August 31st, 2010 § 3
Here’s a story for those well-meaning relatives and friends who tell us we shouldn’t be homeschooling our children because we aren’t certified teachers.
You know what bugs me the most about this story?
It’s not the fact that this fifth-grade teacher sent 3800+ emails over the course of 169 school days. (At a rate of one minute per email, that’s 57 hours of paid work time.) » Read the rest of this entry «
August 26th, 2010 § 12
Our four-year-old nephew is a very bright little boy.
I’m not bragging on our shared genetics, because he’s adopted. He’s been in preschool the past couple of years where he quickly absorbed everything they taught him and then some. And then he got bored. » Read the rest of this entry «
August 20th, 2010 § 1
I had just used the random number generator to pick the winner of the Shovelhorns and Black Bruin giveaway when my husband came into the office and said, “Since we had such a nice response to this giveaway, let’s pick two winners.”
Can’t argue with that! So the winners of a fresh new copy of Shovelhorns and Black Bruin are Tammy and Bev. Congratulations, ladies! And many thanks to everyone who entered. I loved reading your responses 
August 19th, 2010 § 3
Seven years ago, Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers was first published. Since then, I’ve gotten many email messages from readers who used the curriculum with their kids and were pleased with it.
Sadly, I’ve also been asked why I chose to include girls in my target audience for the book.
Now, I realize that many homeschoolers are even more conservative than I am, enough so that they plan to keep their daughters at home until and unless they marry. But to keep them in the dark about financial matters seems so misguided to me. » Read the rest of this entry «
August 16th, 2010 § 0
Children learn what they live.
Put kids in a class and they will live out their lives in an invisible cage, isolated from their chance at community;
interrupt kids with bells and horns all the time and they will learn that nothing is important;
force them to plead for the natural right to the toilet and they will become liars and toadies;
ridicule them and they will retreat from human association;
shame them and they will find a hundred ways to get even.
The habits taught in large-scale organizations are deadly.
That’s by John Taylor Gatto, and he cuts right to the chase, doesn’t he? Here’s a quote from a review of one of his books over at Amazon:
I wish I’d read this while I was in school; I’d have seen then that there was something wrong with the system, not me.
That’s heartbreaking. How many adults were wounded by school when they were children? Gatto knows. He taught in the public schools for thirty years. When he was given the New York State Teacher of the Year award, his acceptance speech (pdf) was not exactly what they were expecting! It was a criticism of the institution of school.
If you have any time in what’s left of summer, you might want to check out Gatto’s books. He gives all parents, not just homeschooling parents, much to think about:
August 12th, 2010 § 96
Our new book, Shovelhorns and Black Bruin, is selling like hotcakes! I think more and more parents are realizing that the classic books are the best; these novels by Clarence Hawkes (circa 1908-9) are definitely classics. With two classic novels in one book, it’s also a great deal.
To celebrate, we’re giving away a hot-off-the-press copy to a lucky winner, and it could be you! Just leave a comment here answering this question:
How do your children benefit from reading classic books?
By commenting, you’ll be automatically entered in the drawing for this giveaway. Deadline for entries is midnight, August 19, 2010. Don’t miss out: comment now!
8-20-10 Please note: contest is now closed.
