Homeschooler Nathan Cornelius wins national geography bee

Star Tribune ^ | May 25, 2005 | Greg Gordon

[Cincinatus' Wife]

WASHINGTON -- Nathan Cornelius, a home schooled seventh grader from Cottonwood, Minn., won the 17th annual National Geographic Bee competition today, with a dazzling display of knowledge about places, cultures, cities, countries and rivers around the globe.

For winning the competition, which started with 5 million students nationwide, Nathan was awarded a $25,000 scholarship.

He bested nine other finalists during the taping of the event moderated by TV’s ''Jeopardy!'' host Alex Trebek.

He was one of two contestants to survive a double elimination first round that took 105 questions.

Then he outlasted Karan Takhar, 14, of Rhode Island,in an 11-question championship round.

The deciding question called on the contestants to identify the dammed river that forms artificial Lake Gatun in the Panama Canal system.

Nathan hardly hesitated before writing down his answer: the Chagres River. He couldn’t contain a big smile when Trebek noted that the two finalists had different answers.

[Colonel Kangaroo]

Here's a link to a list of the state champions. Looks like most of the kids are students at the nasty old "publik skools". Reading threads like this I would have thought that there isn't a single worthwhile public school or a single public school student who is learning a thing.

I do think homeschooling is great if one can do it, but I find the extreme broad-brush negativity toward all public education on these threads a bit depressing.

http://www.mpt.org/programsinterests/geobee/winners.shtml

[WorkingClassFilth]

"It's the public school kids who are deprived of social immersion."

Agreed. They are being increasingly processed for specific social goals. If you think of corporate farming schemes for livestock production you've pretty much gotten the picture.

[diamond6]

Help!

I have a two and half year old toddler who is going through a very bad tantrum stage. What I used to do is put him in his crib when the tantrum started, but he's getting to the age where he is about to crawl out of the crib.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to handle a toddler tantrum?

[samiam1972]

My son has 1 1/2 days left of public school. We are homeschooling next year and I am very excited! We have an amazing school system here in Liberty. Our students win lots of awards, challenges, etc. There are just a few things that bug me. My daughter's birthday is one month past the cutoff and therefore will not be allowed to start Kindergarten this fall. They don't make any exceptions. My son is in first grade but technically should only be in Kindergarten this year because of that cutoff(we transfered from another state). It's taken them nearly 2 years to test him and realize that he is gifted and should be part of their PEAK program. It's held only one day a week. I decided that he should get lessons for his ability EVERY day of the week.

We're going to give it a try. I know he probably would have been fine if he stayed in the system here but believe that he will do even better at home. I just wanted you to hear a story of someone that does not hate all public schools!!! ;0)

[politicket]

Here's a link to a list of the state champions. Looks like most of the kids are students at the nasty old "publik skools".

Nobody ever stated that homeschoolers are the only ones that win the national contests, but are simply stating that homeschooling is the absolute best option available.

Let me give you an example:

The Colorado State spelling bee had 263 participants this year (from 5th through 8th grade). They decided a few years ago that the state homeschooling community could have their own spelling bee and send the top seven spellers to compete at state.

So, we're talking 7 children out of 263 being homeschooled. That's a pretty small number..do you agree? Not only that, but these kids did not know each other, did not study together, and the parents represented all walks of life (from farmers, to pastors, to engineers). The ONLY thing that these 7 children had in common was the fact that they are being homeschooled.

The 263 children at the state bee took a 50 word written test. The top 35 scores were allowed to proceed to the oral rounds in the afternoon. Guess how many homeschoolers made it to the top 35? The answer is 6 out of the 7.

The oral rounds occurred in the afternoon and my son eventually ended up winning and will represent Colorado in Washington, D.C. next week. All in all, the homeschoolers finished 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 6th. Not too shabby when they started the day being such a small minority!

There will be 273 children competing at the National Spelling Bee next week. 34 of those children are homeschooled. That represents around 12% of the children, even though homeschoolers only make up less than 2% of the nation's school-age children.

There is absolutely no better education that a homeschooled education...

[Colonel Kangaroo]

That's what I like to hear. If the circumstances are right, nothing beats parents who have the desire and ability to homeschool their children. It sounds like you're doing ot for the right reasons. And it is sometimes hard for even the best public schools to give gifted kids all the challenges they need. There are some poor public schools and some great ones like the one you speak of. I don't think it takes overselling how bad public schools are, ignoring the many fine students and teachers involved in public education, to justify homeschooling.

[politicket]

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to handle a toddler tantrum?

I would first try to discover what is the trigger point for the tantrum. Is the child hungry? Tired?

If the tantrum is just due to rebellion (and most of them are) then the child needs to be spanked, and that punishment needs to be diligently applied each time the child tests you in that way.

The spanking should be applied judiciously and lovingly. It helps to pray together afterwards and express your love for the child.

[Paulus Invictus]

Do they even teach geography in public schools these days? It was a very big deal when I went to PS, but our PS was a tough one and HS was even tougher. The socialists and other leftists are now in charge and good education for kinds is a thing of the past, unless they are home schooled.

[Ecthelion]

Rogue, Umpqua, Coquille, Willamette, Wilson, Applegate, Ywpoiudahgsldhg (river in Washington, slight sarcasm on the spelling), Columbia, Mississippi . . . And that's just for starters. :-p But then, I like to fish.

[montag813]

THIS IS SO UNFAIR! HE WASN'T ASKED A SINGLE QUESTION ABOUT FISTING OR RAINBOW PARTIES OR TRANSGENDERED PERSONS!!! HOW CAN PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPETE WHEN THEIR ENTIRE CURRICULUM IS EXCLUDED?!?

[gobucks]

OutSTANDING!

[Netizen]

I think you are too late. The public school haters are out in droves and can't say anything good about the public school students that have studied so hard and done so well as you have shown.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Good luck to your son. We'll be watching for him. Our grandson has won many math contests and these can be most nerve wracking. We always see the spelling bees on TV.

[Boazo]

I'll be praying for your son.

[nonsporting]

What if he's Jewish? Should his parents not be proud if him?

Logical fallacy alert!

(P -> Q) does not imply (~P -> ~Q)

(P -> Q) | (~P -> Q) (theorm 22 in my Logic text, affectionately referred to by Ms. Clark, the instructor, as "damned if you, damned if you don't." In this case "blessed if you are a Chrisian, blessed if you are not (i.e. Jewish)."

Or course in the original post P and Q are not related.

[nonsporting]

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to handle a toddler tantrum?

I don't know if you're a Christian, but the folks at No Greater Joy (NGJ) have provided us with excellent tools for training kids of all ages. Try NGJ.

[diamond6]

Thank you. I've already gone to the site and read some of the commentaries. One familiar trend I see is "switching".

Since you obviously have had much success with the help of this site, do you feel that everytime a child misbehaves, they should be switched?

I feel exasperated; I'm angry all the time, it seems my life consists of ongoing daily battles. It shouldn't be that way. I read that a good way to handle tantrums, when they are young, is to "crib them" (put them in the crib and leave the room). Unfortunately, my son is now able to crawl out of the crib. I felt before, that spanking EVERYTIME would be too much.

I really appreciate the help and the responses I have rec'd from other people.

[texpat72]

The only thing that worked for our youngest, was to hold him really close and sing "Jesus Loves Me" in his ear. Within a minute he would calm down. My niece also did this with her oldest child and it worked for her.

[politicket]

Thanks! We appreciate prayers!

[Spirited]

"The public school haters are out in droves and can't say anything good about the public school students..."

I'm going to assume that that is hyperbole, otherwise you are being unfair in the extreme in reaction to what has been posted here.

Where is the "hate"? What do you characterize as "hate"? Do you know what it can take for some of the parents to succeed in not falling into "hate" after what their own child may have suffered at the hands of public school teachers, administrators, psychologists, etc. etc. etc.?

Since I have taught in public schools and education was the primary focus of my graduate and undergraduate degrees I can assure you that I don't "hate" and I sincerely doubt that that word can be honestly applied to those here who are enthusiastic about their experiences in teaching their own children in the home setting.

Do you know how many of the children who are now being schooled at home experienced the hate, genuine hate of school mates, teachers and administrators who despised them because they lived out their respect and love for their Biblical home training or belief system, or because they were "different" or "creepy" or "nerds"? Do you realize that the prejudice against them can have extended to the grades that they were given and have earned them sessions with psychologists to change their "narrow" views?

The Jews and blacks claim to have experienced prejudice but I think that we could match with stacks of stories about Christians (both students and TEACHERS) against whom the public school systems have aligned themselves using full steam prejudice so as to alter the outcome of the child's education or the teacher's ability to educate.

I am pleased that you have credible schools in your region. Many people don't. In fact, the more "top drawer" they are the more prejudiced they can be against a child who doesn't think the way they are "supposed" to.

Public School products have preference when it comes to college/university entrance, console yourself with that. Even though a home schooled child is a merit finalist in the SAT system they are not assured of getting into a major university (I can name one right now).

Long term it is the loss of the Nation because of the grip that the teachers' union has on the educational system. We have already seen our medical system in America listed as pathetic as compared with other Nations because the pharmaceutical companies control our medical system and we are reaping the same with schools.

Since fairness or honesty is apparently vital to you, how about ignoring the joy of the home schoolers over their triumphs and posting some of the good things you learn about our public school systems.

While they are glad their children are not taught about foreplay in elementary school you can point out something positive about a school you know.

Those of us who love children are genuinely thrilled with the educational achievements of EVERY child, whether he/she can be homeschooled (often at enormous sacrifice) or whether that child is public schooled. If they are not why would any of us care what they think? PLEASE DO NOT FORGET THAT THOSE WHO HOME SCHOOL PAY FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO BE PUBLIC SCHOOLED! Fair enough?