August 15, 2005

  • Ketchup...


    I have been rather panicky about catching up online.   And have to keep telling myself its supposed to be fun...and they'll understand real life.


    I'm not believing it too well.


    I just re-caught up with my SIR.  I haven't left comments yet.  So so far behind. 


    But I did my major goal today, and that was school.


    And then I read a comment about home-schooling that just left me shaking my head.  I have a violent blog just oozing out of my pores.  


    If you haven't researched homeschooling, if you haven't done it, if you haven't lived it, its very hard to understand it.   And one shouldn't make a judgement about it if they haven't lived in it.   Its very similar to many other aspects of life.   Judging is just unfair.   I know...I do it frequently and it always bites me in the butt.


    Homeschooling works for EVERY child.  (honest)  Of course it might be much harder work for some parent and child combinations.  *snigger*   Trust me Zeria and I do battle royal on many days.   But even with those battles we both learn.    And its the ones who don't fit in school that do best at home.   Yes, school also works for a lot of children, but it also hurts a lot of children.  NOt specifically because of the teachers, or the peers, just for lots of reasons.      I thought I thrived in school.   But in reality as I look back I didn't.   I had a nervous break-down in the second grade.    All because I pushed myself so hard.


    Homeschooling took away the competition and I was able to learn, not regurgitate.


    I want a child that learns.   Even my homeschool friends talk about "holes".   I'm so afraid my child might get holes, they say almost every frickin' time I get around them.  I so HATE that expression. 


    I have holes in my education.   And I graduated from college.   But its not because I didn't get an education.  Its because I heard certain things and let them go flying through one ear and out the other.  I created my own holes.   *giggles* 


    I want my kids to learn.  I want them to take stuff into their lives that they can use.   I want them to have the skills to fill the holes, when they find they need something thats missing in their education.


    I have those skills to fill the holes if I actually needed the information I disregarded.    If I actually need algebra for something, I have the skills to go find a way to learn it...or pay someone to do it for me.  (snigger)


    I guess my reaction to the blog I read was the word can't...and won't.


    Never say can't or won't...or never for that matter.  They are words that put limitations on stuff.    


    Two cents from a mommy....who is still filling her holes. 


     


     


     

Comments (9)

  • I don't have to tell you I agree 100%.   But to add to what you said...it makes it harder to voice our frustrations with our situation to those that don't also homeschool at the risk of being seen as failing before we have a complete picture (meaning once they are grown) because we aren't super human, don't have endless patience and all that.  It's far too easy to give in and take the easier way out by putting them back into school.  And that may solve what problem(s) we have temporarily, but not in the long run. 

  • Erm... It might work very every CHILD, but it doesn't work for every PARENT. *chuckles and hugs you* I know my kids would be fine being educated alternatively and out of public school. I simply know my own personal limits and where I stand with my kids and no the heck way do I wish to engage in the discipline and level of dedication homeschooling parents have. That might mean I'm lazy... or I just wish to do things differently just as you wish to do. *g* I do know that when I teach other people's children I excel. When I try to teach my own children, I quite utterly fail. It's bizarre. I also know that I have not had the knowledge, know-how or insight to understand things like why Emily wouldn't speak for so long -- hecks, she had her own language by 3 1/2 and I was the only one who understood it. It took a trained teacher to unlock that amazing little mind and tongue of hers. Some behaviors are just... I'm sorry, but some things just can't be unlocked without some help. I needed help and searched for it.

    Now... I'm planning to investigate charter schools a bit and see what they're about and all. I'd love to provide my girls with something extra or more intensive. Right now I'm busy enough seeing their teachers daily when the school year commences. I'm a weird public school parent -- I'm on that school campus daily, checking things out, talking to the teacher and understanding my children's environment. I love it. I guess I'm not that lazy because I use every opportunity I have to introduce them to books I loved, bits of history that are important, and just practical stuff like the difference between a flathead screwdriver and a Phillips. LOL. I must be engaging in my own bit of homeschooling I guess -- I teach them my faith, teach them what I love in literature and history, try to encourage their math and science interests and check in regularly with their teachers. I want them to have a firm foundation at home so when they learn something that doesn't quite gibe they have something to bounce it from before they make an informed decision.

    I must be weird.

    Anyway. Two sides to the coin -- always. This mommy totally respects parents who homeschool -- it takes a tremendous amount of work, discipline, scheduling, energy and stamina. You guys are amazing.

    Other stuff. Boards. Take your time!!!!!!! That's what you always tell me. LOL. Take your time. Things are so slow. It hardly matters. So just bob along. *more hugs*

  • Ah, Jenny is very close to why I'm homeschooling. LOL  She is using probably just as much engery and patience, just differently.  She is already doing part of it by sharing her faith and love of books, history, etc. with her kids  Then add on top of that the daily interaction with teachers, etc.  I personally think that takes just as much time and effort so why not just teach the rest myself rather than split the 2? LOL  If I'm going to have to fill in for the schools anyway, why not just take it all on rather than have 2 possibly conflicting environments?  And knowing Chris and I, there WOULD be conflicting environments. ROFL  For growing children still forming a strong spiritual foundation, that could (and knowing mine WILL) create confusion for them.   

    As far as the speech issues, there are many homeschooling parents who do work with outside sources of all kinds.  It's just not always done thru the school system, although sometimes it is (alot depends on state laws and specific school districts, etc.)  There are many ways to get help that is really needed--we parents don't have to have ALL the answers.   That's another minconception I forgot to mention. hehehe  There is even a division of the HSLDA that works exclusively with parents of kids with special needs of all kinds ranging from speech issues to the mentally handicap for info, etc.  Since I haven't had to research it all, I have no idea what all it offers though.  Wait, I take that back, it's not HSLDA, it's another group, but HSLDA does offer legal help to those parents that have to battle the school district over the education of their kids with the special needs. 

  • But I have had no conflicts. I have had no reason to combat my school districts. They have pulled out all the stops to help me and it's been so amazing and excellent. I am happy to supplement with my time as I feel it's needed. Again, look at both sides of the coin. Happy stuff on your side, happy stuff on mine. I spend my time, you spend your time. It's spent accordingly as we both see needed. I cannot even begin to explain why I feel as I do I am seeing and that's okay. I only know that there is no way in heck I could do what you all do. But I'm happy to do what I do in my own way. I think that's all right. *g* I've never run into anything horribly or damnable or awful from the people I've worked with for my girls. There was the once when Em's kindy teacher sort of lost it with a regular picture that I did eventually talk to him about. He backed down. It just takes a person with a face and a smile and wow... things were just immediately cool.

    Maybe I'm lucky.

    Please bear in mind that I'm not anti-homeschooling. I'm just trying to state a case for at least this public school mommy who is immensely pleased and who is just doing what she always thought a mommy or a parent should the heck be doing for their children in school. It's a no-brainer. You. Take. Part. Duh.

  • And at least we all share the same faith. LOL. We just choose to educate differently.

  • Blog good color bad.

  • That's what I was getting at Jenny.  We just do it differently. 

    And Tonia, my husband is being completely weird. ROFL  He was going around and subbing to people on xanga like you, Lynnette, etc. then realized they were all women.  Then he started making weird comments about wanting to meet him at Chuck E Cheese. ROFL  I think you should take him up on it!

    You take him on vacation and he turns into a complete nut.  Ask Jenny about their phone comversation this afternoon/evening. LOL 

  • And if my kids remember, I was in their teacher's faces at all times all the way through high school, in one form or another.  And, if Home Schooling had been an option for me to teach the kids, I would not have done it.  Instead, I went to work and put them into Christian Schools.  Where again, I was still in the teachers faces.  Poor teachers. 

    It ended up that there were a lot of children that I ended up working with and praying for through the public school contact. 

    There is a need for public schools, there is a need for Christian Schools, there is a need for home schooling.  In the latter, you have to know the gifts that God has provided you with, you have to understand and know your limitations.  Trust me, I knew and know mine.  Just as Jenny knows hers.  Just as you Tonia and Tracy know yours.  God works differently within each of us, leads each of us on a road he has built for us.  Like Jen I was active in the public schools, in the PTA (caused a couple of women to leave a meeting one night when I shared some Christian poetry to start a meeting.  Thier lost or was it a seed planted?) 

    I am not a teacher.  An administrator, yes.  Are there holes in my children's education.  You can bet on it.  The daughter could motivate herself ....the son needed constant structure.  I wish on one hand that we had put him in Christian School here.  We didn't, though South Bay was an interesting elementary school.  Whenever I went into the teachers lounge there were Dobson's books and other Christian books.  All the PTA meeting with opened with prayer. 

    Did I supplement their learning?  As much as I could.  I am not an academic person and at the time they were growing, quite frankly I had no self esteem when it came to my own learning and knowledge. 

    The best thing that you can do for each other is support each other in how God is leading each of you to teach your children.  What is best for one, isn't necessarily best for someone else. 

    Now, I am the one that said Home Schooling would not have worked for Chris.  And, it would not have. Not with me as the teacher.  The Lord and I both know that. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind. 

    **hugs to you Tonia**  You are one special lady that God has blessed with six children and a desire and a gift to teach them. 

  • Well said, Tonya!  :sunny:

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