Dear Brangelina, Keep Homeschooling but.....

Dear Brangelina, Keep Homeschooling but..... Don't pick up the mantle as good will ambassadors for homeschooling like this article on the New American website suggests.

I do love the fact that more and more celebrities are trying homeschooling on for size, but to become a leader in the movement would add the issue of these celebrities laying out instructions for how to homeschool.  For example, Angelina and Brad homeschool with the help of tutors. ( John Edwards children were homeschooled similarly. )  While there is nothing wrong with hiring a tutor when you need one, the last thing I would like to see is for every homeschooler to feel pressured to hire a tutor to help with their kids.  This is financially impossible for many.  For others it is impractical as the child does not need thehelp.

I think I would dislike "homeschooling according to Brangelina" as much as I dislike HSLDA telling me how to vote. 

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Dear Judy Blume: Double Fudge is Double Dumb

Dear Judy Blume,

First of all, I love you.

I read my first book by you over 30 years ago, and have been a die-hard fan ever since.  In fact, I purchased a few book of yours for my daughter when she turned 11.  So imagine my surprise when I read the synopsis the book "Double Fudge".  Based on the synopsis, the book over exaggerates all of the worst stereotypes there are about homeschoolers from not having friends to not being "socialized. 

Really???

I am very disappointed.  May I suggest a new book looking at a realistic view of homeschoolers.  You are a writer, I would think you'd be a reader too.  If you were, you would know how much homeschoolers have accomplished, and how worldly they are.

Just as an example, right now, I am home alone as my almost 15 year old daughter is away for a week at the college she hopes to attend in the future.  While it may be a girl's college, she will be just turning 17 when she enrolls, and it is her choice (she's free to change her mind).  She had no problem walking away from us to spend a week with complete strangers, and has only texted me once the entire week.  My son (almost 17) and his two cousins of the same age are on an adventure as they went on a business trip with my husband who will be working, so they are exploring a new city.  Sure, my daughter bursts into songs spontaneously, but only because she is a singer with  plans of doing musical theater, and we have very few TV and electronic restrictions, so she is not mesmerized by the site of a TV.  My son has never licked or bit anyone.  Your portrayal of the homeschoolers in the book Double Fudge is downright insulting.  I'm hurt and disappointed.



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Homeschool Blogging A-Z: W is for Waving at the bus

When we started homeschooling many years ago, we also started a tradition of waving at the school bus.  At first, we would wave and smile while mumbling the word SUCKERS!  but my kids began to get rude about it, so I had to squash that part.  Now we just smile and wave and maybe say something like "better you than me".

Having ridden the school bus for 2 years before quitting school, my kids are truly glad to not have to crawl out of bed and onto a bus with kids, many of whom were not very pleasant, especially in the morning.

Speaking of waving at the bus, this kid (and his bus mates) must be the ONLY kids alive who enjoy riding the school bus, thanks to this wacky dad's antics. 


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Homeschool Blogging A-Z: V is for Videos

You know how people like to question homeschoolers saying "How do you plan to teach Algebra" or any other tough subject that you may or may not be familiar with or remember?  My answer is easy.  If my child is studying a subject that I can't or just won't grasp, I purchase a video.

For math we have used Teaching Textbook DVDs, DVD Tutor, Khan Academy and Yay Math online videos.
For history and science we have turned to hippocampus.org which teaches high school and AP level classes through video streaming.

For Spanish we have used the online video program, Destinos at Learner.org.

These are just a few of the video options we have used over the years, I wish I could use them all, but there are so many. 

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