Linda's Homeschool WebLog
Saturday, June 14, 2003
A couple days ago I was tired in the afternoon and took a nap. When I woke up I discovered a cake!
While I was sleeping Keith helped Aaron shop for the ingredients, then Aaron came home and made the cake on his own. It was his first two-layer cake. I'm on a diet so only got one little slice.
Today he stayed busy outside all day and in the afternoon both kids went to The Eddy to swim (its a local swimming hole in Indian Creek). It looks like he's going to sleep for the night now.
While I was sleeping Keith helped Aaron shop for the ingredients, then Aaron came home and made the cake on his own. It was his first two-layer cake. I'm on a diet so only got one little slice.
Today he stayed busy outside all day and in the afternoon both kids went to The Eddy to swim (its a local swimming hole in Indian Creek). It looks like he's going to sleep for the night now.
World Net Daily's article about the persecution of the Bryant Family: Government agent, cops confront homeschoolers
There's also a poll.
There's also a poll.
Friday, June 13, 2003
In overly-controlling Massachusetts, the Bryant Family continues to take a stand against state control of their homeschool activities, even after having DSS take custody of their kids (kids still live at home). The most recent battle is over whether the children will take standardized tests. The kids don't want to! Go kids!
Today's article includes a picture. I got the link from the Sepschool mailing list thanks to Donna M. De Poalo of Educational Freedom, along with the following links about the Bryant's six-year saga:
The Bryant Family
History of the case through 1999
More history
Make your support of the Bryant Family known to the world
Today's article includes a picture. I got the link from the Sepschool mailing list thanks to Donna M. De Poalo of Educational Freedom, along with the following links about the Bryant's six-year saga:
The Bryant Family
History of the case through 1999
More history
Make your support of the Bryant Family known to the world
Thursday, June 12, 2003
I've got the archives working on this blog again. Now I'll have to go to all the old postings and fix the image links and make sure everything displays okay with the new CSS template. So, don't expect everything to be working perfectly right away. I'm also trying to get the backblog commenting system to work.
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
I enjoyed this article: Unschooling With ADD by Kathy Ward (its on the NHEN website). While looking at her personal site I noticed she wrote an article about Dyslexia and video game use: Could Video Games Be Good For Dyslexia? My son would be happy with that concept, though I notice he prefers to go outside and work or play during the daytime hours. Today I took him to the school to fly his RC airplane again. He's 13 but still likes to do things with his mom.
Tuesday, June 10, 2003
After careful consideration of the issues, I signed the We Stand For Homeschooling resolution. I'm signer #1234. I heard the site has been online only a few days - since earlier this month - so there's lots of support for that short a time span. Its already controversial.
The reason I signed is because I've tried homeschooling both ways - with government school supervision, and without. I've decided there's few blessings more sweet than having the right to homeschool without the government-paid credentialed supervisors breathing down my back for ridiculous required paperwork, time sheets, etc. I've been a California R4 (private school affidavit) filer since 1997. Before that my son attended a public school ISP for one year... a year of stress and paperwork. I highly recommend independent homeschooling. My preference for independence from government supervision is so strong... if I were to move out of state it would only be to another state with the opportunity for independent homeschooling.
My apology goes to anyone who feels charter or public school supervision has merit. At least you're one step outside the schoolroom door while holding onto the funding stream for ?? what, I don't know. I'm glad you're choosing home education.
I personally don't enjoy being supervised. I do follow my state's private school laws and keep to the recommended course of study. Charter schools and other government-funded programs are just not for me, and the resolution seeks to differentiate independent homeschoolers who don't take advantage of government education funding.
One reason for this concern is the heat coming down on charter school owners who pocket full ADA funding for the children learning at home while giving them only a small percentage of the government funding profit to use on curriculum purchases. I once considered this option because of the offer of a free computer. Then I found out the computer was only a loaner that would be returned to the charter school at the end of the school year. I'm sure many parents choosing charter schools do so for help getting curriculum materials.
As an independent homeschooler I buy my own curriculum. It really doesn't cost much, but then I don't usually opt for the expensive stuff. Somehow through the years I've always managed to get computers even though we've been low-income all along. I really don't understand the lure of government school funds.
I heard about the resolution on the mailing list for the Separation of School and State, a cause I firmly believe in.
The reason I signed is because I've tried homeschooling both ways - with government school supervision, and without. I've decided there's few blessings more sweet than having the right to homeschool without the government-paid credentialed supervisors breathing down my back for ridiculous required paperwork, time sheets, etc. I've been a California R4 (private school affidavit) filer since 1997. Before that my son attended a public school ISP for one year... a year of stress and paperwork. I highly recommend independent homeschooling. My preference for independence from government supervision is so strong... if I were to move out of state it would only be to another state with the opportunity for independent homeschooling.
My apology goes to anyone who feels charter or public school supervision has merit. At least you're one step outside the schoolroom door while holding onto the funding stream for ?? what, I don't know. I'm glad you're choosing home education.
I personally don't enjoy being supervised. I do follow my state's private school laws and keep to the recommended course of study. Charter schools and other government-funded programs are just not for me, and the resolution seeks to differentiate independent homeschoolers who don't take advantage of government education funding.
One reason for this concern is the heat coming down on charter school owners who pocket full ADA funding for the children learning at home while giving them only a small percentage of the government funding profit to use on curriculum purchases. I once considered this option because of the offer of a free computer. Then I found out the computer was only a loaner that would be returned to the charter school at the end of the school year. I'm sure many parents choosing charter schools do so for help getting curriculum materials.
As an independent homeschooler I buy my own curriculum. It really doesn't cost much, but then I don't usually opt for the expensive stuff. Somehow through the years I've always managed to get computers even though we've been low-income all along. I really don't understand the lure of government school funds.
I heard about the resolution on the mailing list for the Separation of School and State, a cause I firmly believe in.
I'm considering signing the We Stand For Homeschooling resolution. I need to study it more first, but thought I'd put the link here for others to consider.
I was given the link to Best Homeschooling today on a mailing list. I remember the site's creator, Lillian Jones, from my days on AOL. She's awesome. I appreciated the Notes on Dyslexia article by Karen Pennebaker and plan to read it to Aaron as soon as I can get his attention.
Monday, June 09, 2003
I've been having fun with a silhouette ding font I downloaded from Fonts For Kids tonight:
I got the letters from Gimmefonts.
So... let me tell you about my day. It started early. I went out to walk on the river highway - about two miles. I need the exercise. When I got home Aaron asked for a ride to see his friend. He took his new RC airplane (a recent birthday gift from his uncle). So I went home and worked on a manuscript about my daughter's school year. After a while I went out to shop and give some software back to a woman I do web maintenance for. When I arrived home my daughter told me Aaron called but she couldn't understand what he was saying. Then my neighbor told me Aaron had been there with someone in a white van, asking for a ladder. From this I figured out the RC airplane might be stuck in a tree.
I was right. I went to find Aaron at a friend's house. Somehow I ended up with three boys instead of one, seated in the front of my old truck. I took them to get the ladder then we went in search of the plane. I parked in the elementary school's parking lot and we hiked across the baseball field with the ladder. Behind that there was a ditch. The boys went into it and up the hill on the other side. I tried to follow and naturally fell down in the weeds. But I was determined because this looked like a dangerous mission.
I finally got to the site of the disaster and discovered we were surrounded by poison oak, which never ceases to displease me. The boys were all very unconcerned about the obnoxious weed. Aaron put the ladder up to the pine tree that had his plane, but it wasn't close enough, so he had to put the ladder on an oak that gave him closer access. He was still about eight feet from the airplane. The other boys had to look for long branches to help him knock the plane out of the tree. We probably tried about six different branches before he got one that worked for him. I did my part - holding the ladder and hoping my son wouldn't fall. When he knocked the plane down, it practically fell at our feet. How convenient... no more tramping around in the thick woods.
The airplane is a survivor.
I went home and took a shower because I'm very sensitive to poison oak. At this time it seems I didn't catch any today.
I got the letters from Gimmefonts.
So... let me tell you about my day. It started early. I went out to walk on the river highway - about two miles. I need the exercise. When I got home Aaron asked for a ride to see his friend. He took his new RC airplane (a recent birthday gift from his uncle). So I went home and worked on a manuscript about my daughter's school year. After a while I went out to shop and give some software back to a woman I do web maintenance for. When I arrived home my daughter told me Aaron called but she couldn't understand what he was saying. Then my neighbor told me Aaron had been there with someone in a white van, asking for a ladder. From this I figured out the RC airplane might be stuck in a tree.
I was right. I went to find Aaron at a friend's house. Somehow I ended up with three boys instead of one, seated in the front of my old truck. I took them to get the ladder then we went in search of the plane. I parked in the elementary school's parking lot and we hiked across the baseball field with the ladder. Behind that there was a ditch. The boys went into it and up the hill on the other side. I tried to follow and naturally fell down in the weeds. But I was determined because this looked like a dangerous mission.
I finally got to the site of the disaster and discovered we were surrounded by poison oak, which never ceases to displease me. The boys were all very unconcerned about the obnoxious weed. Aaron put the ladder up to the pine tree that had his plane, but it wasn't close enough, so he had to put the ladder on an oak that gave him closer access. He was still about eight feet from the airplane. The other boys had to look for long branches to help him knock the plane out of the tree. We probably tried about six different branches before he got one that worked for him. I did my part - holding the ladder and hoping my son wouldn't fall. When he knocked the plane down, it practically fell at our feet. How convenient... no more tramping around in the thick woods.
The airplane is a survivor.
I went home and took a shower because I'm very sensitive to poison oak. At this time it seems I didn't catch any today.
Sunday, June 08, 2003
I've been too busy this week! I never even posted the pictures of Aaron's birthday. He and his friends wanted to go swimming but we were concerned the creek might still be too high due to snow melting in the Siskiyou Mountains... so we took him and the friends to the snow instead, letting them play in the last bits of it near the roadside. Here's what they did:
Aaron and friends in front of a truck he admires.
This is when he almost fell down.
His friends going uphill.
Aaron enjoyed this activity
strange to be sledding on June 1....
They survived "the hill".
Aaron and friends in front of a truck he admires.
This is when he almost fell down.
His friends going uphill.
Aaron enjoyed this activity
strange to be sledding on June 1....
They survived "the hill".
