Just thought I’d pass this along in case you’re looking for more homeschooling options. I’m not a fan of curriculum per se but I like the distinctive offered in Ron Paul’s Curriculum.
I love that they have a module on starting a home business and emphasis critical thinking skills. I also like that they maintain neutrality on religion which gives it a broader appeal.
Filed under: homeschooling | Leave a Comment »
I first came across Peter Gray’s work in a Psychology Today column. He’s a brilliant psychologist and unpacks the value of play and unschooling using solid research.
This talk once again reinforces to me how much I’ve been brainwashed by the education system.
Schools today have shaped most of our thinking…to our detriment and to the detriment of society as a whole.
Filed under: Free Range Education, Uncategorized | Tagged: Peter Gray, play, unschooling | 1 Comment »
Is ADHD a disease? Nearly 10% of school aged kids will be diagnosed with, yes, what is referred to as “a disease” in America.
Here’s a few articles worth reading if you have ADHD swinging from your light fixtures.
The first one is an article entitled Why French Kids Don’t Have ADHD. It’s an interesting read and points out some of the cultural differences that drive the ADHD industry (or not.) One thing I don’t necessarily agree with though is the inference that if you just control your home environment, your hyperactive wonder will settle down. And even if you *did* have the perfect home environment, our schools and culture are a HUGE factor in facilitating gnat-like attention span.
I’ll say it again: I don’t believe ADHD is a disease. BUT…I do believe that some kids are wired in such away that they are at odds with box that is imposed on kids at younger and younger ages. So to suggest that parents just do as the French….well, these parents are already grappling with enough guilt and feelings of inadequacy.
The other article, Inventor of ADHD’s Deathbed Confession: ADHD is a Fictitious Disease caught my attention for a few different reasons. First, the enormity of the power of social engineering that is at work.
The other thing that never fails to take my breath away is the conflict of interest with the brains behind the DSM and their connections to big pharma. There’s a lot of money to be made in the ADHD industry.
What do you think about these articles?
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: ADD/ADHD, ADHD, ADHD/ADD | 3 Comments »
My friend, Lisa Nielsen, really knocked it out of the park with this article, Is the Common Core and Attack on Progressive Education.
I met Lisa on Facebook, she is the founder of an unschooling group there and I encourage you to connect with her there. You can also find her at the Innovative Educator website.
One of the greatest things about the internet age is the ability to connect with like-minded people . The unschooling community, in times past, has been considered a bit of a fringe group. But no more.
When I read Lisa’s brilliant distillation of what’s going on in the world of education, not only do I learn from her, I am greatly encouraged that we unschoolers really are on to something! The unschooling pioneers understood this and now we have the benefit of not only their testimonies, but solid research too.
What about you? Anyone you care to give a shout out to? Leave a comment!
Filed under: education, Free Range Education, homeschooling, Public schooling | Leave a Comment »
Coming soon to a school near you. Nah, scratch that. It’s likely there already. Resistance is futile, eh? By 2014, they will be in full effect.
Common Core is part of the No Child Left Behind package that sounds better than it really is. It goes something like this:
Teachers will teach from one master plan from sea to shine sea so if Johnny’s family moves from San Diego to Freeport, ME, the class in Maine will be studying the same stuff he was studying in CA. Or so goes the theory. Truth is, our kids and classrooms are being used as a big lab experiment…only the rats are leading the experiments.
The stuff I’m reading, from people far more versed in this stuff that I’ll ever be, is not sweet on Common Core. Teachers and administrators alike are very concerned.
Here’s one little tidbit from this article:
President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan often say that the Common Core standards were developed by the states and voluntarily adopted by them. This is not true. They were developed by an organization called Achieve and the National Governors Association, both of which were generously funded by the Gates Foundation. There was minimal public engagement in the development of the Common Core.
It disgusts me that it seems a lot of what’s driving “reform” is the two usual players- money and power. There’s a LOT of money to be made in this industry, especially by the test makers and educrats touting the benefits of reform. The conflict of interest is staggering.
Professionals with hands-on experience with kids see this for what it’s worth. It sickens me that this whole system reduces gifted teachers into test givers. And I’m sure if parents haven’t observed this already, the pressure on kids for high stakes testing has only just begun.
If you have a child in public school, it’s important for you to have a little familiarity on the topic. And if you’re a home educator, this should serve as another reason to NOT do “school” in your home.
Filed under: education, homeschooling, Public schooling | Tagged: Common Core, NCLB | 8 Comments »
I’ll never forget the conversation I had with a woman a few years ago. She was wringing her hands, eyes were filled with anxiety. “He’ll have over a hundred thousand dollars in student loan debt,” she told me. Her son was studying German and hoped to get a….uh…not sure what he wanted to get.
I asked her if he had considered simply moving to Germany for a year or more to get fluent? He could earn money, learn German and understand the culture better. Not to mention help him sort out what he’d like to do.
I could almost hear the gate crashing down and the key being tossed aside. DON’T go there!
It was clear she was unable to see past the “you must get a college degree to be successful” thinking. Even though she was connecting the dots with the debt with which this kid was getting saddled, she just couldn’t let go of her paradigm.
Believing is seeing.
When we settle on a belief…be it the moon is made out of green cheese or you must have a degree to be successful…we will find ways to substantiate that belief. Even if it’s unreasonable.
And no, I’m not against college. For some kids, it IS a vital part of their education and preparation for their career.
But all too often, parents overlook some very important alternatives. This article from a Tennessee news station illustrates my point.
Here’s a few tidbits:
Nearly 30% of Americans with associate’s degrees now make more than those with bachelor’s degrees, according to Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce. In fact, other recent research in several states shows that, on average, community college graduates right out of school make more than graduates of four-year universities….
A two-year community college degree, at present full rates, costs about $6,262, according to the College Board. A bachelor’s degree from a four-year, private residential university goes for $158,072.
There are lots of great options!
But first…you might have to examine your beliefs.
Filed under: College education, education, Free Range Education, homeschooling, The Mother Lode Project | 2 Comments »
It’s a favorite question among homeschool moms. And one asked by those curious about homeschooling. But when I really cringe is when I hear it asked by parents of preschoolers. Or parents with special needs’ kids.
The question?
What curriculum do you use?
GAH!!! Even Captain Picard finds that question exasperating.
For starters, the scope and sequence which defines any curriculum is arbitrary. I mean think about it….who the hell decided all 10th graders should take geometry?
Furthermore, how it’s all diced up and compartmentalized, removes most (all?) learning out of its natural habitat. Is it any wonder the kids are disengaged from school?
It’s not a sign that the kids need incentivizing, it’s a sign that the blasted system is irrelevant and broken beyond repair.
Folks, set aside the curriculum catalogs. And instead of asking your self “which curriculum?” a better question is, “How is my child bent?”
And then go from there.
An extra note for parents of preschoolers- Read, read, read. Take nature walks. Get a magnifying glass and microscope. Turn off the TV. Snuggle. Bake cookies. Enjoy your little one. And fer-cryin-out-loud…stay away from curriculum! YES! Even those funsie looking books at Costco.
I hope I wasn’t unclear.
Here’s the best part that you get to do:
Rediscover the wonder of learning through the eyes of your child.
Filed under: education, Free Range Education, homeschooling, Public schooling, The Mother Lode Project | 4 Comments »
