My quest to understand the state of our educational system has led me to read several books that give me foundational understanding. The latest book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System-How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education, is written by a historian who's goal is to provide a history of the American school evolution. In recent years, standardized tests have become a heated topic and he recommends reevaluating testing standards. He also promotes implementing a national curriculum which I do not support. However, the author lays a great foundation for understanding how the political movements of our government have affected the current system - a complicated push and pull that seems to be leading no where fast.
When the government started on the campaign to get tough on education, the top down approach to fixing the problems led to some very ugly acts against school administrators, principals, and teachers as they were ousted for their 'non-conformist' ideologies and resistance to the new and extreme reform measures. What we are left with are basically the linchmen-type administrators that are enforcers pressuring school staff to perform- I mean- get the test scores up at whatever the cost. No more nice guys- if you want to keep your job, you MUST perform (read page 50). Yes, and with less and less time and resources.
The author also criticizes charters as they excersize 'experimental' methods to get kids on track by breaking away from the public school methods, utilizing new cutting edge methods and curriculum choice. A free market approach to fixing the problems makes sense to me as it creates competition and gives parents and students choice. It would be a shame if the government were to go backwards and instate a one curriculum, one method approach to every institution. What about diversity? Perhaps in a socialistic setting, diversity is not desirable.
I agree with the author's discussion of testing and how it should never be the most heavily weighted means by which we evaluate schools and students. We are left with entire administrations and teachers AND students, stressed out. That is the current state. I have first hand experience of this crunch as the blame game crushed my child. Schools can get adversarial to those who cause their scores averages to go down. The failures of the schools and curriculum (in my exerience), are not always criticized rather the blame shifts onto the student who must be broken for not fitting into the box. Hence, my journey began...to save my child.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Wow! Today started magically with an early morning Chinese fire drill to get the trash cans down to the street. Once completely exerted from the frantic race, I quietly went about putting coffee water on to boil and cleaned the kitchen. Then, not so quietly, I proceeded to cool the house off with our wonderfully noisy whole-house fan. Relieved by the coolness of the morning air rushing in, my French Press was ready to perform. Adding two heaping spoons of freshly ground coffee, followed by scalding hot water into the laboratory styled glass beaker, I was in business and near ready to partake in my morning coffee ritual.
My granite counters were unusually uncluttered except for a stack of books and dvds I had just checked out from the library. Among the materials, the box set of The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones called to me. (note to self- underline titles of movies when handwriting, italics for computer.)
I thought to myself that it would make a lovely start for the day to begin with Disc One- "My First Adventure" of which the setting is 1899, the year Henry was born. (note to self-Quotation marks denote chapters within larger pieces.) I did not know what to expect from this box set as there was no description but I knew there was good reason that I requested it as I was in pursuit of material to supplement our studies in The Story of the World vol 1. I put it in while the children slept so I could preview. I was absolutely delighted with what I had! The adventure begins with a brief yet fun introduction of Henry and the highlights of his life up to the age of 9. I knew from the first moment, this series was well done by George Lucas and I was excited to share with the kids.
I went in to gently awaken the children and they were quick to rise with the promise of good movie awaiting them in the living room. Cozy with dogs on laps, we started the adventure. From the beautiful scenery of Victorian influenced New Jersey town where Henry lived to a steam ship journey to England then onto the Mediterranean Sea for a voyage to Egypt. Henry had been studying ancient Egypt with his private tutor whose plan was to take him into the great Pyramids with Archaeologists. I was impressed with the cinematography of this film! Our book studies were coming to life as we traveled along side of Henry! Nearly everything that the film highlighted, we had covered in The Story of the World so we were totally integrated into this learning experience. Again, another amazing opportunity had unfolded before us where history had come to life in a manner so rich that my children have a true understanding that is sure to last in their minds forever.
Unfortunately, our fun was short lived as the overly used dvd was scratched and would not go on. I am now off to Amazon.com to hunt down this dvd set to purchase. This is one set worth owning as it covers so much wonderful history.
This post is to be continued!
My granite counters were unusually uncluttered except for a stack of books and dvds I had just checked out from the library. Among the materials, the box set of The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones called to me. (note to self- underline titles of movies when handwriting, italics for computer.)
I thought to myself that it would make a lovely start for the day to begin with Disc One- "My First Adventure" of which the setting is 1899, the year Henry was born. (note to self-Quotation marks denote chapters within larger pieces.) I did not know what to expect from this box set as there was no description but I knew there was good reason that I requested it as I was in pursuit of material to supplement our studies in The Story of the World vol 1. I put it in while the children slept so I could preview. I was absolutely delighted with what I had! The adventure begins with a brief yet fun introduction of Henry and the highlights of his life up to the age of 9. I knew from the first moment, this series was well done by George Lucas and I was excited to share with the kids.
I went in to gently awaken the children and they were quick to rise with the promise of good movie awaiting them in the living room. Cozy with dogs on laps, we started the adventure. From the beautiful scenery of Victorian influenced New Jersey town where Henry lived to a steam ship journey to England then onto the Mediterranean Sea for a voyage to Egypt. Henry had been studying ancient Egypt with his private tutor whose plan was to take him into the great Pyramids with Archaeologists. I was impressed with the cinematography of this film! Our book studies were coming to life as we traveled along side of Henry! Nearly everything that the film highlighted, we had covered in The Story of the World so we were totally integrated into this learning experience. Again, another amazing opportunity had unfolded before us where history had come to life in a manner so rich that my children have a true understanding that is sure to last in their minds forever.
Unfortunately, our fun was short lived as the overly used dvd was scratched and would not go on. I am now off to Amazon.com to hunt down this dvd set to purchase. This is one set worth owning as it covers so much wonderful history.
This post is to be continued!
Sunday, June 24, 2012
The Fall
I love when the seasons begin the change and we start to move back into ourselves. This year will be different, we will be homeschooling full-time. I never thought I'd go that far but now I can't imagine doing anything else. As we embark into the new school year, we will make choices that help us dig deeper into the feelings of the seasons.
Perhaps a "Little House on the Prarie" Unit study where we will submerge ourselves into the mid-late 1800's. It has everything you need to educate your children (except for grammar and math which we will do foundationally). We will learn about simpler times where life seemed so rich. We crave communion with that part of our American Histroy. Maybe we won't use electricity for a week. Maybe we will cook over a hearth fire, eat what they ate, play like they played.
I hope to be reading Charles Dickens by Christmas and we shall eat our Figgy Pudding!( recipe to follow.)
Perhaps a "Little House on the Prarie" Unit study where we will submerge ourselves into the mid-late 1800's. It has everything you need to educate your children (except for grammar and math which we will do foundationally). We will learn about simpler times where life seemed so rich. We crave communion with that part of our American Histroy. Maybe we won't use electricity for a week. Maybe we will cook over a hearth fire, eat what they ate, play like they played.
I hope to be reading Charles Dickens by Christmas and we shall eat our Figgy Pudding!( recipe to follow.)
Welcome to our little, amazing school!
Welcome to our little, amazing school! We are under construction! This summer, we are planning and building the foundation for an exciting 2012-2013 school year.
I, Mom & Chief Learning Facilitator, am compiling information and material that will help rocket us into a positive future where the students LOVE to LEARN! I have made several wonderful discoveries as I have voraciously consumed book after book on education in general and Homeschooling, specifically. I will try to add links to some of my favorite books so that you may seek them if you feel compelled.
I feel like I have found the Secret to a potentially great Education, and I am quite eager to share my discoveries. This is our beginning. I know it won't always be easy, but one thing is certain, I MUST. Knowing what I know, I must. It is just another part of raising my young. I have taught them everything else, why draw the line here? I can, so I must. We have tried the other way and given it great effort but to no avail. My little flock needs me to provide them with an amazing and eclectic education in a gentle environment. So I say this prayer everyday, 'God, please give me the strength and ability to do this well.' Amen. And then I go practice.
The sneaky 'homeschooling' I am doing this summer is actually fueling me with affirmative feedback and I say,..."God please let it go this way forever!" I can see the light, my children are responding positively to what I am implementing and we have only just begun! What we have done in the past is so incredibly different than what we are doing and what we will do. That of the past was NOT working no matter the school or their efforts. Imagining a method where children are lead to learn and without a fight, they drink from the well and ask for more. I will feed them rich information and they will find sustenance and from there, they will grow and become independent, self-learners!
Oh, and the FREEDOM to LIVE!!! We are FREE!
We have found such a lovely school to help us grow. Therry says the Principal is really Dumbledore and his leadership is the foundation for all things good in that school. The teachers seem really great, afterall, they are not oppressed and their leader is a visionary . I feel Niah is really blessed to have Eric as her Education Specialist. He is kind and gentle and understands Niah's plight. His goals for the new year center around Niah's very best interest. Number one, he wants her to learn to LOVE LEARNING! How refreshing to have a teacher care more about the student than the test. We have to be patient with her since her experiences in Public/Tradtional schools were not good. She is already more relaxed and amiable to the tidbits of information that I am 'sneaking' in this summer. (you can't blame me for wanting to play school now- if you have discovered what I did, you'd be doing it too ;) What can I say? I am on FIRE! Yee Hawwww!
What I don't know, I will find out and be better for it.
VISIONARY LEADERSHIP...stumbled upon when I raced to look up proper use of the word 'visionary'. (That's what it is about- Mom learns too!)
http://www.visionarylead.org
I, Mom & Chief Learning Facilitator, am compiling information and material that will help rocket us into a positive future where the students LOVE to LEARN! I have made several wonderful discoveries as I have voraciously consumed book after book on education in general and Homeschooling, specifically. I will try to add links to some of my favorite books so that you may seek them if you feel compelled.
I feel like I have found the Secret to a potentially great Education, and I am quite eager to share my discoveries. This is our beginning. I know it won't always be easy, but one thing is certain, I MUST. Knowing what I know, I must. It is just another part of raising my young. I have taught them everything else, why draw the line here? I can, so I must. We have tried the other way and given it great effort but to no avail. My little flock needs me to provide them with an amazing and eclectic education in a gentle environment. So I say this prayer everyday, 'God, please give me the strength and ability to do this well.' Amen. And then I go practice.
The sneaky 'homeschooling' I am doing this summer is actually fueling me with affirmative feedback and I say,..."God please let it go this way forever!" I can see the light, my children are responding positively to what I am implementing and we have only just begun! What we have done in the past is so incredibly different than what we are doing and what we will do. That of the past was NOT working no matter the school or their efforts. Imagining a method where children are lead to learn and without a fight, they drink from the well and ask for more. I will feed them rich information and they will find sustenance and from there, they will grow and become independent, self-learners!
Oh, and the FREEDOM to LIVE!!! We are FREE!
We have found such a lovely school to help us grow. Therry says the Principal is really Dumbledore and his leadership is the foundation for all things good in that school. The teachers seem really great, afterall, they are not oppressed and their leader is a visionary . I feel Niah is really blessed to have Eric as her Education Specialist. He is kind and gentle and understands Niah's plight. His goals for the new year center around Niah's very best interest. Number one, he wants her to learn to LOVE LEARNING! How refreshing to have a teacher care more about the student than the test. We have to be patient with her since her experiences in Public/Tradtional schools were not good. She is already more relaxed and amiable to the tidbits of information that I am 'sneaking' in this summer. (you can't blame me for wanting to play school now- if you have discovered what I did, you'd be doing it too ;) What can I say? I am on FIRE! Yee Hawwww!
What I don't know, I will find out and be better for it.
VISIONARY LEADERSHIP...stumbled upon when I raced to look up proper use of the word 'visionary'. (That's what it is about- Mom learns too!)
http://www.visionarylead.org
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