Impromtu homeschooling vacation
We called an impromptu homeschooling vacation yesterday for the rest of the week. We needed the three days off to prepare for the arival of my inlaws.

This is the first time they are visiting up since we started homeschooling well over a year ago. They have never voiced concern about us homeschooling, but I just have a feeling that they do not agree with it. They are staying two weeks.

I'm very nervous.

Homeschool enrichment program is like kiddie college
I wish they had stuff like this when I was a kid, but what are the chances I would have been homeschooled.

The first semester at Masters Academy of Fine Arts is almost over. The children are now working on their final projects. They had to make, perfom, or construct something related to the classical period of history. They have both decided to do piano recital peices since that is their strong point. Jordan is performing Ode to Joy and Jackson in perfoming Minuet in C. The first semester of every year thier classes are picked for them. They take art, history, drama, and music. Next sememster Jackson will take landscape painting, drama (tech), and American Folk Music. Jordan will take worship dance, drama, and Nature Journaling.

I wonder if I am enjoying their learning experiences more than they are.

Homeschooling through highschool
As my child approaches middle school next year, I am finding less and less fellow homeschoolers his age. It seems that many homeschooling parents put their kids in school when they reach middle school, and even more, when it is time for high school. This is not our wish.
Homeschooling can be accomplished through high school. Just look at what this brilliant writer had to say:

http://www.webguru.com/homeschooling-highschool.htmhttp://www.webguru.com/homeschooling-highschool.htm

Homeschool abuse...
or rather abuse of the word homeschooling.

This is the craziest article on homeschooling abuse I have read to date. It actually has Nothing to do with homeschooling!

An Indianapolis woman has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for "home-schooling" her 5-year-old son on how to smoke crack cocaine.

home school abuse article


in other news

Yes you have to buy your own books, and curriculum. You have to pay for sports programs and physed, and you even need to pay for classes and tutors. But when compared to the hidden costs of public schools, is it really so bad?

The cost of homeschooling

"There's alot to learn about money"
Teach your kids about money at the Federal Reserve website. This site is built for teachers ( including homeschoolers) and other educator.

Rederal Reserve Education

They're not paid to think!
I just got an email from a former homeschooler, who plans to homeschool again in the future.... She was "so mad she could spit"... her words, not mine.

Her son did poorly on a school assignment because he thought for himself and so he got the answers wrong. However, based on his personal experience, his answers were technically correct.

The problem with this is that in school, kids are not "paid to think"; they are paid to give the answers the teachers want. These answers are very often right in front of their noses, as it was in this instance. He had to look at a bike diagram and answer questions on how to fix bikes according to the diagram. But he himself knew how to fix bikes and his knowledge base was wider than the normal person's was. So... when they said at what point to you go to a mechanic, he said. "I don't have to... I can fix it myself!" If you ask me, the answer was genius... but that does not make it right.

Seems to me that the last thing the schools want the kids to do is to think for themselves... and we wonder why the country is such a mess... there are no original ideas anymore. Children are trained to be discouraged, hoarded, and used for mass labor. Hmmm... that explains why she complained his math books were so confusing. Maybe he isn't supposed to learn math.

Just my thoughts for the day.

HOMESCHOOLERS FOR BUSH
( disclaimer: I am not endorsing any presidential candidate.... I trust you intelligent people to decide for yourselves)

This is a good time to teach your kids about politics and the voting process and here is a unit study that will lend you a hand. It is called "homeschoolers for Bush".... something about the title makes me think the study will be one sided.??

homeschoolers for Bush unit study

Homeschoolers equated to Terrorists
I received an email today from the Home School Legal Defense Association bragging about their success in getting an apology from the Mukskegon Area Intermediate School District (our hard-earned money at work). Even more disturbing is the incident that spurred them to action:


"Homeland Security sponsored terrorism drill involving the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District and the Muskegon County Emergency Services. A mock attack would occur on a public school bus.

The simulated attack would come from a fictitious radical group called "Wackos Against Schools and Education" who believe everyone should be
homeschooled. "
I find it sad that public officials are so threatened by homeschooling that they would stoop so low to plant seeds that homeschoolers are wacko.

I've decided to add baking cakes to thier curriculum
It may sound a bit nutty, but I decided that the one sure-fire way to get my kids to slow down and read instructions is to let them loose in my kitchen. Unless they use measuring cups and follow instruction our meals, (mostly our desserts) will have horrible consequences. I realized this when they attempted to bake a marble fudge cake today, and didn't read all of the instructions, and the whole thing just came out medium brown since they mixed it all together. Their disappointment over the cake that taste like a wet sponge covered in chocolate icing (yes I ate it... it had icing) made me realize how important it was to them to get the recipe right.

I am actually rubbing my hands together right now. Once they get boxed cake under their belts, I will have them make cakes and icing from scratch.

Bwaaa haa haaaa!

Best site to purchase educational games
This is the site where I purchase educational games. I have found Amazon Trail, Reader Rabbit, Math and Reading Blaster, Amazon Trail, School House Rock and many more. It is a free site with moderately expensive shipping.. but it sure beats paying full price!

Planet CD ROM