Diary of A Mad Homeschooler

Photo Update: I Love Summer

2010-07-28T19:03:00.001-07:00

LAUGHLIN
PALM SPRINGS

FOREST FALLS

San CLEMENTE
NEW BABY NEPHEW!

Quote of the Day: Teaching Literature?

2010-07-02T10:04:00.000-07:00

"Ultimately, works of literature are not things to be contemplated but powers to be absorbed."
-Northrop Frye, The Stubborn Structure: Essays On Criticism and Society

Quote of the Day: On Failing Forward

2010-06-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

"If we think [homeschooling] is really worthwhile and we have [the opportunity and the resources], and it’s never been done before [by any of our friends/family] but we believe in it, it’s O.K. to take a chance. It’s O.K. to try, and if it doesn’t work, learn from it, adjust and keep failing forward. And if you just fail forward all the time — learn, fail, learn, fail, learn, fail — but every single time you’re making it better and better, before you know it you’re [in] great company."

Adapted from this article in the NY Times, which interviews the president and chief executive of Nvidia, a graphic chips company.

Verum I Bonum I Pulchrum

2010-05-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited about the lessons in art appreciation that will come late next year and into the next ;)

The Droid, Santa Catalina, and My Junior Seahawk

2010-04-20T09:05:00.000-07:00

The only access to a computer I have had for over a month has been my new Droid phone. While I love it for the uber-convenience of having everything literally in-hand at any time, it is not quite able to directly upload my photo updates to this blog. And what's a blog post without a photo, right???
Having hijacked my dh's work computer today, without further adieu...

Last month, we took a trip out to Catalina Island for a couple of days to celebrate my first baby turning 10 (double digits!!!!) We couldn't have asked for better weather!

Original Jack's Country Kitchen is the BEST restaurant in town for grass-fed beef burgers and organic chicken. Order the Hawaiian French toast with Portugese sausage and coconut syrup. Delish!
Golf carts were the most popular mode of transportation...... since the waiting list to get a car barged over is over 20 years long!

Scenes from a glassbottom boat tour:

We spent all of 20 minutes at the Wrigley Botanial Garden, having been driven out early by the sounds and sights of what must have been thousands of bees.

Earlier this month, S attended the Jr. Seahawk program at the Ocean Institute in Dana Point. She had a great time and learned some interesting things about life at sea. She enjoyed creating this watercolor resist to accompany her composition.

Lastly, my baby finally lost a tooth! [Sorry for the side-angle. The Droid camera-phone is definitely not a Nikon.]

Photo Update

2010-03-11T17:00:00.000-08:00

Long Beach

Cookie sales

Learning about birds at the local nature center, including making our own bird call device. We also met this friendly snake.

Quote of the Day: Knowing

2010-01-31T18:47:00.000-08:00

True education should expand all the faculties of the mind:
memory, conscience, imagination, insight, intuition and brain.

When you just process information, you deny or cut off those other functions of the mind and reduce it to the brain alone, which is just simply [responding to stimuli]. The danger is unbelievable….

Columbia Teachers College held a symposium on “Knowing: How We Come to Know Things” and how important this is. Some speakers said that much that is being done in education denies these other functions of the mind and reduces them to the responsive] brain alone. They reminded us that those other functions—memory, conscience, imagination, insight, and intuition—are the functions by which we know absolutes and truths, [discern right from wrong],
and

are able

to know

God.

GenYvette Sutton

2010-01-29T19:32:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I wonder:

if i am successful
at educating my girls
to be

intelligent,
thoughtful,
respectful,
responsible,
logical,
american citizens

am i dooming them to a

life of bitter loneliness???

Case in Point #1
Case in Point #2
Case in Point #3

EveryBody's Doing It

2010-01-22T20:52:00.000-08:00

My Olympians

2010-01-15T14:44:00.001-08:00

We continued our studies of ancient Greece this week with the alphabet, Homer, and the Olympic games. We discovered that although the barbaric Dorians and Sea Peoples (Philistines) destroyed the developing culture of the Mycenaeans, which led to the Greek Dark Ages, over the period of a few hundred years these same barbarians developed their own culture; a culture which looked very much like that which they had decimated on arrival. They learned to read and write, built homes then cities then a government, and pretty much became the Greeks we know and love to read about today.
We've been reading various books and watching some cool videos about the Trojan War, the Illiad, and Odysseus's struggle trying to get home to Penelope and Telemachus. Today we tried translating our names into Greek (hard to do when you have Ss and Ls!) and even held our own little Olympic Games, complete with a torch to announce the date and contests in javelin-throwing, long-jumping, and, of course, a foot race (stade). The girls made their own wreaths from our tree out back and proudly placed them on their heads.

Have You Seen This Ad?

2010-01-13T13:36:00.000-08:00

While I'm not promoting Kaplan as a worthy college goal for my kids, I did get chills when I watched this spot. Just maybe we are finally seeing a return of the appreciation of Liberal Arts Ed!

Preparing for A good life, not necessarily THE good life...

It Truly Is A Wonderful Life

2009-12-30T15:47:00.000-08:00

For those just like me, who look to the sky
with furrowed brow and anger in my heart, wondering

What can I do about it???

Make this your resolution for 2010. Do it today.
For the chance at a better tomorrow.

Snowballs!

2009-12-21T19:25:00.000-08:00

Recipe courtesy of Imagine Childhood; ours aren't as pretty but just as yummy I bet!

merry N mallow

2009-12-20T15:07:00.000-08:00

*Idea from The Decorated Cookie via The Crafty Crow*

Lizzy D. Lizard

2009-12-17T12:18:00.000-08:00

Told ya. It's an absolute menagerie 'round here. Life science isn't a subject as much as an exercise in tolerance (at least on the part of this teacher!)

UPDATE: Dixie

2009-12-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

Well, Dixie the Fabulous Rescued Dawg has made herself quite at home at her aunt's house. Mamma Mandy came to visit last weekend and it was love at first sight for them both. Now if we can just make it to June without something of real value chewed to oblivion, some assembance of grass left in the backyard, and the sliding door intact we'll all be happy in 2010...

Monkey Rainforest and The Carcass Barrens

2009-12-16T15:18:00.000-08:00

A little bit My Father's Dragon, a little bit Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor. I love my two home scholars.
---Illustration by Shelby, age 9

Put this in your "assessment" file, Lady! [well, not in the Spelling one ]

The Orchid: A Sensitive Beauty

2009-12-14T13:46:00.000-08:00

Everyone has something about themselves that others feel justified in labeling as undesirable, weak, ugly, bad. What's worse is that some of those labels and all the negativity they bring are given with the attitude that they are irreversible, final, even destiny. Fortunately, age has allowed me to better understand and even accept myself for what has been deemed my most prominent deficiency: s e n s i t i v i t y.

Now, I know that in the role of nun or social worker or actress, sensitivity may be perceived as a useful and even required positive trait. But I did not grow up around particularly religious, political, or artistic people; so "sensitive" was definitely a put-down.

This is why I am happy to have read an article entitled The Science of Success. It describes new research on genes and human behavior that has begun to present a theory of nature via nurture in a way that has never been explored before. My ideas about my own personal history seem to support this new direction toward a place where "sensitive orchids" are not only necessary to the evolution of our species but valuable and wonderful when they are exposed to the right environment.

From the article in The Atlantic:
Most of us have genes that make us as hardy as dandelions: able to take root and survive almost anywhere. A few of us, however, are more like the orchid: fragile and fickle, but capable of blooming spectacularly if given greenhouse care. So holds a provocative new theory of genetics, which asserts that the very genes that give us the most trouble as a species, causing behaviors that are self-destructive and antisocial, also underlie humankind’s phenomenal adaptability and evolutionary success. With a bad environment and poor parenting, orchid children can end up depressed, drug-addicted, or in jail—but with the right environment and good parenting, they can grow up to be society’s most creative, successful, and happy people.

In my role as a parent, the implications of this new research and the opportunity it brings to affect a change in the attitude about "orchids" is very exciting. Whereas my childhood was filled with sad attempts to overcome the trait, in my parenthood I may exploit it, in myself and in my children should they have it.

One Guess: What is it?

2009-12-13T16:14:00.000-08:00

We bid adieu (good riddance, whatever) to the 2nd Ipod and replaced him with another, shall we say quieter, easier, friendlier, more useful animal for the family menagerie: Red Wigglers!!! Stay tuned in the next few weeks for photos of the happy decomposers that live in a bucket under our kitchen island... ;)

[Because of Winn] DIXIE

2009-11-25T15:44:00.000-08:00

Look who came into our lives today...

Recent Earworm

2009-11-09T16:50:00.000-08:00

No harm's done to history by making it something someone would want to [learn/sing about].*

We've covered three of the four so far: Sargon, Hammurabi, and Gilgamesh.
UPDATE: We've learned about Ashurnapal now, too. Another of the meanie Assyrians. At least he loved stories enough to create the very first library.

Speaking of history, here is a recent illustration by my 6 year old home scholar. Both of my girls are really loving the story of history.
*Adapted from a quote by David McCullough

Belated Halloween

2009-11-08T20:13:00.000-08:00

I just realized I hadn't posted anything for Halloween. I guess we were too busy making yarn crows, drinking pumpkin milkshakes, harvesting pumpkins and gourds, making bat mobiles, crafting pumpkin votives, and going to parties to celebrate the holiday and I had forgotten to post photos of all these fun activities! ;)

Stingrays!

2009-11-07T18:03:00.000-08:00

The close of a great season of soccer...

Quote of the Day: There Is No Alternative

2009-11-04T17:04:00.000-08:00

"Education is about developing human beings, and human development is not mechanical or linear. It is organic and dynamic. Like all living forms, we flourish in certain conditions and shrivel in others. Great teachers, great parents and great leaders understand those conditions intuitively; poor ones don’t. The answer is not to standardize education, but to personalize and customize it to the needs of each child and community. There is no alternative. There never was.”
~~~Sir Ken Robinson

Quote of the Day: Successful Parenting 101

2009-10-27T19:49:00.000-07:00

"I won’t measure my success as a parent by whether my children share my values, but by whether they act according to their own."
---Jonathan Safran Foer, adapted from his coming book, “Eating Animals,” which will be published in November.

Recipe: Pumpkin Milkshake

2009-10-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

There's a party in my tummy! [So yummy! So yummy!]

Geology Rocks!

2009-10-25T12:05:00.000-07:00

My older daughter has a serious geology jones. It seems to have started last month while we were shopping at the gift shop of the San Diego Natural History Museum. She had spotted a display of geodes and gems for sale. I remember her turning to me and saying,
"Mom, do you think I can just learn, like, everything there is to know about one thing? I mean, like, get all the books the library has on something and just read all there is to know about it?"
What kind of question is this for a 9 year old girl? I didn't know what else to say except, "Sure, kid."
So she's read the better part of every library book for kids on rocks and minerals, perfecting the art of requesting books to be delivered to the location behind our community through the online library system. She's picked up and analyzed many different stones and rocks under our trusty Brock microscope. She politely but enthusiastically asks when we will be able to return to the rocky beach (San Clemente) or when we will visit a cave.
I found this awesome website recently and ordered a couple of available kits. My girls were in heaven for a whole afternoon and even woke up early the following day to work on the remaining pieces and play with the clay and water. At $12 a piece with free shipping from WA, this product makes a wonderful gift for boys who like digging in the dirt and girls who like pretty rocks!

H-A-T spells Hat

2009-10-21T19:21:00.000-07:00

My girls just love hats. As a hair-styling challenged mom, I can't complain.
One was purchased on a recent trip to an antique mall; when she put it on I just couldn't stand the thought of her not having it (she looked so adorable in it!) and I knew she would actually wear it many times in the future..
The other hat was earned.
We were at a local Italian street faire where there was a Marine Corps booth challenging passers-by to hold themselves aloft on a bar for as long as possible. Towards the end of the 6 hr event, my older daughter attempted it and managed to break the darned record at 77 seconds. Those skinny lil arms have some power! The reward was this hat and a Corps t-shirt, which of course is too big for her but she begs to wear every day since then. Her Uncle Will would be proud!

10 Years Together

2009-10-20T19:44:00.000-07:00

You ever feel like angels are watching over you? Let's just say that I've been really, really lucky to have ended up where I am today. [I had made some really bad choices in my early twenties that had me down a very bad path.]
A big part of my fortune has been my marriage to my dear husband. He puts up with ALOT and pretty much let's me do whatever I want, whenever I want. Fortunately for him, I am not one to buy expensive jewelry or even frequent salons for pricey maintenance appointments (eg, nail salons, etc).
For our recent anniversary, I would have loved for him to have surprised me with a trip to HERE or a new diamond ring. But these flowers were just perfect in the way they reminded me of our early times; times when I was still attending Long Beach State and he would deliver sunflowers to my work on special and even not-so-special occasions.
While nothing and no one is perfect, and while each year brings its challenges as well as its blessings, I can honestly say that the blessings have greatly exceeded the trials these past 10 years of marital life. So here's to us, Babe! And to the freedom you give me to be my crazy, obsessive, sometimes PITA self! xoxo

Gardening 101

2009-10-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned before that we have gone to volunteer at a non-profit community garden in the recent past. Here are a few photos of us that I snagged from their website. I really must try to remember to bring my camera next time, but as you can see we all work pretty hard while we are there ~ painting signs, moving dirt, harvesting veggies, collecting eggs, etc.

From the Science Files

2009-10-14T17:34:00.000-07:00

Today we attended a fair put on by the Science and Technology Education Partnership. Considering the fact that we are doing the Animal Kingdom and not physics at the moment, I went with the intention of simply instilling the whole science-is-cool/fun/exciting attitude in my girls. It was a decent (not great) event but we all had a fair amount of fun. It helped that we were with friends and we had a great meal (from Simple Simon's) in our bellies. There were alot of schools there though so we had to fight the crowd, which is never fun.

Congratulations!

2009-10-10T17:26:00.000-07:00

Pay A Bit More. EVERYBODY Lives Better.

2009-10-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

PHOTO by iamwahid via Stock Exchange

Sometimes the dimensions of my personality are so out of sync with each other it is hard to imagine how I manage their coexistance. Like, how does a proud cheapo like me, at home for the better part of 8 years, justify paying $6 for a gallon of organic milk when a regular gallon costs half as much? And what about my love of frequenting small, locally-owned shops and boutiques, who charge much more for their goods than a corporate chain might?

Without getting into the details about the ridiculous decline in the quality of food in the last 30 years (the likes of which you can view here or here), I must say that my choices actually do have one universal theme that unites the seemingly opposing ways of operating:
I AM A CITIZEN FIRST, then a consumer.

EUREKA! I have finally pinpointed the exact reason I feel so distant from my peers, my extended family, and - well, the overwhelming majority of those who buy into the whole Save More. Live Better bullshit of The Evil Empire. They either don't see or close their eyes to the plain truth that buying cheap goods from companies like Walmart and others actually takes out MORE money from YOUR pocket, just indirectly (taxes used to subsidize corporate land use and support those employed by these companies who do not earn enough to provide for their families through increased public assistance, ER visits for un/under insured, free school lunches, etc).

I am anxious to see Michael Moore's new movie which opened today, but former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich was writing about the weakening of democracy by capitalism two years ago, even before the "meltdown". He understood the fact that private benefit has social costs, even when many of us in the middle class still thought we were and would continue being immune to the effect of those costs.

At the time of this writing, I am still able to make the choice to be a CITIZEN, not merely a consumer (read: media-driven corporate slave). I can choose to drive my hybrid car to farmer's markets and organic food stores, pay a little more for my purchases, and take them home in my reuseable bags. I have the time and the motivation to volunteer at local non-profit gardens. And I can afford to shop in local boutiques with the knowledge that the extra dollars that may be spent will be recycled within the city that I live in the form of library services, museum hours, city maintenance, and other things that I enjoy. In short, I can choose to enjoy the American dream, even in the face of crisis. If those who still can make this choice neglect to make this choice, even less of us will be able to make that choice. Share the American dream or brace yourself for the nightmare that awaits you!!!

Tennis, Anyone???

2009-10-01T21:57:00.000-07:00

My 9 year old is absolutely loving tennis. I enjoy watching her patience and discipline grow as she learns to listen to the voices of her coach and her body instead of the voice in her head that seems to expect her to everything perfectly the first time around. They really could use some shade at the matches though. I mean, over 2 hours in the high desert sun on exposed bleachers is not exactly showing much fan appreciation. Am I right???

Be Good

2009-09-29T23:27:00.000-07:00

Diana Senechal offers a review of the latest book by the author of The Bell Curve entitled Real Education and brings attention to a small but powerful arguement that is made about how teaching children to be nice is not the same as teaching them to be good.

"When we read literature and history, we begin to glean what it means to be good. We see how people with the best intentions can fail; how people struggle with conflicting desires and values and make the best choices they can; how people overcome their limitations when put to the test. From works like Antigone, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Chekhov’s short stories, we learn about selfishness, cruelty, cowardice, and confusion, as well as grace, generosity, and patience. We come to see elements of all these traits in ourselves."

She continues: "If we only teach children to be nice, they will be at a loss when life calls for more than niceness. They will be at a loss when faced with problems—intellectual, practical, or emotional—that they have to solve on their own. And when the niceness wears out, they will reach for the next thing they know, the knee-jerk reaction. Murray is right: There is a wide gulf between being nice and being good—and while no curriculum can produce goodness, an excellent curriculum can give students a vision of what it might be."

Yup. Only in my role as my children's teacher have I come to appreciate the beauty of naming truly great works of literature living books . They really do shape you in ways that is hard to describe but present without a doubt. This is just one reason that I have been reading many of the works that I neglected in my own schooldays, having choosen instead to pass the test with my friend Cliff.

The argument for being good as opposed to nice also speaks to my absolute rejection of the worth of "team learning" as a worthy skill in the classroom. Been there, been the recipient of a bad grade because I feared that speaking up when my team was producing shoddy work would have me labeled as a control freak or worse. Also been there and been taken advantage of, being encouraged to do all the work myself and handing out A's to my undeserving "teammates". I believe that many who have gone to college, especially women, have similar stories to tell.

Who Says Homeschoolers Don't Have Friends???

2009-09-18T21:11:00.000-07:00

W E - G R O W - O U R - O W N ! ! !Click HERE to join The Friends of The Friendless.
Brought to you by The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago.

Birthday Adventures

2009-09-17T17:48:00.000-07:00

Sea World, Ramona, La Jolla, Julian

Kid Tested, Socrates Approved

2009-09-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

"[Socrates once said,] `I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance.'
My fear is that... we will know everything except the fact of our own ignorance. Google has given us the world at our fingertips, but speed and ubiquity are not the same as actually knowing something"
**From an article in Educational Leadership (Sept 2009)**
(emphasis my own)

The author goes on to support what I believe to be the way many homeschoolers are already operating: "Learning would take place both in and out of school. Teachers ... would learn alongside their students, creatively adapting curriculum to their students' needs. Like any creative effort, this collective journey would include errors, lack of good information, and false starts—a process of which Socrates would approve. Because teachers are knowledgeable about the learning process, they could serve as capable guides for their students, all the while promoting the requisite 21st century thinking skills of critical reflection, empirical reasoning, collective intelligence, and metacognition."

I especially like the positive recognition of learning with your students and the granting of creative license to adapt the curriculum. These things are very present in my own homeschooling style but can sometimes be a source of stress when I view them as indicators of my shortcomings as a teacher (both in not being a certified expert at everything and not having been trained to implement the curriculum in the prescribed way). The author proposes that these things are actually strengths ~ and that Socrates would approve (Hooray for Me!)

The author concludes by encouraging us all to "embrace the new learning era of today to move beyond the false dichotomies and empty arguments of our tired education disagreements and to joyously engage with the future." Amen, Brutha.
And thanks to my mom, The Elementary School Principal, for noting this article for me.

From the Science Files: NaturePrints

2009-08-29T21:20:00.001-07:00

This was super cool to work with - and fast, too!
We went to the botanical gardens @ UCR to collect interesting plant specimens to use for this project. Our favorite by far was the evil horned one that the girls thought looked like the saber of an ancient Egyptian god up to no good...

[The other photos are from the other day in the pool; taken from the 2nd story window.]

What We've Been Up To Lately

2009-08-27T16:28:00.001-07:00

I've been a bad blogger but I have a really good excuse: My less-than-2-year-old computer --- you know, the one connected to the $1200 monitor, the $600 printer? The one that is the life-blood of my very connection with the world??? --- Well, it's good as dead. I got a virus. A really, really BAD one. And so now I'm stuck with a borrowed laptop that has none of the capabilities of the old that I was so fond of :(
Today I managed to upload & edit some photos so here's an update of some of our recent activities.

We set up the pool in the front yard in this 100+ degree weather. The girls vacillate between jumping on their boogieboards in the 2 ft deep water and riding up and down the empty street on their skateboards.

We're continuing our studies about the ancient Egyptians, mummifying Barbies and making pyramids out of sugarcubes. I also built this most-awesome model from a book in this series by Iain Ashman/Usborne. (We also have the skeleton and Trojan Horse ones for science and later history studies!)

Finally, we joined a community garden effort near our home. Thus far, we've only toured the grounds and spent a few hours harvesting sunflower seeds, but we are all looking forward to how we can schedule gardening days into of our learning-thru-living lives.

we {love} s'mores

2009-08-07T15:49:00.000-07:00

Have You Seen This???

2009-08-06T22:41:00.000-07:00

If you have HBO, this is worth watching. Definitely.

Say Hello to My Little Green Friend: Part 2

2009-08-04T18:03:00.000-07:00

I so need a macro lens... :(

Yup ~ Mine Is A Doofus x 100

2009-08-02T00:28:00.000-07:00

Gotta love 'im (cuz I can't leave 'im)...

The 1st Writing

2009-08-01T10:07:00.001-07:00

We have been exploring the people of the Nile and the Fertile Crescent in History these first few weeks of 1st and 4th grades. I gave the girls a choice of whether to write in heiroglyphs or cuneiform and they decided that pictures were more interesting than wedges.
I am happily surprised how much Ella can retain after reading our section in The Story of The World. And Shelby told me this week that History is her very favorite subject this year :)

Mission San Luis Rey: Oceanside, CA

2009-07-20T17:02:00.001-07:00

Yesterday.

Fun With Math: Tangrams

2009-07-15T22:19:00.001-07:00

WANNA PLAY?

Hi.

2009-07-11T19:00:00.000-07:00

My girls :) Get your own HERE.

The SAT: How Long Has It Been For You?

2009-07-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

Interesting... I got 2 of the 4 math problems wrong. No surprise.
CLICK HERE to take this short quiz (just 12 questions).

Talk about promoting their test-prep classes! Check this out (from the website):
"Do you remember taking the SAT? Well it's changed—a lot—and the days of just showing-up and taking it without any preparation are long gone."

Fortunately for this family, we have taken to preparing ourselves to test our knowledge of these things waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyy ahead of time, avoiding the need for The High School Cram.

You Have A Mind & You Have Other People

2009-06-22T19:29:00.000-07:00

... start with those and change the world.
If the question of where to start seems overwhelming, you are the beginning not the end of this adventure. Being overwhelmed is the first step if you are really serious about getting at things that really matter on a scale that makes a difference.

Fare Ye Well

2009-06-11T10:21:00.000-07:00

I {heart} Cognitive Psychology+Education

2009-06-10T13:48:00.000-07:00

My older daughter is my own personal poster child for the premise of this brilliant slideshow by Harvard-educated cognitive psychologist, David Willingham. And she'll share the frame with Daughter #2 after another year or two of decoding work!
Down with READING CURRICULUM!
Down with CONTENT WARS!
Down with ACCOUNTABILITY!
Down with DELIVERY MECHANICS!
Down with DRILLS!
Down with QUIZ TRICKS!
Down with STRATEGIES!

JUST. DO. IT... READ.

We Interrupt Our Normally Scheduled Topics...

2009-06-05T18:59:00.000-07:00

to bring you something OTHER THAN education and politics.

Fattening my Little Calves

2009-06-03T07:51:00.000-07:00

A new report has been released by Common Core that suggests that the reason we are behind the high performing nations of the world is our lack of a comprehensive, content-rich education in the liberal arts and sciences; the absence of the dedication to educating our children deeply in a wide range of subjects.
The Core Knowledge folks put it best: What do we have that better performing nations lack? Data, perhaps. If you want to fatten the calf, surely we can do better than our present steady diet of thin gruel in between all those weighings.
No wonder it feels so natural for me to homeschool. It's simply another take on the age-old motherly instinct to feed our children well: stomach. heart. mind. soul.

REASON #498: To Cut Out the Middle Man

2009-05-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

From the KitchenTableMath blog:
There is a phenomenal amount of tutoring going on in affluent school districts. Phenomenal. One of the tutors working in my town told a friend of mine that she estimates half of the kids in Scarsdale are tutored.

I've come to think it was inevitable that matters would develop in this way.

First of all, public schools are built to provide inputs, not outputs: instruction, not achievement.

That may not have been so deadly when schools grouped kids homogeneously. With homogeneous grouping the classroom teacher probably had a decent chance of knowing where the kids were and of being able to teach to their level.

Along comes the de-tracking movement, and now you've got heterogeneously grouped classrooms with kids all over the map in terms of readiness. The inputs model hasn't changed, so teachers are told to teach to the middle, or they're told to differentiate instruction, and when teaching to the middle or differentiating instruction work for some of the kids but not all of the kids, you assume the problem is the kid, not the school. After all, the school's job is to provide opportunities to learn, and as long as you've put PowerPoints on the SMARTBoard, you've done that.

Then add to this set-up school districts in which the vast majority of parents are college-educated and affluent enough to hire tutors, and what do you get?

You get "high-performing" schools where the kids are being retaught by parents and tutored by tutors.

REASON #245: The Complexity of Reality

2009-05-13T22:52:00.000-07:00

AS MUCH AS ONE CAN RESENT THE CHANGES IN CULTURE THAT TECHNOLOGY AND THE GLUT OF (MIS)INFORMATION BRINGS, SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA LOOK AT THE POSITIVES. ONE SUCH POSITIVE IS THAT WHEN YOU ARE TOO TIRED (LAZY) TO WRITE ABOUT SOMETHING YOU FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT ON YOUR BLOG, THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE ELSE WHO HAS WRITTEN IT (BETTER THAN YOU COULD HAVE) AND POSTED IT ON THE WEB. [From "Dodging the Homeschool Stereotype" by Susan Wise Baur]
Classical education leans heavily on the evaluation of evidence: The educated child learns to avoid logical fallacies, to decide whether arguments are trustworthy or flawed. And both secular and religious classrooms are prone to simplistic thinking. "The evidence for evolution is unambiguous!" announces the public-school science text, without any reference to the growing "intelligent design" debate. "The evidence for a young earth can't be refuted!" insists the Christian school text, in a breathtaking display of selective reasoning. Ad hominem attacks abound. "Only people who are in rebellion against God espouse evolution!" concludes the science teacher in the Christian school. And the secularist retorts, "Creationists want to plunge education back into the Dark Ages!"
With which teacher should I entrust my children?

Nor do I want my kids to learn history with all questions of religion either censored or simplified. Were the Crusaders soldiers of God or soldiers of Western imperialism? Religious educators are often too afraid to admit that devout believers did bad things; secular educators are often all too happy to point out that the love of God is the root of all evil.

My public school would teach my 9-year-old that Columbus was a self-aggrandizing representative of an expansionist empire determined to acquire more money and power while wiping out native cultures. On the other side, the mother of a Christian-school student told me with wide-eyed exhilaration of her son's American history lesson the week before: "Columbus went to the New World to share the gospel with the Indians! I never knew that! Doesn't that change the way you think about this country? We were founded on the declaration of the gospel! Isn't God good?"

So was Columbus a patriarchal aggressor or a humble servant of God? He was both.

I won't say that no classroom can address this issue in all its complexity. But there isn't one near me. Until there is, I'll continue to teach my kids at home.

SWB ~ I {HEART} YOU!

2009-05-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

"I worry that even if Michelle and I do our best to impart what we think are important values to our children, the media out there will undermine our lessons and teach them something different." -President Barack Obama

For those of us concerned about the commercialism of childhood, it's a boon to have a president who is raising young children. Like parents everywhere, President Obama worries about the steady stream of commercial messages that sexualize children, glorify violence, promote unhealthy eating, and encourage materialism. Indeed, the President has observed that the media and marketing industries have contributed to an "overall coarsening of our culture" and has expressed concerns about the content of ads during children's shows and family programming.

Since the 1980s, when children's television programming was deregulated and Congress restricted the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) authority to regulate marketing to children, corporations have waged a campaign of "cradle to grave" marketing to train children to be loyal consumers for life. The limited resources of hard-working mothers and fathers are no match for multi-billion dollar industries using rapidly evolving technologies to bypass parents and target children directly, not just on television, but through the internet, cell phones, mp3 players, videogames, and even in schools.

That's why we're calling on the Obama administration to direct the FTC and Federal Communications Commission to evaluate their current policies and regulations to determine whether or not they provide adequate protection for 21st century families. Such an examination - which should include a thorough investigation of the depth and breadth of marketing to children including new trends in immersive and interactive advertising - will give policymakers the information necessary to evaluate whether our current system of regulation is working and provide parents with invaluable information.

Please add your name to the letter that urges President Obama to help parents protect their children from corporate marketers.

***THE TEXT AND LINK IS A DIRECT COPY FROM CAMPAIGN FOR A COMMERCIAL-FREE CHILDHOOD***

Freedom For Sale

2009-05-08T17:14:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked about why I don't homeschool through a public or private charter program. I mean, why not take advantage of "all the money" they give you for curriculum, classes, etc., right? To satisfy my curiosity (and be better prepared for the next person who asks!), I searched three of the local charter choices. What I found is that even the one who touts that they give "alot more money than other charters" gives but $100 per month. The following scenario gives a good picture of why I choose to remain independent (found on a fellow homeschooler's blog):

Phase one... "We're here from the government, and we're here to help you! You want to homeschool? Great...we've got a program for you. You can do whatever you want and we'll give you what you need."
Phase two... "Well, you can have our stuff, and if you want to use something else, you can buy it yourself."
Phase three... "If you use your Christian (or Moslem/Jewish/other) stuff, you'll have to do it outside of school hours."
Phase four... "You know about separation of church and state, right? Well, you can't mention God while you're doing school." OK...most of us would just shine it and talk about God anyway. HOWEVER, you are breaking the law now, even if you are encouraged by your supervising teacher to do what you want to do in the "privacy" of your own home.
Phase five..."If you want to homeschool, you have to use OUR books exclusively."
Phase six... "You need to bring your kid in to our office once a week...twice a week...etc."
Phase seven..."Come on in for our free health check-up, immunizations and psychological evaluation, or abortion without the parents' consent."
Phase eight... "We've got a great classroom program for y'all..."

I got a little taste of the early phases of this when I was involved with a public homeschool program early this year (longest 3 months of my life!). The religious and political aspects of this example are minute compared to the issue selling of one's freedom --- the freedom that DEFINES homeschooling for me --- for $1200.

Phenomenal Look Inside

2009-04-30T10:11:00.000-07:00

...an exclusive, massive, unique look at the President’s term so far. Take a few minutes to get a different perspective from the images on television every day.

Consuming Kids

2009-04-23T18:19:00.000-07:00

There are plenty out there that want to shut their eyes to this and even more who see the behaviors, attitudes, and "adorable clothes" of their children as reflections of their own "cool factor". For this parent, I reflect more responsibly upon stats that compare the 900 hours kids are in school to the 1500 hours they spend watching tv. I refuse to let ANYONE convince ME that limiting my children's screen time (tv, video games, other) will do them harm. And I've had it all thrown at me, from decreasing their social ability (I mean, how will they feel when they don't know what SpongeBob did in yesterday's episode) to hindering them from getting a job because they don't have computer skills (like those other children who play all those "educational" games while Mommy and Daddy stare at their own personal screens for the few hours they have together before lights out). So as usual, I am on the fringe of this society, rejecting the direction of the norm and pounding another nail into the coffin of my own social ability. But, yup - it's that important.

Nascar Nana

2009-04-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

My crazy mother went for a ride-along today. THIS IS WHAT 61 LOOKS LIKE, PEOPLE!!!

TRUE BEAUTY Or Why I Stopped Highlighting My Hair

2009-04-16T17:16:00.000-07:00

Hope For Easter

2009-04-12T10:47:00.001-07:00

Sound of Music Train Station @ Yahoo! Video

Banning the Basal

2009-04-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

From an article on Edutopia regarding textbook reform, this key point happens to describe exactly what I do in science and history (Deo Gratias for the library!):

Reduce basals to reference books -- slim core texts that set forth as clearly as a dictionary the essential skills and information to be learned at each grade level in each subject. In content areas like history and science, the core texts would be like mini-encyclopedias, fact-checked by experts in the field and then reviewed by master teachers for scope and sequence.
Dull? No, because these cores would not be the actual instructional material students would use. They would be analogous to operating systems in the world of software. If there are only a few of these and they're pretty similar, it's OK. Local districts and classroom teachers would receive funds enabling them to assemble their own constellations of lessons and supporting materials around the core texts, purchased not from a few behemoths but from hundreds of smaller publishing houses such as those that currently supply the supplementary-textbook industry.
The possibilities are endless. And shouldn't endless possibility be the point?

Return teaching as a profession and give them the chance to love what they do again by immersing themselves in the whole process. Can't think of a better way to ensure the almighty accountability while respecting those who are in the trenches.

It's Spring

2009-03-30T13:52:00.000-07:00

Perfect weather for a wet swingin' time!

Introducing... Ipod

2009-03-28T16:55:00.000-07:00

Making lemons out of lemonade, my 9yo made the best of having received this bird instead of the pricey personal entertainment unit she asked for her birthday.

Student of the Month: March 2009

2009-03-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

GREAT JOB, BOOEY! WE ARE PROUD OF YOU!!!

Whatcha Gotta Be?

2009-03-25T19:40:00.000-07:00

See, some people think making you feel bad will make them feel good and that's just sad
But no matter what they do or say, it's just a game and you don't have to play
If they call you weird and they want you to stop, you can either say, "No I'm not!"
Or you can say, "Yep, I'm as weird as can be and you know what? I love it. I GOTTA BE ME!!!"

Black Like... well, Me.

2009-03-24T18:55:00.000-07:00

"Speaking of the religiosity of racists, Maritain observes:
God is invoked... and He is invoked against the God of the spirit, of intelligence and love - excluding and hating this God. What an extraordinary spiritual phenomenon this is: people believe in God and yet do not know God. The idea is affirmed and at the same time disfigured and perverted."
---From Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin

I've been doing some reading that I had been reluctant to delve into despite (or maybe because of) my marital status as it relates to wider society. This particular quote resonates with the... discomfort (?) I had been feeling about my status as a member of a certain non-denominational church I have been a part of since 2003. The recent presidential campaign season has me feeling distracted away from the divine message that one hopes to receive at such places of worship. Unfair as it may be to put those in this particular church in bed with those who spouted the most ridiculous, sometimes overtly racist views during the campaign (which continue albeit more covertly in current times), I must admit the string had already been weakened with the exit from the school our daughter attended there and then again with the replacement of a respected pastor. So I am again looking for a spiritual connection within the surrounding community and find myself drawn to the familiarity and relative moderation of my Catholic roots. While far from perfect children of God, there is something to be said for tradition. Given my tendency to make choices that go against the grain, yes ~ tradition is looking kinda good right now.

Scenes From A Party: Happy Birthday, #One

2009-03-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Day

2009-03-12T20:29:00.000-07:00

"Delight in excellence is easily confused with snobbery by the ignorant." - Joseph Epstein in Snobbery: The American Version

Never Friendless

2009-03-11T21:26:00.001-07:00

Model Behavior

2009-03-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

Luv ya, Magsie!!!

Can't Wait To Homeschool This One (Officially)

2009-03-09T21:50:00.001-07:00

She comes up with the best ideas (ask her - she'll tell you the same). What a hoot.

Facebook ~ Friend or Foe?

2009-03-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

Leonard is obsessed with Facebook. My sister does not want anything to do with it. I'm somewhere inbetween but this video has me leaning... Check it out:

Brilliant

2009-03-04T19:13:00.000-08:00

E and I heard the audio of this yesterday afternoon on our favorite station, XM Kids Place Live. Even more amazing to see this incredible talent entertain with just his GOd given body... Fabulous!!!

Quote of the Day

2009-02-28T18:41:00.000-08:00

"We parents can do them a big favor if we back off the expectation that they will all be shining stars one day, and allow them to be as ordinary as we are. There comes a time to stop planning for the perfect life and just live it, imperfect and changeable as it is." --- Frederica Mathewes-Green

I found a wonderful essay tonight about our culture's destructive obsession with youth. The quote above hit me particularly hard since I have been known to discuss grandiose expectations of myself with various psychiatric professionals over the years ;)

Quote of the Day

2009-02-22T10:56:00.000-08:00

Once you understand the logic behind modern schooling, its tricks and traps are fairly easy to avoid. School trains children to be employees and consumers; teach your own to be leaders and adventurers. School trains children to obey reflexively; teach your own to think critically and independently. Well-schooled kids have a low threshold for boredom; help your own to develop an inner life so that they'll never be bored. Urge them to take on the serious material, the grown-up material, in history, literature, philosophy, music, art, economics, theology - all the stuff schoolteachers know well enough to avoid. Challenge your kids with plenty of solitude so that they can learn to enjoy their own company, to conduct inner dialogues. Well-schooled people are conditioned to dread being alone, and they seek constant companionship through the TV, the computer, the cell phone, and through shallow friendships quickly acquired and quickly abandoned. Your children should have a more meaningful life, and they can.

--- John Taylor Gatto, from a 2003 article in Harper's Magazine entitled "Against School"

Quote of The Day

2009-02-19T17:12:00.000-08:00

"A unique and exquisite crystal... turns into an ordinary, boring molecule of water...when you bring it in the classroom..."
---Calvin & Hobbes

Why I Know Homeschool's For Me and Mine

2009-02-16T20:52:00.000-08:00

Upon discussing my decision to homeschool my girls with family and friends, one of the biggest elements I emphasized was my desire for my kids to know history; not Social Studies. HISTORY. No one seemed to deny the fact that we have been raising children with little to no understanding of their place in the world but I did have one friend tell me that she did not want the school system "wasting time" teaching history. She said that the job of the schools was to get the kids into college and into well-paying jobs and, if she wanted them to know something about our past, she'd take them on vacation to Williamsburg. Yup. That's what she said.
So here's just one of any number of reasons why I am opposed to this type of thinking: There is nothing new under the sun. Humans are humans are humans. Different times, different places, different clothes, different faces. But the same themes of greed, corruption, consumption, domination, annihilation have clouded over us from the beginning of time. Same sinners, different century. Creepy and sad.
READ THE SHORT ARTICLE ON PLATO'S REPUBLIC and the CURRENT ECONOMIC CATASTROPHE HERE

Belmont

2009-02-15T19:49:00.000-08:00

We had a family day in Belmont Shore today. Had lunch at the Shorehouse; took in some art at the museum; and, of course, no visit would be complete without touching the sand and harrassing the seagulls.
If anyone is interested, the teacher's supply on 2nd Street is having a retirement/going out of business sale and many items are 75% off. We ended up snagging 10+ books and games for under $30. Somehow, getting a great deal doesn't make me feel as giddy as it used to.

Where There's Smoke...

2009-01-29T19:13:00.000-08:00

I can't recall where I first heard about Edutopia, an organization of The George Lucas Educational Foundation, but I am just so glad I did. While some of my early discoveries had me a bit skeptical about whether the programs described were truly as wonderful and effective as they appeared, I can't help but be hopeful [I even tear up a bit] when I read and watch people who are entrenched in the public school system express sentiments about education that speak to what I found so desirable and true when I chose to homeschool.
Check out this San Francisco design program (one of four "Full-Time Learning" programs currently featured on the site). The founder of the program speaks in last 2-3 minutes about his experiences pulling his son out of school to homeschool him and explains how this led to the idea. I don't know of any such programs that are happening in my own backyard, unfortunately, but time is on my side since my 2 kiddos are still of early elementary age. Just knowing others have tried and been successful in starting such community-based learning sure does give me motivation and courage to picture a direct involvement (taking the lead, perhaps?) in my own future.
Let's hope the smoke turns out to be a real flame of change in education.
CLICK TO WATCH

A Poem by My 8 year old Home Scholar

2009-01-26T10:27:00.000-08:00

Doodles are moodles.
Moodles are poodles.
Poodles are coodles.
What are coodles?

Coodles are wonderful little things;
They are enough to make you sing.

Loodles are woodles.
Woodles are voodles.
Voodles are zoodles.
What are zoodles?

Zoodles are big and stinky and fat;
They are big enough to swallow a cat.

Boodles are foodles.
Foodles are goodles.
Goodles are hoodles.
What are hoodles?

Hoodles are things you say when you say goodbye;
Oh no! Oh no! Just look a the time.

I guess it's time to say goodbye.
Goodbye! said moodles.
Goodbye! said zoodles.
Goodbye! Goodbye! Goodbye, they say.
Goodbye! We have to go away...

TOODLES!

Our Imperfect but Very Talented Union

2009-01-18T17:34:00.001-08:00

Just last summer, as I was throwing around all the reasons why homeschooling may be a good option for our family, I regretted the fact that America's schools, in a purpose towards "equality" of culture and "neutrality" in education, have really done a great disservice to good old patriotism; you know, the thing that holds one people, one nation together, regardless of race, creed, or color? I was very attracted to the classical model of educating at home in no small part because I would be free to teach HISTORY (as opposed to Social Studies) in a manner that might breed the same sort of patriotism I admire so much in my husband. Although it is true that one need not read far into history to find that the United States is a far from perfect union and has much to be shameful about, the United States is indeed a nation whose history and people will be noted and admired for hundreds of years to come.
Barack Obama, while also not perfect (he IS a politician after all!), has the opportunity to become one of The Great American Presidents. While his choices thus far have been both attacked and lauded by supporters and dissenters alike, I remain curious about the larger picture of his plans and hopeful of his intentions for our welfare.
For now, let's enjoy the significance and beauty of our talented democracy. This one's for you, Dad!

Hello, Mr. President!

2009-01-14T17:10:00.001-08:00

Well, in few more days anyhow! CAN'T WAIT! xoxo

I {heart} Suze + Oprah

2009-01-12T20:37:00.000-08:00

So how 'bout the state of the country's economy? Anyone see IOUSA this weekend? Feeling nervous, anxious, panicked even?

I dunno about you, but two of my very favorite women on the planet are Suze Orman and Oprah Winfrey. Say what you may about either, I just think they are the coolest and are so genuine and real. Well ~ Suze is offering a free download of her newly released #1 book and it is a must read for anyone ... well, ANYONE who has any stake in the future and is confused beyond measure about what We The People should be doing for Our Personal People (aka families).

HURRY! ONLY UNTIL JANUARY 15th!!! GO GET THE BOOK

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T21:53:00.001-08:00

JibJab – 2008 Year In Review @ Yahoo! Video

Let's hope it's at least not WORSE than 0h8...

Snow Day `08

2008-12-31T17:41:00.000-08:00

Our annual Christmastime jaunt to the local mountains... Not too cold today, thank goodness. Also glad that my kids are just like me when it comes to snow play: ie, just enough and not a minute more. Then warm up in the local cafe. ;)

Disneyland Recognizes My 2 WOnderful Kids!

2008-12-26T11:04:00.000-08:00

As Luck Would Have It

2008-12-21T19:24:00.000-08:00

My cousin is in the mountains of Peru on assignment with the Peace Corps. It is always interesting to read her blog and follow her experiences while living among the people of this very different culture. The photo above was posted with an explanation of how she planned and supervised the mural's completion with her group of students.
Coincidentally, Shelbs is learning about the seven continents in her history studies right now, including a cool poem that she will memorize and recite while traveling around the map with her finger. How cool is it that she can use this photo instead of a plain ol' line map???

Just for Loyal Blog Stalkers

2008-12-16T17:26:00.000-08:00

... All three of you! lol
The front of our accordian fold Christmas card.

Sugarplum Fairy

2008-12-15T19:43:00.000-08:00

Just another outtake from this year's card...

She's A Mean One...

2008-12-13T22:09:00.000-08:00

Yeah Toast!

2008-11-25T19:15:00.000-08:00

El's new favorite.

10 Reasons NOT To Homeschool

2008-11-23T21:35:00.000-08:00

I found this post on a fellow homeschoolers blog and I thought I'd share with those loved ones who think this decision of mine was a flip or easy thing to make (and keep!):

1. There is no “how to”. You have to make your own decisions about what is important in education. You have to read lots of books and do lots of research to ultimately to figure out who you are, and you will soon learn, there is no “right” way to educate.

2. People will always ask you why you homeschool. Then you have to deal with their questions somehow. This. Never. Ends.

3. It is very likely that someone you love will absolutely hate the fact that you are homeschooling, and will make it clear. Wouldn’t it just be easier to do things the way your family expects you to? You’d get along better with them if you do.

4. You have to create your own social networks and be able to make friends without the constructs of a school setting. And the kids have to learn how to get along with people in the real world. The real world is scary sometimes, and it’s not always easy to know how to meet people.

5. You will have to answer all of your kids’ questions. And sometimes, (ok, maybe often), you’ll have to admit that you don’t know something. And you can’t say, “Ask your teacher tomorrow.” Instead, you will have to say, “Let’s look it up.”

6. The first step to successful homeschooling is to let go of everything you ever knew about education, and to start from scratch. If you really like how school works, you may be surprised at how different homeschooling is from that version of reality. Sometimes, that causes smoke to rise from the ears as two sets of gears try to go in opposite directions.

7. There are a million things to buy out there. It’s easy to get sucked into the “it’s for our kids’ education” trap. And beware homeschool conferences. They are like going to an endless mall of educational materials and ideas. If you go to too many of them, you may even be coerced into speaking at one.

8. Even if millions of parents have homeschooled before, nobody will be able to tell you what to expect. Homeschooling is like being a parent - every family is different and you’re going to have to become your own expert and do a lot of research. Sure, it’s possible to homeschool without research, but that’s like parenting without thinking about why you make our choices. So, once you’ve decided to homeschool, you will be spending just as much time as your kids with your nose in a book, or doing on-site research (park days and info nights). In fact, in the beginning, you’ll probably be learning a lot more than your kids are. That is a very tiring.

9. You run the risk of filling your house with books, magazines, science projects and pencils. You may need to convert part of the bathroom into a library. And what’s worse, is that whenever someone starts talking about a topic, you won’t be able to stop yourself from saying, “We have a book on that! Here, let me go get it.” People will either stay away from you to keep from being told all the nuts and bolts about taking a radio apart, or they will always be bugging you for help on their school science projects because they know you have all the books and info (and experience).

10. You are free. Completely and totally free. Do you really want to be free?

Little House In The Big Woods

2008-11-19T14:26:00.000-08:00

My own half pints o' cider half drunk up with their newly fashioned corn husk dolls. :)

Our recent read-aloud has been Little House In The Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. With exception to the one song Pa sang about the "darkeys" going to heaven (which the girls did not seem to catch anyway), we all quite enjoyed this story of American pioneer life in the late 1800s.

Speaking of Sports...

2008-11-19T13:15:00.000-08:00

This little 5 year old has some seriously mad skills...

~finally~

2008-11-18T20:14:00.000-08:00

As much as I love soccer, this was a particularly long season for me. Maybe because I myself also played, maybe because it was the first year we had 2 kids playing. All I know is that it feels good to have my Saturdays back...

Just Another Day at Home

2008-11-11T17:51:00.000-08:00

They have begged me to let them do their own face painting since Halloween. Of course, they missed the significance of the label (FACE painting) and would have covered every inch of their bodies if I had let them... I hope this is not a glimpse of what's to come in the high school/college years. Tattoos, anyone?

If the World Could Vote

2008-11-10T14:56:00.000-08:00

So we've all read and heard the news blurbs talking about how the US educational system lags far behind our fellow industrialized nations. But here's another tidbit that shows me that they aren't just book-smart but have enough common sense to recognize a natural born leader when they see one... If The World Could Vote