As a father, with soon-to-be homeschool aged children I have taken an interest in the subject, and been watching the movement as it grows in our culture. Who can blame us for wanting to protect our beloved children from the horrible influences of our public indoctrination centers. Societal opposition to homeschooling seems to be coming out of the woodwork as organizations like the Teachers Unions and other socialistic groups realize that somebody might actually disagree with them. My thought is that I just might be able to serve those of like mind in some small way through this blog. We'll see if my concept plays out well or not. To God be the Glory, Papa Chanoli http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Thu, 9 Nov 2006 23:35:01 -0600 Thu, 9 Nov 2006 23:35:01 -0600 OK, I confess that the time has come, as I thought it might, when I would get bored with this blog topic. I have no less conviction of it's relevancy, but I have discovered too many blog sites that are more effective on this topic to justify the time away from my family.   I'm still blogging regularly at http://chucklesgigglesandsilliness.blogspot.com/ but I am having a ton more fun writing about the antics of the Chanoli Gang.   I will keep this blog alive. The makings of a new concept are on the edges of my mind, but more lucrative or at least income conducive ideas are at the forefront of my mind for now.   If you really want something to read, or more importantly, pray about, take a look at the blog link at the bottom of this post. That's a lot more relevant than my ranting. And if you really want to find relevant links to new homeschooling info, look at the Google Alerts feature of the Google website and put in some creative queries.   Short of a public outcry, (which just won't happen,) I'll be taking a break from this blog. Check out http://chucklesgigglesandsilliness.blogspot.com/ to keep up with myself and my family.   God Bless you.   PC   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One among us needs your prayers. Please link to http://www.welovekaren.blogspot.com for current prayer request updates.Our family thanks you.Papa Chanoli http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/235905/ Thu, 9 Nov 2006 23:35:01 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/235905/ I'm on the sceptical side regarding this article, but the uncomfortable part is that I'm not entirely ready to just dismiss it as alarmist either. There have been times when I would have.   The points here are definitely worth thinking about. I am most interested by the fact that what spawned the sentiment behind this article was the issue of homeschooling.   We definitely do need to pay attention. I don't claim to have the amswers, but the questions are there.   Read on, judge well, learn with me:   Link: Concealed Affliction May Soon Turn Into Open Persecution - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One among us needs your prayers. Please link to http://www.welovekaren.blogspot.com for current prayer request updates.Our family thanks you.Papa Chanoli http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/226072/ Wed, 25 Oct 2006 00:16:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/226072/ I think we've all heard this argument, "homeschooled kids don't get enough socialization." We've heards it in dozens of variations. The not-so-funny fact is that this argument never comes from homeschooler parents because they know it's not true. It's a criticism based on ignorance in most cases. I think it's a relevant point and one that every homeschool parent needs to pay attention to, but as soon as you do start to think it through the solutions start popping up and soon you realize that it's a false argument. All that may be true but the fact still remains that the movement against homeschooling is comprised of people who are ignorant of the realities of homeschooling in most cases. Therfore we do need to be ready with a defense when we hear that argument. Here is yet another article that covers this topic: Link: Home-school parents: Kids not sheltered     - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One among us needs your prayers. Please link to http://www.welovekaren.blogspot.com for current prayer request updates.Our family thanks you.Papa Chanoli http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/224962/ Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:58:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/224962/ Here are some articles on the topic of charter schools in California. Watch out for the spin doctors in these. Good information can be gleaned here.   Links: Rejected charter school appeals LEUSD denial to county level   Santa Cruz schools bar PCS from sports league       - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One among us needs your prayers. Please link to http://www.welovekaren.blogspot.com for current prayer request updates.Our family thanks you.Papa Chanoli http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/224214/ Sat, 21 Oct 2006 19:47:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/224214/ Here's an article from Mumbai, India discussing the rise of homeschooling in India and how it works. It's interesting to me how many similarities there are in the thoughts behind homeschooling and the practical difficulties.   Link: Home work: Comfort of homeschooling     - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One among us needs your prayers. Please link to http://www.welovekaren.blogspot.com for current prayer request updates.Our family thanks you.Papa Chanoli http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/224208/ Sat, 21 Oct 2006 19:42:01 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/224208/ Fox News reports this time, exposing a few details of what I consider to be an up and coming battle at this point. Teachers Unions and state education are visibly threatened by the homeschooling movement. Some claim we are threatening "the system" (as cited in this article.)   I hope we are. I hope the societal system that has allowed the public education system to deteriorate into an indoctrination machine that produces gullible robots is shaking in it's boots. Please don't take me wrong. We all know that there are a good many success stories coming out of public schools. We all know that there are a few decent public schools scattered across the country, but overall I'd say it is easily agreed upon that the system has some huge flaws too. No matter how you choose to educate your little ones, it involves careful sacrifice and attention.    I don't condemn  those families who choose to make a go of the public school system and I fully recognize that in many of those cases parents THINK they don't have a choice. In most cases we do have a choice, and it usually involves sacrifice, but again, I won't readily condemn those who go for public ed. What I do want is the free right to choose how my children are educated without being threatened by the government. I also want my tax dollars back in my own pocket to spend as I see fit for the education of my children. Socialism failed a long time ago, and I haven't forgotten it. If the EU wants to sink back into the pitfalls of history, I say goodbye, (see former articles on the current issues in Germany.) Let'em go, but not without a fight. Let's all remember the lessons of the last century and the damage socialism has done in that time.   Educate at home if you can, and continue to break the mold of nanny government.   Link: LOS ANGELES — More parents are choosing the home over the classroom when it comes to educating their children.   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One among us needs your prayers. Please link to http://www.welovekaren.blogspot.com for current prayer request updates.Our family thanks you.Papa Chanoli http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/223868/ Sat, 21 Oct 2006 00:11:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/223868/ The way this blog is designed, most folks who come here click through to other articles and do not comment. I'm fine with that. Although some debate on my opinions would be welcome, I'm more concerned with keeping up to date on relevant issues related to homeschooling in general and/or homeschooling in the media. That said, I'd like a few of you who do come through regularly to tell me what issues I can focus on that YOU are interested in. I've found it very easy to keep up with any particular issue I am interested in and would like to improve this site by tailoring it to your homeschooling interests as well as my own. Now of this post goes over as well as that poll I had up did, I'll have to question whether this site has any use at all! 8)   God Bless,   PC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One among us needs your prayers. Please link to http://www.welovekaren.blogspot.com for current prayer request updates.Our family thanks you.Papa Chanoli http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/221863/ Tue, 17 Oct 2006 20:01:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/221863/ I feel a rant coming on. This article is pure gibberish in my opinion: Link: The Most Common Reasons Why Some People are Against Home Schooling   I will leave the argument that "homeschooled children don't get enough socialization," alone for the most part. I'm sure in some cases it is true, but we all know that a good parent who attends to this need can easily fill the need through church, play groups, co-ops etc.   How about this though? "Another reason often mentioned is that home schooling may not provide the necessary structure or balance to prepare children for real-life situations."   And who determines what a "real-life situation" is in this context? Could it potentially be some numb-skull coffee addict?  Oh wait. That's me. Seriously though, some time ago I heard of a school here in California that had a class on how to work in a fast-food joint. Now how's that for real-life? Or how about the class that had a lesbian come in to teach on how a woman-woman household has advantages over a man-woman run household? Granted these are extreme examples, but there are more where those came from and some are more extreme.   Or this falsehood: "Some argue that the homeschooling disadvantage may prevent children from reaching their full potential."   So why then are colleges snapping up homeschooled children?   Here's another one: "When it comes to deciding whether or not to homeschool, parents should consult with their children. The children have the right to decide if this is the way they would like to learn."   Just like they have the right to decide what time they should go to bed every night? Maybe we should let them decide just how much candy to eat every day. Of course, my 4 year old would love to drive the family van, does he have that right? Come on now, does anyone really think that children have the discernment to understand the ramifications of where and how they learn?   Read the rest of this article if you'd like to, but please be careful not to buy into this ridiculousness. Read it to see just how dangerous a liberal mind can be when it reaches the logical extremes of a liberal worldview. I realize that the extremes of a conservative worldview can be just as absurd in ways, but is this the way we want our society thinking about the education of our children?   If we don't find ways to bring the truths of homeschooling out in our society, this kind of thinking will win the day. Remember this site calls itself  Your Homeschooling Resource. Maybe there is some good in this site. I haven't taken the time to look through it so I will be careful not to judge the whole site by this article, but I'm sceptical at the least.     - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One among us needs your prayers. Please link to http://www.welovekaren.blogspot.com for current prayer request updates.Our family thanks you.Papa Chanoli http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/220899/ Mon, 16 Oct 2006 12:50:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/220899/ As I first started reading, this article came across as alarmist but I think these points have serious validity to our position as homeschooling parents among other issues here in America. The impact of citing foreign law to interpret our own constitution is something we all need to be aware of and may be the calm before a serious storm. I will continue to post links to articles on this subject for any who have an interest, and I encourage you to be informed and form your own opinion.   As for me and my house I will be viewing these issues through the lens of Scripture and recommend that each who read anything I post here do the same. There is no more reliable truth than that of the Bible. Let's pray that our nations leaders and particularly the Supreme Court remember that as they exercise activism from the bench.   Link: International Decisions to Influence US Constitutional Law – Homeschoolers Alarmed   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One among us needs your prayers. Please link to http://www.welovekaren.blogspot.com for current prayer request updates.Our family thanks you.Papa Chanoli http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/218505/ Wed, 11 Oct 2006 20:48:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/218505/ Not surprising really considering that the majority of homeschoolers learn about accountability while the public schools appear to be teaching against accountability.   Link: Colleges and Universities go on Homeschool Recruiting Spree   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/217092/ Mon, 9 Oct 2006 17:56:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PapaChanoli/217092/