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02/02/2007 12:51:09 AM · #51 |
I live in baltimore City, yet ive never had my car stolen (here.. i had it stolen in the middle of no where though.. wtf). Never been robbed, shot stabed. Seen a robery seen someone hurt with a weapon.
In fact I live in baltimore city and the most crime i see is parking tickets and citations for having dog crap on your back porch......
ANd incase u think i live in a non ghetto part of the city I live in a row home next to fells point an area known for drug trade. The city spent 10 Million on 946 cameras in the area.
I'm sure ive walked down the street passed a 16 year old drug dealer packing a .35 and high as a kite but he didnt cause me any trouble. Now that meter maid needs to be shot ill say that much.
Camden New Jersey is 10 times worse then here. The schools are kinda not so great but I didnt live ehre when i was in school.
Ill stop past this so not to derail the convo, but i was responding a bit due to the comment "Gang Element" in the school
On the flipside the city is mad that the cameras arent getting arrests.... Yeah the cameras have flashing blue lights on the top umm whos gonna deal drugs in front of that?
School's can be very dangerous so can driving a car on the beltway. Or congregating a church when a suicide bomber rolls in....
Message edited by author 2007-02-02 00:55:21. |
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02/02/2007 02:54:00 AM · #52 |
That's really great. I think that if I were still in the system, I would also have an overwhelming social conscience to want to make a difference. I was a teacher: devoted to my job. I even tried to plan pregnancy so that I could carry on teaching and not give up too much time on maternity leave!! But the day my son was born, I knew that I would never go back to teaching again. Everything changes when you put your own children into the mix! I didn't have a name for "homeschooling" but when he was 18 months old I started investigating it and it's been a "Wonder" full journey ever since.
Homeschooling has been as much about helping my children to learn, as it has been about learning more about myself.
Originally posted by boomtap:
I like home schools, but I also like the idea of just getting a grip on the school system and making it the type of place that people would like to send their kids. |
Message edited by author 2007-02-02 02:54:51.
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02/02/2007 02:57:57 AM · #53 |
Fantastic Justin! All the best for the last leg of your schooling before college!
Originally posted by mnphotoblogger:
I have been homeschooled my whole school life and am a senior this year and finishing highschool at our community college, under Minnesota's PSEO (post-secondary-education-option) program. I am very pleased with my homeschooling and it has prepared me very well for college! I currently have an A average. |
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02/02/2007 03:03:38 AM · #54 |
Originally posted by theSaj:
Originally posted by "Spazmo99":
Dude, if we had a policy like that, public school would be a strong consideration. college is expensive. :) |
If my district had a policy like that, they would face a lawsuit when my kid was 16. If my kid tested well and above the average then I would want him granted tuition as well. Especially, since it usually costs $4,000+ per pupil in public schools and the fact that we pay taxes and do not benefit. |
You messed up the quotes, but anyway...
The money is not public money, it's from a private foundation. Since it's private, they can set the requirements anyway they want. Of course, you could sue, assuming you can find a lawyer willing to waste his time with it, but you won't get anywhere. I could sue the guy in front of me in line at BK for not buying me a Whopper too.
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02/02/2007 05:02:35 AM · #55 |
I had reservations when I began homeschooling my two boys. I began about 4 years ago. I wondered how I would get things done with the kids home all the time and how would I ever get "me" time?
Things worked though, we quickly fell into our own routines, we'd school in the morning and the afternoons were free to follow our own pursuits. I found I enjoyed having them at home and we all have our "own time".
My boys are now 14 and 10. We have social and sporting events with other home schoolers every week, which is a large diverse group. It has been a great journey so far and we have met many amazing people through homeschooling. I know it's not suitable for everyone though and if school is working for you, great!
The best part is taking holidays during the low season, it's cheap and there are no crowds YAY!
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02/02/2007 05:36:37 AM · #56 |
I homeschool both of my boys age 6 and 2. The 2 year old is multitasking like a pro with games, tv, music, phone, ect... just kidding... He can use the computer though its amazing how smart he is. He has learned a lot more than my first son did at his age.
Reasons why I homeschool are because I attended so many schools,
2 PreSchools
Roosevelt, Akron Ohio
Captain John Smith, Hampton Virginia
Bryson Elementary, South Carolina
Plain Elementary, ""
Bryson Middle, ""
Hillcrest High, ""
Laurens, ""
I feel like they pushed me through to pass me just because they didn't want to hold me back or something.
I got behind in math around 3rd and 4th grade, then again in middle school as well as high school... I had to take extra math courses in tech before even thinking about taking courses for credits towards a associates degree.
English was kind of a problem but I always enjoyed reading so I believe that has helped me in the long run.
Kids in school where mean, or judgmental, picky, even grouped together in clicks making it hard for a newcomer to be accepted..
Teachers had to many things to do rather than spend a few moments time inside of school hours with students individually, I always sensed that anyways so I hardly asked for the extra help..
I don't want to send my boys to a place where they will not feel like they are wanted, or perhaps bullied, teachers may have a crush on them and offer to take their innocense away before they are supposed to experience things, and there are so many other reasons...
I have to admit I am not brilliant nor do I have a high IQ, but I can learn. I never stop learning or improving my skills when it comes to writing and math. I enjoy history and science projects or thinking problems even creating something to solve a solution. Music and Art are the two best areas where I see my kids growing the most at just like I did when I was there age so I concentrate a lot on teaching them while using musical or artistic projects... If you are having fun then you will want to learn right? Probably remember things more too?
There are so many support groups here in my area and some meet up once a week at a park, or they organize field trips, graduation celebrations, holiday parties, and so much more so I know that I am doing the right thing for my kids.
Staying at home more is my contribution to the worlds problem with pollution and global warming.
I am glad this thread was started.
Thank you..
I see the future with a lot more homeschooling like charter classes with the public school system. South Carolina is already in the works with the new bills to pass on the virtual school program or distant learning. I know this isn't the only state working on this so hopefully in the future if citizens have to pay taxes on the public schools then all private and individual schools will be able to allow students to participate in the same studies through online classes.
I am sure there will always be kids in public schools because not everyone can homeschool nor can everyone have the same lifestyles. For those that are in the public system maybe they will get more individual attention because there will be fewer students..
Then again schools pack em in and herd em like cattle anyways...
:)
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02/02/2007 06:08:27 AM · #57 |
Originally posted by faery:
Fantastic Justin! All the best for the last leg of your schooling before college!
Originally posted by mnphotoblogger:
I have been homeschooled my whole school life and am a senior this year and finishing highschool at our community college, under Minnesota's PSEO (post-secondary-education-option) program. I am very pleased with my homeschooling and it has prepared me very well for college! I currently have an A average. |
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Congratulations, last year has got to be like a fresh breath. I wish the best in your endings end beginnings...
The schools here also offer the programs through the technical schools for high schoolers to advance in education and skills thats another example of higher learning...
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02/02/2007 07:18:14 AM · #58 |
Originally posted by saracat:
Hi there. We homeschool two girls, ages 7 and 5. We've been at it for about 3 years seriously, and off and on before that.
scarbrd - in answer to your post (and if I put my foot in my mouth I apologize):
Sometimes the 'pat' answers are just the ones that are easiest for others to accept. I have given those very same answers to several people simply out of expediency (and because they did not seem really interested in the answer). Sometimes the 'pat' answers are given because of a wish to prevent people who are essentially stangers from prying into their family's educational decisions. (Not saying that it applies to you, just that it happens.)
But sometimes, the 'pat' answers are simply the truth. We all want quality time with our kids. We know that children are able to learn better with 1 on 1 instruction. We know that the quality matters in education. Why not give these things to them so that they can blossom and grow the way that we know that they can?
But you're right, also, in that for many homeschoolers (Christian or not), the ideology of what is being taught in public schools is suspect (or even downright intolerable) according to the family's beliefs. Your example of Creation vs. Evolution being a reason to teach at home is a common one. But there are others as well: the methods (and timing) of teaching sex education, the inclusion of "death education" in some areas, the idea that "hyperactive" or "day-dreamy" kids need to be drugged into submission in order for them to learn (a particular pet peeve of mine). There are plenty of others - probably as many different "major" reasons as there are homeschooling families. Sometimes it has little or nothing to do with ideology and much to do with health reasons (Asperger's (having already been mentioned), autism, many other "disorders" (just a collective term, here), severe (read life-threatening) allergies) or environmental concerns (safety, violence, etc.).
Anyway... as I've rambled a bit longer than I intended, I'll let someone else take a crack at this.
Sara
**ETA - I can see that I'm slow around here! :) |
you may think you're slow but you are also right on!
Before I met my wife (wife #2) I was not a fan of homeschooling, mainly because I saw how my ex-wife's mom was teaching her youngest daughters. I felt they were using it as a cop out and they were very undisciplined. They totally did as they wanted and most the time no work got done.
but...
My wife (#2) has been homeschooling her daughter long before I came in the picture (since 4th grade) and although we are Christian it is because of more than just the evolution/creation reason. My wife grew up going to the very same schools her daughter would be going to and knew the amount of (or lack of) education she was going to get.
Her (will be formally known as OUR daughter from here on) daughter is one that learns something then is bored with it so I'm sure her teachers would be frustrated and consider her a problem child...not gonna have it. We also see the way these kids are today, no respect of elders and all the violence to each other is insane (although most of that is the parents not taking charge of their kids).
They have a great routine going, mom gets her plan together then daughter does it till she's done, and she knows that she can wait all week to do her work but she doesn't get a weekend till it is done. She has test and can't move on till she gets 100%. She is very active in church and her friends so she gets more of a social life than most do. She is now in the 10th grade and still doing awesome.
I'm totally proud of both of them and if we had more kids I would totally trust her to teach each and every one of them...(and no she's not a member here so I'm not just sucking up lol)
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02/02/2007 08:18:57 AM · #59 |
We homeschool a daughter 12, & sons 8 & 4
We have lousy locals schools both public & private.
All three of our kids extremely right brained, couldn't handle classroom withot drugs required by lazy teachers. Schools are extremely left-brained, so they wouldn't learn much or test well.
Socialization - ballet, gymnastics, piano, AWANAS, church, volunteering at local nursing home, much more.
Our school has No policical correctness, No propaganda, No socialistic brainwashing, No anti-religious issues, No agendas, etc... We teach evolution as God's big bang. He is the Creator.
Our school has two teachers (both college degreed) for three children (beat that student to teacher ratio), Jesus is in our curriculum, travel at any moment without being pentalized for being gone, also, we have guns are in our school, etc...
My children are way ahead for their ages/grade.
We use K-12 curriculum, designed and created by Bill Bennett.
We plan to home school until they all go to college.
Van |
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02/02/2007 10:41:56 AM · #60 |
A piece of advice I recently got from a homeschool family was to not try to do everything available. It becomes too much. Then, I joined our local groups yahoo group, and I get at least one announcement everyday about this activity or that. I got overwhelmed just reading them. :)
So, even at 5, we carefully pick and choose what we get involved in. Right now, it is Upward Basketball for the 5 year old.
vtruan, I like the teacher/student ratio part. And I can beat it. :) We have two teachers to two students. Now, if I had my way, it would be two to three, but I can't seem to convince hubby of it. :)
does the Bill Bennett curriculum have a website. Right now, I'm doing a plan as I go, but as Trav gets older, I would like to be a bit more formal, and am investigating several.
I'm familiar with Bob Jones (not crazy about it) and ABEKA (my husband went to Pensacola CC) and a few others, but I'm not sure I've hear of that one. |
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02/02/2007 11:19:54 AM · #61 |
Can't help with Bill Bennett... I use Sonlight's Language Arts, Science, Readers. Math-U-See (brilliant program which does have a website). Konos for social studies and theme/character study. For my baby girl (5 years old) we use Letterland which I find faultless in its approach. For handwriting we use Sonlight's recommended "Handwriting without Tears".
Message edited by author 2007-02-02 11:21:08.
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02/02/2007 11:28:53 AM · #62 |
| Handwriting without Tears. Definitely got to look into that. My son hates to write or color or do anything that requires a writing utensil. :/ |
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02/02/2007 11:47:55 AM · #63 |
My son can't abide colouring in - he never has. I don't quite see the point of it myself although remedial teachers place great importance in it??? But I'm not worried. I think it's a pointless, boring exercise myself, akin to doodling. My son also went through a phase ages 5- 8 in which he would not draw anything: he got very frustrated with what was happening on the paper when it didn't look like the thing that was in his head. This is apparently normal. He's starting to draw again, but finds photography fascinating.
Handwriting Without Tears has a website ..just do the Google on it.My son also loves the idea of calligraphy...something in me thinks that it would be fine for him to write with an Itallic pen, but HWT has been great in bringing him back on track with writing (printing still weak, but cursive is great).
Originally posted by karmat:
Handwriting without Tears. Definitely got to look into that. My son hates to write or color or do anything that requires a writing utensil. :/ |
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02/02/2007 11:54:33 AM · #64 |
Originally posted by rainmotorsports:
For me No matter what school i went to I wouldn't be able to pay attention. I'm self motivated and self interested. I grab the subjects I like and go after them. What I'm interested in makes me want to
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Hey, I'm the same way, but I don't have Asperger's. I don't necessarily do bad in the subjects I don't like, but I surely don't do as well in them. Heck, maybe I do have it, idk.
:D
edit spelling
Message edited by author 2007-02-02 11:55:31.
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02/02/2007 12:33:30 PM · #65 |
Originally posted by faery:
My son can't abide colouring in - he never has. I don't quite see the point of it myself although remedial teachers place great importance in it??? But I'm not worried. I think it's a pointless, boring exercise myself, akin to doodling. My son also went through a phase ages 5- 8 in which he would not draw anything: he got very frustrated with what was happening on the paper when it didn't look like the thing that was in his head. This is apparently normal. He's starting to draw again, but finds photography fascinating.
Handwriting Without Tears has a website ..just do the Google on it.My son also loves the idea of calligraphy...something in me thinks that it would be fine for him to write with an Itallic pen, but HWT has been great in bringing him back on track with writing (printing still weak, but cursive is great).
Originally posted by karmat:
Handwriting without Tears. Definitely got to look into that. My son hates to write or color or do anything that requires a writing utensil. :/ |
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Oddly enough, he likes to draw. He has watched the Veggie Tales and Disney features that show you how to draw the characters, and he draws a pretty mean Bob the Tomato. But, he has to be in the mood to color. I don't make him stay in the lines either. I understand it helps to develop fine motor control, but there are other ways to do that that aer a lot less painful (for him). If we are doing an activity that requires coloring "the answer" I simply let him check or "X" it. |
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02/02/2007 01:07:04 PM · #66 |
No matter what educational path you chose for your child, I think the most important thing as a parent is to not be passive about your child's education. While we have chosen not to homeschool for a great many reasons, that does not mean that we are just sitting back and letting the school "do its thing" and leaving it at that.
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02/02/2007 01:22:03 PM · #67 |
Originally posted by karmat:
Handwriting without Tears. Definitely got to look into that. My son hates to write or color or do anything that requires a writing utensil. :/ |
Yeah thats my son too hates to write. When he does write its like on his own just looking at stuff he is really good at it. He can write his name well now, as well as write anything if he has something to look at. He can draw too, but he won't sit there and finish a simple a page out of a work book with practice letters in dots, worksheets, or those fill in the sentences.. ..
Hes always hands on learning like counting money, measure, typing, the computer games like Reader Rabbit, or cut and glue projects. I am thinking about starting him typing his own little blog space since he recognizes letters so well and we are beginning reading.. It will be and extra journal space and progress report only he is doing it. He loves to type in the message box to his papa or my friends is this because of this generation are so advanced with technology? So I just go with what the mood is because I don't want to make him hate writing when I know he could pass with flying colors that is again, if he wants to do it..
Hey the suggestions are really good that everyone is using I am going to have to take a look at them specially handwriting without tears.
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02/02/2007 01:32:39 PM · #68 |
Originally posted by karmat:
does the Bill Bennett curriculum have a website. Right now, I'm doing a plan as I go, but as Trav gets older, I would like to be a bit more formal, and am investigating several. |
K12.com
We've use this curriculum for four years and it is fantastic. History is taught beginning with Kindergarten not only as World History, but in music, math, art, science and other subjects. And is associated with timelines. The only downfall is the 5th Grade of State History, this needs some work. Luckily, I love Colorado history and as a native, I know it fairly well. They have some example class subjects.
Also, there are state and local Charter Schools using the curriculum, so check to see if a local charter will inrole you and they will pay for it. We belong to Colorado Online Virtual Academy, based in Denver area (120+ miles away, we are part of their charter school and they pay for curriculum (K12), computer, DSL, and materials. Only downfall, we have to take the standardized state tests, but the kids ace them so no big deal. Private e-mail me if you have any questions. Van |
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02/02/2007 01:35:11 PM · #69 |
Originally posted by karmat:
Handwriting without Tears. |
Bill Bennett's K12 uses this in its curriculum, it is great. Van |
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02/02/2007 01:38:10 PM · #70 |
| Not homeschooling but I'm curious if anyone has had any experience with democratic schools? I only heard about these recently and haven't done much research on them so my opinions aren't necessarily well-grounded but just curious... |
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02/02/2007 02:39:34 PM · #71 |
But don't forget to PLAY! The beauty of homeschooling is that you can play as much as you want to: Especially if your children are little. There's plenty of time to do academic things, but get out and breathe the fresh air,climb mountains,watch the birds....Remember that what takes a 6 year old, 6 months to grasp, takes a 9 year old a week to master.
One of the greatest influences for me in homeschool philos0phy has been Charlotte Mason...You can find links to her philosophies on this website
Homeschooling for Life
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02/02/2007 02:50:31 PM · #72 |
Originally posted by mk:
Not homeschooling but I'm curious if anyone has had any experience with democratic schools? I only heard about these recently and haven't done much research on them so my opinions aren't necessarily well-grounded but just curious... |
I had never heard that term until just now, though the concept, from what I could google, has been around awhile. Basically, it says that students and teachers are all equal and that students learn self-motivation and self initiation by chosing what to study and when to study it.
Ideally, I think this would be a good thing for *some* students. The very intelligent, creative types that like to learn do well.
However, for many, many students, they need more structure and guidelines, especially the older ones that may not have been taught when they were younger how to learn. If you decide to pop a high schooler into a school like this, after always being in a "typical" educational setting, it will be a disaster. The brighter ones may catch one after several weeks, but many of them will take advantage of it.
That sounds a bit more cynical than I mean for it to. I guess done correctly it might work. But it would take a lot of planning and trainign to get it to work correctly. |
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02/02/2007 03:00:51 PM · #73 |
Originally posted by faery:
But don't forget to PLAY! The beauty of homeschooling is that you can play as much as you want to: Especially if your children are little. There's plenty of time to do academic things, but get out and breathe the fresh air,climb mountains,watch the birds....Remember that what takes a 6 year old, 6 months to grasp, takes a 9 year old a week to master.
One of the greatest influences for me in homeschool philos0phy has been Charlotte Mason...You can find links to her philosophies on this website
Homeschooling for Life |
Unfortunately, many homeschool kids and parents do too much play.
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02/02/2007 03:24:20 PM · #74 |
Originally posted by Spazmo99:
Unfortunately, many homeschool kids and parents do too much play. |
Curiosity gets me here... is this an opinion based on perception, an opinion based on experience, or something based on statistical study? As a second question, how do you define "too much"??
I ask this seriously, because a lot of "anti-homeschoolers" make this accusation with what I believe to be little or no factual information, and I'm curious if you are saying something in a similar vein or if this is indeed a proven fact.
Studies by the NEA are not, in my opinion, valid due to a carte blanche bias and a published political opinion opposing homeschooling. Studies by homeschool groups, as well, are not truly valid because of an opposite, subjective bias. |
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02/02/2007 03:27:57 PM · #75 |
Originally posted by theSaj:
Especially, since it usually costs $4,000+ per pupil in public schools and the fact that we pay taxes and do not benefit. |
You get no benefit that your bus driver knows how to read road signs? That the cashier knows how to count? That a voter knows how to think? (Well, the last might be a stretch.)
Any society with pretensions of self-governance ("of the people, by the people, for the people") requires a literate and educated populace.
Or perhaps you want to go back to the days when literacy and mathematics were reserved to the royal and priestly classes -- I believe we refer to that time now as the "Dark Ages." |
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