Educate: To give intellectual, moral or social instruction. This is the definition of educate.
I often field the question, "Why did you choose to homeschool your children?". I must confess that I'm as perplexed by someone who wouldn't choose to home educate their children as so many seem to be perplexed by the decision to do so. When I'm asked that question, my first response is to ask one of my own. "What are your opinions on why education is important?" Oddly enough, most people seem completely caught off guard and can't seem to correlate the importance of that question with the one that they asked me. To me, they are synonymous. Why I home educate is simply an extension of what I believe the entire purpose of education should be about. Hence, this blog post.
Education, by it's very definition, isn't about test scores, or educational Olympics or pushing children into becoming what the government believes to be "productive". Education isn't about competing, or forcing children into a mold or outcome based education...or at least it shouldn't be! Education is to guide children to be the best that "they" can be intellectually, morally, and socially. I, personally, do not believe that institutionalized learning is capable of providing the most excellent in any of those capacities. I believe that each family must first define their goals in education.
Our goals are simple: To allow our children to become the best they can become based on the talents and gifts given to them by God. This is preceded only by the directive that God has already given: Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind, with all the strength you have and Love thy neighbor as thyself. We believe that if children are taught to love God and place Him first in their lives and then truly love their neighbors (this does not mean the people living beside you, although it does encompass them), they will have something that no school can teach them. They will have an internal compass that will give them the desire to work as for the Lord, and not for man. That means that they will strive for excellence in every area of their lives...including their intellectual pursuits.
Let's have a scenario that places this in it's proper perspective: Let's say that you've paid tens of thousands of dollars and your child(ren) have had the "best" education that you believe money can buy. Let's assume they have gotten a full ride to the "best" college/University out there, and have graduated with all the honors the world has to offer. They become a doctor/lawyer/accountant...or whatever your family deems to be a career with every worldly accolade. You have achieved bragging rights heaven. Your child is the epitome of all the world says is the "best" and most coveted. He/She is "educated". And then life happens.
Life comes in, with all it's twists and turns, and when dignity, honor, and kindness are needed, all that your child is equipped with are intellectual skills that offer no moral fiber or social understanding that they are not islands in the sea of humanity and "self" should not be placed above all else. A parent is placed in a nursing home, or becomes deathly ill. A divorce looms in their horizon because their career was placed before their family and home. Drugs and alcohol are placed in front of them in a way that makes them seem "fun" and "glamorous". Will they choose to say no? Any scenario you can think of that life places in each of our paths will one day cross your child's path...and there is simply nothing anyone can do to change that. It's tough to be a parent, isn't it? Where is their moral fiber? Was that part of their education? Are they equipped to become more than just a title and job description? Are they truly equipped to make Godly decisions in an Ungodly world when things get tough?
For us the question of "Why do we educate?" is much broader than simply having a child that can do well on standardized tests and the SAT. Don't get me wrong...those things matter to us in that we do desire for our children to be the best that they, personally, can be. Part of home education, a large part, is knowing that we can provide a better intellectual education that a state certified stranger, no matter their level of degree. We have the proof of that in a graduating senior next year who is already being romanced by a few leading colleges based solely upon his SAT scores.
However, that's not our primary goal. I'm proud of his scores, but I'm more proud of his heart. He volunteers at a domestic abuse center, he loves to sing and play his guitar in the youth band...and really feels the worship. He speaks openly of his love for the Lord and his life displays the fruit of the Spirit. We have three younger children who are quickly following in their older brother's footsteps, all to the glory of God because, trust me, they have very imperfect parents! We have children who pray and have no understanding of being "embarrassed" to express their love for Christ. This is what we are most proud of.
THIS is why we educate. We believe God's Word when He tells us to "train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). I don't recall God's Word saying...turn your kids over to the state and they'll train them up in the way they think they should go to be productive citizens of the State and serve them...not even once. I think we can all agree that based on the true definition of education, and the current state of our educational system, the State isn't overly interested in supplying our children with the moral and social fiber that they need to be truly educated. I encourage you to pray about this. Ask yourself the question, "WHY do we, as a family, educate our children and what are our goals for that education?". Pray about it. Your children are worth it.
Showing posts with label homeschool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homeschool. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
Choosing Home
I've recently been reading up on Linda Hirshman and her "Get to Work: A Manifesto for Women of the World". I won't bother to respond to that in this post (another day for sure!), but it did get me thinking about my decision to choose home.
I am the owner and Broker-in-Charge of my real estate company. Actually, that's a fact that only my closest friends are even aware of. It just doesn't come up in conversation that often anymore. I quietly sell a few homes and my husband and I flip a house or two a year. It's what I do, not who I am. However, this conclusion wasn't as easily reached as typing it out implies.
Once upon a time, I had a more publically based company, with seven agents, and a secretary. I had ads in all the local media and I worked about 50 hours a week. I diligently sought listings and even more diligently sought buyers for those listings. I spent hours in Realtor classes and was on the Education committee of our local Multiple Listing Service (MLS). I owned business suits and a briefcase. I had arrived....at least on the surface, where things are shallow and thin. I was making what almost anyone would term "good money", and I was the modern woman. I am educated and hard-working. (notice that is present tense!) I was also spiralling into what could only be called choas, with a smile and a business suit.
If my life had been a home listing, the advertisement would have read:
"Exceptionally well kept home with a beautifully landscaped yard. Located in the best school district with all forms of entertainment near by! Large formal areas and executive style exterior. Please call to schedule an appointment as the interior is a mess"
The interior was a mess. The places where I spent my time and the essence of home was in complete disarray. I was one of those houses that has great exterior features, but the inside has no flow. The rooms were difficult to navigate and the layout wasn't working. I needed some major reconstruction and so did my marriage and my family, but I couldn't figure out where to begin. It was especially difficult because, for the most part, I often heard how great my life must be. How awesome it must be to be in "charge" and successful. Really? It is? Well, it didn't feel like I was in charge, and I am convinced that "success" is a subjective word.
So, after much fighting with myself and an honest analysis of what "I" wanted from the life I've been given, I approached my husband with my thoughts. We discussed what we needed, and then what we wanted, monetarily. We discussed what we would like our home to reflect and where we each could give in certain areas to make our goals actually happen. Essentially, he supported me fully. Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't really suriprised, because he's just flat out a great guy, but I suppose I did think that because I had convinced myself that I was "downgrading", that he might think so to. I was wrong. Completely wrong...and I can't tell you how thankful I was/am that my husband viewed this job I was choosing as even more important that the "professional" life I had previously chosen.
I think that many women have convinced themselves that they really can have it all. I admit, I don't understand how they are convincing themselves of that. Reality simply isn't reflecting what the MSM is trying diligently to convince us of. Sorry...it's just not. Reality is showing divorce rates that are through the roof (although they have come down a little in the last five years!) and children who have no civic sense of responsibility. Reality is showing a culture who accepts infidelity as almost normal and that single motherhood is either a "victim" or a valid "family" choice. (Unless you were raped, all single motherhood is a choice, by the way. Sex is a volitional act and it's the only thing that creates children...just sayin')
The reality is that often many things are done well, but almost nothing is done with true excellence when we women convince ourselves that we can have it all. Why? Because we cannot do it all, and consequently, we can not have it all. I know this from experience. We must make a choice where our truest energy and our most diligent focus is going to fall. For me that choice was home. For me, that choice was my family, my children and my husband. For me, that choice was one that brought me more peace, more happiness and more contentment than I was aware was even able to be had!
So, let's place Mrs. Hirshman in her proper place in our lives. She proclaims that as a philospher she, and others like her (she actually equates herself to Socrates! Ummm....ok, then. Do you own a history book?) have been telling others how to live their lives for years, centuries even. She also proclaims that stay-at-home moms are unfulfilled and are unfairly cheating themselves from the fulfillment of work.
Again, I'll touch on most of this in another post another day, but her biggest gripe actually seems to be if the housework gets divided equally and that women shouldn't have to do all of it. OK, but what if that is their job that they've chosen? Do most "working" women ('cause us measly housewives and moms must not "work") split their chosen jobs equally with others? What if they don't want to "split it equally" because there's plenty of "man" chores that I don't split equally, nor do I want to? What if our homes aren't places of perfection that are merely there to announce our affluence, but more importantly represent the family within it? What if we, in choosing home, have declared our homes to be the place where our family's happiness, safety and yes, fulfillment, are culminated because it's...well, home? What if running the home actually is where we find fulfillment, and we're perfectly content to let our husbands bring in the majority of the dough?
Here's something a little telling about Mrs. Linda Hirshman: She actually suggests that women intentionally marry men who make less so that the women hold the monetary power in the home, and by doing so we will shift the tides on women being seen as unequal to men. ...sigh... Really? This is how you would suggest a woman find her partner? Seriously? Obviously, I think Mrs. Hirshman was probably dropped as a child. It's the only thing that can explain her utter lack of understanding of marriage, love, partnership and home. At least as far as "life as we know it", goes.
And for the record, my man cooks, cleans, watches the kids, sweeps, does laundry, cuts the grass and washes the cars. And yes, I do much more than that, because it's my chosen "profession" and I love it. But, to suggest that stay-at-home moms are unfulfilled is basically...well...bovine scatology, at best! And, to suggest that us poor stay at home moms are merely nothing more than domestic slaves is is just as much bull as suggesting that only by having a "true" profession can you find yourself and reach your "potential".
I choose home because having dinner together every night with my family was more important that having a business dinner and because making our house a home was a goal that held relevance and long term satisfaction. I choose home because I made a choice to have four children and they have the right to have a home that is peaceful, harmonious and thriving. I choose home because it's where I'm supposed to be and I'm grateful for that. I choose home because it gives me the opportunity to actually be the help mate that God intends me to be to my husband. I choose home because I am no longer buying what the world is selling. I choose home because my job now has long term goals that are going to affect the people I love and care about most in the whole world. The importance of that is not lost on me and I refuse to allow the world to tell me otherwise.
I drank from the worldly cup, and it turns out that it's nothing more than a really pretty cup with absolutely nothing inside it. I found out that if I continued to drink from that cup, I'd soon be the same way. No thanks. The one thing Linda Hirshman and I do agree on is that women deserve better than what they're getting.
I am the owner and Broker-in-Charge of my real estate company. Actually, that's a fact that only my closest friends are even aware of. It just doesn't come up in conversation that often anymore. I quietly sell a few homes and my husband and I flip a house or two a year. It's what I do, not who I am. However, this conclusion wasn't as easily reached as typing it out implies.
Once upon a time, I had a more publically based company, with seven agents, and a secretary. I had ads in all the local media and I worked about 50 hours a week. I diligently sought listings and even more diligently sought buyers for those listings. I spent hours in Realtor classes and was on the Education committee of our local Multiple Listing Service (MLS). I owned business suits and a briefcase. I had arrived....at least on the surface, where things are shallow and thin. I was making what almost anyone would term "good money", and I was the modern woman. I am educated and hard-working. (notice that is present tense!) I was also spiralling into what could only be called choas, with a smile and a business suit.
If my life had been a home listing, the advertisement would have read:
"Exceptionally well kept home with a beautifully landscaped yard. Located in the best school district with all forms of entertainment near by! Large formal areas and executive style exterior. Please call to schedule an appointment as the interior is a mess"
The interior was a mess. The places where I spent my time and the essence of home was in complete disarray. I was one of those houses that has great exterior features, but the inside has no flow. The rooms were difficult to navigate and the layout wasn't working. I needed some major reconstruction and so did my marriage and my family, but I couldn't figure out where to begin. It was especially difficult because, for the most part, I often heard how great my life must be. How awesome it must be to be in "charge" and successful. Really? It is? Well, it didn't feel like I was in charge, and I am convinced that "success" is a subjective word.
So, after much fighting with myself and an honest analysis of what "I" wanted from the life I've been given, I approached my husband with my thoughts. We discussed what we needed, and then what we wanted, monetarily. We discussed what we would like our home to reflect and where we each could give in certain areas to make our goals actually happen. Essentially, he supported me fully. Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't really suriprised, because he's just flat out a great guy, but I suppose I did think that because I had convinced myself that I was "downgrading", that he might think so to. I was wrong. Completely wrong...and I can't tell you how thankful I was/am that my husband viewed this job I was choosing as even more important that the "professional" life I had previously chosen.
I think that many women have convinced themselves that they really can have it all. I admit, I don't understand how they are convincing themselves of that. Reality simply isn't reflecting what the MSM is trying diligently to convince us of. Sorry...it's just not. Reality is showing divorce rates that are through the roof (although they have come down a little in the last five years!) and children who have no civic sense of responsibility. Reality is showing a culture who accepts infidelity as almost normal and that single motherhood is either a "victim" or a valid "family" choice. (Unless you were raped, all single motherhood is a choice, by the way. Sex is a volitional act and it's the only thing that creates children...just sayin')
The reality is that often many things are done well, but almost nothing is done with true excellence when we women convince ourselves that we can have it all. Why? Because we cannot do it all, and consequently, we can not have it all. I know this from experience. We must make a choice where our truest energy and our most diligent focus is going to fall. For me that choice was home. For me, that choice was my family, my children and my husband. For me, that choice was one that brought me more peace, more happiness and more contentment than I was aware was even able to be had!
So, let's place Mrs. Hirshman in her proper place in our lives. She proclaims that as a philospher she, and others like her (she actually equates herself to Socrates! Ummm....ok, then. Do you own a history book?) have been telling others how to live their lives for years, centuries even. She also proclaims that stay-at-home moms are unfulfilled and are unfairly cheating themselves from the fulfillment of work.
Again, I'll touch on most of this in another post another day, but her biggest gripe actually seems to be if the housework gets divided equally and that women shouldn't have to do all of it. OK, but what if that is their job that they've chosen? Do most "working" women ('cause us measly housewives and moms must not "work") split their chosen jobs equally with others? What if they don't want to "split it equally" because there's plenty of "man" chores that I don't split equally, nor do I want to? What if our homes aren't places of perfection that are merely there to announce our affluence, but more importantly represent the family within it? What if we, in choosing home, have declared our homes to be the place where our family's happiness, safety and yes, fulfillment, are culminated because it's...well, home? What if running the home actually is where we find fulfillment, and we're perfectly content to let our husbands bring in the majority of the dough?
Here's something a little telling about Mrs. Linda Hirshman: She actually suggests that women intentionally marry men who make less so that the women hold the monetary power in the home, and by doing so we will shift the tides on women being seen as unequal to men. ...sigh... Really? This is how you would suggest a woman find her partner? Seriously? Obviously, I think Mrs. Hirshman was probably dropped as a child. It's the only thing that can explain her utter lack of understanding of marriage, love, partnership and home. At least as far as "life as we know it", goes.
And for the record, my man cooks, cleans, watches the kids, sweeps, does laundry, cuts the grass and washes the cars. And yes, I do much more than that, because it's my chosen "profession" and I love it. But, to suggest that stay-at-home moms are unfulfilled is basically...well...bovine scatology, at best! And, to suggest that us poor stay at home moms are merely nothing more than domestic slaves is is just as much bull as suggesting that only by having a "true" profession can you find yourself and reach your "potential".
I choose home because having dinner together every night with my family was more important that having a business dinner and because making our house a home was a goal that held relevance and long term satisfaction. I choose home because I made a choice to have four children and they have the right to have a home that is peaceful, harmonious and thriving. I choose home because it's where I'm supposed to be and I'm grateful for that. I choose home because it gives me the opportunity to actually be the help mate that God intends me to be to my husband. I choose home because I am no longer buying what the world is selling. I choose home because my job now has long term goals that are going to affect the people I love and care about most in the whole world. The importance of that is not lost on me and I refuse to allow the world to tell me otherwise.
I drank from the worldly cup, and it turns out that it's nothing more than a really pretty cup with absolutely nothing inside it. I found out that if I continued to drink from that cup, I'd soon be the same way. No thanks. The one thing Linda Hirshman and I do agree on is that women deserve better than what they're getting.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Lapbooks (with photos!!)
One of my children's favorite things to do is lapbooks. For those of you unfamiliar with lapbooks, just google the term and you'll find more info than you can possibly stand. I think one of the reasons they love them so much is the interactive ways we've come up with completing our information gathering. At the end of each lapbook, we google online games that corresponds with what they've been learning and the games are both fun and educational.
The first lapbook we did this year was on animal classification. From there, we naturally progressed to the human body and basic anatomy. Then, I asked my kids what they wanted to learn more about and I'll admit it, I got some pretty interesting answers! We ended up going with Dakota's pick: bridges. We learned about engineering, engineers and every kind of bridge you can imagine! We ended that lapbook with googling the closest covered bridge in our area, and I really didn't anticipate coming up with much of anything in SC. I was floored to realize the only covered bridge in SC was less than 45 minutes from our home and was over 100 years old. We spent an afternoon last week making that trip and really enjoyed the day. As a side note: my kids actually recognized the truss system that was used on our local covered bridge from our lapbook studies! How cool is that?!
We're now firmly ensconced in a weather lapbook that has been the source of much fun this afternoon. While tornados aren't much funsies in real life, the interactive gaming that goes with learning about them is a blast! We've learned all about clouds, hail, fog, dew, frost, and air pressure. We're learning about storm seasons across the US and hurricanes and why they're named alphabetically. We're even learning what to do in case a mudslide happens to occur near us. I'm thinking the Palmetto State is relatively safe from that, but you never know, and I tend to view knowledge like chocolate. You just can't have too much, right?
Anyway, I'm feeling pretty random today and one of my most frequently asked questions is what my day is like. So, there you go. That's what today was like...or at least a 45 minute section of it. Lapbooks are something every homeschooling family should partake in, in my opinion. Education and fun don't have to be exclusive from one another.
If you're looking for ideas on lapbooks, here's the best website I've ever found if you don't want to put much work into the templates, or come up with your own ideas: homeschoolshare.com. Enjoy!
P.S. I know this isn't my typical post....but everyone needs a mental break sometime, right? ...grin...
Below are some images of my 4th graders Animal Classification lapbook. She's my little animal lover, so this was her favorite.
The first lapbook we did this year was on animal classification. From there, we naturally progressed to the human body and basic anatomy. Then, I asked my kids what they wanted to learn more about and I'll admit it, I got some pretty interesting answers! We ended up going with Dakota's pick: bridges. We learned about engineering, engineers and every kind of bridge you can imagine! We ended that lapbook with googling the closest covered bridge in our area, and I really didn't anticipate coming up with much of anything in SC. I was floored to realize the only covered bridge in SC was less than 45 minutes from our home and was over 100 years old. We spent an afternoon last week making that trip and really enjoyed the day. As a side note: my kids actually recognized the truss system that was used on our local covered bridge from our lapbook studies! How cool is that?!
We're now firmly ensconced in a weather lapbook that has been the source of much fun this afternoon. While tornados aren't much funsies in real life, the interactive gaming that goes with learning about them is a blast! We've learned all about clouds, hail, fog, dew, frost, and air pressure. We're learning about storm seasons across the US and hurricanes and why they're named alphabetically. We're even learning what to do in case a mudslide happens to occur near us. I'm thinking the Palmetto State is relatively safe from that, but you never know, and I tend to view knowledge like chocolate. You just can't have too much, right?
Anyway, I'm feeling pretty random today and one of my most frequently asked questions is what my day is like. So, there you go. That's what today was like...or at least a 45 minute section of it. Lapbooks are something every homeschooling family should partake in, in my opinion. Education and fun don't have to be exclusive from one another.
If you're looking for ideas on lapbooks, here's the best website I've ever found if you don't want to put much work into the templates, or come up with your own ideas: homeschoolshare.com. Enjoy!
P.S. I know this isn't my typical post....but everyone needs a mental break sometime, right? ...grin...
Below are some images of my 4th graders Animal Classification lapbook. She's my little animal lover, so this was her favorite.
 |
| This is the exterior of our lapbook. |
 |
| The interior is filled with mini-booklets! |
 |
| Each mini-booklet opens to reveal more detailed info! |
Friday, January 14, 2011
Curriculum help...
I was doing some curriculum searches and thought this may help someone:
http://homeschoolclassifieds.com/
You'll find just about every curriculum out there on this site. They are all used by other homeschooling families and many have entire sets that are a fraction of the cost. (no, I don't receive a dime for the endorsement!) You can also see S&H costs, as well as ask the seller questions. I don't know why, but shopping for homeschool books/curriculum makes my heart happy!
http://homeschoolclassifieds.com/
You'll find just about every curriculum out there on this site. They are all used by other homeschooling families and many have entire sets that are a fraction of the cost. (no, I don't receive a dime for the endorsement!) You can also see S&H costs, as well as ask the seller questions. I don't know why, but shopping for homeschool books/curriculum makes my heart happy!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
What Are We Missing Again?!?
As a homeschooler, I am sometimes barraged with comments on all that my children are missing out on by not attending institutionalized "learning". I make no apologies in stating that my worldview simply does not hold to that truth. For our family, the opposite is true and I recently ran up on an old article at Associated Content that merely upheld our strong belief that homeschooling is the more excellent way. Here is a small excerpt of that article:
A 1993 survey of 1,632 eighth to eleventh graders, conducted by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), reported that 76 percent of males and 83 percent of females (WOW!)have been the victims of unwanted sexual confrontation at school (Fineran, 2002). The laws concerning sexual harassment are much stricter in workplaces than they are as they apply to schools (Grube, 2003), and many people may not realize that only in the last two decades was sexual harassment in schools even addressed by courts and lawmakers. Studies have shown that sexual harassment has detrimental effects in an educational setting. The same AAUW study reported that victims “feel threatened, depressed, even suicidal; dread going to school; have difficulty paying attention; are reluctant to participate in class; experience falling grades; and have considered changing schools” (Couch, 2004). Because a school can be held financially liable for sexual harassment on its premises, school counselors should do all they can to prevent and address this problem.
Where to even begin? First, please note that this article takes data from 1993, but was written in 2006. 1993 is before almost all students carried cell phones, Ipods, and laptops everywhere they went. I have no idea of the statistics now, but I can think of no solid reasoning to assume that those numbers are less. However, I can think of countless reasons why they would have increased. Scary.
I would like to focus on that last line that I have placed in bold letters: Because a school can be held financially liable for sexual harassment on its premises, school counselors should do all they can to prevent and address this problem. Financial reasons are why they should protect students from sexual harassment? Seriously? What about all those reasons listed in the previous few sentences? What about the horror of rape, or the trauma that can follow a young man his entire life because he was not raised to understand the value of himself and members of the opposite sex? I cannot imagine that a "study" was needed to assess that sexual harassment was indeed a detriment in ANY setting, including an educational one. I cannot imagine, as a parent, being willing to outsource my parenting to strangers who do not hold my values, nor believe in anything other than passing the test. But, I digress.
I lament the standards to which our society has fallen. I am horrified by the amount of sex and violence that our children are exposed to daily and I am saddened that any child must be sent off to an institute of learning while being horrified that they will be fondled, groped, made fun of, harassed and bullied to the degree that it actually affects their ability to learn and focus. I am also equally aware that many parents will defend the position of the school, as well as defend their position to send their children there. "Socialization" has become the goal and virtue that rings the loudest among those opposed to homeschooling. Perhaps they should look at that goal a little more closely before shouting it from the rooftops. It is a straw man arguement, at best.
However, the ruling in Monroe vs Davis, a well known sexual harassment case filed against a public school, wasn't so clear that they felt that way at all. They were much more concerned with a public institution being held responsible for...well, anything really. Here was the first mandate from that court case that some actually view as "successful".
Issue 1
And here was the court's answer:
5-4, majority opinion by O'Connor. "A private Title IX damages action may lie against a school board in cases of student-on-student harassment, but only where the funding recipient is deliberately indifferent to sexual harassment, of which the recipient has actual knowledge, and that harassment is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it can be said to deprive the victims of access to the educational opportunities or benefits provided by the school (Monroe v. Davis, http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/ed-online/cter/EOL469/mvd.html )."
In terms of the first issue presented above, the ruling of the Supreme Court was "yes", a recipient of federal funding can be held liable for damages under Title IX. In terms of the second issue presented above the answer is again "yes". The Supreme Court decision reinstates Aurelia Davis' suit. The next step in the process is for a jury to determine whether LaShonda's specific allegations justify an award (James J. Kilpatrick, "Ruling opens door to school lawsuits," Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette, 6-22-99, p. A-4).
Please note that I took the liberty of making that "and" bold print. So, they must prove that the school has been indifferent AND that the harassment has been so pervasive that they literally feel deprived of their educational opportunity. Those are some BIG words for a 5th grader, huh? By the way, the plaintiff was a 5th grade child who had complained for THREE months to her mother AND her teacher that the boy next to her was "grabbing her breasts and crotch". The school finally decided that perhaps they would move her to the other side of the classroom from the 10 year old little boy who was fondling and groping the 10 year old little girl. When the harassment continued is when the suit was filed. And yes, my heart aches for both of them. Ask yourself what we're coming to when a 10 year old child must put with being being fondled for 3 months before action will be taken, and then ask yourself what we're coming to when a 10 year old little boy understands the concept and employs sexual harassment upon another. There is much to be sad about there, people.
Back to our point that the primary concern all along was whether a publicly funded institution should, or could, be liable for sexual harassment. Are publicly funded buildings not, by definition, paid for by the people? Oh, how we have lost our way. Again, I digress. The entire point of this post was to simply shine some light on a little discussed topic of the public school system. There are countless more, and I will get to those on some other days, but here is one we should all pray about and discuss. Children should not be outsourced from their parents, and on top of that, be forced to endure sexual harassment in ANY situation, most certainly a publicly funded one that they are forced into.
The Bible is clear on the dangers of harming the most innocent members of our society:
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."
(Matthew 18:2-6 ESV)
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. (Mark 10:13-14)
Jesus was quite clear on His expectations of how these little ones were to be treated and how they reflected the heart and attitude of true believers that would inherit the Kingdom of God. So when people ask me if I'm depriving my children by not sending them to public institutions to learn or if I feel as though the are "missing out", my answer is a firm, "No, we do not." This article is merely a tip of the iceberg on all the reasons why we are convinced this answer is truth.
A 1993 survey of 1,632 eighth to eleventh graders, conducted by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), reported that 76 percent of males and 83 percent of females (WOW!)have been the victims of unwanted sexual confrontation at school (Fineran, 2002). The laws concerning sexual harassment are much stricter in workplaces than they are as they apply to schools (Grube, 2003), and many people may not realize that only in the last two decades was sexual harassment in schools even addressed by courts and lawmakers. Studies have shown that sexual harassment has detrimental effects in an educational setting. The same AAUW study reported that victims “feel threatened, depressed, even suicidal; dread going to school; have difficulty paying attention; are reluctant to participate in class; experience falling grades; and have considered changing schools” (Couch, 2004). Because a school can be held financially liable for sexual harassment on its premises, school counselors should do all they can to prevent and address this problem.
Where to even begin? First, please note that this article takes data from 1993, but was written in 2006. 1993 is before almost all students carried cell phones, Ipods, and laptops everywhere they went. I have no idea of the statistics now, but I can think of no solid reasoning to assume that those numbers are less. However, I can think of countless reasons why they would have increased. Scary.
I would like to focus on that last line that I have placed in bold letters: Because a school can be held financially liable for sexual harassment on its premises, school counselors should do all they can to prevent and address this problem. Financial reasons are why they should protect students from sexual harassment? Seriously? What about all those reasons listed in the previous few sentences? What about the horror of rape, or the trauma that can follow a young man his entire life because he was not raised to understand the value of himself and members of the opposite sex? I cannot imagine that a "study" was needed to assess that sexual harassment was indeed a detriment in ANY setting, including an educational one. I cannot imagine, as a parent, being willing to outsource my parenting to strangers who do not hold my values, nor believe in anything other than passing the test. But, I digress.
I lament the standards to which our society has fallen. I am horrified by the amount of sex and violence that our children are exposed to daily and I am saddened that any child must be sent off to an institute of learning while being horrified that they will be fondled, groped, made fun of, harassed and bullied to the degree that it actually affects their ability to learn and focus. I am also equally aware that many parents will defend the position of the school, as well as defend their position to send their children there. "Socialization" has become the goal and virtue that rings the loudest among those opposed to homeschooling. Perhaps they should look at that goal a little more closely before shouting it from the rooftops. It is a straw man arguement, at best.
However, the ruling in Monroe vs Davis, a well known sexual harassment case filed against a public school, wasn't so clear that they felt that way at all. They were much more concerned with a public institution being held responsible for...well, anything really. Here was the first mandate from that court case that some actually view as "successful".
Issue 1
- Can a recipient of federal education funding be be held liable for damages under Title IX under any circumstances for discrimination in the form of student-on-student sexual harassment?
- Can a district's failure to respond to student-on-student sexual harassment in its schools support a private suit for money damages?
And here was the court's answer:
5-4, majority opinion by O'Connor. "A private Title IX damages action may lie against a school board in cases of student-on-student harassment, but only where the funding recipient is deliberately indifferent to sexual harassment, of which the recipient has actual knowledge, and that harassment is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it can be said to deprive the victims of access to the educational opportunities or benefits provided by the school (Monroe v. Davis, http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/ed-online/cter/EOL469/mvd.html )."
In terms of the first issue presented above, the ruling of the Supreme Court was "yes", a recipient of federal funding can be held liable for damages under Title IX. In terms of the second issue presented above the answer is again "yes". The Supreme Court decision reinstates Aurelia Davis' suit. The next step in the process is for a jury to determine whether LaShonda's specific allegations justify an award (James J. Kilpatrick, "Ruling opens door to school lawsuits," Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette, 6-22-99, p. A-4).
Please note that I took the liberty of making that "and" bold print. So, they must prove that the school has been indifferent AND that the harassment has been so pervasive that they literally feel deprived of their educational opportunity. Those are some BIG words for a 5th grader, huh? By the way, the plaintiff was a 5th grade child who had complained for THREE months to her mother AND her teacher that the boy next to her was "grabbing her breasts and crotch". The school finally decided that perhaps they would move her to the other side of the classroom from the 10 year old little boy who was fondling and groping the 10 year old little girl. When the harassment continued is when the suit was filed. And yes, my heart aches for both of them. Ask yourself what we're coming to when a 10 year old child must put with being being fondled for 3 months before action will be taken, and then ask yourself what we're coming to when a 10 year old little boy understands the concept and employs sexual harassment upon another. There is much to be sad about there, people.
Back to our point that the primary concern all along was whether a publicly funded institution should, or could, be liable for sexual harassment. Are publicly funded buildings not, by definition, paid for by the people? Oh, how we have lost our way. Again, I digress. The entire point of this post was to simply shine some light on a little discussed topic of the public school system. There are countless more, and I will get to those on some other days, but here is one we should all pray about and discuss. Children should not be outsourced from their parents, and on top of that, be forced to endure sexual harassment in ANY situation, most certainly a publicly funded one that they are forced into.
The Bible is clear on the dangers of harming the most innocent members of our society:
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."
(Matthew 18:2-6 ESV)
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. (Mark 10:13-14)
Jesus was quite clear on His expectations of how these little ones were to be treated and how they reflected the heart and attitude of true believers that would inherit the Kingdom of God. So when people ask me if I'm depriving my children by not sending them to public institutions to learn or if I feel as though the are "missing out", my answer is a firm, "No, we do not." This article is merely a tip of the iceberg on all the reasons why we are convinced this answer is truth.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Co-op and Socialization...
One of the most frequent questions that homeschoolers have to field is, “How are they going to get “proper” socialization?” First of all, I’m not sure what “proper” socialization is. I’m fairly confident that all parents have a preference for what kinds of friends their kids make and with whom their children are spending their private time. Homeschoolers are no different.
When others push that we should do things THEIR way, my typical answer is this… “Well, sure. I’ll send my kids to institutionalized learning just as soon as you homeschool yours for the same length of time you’d like to tell me how to educate my own children”. As you’ve probably guessed, I get two responses. The first, and most typical, is complete indignation as though they can’t even imagine that I’d think that was OK. (yet, it never crosses their minds that my choices are JUST as valid as theirs) Or response number two is that they’d never even realized they were pushing their views off on me and judging me without having a clue about me. They just assumed because I was the one educating in the less traditional way that I MUST be the one who was “wrong”.
Now, hear my heart. I believe just as strongly about how I educate my kids as the parents who strongly disagree with me. Statistically, homeschoolers are getting a better education, so we can just skip over that part and address the socialization issues that seem to plague people who do not even homeschool. (that’s weird, right?!) But, I do agree that not every parent should homeschool, nor would ever think to push that view onto someone who wasn’t homeschooling. I genuinely believe that homeschooling is a ministry that only the Lord can call you into. Otherwise, you’d never stick to it.
With all that being said, let’s cover the number one place that many homeschoolers across the United States get that all important…SOCIALIZATION. …insert dramatic music there, if you’d like…
Let’s establish the actual definition of socialization before we go another step together: The process of learning one’s culture and how to live within it; The act of interacting with others, of being social. Simply learning the language of our culture, as well as writing and simple math, is the first step in socialization. I’d say, based on current test scores, that homeschoolers are ahead of the game on that one, so we can move to the next step of interacting with others and actually BEING social.
Homeschool co-ops are a very popular, and active, part of many homeschoolers lives. It’s a shame that the MSM doesn’t focus on them more, instead of the wife swap stories that currently hit the news. Homeschool co-ops are widespread within the homeschool community, so I’m not sure why they don’t get more press, actually. The one that my kids attend has as many as 120 kids involved each semester. They range from nursery age kids, all the way up to high school age students. Last year, my sons high school classes had 18 homeschoolers in them. My youngest had 22 in her K-5 class. That was actually bigger than I’d like the class to be..but, I digress.
Most co-ops meet weekly and cover a diverse range of subjects. Some homeschool co-ops cover academics, while others are more arts driven. Here are websites of two co-ops that we love: http://starsco-op.com/default.aspx and fcehomeschoolers.webs.com . The first is a more academic minded co-op, while the second is strictly an arts based one. Each meet weekly, and each have a fee to join, as well as class fees. Both hire outside teachers, as well as have parentally run classes.
Co-ops provide the kids with class instruction, as well as the opportunity to make friendships that last for years. My oldest, whose almost 16, has known most of his friends since he was in elementary school…just like institutionalized learning. They get invited to birthday parties, go on field trips, and share Facebook and email accounts to chat all afternoon.
My children have learned Spanish by a lady who lived in Spain for 3 years as a missionary. They have played with Polynesian children, mixed kids, black kids, Latino children, etc… They aren’t missing out on cultural diversity, nor being raised to believe that only Caucasian children exist. They have sat down with our County coroner and learned the horrors that drinking and driving bring. They have served their community by picking up trashy roads, and serving those less fortunate. They have witnessed parents with plenty, and those who struggle on a single income because they truly believe that God has called them…and He always provides.
They have friends who head to Dominican Republic or Guatemala every summer as missionaries and friends who man the counters of fast food restaurants to pay for their insurance. They have visited aquariums with groups of 40 and played at an apple orchard with a group of 5. They are aware of life around them. Co-op has given them much of this.
So many people who oppose homeschooling are completely unaware that something like homeschool co-ops even exist. Again, I’m not sure why the media hasn’t covered this aspect of homeschool as much as they cover the homeschooling mom who never teaches her kids, but sleeps until 11 and hangs out with them while watching soaps all day. As I’ve stated in other posts, I’ve never met a single mom who “homeschools” this way. Not one. And yet, I’ve met hundreds of homeschooling families via homeschool co-ops. It’s a conundrum why they single out the worst, and never reveal the much more popular, and common, best.
Homeschool co-ops can be large, small, academic, artsy, fun or serious. The best thing about them is they can be whatever your children need. You can bet that if you need it, so does another homeschooling family. Co-ops are the opportunity that so many non-homeschoolers know nothing about.
I sincerely pray that this has helped and encouraged someone. I also pray that this post will open the eyes of any who say that homeschooling closes children away from the world. In fact, homeschooling does just the opposite…but, I’d say that post may have to wait for another day!
Me and my youngest daughter on a homeschool day!
Homeschool band at Converse College…my boys are trumpet players and my oldest daughter will be a flute player next year!
When others push that we should do things THEIR way, my typical answer is this… “Well, sure. I’ll send my kids to institutionalized learning just as soon as you homeschool yours for the same length of time you’d like to tell me how to educate my own children”. As you’ve probably guessed, I get two responses. The first, and most typical, is complete indignation as though they can’t even imagine that I’d think that was OK. (yet, it never crosses their minds that my choices are JUST as valid as theirs) Or response number two is that they’d never even realized they were pushing their views off on me and judging me without having a clue about me. They just assumed because I was the one educating in the less traditional way that I MUST be the one who was “wrong”.
Now, hear my heart. I believe just as strongly about how I educate my kids as the parents who strongly disagree with me. Statistically, homeschoolers are getting a better education, so we can just skip over that part and address the socialization issues that seem to plague people who do not even homeschool. (that’s weird, right?!) But, I do agree that not every parent should homeschool, nor would ever think to push that view onto someone who wasn’t homeschooling. I genuinely believe that homeschooling is a ministry that only the Lord can call you into. Otherwise, you’d never stick to it.
With all that being said, let’s cover the number one place that many homeschoolers across the United States get that all important…SOCIALIZATION. …insert dramatic music there, if you’d like…
Let’s establish the actual definition of socialization before we go another step together: The process of learning one’s culture and how to live within it; The act of interacting with others, of being social. Simply learning the language of our culture, as well as writing and simple math, is the first step in socialization. I’d say, based on current test scores, that homeschoolers are ahead of the game on that one, so we can move to the next step of interacting with others and actually BEING social.
Homeschool co-ops are a very popular, and active, part of many homeschoolers lives. It’s a shame that the MSM doesn’t focus on them more, instead of the wife swap stories that currently hit the news. Homeschool co-ops are widespread within the homeschool community, so I’m not sure why they don’t get more press, actually. The one that my kids attend has as many as 120 kids involved each semester. They range from nursery age kids, all the way up to high school age students. Last year, my sons high school classes had 18 homeschoolers in them. My youngest had 22 in her K-5 class. That was actually bigger than I’d like the class to be..but, I digress.
Most co-ops meet weekly and cover a diverse range of subjects. Some homeschool co-ops cover academics, while others are more arts driven. Here are websites of two co-ops that we love: http://starsco-op.com/default.aspx and fcehomeschoolers.webs.com . The first is a more academic minded co-op, while the second is strictly an arts based one. Each meet weekly, and each have a fee to join, as well as class fees. Both hire outside teachers, as well as have parentally run classes.
Co-ops provide the kids with class instruction, as well as the opportunity to make friendships that last for years. My oldest, whose almost 16, has known most of his friends since he was in elementary school…just like institutionalized learning. They get invited to birthday parties, go on field trips, and share Facebook and email accounts to chat all afternoon.
My children have learned Spanish by a lady who lived in Spain for 3 years as a missionary. They have played with Polynesian children, mixed kids, black kids, Latino children, etc… They aren’t missing out on cultural diversity, nor being raised to believe that only Caucasian children exist. They have sat down with our County coroner and learned the horrors that drinking and driving bring. They have served their community by picking up trashy roads, and serving those less fortunate. They have witnessed parents with plenty, and those who struggle on a single income because they truly believe that God has called them…and He always provides.
They have friends who head to Dominican Republic or Guatemala every summer as missionaries and friends who man the counters of fast food restaurants to pay for their insurance. They have visited aquariums with groups of 40 and played at an apple orchard with a group of 5. They are aware of life around them. Co-op has given them much of this.
So many people who oppose homeschooling are completely unaware that something like homeschool co-ops even exist. Again, I’m not sure why the media hasn’t covered this aspect of homeschool as much as they cover the homeschooling mom who never teaches her kids, but sleeps until 11 and hangs out with them while watching soaps all day. As I’ve stated in other posts, I’ve never met a single mom who “homeschools” this way. Not one. And yet, I’ve met hundreds of homeschooling families via homeschool co-ops. It’s a conundrum why they single out the worst, and never reveal the much more popular, and common, best.
Homeschool co-ops can be large, small, academic, artsy, fun or serious. The best thing about them is they can be whatever your children need. You can bet that if you need it, so does another homeschooling family. Co-ops are the opportunity that so many non-homeschoolers know nothing about.
I sincerely pray that this has helped and encouraged someone. I also pray that this post will open the eyes of any who say that homeschooling closes children away from the world. In fact, homeschooling does just the opposite…but, I’d say that post may have to wait for another day!
Me and my youngest daughter on a homeschool day!
Home's Cool...
I suppose the best way to start a homeschooling blog is to address some of the most common questions about homeschooling. You know the ones..."What about socialization?", "Are you qualified to teach your own kids?", and "How do you know they're getting what they need?". Honestly, after 8 years of homeschooling, these seem a little silly to me, but I get how they could be something that someone who knows nothing about homeschooling would wonder. If for no other reason than because these are the media driven questions and we all know the media is honest, trustworthy and non-biased. (sorry, couldn't resist a little sarcasm there...)
First, let me say that the Wife Swap characters aren't indicative of any homeschooling mom that I've ever known, met or seen in passing on the street. Just sayin... I have never met a homeschooling mother who got up at 10, dressed in PJ's all day and didn't actually own a single curriculum. I'm not saying they don't exist...just that, perhaps, they are much more rare than the ratings of Wife Swap would have the general public believe. And before anyone thinks that maybe I just don't know that many homeschoolers, I'm also the director of the largest co-op in the Upstate of South Carolina, as well as the leader of our local chapter of the National Homeschool Honor Society. I've met a lot of homeschoolers.
For those of you unfamiliar with a homeschool co-op, I'll give a brief synopsis of what that is: A co-op is when local parents come together and plan activities and classes for their homeschoolers. The one that I direct meets weekly, has a nominal fee to join, as well as basic class fees. We offer everything from art, Geometry, Driver's Education, debate and science labs. We pool our money and offer whatever classes are the most wanted. For Geometry, Driver's Education and art, we had either certified teachers and instructors or retired teachers who were willing to come and teach our kids. There are also classes that are taught by parents. Things like elementary grammar, drama, middle school science and high school English Lit. It's a group effort, and the kids spend all day together, once a week. I'm sure you've already connected the socialization dots.
Many parents who've only experienced institutionalized learning also question the parents ability to teach their kids. Well, aside from the obvious statistics that say homeschoolers are academically more successful than their counterparts, I can only assume that most non-home educators are unaware of curriculum choices to homeschoolers. We have access to anything that public/private schools have, and then some. We purchase the same teachers manuals, the same lesson planners and the same student texts.
The biggest difference is that we have a much broader range of curriculums to choose from simply because we don't have a governmental agency telling us what our kids should learn and how they should be "standardized". As a side note, who WANTS to be standardized? And yes, homeschoolers also take the IOWA and Stanford tests, if they choose to do so. Some don't, and that's their prerogative. Some do, and that's theirs.
I'll write more about athletics, the arts, etc...later, but here's a short list of what we have available for all you sport and art nuts out there who are thinking of home education. We have a well-known local college who offers music lessons, music appreciation classes and band. Converse College is not alone in its efforts to provide homeschoolers with great art opportunities, either. The Tryon, NC art center provides art, drama and video production classes once a week, specifically for homeschoolers ages K4-9th grade. We have a very successful Varsity basketball team, JV and Varsity baseball teams and Upwards soccer for younger kids.
There's dance, gymnastics (very popular in the homeschooling community), Lego clubs and horse riding lessons. If you don't have equestrian trails in your area, I'm sure some other common local activity could replace that.
I'll probably devote an entire post to this next activity, so I won't include much here, but the NCFCA national homeschool debate teams are another huge bonus to homeschooling families with high schoolers. You can Google that name and get more info than you probably care to see. :)
Aside from all that, the biggest boon for homeschoolers is, ironically, also the one that we get the most questions about: Are you qualified to teach your own kid? Now, don't get me wrong. I actually don't think that every family should homeschool. I don't think it's for everyone and many parents simply aren't disciplined enough to take on something as large as your children's education. However, most of them are. Even the ones who simply don't want to. I love my kids in a way no one else ever will. I WANT the best for them. Why in the world would anyone question a parent, who has chosen to dedicate their lives to raising and educating their children, as being unable to do so? It actually makes no sense, but there you have it.
To put it bluntly, most of the people you knew in school have no impact on your life in any way if you're a grown adult with a life. Most of the people you know are family or work related. Education's entire purpose is to prepare you to be a productive citizen who has something to contribute. Education has never been, nor should it ever be, about hanging out with your buddies. There's a time and place for that. Obviously, the mentality toward education isn't working. Why continue to pretend that it is? No one but our kids are suffering for those efforts. Let's drop the pretenses and at least try to see that homeschooling can be a better alternative in many cases. Not to mention it actually wasn't the original "alternative". Homeschooling has been around MUCH longer than any other form of education.
Finally, I'll cover another one of OUR reasons for homeschooling. Travel. Plain and simple. We love to travel and wanted our kids to see that the world is a big place, filled with unique people and different cultures. They've been to Mexico, Belize, Roatan, all over the Caribbean and we're currently planning a 2 week trip to Yellowstone and Teton National parks. Alaska is also on our radar within the next 2 years, possibly Italy if we can get the funds without breaking the savings account.
They've swam with dolphins, snorkeled with stingrays, seen Mayan ruins and cruised the River Wallace. They didn't just look at it on a map or read about it in a science book. They DID it. They loved it and want more of it. Let's face it people...home's cool!
First, let me say that the Wife Swap characters aren't indicative of any homeschooling mom that I've ever known, met or seen in passing on the street. Just sayin... I have never met a homeschooling mother who got up at 10, dressed in PJ's all day and didn't actually own a single curriculum. I'm not saying they don't exist...just that, perhaps, they are much more rare than the ratings of Wife Swap would have the general public believe. And before anyone thinks that maybe I just don't know that many homeschoolers, I'm also the director of the largest co-op in the Upstate of South Carolina, as well as the leader of our local chapter of the National Homeschool Honor Society. I've met a lot of homeschoolers.
For those of you unfamiliar with a homeschool co-op, I'll give a brief synopsis of what that is: A co-op is when local parents come together and plan activities and classes for their homeschoolers. The one that I direct meets weekly, has a nominal fee to join, as well as basic class fees. We offer everything from art, Geometry, Driver's Education, debate and science labs. We pool our money and offer whatever classes are the most wanted. For Geometry, Driver's Education and art, we had either certified teachers and instructors or retired teachers who were willing to come and teach our kids. There are also classes that are taught by parents. Things like elementary grammar, drama, middle school science and high school English Lit. It's a group effort, and the kids spend all day together, once a week. I'm sure you've already connected the socialization dots.
Many parents who've only experienced institutionalized learning also question the parents ability to teach their kids. Well, aside from the obvious statistics that say homeschoolers are academically more successful than their counterparts, I can only assume that most non-home educators are unaware of curriculum choices to homeschoolers. We have access to anything that public/private schools have, and then some. We purchase the same teachers manuals, the same lesson planners and the same student texts.
The biggest difference is that we have a much broader range of curriculums to choose from simply because we don't have a governmental agency telling us what our kids should learn and how they should be "standardized". As a side note, who WANTS to be standardized? And yes, homeschoolers also take the IOWA and Stanford tests, if they choose to do so. Some don't, and that's their prerogative. Some do, and that's theirs.
I'll write more about athletics, the arts, etc...later, but here's a short list of what we have available for all you sport and art nuts out there who are thinking of home education. We have a well-known local college who offers music lessons, music appreciation classes and band. Converse College is not alone in its efforts to provide homeschoolers with great art opportunities, either. The Tryon, NC art center provides art, drama and video production classes once a week, specifically for homeschoolers ages K4-9th grade. We have a very successful Varsity basketball team, JV and Varsity baseball teams and Upwards soccer for younger kids.
There's dance, gymnastics (very popular in the homeschooling community), Lego clubs and horse riding lessons. If you don't have equestrian trails in your area, I'm sure some other common local activity could replace that.
I'll probably devote an entire post to this next activity, so I won't include much here, but the NCFCA national homeschool debate teams are another huge bonus to homeschooling families with high schoolers. You can Google that name and get more info than you probably care to see. :)
Aside from all that, the biggest boon for homeschoolers is, ironically, also the one that we get the most questions about: Are you qualified to teach your own kid? Now, don't get me wrong. I actually don't think that every family should homeschool. I don't think it's for everyone and many parents simply aren't disciplined enough to take on something as large as your children's education. However, most of them are. Even the ones who simply don't want to. I love my kids in a way no one else ever will. I WANT the best for them. Why in the world would anyone question a parent, who has chosen to dedicate their lives to raising and educating their children, as being unable to do so? It actually makes no sense, but there you have it.
To put it bluntly, most of the people you knew in school have no impact on your life in any way if you're a grown adult with a life. Most of the people you know are family or work related. Education's entire purpose is to prepare you to be a productive citizen who has something to contribute. Education has never been, nor should it ever be, about hanging out with your buddies. There's a time and place for that. Obviously, the mentality toward education isn't working. Why continue to pretend that it is? No one but our kids are suffering for those efforts. Let's drop the pretenses and at least try to see that homeschooling can be a better alternative in many cases. Not to mention it actually wasn't the original "alternative". Homeschooling has been around MUCH longer than any other form of education.
Finally, I'll cover another one of OUR reasons for homeschooling. Travel. Plain and simple. We love to travel and wanted our kids to see that the world is a big place, filled with unique people and different cultures. They've been to Mexico, Belize, Roatan, all over the Caribbean and we're currently planning a 2 week trip to Yellowstone and Teton National parks. Alaska is also on our radar within the next 2 years, possibly Italy if we can get the funds without breaking the savings account.
They've swam with dolphins, snorkeled with stingrays, seen Mayan ruins and cruised the River Wallace. They didn't just look at it on a map or read about it in a science book. They DID it. They loved it and want more of it. Let's face it people...home's cool!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)