Good Fiction

I've been in the car lately and that means that I've been doing a lot of reading.  I finished up another book on my Kindle last night.  I had looked forward to this book because of a book I'd read in the past--June Bug.  It was Chris Fabry's first published book and I enjoyed it.  I didn't enjoy the next two books that he published quite as much as the first, but I still saw him as a good writer--worth reading.

A new book by Fabry came out in August--Every Waking Moment.  It isn't a romance or historical fiction

novel.  It's plain, old realistic fiction. There's a touch of the supernatural to it, but I'd still call it realistic fiction. The story centers on Treha and her gift with older folks beset by dementia and alzheimers.  I found myself drawn into the story as it began and slowly meandered along its way.  At the beginning of the story, Miriam Howard is being forced to retire.  Ms. Howard has been a protector of the elderly in her care at the retirement home and of Treha.  She has allowed her to use her gift to benefit the residents of the center.  But, with Ms. Howard's retirement comes deleterious changes that affect all at the center, including Treha.  

The story was an unexpected one for me.  It was enjoyable and well written.  I'd definitely recommend this one if you enjoy Angela Hunt's novels or Lisa Samson's!

And if you haven't read June Bug, I'd recommend it!

Please note that I received an ebook copy of this book for review from Tyndale Publishing.

Looking Up to History

Yesterday, I called a good friend of mine to discuss a quandary I was puzzling over.  I finished reading Carry On, Mr. Bowditch recently because Autumn and I are discussing it for her literature right now.  I was inspired by Nathaniel Bowditch's life as I read.  He was independent, creative, determined, a seeker of knowledge, hopeful, and didn't give up.  

But, my ideas of this man began to change a little when I assigned Autumn a worksheet for historical fiction.  Her assignment was to identify five factual statements from the book and five statements that were fiction.  I realized that she needed another biography of Nathaniel Bowditch to compare to Carry On, Mr. Bowditch.  I found two different biographies online.  They began to paint a different picture for me.  One was that this man was a Unitarian.  Here is a quote from one site "When asked about his religious beliefs he answered, "Of what importance are my opinions to anyone? I do not wish to be made a show of. As to creeds of faith, I have always been of the sentiment of the poet [Alexander Pope, Essay on Man],—'For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight; His can't be wrong, whose life is in the right.'"" It occurred to me that Unitarians might have had different beliefs back in the 1700s than they do now.  I discovered that this was true, but it's very confusing!  

I found myself pondering many questions...

We look up to many historical figures as being "Christian heroes".  But, what if they weren't believers?  What then?  What do I tell our children?  Not tell our children?  Should we study Christian figures more than people who didn't believe in God?  Should we sugarcoat people's faith and say they were Christians if their memoirs tell otherwise?  What makes people important?  Do I separate life from faith?

I found myself struggling to figure out how to teach history.  

So, I called my friend, who has her master's degree in history.  She shared me with me several stories.  One was about how Thomas Jefferson, a brilliant man, tore out whole sections of the Bible.  Yet, we call him a Christian and look to him as a "Christian" figure in American history.  Yet, he was a brilliant writer who had a profound influence on the formation of our government.  

God works in our world through Christians and unbelievers.  He works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).  He provides for us through farmers who grow food--some who know Him and some who don't.  He provides for our safety through police men and women--some who know Him and some who don't.  He provides for us through teachers--some who know Him and some who don't.

God shapes each one of us uniquely.  He has gifted us.  There is something called common grace.  From Wikipedia: "common grace is seen in God's continuing care for his creation, his restraining human society from becoming altogether intolerable and ungovernable, his making it possible for mankind to live together in a generally orderly and cooperative manner, and maintaining man's conscious sense of basic right and wrong behavior." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_grace)  

I grew up in the Quaker Church being taught to look for that of God in every man.  Though I see now how the idea can get twisted, I appreciate the idea that we see God in a man's ability to create, to write, to invent, to discover, to name, to bear children.  So, although these historic figures may not have given credit for their achievements themselves to their creator, we can.  

We can help our children see what men and women in the past have achieved and done.  We can see who they were and how they withstood adversity.  We can see how they didn't give up.  We can teach our children about God and help them understand that it is He who helps us stand and weather the storms.  We can teach them about standing up for others.  We can show them the examples of others.  We can remind them that God has a plan and He works in our lives and He worked to care for our ancestors as well.  

It is good to see the good in people.  It is good to see the admirable traits and things they have done.  I think it's important, though, not to misrepresent people.  I am going to be careful about how I present people from history.  I don't want to present them as Christians if they weren't.  We often talk about Christians forming our nation and assume that all of the leaders of our country during the revolution were Christians.  But, some of the men who formed our nation had some strange ideas about God.  Perhaps, it's wise to remember that and not present people as something they weren't.  

I hope this post didn't wander too much and that it is coherent.  I am still sorting these ideas out in my head, trying to come to cohesive conclusions.  

Read With Caution or Avoid Altogether?

I hate delete!  I just had to get that off my chest.  I just spent a half hour sorting out my emotions and then my finger accidentally hit the delete button.  Crummy!  

So, here's the jist of it.  

I read Becoming Myself by Stasi Eldredge.  I thought I could read it and it would not affect me.  

I was wrong.

A week and a half later, I was struggling to find contentment in the place God has put me in my job--as a mom, homeschool teacher, and wife.  The tears hovered behind my eyes continuously.  

I was wrong.  I knew that what Ms. Eldgredge's book went against what I have felt God convict me of--that I need to be content with his plan for my life and not my own.  Still, my heart was unsettled.

Many believe that you can read books you disagree with and they won't affect you if you know the truth and are strong.

I thought I was strong.

I was wrong.  

I'm climbing back up, humbly.  I'm working to forget the ideas that had unsettled me.  I'm trying to focus on God and my family and not myself.

In a much shorter nutshell than my original post, that's it.  That's what I've been thinking about.  
I'm not as strong as I thought I was.  

A Few eBook Fiction Reviews

Recently, I had the chance to read several ebooks while we were on vacation.  I wrote several years ago on this blog about how I was dragging my feet when it came to reading on a Kindle. I am old school!  I love printed paper books.  But, last year we purchased a basic kindle for $30 (with coupons) for my husband.  Then, we decided a few months later to purchase a basic kindle without the ads, which costs $20 more (current price $89) because it was going to be for our kids to use.  This is also the kindle that I use and I'm so glad we paid the extra $20.  It was definitely worth it not to see the ads for adult books that usually come up on Kindle's screensaver.  

I have discovered that there are books that are perfect for reading on a kindle and others that are not.  Books that are more challenging to read, like Dickens' Our Mutual Friend, or books that I need to flip back and forth in are not ebook friendly for me.  But, light, easy to read fiction is perfect for a kindle.  

Since we were heading on vacation and a kindle is easier to pack than several books, I opted to load several books on my Kindle for our trip.  It worked out really well.  I now understand why people like carrying a Kindle on vacations.

The three books I finished were Home Run: A Novel by Travis Thrasher, An Accidental Life by Pamela Binnings Ewan, and Lost and Found by Ginny Ytrup.  

I started with Home Run by Travis Thrasher.  I had noticed this movie recently on CBD and was curious about it.  The story follows Cory Brand as he crashes and burns while playing baseball as a pro.  He is an alcoholic and is required by his team to go to a recovery group and try to "recover".  The story interweaves the present and Cory's childhood in his abusive family.  It is heartbreaking.  90% of the story is very sad.  I did learn a lot about the program Celebrate Recovery, which I have heard of.  The story describes Cory's meetings and the accountability in the group. This is a novel based on the movie and it reads like that.  But, it jumps back and forth a lot!  I became very bogged down in Cory's self-pity.  It was hard to read.  One hard part for me was that Cory's brother didn't understand the emotional burdens Cory had taken on when they were children and what he had done to protect him.  That was very strange to me.  As I've talked to people in my life and reflected on my own childhood, I've heard several times that they knew when someone was protecting them--whether it was a parent or sibling.  They also knew when they were being left to fend for themselves.  Additionally, I think it was particularly hard for me to read about Cory's unrelenting drinking through the majority of the book since one of my close family members is an alcoholic.  Is this a book I'd recommend?  Probably not.  It's very sad and left me feeling drained, though the ending is hopeful.  

After finishing Home Run, I moved on to An Accidental Life by Pamela Binnings Ewan.  I was very curious about this book.  The back of the book explains that it is about Peter and Rebecca, two jet set lawyers climbing the ladder--one in public defense and the other in corporate law.  Peter, a believer, comes across a case that rocks him to the core.  Rebecca's life changes when the unexpected happens and she is forced to confront the pain of her childhood and God's love.  Essentially, this book tackles the question, "What happens when a baby is born alive after a late term abortion?" in story form.  I had never given it much thought before but was aware because of an interview I once heard on Focus on the Family that it happened.  A few years ago, the movie October Baby also opened my eyes.  This book tackles the issue head on when a baby dies because of a failed abortion.  Peter prosecutes the case, while Rebecca is forced to make life-changing decisions.  I enjoyed this book.  The beginning is a little slow, but I remained engaged in the story.  The second half was compelling.  I liked the characters in the story and the writing.  This is a book I would recommend reading.  It isn't a romance.  It is realistic fiction set in 1982.  Yes, set in 1982!  It isn't set in the present day.  Just as I felt good after I'd watched October Baby, I felt good when I finished reading this book.  

Finally, I began Lost and Found by Ginny Yttrup.  Earlier this year, I read Ms. Yttrup's book Invisible (which I really liked), so I was interested in reading this novel.  Lost and Found centers on Jenna Dulaney Bouvier, the wife of Gerard Bouvier and daughter in law of Brigitte Bouvier.  The title comes because Jenna has lost herself in her marriage and life, but finds herself again in the course of the book.  This book didn't connect with my heart the way Invisible did.  The plot and writing were fine, good in fact.  The story kept moving.  I had a concern or two.  The first is the relationship between Jenna and Matthew MacGregor, Jenna's counselor.  Although he seeks accountability, professional lines were crossed.  One of my friends is a psychologist and she explained that a therapist cannot be friends with one of their clients within two years after ending services.  It is unethical and a psychologist will lose their license or at the very least have it suspended for a period of time if brought before the licensing board.  Counseling within the church is tricky my friend explained to me because of this issue.  Counselors have to be extremely careful.  Seeing Jenna outside of his sessions with her, alone, was totally not professional or a wise decision.  The ending has a lot of holes in it and a lot is left unexplained which is my second concern about the book.  It affected me as the reader because I was left very puzzled.  It also bothered me because it talked a little bit about Matthew and his wife, Tess, but never once really identified that it wasn't appropriate for him to have the friendship with Jenna that he had.  At the end, I wasn't sure that I would recommend this book.  It okay and filled the ten hour car drive home.  I wanted to finish reading it and find out what happened, but...  well, but.  I don't know.

So, the verdict?
If you haven't seen October Baby, I'd definitely recommend it!  
If you're looking for a good read, pick up An Accidental Life or Invisible (see my review HERE).  

My Kindle was very good to keep me company on our ten hour car drive home.  My husband likes to drive in silence, so I think my Kindle is going to be making a lot of trips in our car.  I don't mind really because my children all like to read in the car as well and it's a time when I have a few minutes of peace to just read.  

Please note that I received complimentary copies of each of these books from the publishers for review.

Kid Safe Search Engine

Fifteen years ago, when I was teaching computers to grades K-5, yahooligans was the popular, safe search engine that I used with my students.  This year, I tried to use yahooligans with my kids and quickly got frustrated because the search didn't bring up any results.  Bah.   

I don't know why I didn't think of this before, but I just typed in "kid safe search engine" on google and came up with a result.  

Google has developed a safe search engine filtering technology that is used by several other sites.  I found one that is the primary site:
http://www.safesearchkids.com/
If you scroll down, there is an explanation of what is filtered and what isn't.

Then, I found another one called KidRex.  It uses the safe search technology and then goes beyond it to add their own list as well.  http://www.kidrex.org/

I googled for "consumption illness" while writing questions for Autumn's Carry On, Mr. Bowditch unit.  I came up with several results that I was comfortable with.  

I'm sure neither of these sites will be perfect, but I'm glad to have an option other than the unfiltered Google engine.

If there is another one that you like to use, please comment and let me know!

A Book to Read With Caution

Sometimes I come across books that are hard to review. I, like other reviewers, fear negative remarks and attacks. So, why even write a review that isn't positive and what people want to hear? Well, because of concern--concern about how ideas and words can get twisted. I like to read some of the books that I think will be popular in mainstream Christian circles, so that I'm aware of what people are reading and thinking about.  So, I decided to read Stasi Eldredge's new book Becoming Myself.  It was published a month ago.  

My husband and I have read several of John and Stasi Eldredges' books over the past years. We've noticed that there are some good ideas in their books, but that the points can get carried away.  I discussed their books with our pastor this morning and he used a phrase that I thought was very apt to describe their books.  He described their approach as being very "emotionally charged."  I agree.  It is.  

As I started out reading this book, I was very curious about what the pages ahead held for me. But, as I read the first few chapters, I began to get a little concerned. I was surprised by the rabbit trails and paths that she took. The goal of the book, I believe, is to encourage women to understand that they are loved by the Lord for who He made them to be and that they are continuing to become that woman as they trust and walk with the Lord. Along the way, she addresses cultural issues (among them was misogyny and the hatred of women). She addresses the role of one's mother in a woman's life and specifically devotes time to how one's mother cared for you while you were in her womb. She asserts that this care of a baby while in a mother's womb would either lead a woman to be secure or insecure, to feel rejected or accepted. She doesn't include any scientific or psychological support for this statement. She sites a video by a woman that I did not recognize as her only support for several pages of assertions. She then moves on to freedom and not judging others.  Along the way through the book, I found several statements that concerned me.

Here are some examples:
From pg. 72, "What happens in the womb sets the foundation for our life.  When a mother is happy, secure, and hopeful, the blood flow to her uterus opens up and fully nourishes the fetus.  When a mother is worried, anxious, or fearful, the blood vessels constrict, and the flow of blood to the fetus is constricted.  The developing baby does not get enough.  If that experience is predominant, the baby comes to believe in her core that she will not have enough; she is not secure, not safe, and not taken care of.... and then on pg. 73, Ms. Eldredge encourages readers to ask "While you were being formed in your mother's womb, think on it: do you think you were satisfied?  Did you get enough?"

On Pg. 169, Ms. Eldredge encourages women not to judge others with these words, "Judgments are dangerous; judgements are like curses.  They release the hatred of the Enemy upon those we have judged.  When Christians pray with a spirit of judgment it is not a prayer, it is a curse.  Christian curses happen when we pray wanting vengeance, when we pray with a spirit of hatred, judgment, anger, or revenge.  Prayers like "Get him, God," "Teach him a lesson," "Rebuke him, God" have the same energy as witchcraft.  Actually they are witchcraft, and they hurt people.  They damage them spiritually and physically...When I say "judging," I'm not talking about the wisdom of discernment between evil and good.  I'm talking about cursing others."  She makes some strong statements there.  Ones that I'm not entirely comfortable with.   

At several points, I had to put the book down for a while. The first time it was because I was puzzled by the author's statements and realized that while what she said could be true, it felt like it could be very easily twisted and misinterpreted. Later on, I set it down out of frustration over the discussion of misogyny and attributing an adult woman's struggle with insecurity to her mother's pregnancy and treatment (or neglect) of her at that time. But, I picked it back up. I finally set it down again after reading a long chapter about dreams and how we need to have dreams, because if we don't we won't be successful or happy--because dreams only come true when people have them. At this point, I set the book down, looked out the window and cried.

Dreams are a tricky thing. This is a theme that comes through in several of the Eldredges' books. That we are to dream and that God will give us the desires of our hearts. Well, yes... and no. God often does not give me what I want or dream of. I had dreams for my life when I was a young woman just out of college. Those dreams have not come true. Instead, God has given me other gifts and a different life than I ever thought I'd lead. I can see how my life is what He had for me. I can see how it is best for me--though not easy. I have come to feel that God kept me from some successes that could have led me down a path away from the Lord. I couldn't reconcile my views with Ms. Eldredge's ideas about dreams. I suppose that is sad. I suspect there's a middle ground between what she writes in this book and the cynicism that has stolen into my views about dreams.

I will say, there is some good stuff in this book, too.  Here's a good quote from pg. 133 "A word about honest.  The Scripture exhorts us to speak the truth in love.  Speak the truth in love.  Which means, don't speak the truth in anger or resentment or with the desire to wound.  We need to be careful to check our motives underneath our speaking the truth.  We want to be aware of the "why" behind the desire to share something."  I completely agree.  Earlier in the book on page 45, she says, "Though our past has shaped us, we are not our past.  Though our failures and sin have had an effect on who we are, we are not defined by our failures or our sin.  Though thought patterns and addictions have overwhelmed us, we are not overcome by them and we will never be overcome by them.  Jesus has won our victory.  Jesus is our victory."  Again I agree.  Isaiah 43:2 NIV

2 When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.

There is some good truth in this book.  But, it was some of the author's rabbit trails and applications that concerned me and give me reason to not recommend this book.  I think it is very important for women to understand that God loves them and created each woman uniquely. We are loved. And what we think shapes who we are and how we live. But, instead of this book, I would recommend a different one--The Silent Seduction of Self-Talk: Conforming Deadly Thought Patterns to the Word of God I'd also recommend Cynthia Heald's Bible study series Becoming a woman of... I'd particularly recommend starting with Becoming a Woman of Freedom. I think it covers the same topic, but by going straight to the Bible. Becoming a Woman of Grace (and honestly all the other ones in the series) also deeply encouraged me.

Homeschooling Out of Fear

Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV
8 It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Twelve years ago when we moved from Texas, a woman I knew shared this verse with me.  Little did she know what life would hold for me in the years ahead.  Like everyone else, my life has had lots of ups and downs.  I've held onto this verse often and I was reminded of it today when I read a column on World Magazine's website HERE.  

The writer expresses that one of her primary reasons for homeschooling for twenty years was fear.  Fear of the influence on the world on her children. I have heard many parents express this feeling as a reason to homeschool. But, I don't think it should be a family's primary reason for homeschooling. We homeschool because we feel called to.  It is a tough thing to homeschool. I don't believe that fear will not sustain us long term in this endeavor and if we live from fear long term, there can be dire consequences for us and those around us.  But, I'll get to that in a moment.

Fear is not of God.  Fear is of Satan.  Satan wants us to be afraid.  God, on the other hand reminds us over and over in Psalms that he is our protector and refuge.  He is our shepherd and will lead us through the dark places.  As our pastor preached last Sunday, he explained that scripturally the poem "footprints" is off the mark.  In Psalm 77:19 ESV, the Word says: 

19 Your way was through the sea,

    your path through the great waters;

    yet your footprints were unseen.

Instead of it being God's footprints carrying us when there is only one set of footprints, it is actually ours that we see.  God is unseen, guiding us.  We have to keep on walking, trusting.

Eventually, our children will have to go to school.  For many students, this will be either high school or college.  We can't shelter them forever.  We need to equip them so that they will be able to cope with the world they live in and not hide from it.  As parents, we have huge responsibilities when it comes to our kids.  Years ago, there was a book by David Elkind titled The Hurried Child.  I agree with the author that children are being forced to grow up--too soon.  But, I don't think hiding them from growing up isn't the answer.  In Lit! A Christian Guide To Reading, author Tony Reinke gives the advice that we should not take a never stance on a particular book, but instead "Not Yet" approach to the books our children read.  We shelter them so that they can be exposed to the world when they are ready to handle it.  We expose them bit by bit and help them process what they're learning.  We also have to let go bit by bit in the process so that when they set out on their own, they are able to stand and make good decisions.

Last spring, it did hit me that my kids would eventually go to college.  A good friend of ours was explaining his feelings about the heavy burden of responsibility that sits on parents' shoulders when they choose to homeschool. He explained that he wouldn't recommend it to a lot of people.  It's a hard path.  His words were like a punch to my gut.  I've always been secure in my desire and calling to homeschool.  But, to have a close friend that I respect question it was hard.  And honestly, I was scared.  Really scared.  For some reason, the reality that my kids will go to school someday really hit me hard. And I was sad. I will miss them when that day comes.  Part of me was very afraid, just like the columnist wrote on World.  I found myself in a tizzy for a few days.  I had tons of thoughts swirling in my head...

Will they be ready?  
Can I do this?  
No, I don't want them to go!
Do they have to?

And then finally I came to this conclusion...I need to make sure they're ready for whatever God has next for them.

I sat down and wrote out a plan through eighth grade.  I had to tuck all of the literature books away so that my kids won't read them ahead of time.  I thought about what curriculums I will use between now and then so that they will be ready if the Lord leads us to put Autumn into high school.  

All of this was me doing something.  I'm a doer.  In the midst of this doing, came the "being" time.  It stole in as I worked and planned.  I needed to focus on "being"--trusting God to care for my children now and in the future...  trusting Him to guide me when the time comes for them to transition to new teachers...  trusting God and reminding myself of the convictions God has given me that we should homeschool...  remembering what I'm doing and why.

This week we're on our family vacation.  We take it after everyone goes back to school.  The vacation rental home is far cheaper and it saves us a lot of money.  We actually like the weather better, as well.  Each day, I've gotten to sit and be with my kids.  I love them.  I love the time I get to have with them.  I love climbing on the rocks with them and seeing them set off air rockets.  I love listening to them play paper dolls and legos.  I love hiking with them and eating new foods together.  I realize that I get to spend a lot of time with my kids because we homeschool.  It's not always easy time like these memories.  But, I don't think I would trade any of it.  

Homeschooling is a good fit for our family--for me, my husband, and our children.  But, I don't want to homeschool out of fear.  God doesn't call us to be afraid.  Instead he calls us to be strong and not to be dismayed or afraid. We are preparing our kids for what lies ahead for them... in the world.  

Fake Fireworks

When I grew up, we were able to set of fireworks where we lived. I remember holding sparklers in my hands and enjoying it immensely. I have longed for my kids to experience a little of the joy and fun that comes with fireworks, but we live in a state that doesn't allow them.  Yesterday, we were in a little toy shop that had something called a Skylight Rocket in the clearance section.  It was $10, so I took it to my husband to see if he thought it might be a good idea.  He agreed, so we purchased it.  

Eli was so excited when we got back to the vacation house where we're playing and took out the rocket set up. He had such a great time. Of course, the rockets quickly went from being pointed in the air to being pointed at me! Boys always look for a target. Then, it became a cannon and my husband became the bad guy... 

Last night, we took this rocket out at night and turned on the two lit rockets that come with this set. We let Eli jump on the pad, but my 7 and 9 year old girls were only allowed to use one foot and stomp on it so that they wouldn't break the air launch pad. They had such a wonderful time watching the lit rockets fly up and then down again. I felt as if we got a taste of the feeling I had with fireworks years ago and was so thankful!

I miss fireworks.  I miss the fun that I had when I enjoyed them as a kid, and often I want the same things for my kids--similar experiences for my kids, but they just don't seem possible.  And then, God blesses me in some way like this.  Honestly, I smiled in my heart last night knowing that God knew how much I have wanted to do fireworks with my kids.  And I knew this was close.  

It happened a few days ago as well.  My husband and I have pretty much decided that we don't want to go to movie theaters anymore.  They're expensive and often don't seem worth it afterwards.  But, that experience of going when you're a kid is priceless.  I still remember the first movie I saw in a theater--Disney's A Jungle Book (I didn't actually like it).  On Sunday night, we took the kids to see Disney's Planes movie in a small town movie theater.  We were the only ones there in the theater.  The older theater didn't have the huge modern sound system that the ones by us have--and we were thankful.  Our kids have sensitive ears and we had been worried that they wouldn't be able to handle the noise.  But, they were fine.  In fact, they absolutely loved the movie.  My husband and I both agreed we'd try and go again when there was an appropriate movie out (that's the hardest part).  

As we drove home from the movie, I smiled inside, thanking God for the blessings of that night.  The huge joy that came from watching our children enjoy themselves so much.  Again, it was an experience I had wanted for my kids, but didn't know when of if they'd get to experience it.

Life often doesn't look the way I wish or think it should--in both big and small ways.  The world is a different place than I wish it was.  But, the Lord amazes me with how he cares about the little and big things.  Two things that seem so trivial and yet they were two things that I wanted so much for my kids--the movies and fireworks...  

  

Accelerated Middle School Math

Yesterday when I was at our community pool, I met a gal who has had two children attend the science and math magnet in our district.  I asked her if it was difficult for them to get in.  (Her other child attends another high school magnet in the county).  She said that it is a challenge and said jokingly that they hang on and hope their child won't burn out by the end of their senior year.    She said it simply to acknowledge that the math and science magnet is a challenging program.  All of her children have loved their high school programs.

I then asked what her children did to prepare for application to the program.  She didn't tell me much aside from their middle school math schedule of courses.  When I was in middle school over twenty years ago, I took 6th grade math, Pre-Algebra in 7th, and Algebra in 8th (which was a joke of a class).  I went on to start Algebra I freshman year, then geometry in 10th grade, Algebra II/Trigonometry in 11th, and Pre-Calc and prepare for the AP exam my senior year.  

When I was teaching middle school a little over ten years ago, the scope and sequence was still Pre-Algebra for 7th and Algebra I for 8th grade and so on...

But, it's different for a lot of students now.
Sixth grade math is essentially pre-algebra.
Seventh grade math is Algebra I (high school equivalent course)
Eight grade is Geometry (high school level course)
Ninth grade begins Algebra II and so on...

I wanted to share this with other parents who have a young child who is gifted in math and is considering the trajectory for their math programs or considering applying come middle school for a high school math magnet in your area.

My children are not especially gifted in mathematics, but they are competent and on grade level.  Eli loves it and of my three children, he enjoys it the most.  But, we will see what the future holds for him.  I have a chosen a mastery curriculum that doesn't require a lot of abstract thinking in early grades.  Mathematics curriculum has changed over the past ten years and educators are requiring a much greater degree of abstract thinking at earlier ages.  This is a struggle for a lot of students.  Developmentally, the ability to think this way will come later for most students.  

But, for students gifted in mathematics, the ability to think abstractly comes much earlier.  If my children were gifted in mathematics (like my friend who's son could add and subtract time when he was three years old), then I would choose Singapore Math--the standards edition that can be purchased through Singapore--not the abbreviated version that is available on CBD.  I would also look at Prufrock Press for supplementary math resources.

Writing Curriculum

I've been working on writing curriculum more and more over the past year.  In my mind, I've spurned all the things I hated about lesson plans from my public school teaching days.  But, I realized this morning that I threw the baby out with the bath water, so to speak.  The curriculum I've written so far hasn't been bad.  But, it hasn't been as purposeful as the curriculum I'm writing right now needs to be.

When we write, we start by identifying the purpose of our writing.  Next, we make an outline. Then, we identify the details we want to include.  And finally, then we start writing.  Once finished, we proofread and edit.

It's the same with writing curriculum.
1) Identify the goals:  what you want your child to know and be able to do once the study is completed.  These are two separate and important things.  #1 Content and #2 Skills.  The more specific the goals,
2) Make an outline of what are the main topics or ideas that you want covered.  Then hang smaller topics on each of the larger ones.
3) Now look at the skills that you want your child to learn and keep these in mind as you compile reading passages and assignments to cover the subject material--the outline of topics you made.
4) Look back at your goals and identify how you have assessed whether or not they've learned the content and acquired the skills you wanted them to.  Assessment in homeschooling is different than in classroom settings, but it's still important.  I want to discuss that in a minute.
5) Write out a list for each unit of the assignments to be completed.  Make sure everything is copied and assembled.  
6) Revise and modify assignments as needed--as students are completing them--realizing that you may have planned more than can be realistically completed.  A particular assignment may not be connecting the dots together for your child, so add something else in, or take something away.

I read this statement by Mac Duis this morning "information retention is less important than information usage in solving problems and making decisions." on http://www.learner.org/workshops/socialstudies/pdf/session2/2.UsingSchemaTheory.pdf

Hmmm...  I'm not sure that I entirely agree with this statement.  I use a lot of the information I've learned over the years and not just the tools that I have learned about how to solve problems and make decisions.  I think students need both.  I don't think one is more important than the other.  It is interesting to me.  This statement is rooted in the belief that technology gives people instant access to information on the web.  But, there are potential problems with this.  There are long-term concerns that this will affect people's ability to remember in old age.  They won't have a wealth of personal knowledge to draw on.  Their brains won't have been exercising and strengthening their ability to retain and remember experiences and information.  I don't believe technology is not the savior and cure all that many people believe it to be.  

I think your opinion about this statement will shape how you write curriculum and modify the curriculum you are using for your children.  For some children, it is genuinely difficult to absorb and retain a lot of information all at once.  So, we modify our curriculum and goals--making adjustments so that our expectations are appropriate.  But, I still believe that we should not make those expectations too low.  Learning to remember information and understand the world is important--which connects to my belief about schema theory.... 

I have been struggling with the US History curriculum I am writing.  I agree with the schema theory of education, that Jon Piaget developed.  If a child connects something they are learning to something they already know, then they are more likely to retain that knowledge.  I picture it like a web.  

from http://www.hoover.k12.al.us/TCES/3rdGrade/SShackelford/Ellen/Cluster-Word%20Web%201.htm

For the first unit, I wrote I had to come up with the basic web.  Thankfully, I later found a document online that had basic web outlines for each of the units of US History that I wanted to cover.  This made my job of writing curriculum much easier.  When we write curriculum, this web is the basics that we want our children to know.  The web will be simpler for some students and more complex for others--based on their ages and abilities.  It should be written appropriately.  You can make a separate web for information to be mastered and one for skills (connecting the topics/activities to the skills to be worked on).  

As for assessment...
Here are three webpages about assessment:
http://www.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/l/lessonrepro_reproducibles_profbooks_red_tr_c03s03_assesstool.pdf
http://www.essentialschools.org/resources/115
The most helpful one to read:
http://www.fldoe.org/ese/pdf/assess_diverse.pdf

Homeschoolers use tests and tangible reports as assessment measures.  Written assignments and reports are necessarily assessed differently than they would be in a classroom.  The teacher doesn't have 30 students to compare work.  A homeschooling parent has only one or a few at most.  I took a course last summer and tried to explain to a former school principal who was facilitating the course how different assessment is for homeschoolers.  He didn't want to discuss it with me.  I was sad.  I really wanted to discuss it with him!  

Grades have a completely different purpose in homeschooling than in the classroom.  In the classroom setting, a grade is the quickest way to communicated to a child's parent (and the educational system) whether or not the child is mastering the information and "how" they are doing.  In the last document about assessment above, other reasons are named, but honestly--as a teacher, I think grades have more to do with the parents than the children.  In homeschooling, a grade is used to communicate to a child whether their work is satisfactory or excellent or needs improvement.  It is a means of communicating to a child whether they need to work harder or put more effort into their assignment.  Normally, children in a classroom learn this by comparing themselves to one another (which is a potential positive effect of peer pressure, but also one that can backfire).  I am introducing grades this year with Autumn (5th grade).  I realized when she completed her first reports last year that it is time.  She needs to understand when her work is not satisfactory.  Rubrics are very good for helping children with this.  

I found this site with writing rubrics for kindergarten through fifth grades.  I was told by a veteran homeschooler that writing is one of the most difficult subjects for parents to assess.  Rubrics can help with that struggle by breaking down all the elements that children need to have present in their writing.  This is a post written for homeschoolers about how to write rubrics.

What I am most concerned about when it comes to math is mastery of concepts.  They must get 90-100% correct on their chapter review (without help) to move on to the next chapter without any remediation.  I can tell if they don't understand a concept by talking to my child.  This is very different than the way it works in the public schools.  The class will still move on even if several children are at 70% mastery.  With homeschooling, I don't.  

Assessment of verbal skills and information mastery in a homeschooling setting is a lot of parent/teacher observation, presentations, noticing the child bringing up what they've learned in later discussions with friends and family.  We see our kids up close.  We talk with them in the cars and while were going from one place to another.  We are continually teaching them.  This is both formative (ongoing, in progress) and summative (conclusionary, final) assessment.  

I hope some of this information might be helpful to someone.  Whenever I start a post like this one, it's really my way of processing out loud and bringing together all the scattered thoughts in my brain.  I was reminded of several things I needed to remember in the process and found several new resources that I need to integrate into my curriculum (the writing rubrics!).  Blogging is a funny thing to me.  I can't quite articulate why I write.  But, part of it is because it is a way that God works in my life to help me.  It organizes my thinking.

Crazy Busy

Coffee.  I am thankful it is Friday.  I've been on a very busy, bumpy road this week.  I haven't even gotten my coffee several mornings!

Every year I forget that the first week of school is hard.  There's always papers I haven't organized or copied and books or folders I realize that I need--and don't have.  I try to be organized.  I think through my schedule ahead of time and make my master planner.  I did a lot beforehand this year.  But, as always, there were a lot of unforeseen needs that popped up each day this week.

I suspect a lot of people are like me.  We know what we should do and yet we just don't do it!  I know I need to show myself and my children grace and ease into things.  But, I just don't do it.  I put a lot of pressure on myself.  I am thankful for my children and their grace for things (and for me).  We're working out the kinks together and making adjustments.  I haven't figured out how everything is going to get done.  But, we did school work today, helped a friend, went to the library, and ate 3 meals.  Oh, and we cleaned the house this morning.

The first week of school is never easy.  Maybe I'll try and ease into it a little more gently next year...

Christian Kids Explore Biology

This year we're starting a new science curriculum, Christian Kids Explore Biology.  I'm excited for it.  I like the way it's written and I think it's doable with the rest of what we're tackling this year.

I'm getting ready this morning for unit 1.  A friend of mine mentioned that her goal is to make all the copies she needs for the next month.  I thought that was an awesome idea.  But, I know I don't have the planning time Here are the resources that I needed this morning.  I'm going to add to this post what I need as we go, in case it might be helpful to someone else.

Extra Needed Resources:

First, I made a worksheet in Word that listed all the biomes and asked for a short description.

These sites can be used for kids' research:
http://mrsdelgado.edublogs.org/2010/06/09/biomes-of-the-world/
http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/
http://iss.schoolwires.com/Page/23411
http://www.pkwy.k12.mo.us/edline/webbuilder/assignment.cfm?thebuilding=43&UserID=wmslib&TeacherCourseID=9A6D4314-ED72-A653-DFA84004F0FA62F6

Food Web worksheet:
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/food-chains/food-web-worksheet_WMNRM.pdf
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/food-chains/producer-consumer-decomposer_WMNRT.pdf

It is hard to find sites appropriate for kids without a lot of advertising, but these sites seemed pretty good from my quick glance at them.

Great Book for Teen Girls and Moms!

A few months ago, I wrote a review of a book written for young women about modesty and had a lot of concerns about the messages the book sent.  I had intended to look into other books, but got caught up in the end of our school year. 

Then, recently, I had the opportunity to review another book for teen girls so long, insecurity (teen edition) by Beth Moore.  I haven’t read a book by Beth Moore in a long time because there are a few little quirks about her writing that don’t sit with me.  Well, actually, it’s just one, which I’ll explain later in this review.

One of the big issues I had with the other book I read was the pictures of girls in the book, in the author’s magazine for girls, and on her website.  They all were supposed to represent “joyful girls” focused on inward beauty and not outward beauty, except that all of them were thin, Caucasian, long blonde (or light brown) haired girls.  There weren’t any pictures in the book I read, so I went to the author’s website and read her magazine and saw her team of girls.  It grieved me.  Though the author’s words said one thing, the visual images she put forth presented another.  What does that convey to girls?  Well, I think it conveys the exact opposite of what the words of her books convey and sends the message instead, “It’s important that I’m beautiful on the inside, but on the outside I also have to look like this…  to be beautiful.”

Because of my concern about the other book, I began by perusing So long, insecurity.  This book is designed to look like a thick magazine.  The cover has a variety of girls on the front cover.  One has braces.  They all look different from one another.  Inside the book, the articles are interspersed with pages of Bible verses, anecdotes from young women, statistics and quizzes.  The book covers great topics like fashion, media, boys, popularity, jealousy/competition, and gifts/talents.  As I read each section, I was pleased with how Beth Moore tackles the topics.  Even her section on Boys.  The advice in this section particularly interested me in light of the book I’d read by another author that advocated a picture of boys and girls in which girls have very little to do with boys until they meet “prince charming” and marry in their twenties.  Ms. Moore’s advice focuses more on girls being themselves.  I love this quote, “As hard as this might sound, don’t let boys take over your thoughts.”  Earlier on the same page, she says this, “There’s nothing wrong with liking boys.  It’s natural—part of the way God has wired us.  God made us with a desire for relationships, and it’s good to want strong, trusting, healthy relationships with guys.  And at the right time, it will be great for you to find the right young man who may end up as your husband one day.  But, there are some things we need to get straight first.” Page 42. 

There are only two concerns I have about this book and it is a concern I have had about all of Ms. Moore’s books.  It is something I disagree with her about she approaches the Bible.  She asks readers to “read” into the text of the Bible.  Periodically in this book, there are stories of Bible characters.  Ms. Moore puts herself into the shoes of the women from the Bible like Hagar, Leah, Rachel, and Potiphar’s wife.  I think there is a danger in this.  We don’t know how Potiphar’s wife felt.  It isn’t elaborated upon in the bible.  We need to be careful not to “add” to the Word of God.  By putting ourselves into these characters’ shoes, we can infer emotions and motives that weren't true.  The stories in the Bible are meant to point us to God not to the people in the Bible. 

There is one other note that I want to make about this book for parents.  This book is not written from a reformed theological perspective.  The only time this has a significant impact on the book is at the end in the section “Beginning a relationship with Christ”.  Ms. Moore states “it would be my greatest privilege to introduce you to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.” On pg. 150.  The rest of the next three pages give a young woman the impression that having a relationship comes about because of a choice she has made.  “now if you are willing, it’s time to start living the life you were created for.” Pg. 150  How she words it may not strike you in a certain way, but I realized that this was what my husband is sensitive to.  It sends the message that having a relationship with Christ is 1) all your decision (not God working in your heart) and 2) because of the work of another person (not God).  I don’t mean to be nitpicky, but it’s just one of those things that I have begun to take notice of. 

All in all, I really like this book.  It’s one of the best I’ve seen for teen girls and their parents.  I loved the sections on jealousy, boys, and fashion in particular.  I will definitely use this book as a resource with my daughters as they go through their teen years to discuss issues they’re facing. 

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from Tyndale Publishing. 

Savoring the Moment

Yesterday, we went bike riding with our kids.  It was one of those awesome times.  All three kids are riding their bikes without training wheels and they love it.  We went on a trail near our home that is mostly flat with a few slight ups and downs.  All three were able to ride.  No major spills.  Chris finally has a bike that he likes and I have a bike that I like just fine.  

As I trailed my family, I was just thankful.  I was thankful that we could do this.  I was thankful to be with my family.  I was thankful to live in a place where we can get to a trail and ride.  Where I grew up, we didn't have anything like what we rode on yesterday.  

(I snapped this picture while riding and holding my camera.)

For two hours, our lives slowed down.  We were outside on a day with a perfect temperature.  It was overcast, but it didn't rain on us!  I had peace and I was present in the moment.  It was a wonderful respite in a busy season for me.

I've been thinking a lot over the last week.  My kids have soccer practice Monday through Thursday...  The girls were put on opposite nights.  Saturday games start next week.  It makes my life busy.

Most of the time, I talk with other homeschooling moms.  The group at soccer practice is different for me.  95% of them are working moms whose kids attend public schools.  They way they view education, sports, family time, priorities, and time for themselves is very different than how I view it.  I love talking with other moms and learning about their families and who they are.  All summer long, I've approached moms at our community pool.  I've had a lot of interesting conversations.  But, I felt more comfortable there somehow.  This past week I tried to start a lot of conversations.  Some of them started, faltered, and then died.  Some never really took off to begin with.  

Along the way, I began to realize a lot of things.  I've been speaking with great angst to my friends about trying to cope with four days of practice plus two Saturday games for three months.  But, to these moms this is totally normal and even expected.  Several of the moms talked about doing even more activities on top of soccer with their kids.  Several participate in adult sports teams which requires weeknight practices and weekend games that consume entire days.  One mom said she needs time for her.  

I've been left with a couple of questions...  how often do they get to eat together as a family? What do they do as a family together?  Do they go on dates with their husbands?  How do they juggle all of it?  When do they rest?  How much are they home?  What are their goals for their children?  What do they see as their roles in their children's education?  What do their husbands expect of them?  

I have been blessed to have two very good friends whose children attend public schools. They've shared a lot of their thoughts on these questions with me over the past few years.  But, I feel like my two friends are very different than a lot of the moms I'm meeting right now.  Both of them have chosen to live on less so that they can be stay at home or part-time working moms and have more time with their kids.  Both of them actively have volunteered in their children's classrooms over the past few years and actively communicate on a regular basis with their children's teachers.  

Honestly, after just glimpsing how I feel after this past week, my respect for what they do for their families and how they juggle things has grown leaps and bounds.  I have always respected them a lot for how they love their families well.  I don't think I could do what they do.  They juggle getting kids up in the am and to school at a certain time, after school pick ups, part-time jobs, sports, dance, music, girl scouts and the like on top of the school day plus church and small groups.  I know each of them savors the days off when their kids are home from school.  

On the other hand, I discovered a couple of things about myself as well as I thought about these moms I've been meeting.

I can't go nonstop two days in a row.  A friend of mine told me this recently about herself and I think the same is true of me.  

I want to savor my kids.  The less you have of something, the more you want to savor and appreciate what you do have.  

I value family dinners.  I agree with Walt Wangerin's introduction (that I've often cited from Little Lamb, Who Made Thee?)--that we need to give our children a safe haven and fill our homes with laughter.  But, it's easier to do that if we're home and have time together.  I don't want to fill our lives with constant activity.

Soccer is a good thing for my kids.  There's lots of great lessons that I've been watching my children start to learn on the soccer field.  This is just a season, so I am going to hang on and make this a priority for this time.  But, I wouldn't want to keep going like this all year round.  Next summer, we're going to do swim team--in the mornings.  This is will be much more doable for my family and it won't be on top of our school days.  I definitely prefer afternoon activities to evenings.  

I probably think way too much about all of this, but I'm realizing that it's just the way I'm wired. But, I need to pause my pondering because I need to go get dinner in the crock pot and start my day!

Music Curriculum Ideas

Our children have taken piano lessons each year that I've been homeschooling, so that has been their music curriculum.  But, yesterday I brainstormed with a friend of mine ideas for music this year for her kids in grades 1 and 2.

Here was my idea:
Make a composer notebook.
Study one composer a week.        
1.  For each composer, read a biography on http://www.classicsforkids.com/ or http://makingmusicfun.net/htm/mmf_music_library_meet_the_composer_index.htm  These are very brief.  Then, find a past episode of Classics for Kids on the composer to listen to with your children.
2.  Making Music Fun has a composer job application.
You could also make your own if there are other details you want your children to record.
3.  There are coloring pages dot to dots and word search worksheets for the composers on Making Music Fun.          
4.  Look at this page for other ideas: http://www.squidoo.com/charlotte-mason-styled-composer-study
5.  Check out a cd from the library for that composer that you listen to in the car as you're going to and from places all week.

The cost of curriculum can add up and we all choose what items are most important to us and save where we can.  If music is one of those areas you find yourself seeking to save money on this year (but is a required subject where you live), this might be a free way of studying this rich subject this year!  

What My Kids Give Me

What my kids give me:

Their Patience.

Their Love.

Their trust and belief in me.

Their forgiveness.

Joy.

Last week, Time Magazine ran a cover article about "The Childfree Life: when having it all means not having children".  On yahoo, there were two columnists that posted their dialogue about the article  and many others in the media weighed in.  I read in one article on the LA Times which mentioned that most dialogue has been focused on whether a couple's decision to be childless is right or wrong.

My concern about the cover article of Time was not a matter of right or wrong.  I do have friends who've decided not to have kids.  Most of them for health reasons.

But, I remember one friend (who got married before I did) telling me that she and her husband never wanted to have kids.  She was honest with me and said, "We're just too selfish.  We like our life the way it is and don't want to change it."  I was a bit taken aback.  I hadn't considered this before she openly shared this with me.  Ten years later I found that friend on Facebook (in the old days when I was on Facebook) and discovered that she and her husband had a son.  I smiled.  Something must have changed.

One of the things I am regularly confronted by as a parent is my selfishness.  When I got married, I glimpsed my selfishness and had to learn to compromise.  But, when I had kids I saw it even more.  Except the thing is that as a mom I didn't have a choice.  I had to push through it.  My kids needed me.

I still struggle with selfishness.  I get tired.  I know my own weaknesses and know that I'm not a perfect parent.  But, I also wouldn't give it up for the world.

I also can't imagine growing up and being alone.  Not having children or grandchildren.  Not having nieces and nephews.  Being alone.  I can't imagine missing out on the joy I had tonight watching Sami play soccer for the first time or Eli run around the goal post in the middle of the pack.  I can't imagine not laughing with my children at silly jokes they make up about "hot" dogs in the car today.  I can't imagine not being there when they needed me today.

I can't imagine missing out on having my kids.

I am not so much angered by the article, but saddened by it.  Our culture believes that being happy comes from having the "things" we want.  What people miss is that it is the "people" not the "things" that bring joy and memories into our lives.  No "thing" could take up the space that my kids take up in my heart.

The Common Core and Homeschooling

I heard an interesting thing last week that I didn't get a chance to write about, but I think it's important.  

There is a new set of education standards that are being adopted across the country.  These standards are what public school teachers use to determine what students at every grade level need to be taught and need to learn.  There have always been state standards around (which have always been problematic and difficult for teachers to implement).  But, there are some new things with the common core--notably the tracking system that is tied to it and education funding/teacher evaluations that are being tied to their implementation.    

Here's the definition of what the common core is from their website (http://www.corestandards.org/):
The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers.

Currently there are core standards for Mathematics and Language Arts.  The state we live in is in the process of training teachers to understand and implement these standards.  I heard mention of these standards thirteen years ago when I received my professional teaching license in Colorado.  First year teachers receive a provisional license and can apply for a professional license the next year.  There were rumblings.  Then back in 2010, the core standards came out.  Obama's administration has been pushing them for the past few years and has tied extra education funding to their implementation. States, always wanting more funds, have of course been opting in.  

Rather than getting into the issues of why these are concerns, I want to link to HSLDA's website about the Common Core:  http://www.hslda.org/commoncore/   A lot of criticisms of the common core seem to be a bit extremist, but I found a lot of what HSLDA put on their website to be very helpful and informative.

But, here are some of my concerns based on my experience as a former public school classroom teacher, former private school teacher, and now homeschooler:

Last week, I heard a private school administrator explaining that the rumblings and concerns among the networks of private school administrators is how the implementation of these standards will affect the college board tests that private school students must take in order to almost all four year colleges.  I have to be honest, I hadn't really given much thought to it until I heard her concern.  

I think she's right.  As much as homeschoolers want to teach their students for the sake of learning and not achievement, we can't run away from the common core.   HSLDA points out several other concerns on their website, including the tracking of all students from PK-grade 12 and into the workforce.  Honestly, any system that tracks my children and locks them in concerns me.  A system like this can have a number of deleterious effects.  The first one that pops into my head is that parents will be less likely to let their children be tested for learning disabilities unless their are serious concerns and a lot of borderline students who do need help won't get it.  The parent's hesitancy is valid. 

Thankfully, state standardized tests aren't required for homeschoolers at this point in the state we live in.  But, in many states they are.  If homeschoolers' statistics are tracked in such a system and the scores are significantly below that of public schoolers (because we use different curriculum with different scope and sequences), I can imagine a lot of legislators vehemently attacking homeschoolers privacy and rights to direct their children's educations.  Last spring, I administered the ITBS again to a group of homeschooling students.  Before the social studies test, I made a point to explain to the students that this test is about social studies, rather than history--which is what most of them have been learning about.  The goal of both subjects is to give students a sense of where they are in the world and within history--to give them some bearings.  But, they arrive at it by going on different paths and this affects such a test.  

Mathematics is similar.  The math curriculum that our county uses requires students at very young age to do abstract thinking (which is what the Common Core Standards also require).  This type of thinking is very difficult for students and teachers, students, and parents that I know all dislike this curriculum.  But, for some reason, it is still being used.  I have not heard one person say anything positive about this math curriculum in the past eight years that I've lived in Maryland.  Homeschoolers have the freedom to choose a math curriculum that will allow their students' to develop their mathematical thinking skills that is appropriate for them individually.  The common core is an indirect threat to this freedom at this time.  It is directly threatening public school teachers' abilities to adapt lessons to their students' needs.  

I went into a friend's classroom last fall.  She had asked me to come observe her and give some suggestions. It was truly eyeopening to me.  I shared my list with her after the class session and she said no to 95% of my suggestions.  Not because she wanted to.  All of the things I suggested contradicted what the district or school administration required of her--how her classroom be set up, what equipment she use, how she manage two groups of simultaneously talking students, the colors and lighting in the classroom...  Teachers don't get to teach anymore.  They are having to become robots and so are children.

My brother sent me an article from the Economist magazine touting the benefits of individualized education facilitated by computer programs.  There is a school in California where a teacher will be supervising 100 students a day working on computers.  Can you imagine?  I've never known 100 elementary kids in the same room to be able to stay on task without disrupting others with only 1 adult present.  Let me take that back.  I have known schools--they are the ones with children who come from families in a higher socioeconomic status.  At the schools I've taught at with children in lower socioeconomic statuses, this would be a recipe for disaster.  I know this may seem a bit like a rabbit trail, but it all comes back to my biggest concern.  I don't believe that a computer can always educate children better than a human person.  

What I've learned most through homeschooling for the past seven years is that children are not robots.  They cannot all learn material at the same pace or by the same benchmark (whether age or grade).  Their brains are each uniquely wired.  If standards are too high, a lot of children will simply fail and I don't know how our education system will cope with them.  Either they will remediate them with the belief that all students can achieve the same academic goals, or they will hide them.  What if students who've received extra help still can't achieve the specific goals that the education system sets for them, what will happen then?

We live in a country that adamantly believes that everyone can achieve the same thing if they just have the right tools.  But, this is a fallacy.  We aren't all supposed to be clones of one another.  Some people are gifted electricians, some people are cosmetologists, some are gifted care givers, some are gifted in engineering and architecture...  Some people like to read books and others don't.  Some people process information best visually, some auditorily, and some kinesthetically.  Our brains simply don't all work the same.  Tying 50% of a teacher's evaluations to students meeting the core standard benchmarks is a horrible idea in my opinion.  But, more than that, basing a child's worth (which will be indirectly communicated to them) upon their achievement of such standards is an even greater travesty.  What will we be telling the children about what is important?  

Teachers need to be held accountable and students need tools, but we need fight against practices that want to turn both into robots.  Teachers need to be held accountable and students need tools, but we need fight against practices that want to turn both into robots.  Having academic goals/standards for students and teachers is not an entirely bad thing. They help provide a common base of knowledge and guide teachers in what they should teach.  It is the implementation, requirements, and regulations that are coming with this set that are problematic.

I just wanted to share my thoughts about this.  I'm concerned for our education system.