So, today is Techie Tuesday. While I love almost all things technology-related (iPhones and iPads, blogs, tweets, and Facebook, and anything that makes my life more organized!), I often don't understand how it works or why it works. There are some things I may not be using at their optimum potential! So Tuesday is my day to learn about the wonderful world of technology. So let's start with something I've heard a lot about, but don't completely understand: SEO.
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a hot-button word in today's online world. Those who know how to use SEO can pretty much write themselves a check, there is so much work out there. So what, exactly, is it?
Back in the day, we'll call it the 90s, when this little thing called the internet was just starting to take off, companies were working hard to find ways to keep track of all of these web pages that were being developed. If they could be categorized, it would make slogging through literally millions of web pages a little easier. Welcome into existence web crawlers. These programs were designed to "crawl" through the web pages, looking for specific words or phrases, and indexing them based on these search parameters. They would then list these pages in order of who used the words or phrases you were looking for the most. It's called a relevance search and involves incredibly complicated math that I will not go into here, but it made academic research (its original intent) much easier.
By the end of the 90s, some forward-thinking business people realized that, the higher up a page was ranked in this index, the more traffic it received. Think about it. How often have you Googled something and gone beyond the first or second page? So they created a marketing strategy called Search Engine Optimization, or SEO.
The way SEO works is by using common words and phrases within the text, and sometimes even within the HTML source code, to get the attention of the crawlers. The more often it is used and the "higher" up (title, first paragraph, pictures, etc.) on the page it is, the higher it will be ranked by the crawlers. So if, for example, you were selling a better mousetrap, you would use the word "mousetrap" everywhere - in your title, several times within the opening paragraphs as well as throughout the text, and have a picture (or 2 or 3) of a mousetrap that is labeled "mousetrap." Simple, right?
Well, not exactly. Like anything in marketing (or in life, really), SEO can be both good and bad. White hat SEO is when you use this technique smartly, fairly, and ethically. Black hat SEO is creating pages specifically to get a higher traffic count with no redeeming information. Often, these pages have their words heavily embedded into the HTML source code. It's unethical, and sites have been blocked from big search engines, such as Google and Yahoo!, just for doing it.
Although many marketing companies, especially those who specialize in online marketing, know how to and often do use SEO, even they will say it should never be the only tool in your marketing tool box. SEO will help to get some traffic through the door, but most sites actually get MORE traffic from being linked from other sites. Plus, once they get there, you should probably have something worth seeing, or you won't have return viewers!
So the next time you read an article, or a job description, that mentions SEO, you will now know a little bit more about it. It's not as big and techie and as scary as it sounds.
Thanks to Yahoo! and Google for all of the information I found (after slugging through a gazillion ad sites!) on SEO.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
The Year of Knowledge: George Washington
Today is the first Monday of the new year. Mondays for me are the Presidential Mondays as, I will admit, I never really much paid attention to politics in school, especially when it was about a bunch of old white dudes. My goal is to learn more about the men themselves who became President to try and figure out how we got to this place in our country. So, let's start at the beginning!
George Washington was an uneducated middle child who was good at mathematics. His rise to politics is fairly well-known and taught to children everywhere when President's Day in February rolls around. But there is more to good old George than just an Army General who later became our first President.
Washington was actually not a big fan of politics. He was interested in fairness and equality, and he felt that political factions would do more harm than good. After turning down the opportunity to become King (which, you've got to admit, is a big thing to turn down - I wouldn't have been able to do it!), he was dragged out of retirement to create this new-fangled kind of government called a democratic republic. Despite his desire to remain out of the political arena, he was voted our first President - unanimously.
The first thing he did was to assign Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton to his cabinet. Today, that would be the equivalent of placing Newt Gingrich next to Michael Moore and telling them to play nice. He truly believed, however, that these two men represented the best ideas of both sides of the political debate (at the time, the Federalists, who believed in a large Federal government and the Democratic Republicans, who believed in less Federal government and more States' rights), which, to Washington, was important for integrity and fairness.
He tried to leave the office after one term, but was unanimously elected again. He continued to tread carefully, balancing interests for all the people of this fledgling country. He did, however, utilize his power to act independently of Congress when it came to all things military, both foreign and domestic. His days as a general served to make him a force to be reckoned with when rebellions popped up. He also had the military sense to declare the United States neutral in a war between England and France - despite misgivings from some members of Congress who felt we owed France for their help in the Revolutionary War (and probably wanted one more dig at those damned British red coats!).
Washington left the office after two terms, exhausted from the political parties' constant battles and petty fights. He died three years later.
Washington was an honorable man who always strove for balance and fairness. He was the first, and probably only, President who could claim a desire for bi-partisan politics - and mean it! Our current President and future Presidential hopefuls would do well with brushing up on the tireless efforts and leadership of our first President.
Thanks to millercenter.org of the University of Virginia for my information in this blog!
Author's Note: Originally called our government a democracy, when, in actuallity, it is a republic, or, more specifically a democratic republic. I changed the original post to correct the mistake, but want to give a shout out to one of my favorite people and readers, Julia Wilson, for catching the error and keeping me on my toes!
George Washington was an uneducated middle child who was good at mathematics. His rise to politics is fairly well-known and taught to children everywhere when President's Day in February rolls around. But there is more to good old George than just an Army General who later became our first President.
Washington was actually not a big fan of politics. He was interested in fairness and equality, and he felt that political factions would do more harm than good. After turning down the opportunity to become King (which, you've got to admit, is a big thing to turn down - I wouldn't have been able to do it!), he was dragged out of retirement to create this new-fangled kind of government called a democratic republic. Despite his desire to remain out of the political arena, he was voted our first President - unanimously.
The first thing he did was to assign Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton to his cabinet. Today, that would be the equivalent of placing Newt Gingrich next to Michael Moore and telling them to play nice. He truly believed, however, that these two men represented the best ideas of both sides of the political debate (at the time, the Federalists, who believed in a large Federal government and the Democratic Republicans, who believed in less Federal government and more States' rights), which, to Washington, was important for integrity and fairness.
He tried to leave the office after one term, but was unanimously elected again. He continued to tread carefully, balancing interests for all the people of this fledgling country. He did, however, utilize his power to act independently of Congress when it came to all things military, both foreign and domestic. His days as a general served to make him a force to be reckoned with when rebellions popped up. He also had the military sense to declare the United States neutral in a war between England and France - despite misgivings from some members of Congress who felt we owed France for their help in the Revolutionary War (and probably wanted one more dig at those damned British red coats!).
Washington left the office after two terms, exhausted from the political parties' constant battles and petty fights. He died three years later.
Washington was an honorable man who always strove for balance and fairness. He was the first, and probably only, President who could claim a desire for bi-partisan politics - and mean it! Our current President and future Presidential hopefuls would do well with brushing up on the tireless efforts and leadership of our first President.
Thanks to millercenter.org of the University of Virginia for my information in this blog!
Author's Note: Originally called our government a democracy, when, in actuallity, it is a republic, or, more specifically a democratic republic. I changed the original post to correct the mistake, but want to give a shout out to one of my favorite people and readers, Julia Wilson, for catching the error and keeping me on my toes!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
What This Homeschool Professor Learned in 2011
So, August 2011 began our first year of homeschooling with our oldest son, AJ. It has been an ... interesting ... learning experience. So, what did I learn in 2011?
1. Homeschooling, is really, really, REALLY hard. Not the subject - it's first grade work, so I think I can handle the material. The discipline is hard. Starting and maintaining a routine. Sticking to the goals that have been set. Not turning over, sleeping in, and thinking, eh, we don't need to do school today. It's such an easy trap! While I'm glad that we don't have that crazy, hurried mornings we used to in order to get my slow poke of a boy up, dressed, fed, and on the bus, there's also no post-bus nap. I know that makes me sound like a weenie, but we do have a new baby that is still not sleeping through the night. I'm exhausted!
2. There is NOTHING linear about homeschooling. This is both a good and a bad. The bad part is that all of my careful planning went out the window within the first weeks of school. The good is how much we have learned about AJ - you know, the person we are doing this for? He has an incredible math brain. We're starting second grade math this week, and should be starting third grade math sometime in April. He LOVES science, especially about space. We were learning animals, which he liked, when something about space came up, and boom, we did space for the rest of the year. He has become an incredible reader (Thank you, Saxon Phonics!), but can't spell his way out of a paper bag. How many other parents get the opportunity to be this involved in their kids' brains?
3. Homeschooling is NOT about books. My kid is smart. Not bragging - he's not going to be some 14-year-old college graduate or anything - just stating a fact. Because of that, it is really easy to get caught up in all of the books to cram as much knowledge as that hungry little brain can absorb. But some days, homeschooling is about field trips where we get to teach our little brother what we learned about how a pumpkin grows. Sometimes it's about going to the store and watching Mama use a calculator as the number gets bigger and bigger the more stuff that goes in the cart. Sometimes it's about a beautiful fall day outside, being quiet, and counting the bugs found under the rock.
4. I would never, ever, EVER do it any other way. Despite the false starts and frustrations and worries, seeing him be proud of his accomplishments, hold conversations with adults about some pretty deep topics, and not be stressed about all of the other debris that goes along with public school makes it all worth it.
1. Homeschooling, is really, really, REALLY hard. Not the subject - it's first grade work, so I think I can handle the material. The discipline is hard. Starting and maintaining a routine. Sticking to the goals that have been set. Not turning over, sleeping in, and thinking, eh, we don't need to do school today. It's such an easy trap! While I'm glad that we don't have that crazy, hurried mornings we used to in order to get my slow poke of a boy up, dressed, fed, and on the bus, there's also no post-bus nap. I know that makes me sound like a weenie, but we do have a new baby that is still not sleeping through the night. I'm exhausted!
2. There is NOTHING linear about homeschooling. This is both a good and a bad. The bad part is that all of my careful planning went out the window within the first weeks of school. The good is how much we have learned about AJ - you know, the person we are doing this for? He has an incredible math brain. We're starting second grade math this week, and should be starting third grade math sometime in April. He LOVES science, especially about space. We were learning animals, which he liked, when something about space came up, and boom, we did space for the rest of the year. He has become an incredible reader (Thank you, Saxon Phonics!), but can't spell his way out of a paper bag. How many other parents get the opportunity to be this involved in their kids' brains?
3. Homeschooling is NOT about books. My kid is smart. Not bragging - he's not going to be some 14-year-old college graduate or anything - just stating a fact. Because of that, it is really easy to get caught up in all of the books to cram as much knowledge as that hungry little brain can absorb. But some days, homeschooling is about field trips where we get to teach our little brother what we learned about how a pumpkin grows. Sometimes it's about going to the store and watching Mama use a calculator as the number gets bigger and bigger the more stuff that goes in the cart. Sometimes it's about a beautiful fall day outside, being quiet, and counting the bugs found under the rock.
4. I would never, ever, EVER do it any other way. Despite the false starts and frustrations and worries, seeing him be proud of his accomplishments, hold conversations with adults about some pretty deep topics, and not be stressed about all of the other debris that goes along with public school makes it all worth it.
The Year of Knowledge: New Year's Day
An interesting fact - humans have only been celebrating "New Year's Day" on January 1 since 1582.
The earliest records we have of celebrating a new year occurred over 4000 years ago in ancient Babylon. It was celebrated much later in the year than when we now celebrate - the first new moon after the vernal equinox, or the first day of spring, in March.
Later, the early Roman calendar was only about ten months - 304 days. Needless to say, this calendar didn't really line up with the stars, so good old Julius Caesar in 46 BCE decided to add Januarius and Februarius (January and February to us Americans) to the calendar year.
JC was also the first to decide on January 1st as the official New Year day in honor of the Roman god for which January is named - Janus. Janus was the god of beginnings with two faces - one looking forward to the future, one looking behind to the past. Seems like a perfect concept for a New Year. The Catholic church had different ideas, of course. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII made the official decision to put it back to January 1st. Before that, in ACE, New Year's was celebrated on a religious holiday (sometimes Christmas, sometimes the Feast of Annunciation).
As an additional fact, making New Year's resolutions also started with the Babylonians. In order to curry favor with the gods and start the year off on the right foot, they would resolve to pay off their debts and return used farm equipment.
Guess I'll be needing to return that tractor this year, huh?
Thanks to History.com for the info!
The earliest records we have of celebrating a new year occurred over 4000 years ago in ancient Babylon. It was celebrated much later in the year than when we now celebrate - the first new moon after the vernal equinox, or the first day of spring, in March.
Later, the early Roman calendar was only about ten months - 304 days. Needless to say, this calendar didn't really line up with the stars, so good old Julius Caesar in 46 BCE decided to add Januarius and Februarius (January and February to us Americans) to the calendar year.
JC was also the first to decide on January 1st as the official New Year day in honor of the Roman god for which January is named - Janus. Janus was the god of beginnings with two faces - one looking forward to the future, one looking behind to the past. Seems like a perfect concept for a New Year. The Catholic church had different ideas, of course. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII made the official decision to put it back to January 1st. Before that, in ACE, New Year's was celebrated on a religious holiday (sometimes Christmas, sometimes the Feast of Annunciation).
As an additional fact, making New Year's resolutions also started with the Babylonians. In order to curry favor with the gods and start the year off on the right foot, they would resolve to pay off their debts and return used farm equipment.
Guess I'll be needing to return that tractor this year, huh?
Thanks to History.com for the info!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
If it looks like a duck . . .
I'll admit. I've been avoiding. it seems so big and scary and I don't want to deal with it. However, after almost four months of homeschooling, I can't keep my head in the sand any longer.
My kid has ADHD.
I've tried to pretend he's just "spirited" and "imaginative," but the reality is that he is unfocused and lacks impulse control. The hubby has it, there's a lot of it on my side of the family. Did I really think I was going to be able to get through three kids and not have one them afflicted with it?
Here's the thing, though. I don't care that AJ has ADHD. Hell, I self-diagnosed. I'm working through new ways of teaching him and am slowly finding some things that are working. So, why have I been avoiding it?
Two reasons: first off, I don't want to medicate, and that seems to be the knee-jerk reaction to most doctors and specialists. I'm not anti-meds overall, I mean, I do vaccinate and when the kiddos need antibiotics, I am right there with the pink medicine. I just know that, for now, I don't want to have to argue, with anyone, about why I don't want to put him on meds. It's why I've avoided talking to his doc about it. I'm afraid I'll be persuaded to Ritalin him up in wanting to do the right thing for him. We can always go to meds later if that's what it takes, but coming down from meds can be so hard.
The other reason is that I hate labeling kids. On the plus-side, since we are homeschooling, I don't have to worry about what the "ADHD" label will do to him in school. No teachers passing on horror stories about how my kid can't sit through an entire lesson on grammar, but then refuses to even acknowledge the teacher during science because he is so busy trying to blow something up. Still, I don't want people to look at him differently. He's still AJ. One part imp, one part cuddle bear, one part stubborn, and several parts genius. He just has a hard time sitting still and listening if what you have to say isn't interesting.
So, my homeschooling days with him are going to change. I continue to read, to research, to question, trying to find what is best for HIM. Homeschooling is not about me. I may teach better one way, but if it's not getting through to him, does it matter? Anyone out there who homeschools a kid with ADHD, your advice would be greatly appreciated!
My kid has ADHD.
I've tried to pretend he's just "spirited" and "imaginative," but the reality is that he is unfocused and lacks impulse control. The hubby has it, there's a lot of it on my side of the family. Did I really think I was going to be able to get through three kids and not have one them afflicted with it?
Here's the thing, though. I don't care that AJ has ADHD. Hell, I self-diagnosed. I'm working through new ways of teaching him and am slowly finding some things that are working. So, why have I been avoiding it?
Two reasons: first off, I don't want to medicate, and that seems to be the knee-jerk reaction to most doctors and specialists. I'm not anti-meds overall, I mean, I do vaccinate and when the kiddos need antibiotics, I am right there with the pink medicine. I just know that, for now, I don't want to have to argue, with anyone, about why I don't want to put him on meds. It's why I've avoided talking to his doc about it. I'm afraid I'll be persuaded to Ritalin him up in wanting to do the right thing for him. We can always go to meds later if that's what it takes, but coming down from meds can be so hard.
The other reason is that I hate labeling kids. On the plus-side, since we are homeschooling, I don't have to worry about what the "ADHD" label will do to him in school. No teachers passing on horror stories about how my kid can't sit through an entire lesson on grammar, but then refuses to even acknowledge the teacher during science because he is so busy trying to blow something up. Still, I don't want people to look at him differently. He's still AJ. One part imp, one part cuddle bear, one part stubborn, and several parts genius. He just has a hard time sitting still and listening if what you have to say isn't interesting.
So, my homeschooling days with him are going to change. I continue to read, to research, to question, trying to find what is best for HIM. Homeschooling is not about me. I may teach better one way, but if it's not getting through to him, does it matter? Anyone out there who homeschools a kid with ADHD, your advice would be greatly appreciated!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
I Don't Blame the Teachers!
Wow. What a reaction I got to our news yesterday, all fairly positive. Truthfully, I was a bit nervous about putting it out there. We're going to homeschool. It is an issue that still has that tree-hugging, homesteading, hippie connotation to it. The outpouring of support has been amazing and so needed.
In my absent-minded professor-type way that I have, however, I didn't think about all of my friends who are school teachers who might have misinterpreted our decision. So, as the title suggests -
I don't blame the teachers!
Really. I actually like AJ's kindergarten teacher. She's very nice, and when we were having behavioral issues with him, both at home and at school, she was a big help in getting him back on track. I think she recognized his boredom and began giving him extra responsibilities. It did help.
Also, I come from an elementary teacher's assistant mom. She helped out in kindergarten and first grade for almost 20 years. She had a front row seat to how apathetic or even bad parents and never-been-inside-a-classroom politicians affect everything that goes on in a classroom, from attendance to what and how subjects are taught. So much is out of the control of the teachers.
I have been supporting my teacher friends as they have fought for the right to be able to make more than pittance for dealing with 25-30 kids, each with their own issues, their own baggage, their own learning styles, their own levels of knowledge, and trying to not only teach them academics, but etiquette, social mores, time management skills, and self-respect.
You know these people do it for the love of teaching and children because they sure as hell are not doing it for the money.
I actually read in one of the research articles that we, as a society, expect our school teachers to teach our children EVERYTHING, and for the parents to, at best, be on the support team. This may sound weird, but I'd actually like to be the one who decides what my kid learns, academics and otherwise.
Another issue that I have with schools in general is also what is being taught. For example, I DETEST whole-language learning. I know many teachers who support this type of curriculum, as it was what they were taught to teach. I can't do it. I have already purchased Saxon Phonics to teach my children phonetic reading so they will hopefully be better spellers than me. I grew up on whole-language learning, and I am a spelling mess! Also, the white-washing of textbooks and literature makes me grind my teeth. More political crap in the classroom. I want control of what and how my kids learn.
Finally, a fundamental principle to education is a requirement to do what you are told without asking questions. How else are you going to cover ALL of that material if every student questions if what they are told is true, factual, biased, etc.? Then, these students come to MY college, and when I not only discuss critical thinking, but actually expect it, they seem scared and mystified at the thought of questioning what our textbook says.
I want my kids to question everything, take nothing at face value, all the while learning how to be critical in a non-threatening, respectful way. You'll never see those lessons in an elementary classroom. There isn't time, and frankly, the potential anarchy and lack of class discipline could cause more problems than it is worth.
So, to all my teacher friends out there, I love you and think you are amazing (and a little insane) for doing what you do. I teach college, where there is a lot less hand-holding, nose-wiping, and parental ass-kissing, and I still get irritated with the job. At least I'm dealing with (supposedly) adults. And a lot less restrictions in how I do my job.
Truthfully, America needs an education over-haul, not an educational reform. I wish I was a good enough person to say I would happily lead the charge, but my first concern is MY kids, and that is going to leave little time for banner-waving and petition-writing.
Maybe, however, in our small way, by homeschooling our kids, we are sending a message to someone that we are dissatisfied with public education and feel this is the only option available to us. Quit looking to the teachers and look to the system to truly see what is broke.
In my absent-minded professor-type way that I have, however, I didn't think about all of my friends who are school teachers who might have misinterpreted our decision. So, as the title suggests -
I don't blame the teachers!
Really. I actually like AJ's kindergarten teacher. She's very nice, and when we were having behavioral issues with him, both at home and at school, she was a big help in getting him back on track. I think she recognized his boredom and began giving him extra responsibilities. It did help.
Also, I come from an elementary teacher's assistant mom. She helped out in kindergarten and first grade for almost 20 years. She had a front row seat to how apathetic or even bad parents and never-been-inside-a-classroom politicians affect everything that goes on in a classroom, from attendance to what and how subjects are taught. So much is out of the control of the teachers.
I have been supporting my teacher friends as they have fought for the right to be able to make more than pittance for dealing with 25-30 kids, each with their own issues, their own baggage, their own learning styles, their own levels of knowledge, and trying to not only teach them academics, but etiquette, social mores, time management skills, and self-respect.
You know these people do it for the love of teaching and children because they sure as hell are not doing it for the money.
I actually read in one of the research articles that we, as a society, expect our school teachers to teach our children EVERYTHING, and for the parents to, at best, be on the support team. This may sound weird, but I'd actually like to be the one who decides what my kid learns, academics and otherwise.
Another issue that I have with schools in general is also what is being taught. For example, I DETEST whole-language learning. I know many teachers who support this type of curriculum, as it was what they were taught to teach. I can't do it. I have already purchased Saxon Phonics to teach my children phonetic reading so they will hopefully be better spellers than me. I grew up on whole-language learning, and I am a spelling mess! Also, the white-washing of textbooks and literature makes me grind my teeth. More political crap in the classroom. I want control of what and how my kids learn.
Finally, a fundamental principle to education is a requirement to do what you are told without asking questions. How else are you going to cover ALL of that material if every student questions if what they are told is true, factual, biased, etc.? Then, these students come to MY college, and when I not only discuss critical thinking, but actually expect it, they seem scared and mystified at the thought of questioning what our textbook says.
I want my kids to question everything, take nothing at face value, all the while learning how to be critical in a non-threatening, respectful way. You'll never see those lessons in an elementary classroom. There isn't time, and frankly, the potential anarchy and lack of class discipline could cause more problems than it is worth.
So, to all my teacher friends out there, I love you and think you are amazing (and a little insane) for doing what you do. I teach college, where there is a lot less hand-holding, nose-wiping, and parental ass-kissing, and I still get irritated with the job. At least I'm dealing with (supposedly) adults. And a lot less restrictions in how I do my job.
Truthfully, America needs an education over-haul, not an educational reform. I wish I was a good enough person to say I would happily lead the charge, but my first concern is MY kids, and that is going to leave little time for banner-waving and petition-writing.
Maybe, however, in our small way, by homeschooling our kids, we are sending a message to someone that we are dissatisfied with public education and feel this is the only option available to us. Quit looking to the teachers and look to the system to truly see what is broke.
Monday, March 7, 2011
What a Day!
The hubby and I have been discussing homeschooling our kids (currently two boys with a little girl due in June) for years, but it always felt like a "in a perfect world" type dream. You know, along the lines of what would you do if you won the lottery. I work full-time as a college professor. The hubby is going to school full-time to become a Physical Therapy Assistant. Two kids, one on the way. Who would have the time?
Then, my oldest, AJ, came home from school. They had made these paper Cat in the Hat hats in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday. Cool, right? Except for the fact that my 6-year-old, who has been writing his letters correctly since he was three, had three rhyming words for hat with capital letter that had been written backwards.
And the teacher didn't correct him. It's all about the effort.
I snapped. Seriously, I felt like the worst parent ever. I knew my kid was "too smart" for public education kindergarten. His preschool, an excellent place that is very student-centered, set him far and beyond many of the other students in his class. He knows his numbers into the tens of thousands. His class has been working on the numbers 1-30 since Thanksgiving. Still, I felt the "school experience" was worth being ahead of the rest of his class.
I was so wrong.
He's bored. He's had several behavioral issues, mostly because he's bored. He hates school already and tries to get out of going whenever he can. If I don't do something soon, I'm going to lose my brilliant son to the apathy of public school students.
Being an academic, I researched academic articles to get the "real" scoop on homeschooling. I had read lots of blogs, books, and magazines on homeschoolers, by homeschooling parents. I wanted to read from those who weren't promoting their own propaganda. I was shocked at what I found.
There was nothing, absolutely NOTHING of value, that was negative about homeschooling children. And the pros? I couldn't list them all in this blog. I've spent a couple of days talking to the husband and my mom, a retired elementary school assistant teacher, and the decision was officially made today.
As of August 2011, we will be a homeschooling family. Dear Lord, what have we gotten ourselves into?
Then, my oldest, AJ, came home from school. They had made these paper Cat in the Hat hats in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday. Cool, right? Except for the fact that my 6-year-old, who has been writing his letters correctly since he was three, had three rhyming words for hat with capital letter that had been written backwards.
And the teacher didn't correct him. It's all about the effort.
I snapped. Seriously, I felt like the worst parent ever. I knew my kid was "too smart" for public education kindergarten. His preschool, an excellent place that is very student-centered, set him far and beyond many of the other students in his class. He knows his numbers into the tens of thousands. His class has been working on the numbers 1-30 since Thanksgiving. Still, I felt the "school experience" was worth being ahead of the rest of his class.
I was so wrong.
He's bored. He's had several behavioral issues, mostly because he's bored. He hates school already and tries to get out of going whenever he can. If I don't do something soon, I'm going to lose my brilliant son to the apathy of public school students.
Being an academic, I researched academic articles to get the "real" scoop on homeschooling. I had read lots of blogs, books, and magazines on homeschoolers, by homeschooling parents. I wanted to read from those who weren't promoting their own propaganda. I was shocked at what I found.
There was nothing, absolutely NOTHING of value, that was negative about homeschooling children. And the pros? I couldn't list them all in this blog. I've spent a couple of days talking to the husband and my mom, a retired elementary school assistant teacher, and the decision was officially made today.
As of August 2011, we will be a homeschooling family. Dear Lord, what have we gotten ourselves into?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)