Linda's Homeschool WebLog
Saturday, May 24, 2003
Today Aaron took me on a tour to see classic cars and trucks he's located in our town. This first picture is unclear so I put in arrows. It would have been better if I was willing to climb down the steep riverbank.
Its a very old car that fell down the hillside on the other side of the river... either an accident or it was pushed off the road. Aaron said, "Its in worse shape than I remembered." It has a rumble seat in back so you know, its very old.
Notice the rainbow? I didn't see it when I took the photo. This one has poison oak growing in the driver's seat. Aaron said, "Mom, I could have that truck dug out in a month. Do you want me to get it out?" Me: "Not without permission of the land owner."
Aaron says, "I think that truck has a very sad history because I believe that the truck was owned by an old man and when something stopped working on it or when he got a new truck, I believe he stripped down the truck for his new truck for parts so I'd like to save up my money for the tow truck so I can tow this truck if I buy it and restore it to its former glory and sell it. Then the old blue truck will have a happy home once more." (As you can tell, Aaron has an active imagination and could be a novelist, if only he could read and write better.)
"I'd have it professionally repainted blue, and I'd build a wooden back for it and stain it and replace the door. And if there's any problems with the engine I'd fix or replace, and any further problems are beyond my reach, besides the interior."
My husband came in and started giving negative input to this project - as in "we don't have a place to keep a truck", "we don't have the money to buy it", etc. I told him we don't want to hear it. There's power in positive thinking and we don't need any negativity. Aaron's a dreamer and I don't want his dreams to be crushed.
This is the tow truck, his number one choice of what he'd get if he had money and a willing seller.
This picture is blurred because Aaron took the picture out of our truck's window as we drove by - there was no place nearby to park. He's not so avid to have this one as much as the two directly above.
Its a very old car that fell down the hillside on the other side of the river... either an accident or it was pushed off the road. Aaron said, "Its in worse shape than I remembered." It has a rumble seat in back so you know, its very old.
Notice the rainbow? I didn't see it when I took the photo. This one has poison oak growing in the driver's seat. Aaron said, "Mom, I could have that truck dug out in a month. Do you want me to get it out?" Me: "Not without permission of the land owner."
Aaron says, "I think that truck has a very sad history because I believe that the truck was owned by an old man and when something stopped working on it or when he got a new truck, I believe he stripped down the truck for his new truck for parts so I'd like to save up my money for the tow truck so I can tow this truck if I buy it and restore it to its former glory and sell it. Then the old blue truck will have a happy home once more." (As you can tell, Aaron has an active imagination and could be a novelist, if only he could read and write better.)
"I'd have it professionally repainted blue, and I'd build a wooden back for it and stain it and replace the door. And if there's any problems with the engine I'd fix or replace, and any further problems are beyond my reach, besides the interior."
My husband came in and started giving negative input to this project - as in "we don't have a place to keep a truck", "we don't have the money to buy it", etc. I told him we don't want to hear it. There's power in positive thinking and we don't need any negativity. Aaron's a dreamer and I don't want his dreams to be crushed.
This is the tow truck, his number one choice of what he'd get if he had money and a willing seller.
This picture is blurred because Aaron took the picture out of our truck's window as we drove by - there was no place nearby to park. He's not so avid to have this one as much as the two directly above.
Lynn M. Stuter, prolific article writer for News With Views, just came out with a new homeschooling article: Homeschools, Private Schools, and System Education. I agree with her that children should be removed from public school systems.
Let parents educate children according to their family belief systems. Public schools that exclude God are promoting a way of life that many of us don't accept or appreciate. Why should believing children be subjected to humanist education? Its just as offensive as humanist children being subjected to a religious education. We're each entitled to raise our children according to what we believe.
In the article Lynn exposes the public school connection of an online program, and warns that legislators may try to make public school testing a condition for driving and work privileges. Such a bill has already been introduced at least once - in Washington state.
Good information! Thanks, Lynn!
Let parents educate children according to their family belief systems. Public schools that exclude God are promoting a way of life that many of us don't accept or appreciate. Why should believing children be subjected to humanist education? Its just as offensive as humanist children being subjected to a religious education. We're each entitled to raise our children according to what we believe.
In the article Lynn exposes the public school connection of an online program, and warns that legislators may try to make public school testing a condition for driving and work privileges. Such a bill has already been introduced at least once - in Washington state.
Good information! Thanks, Lynn!
According to an email from HSC's legal advisor, Linda J. Conrad, the California Dept. of Education has decided to remove from its website the references to homeschooling as "illegal". Email me if you want a copy.
One of the pages has been removed, but another is still there.
Homeschooling has never been illegal in California, but our former Superintendent of Public Education (Delaine Eastin) was pursuing a personal vendetta against homeschooling families, trying to force us into public education alternatives like public school independent study programs and public school affiliated charter schools. Many of us prefer to file a private school affidavit and operate our homeschools without public school affiliation. It was this she declared "illegal". Obviously public school teachers and administrators want our children tied to the state system to increase the flow of funding which is figured on "Average Daily Attendance" (ADA) - averaging $ 6,360 per pupil per year in California according to the most recent statistics posted.
Eastin's misinterpretation of California private school law has been addressed by all relevant homeschool organizations:
CHN: Filing a Private School Affidavit and the misinformation page.
CHEA: Private School Affidavit Filing Instructions and HSLDA's J. Michael Smith's letter to the California Legislature
HSC: R4 (Private School Affidavit) Status in California
AHE: California State Law -The way we've homeschooled for the past 20 years!
So, is this good news? Many are taking it as a hopeful sign the new Superintendent, Jack O'Connell, is not willing to follow Eastin's ridiculous misinterpretation of the law. Still, I'm waiting to see when their homeschooling page is pulled down or revised. One of the offending pages, FAQs, is already gone. Another page promises revisions. We look forward to seeing what the new policy will be.
One of the pages has been removed, but another is still there.
Homeschooling has never been illegal in California, but our former Superintendent of Public Education (Delaine Eastin) was pursuing a personal vendetta against homeschooling families, trying to force us into public education alternatives like public school independent study programs and public school affiliated charter schools. Many of us prefer to file a private school affidavit and operate our homeschools without public school affiliation. It was this she declared "illegal". Obviously public school teachers and administrators want our children tied to the state system to increase the flow of funding which is figured on "Average Daily Attendance" (ADA) - averaging $ 6,360 per pupil per year in California according to the most recent statistics posted.
Eastin's misinterpretation of California private school law has been addressed by all relevant homeschool organizations:
CHN: Filing a Private School Affidavit and the misinformation page.
CHEA: Private School Affidavit Filing Instructions and HSLDA's J. Michael Smith's letter to the California Legislature
HSC: R4 (Private School Affidavit) Status in California
AHE: California State Law -The way we've homeschooled for the past 20 years!
So, is this good news? Many are taking it as a hopeful sign the new Superintendent, Jack O'Connell, is not willing to follow Eastin's ridiculous misinterpretation of the law. Still, I'm waiting to see when their homeschooling page is pulled down or revised. One of the offending pages, FAQs, is already gone. Another page promises revisions. We look forward to seeing what the new policy will be.
Friday, May 23, 2003
We've been letting our neighbors use our "classic" 1970 Ford truck to haul firewood all winter. One of the guys just gifted us back with a good stereo for the truck. (The radio that was in there was as old as the truck and didn't work anymore.) How cool is that? Not only did he install it, he taught Aaron how to do it too... so now my son will know how to replace the stereo in his little Ford Escort when the time comes.
Keith and I just took the truck for a spin to test out the new stereo and to pick up some Periwinkle friends took out of their yard and saved for us. Aaron plans to use some of it for the backyard project he's been working on and the rest will go into our front yard.
Keith and I just took the truck for a spin to test out the new stereo and to pick up some Periwinkle friends took out of their yard and saved for us. Aaron plans to use some of it for the backyard project he's been working on and the rest will go into our front yard.
Aaron wanted to look for classic trucks on the web tonight. We've been looking at Custom Classic Trucks, a magazine's site. They've got a feature right now, 25 Trucks Nationwide... kinda fun to look through and see when truck styles changed. I was surprised to see the last truck on the list is a 1970 Ford... because I've got one of those! I didn't know its considered a classic.
The photo is of our truck in our neighbor's driveway during out last snowstorm, April 26, 2003.
A classic? Its loaded with firewood in this photo taken on December 6, 2002.
He's sitting here now daydreaming about all the modifications he could make on this truck...
The photo is of our truck in our neighbor's driveway during out last snowstorm, April 26, 2003.
A classic? Its loaded with firewood in this photo taken on December 6, 2002.
He's sitting here now daydreaming about all the modifications he could make on this truck...
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
Aaron's projects today included cleaning out the canned food cupboard for me and putting the cans back in... and working on cleaning and detailing the car he just got from us. We talked about what to do on his birthday. That's the day we're supposed to get the new car. I told him if we can get the insurance paperwork and everything done in time, we'll go to dinner in Oregon that day.
Monday, May 19, 2003
D-Y-S-L-E-X-I-A.... some people say it and some don't. Tonight I heard my son say it, maybe for the first time. I was impressed because it sounded like he's starting to work through some feelings about being dyslexic. I see that as a positive step toward handling the problem intelligently. Because of that I spent some time researching dyslexia this morning.
First I read The Dyslexia Research Institute... clearly a commercial site. They emphasize how important they feel it is to get the dyslexic to a program they claim is "...the scientifically proven appropriate instructional method of teaching dyslexic individuals." The owners of this website train teachers in the method... consequently I'm sure most of their best information is saved for their classes and not shared on the web. A pity, since I'll never be able to take a class and don't plan on sending Aaron to school, especially since he's dead-set against it (thank God).
Next I looked for "dyslexia homeschool" on Google.. and found TC Two Cents-Dyslexia... Tammy Cardwell's column, though this one was written by Cynthia McDaniel, someone I remember from back in my AOL homeschooling days several years back. She had a dyslexic child and at the time I was in denial. Now that my son is nearly 13 and still struggles with the bare essentials of reading, I'm getting more concerned. At age 7 his extreme dislike of handling printed materials didn't seem like an emergency! Anyhow, this article had a lot more useful information and encouragment for us do-it-yourselfer homeschoolers. It recommended a few books which I'm placing links to here so I'll remember to buy them next time I'm able to spend money on books!
To Teach a Dyslexic
This looks like an interesting book... mostly autobiographical with some teaching hints thrown in.
The Writing Road to Reading: The Spalding Method for Teaching Speech, Spelling, Writing, and Reading
Wouldn't my son love that? LOL ...He's always had an aversion to writing though he does okay at art.
Gift of Dyslexia: Why Some of the Smartest People Can't Read and how They Can Learn
My sister (a nurse-practitioner) recommended this to me a few months back. I think she said she met the guy who wrote it. There's a few positive reviews by homeschooling moms on the linked page.
LCP Solution: The Remarkable Nutritional Treatment for ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia
While browsing the dyslexia section tonight, I also noticed this, the current best-seller for keyword "dyslexia". I might try it.
First I read The Dyslexia Research Institute... clearly a commercial site. They emphasize how important they feel it is to get the dyslexic to a program they claim is "...the scientifically proven appropriate instructional method of teaching dyslexic individuals." The owners of this website train teachers in the method... consequently I'm sure most of their best information is saved for their classes and not shared on the web. A pity, since I'll never be able to take a class and don't plan on sending Aaron to school, especially since he's dead-set against it (thank God).
Next I looked for "dyslexia homeschool" on Google.. and found TC Two Cents-Dyslexia... Tammy Cardwell's column, though this one was written by Cynthia McDaniel, someone I remember from back in my AOL homeschooling days several years back. She had a dyslexic child and at the time I was in denial. Now that my son is nearly 13 and still struggles with the bare essentials of reading, I'm getting more concerned. At age 7 his extreme dislike of handling printed materials didn't seem like an emergency! Anyhow, this article had a lot more useful information and encouragment for us do-it-yourselfer homeschoolers. It recommended a few books which I'm placing links to here so I'll remember to buy them next time I'm able to spend money on books!
To Teach a Dyslexic
This looks like an interesting book... mostly autobiographical with some teaching hints thrown in.
The Writing Road to Reading: The Spalding Method for Teaching Speech, Spelling, Writing, and Reading
Wouldn't my son love that? LOL ...He's always had an aversion to writing though he does okay at art.
Gift of Dyslexia: Why Some of the Smartest People Can't Read and how They Can Learn
My sister (a nurse-practitioner) recommended this to me a few months back. I think she said she met the guy who wrote it. There's a few positive reviews by homeschooling moms on the linked page.
LCP Solution: The Remarkable Nutritional Treatment for ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia
While browsing the dyslexia section tonight, I also noticed this, the current best-seller for keyword "dyslexia". I might try it.
Sunday, May 18, 2003
Since our old Ford is being retired (due to a problem with a wheel joint that I don't want to fix right now) Aaron's getting his dream come true - a little car to tinker around with and fix up to his liking. We're driving the truck for now, but I'm planning to buy a newer used car within a week or two. Then its vacation time for us! I want to take Aaron and his sister to Crater Lake in Oregon, then swing down to Lava Beds National Monument in California. That should take a couple of days and make the kids very happy... plus give a little first-hand natural-science education on volcanos. I'm not sure yet whether we'll go in June or July.
Aaron's first car project is to fix the tubing for the windsheild washing system.
Aaron's first car project is to fix the tubing for the windsheild washing system.
