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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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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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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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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Homeschool Blogging A-Z:U is for unschooling
I have always been intrigued by unschooling though I have never embraced it. I have admired it, and have also feared it. I have found it intriguing and misguided all at once.
My personal fears towards unschooling are my own. I come from a highly motivated background where measurements and getting into college are of utmost importance... never mind if college is the child's actual goal... that is the benchmark as to whether I have done a good job or not. Reasonable or unreasonable as it may seem, I have never felt that unschooling was a good road to my intended goal.
Still, I have admired the freedom from stress, from the measurements, from society's guidelines that occur with unschooling. In many cases, unschooling has led to success beyond what can be achieved with rules and restrictions. Other times, it can go no-where... that is my fear. I fear that if I were to allow unschooling (past elementary years), that some serious slug-ness would occur.
That is probably my greatest fear.
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My personal fears towards unschooling are my own. I come from a highly motivated background where measurements and getting into college are of utmost importance... never mind if college is the child's actual goal... that is the benchmark as to whether I have done a good job or not. Reasonable or unreasonable as it may seem, I have never felt that unschooling was a good road to my intended goal.
Still, I have admired the freedom from stress, from the measurements, from society's guidelines that occur with unschooling. In many cases, unschooling has led to success beyond what can be achieved with rules and restrictions. Other times, it can go no-where... that is my fear. I fear that if I were to allow unschooling (past elementary years), that some serious slug-ness would occur.
That is probably my greatest fear.
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2011-2012 Curriculum Choices
I just updated our curriculum choices page.
As I see it, homeschooling will be pretty laid back and also pretty hands off next year.
My daughter will be a Jr. She will squeezing Geometry in over the Summer and into the fall, in time to take the PSAT, which she will also put some speficic effort into studying for it over the summer. She may take the College Math CLEP at the end of the school year, as it seems easy to pass after taking the SAT.
For language arts, I will count the work she does towards her PSAT & SAT studies and she will also take a fiction writing course at her homeschool program.
For science, she will take the online MIT course Kitchen Chemistry.
We are skipping history this year opting to study government during her Sr. year, an election year.
She will continue to work on Spanish (2a) and Mandarin (1b).
Then there's a slew of arts electives such as voice, drama, instruments, art...
*If she starts at a decent hour she will be done with her work by lunch and can work on her electives and independent stuff... not holding my breath. I am considering not regulating her sleep patterns next year to see what happens.
My son will be a SR. ACK!!
He has few requirements and has opted to take them as a dual enrollment student at the local college. We are working on his applications now, but it looks good. The dual enrolled classes will probably be:
In addition to that, he is taking a Journalism class at the homeschool program, and a few arts related electives.
*My job with my son is to ask questions and perhaps guide organization. Oh, and to make sure he gets his drivers license.
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As I see it, homeschooling will be pretty laid back and also pretty hands off next year.
My daughter will be a Jr. She will squeezing Geometry in over the Summer and into the fall, in time to take the PSAT, which she will also put some speficic effort into studying for it over the summer. She may take the College Math CLEP at the end of the school year, as it seems easy to pass after taking the SAT.
For language arts, I will count the work she does towards her PSAT & SAT studies and she will also take a fiction writing course at her homeschool program.
For science, she will take the online MIT course Kitchen Chemistry.
We are skipping history this year opting to study government during her Sr. year, an election year.
She will continue to work on Spanish (2a) and Mandarin (1b).
Then there's a slew of arts electives such as voice, drama, instruments, art...
*If she starts at a decent hour she will be done with her work by lunch and can work on her electives and independent stuff... not holding my breath. I am considering not regulating her sleep patterns next year to see what happens.
My son will be a SR. ACK!!
He has few requirements and has opted to take them as a dual enrollment student at the local college. We are working on his applications now, but it looks good. The dual enrolled classes will probably be:
- Intro to Physics (Fall)
- Personal Finance (Fall)
- Spanish 101 (Spring)
In addition to that, he is taking a Journalism class at the homeschool program, and a few arts related electives.
*My job with my son is to ask questions and perhaps guide organization. Oh, and to make sure he gets his drivers license.
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Homeschool Blogging A-Z:T is for Transcripts
At the end of the homeschooling journey, after the child has learned their math, to read, and to write and to think for themselves, it is important to put all of that information into a homeschool transcript.
Homeschool transcripts are used for college admissions and are essentially a substitute for a highschool transcript. Where a college would gladly accept the word of a traditional school that a student has completed a college prep scope and sequence, a homeschooler will use the transcript to show in detail that the same has been completed.
I highly recommend beginning the child's transcript in grade 8 or as soon as they begin taking high school level classes such as Algebra, Geometry, Biology, and Chemistry.
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Homeschool transcripts are used for college admissions and are essentially a substitute for a highschool transcript. Where a college would gladly accept the word of a traditional school that a student has completed a college prep scope and sequence, a homeschooler will use the transcript to show in detail that the same has been completed.
I highly recommend beginning the child's transcript in grade 8 or as soon as they begin taking high school level classes such as Algebra, Geometry, Biology, and Chemistry.
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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, ...
