http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Fri, 15 May 2009 18:25:00 -0500 Fri, 15 May 2009 18:25:00 -0500 2009 RIGHT Used Curriculum Sale   Saturday, June 13th 10 AM - 1 PM Exeter Chapel 765 Ten Rod Road, Exeter, RI (same location as last year)   Register to sell at: www.RIhomeschool.com   The sale is open to all homeschoolers and book-lovers. Please note: only cash or check accepted at the sale. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/689443/ Fri, 15 May 2009 18:25:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/689443/ I am very concerned about  the potential ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).  Although the UNCRC sounds like a wonderful idea for the protection of children, I think it is instead a threat to children’s rights within the United States.  Let’s take just one portion of the UNCRC and think through the ramifications of this treaty on the US, its families and their children. Article 4 states:  “States Parties shall undertake all appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures for the implementation of the rights recognized in the present Convention. With regard to economic, social and cultural rights, States Parties shall undertake such measures to the maximum extent of their available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international co-operation.” This is frightening as it gives power to agents of the state (and not necessarily agents from the United States) to determine for a child, for a family, what children’s “rights” are.   This article uses the terms “other measures” and “to the maximum extent of their available resources” to ensure that these “rights” are carried out in the lives of children.  There is nothing to stop America from becoming a police-state with officials entering homes under their own authority.   According to this article the “States Parties” will determine what the children’s rights are. Will the child petition for those rights or will the state intervene uninvited to determine whether a child’s rights have been violated? According to this article “States Parties” are given the authority through “all appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures for the implementation of the rights recognized in the present Convention.”  The US has legislation in place and administrators in the 50 states to intervene when a child’s rights are violated.  In many cases these administrators, social workers, have misused their authority to gain access to homes without cause and examine children (removing clothing, touching their bodies, violating their rights!) without cause.  The UNCRC does not address the violation of rights done by state officials and delegates more authority to them with the terminology “other measures for implementation”.   According to this article economic, social and cultural rights will be addressed. What are a child’s economic rights?  Social rights? Cultural rights?  Who determines what they are and what changes are made to see that the child’s rights are met? Will a child be removed from a loving family if the parents do not have economic means to provide what many Americans consider a necessity?  Does a child have the right to particular social status? Does an adopted child have the right to keep their given name and will the state insist that he or she keep that name regardless of adoption status? “States Parties shall undertake such measures to the maximum extent of their available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international co-operation.”  What action will the state officials take, how will they investigate that every child’s rights are met?  What is the maximum extent of their available resources?  This could allow international officers access to American homes, violating the 4th amendment! There are many other aspects of the Convention that could be addressed as reason to oppose the document as a whole. Although the Convention mentions respecting the rights of parents, who will determine when the rights of the parent overrule the rights of the child? According to the UNCRC, The State will!  Who will determine what a child’s rights are with regard to religion, conscience, politics and other matters of belief or opinion? According to the UNCRC, the State will! If any of you have children, and I know some of you do, you know that at many points in time, the child’s immaturity and lack of understanding prevent him/her from making decisions that are best for them. What if the parent determines that their child cannot see her drug-addict boyfriend anymore?  Is that the child’s right? What if the parent decides that the child needs to go to bed without supper? Is that neglect?  What about religious and philosophical convictions of parents?  Do these interfere with the child’s religious and philosophical convictions?  If so, at what point is the state dictating the “correct” religious and philosophical convictions that an individual should have and imposing those convictions upon every child they have access to? The United States already has laws in place that protect children from abuse, neglect, from slavery, from pedophiles, from child-labor.  There are already laws ensuring that children have access to education. There is NO REASON that the US should sign this treaty!  The UNCRC will remove rights from the Unites States to determine the cultural expectations of its own citizens. The UNCRC will remove rights from the individual States to determine from State to state the appropriate economic, social and cultural rights indigenous to that state.  The UNCRC will remove rights from parents to have the authority and privacy in their own homes and determine what is the best for their own children.  The UNCRC will remove rights from CHILDREN as it removes the discernment of the loving parent to determine what is best and it delegates their rights to the State. The State is not a family!  The State is not a loving parent who knows their child.  The State official, as nice as they may be, is a hired stranger! So, what can you do? Call your senator and tell them you are opposed to the ratification of the UNCRC. Go to:  parentalrights.org  they propose an amendment to the  Constitution and have more information about the impact of the ratification of this treaty in the US. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/665617/ Thu, 5 Mar 2009 14:07:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/665617/ RIGHT’s 2nd Annual Spring into Homeschooling Conference Saturday, April 4th, 2009 Greenwood Community Church, Warwick Featuring: Author and Speaker, Marilyn Rockett Homeschooling at the Speed of Life: Balancing Home, School, and Family in the Real World www.MarilynRockett.com  Registration beginning Mid - End of February at RIhomeschool.com Price will be $10 per individual / $15 per couple http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/649841/ Sat, 24 Jan 2009 15:08:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/649841/ Hello, well it is after the holidays and I notice a lot of folks pulling their children out of school after the break.  I want to encourage those seeking homeschool support to join our organization, the RI Guild of Home Teachers.  We host events and activities for homeschoolers locally and at the State level.  We are also planning a conference on April 4th, 2009!  Details will be up on our website probably by late February....but we will put up information as the details are firmed up!  Visit us at RI Guild of Home Teachers  You can also email me at: webmaster@rihomeschool.com for a complimentary copy of our newsletter. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/646335/ Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:52:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/646335/ The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine is having an amazing sale on subscriptions during their annual Black Friday Sale November 26 – 30. For those 5 days only, they are actually lowering their new one-year U.S.  subscription price to $7.95! That's the price you would usually pay for just one issue at a bookstore!   This is their lowest price ever on the magazine and they want all of you to take advantage of this offer and share the info with your friends.   Please don't miss out. Your one-year subscription will pay for itself time and time again as you receive practical tips and Biblical encouragement to keep going strong in your commitment to homeschooling and to the Lord. Since it's a quarterly magazine, they even have a monthly subscriber's only E-Newsletter called Teacher's Toolbox that will give you seasonal teaching ideas and a free E-Book download! It's like joining a unit study of the month club! The free E-Books alone are valued at almost $250/year. It's really perfect for people who are homeschooling on a shoestring or just wanting to add in some little extras to your teaching.   Plus during the Black Friday Sale, they have all kind of bonus gifts when you spend $50, $75, $100, or $150. Some are electronic downloads that you can download immediately, while other are physical products mailed from various vendors directly to your home.   Visit The Old Schoolhouse store at:  www.TheOldSchoolhouseStore.com   Order Yours Today!  And don’t miss out on this great price!!!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/624738/ Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:14:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/624738/ Several homeschool students are participating in the Children's Choir.  Here is a schedule of their upcoming concerts: Ocean State Children's Choir CONCERT – November 16 @ 3pm  (free concert) Orchard Church, 180 Oaklawn Ave, Cranston Retired Music Ed. Assoc. Sch. CONCERT - November 30 @ 3pm  (free concert – freewill offering) Asbury Methodist Church, 143 Ann Mary Brown Drive, Warwick CONCERT - December 7 @ 4:30 p.m.   (free concert) South Kingstown Neighborhood Guild, 325 Columbia St, Wakefield CONCERT December 13   (fundraiser) The Orchard Church, 180 Oaklawn Avenue, Cranston  Dinner 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.   Adults $10 Children $5 Concert 7:00-8:00 p.m.  Adults $10  Children $5 CONCERT -December 31  Bright Night @ 6p.m. Grace Church, Providence                       (All locations are RI.) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/618176/ Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:42:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/618176/ If you are a homeschooler and would like to participate in the Geobee, we would love to have your child participate!  Please register with me, Amy Brock  294-3977 / webmaster@rihomeschool.com, with your and your child's name, age and grade.  Also a phone # in case I have any email problems and need to contact you.  Details are below. GEOBEE  This year's National Geographic Geobee will be held on a Friday, November 14th from 1:30 - 3:30 PM at the Warwick Public Library. This fun and entertaining test of geographic knowledge is open to all homeschooled students in grades 4 through 8.  The winner will be given a qualifying test (either right after the bee or at a convenient later time) to advance to the state competition.   For sample questions and daily quizzes see: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographybee/study_corner.html Pre-registration is required and open to the first 30 students who register. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/616570/ Sat, 8 Nov 2008 19:49:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/616570/ A friend just lent me this book and I thought that I would write a short review of it.  Having read "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" and "Boy Meets Girl" by Josh Harris,  I thought this was a nice addition to my arsenal of relational alternatives for pre-marital Christians (ie: my up and coming teens).    This book addresses many of those struggles unique to single women.  It addresses very young women caught up in the culture creation of elementary school dating, as well as, those women who are much further into marriageable age.  Not only that, Sarah Mally addresses the calling of perhaps not ever being married.  Her focus is on doing the Lord's work as a single person and trusting Him to provide a spouse, if that is His calling for you.  The Author does talk about the pitfalls of dating and the unBiblical nature of the practice.  Her convictions are very much in line with those of Josh Harris.  I also think that this is a wonderful supplementary reading for the "Passport to Purity" tapes (via parent/child weekend together).  It really reinforces the concepts there, ie:  resisting peer-pressure, waiting to date, submitting to parental discernment, and maintaining your purity for marriage.  The thing I like about this book is that it is written as a single person to another single person (female), sharing her own convictions regarding these issues and encouraging the reader to formulate and embrace their own convictions. Also, this is a "safe" book if your child is generally innocent regarding sexual promiscuity.   Miss Mally does not go into any sordid details about sexual activity, but rather addresses the lack of commitment in dating and the dangers and selfishness inherent in American dating.  She also talks about saving "firsts" for marriage, but never mentions sex!   I think this book would be great to give the 12 year old believer who comes home depressed because she doesn't have a boyfriend!  There are definitely dangers to address regarding promiscuity, but I think Miss Mally handles the dangers without the details very well. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/612451/ Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:39:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/612451/ From an email from coordinator, Cheryl Russell: God’s people are invited to gather at the state house for the purpose of reading the bible from Genesis to Revelation starting Wednesday, October 29th – Tuesday, November 4th, which is Election Day.  Reading will be done from 9am-9pm and will take place on the back stairs of the state house overlooking the city.  We are praying for 350 volunteers to read for a time period of 15 minutes.  You will not need to be there from 9-9, only the15 minute time slot you volunteered for.  If you feel more comfortable, you can read in your native language.   I ask that you would share this email with everyone on your mailing lists to help get the word out.  What a great opportunity to involve your Church, Youth Groups, Christian Schools, Home Schooling Networks, Prayer Ministries, Men’s Groups, and Women’s Groups.  You can sign up for a larger slot of time as a group. To sign up for a time slot you simply need to go to www.prayri.org click the bible reading marathon link, use marathon as your password and sort by NAME  then select the day and time block you would like.  If you have any questions about signing up, please email Cheryl Russell at prayri@cox.net. I pray you will be blessed as you participate in this time of reading the word over our City and State. “I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.” Psalm 138:2 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/611104/ Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:59:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/611104/ I was walking with a friend this morning and she told me that her church's property was covered with Autumn Olives.  We have Autumn Olive trees all over our property and I thought they were "weed trees". I didn't know you could EAT THEM! Turns out these are invasive!  and did I mention you can EAT THEM!  When we returned to my friends home, she let me try out some Russian Olive Jam that her father-in-law made for her.  It was great!  A little like strawberry rhubarb, or even, dare I say, the flavor of a Fruit-roll-up.   They are also high in Lycopene, that tomato nutrient everyone has been touting of late and you can get it for free on the side of the highway.  (Not that you should stop on the highway, but they are everywhere!) Now be sure that you have identified the correct plant because there are a lot of red berries out this time of year and you don't want to get the wrong one.  Thankfully, this is not difficult to identify.  It is also insanely easy to pick.  On branches where the leaves have died, clusters of berries form and you can just run your hand over the cluster and the berries fall off (into your bucket.)  I spent 15 minutes out at our trees and probably collected about 10 cups.  So in these times of frugality, remember where you can find free food! Here is a site describing its benefits (and a good picture of what it looks like.) http://www.psa-rising.com/eatingwell/wild-foods/autumnolive.htm Here is a recipe for Jam. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/607977/ Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:13:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rhodeisland/607977/