The Lost FilesPrologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 1
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 2
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 1
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 2
Chapter 5: Socialization? Part 1
Chapter 5: Socialization? Part 2
Chapter 6 : I thought I already knew my children! Part 1
In preparing to homeschool, I read 30 or more books on the subject. My husband would tell you, when I get my mind set on learning about something, that I put all of my time and energy into it. My quest to learn everything about homeschooling was no exception. Two months after the decision to homeschool was made I came out of my self-imposed exile and from under my stack of books ready to use the information, I had learned. It was time to test the book knowledge with real world applications.
My first responsibility, as I saw it, was to figure out how my children learned. I realized that my children are complex puzzles that I needed to decipher. There was so much to consider. One needs to understand the way a child learns. From the way they are wired to their strengths and weaknesses, their moods at different times of the day, and even their sleep habits, you need to understand them fully.
I attended a seminar where the speaker, a woman named Ruth Martin gave a talk about homeschool record keeping. She actually turned out to be a bit of a local celebrity in the homeschooling community and I was very inspired by her because she dispelled many of the stereotypes that I had heard about homeschoolers. She was not a flower child, smock-wearing, Birkenstock sporting, longhaired, cum-buy-yah singing, religious zealot, hippy freak after all. She was just like me. She was a mom, who was only concerned about giving her children an upbringing where they could be safe comfortable happy and intelligent. I was so relieved.
At the seminar, the subject of ADD Children came up and I learned that Ms. Martin assessed these children. I took some time afterwards to speak to her on this subject. She asked me to describe my child, asked her age and several other questions and said that my child sounded more creative minded (or right brained) than ADD. I realized at this point that I was not finished reading. I asked her to recommend some books to me on the subject, and she told me she could test my child sometime in the future if I was still having ADD type problems with her.
I ran home, and searched the internet frantically on information regarding Right brained vs. left brained learning and ADD. The following Journal entries describe my thoughts and initial findings on these learning traits and "disabilities". I spent some time observing and testing my kids and myself to find out more. What I learned through several online tests and speaking to experts in the field, that I too am mostly right brained, but I have several left brained tendencies. The reason I feel I have left brained tendencies is the fact I was raised to fight my right-brained tendencies. First by the nuns regularly smacked my left hand with a ruler when they saw a pencil in it, then my well-meaning parents who insisted I study "something I could make money from" besides Art. I guess we will never know how I could have further developed the right side of my brain if I had been left alone.
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Showing posts with label NFAHM lost files. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFAHM lost files. Show all posts
Chapter 5: Socialization? Part 2
The Lost FilesPrologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 1
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 2
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 1
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 2
Chapter 5: Socialization? Part 1
Chapter 5: Socialization? Part 2
Ten days before her final school year had come to completion; my daughter got a good taste of socialization as well. The school held a Bazaar project that all of the first graders participated in. They all made items to sell, which other students in the school purchased. She worked very hard for the last 3 weeks because she was so excited about this project. She had me purchase equipment to make this project. She made beaded jewelry and hair accessories. Other children however did not put as much time effort into their projects.
She sold out quickly and made $52.00 in play money. Other children ended up throwing half of their items in the garbage because they did not sell, and even they did not want them. Many of these children made less than 5 dollars. When it was her classes turn to shop with their play money, the teacher took all the money everyone made, to be distributed evenly among the classmates. I was glad I was there to console my child when she cried. Had I known the nature of this event when she started, a lesson in "fairness". I would have discouraged her from investing so much of her heart, time and my money into the project. At the end of the day, both she and I were just grateful that we were planning to start homeschooling in just two weeks.
On that day, my child learned that hard work is not always recognized. She felt cheated and dejected after she worked very hard on her project, only to see the entire class rewarded for her hard work. Some might say that she was taught to work as a group. She was not. The assignment was not presented as a group. It was given to individuals with no warning whatsoever that everyone would be sharing the outcome. It was unfair, and in her eyes, she was robbed. In essence, she was taught to not do her best.
I have had the blessed opportunity to have many children spend the night in my house. When I decided to start homeschooling, I became more mindfully observant of the differences between homeschooled children and schooled children. One Sunday evening in particular, my husband and I let our daughter spend the night with another family, and we took home two boys in addition to our own. I was actually surprised to find no one hanging from my upstairs railing, and no one is jumping from my sons loft bed. There were no loud thumps coming from my son.s room, as well as no yelling and swearing. The only noises coming from the room were sound effects to match the video game they were playing. I never thought such peace could exist happen with children in the house, not to mention three 8-year-old boys. This was new to me. They were not perfect angels, but they were incredibly well behaved. I believe that was the result of being socialized by adults rather than other children.
Why is socialization of homeschooled children so important to the general public anyway? The way outsiders tend to see it, our children may end up smart, but they will be inept to carry on an everyday conversation with someone their own age. What does it matter if they find a cure for cancer or the common cold? What about their social lives? Will they marry, and hold down long term jobs? Will they be prepared for the REAL WORLD? The last time I checked, homeschoolers were in the real world, every day in fact. They accompany their parents, are witness to how adults conduct business, and relate to each other. Because of this, when they are old enough, they often strike out by themselves and take apprenticeships and jobs long before most public school children are ready.
Nevertheless, just in case you still have doubts about socialization of homeschoolers, check out the study released this year. You can find it at www.HSLDA.org. Essentially, it says that yes, home school graduates do appear to be happier and more content than the average American. The survey could find no grown homeschoolers accepting public assistance; it also found favorable marriage rates. In addition, many people who had been homeschooled, in turn, are now homeschooling their own children.
Whether I believe the whole socialization rap homeschoolers get is valid or not, I do know enough to be sure my children "socialize" with other children their age. It would be irresponsible as a parent deny them of opportunities to have friends at his or her own level. On a regular basis, we meet with other homeschoolers for joint recreational activities like contests and science field trips. Another a perk of homeschooling children in schools seldom get exposed to, are the hours they can spend volunteering to work with the needy, which gives them a better picture of conditions that others live under. Now, that is socialization worth having.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
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What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 1
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 2
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 1
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 2
Chapter 5: Socialization? Part 1
Chapter 5: Socialization? Part 2
Ten days before her final school year had come to completion; my daughter got a good taste of socialization as well. The school held a Bazaar project that all of the first graders participated in. They all made items to sell, which other students in the school purchased. She worked very hard for the last 3 weeks because she was so excited about this project. She had me purchase equipment to make this project. She made beaded jewelry and hair accessories. Other children however did not put as much time effort into their projects.
She sold out quickly and made $52.00 in play money. Other children ended up throwing half of their items in the garbage because they did not sell, and even they did not want them. Many of these children made less than 5 dollars. When it was her classes turn to shop with their play money, the teacher took all the money everyone made, to be distributed evenly among the classmates. I was glad I was there to console my child when she cried. Had I known the nature of this event when she started, a lesson in "fairness". I would have discouraged her from investing so much of her heart, time and my money into the project. At the end of the day, both she and I were just grateful that we were planning to start homeschooling in just two weeks.
On that day, my child learned that hard work is not always recognized. She felt cheated and dejected after she worked very hard on her project, only to see the entire class rewarded for her hard work. Some might say that she was taught to work as a group. She was not. The assignment was not presented as a group. It was given to individuals with no warning whatsoever that everyone would be sharing the outcome. It was unfair, and in her eyes, she was robbed. In essence, she was taught to not do her best.
I have had the blessed opportunity to have many children spend the night in my house. When I decided to start homeschooling, I became more mindfully observant of the differences between homeschooled children and schooled children. One Sunday evening in particular, my husband and I let our daughter spend the night with another family, and we took home two boys in addition to our own. I was actually surprised to find no one hanging from my upstairs railing, and no one is jumping from my sons loft bed. There were no loud thumps coming from my son.s room, as well as no yelling and swearing. The only noises coming from the room were sound effects to match the video game they were playing. I never thought such peace could exist happen with children in the house, not to mention three 8-year-old boys. This was new to me. They were not perfect angels, but they were incredibly well behaved. I believe that was the result of being socialized by adults rather than other children.
Why is socialization of homeschooled children so important to the general public anyway? The way outsiders tend to see it, our children may end up smart, but they will be inept to carry on an everyday conversation with someone their own age. What does it matter if they find a cure for cancer or the common cold? What about their social lives? Will they marry, and hold down long term jobs? Will they be prepared for the REAL WORLD? The last time I checked, homeschoolers were in the real world, every day in fact. They accompany their parents, are witness to how adults conduct business, and relate to each other. Because of this, when they are old enough, they often strike out by themselves and take apprenticeships and jobs long before most public school children are ready.
Nevertheless, just in case you still have doubts about socialization of homeschoolers, check out the study released this year. You can find it at www.HSLDA.org. Essentially, it says that yes, home school graduates do appear to be happier and more content than the average American. The survey could find no grown homeschoolers accepting public assistance; it also found favorable marriage rates. In addition, many people who had been homeschooled, in turn, are now homeschooling their own children.
Whether I believe the whole socialization rap homeschoolers get is valid or not, I do know enough to be sure my children "socialize" with other children their age. It would be irresponsible as a parent deny them of opportunities to have friends at his or her own level. On a regular basis, we meet with other homeschoolers for joint recreational activities like contests and science field trips. Another a perk of homeschooling children in schools seldom get exposed to, are the hours they can spend volunteering to work with the needy, which gives them a better picture of conditions that others live under. Now, that is socialization worth having.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
Socialization? (NFAHM lost files)
The Lost Files
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 1
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 2
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 1
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 2
Chapter 5: Socialization?
Most people insist that homeschoolers do not receive socialization that children in schools receive. This makes no sense to me. (Socialization means the adoption of behavior patterns of the surrounding culture.) So in socializing children, we are putting them together to adopt the behavior of all of the children around them? Personally, I would prefer that I be their surrounding culture and they can adopt my behavior.
Growing up, I had my own personal experiences with socialization. In first grade, I found out about guilt by association. Because I received a group spanking in class, I learned to go ahead and get in trouble anyway. In second grade, I learned that children could be cruel. They teased me because of my chronic sinus infections and special shoes. I learned to be cruel first. In third grade, I got beat up for being teacher's pet. This taught me to be rude to teachers. In fourth grade, the children called my mother fat. I learned to be ashamed of her. In fifth grade, I was beat up for not accepting a gift from a boy. I learned not to say no to men. In sixth grade, I made a friend who I used to sneak off the school grounds with at lunchtime. I learned how to effectively lie when we were caught. In seventh grade, I was nearly suspended for repeating that a classmate was pregnant. (The nuns reprimanded me and tried to convince the class that she had a tumor). A year later when I saw her cute little "tumor" all dressed up in pink, I learned that adults lie to children. In 8th grade, our teacher disappeared mid year, I learned that I was not valued enough to say goodbye.
Before I even stepped a foot into high school, I was well socialized. These are not the lessons that I want my children to learn. Lessons like these, ruin a child's self-esteem, and kill their desire to do their best. I realize that some of these "lessons" cannot be avoided forever, but they do not have to be ingrained into the child’s character.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 1
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 2
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 1
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 2
Chapter 5: Socialization?
Most people insist that homeschoolers do not receive socialization that children in schools receive. This makes no sense to me. (Socialization means the adoption of behavior patterns of the surrounding culture.) So in socializing children, we are putting them together to adopt the behavior of all of the children around them? Personally, I would prefer that I be their surrounding culture and they can adopt my behavior.
Growing up, I had my own personal experiences with socialization. In first grade, I found out about guilt by association. Because I received a group spanking in class, I learned to go ahead and get in trouble anyway. In second grade, I learned that children could be cruel. They teased me because of my chronic sinus infections and special shoes. I learned to be cruel first. In third grade, I got beat up for being teacher's pet. This taught me to be rude to teachers. In fourth grade, the children called my mother fat. I learned to be ashamed of her. In fifth grade, I was beat up for not accepting a gift from a boy. I learned not to say no to men. In sixth grade, I made a friend who I used to sneak off the school grounds with at lunchtime. I learned how to effectively lie when we were caught. In seventh grade, I was nearly suspended for repeating that a classmate was pregnant. (The nuns reprimanded me and tried to convince the class that she had a tumor). A year later when I saw her cute little "tumor" all dressed up in pink, I learned that adults lie to children. In 8th grade, our teacher disappeared mid year, I learned that I was not valued enough to say goodbye.
Before I even stepped a foot into high school, I was well socialized. These are not the lessons that I want my children to learn. Lessons like these, ruin a child's self-esteem, and kill their desire to do their best. I realize that some of these "lessons" cannot be avoided forever, but they do not have to be ingrained into the child’s character.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
Best Laid Plans.... Part 2
The Lost Files
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 1
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 2
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 1
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 2
Whether we end up using these books according to my original intention or not, does not really matter, as these books are necessary in any homeschooling house. The author/ Editor of What Your Kindergarten-Sixth Grader Needs To Know, E.D. Hirsh Jr. has compiled every well-known fact in American culture such as literature, slogans, sayings, history, math and all other subjects that a child of a particular age or grade should know.
There are seven volumes in all.
The premise of these books were to create a national standard so that children in the same grade are learning the same things at the same time be it from classroom to classroom, or from state to state. In the introduction of these books, Hirsh explains how a parent of twins were concerned that they were learning completely different things and thus were both getting different and abbreviated educations with many gaps. He saw this as a sign of trouble that teachers in the same school did not know what children in other classrooms where learning on the same grade level. They also had no idea what other teachers had covered in previous grades, and what future teachers would cover.
I can identify with Hirsch's concerns as a parent who has moved from state to state across the US. My son was in three schools in three years and as far as I could tell, repeated Kindergarten three times with few exceptions. When he finally got to a school that was up to par with the first school he attended, he was lost. Therefore, having a unifying curriculum across the United States is very helpful. Having been widely acclaimed and used in public and private schools across the country, I believe it will be very useful to my children and me as we embark upon our homeschooling endeavor.
As far as the plan for unit studies using the Hirsh books, well, that fell by the wayside as well. My children have a hard time seeing me as their teacher, which in an integral part of doing unit studies. They prefer to use me as a math tutor, and a walking encyclopedia. We do still use the Kingfisher history book, because it is a major resource for history facts in our home. As for bible studies, we decided that they get enough of that in Sunday school.
Looking back at what is actually left of my original plans, you would think that our homeschooling endeavor has fallen apart. That could not be further from the truth. Instead, what we have done is adapted. The online interactive programs I was searching for ended up covering every subject completely. The children love it because they can work independently of me and of each other. Since they have each been using computer games as learning tools since 18 months of age, it was a natural thing for them to do all of their subjects online. The music and phys-ed classes have gone exactly as planned and we have recently added swimming lessons at the local YMCA, which they take with other homeschooling children.
Although many of my well laid out plans have been set aside, this was not done haphazardly. I worked with and observed the children over time, and as long as I knew that they where meeting or above their grade level in the work they where doing, I let them learn in a way that was natural and fun for them. I had to decide what was better, my ruined plans, or the children having an enjoyable learning experience. I chose the latter.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 1
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 2
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 1
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 2
Whether we end up using these books according to my original intention or not, does not really matter, as these books are necessary in any homeschooling house. The author/ Editor of What Your Kindergarten-Sixth Grader Needs To Know, E.D. Hirsh Jr. has compiled every well-known fact in American culture such as literature, slogans, sayings, history, math and all other subjects that a child of a particular age or grade should know.
There are seven volumes in all.
The premise of these books were to create a national standard so that children in the same grade are learning the same things at the same time be it from classroom to classroom, or from state to state. In the introduction of these books, Hirsh explains how a parent of twins were concerned that they were learning completely different things and thus were both getting different and abbreviated educations with many gaps. He saw this as a sign of trouble that teachers in the same school did not know what children in other classrooms where learning on the same grade level. They also had no idea what other teachers had covered in previous grades, and what future teachers would cover.
I can identify with Hirsch's concerns as a parent who has moved from state to state across the US. My son was in three schools in three years and as far as I could tell, repeated Kindergarten three times with few exceptions. When he finally got to a school that was up to par with the first school he attended, he was lost. Therefore, having a unifying curriculum across the United States is very helpful. Having been widely acclaimed and used in public and private schools across the country, I believe it will be very useful to my children and me as we embark upon our homeschooling endeavor.
As far as the plan for unit studies using the Hirsh books, well, that fell by the wayside as well. My children have a hard time seeing me as their teacher, which in an integral part of doing unit studies. They prefer to use me as a math tutor, and a walking encyclopedia. We do still use the Kingfisher history book, because it is a major resource for history facts in our home. As for bible studies, we decided that they get enough of that in Sunday school.
Looking back at what is actually left of my original plans, you would think that our homeschooling endeavor has fallen apart. That could not be further from the truth. Instead, what we have done is adapted. The online interactive programs I was searching for ended up covering every subject completely. The children love it because they can work independently of me and of each other. Since they have each been using computer games as learning tools since 18 months of age, it was a natural thing for them to do all of their subjects online. The music and phys-ed classes have gone exactly as planned and we have recently added swimming lessons at the local YMCA, which they take with other homeschooling children.
Although many of my well laid out plans have been set aside, this was not done haphazardly. I worked with and observed the children over time, and as long as I knew that they where meeting or above their grade level in the work they where doing, I let them learn in a way that was natural and fun for them. I had to decide what was better, my ruined plans, or the children having an enjoyable learning experience. I chose the latter.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
Best Laid Plans.... Part 1
The Lost Files
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 1
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 2
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 1
Being a planner by nature, I decided to come up with a curriculum plan for the first year of homeschooling my children. I started by writing objectives for my daughter’s second grade year. As a starting point, I used the book; What Your Second Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch. This is a very popular book within both the home schooled and schooled communities and is a great gauge to help you know if your child’s knowledge in is line with their peers.
I also integrated the Kingfisher Illustrated History Encyclopedia (an illustrated history book for children that follows history from pre-historic times to middle Ages) as the basis for our historical knowledge from which unit studies will be taken. Unit studies included, spelling, reading, vocabulary, grammar, geography, religion- drawing parallels form the bible as we study ancient history, fine arts, and science, which would entail discovering science through the ages. Our Children.s Bible, KJV Bible, the Library and the Internet were also to be used as resources. For math, I searched for a good interactive online, or CD run program because math had to be visual for Jordan.
My son (entering "grade 4") also followed the same unit studies but at a more in depth level. I used the fourth grade Hirsh book to write his curriculum as well. He also wanted a computer program for math. We planned to find a Latin computer program as well. For phys Ed, they already took Tae Kwon Do and we have dogs we need to walk and run. In addition, we were looking into at least one more outside activity each.
For music, they both take piano, and the Hirsh books, have sections on music appreciation we will use. My son also plans to add Flute to his daily music practice.
Once I figured out these plans, I made checklists for each item we planed to cover, and allowed extra line items for impromptu additions so my year-end reports would pretty much do themselves. Now, we were ready to start homeschooling!
It is nice to have a plan, isn't it? My plans however, were apparently adaptable. Some of the ideas stuck, some have not. I purchased the entire Hirsch series of books from Kindergarten to 6th grade. My kids love them, but we are not using them to in our curriculums, though it was a good idea. That could change in the future though. I find these curriculum books in strange places throughout the house. I have found them
under the kid's beds, in bathrooms, and even in the basement. It seems they like to read them to check what they know, but in no particular order at all. My second grader may be caught curled up at anytime, anywhere, deeply involved in the 5th grade book, and my fourth grader may just decide to read a fable from the Kindergarten book. Since they are reading, I do my best to not tell them what they are reading is wrong.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 1
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 2
Chapter 4: Best Laid Plans.... Part 1
Being a planner by nature, I decided to come up with a curriculum plan for the first year of homeschooling my children. I started by writing objectives for my daughter’s second grade year. As a starting point, I used the book; What Your Second Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch. This is a very popular book within both the home schooled and schooled communities and is a great gauge to help you know if your child’s knowledge in is line with their peers.
I also integrated the Kingfisher Illustrated History Encyclopedia (an illustrated history book for children that follows history from pre-historic times to middle Ages) as the basis for our historical knowledge from which unit studies will be taken. Unit studies included, spelling, reading, vocabulary, grammar, geography, religion- drawing parallels form the bible as we study ancient history, fine arts, and science, which would entail discovering science through the ages. Our Children.s Bible, KJV Bible, the Library and the Internet were also to be used as resources. For math, I searched for a good interactive online, or CD run program because math had to be visual for Jordan.
My son (entering "grade 4") also followed the same unit studies but at a more in depth level. I used the fourth grade Hirsh book to write his curriculum as well. He also wanted a computer program for math. We planned to find a Latin computer program as well. For phys Ed, they already took Tae Kwon Do and we have dogs we need to walk and run. In addition, we were looking into at least one more outside activity each.
For music, they both take piano, and the Hirsh books, have sections on music appreciation we will use. My son also plans to add Flute to his daily music practice.
Once I figured out these plans, I made checklists for each item we planed to cover, and allowed extra line items for impromptu additions so my year-end reports would pretty much do themselves. Now, we were ready to start homeschooling!
It is nice to have a plan, isn't it? My plans however, were apparently adaptable. Some of the ideas stuck, some have not. I purchased the entire Hirsch series of books from Kindergarten to 6th grade. My kids love them, but we are not using them to in our curriculums, though it was a good idea. That could change in the future though. I find these curriculum books in strange places throughout the house. I have found them
under the kid's beds, in bathrooms, and even in the basement. It seems they like to read them to check what they know, but in no particular order at all. My second grader may be caught curled up at anytime, anywhere, deeply involved in the 5th grade book, and my fourth grader may just decide to read a fable from the Kindergarten book. Since they are reading, I do my best to not tell them what they are reading is wrong.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
What Am I doing? Part 2 (nfahm: the lost files)
The Lost Files
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 1
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 2
Am I capable of doing this?
Personal history has shown that lack of patience is my biggest fault. How am I going to react when they do not feel like cooperating? What am I going to say when they have asked one too many questions on any given day? Am I going to be the one to have a tantrum when they do not understand?
My lack of organization would scare away even the very best Professional Organizer. Will I be able to remain organized enough to ensure my kids learn everything they should know. Will I leave big holes in their education because I forgot, or missed something? Will projects started with the best of intentions ever get completed?
My children will be witness to nearly everything I do and say in the course of a day. If I am going to mold them into the people I want them to become, I am going to have to make some serious changes to who I am. Can I do this?
What about my needs?
My business will have to become secondary at best. How could such sacrifices be good for my children? Will I become unhappy, and take my frustrations out on them? How will I handle the loss of private time, and privacy? I have finally gotten to a point in my career as an artist where I am comfortable with my talent and myself. I am enjoying the spare time that being my own boss affords. I have worked so hard for this. Must I really put this off for other 10 or more years?
Am I afraid?
I had better be. I am now completely responsible for my children’s upbringing. I have no one to blame but myself if things go wrong. I have always been completely responsible, but I am now accepting that responsibility. However, my fears all subside the moment the day begins.
My daughter waddles down the stairs calmly, and perches herself at the computer next to mine, and pulls up her lessons website. She starts singing something, usually loudly and off key, and breezes through yet another math, language arts or science lesson. Sometimes she asks me questions, some times, she does not, but she gets the work done. Even though it is done through much noise, wiggling, singing, and even a few short breaks to go to the bathroom pet the cat, or grab a bite to eat. I have to urge her a bit to get her to practice the piano, and I have to urge her even more to get her to go outside and play. That is when I realize she is happy. She is content to just sit and be. Much of her nervous energy is gone she no longer believes she is defective as she had learned in school.
Then there is my son, who, as soon as he gets up, he has to walk the dogs. If he does not, he has to deal with whatever the nasty consequences will be, and it could be nasty... not to mention stinky! He then follows his sister on the computer after playing the piano first. He chooses for him self whatever subject(s) he is in the mood for today. He might decide to do four units of math or he might decide to split his time evenly between math, social studies, science, and language arts, or like today, he may spend the hours working on "brain busters" which encourage problem-solving skills. He has learned to be self sufficient and responsible at a young age.
I know that my worries are no more than just doubts. I am smart enough to go outside of myself for help with patience, organization, and even time with other children. Yet somehow, the panic sets in daily upon my waking. Now when I awake I say to myself, "I am creating people with strong self esteem that will be better able to deal with the real world. I am helping my children grow into productive adults, instead of them learning to act like children, from children. In a world where there is an epidemic of young people not ’making it’ I have chosen to change the odds for my kids - one day at a time." Those words always make me feel better!
There is so much more to homeschooling than that, of course, but my daily mental exercise helps me to experience the difficulties of homeschooling without losing my stride. No, I am not a saint. I am your typical mom, a woman with talents and ambitions who could just as easily be out in the world concentrating on a career and trusting the system to educate my kids. But since I have seen with my own eyes that the system was not working, I figured that though I did not know if I could do any better, I knew I could do it differently at the very least.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 1
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 2
Am I capable of doing this?
Personal history has shown that lack of patience is my biggest fault. How am I going to react when they do not feel like cooperating? What am I going to say when they have asked one too many questions on any given day? Am I going to be the one to have a tantrum when they do not understand?
My lack of organization would scare away even the very best Professional Organizer. Will I be able to remain organized enough to ensure my kids learn everything they should know. Will I leave big holes in their education because I forgot, or missed something? Will projects started with the best of intentions ever get completed?
My children will be witness to nearly everything I do and say in the course of a day. If I am going to mold them into the people I want them to become, I am going to have to make some serious changes to who I am. Can I do this?
What about my needs?
My business will have to become secondary at best. How could such sacrifices be good for my children? Will I become unhappy, and take my frustrations out on them? How will I handle the loss of private time, and privacy? I have finally gotten to a point in my career as an artist where I am comfortable with my talent and myself. I am enjoying the spare time that being my own boss affords. I have worked so hard for this. Must I really put this off for other 10 or more years?
Am I afraid?
I had better be. I am now completely responsible for my children’s upbringing. I have no one to blame but myself if things go wrong. I have always been completely responsible, but I am now accepting that responsibility. However, my fears all subside the moment the day begins.
My daughter waddles down the stairs calmly, and perches herself at the computer next to mine, and pulls up her lessons website. She starts singing something, usually loudly and off key, and breezes through yet another math, language arts or science lesson. Sometimes she asks me questions, some times, she does not, but she gets the work done. Even though it is done through much noise, wiggling, singing, and even a few short breaks to go to the bathroom pet the cat, or grab a bite to eat. I have to urge her a bit to get her to practice the piano, and I have to urge her even more to get her to go outside and play. That is when I realize she is happy. She is content to just sit and be. Much of her nervous energy is gone she no longer believes she is defective as she had learned in school.
Then there is my son, who, as soon as he gets up, he has to walk the dogs. If he does not, he has to deal with whatever the nasty consequences will be, and it could be nasty... not to mention stinky! He then follows his sister on the computer after playing the piano first. He chooses for him self whatever subject(s) he is in the mood for today. He might decide to do four units of math or he might decide to split his time evenly between math, social studies, science, and language arts, or like today, he may spend the hours working on "brain busters" which encourage problem-solving skills. He has learned to be self sufficient and responsible at a young age.
I know that my worries are no more than just doubts. I am smart enough to go outside of myself for help with patience, organization, and even time with other children. Yet somehow, the panic sets in daily upon my waking. Now when I awake I say to myself, "I am creating people with strong self esteem that will be better able to deal with the real world. I am helping my children grow into productive adults, instead of them learning to act like children, from children. In a world where there is an epidemic of young people not ’making it’ I have chosen to change the odds for my kids - one day at a time." Those words always make me feel better!
There is so much more to homeschooling than that, of course, but my daily mental exercise helps me to experience the difficulties of homeschooling without losing my stride. No, I am not a saint. I am your typical mom, a woman with talents and ambitions who could just as easily be out in the world concentrating on a career and trusting the system to educate my kids. But since I have seen with my own eyes that the system was not working, I figured that though I did not know if I could do any better, I knew I could do it differently at the very least.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
What Am I doing? Part 1 (nfahm lost files)
The Lost Files
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 1
What am I doing?
I asked myself, that question on that first morning after the decision was final. We (or
rather I) were going to homeschool our children. "No one is holding a gun to your head";
I told myself; "you are making your life harder than it has to be" "Why have I chosen to
home school your children, and what do they lose by staying home?"
Looking back to when I was pregnant with Jackson, our son and first child, my husband
suggested we try homeschooling, as we had already agreed that I would stay home and
not use childcare. Why not keep going, he asked. What I said to him in response was not
nice. I felt homeschooling would make me a prisoner to my children, and it was not in the
original deal when we decided to have kids. No way, by the time they where old enough
for preschool, you had better believe they would be enrolled. Staying home until then
would fulfill my duties as a mother, by getting them started on the right foot. After that,
my only responsibility would be to pick the best schools we could afford and to help with
homework.
That is all different now. After living in several states, and attending several schools in
many different school systems, both private and public, it was painfully clear school was
not working for our children. We had one child, Jackson who could obviously advance
quickly if given the opportunity, and another who we were told needed to be tested for
ADHD and medicated. The schools could not provide what either child needed''' one-on-one attention. I could see that clearly, finally. So I braved all the "I told-you-so’s" from
my husband and together we made the decision for me to cut back on my outside
responsibilities and activities to homeschool our children.
What about them?
Thoughts continually flooded my head trying to convince me my kids would be better off
in school with trained teachers and kids their own age. After all, I am impatient, unorganized,
and needy. Couldn’t a trained teacher give them more than I have to offer?
Will I be able to teach them as much as they could learn in school? Am I destroying their
future? What could I possibly have to offer these children that a school cannot?
What about socialization?
Will they become lonely from spending less time with kids their age? Will they become
sullen, withdrawn and shy? Will they become super-nerds, yet find themselves unable to
carry on a normal conversation? How will they learn how to interact with people their
own age?
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Chapter 3: What Am I doing? Part 1
What am I doing?
I asked myself, that question on that first morning after the decision was final. We (or
rather I) were going to homeschool our children. "No one is holding a gun to your head";
I told myself; "you are making your life harder than it has to be" "Why have I chosen to
home school your children, and what do they lose by staying home?"
Looking back to when I was pregnant with Jackson, our son and first child, my husband
suggested we try homeschooling, as we had already agreed that I would stay home and
not use childcare. Why not keep going, he asked. What I said to him in response was not
nice. I felt homeschooling would make me a prisoner to my children, and it was not in the
original deal when we decided to have kids. No way, by the time they where old enough
for preschool, you had better believe they would be enrolled. Staying home until then
would fulfill my duties as a mother, by getting them started on the right foot. After that,
my only responsibility would be to pick the best schools we could afford and to help with
homework.
That is all different now. After living in several states, and attending several schools in
many different school systems, both private and public, it was painfully clear school was
not working for our children. We had one child, Jackson who could obviously advance
quickly if given the opportunity, and another who we were told needed to be tested for
ADHD and medicated. The schools could not provide what either child needed''' one-on-one attention. I could see that clearly, finally. So I braved all the "I told-you-so’s" from
my husband and together we made the decision for me to cut back on my outside
responsibilities and activities to homeschool our children.
What about them?
Thoughts continually flooded my head trying to convince me my kids would be better off
in school with trained teachers and kids their own age. After all, I am impatient, unorganized,
and needy. Couldn’t a trained teacher give them more than I have to offer?
Will I be able to teach them as much as they could learn in school? Am I destroying their
future? What could I possibly have to offer these children that a school cannot?
What about socialization?
Will they become lonely from spending less time with kids their age? Will they become
sullen, withdrawn and shy? Will they become super-nerds, yet find themselves unable to
carry on a normal conversation? How will they learn how to interact with people their
own age?
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
Background Influences (nfahm the lost files)
The Lost Files
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Looking back at my own upbringing, I remember being in a Special Ed class for first grade, mostly because I refused to speak during the placement test. I wasted away there for 7 months until the fateful day when a substitute teacher called in a male teacher from across the hall to discipline us.
Now from what I can remember, although it was almost 30 years ago, the class needed discipline. The children were running around like wild animals, jumping off desks and yelling and screaming. I even remember children going in the storage closet to inspect each other’s genitals. Yes, in 1st grade. The teacher took out his paddle, sat down in a low chair, lined us all up, and paddled us. An hour later, I was the only child still crying and the teachers became concerned. This is when the substitute teacher remembered I had been sitting there the whole time, just watching the ruckus. I had not deserved a paddling.
The teachers kissed me, they hugged me, and they did everything they could possibly think of to console me. Then, at the end of the day, they asked me not to tell my mother. My older brother picked me up and automatically knew something was wrong. By that evening, I had told my mother, and resumed to crying for hours. As my brother walked me into school the next morning, we saw my mother leaving the school. She had apparently sent us off on foot, and then drove to the school by herself so as not to embarrass us. When I walked into the classroom, there were several teachers there, visibly shaken, and they looked at me and said, "We thought we asked you not to tell".
Later, Mom told us about how she simply lifted the man up with one hand by his collar and hung him on the chalkboard hook by the back of his collar and tie. Then she proceeded to threaten his life if he ever touched her child again.
Later that day, I was tested and placed in the accelerated classes where I should have been in the first place. The month was May. Come September, I found myself in Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School. Catholic School was much better if you do not count the scowling nuns who caused me to have mild schizophrenia, by telling me one moment to speak up and the next moment that ladies should not speak so loudly. The daily beatings and taunting by the other Catholic School angels did not help either.
My husband’s story is not very different from mine. He tells me stories about having his Jamaican accent beaten out of him on the school ground. He escaped middle school with a broken tooth and a few permanent self- esteem scars. You can see why I am so sensitive toward my children’s educational environment. Even with this background, I sent my children off into the public school system. In doing so, I have watched my sons bright eyed enthusiasm for the world turn into little more than a flicker. His excellent grades have also dropped to below average in three years time. My daughter on the other hand has the kind of exuberance that cannot be squashed, and so she is labeled as a problem child and a disruption. Then they tell me not to worry. All children fall short somewhere.
Perhaps all children do fall short somewhere. However, all children excel somewhere as well. I will approach my children’s education by seeking the areas where they excel, instead of emphasizing the areas where they falls short.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Chapter 1: What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
Chapter 2: Background Influences
Looking back at my own upbringing, I remember being in a Special Ed class for first grade, mostly because I refused to speak during the placement test. I wasted away there for 7 months until the fateful day when a substitute teacher called in a male teacher from across the hall to discipline us.
Now from what I can remember, although it was almost 30 years ago, the class needed discipline. The children were running around like wild animals, jumping off desks and yelling and screaming. I even remember children going in the storage closet to inspect each other’s genitals. Yes, in 1st grade. The teacher took out his paddle, sat down in a low chair, lined us all up, and paddled us. An hour later, I was the only child still crying and the teachers became concerned. This is when the substitute teacher remembered I had been sitting there the whole time, just watching the ruckus. I had not deserved a paddling.
The teachers kissed me, they hugged me, and they did everything they could possibly think of to console me. Then, at the end of the day, they asked me not to tell my mother. My older brother picked me up and automatically knew something was wrong. By that evening, I had told my mother, and resumed to crying for hours. As my brother walked me into school the next morning, we saw my mother leaving the school. She had apparently sent us off on foot, and then drove to the school by herself so as not to embarrass us. When I walked into the classroom, there were several teachers there, visibly shaken, and they looked at me and said, "We thought we asked you not to tell".
Later, Mom told us about how she simply lifted the man up with one hand by his collar and hung him on the chalkboard hook by the back of his collar and tie. Then she proceeded to threaten his life if he ever touched her child again.
Later that day, I was tested and placed in the accelerated classes where I should have been in the first place. The month was May. Come September, I found myself in Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School. Catholic School was much better if you do not count the scowling nuns who caused me to have mild schizophrenia, by telling me one moment to speak up and the next moment that ladies should not speak so loudly. The daily beatings and taunting by the other Catholic School angels did not help either.
My husband’s story is not very different from mine. He tells me stories about having his Jamaican accent beaten out of him on the school ground. He escaped middle school with a broken tooth and a few permanent self- esteem scars. You can see why I am so sensitive toward my children’s educational environment. Even with this background, I sent my children off into the public school system. In doing so, I have watched my sons bright eyed enthusiasm for the world turn into little more than a flicker. His excellent grades have also dropped to below average in three years time. My daughter on the other hand has the kind of exuberance that cannot be squashed, and so she is labeled as a problem child and a disruption. Then they tell me not to worry. All children fall short somewhere.
Perhaps all children do fall short somewhere. However, all children excel somewhere as well. I will approach my children’s education by seeking the areas where they excel, instead of emphasizing the areas where they falls short.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 2
(this post comes from the journal I wrote in my first 18 months of homeschooling)
The Lost Files
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
At this point one year ago, we realized there was nothing we could do to help our
children excel within the school system. Looking at our own educational history and that of relatives and friends with similar backgrounds as ourselves, it was apparent that problems this early on in ones academic career meant sure failure in the end. We had to do something and we had to do it now. We decided to homeschool our children.
A year has passed since we made the decision. We had them stay in school for the
remainder of the year in order to do research, and to prepare for the great task of teaching our kids. This was not an easy endeavor by any means. The time I spent reading and doing research did help to prepare me for the task, but the thought of shouldering such responsibility often kept me awake at nights.
When the children left public school last May, I slowly introduced them to the idea of learning every day. I mostly gave them books and watched. Because they did not like the prospect of doing schoolwork in the summer, I did not push. Nevertheless, I did test them to find out if they had any holes in their education, and when I found such a hole (like my son having no knowledge or Roman Numerals or my daughter not understanding when to borrow in subtraction and when not to borrow) I filled in the blanks. We took the time to get a feel for each other during that first summer and when it was over, we officially started homeschooling.
At this date, one year has passed since we decided to homeschool, and it has been six months since this academic year has begun. I am proud to say that the problems we had last year this time are no more.
Jordan is still as energetic and distractible as before, but her confidence level soars. She is happy, has many friends and knows for sure that all the adults in her life absolutely adore her. We do not receive report cards any more, but other adults do assess her, so I am not just bragging. For one, her piano teacher is much happier with her progress than she was last year.
She has an easier time with the lessons now because she is not an emotional wreck by the time she gets to her lesson. Small errors do not leave her in tears thinking that she is stupid and worthless. Both the Piano teacher and her Tae Kwon Do instructor tell me that she had matured greatly in the last year. They both see marked improvement in her behavior.
Yes, she still is very hyperactive, yet she remains un-medicated. Since there is no one for her to bother while she is doing her school work, she often does it while standing, fidgeting, singing, and even jumping up and down. Such activity however has only enhanced the amount of knowledge she has been able to absorb, considering the fact that she has already finished a whole school year.
Jackson has always been mature for his age, but he is now in control over his emotions and so purposeful in his actions, instead of oversensitive and weepy like he was last year. He is very outspoken and never hesitates to ask questions from anyone and everyone who he thinks might hold a morsel of information that might be useful to him. He has many friends in church, Tae Kwon Do, and swimming class and has no problems getting along with others.
His health has also improved significantly, as he may now answer whenever nature calls. In fact he has gained a great deal of weight this year because his body is better absorbing nutrients. Our only worry now is that he may gain too much weight. The curriculum he is working on now is at 4th grade level, but he has electronic learning games that challenge him on math at 5th and 6th grade level with no problem. When he left school last year he was already reading on 7th grade level, but his comprehension was at 3rd grade level. This has is also now up to grade level.
I truly believe that had we not decided to homeschool our children that they would not have achieved these heights. They would continue to be unhappy, withdrawn, and
consider themselves as less than the brilliant children they are. What we have done is given them the freedom to learn without unnecessary rules and restrictions. They do not worry about grades and politics; they just concentrate on absorbing information.
In writing this, it is not my desire to convince you that you should homeschool your
children, but to give you support should you decide to homeschool. If you are on the
fence about whether or not you should homeschool, this book will give you a peek into this our first year as homeschoolers. You will see how we have decided to approach the endeavor and the processes that went into making decisions. If you decide not to homeschool, I hope that this can give you a bit of insight into the importance of taking charge of your children.s education. This is possible even while your children still attend public and parochial schools.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
The Lost Files
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
At this point one year ago, we realized there was nothing we could do to help our
children excel within the school system. Looking at our own educational history and that of relatives and friends with similar backgrounds as ourselves, it was apparent that problems this early on in ones academic career meant sure failure in the end. We had to do something and we had to do it now. We decided to homeschool our children.
A year has passed since we made the decision. We had them stay in school for the
remainder of the year in order to do research, and to prepare for the great task of teaching our kids. This was not an easy endeavor by any means. The time I spent reading and doing research did help to prepare me for the task, but the thought of shouldering such responsibility often kept me awake at nights.
When the children left public school last May, I slowly introduced them to the idea of learning every day. I mostly gave them books and watched. Because they did not like the prospect of doing schoolwork in the summer, I did not push. Nevertheless, I did test them to find out if they had any holes in their education, and when I found such a hole (like my son having no knowledge or Roman Numerals or my daughter not understanding when to borrow in subtraction and when not to borrow) I filled in the blanks. We took the time to get a feel for each other during that first summer and when it was over, we officially started homeschooling.
At this date, one year has passed since we decided to homeschool, and it has been six months since this academic year has begun. I am proud to say that the problems we had last year this time are no more.
Jordan is still as energetic and distractible as before, but her confidence level soars. She is happy, has many friends and knows for sure that all the adults in her life absolutely adore her. We do not receive report cards any more, but other adults do assess her, so I am not just bragging. For one, her piano teacher is much happier with her progress than she was last year.
She has an easier time with the lessons now because she is not an emotional wreck by the time she gets to her lesson. Small errors do not leave her in tears thinking that she is stupid and worthless. Both the Piano teacher and her Tae Kwon Do instructor tell me that she had matured greatly in the last year. They both see marked improvement in her behavior.
Yes, she still is very hyperactive, yet she remains un-medicated. Since there is no one for her to bother while she is doing her school work, she often does it while standing, fidgeting, singing, and even jumping up and down. Such activity however has only enhanced the amount of knowledge she has been able to absorb, considering the fact that she has already finished a whole school year.
Jackson has always been mature for his age, but he is now in control over his emotions and so purposeful in his actions, instead of oversensitive and weepy like he was last year. He is very outspoken and never hesitates to ask questions from anyone and everyone who he thinks might hold a morsel of information that might be useful to him. He has many friends in church, Tae Kwon Do, and swimming class and has no problems getting along with others.
His health has also improved significantly, as he may now answer whenever nature calls. In fact he has gained a great deal of weight this year because his body is better absorbing nutrients. Our only worry now is that he may gain too much weight. The curriculum he is working on now is at 4th grade level, but he has electronic learning games that challenge him on math at 5th and 6th grade level with no problem. When he left school last year he was already reading on 7th grade level, but his comprehension was at 3rd grade level. This has is also now up to grade level.
I truly believe that had we not decided to homeschool our children that they would not have achieved these heights. They would continue to be unhappy, withdrawn, and
consider themselves as less than the brilliant children they are. What we have done is given them the freedom to learn without unnecessary rules and restrictions. They do not worry about grades and politics; they just concentrate on absorbing information.
In writing this, it is not my desire to convince you that you should homeschool your
children, but to give you support should you decide to homeschool. If you are on the
fence about whether or not you should homeschool, this book will give you a peek into this our first year as homeschoolers. You will see how we have decided to approach the endeavor and the processes that went into making decisions. If you decide not to homeschool, I hope that this can give you a bit of insight into the importance of taking charge of your children.s education. This is possible even while your children still attend public and parochial schools.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
What a difference a Year Makes Part 1
(this post comes from the journal I wrote in my first 18 months of homeschooling)
The Lost Files
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Where did these brilliant children come from? At age seven, my daughter (second grade)
is reading at a 4th grade level and doing math at a 3rd grade level. Not only has she
finished 2nd grade in 4 months, and has started 3rd grade mid year, but in her spare time
she is publishing a monthly e-magazine. She is also excelling in piano and has the ability
to play by ear. She aspires to be the world's youngest millionaire. My son, Age 9 (4th
grade) is reading at a 9th grade level, and is showing an incredible amount of giftedness
as a musician. His skills on the piano are well beyond his years and he recently began
playing the flute as well. In his spare time, he draws models of buildings and airplanes
and then constructs them from mini Legos and other items he finds around the house. He
says he wants to be an architect and a musician when he grows up.
I realize that there are many children reading above their grade levels that are involved in
extracurricular activities, and have a potential for greatness. However, a year ago, I could
not see such potential in my children. One year ago, I was at my wit’s end as far as my
children's education was concerned. Both children were bringing home report cards that
did not reflect the level of work that we knew they could do, and both children were
extremely unhappy most of the time.
Jordan was six years old at the time and cried every evening after school. She was
convinced that there was something wrong with her. All the children look at me like I'm
strange Mommy and the teacher does not like me, she would say in between sobs. Every
morning she would feel too ill to go to school. There was always an excuse to stay home.
She had so many pretend illnesses, that when she was sick, I would often send her to
school anyway because I was unable to tell the difference. I was not until later in the day
when I had to pick up a child with a high fever or vomiting that I knew the truth.
In addition to her unhappiness, her weekly report always held notes that she could not
concentrate in class, or that she was disruptive. Her report card also reflected these
problems. Though she was receiving passing grades in school, they were not grades of
which we could be proud. The final straw was when the teacher announced that she
would need medication to make it through the second grade.
My son, Jackson, was 8 years old also disliked school. He had very few friends in class,
and was withdrawn and sullen. He often complained of injustices like no speaking during
lunch and of teachers failing to intervene when other children picked on him. He was
terrified of speaking out or standing up for himself, because of the fear that he would be
the one to get in trouble.
His tests grades were very good, but he almost never turned in his homework. Even when
I knew that he did his homework, somehow it just did not make its way to the teacher.
Because of this, his grades were less than exemplary. In addition, he was born with a
stomach ailment that made it necessary to go to the bathroom whenever the need arose.
However, he was often too embarrassed or too disgusted by the mess in the boy's room to
go so he became very ill and was under a doctor's constant care.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
The Lost Files
Prologue
What a Difference A Year Makes Part 1
Where did these brilliant children come from? At age seven, my daughter (second grade)
is reading at a 4th grade level and doing math at a 3rd grade level. Not only has she
finished 2nd grade in 4 months, and has started 3rd grade mid year, but in her spare time
she is publishing a monthly e-magazine. She is also excelling in piano and has the ability
to play by ear. She aspires to be the world's youngest millionaire. My son, Age 9 (4th
grade) is reading at a 9th grade level, and is showing an incredible amount of giftedness
as a musician. His skills on the piano are well beyond his years and he recently began
playing the flute as well. In his spare time, he draws models of buildings and airplanes
and then constructs them from mini Legos and other items he finds around the house. He
says he wants to be an architect and a musician when he grows up.
I realize that there are many children reading above their grade levels that are involved in
extracurricular activities, and have a potential for greatness. However, a year ago, I could
not see such potential in my children. One year ago, I was at my wit’s end as far as my
children's education was concerned. Both children were bringing home report cards that
did not reflect the level of work that we knew they could do, and both children were
extremely unhappy most of the time.
Jordan was six years old at the time and cried every evening after school. She was
convinced that there was something wrong with her. All the children look at me like I'm
strange Mommy and the teacher does not like me, she would say in between sobs. Every
morning she would feel too ill to go to school. There was always an excuse to stay home.
She had so many pretend illnesses, that when she was sick, I would often send her to
school anyway because I was unable to tell the difference. I was not until later in the day
when I had to pick up a child with a high fever or vomiting that I knew the truth.
In addition to her unhappiness, her weekly report always held notes that she could not
concentrate in class, or that she was disruptive. Her report card also reflected these
problems. Though she was receiving passing grades in school, they were not grades of
which we could be proud. The final straw was when the teacher announced that she
would need medication to make it through the second grade.
My son, Jackson, was 8 years old also disliked school. He had very few friends in class,
and was withdrawn and sullen. He often complained of injustices like no speaking during
lunch and of teachers failing to intervene when other children picked on him. He was
terrified of speaking out or standing up for himself, because of the fear that he would be
the one to get in trouble.
His tests grades were very good, but he almost never turned in his homework. Even when
I knew that he did his homework, somehow it just did not make its way to the teacher.
Because of this, his grades were less than exemplary. In addition, he was born with a
stomach ailment that made it necessary to go to the bathroom whenever the need arose.
However, he was often too embarrassed or too disgusted by the mess in the boy's room to
go so he became very ill and was under a doctor's constant care.
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NFAHM: The Lost Files
The Lost Files (INTRODUCTORY POST)
Prologue : I wrote this poem halfway through the first year of homeschooling. It is specifically about my daughter who was the main reason we started homeschooling when we did. I thought it made a great prologue.
They Said She Couldn’t Learn
They said she couldn't learn; wouldn't learn.
Perhaps she shouldn't learn.
Let’s medicate out of concern,
so she can't disturb the others.
There’s something wrong inside her brain.
Others are just the same.
We must label them all in the name
of education for all - except her.
I did not listen for she is mine.
Though she tires me, I will take the time.
She tests my patience,
but it is not a crime to be so energetic.
Now I sit beside this child.
She is unruly, and often wild.
But on her face, there is a smile
that melts a mother’s heart.
I now know I've made a choice,
to let a little girl keep her voice.
Someday a nation will rejoice
instead of just her mother.
She will grow up free to be herself,
her inhibitions upon a shelf.
With no one to blame,
except oneself and me, if she falls short.
Responsibility I will gladly take,
as the other options, I did forsake.
In her education, I did partake,
for she is mine alone.
The system could not have known
what hides inside of her.
Now look how she has grown.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
Prologue : I wrote this poem halfway through the first year of homeschooling. It is specifically about my daughter who was the main reason we started homeschooling when we did. I thought it made a great prologue.
They Said She Couldn’t Learn
They said she couldn't learn; wouldn't learn.
Perhaps she shouldn't learn.
Let’s medicate out of concern,
so she can't disturb the others.
There’s something wrong inside her brain.
Others are just the same.
We must label them all in the name
of education for all - except her.
I did not listen for she is mine.
Though she tires me, I will take the time.
She tests my patience,
but it is not a crime to be so energetic.
Now I sit beside this child.
She is unruly, and often wild.
But on her face, there is a smile
that melts a mother’s heart.
I now know I've made a choice,
to let a little girl keep her voice.
Someday a nation will rejoice
instead of just her mother.
She will grow up free to be herself,
her inhibitions upon a shelf.
With no one to blame,
except oneself and me, if she falls short.
Responsibility I will gladly take,
as the other options, I did forsake.
In her education, I did partake,
for she is mine alone.
The system could not have known
what hides inside of her.
Now look how she has grown.
Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom
Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!
Notes From a Homeschooling Mom, the Lost Files
During my First year of Homeschooling and the six months before that, I read and wrote voraciously about our journey. I did all of that writing in a password protected, membership only website. At the end of those 18 months, I started this blog, and compiled everything I had written before that into a booklet, which sat untouched for these past years.
I have just recovered those files from my husbands computer and will share that with you.
I will tag these posts "NFAHM lost files" for now, and will write an index on this post as I load them, which will take some time. For now, you can click on the tag, and you will get them in reverse order of course.
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12 grade year of homeschooling, Finishing Strong
We are almost done with my college prep series. There will still be a video on completing the transcript. Stay tuned... meanwhile, ...
