschoolers on Guam. Over the years I have found myself to be on the frontlines when it comes to newcomers arriving on Guam and wanting to know about homeschooling on our beautiful island. Part of it is due to this blog and others that I have. I've also been active in the Guam Homeschool Association as leader (two different occasions), newsletter editor, resource box person, and webmistress. As a result I have in depth knowledge on the ins and outs of homeschooling on Guam. Our Resource center will be a place where new families can come and ask questions about homeschooling on Guam. I will have magazines, catalogs and sample curricula to share so that families can have an idea what is out there. We also have Wi Fi access and computer stations for families to use to look up resources. I'm excited about this new venture and hope that we can provide homeschoolers on Guam a safe haven for exploring this new educational alternative. Check out our website: http://www.guamhomeschool.com http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/720088/ Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:46:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/720088/ Well, it's been a while and I apologize for not keeping the Homeschool Nation up to date on what is happening on Guam in the homeschooling world. First I want to assure you that homeschooling on Guam is alive and well, thriving in fact. This year has seen a surge of new homeschoolers taking the plunge in an attempt to take control of their children's education. Our public school system continues to have issues with over crowding, poorly constructed classrooms (several schools last year were temporarily shut down to correct some of these errors) and lack of buildings. Two high schools had to share a campus when one school's facilities were condemned and deemed unfit to house students. When these things are happening in the public schools, then homeschooling begins to look better and better. I know that I thanked God daily that I didn't have to worry about where my children would be attending school this past year! The Guam Homeschool Association will be going through some changes this year as our leader of the past 3 years has decided to step down. We are in the process of finding just the right person (or persons) to take over that leadership role. Several years ago I held this position and it can be a daunting task to try to lead such a diversified group. But I believe with a lot of cooperation amongst parents that GHSA will be able to grow and prosper and continue to fulfill its mandate of offering support to all homeschooling families on Guam. Some events that will be coming up include: 1. Our Annual Labor Day Picnic - this is a great time to meet new families and touch bases with old. Our tentative location for the picnic will be Asan Beach Park, on Saturday, Sept. 5th. Set up is usually sometime around 9am, with the official start time being an hour later. This can be an all day event if the weather is good. 2. Academic Challenge Bowl - already we are recruiting middle and high school students to represent homeschoolers in this fast-paced half-hour quiz where teams of students from both public and private middle and high schools compete against each other. Students answer a variety of questions pertaining to science, history, current events, math, spelling and history. If you have a student in middle or high school that would be interested please let me know! 3. Field Trips - Every year we try to do at least one field trip a month. You can access our group website to see what the is the monthly field trip at http://www.tumon.com/ghsa (hopefully I'll be able to keep this better updated this year! 4. Art Classes - We are hoping to have monthly art classes available this year. Again, check the website for this. 5. Mom's Night Out - Our first mom's night out will be this Thursday (August 6th) at 6pm at the Top o' the Mar in Nimitz Hill. This is a time for new and old homeschooling moms to get together and share their concerns or offer advice to help your homeschooling journey be a sucsess. I for one am looking forward to the good food and fellowship offered at these events. 6. P.E. activities - ongoing are tennis lessons at Agana Tennis Courts, weekly Jump Rope classes at Asan Community Center, and Swimming lessons at Agana Swimming Pool. Other options for P.E. include gymnastic classes, local village soccer teams, the Mustard Seed Basketball classes and numerous martial arts or dancing classes. These are just a few of the many activities the GHSA hopes to offer in the coming school year. Here's to another great year! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/714107/ Tue, 4 Aug 2009 03:00:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/714107/ In my family, current events are discussed daily. There is a lot going on, and today is election day in the USA. This is truly a historic time, and many years from now, history books will have a chapter about October of 2008. The economic turmoil, the global nature of both the problem and of the eventual solutions, make these interesting times indeed. My children have learned a lot about macro- and microeconomics, government and political science in the last month. It helps that I am taking courses as I work toward a degree in Business Administration through Columbia Southern University. I am taking these courses online, and it is not easy. To get a grade, I have to read, understand and reiterate what I learned in dozens of essays. This ensures that I know the stuff and know how to apply it. So I have the opportunity to view the events of this month and last month through the eyes of a student. I just finished Introduction to Political Science. What could be better? Today is the day that we get to see who the good people of the USA elect for president. You see, we do not get to vote for our president. This really rankles some of us here on Guam. "Are we not American enough?" they ask. Guam does not get a single electoral vote. So we watch instead of participate. This is the time to teach your kids about the electoral college and why it is such a genius part of the Constitution. Teach them to be thankful that you can vote if you live in the States.  The electoral college allows smaller states to have a say in who is the president. If the president was elected by popular vote, a few large cities would decide the issue for the rest of us. Guam: 1 Member of Congress, and that representative gets no vote 0 Electoral votes,  citizens cannot vote for President. The Democratic Party allowed Guam to take part in deciding who would be the Democratic Nominee. I think the 2008 election was the first time this happened, but I'm not sure. Guam has the highest per capita involvement in the US Armed Forces and consequently, the highest per capita combat casualties. In addition, Guam's natives suffered under foreign occuaption, the only US citizens to do so.  It is arguably the most patriotic of all places in the US. The taxes we pay do not go to the Federal Government. It all stays here. But there are other factors unique to Guam that make this a sensible arrangement, so we need not feel like the "black sheep" territory of the US. What are some of the reasons the people of Guam should not feel like they are, as one Congressman put it, enjoying "representation without taxation"? (This comment is in Congress' minutes. Ms. Bordallo, our Rep., asked for an electoral vote for Guam. I found it with Google.) These facts should be used for a family discussion of the whats and whys of Guam's relationship with the US Government. I am not going to provide all the answers; there are many differing opinions. But people who live here should at least try to understand the historical and cultural context of Guam and its place in the United States. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/614194/ Tue, 4 Nov 2008 00:57:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/614194/ Tomorrow begins GHSA's fourth Annual Chamorro Cultural Awareness Day. Four years ago, the Guam homeschooler's leadership decided to host a special day to share Guam's unique heritage with the homeschooling families on Guam, many of which are here only for a few years while serving a tour of duty in the miltiary. Our first "Chamorro Day" was such a success that the tradition has become an annual event. Here is an outline of this year's events: 4th ANNUAL CHAMORRO CULTURAL AWARENESS DAY Friday, October 24th  9am to 3pm Yigo Baptist Church   9:00 – 9:10   Introduction by Emcee Fredalynn Mortera Hecita   9:10 – 9:30  Mr. Frank Cruz, TASI – Traditional Navigation and Seafaring   9:30 – 9:45  Dancel Narcis – Fishing Net (Talaya)   9:45 – 10:05  Johnnycake “Mattingan” Siguenza – Ancient Chamorro History and Artifacts   10:05 – 10:55  Francisca Q. Franquez and Lourdes Leon Guerrero, Educators – Growing Up On Guam   10:55-11:15    Cheryl Calaustro, Wildlife Biologist, Dept. of Agriculture, Division of Aquatic and Wildlife  (Live Animals: Fruit Bat-Fanihi, Guam Rail-Ko’ku, Monitor Lizard-Hilitai, Snake-Kolepbla)   11:15 – 11:30 Mr. Theodore M. Iyechad, Extension Agent IV & 4H HFN Program Leader Mr. Clifford I. Kyota, Extension Associate   11:30-12:30    Lunch   12:45 – 3:00  Demonstrations and Displays             Activities Coconut Crab Catching   Coconut Husking and Grating Demonstrations Coconut Leaf Weaving Demonstrations Food Demonstrations – Coconut Candy, Fina’denne’ , Kelaguen, Red Rice Talaya Throwing Demonstrations Arts & Crafts Tables –(Shell Craft), (Salt Dough-Guam Map)  Display Tables Achiote Display Chamorro Jewelry Clothing Display Coconut Display (uses of) Fruits, Vegetables, Leaves Guam History books, DVDs and videos Ifit Display Posters It looks like it will be a jammed pack day! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/608792/ Thu, 23 Oct 2008 06:39:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/608792/ It's time for another school year, so with that in mind it's time to refresh our minds on what the law is on Guam for homeschoolers. Guam has one of the easiest home school laws. It is known as an "equivalency" law, because you, as the teacher, are supposed to teach your children the "equivalent" of what is learned in the public schools. Theoretically. Here is what the law says: The Guam Law 17 GCA Chapter 6, Section 6109 "Children not attending a private full-time school and who are being instructed in study and recitation for at least (3) hours a day for one hundred seventy (170) days each calendar year by a private tutor or other person, in the several branches of study required to be taught in the public schools of this Territory and in the English language, shall be exempted from attending the public school." So what does this mean in simple English? Basically it is saying that you should do at least 3 hours of school each "school" day and that you should be teaching your children for 170 days per year. With 365 days in a school year that gives you over half the year off! And what should you be teaching? The several branches of study required to be taught in the public schools of Guam. Broken down, that would include Math, Language Arts (this covers reading, writing, spelling, grammar), Social Studies (History and Geography), and Science (Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics). In high school you are also required to teach Guam History and Chamorro Language. However, there is no reporting to any local agency, nor is there any testing required. The Guam Home School Association - a support group for local homeschoolers - encourages parents to take part in yearly testing at local private schools that offer this service, but it is not mandatory. Some notes of concern for high school. If you decide to homeschool your high school student you will not be allowed to return him/her to the public system if you decide that homeschooling isn't working for you. At least not without a hassle. It is current Guam School System's policy that no credit for any high school courses completed at home will be granted any credit by GSS This would mean, for example, that if your child completes ninth grade at home, they can not enroll in a GSS public high school as a 10th grader but will still be considered 9th grade. It is also GSS policy that homeschoolers are not entitled to any benefits or services, including sports teams, provided by GSS. So to homeschool through high school on Guam takes prayer and commitment! The Guam Home School Association has so many wonderful activities to keep your children occupied during the school year. Field trips. special events, annual picnic, clubs, classes, etc. that there is no issue with socialization! If you homeschool on Guam it is highly recommended that you plug into this great resource. Contact Liz Perez at jalperez@guam.net for more information. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/583720/ Tue, 2 Sep 2008 03:08:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/583720/ Greetings from Guam! We just celebrated Liberation Day. Liberation is a unique holiday. As far as I know, Guam is the only place in the US that was ever occupied by foreign armies.  On July 21, 1945, the American Armed Forces arrived and liberated the island by force. A heavy bombardment preceded the amphibious landing. The Chamorro people were liberated from Japanese occupation. The occupation was brutal for the people of Guam. Many survivors have told their stories so I won't recount them here. It was a war zone and their captors were notoriously brutal. The Chamorro people deserve a celebration of remembrance for their bravery, their suffering and their support for the US troops. The American Armed Forces are the heroes, as well. Many good boys died to get Guam out of slavery. We have a parade along Marine Corps Drive, our main drag. At this time, I and my family rent a little house on the beach. It is also fronted by the main road, the parade route. Our parade is quaint and not so great as American parades go, but it is the biggest American parade for thousands of miles. Anyway, the parade is not the point. The point is hard to nail down, but it's strong. To me, it is a big deal. The events of the war in many ways define our reality. The Liberation Day celebration on Guam is to many people the biggest day of the year. It is uniquely Guamanian and uniquely American. It's amazing to be part of it. My friend Jason stood on the side of the road and said Thank You to all the soldiers and sailors. One lady mentioned to me how surprised she was to see such a strong military presence in a parade. It's been years since I saw a Stateside parade, so I don't remember how commercial she said they were. My children watched Jason thank the soldiers. I lectured to anyone who would listen about occupation and liberation. It was a good day of school. On the same day, the people of the United States heard about the crash of the bomber just off the coast of Guam. The bomber was on its way to fly over the Liberation Day parade, but crashed at sea. We offer our condolences and prayers to all the families. Today we heard that there were no survivors. A sobering Liberation Day. We enjoy our freedoms because of those who are willing to sacrifice their lives for America. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/567463/ Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:01:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/567463/ We all hear it at some point in our home schooling career--What about socialization? And I think we all have a response to it. My usual comeback is, "Are  you talking about character development?" This is funny because it makes them think about what they are asking. Most who are blatant enough to confront you on the issue of "how your kids will be able to cope in real-life situations if you home school them" are the same who are blatant about knowing nothing about what they are asking. So when I ask if they mean character development, they stop to think. Maybe for the first time. Then they have to think about: -what is character development? -where should it take place? -who should be responsible for guiding young people? -what do I mean by socialization? -what kind of answer did I think I was going to get with such a question? Then they realize they just asked an expert about something, which is fine, except they just also assumed the expert knew nothing, which is absurd. So here is something to add to my favorite retort. A psychology textbook's definition of socialization: the process by which children learn the behaviors and attitudes appropriate to their family and their culture. (Morris and Maisto, 2008, p.326) The context of the quote is the conflict that occurs when children strive for autonomy and parents exert control. Finding the balance is difficult for both children and parents. It is interesting to note that both the context and the definition have nothing to do with the contrived and artificial culture of a school setting. The context and content of the paragraph cited and, indeed, the entire chapter on Social Development both refer to a family situation and both recognize the family as the source of character development and growth. A couple of thoughts- Coping skills: I remember someone asked me about what my kids would do for coping skills. I thought about my coping strategies in high school: drug use and conformity to peer norms. Not desirable. Bullies: I found there are not many bullies that survive into real life, as in the workplace. One time I saw one. I was finishing a small contract for the BC Forest Service. We had done a good job if mopping up a slash burn. The guy who awarded the contract was the same guy who checked the work. Satisfied, he told us to pick up a check the next day at the Forestry Office. I was surprised, so I said, with enthusiasm, "Oh, great! That's fast." A rough-looking guy was standing close by with his friends, part of a larger crew. He mocked me with an effeminate voice. I looked at him and said, "Ooh, a high school bully." The Forestry manager laughed and drove away. Then we all laughed. He just didn't know what to make of it. Outside of junior high school, they lose their power and it turns out that the school culture is a dream world. I felt sorry for the out-dated bully. He invested his entire childhood in an identity that had no future. He's sure not scary anymore. Saving your kids from bullies or from being bullies is saving them from wasting precious years learning how to cope in an unreal and irrelevant culture. Keep them home and have a great summer. LES Reference: Charles G. Morris, Albert A. Maisto (2008).  Eighth Edition Understanding Psychology.  Upper Saddle River:  Pearson Education, Inc. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/554015/ Sat, 28 Jun 2008 22:43:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/554015/ Now it is summer. Of course in our house the learning just keeps on going. Steph stays up past midnight working on her writing. Do you do "summer"? I just wanted to share a couple of things since there is not much happening in the area of formal homeschool activities on Guam. My son Kevin called yesterday. He wanted to let me know he was doing training exercises (He is with the USAF) at the place where the Hindenburg crashed. He keeps his eye out for historical stuff to enjoy and to report to me. When he first graduated basic training, he went to the Alamo, where several people shook his hand and thanked him for his service. I got a bit misty at hearing that. So there he is at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station, as it was called then in 1937, soaking in the history, and he thought of his dad. I have to say at this time that I feel I shot my first arrow straight and true. Kev is my oldest, and of course we admit he was a bit of an experimental project. We were in our young '20s when he was born. There are times when Colleen and I wonder if we were bad parents. How do you know? When do you know; at what time do you look at your kids and declare success? Psalm 127 likens children to arrows. I really like this. My job as a dad is to take that arrow and shoot it straight and true to the bullseye of God's plan for his life. From the moment I let go, it's up to him, but the momentum I provided with my bow and careful aim will have a great deal of influence on where he goes. God is good; I see it in my little kids and I see it in a simple phone call from a mature young man who wants to let me know he is at an historical site. He also reminded me that when business is good (I told him we were very busy this month), that we should treat it like a harvest and save for the lean months. This is good advice and we appreciate it because it is not disrespectful. He knows I have many mouths to feed and sometimes forget to look at the big picture. He also asks for advice and listens well. Honor your father and mother. This instruction does not have a time limit. I am very happy that he is doing so well on his own but still values our input. ***** Father's Day was good, but I am so blessed--every day is Father's day for me. Cassie snuggles up to me and says, "I love you Dad-dee." She does this all the time. So you know times are tough, right? I work all the time and come home to the bird nest-- you know, the baby birds are in the nest with mouths wide open. Can you picture it? Arrayed in a circle, the open mouths is all daddy bird can see. Every resource I manage to bring home is gobbled and they ask for more--mouths wide again. Kids eat and then they want new shoes! And a new video game! And clothes! And then they want to eat again. Didn't I just feed you? Psalm 127 says blessed is the man whose quiver is full of these arrows. I picture a warrior facing an enemy onslaught. A huge scary enemy soldier is bearing down on me. I reach to my quiver and pull out an arrow. What if I  didn't have any? I could drive a nicer car and have more money. A great house. But no arrow when I need it the most. The picture of the warrior with the arrow is the picture of victory and success. All the things I could have had if I didn't have children to gobble all my hard-earned resources would be hollow and empty if not for my children and my wife. Children are an asset, not a liability. There's my Father's Day thoughts. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/552740/ Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:12:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/552740/ The Annual Curriculum Fair was OK. It seems that each year families are more and more busy and have less time for events like this, so Colleen decided to set up a system for us to have a year-round curriculum and materials exchange. She sent out invitations to several families and many have responded enthusiastically. Already there are several offers and requests on the table. It is an email group, so you get the offers and requests via email. If you are on Guam and you are interested in joining, please email Colleen. tropicalmom44@gmail.com It seems with the fuel prices fiasco that families are looking for ways to be even more frugal. This is a good way to turn your redundant home school materials into usable materials and help another family do the same. So let's get involved. ***** Memorial Day. Someone told me, "Happy Memorial Day." A pleasant sentiment, but I secretly wondered if "Have a somber Memorial Day" might be more appropriate. I had to work the entire weekend, but on Thursday and Friday, I took my small children on a field trip to a couple of War in the Pacific National Parks. We strolled the beautiful tropical beaches where 63 years ago the water ran red. They discussed the war and how we are now friendly with the Japanese. Cassie pointed out that much of my business is with Japanese tourists. What is the lesson? I don't know. I just know that when necessary, the young men and women of America stand up and do what needs to be done. I am very proud of that tradition, no matter how unpalatable it is. Memorial Day is often seen as a day off to relax and party. I personally take it as an opportunity to reflect and honor the fallen. Our current freedoms were bought for a great price. That is always worth remembering. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/540112/ Thu, 29 May 2008 18:05:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Guam/540112/