George Bush's secret army (Why Democrats Hate, and Fear, Home Schooled Kids)

Economist ^ | March 17th 2004 | Economist

[gobucks]

Honestly, I wonder if the article is a leftist article being used as leftist bait .... sort of 'wake up, we're in danger' disguised as a glowing review.

I'm not sure. I don't know enough about the Economist.

[gobucks]

Thanks. I'm finding more and more that FR has an incredible base of support for this movement.

[Tax-chick]

It's a terrific state, except for the lack of employment opportunities and proximity to Arkansas :-).

[GOPrincess]

It couldn't be K12 if it's not good -- K12 is *great*! :) :) My K son and I have been having a wonderful time this morning on the Monticello website, after doing a lesson on Thomas Jefferson.

3rd grade history is awesome too -- Renaissance, Reformation, etc.

Glad you are having a good time in your homeschooling adventure! :)

[Tax-chick]

As I've said several times, it's too bad you're so far away! My two older girls are in Girl Scouts, but we'd really prefer "Girl Cubs"! Our Cub Scout Pack back in Oklahoma had an unofficial Girls' Auxiliary, but they can't earn awards like the boys, so it's not as much fun.

[netmilsmom]

Do you pay for K12 or are you in one of the states where it is a virtual elementary? My Great nephew is learning through Ohio Virtual Elementary, which is K12. He is doing great and my Nephew and Niece-in-law love it too.

It's all great isn't it? We are making soda bread in about 10 minutes and we've been learning "I'm Looking over a Four Leaf Clover" all afternoon!

[netmilsmom]

I need to move!

[Tax-chick]

Good time for it ... interest rates down again!

Do you have St. Patrick's Prayer? Look at www.domestic-church.com, in the section on Saints.

[Political Junkie Too]

Just how bad are American schools?

It's so bad that California high schools want to waive algebra requirements so that their students can graduate.

-PJ

[GOPrincess]

We're in the CA at San Diego Virtual Academy...it's gone really well, the curriculum is outstanding, head and shoulders above what's happening in bricks & mortar schools. (PS Our teacher is a sweetheart, very supportive and non-intrusive. The Charter is a great way for parents who might otherwise be nervous about making the homeschool leap to get their toes wet, and I love that my tax dollars are paying for it!) Just finished a 3rd grade lesson on the Taj Mahal...but we're doing "Irish" stuff today too! I got out the shamrock and "spring flower" cookie cutters and we're about to make some cutout cookies. I rarely had time for cutout cookies when my children were all in school, they were too busy with homework when they got home! It's amazing how much less time it takes homeschooling, isn't it?

[GOPrincess]

My 10th grader is the only one of my children left in public school, and she said the CA H.S. exit exam she took yesterday was so easy, her 3rd grade sister could have taken it for her and she'd still graduate.

And yet they keep pushing back the dates when students who can't pass the test will be held back from graduation, waive algebra, etc. I could go on and on about the sad state of the schools, and we're in a "nice" neighborhood. Oldest daughter is studying for next month's Advanced Placement exam in European History independently as the teacher was so awful...it wasn't worth the extra points in her GPA to take the class after suffering through a year with him! She's still there as I haven't felt equipped to tackle Honors Chemistry, calculus & trig, Spanish 3, etc., but I'm hoping to develop other options for my younger children...possibly the H.S. curriculum www.K12.com is developing, as we've been so pleased with it this year.

[shezza]

For what it's worth the Trivium method is looking like the choice for us.

We searched long and hard and did a couple of years of research before settling on the Trivium method. Yes, the boys learn Latin as part of their schooling, and it's far from "backward-looking." Not only do they study how the Greco-Roman society influenced our Founding Fathers; they also recognize the root of many English words, which helps them decipher meaning based on the Latin they already know. (Example: one of this week's spelling words for my 5th grader is "culpable." He already knows that in Latin culpa means "fault." Easy as pie.)

For people looking into home schooling I'd highly recommend, "A Well Trained Mind," (Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer). It lays out the Trivium method in a very concise, well thought out format.

I second that recommendation. For those investigating homeschooling and especially the Trivium, they lay out not only theory but also specific suggestions for study and curriculum.

We don't follow any specific curriculum but have instead built our own based on what we deemed to be the best in each area. Our kids are thriving, brilliant, fun, funny, well-behaved, personable, and great people to be around. I love homeschooling.

(Aside: We visited a church last week and the boys sat quietly and mannerly through the entire service...the other children left for children's church, but as we were just visiting, they wanted to stay with us. They were the only kids left in the service. An hour later, literally dozens of people came up and shook their hands and told them how unusually well-behaved they were. One of the crowd asked where they were going to school, since we just moved to this town. They answered, "We homeschool." One lady said, "Well, that explains everything.")

[gobucks]

Utter complete fantastic unreality. Thanks for the link.

[Political Junkie Too]

The schools are so bad that it now takes 12 years to teach 9 years of schooling. The first year of college is becoming remedial high school.

-PJ

[don-o]

And I pray everyday in thanks for the FReepers who helped convince my hubby that this is right!!!

I remember you!

Super Duper.

Like any other thing, some days are diamonds and some days are stones. But, more are diamonds, as are those dear childern who are getting the best gifts their parents can give them. Time and love.

[don-o]

When I pulled my kids out in 2001, I was told an attendance officer would come by for a visit (just a formality, they said)....it's 2004 and haven't seen him yet.

Obligatory usual advice: Join HSLDA.

[netmilsmom]

Thank you so much Don-o! So far days have been diamonds, with maybe a couple of CZs thrown in!

[don-o]

Thank you so much Don-o! So far days have been diamonds, with maybe a couple of CZs thrown in!

Let me add some mews from Little House on Unaka (Avenue) St Athanasius Academy.

Ben (13) is now doing high school work, through Seton, which has on line support. He is to the point that he is directing his own education with minimal oversight; which is good, because Vanya (11) needs a lot of attention.

Ben's piano studies are getting him into the classical composers; he earns an average of $60 a week by snow shoveling, yard work, and helping a man in the neighborhood who has built a brick oven for old world style bread baking.

We found a teacher who formed a choir for homeschoolers, and Vanya is in that. On choir day, he also goes to the local university, where he is doing some work on his auditory processing challenges. (Russian orphan born with cleft palate which can jumble up the brain as well.)

Both boys help serve my 89 year old blind father-in-law, who is graduallly declining into dementia.

Yesterday, on his own initiative, Ben began clearing a jungle that had grown in our back yard.

Neither boy has ever spent a day in the institution. I know that Ben would be bored, and Vanya packed off to "special" Ed. Instead, we have two bright, pleasant and obedient boys, who are becoming good men.

My buttons pop off my shirt when the boys intereact with adults, who invaribly comment on what great kids they are.

That is the payback for the sacrifices we make. Worth it.

[don-o]

mews?

doh!

[netmilsmom]

Well God Bless you my FRiend!!! What a great job you have done! Too bad your boys aren't a little younger or my girls a little older. They could do each other well.

How did you name your school? Does Seton cost anymore than the initial payment? Do you have to buy books or consumable? I had heard that we must return the stuff every year.

We were talking about doing Switched on Schoolroom. All my daughter's penmanship is copying Baltimore Cathechism!!!