I admit that the kids are different these days. My instinct is to focus on how much I learned at their age but then, maybe I didn't. I read this line in today's New York Times:
"the generation born in the 70s was raised to have more emotional sensitivity than it's forebears."
Isn't that interesting? Do they really mean that I'm the last generation of emotionally undeveloped? That my toughness and stoicism is really a lack of sensitivity on my part to myself and others? What a completely different way of looking at things.
While I'm looking at things differently, check this out:
Online Homeschooling
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Monday, May 9, 2011
Elementary Homeschool Curriculum: Homeschool Science Fairs
Elementary Homeschool Curriculum: Homeschool Science Fairs: "We all remember the dreaded science fair projects from our own childhood, right? But for most of us, the science fair was part of a traditi..."
In fact, being a little science-oriented, I remember science and the fairs very fondly. Unfortunately, most of the country today is not getting the same exposure to science education so schools might shift to a simpler approach for today's students, online science education.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
After K12 comes college
I'm frankly of two minds on college. On one hand, I firmly believe in higher education and that a college education equips students with the knowledge and skills for a real career. It gives them some time and freedom to figure out who they are and what direction they want to proceed. This was my experience in college.
Yet today, I fear that colleges are generally failing to deliver the same intense academic experience and education that I received. With friends now who are university professors, I'm painfully aware how professors consider their time spent teaching or working with undergraduates as annoying wastes of time unrelated to their careers or real interests. For professors, their career has to do with research. They do not aspire to teach and their effectiveness or ineffectiveness as instructors is unrelated to their career.
I shudder to think about a whole generation of students going off to study at universities where the professors don't give a hoot about them. Is this an overstatement? No, actually it's an understatement. The current linking of colleges where teaching should be the priority and research centers is an absurdity. It serves only to hide the expenses of the researchers. I think it's long overdue to separate research institutes from undergraduate teaching institutes since students deserve our best effort, not an indifferent one.
Homeschoolers, with their pioneering rethinking of K12 education, I would hope would help rethink higher education too. This post is sponsored in part by Time4Learning, here's some details about their educational materials.
Yet today, I fear that colleges are generally failing to deliver the same intense academic experience and education that I received. With friends now who are university professors, I'm painfully aware how professors consider their time spent teaching or working with undergraduates as annoying wastes of time unrelated to their careers or real interests. For professors, their career has to do with research. They do not aspire to teach and their effectiveness or ineffectiveness as instructors is unrelated to their career.
I shudder to think about a whole generation of students going off to study at universities where the professors don't give a hoot about them. Is this an overstatement? No, actually it's an understatement. The current linking of colleges where teaching should be the priority and research centers is an absurdity. It serves only to hide the expenses of the researchers. I think it's long overdue to separate research institutes from undergraduate teaching institutes since students deserve our best effort, not an indifferent one.
Homeschoolers, with their pioneering rethinking of K12 education, I would hope would help rethink higher education too. This post is sponsored in part by Time4Learning, here's some details about their educational materials.
Curriculum Levels
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Parenting in an Electronic Age
When I was little, the rules about how far I could go were geographic. I wasn't allowed to cross the street or go so far from home that I couldn't hear the dinner bell. I was allowed to cross and play in the alley. There was also a half hour of TV rule on weeknights which was strictly enforced.
Today of course, most of the limits are technical and virtual. What sites can you go to? How long can you spend on the console? On Youtube? How old do you have to be before you can have a Facebook account? Can you Skype with people that you don't know from school?
Frankly, parenting in a digital age is a whole new world.
Can I go to school at home? Can I try to science experiment that I learned on Youtube?
Today of course, most of the limits are technical and virtual. What sites can you go to? How long can you spend on the console? On Youtube? How old do you have to be before you can have a Facebook account? Can you Skype with people that you don't know from school?
Frankly, parenting in a digital age is a whole new world.
Can I go to school at home? Can I try to science experiment that I learned on Youtube?
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Teachable Moments, Christian Homeschoolers, Standards Based Curriculum
Many Christian homeschoolers decide, often after a few years of homeschooling, to be a little less dogmatic in their choice of curriculum and for some subjects, they start to integrated standards-based (ie, non-Biblically-based) curriculum. I believe that this is because they are no longer as worried about their children's spiritual development and instead, feel that they need to deal more with their academic and cognitive development. Not to put to fine a line on it, the kids get bored and want something else.
These secular curriculum often include materials that they extreme Christians do not believe in and when confronted with it, they have a "teachable moment" which gives them something to talk to their kids about.
The science curriculum says the world is millions of years old which is at odds with what we have learned in the Bible....
The social studies curriculum teaches a Native-American myth about the creation of the world and a happy hunting ground.....
Read about how the Christian homeschool parents discuss these teachable moments.....
These secular curriculum often include materials that they extreme Christians do not believe in and when confronted with it, they have a "teachable moment" which gives them something to talk to their kids about.
The science curriculum says the world is millions of years old which is at odds with what we have learned in the Bible....
The social studies curriculum teaches a Native-American myth about the creation of the world and a happy hunting ground.....
Read about how the Christian homeschool parents discuss these teachable moments.....
Sunday, June 27, 2010
A Beka Curriculum
The A Beka curriculum has been used by homeschoolers and Christian schools for awhile.
Considering the A Beka*® curriculum? Already using A Beka® online tutoring and thinking about what to use with it? Looking to supplement A Beka® math? Many parents who homeschool their children find that one of the hardest tasks is selecting which homeschool curriculum to work with. The web is full of homeschool resource lists, homeschool material discussions, and homeschool resource reviews. Sifting through the various homeschool options can be confusing as parents try to find the best or blend of curricula for their child.
The word, vocabulary and spelling list for A Beka are widely used. On SpellingCity.com, I've noticed:
Fourth Grade Abeka spelling lists
More listing of A beka spelling lists to follow!
Considering the A Beka*® curriculum? Already using A Beka® online tutoring and thinking about what to use with it? Looking to supplement A Beka® math? Many parents who homeschool their children find that one of the hardest tasks is selecting which homeschool curriculum to work with. The web is full of homeschool resource lists, homeschool material discussions, and homeschool resource reviews. Sifting through the various homeschool options can be confusing as parents try to find the best or blend of curricula for their child.
The word, vocabulary and spelling list for A Beka are widely used. On SpellingCity.com, I've noticed:
Fourth Grade Abeka spelling lists
More listing of A beka spelling lists to follow!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Mommy Rhapsody
Does your mom or wife sound like this? Ok, she might not sing like this and be that theatric but still, univeral themes beautifully delivered.... Bravo moms....
Mommy Rhapsody from Church on the Move on Vimeo.
Mommy Rhapsody from Church on the Move on Vimeo.
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