Found this article after posting my own rambling jumble of thoughts on home schooling. Wonderful and beautiful and true. Doesn't answer all the questions but answers the big one -- shouldn't I do what's best for my own?
Pros and Cons to Homeschooling:Why We Do It
Friday, March 27, 2009
How to school
The Thing: where should Jack begin his formal and official school process: in public school or at home?
1. We live in a great school district and are zoned to some of the best schools within that district. These people (I was one of them, remember...) are extremely qualified to teach Jack.
2. Jack is a summer birthday boy. He will be one of the youngest in his class and this could cause serious problems. Add to that the fact that Jack was a preemie and shouldn't have a birthday until late August. While he hasn't shown any developmental delays that are worth mentioning, the "watch-zone" can extend through age 5 for a preemie with minimal complications. We could still see areas where Jack is playing catch-up.
3. Public school (and most private schools for that matter) are not designed for little boys. Truthfully, they aren't designed for most big boys either. For the purposes of keeping order, schools have had to adopt organizational schemes that prevent little boys from exploring the world as God intended them. Inside, at a table, isn't what most little boys need. I'm sure there are exceptions to this but I guarantee Jack isn't one of them.
4. I'm a certified teacher. Surely I have the tools to teach my own child right? I know my parents, who paid for me to obtain those tools, hope so!!
5. I'm a certified HIGH SCHOOL teacher. How in the world am I going to be able to teach my kindergartener?? I don't even know what Kindergarten kids need to know!!
6. Jack thrives on social situations. It's uncanny really. To homeschool him would potentially deprive him of interaction that he not only wants but needs.
7. Based on what I've seen of Jack in other "teaching" situations, he seems to do better with the fewest distractions as possible. If a child acts out or has discipline problems, Jack has problems not watching (and sometimes interacting).
8. I have a toddler. How in the world am I supposed to have school at the kitchen table with little brother playing the role of destructor all day? And if God agrees, Sam won't be the last baby; then what am I going to do with multiple little ones running around?
The final decision: I have no clue. I've been doing research online and attempting to ask people that currently homeschool but I've run into a bit of a blockade. Online research is spotty at best with opinions ranging from a "non-school" approach to a public school at home approach. Some say to find ways to socialize; others say basically "socialization is over-rated". It's becoming difficult to weed out the crazies. Current homeschooling folks seem wary to share. I haven't figured this one out; if I had info that could help you can believe I'd be passing it out, requested or not. I'm seriously leaning to homeschool, just about ready to say "yes" to it BUT there are some big questions that have to be answered before I commit. Namely, education is one of the most important things a person can pursue and I have to ensure that whatever method I choose for Jack this concept is well instilled in him. I'm sure there are plenty of readers who disagree with that statement but he's my kid not yours, so there. Another "must" is I have to make sure that my very social child is stimulated the way he needs; right now church and playgroup are meeting that need, but playgroup will dissolve when his playmates start school. This question is actually easier for me to answer so I'm not as concerned; thanks to organizations like the YMCA and programs like Upward Basketball Jack should have plenty of places to socialize with others. One of the final questions I need answered is pacing; how fast should I go? how fast is too fast? too slow? Up to this point I have taught Jack things that he has shown interest in; sometimes it works, sometimes we have to revisit the idea a little later. I don't want to force Jack to work at a pace that isn't comfortable to him -- isn't that one of the points of homeschool, to be more personalized? But I wouldn't think it's a good thing to finish too early or too late. Hmmmm...still have things to think about. Can you tell I feel a little like Gideon right now? God I know your calling but I need some hard evidence...
Any ideas? Suggestions? Resources? Things I have forgotten or not noticed? It's a good thing I have a while to make this decision...
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Which Rat are you?
I've done it! After a rousing viewing of Disney-Pixar's Ratatouille I have developed the next great facebook quiz ap: Which Rat Are You? The choices: Remmie, the soulful, artistic more-of-a-human-than-a-rat rat; Emile, Remmie's larger, somewhat dimwitted yet lovable brother; Remmie's Dad, slightly narrow-minded but possessing a good heart and a love for family; Big-Muscle-Used-For-Persuasion Rat, often an unruly fellow; and last but not least the Clan Rat, numbered in the hundreds yet nameless throughout, loyal, dependable, hardworking.
The ap will have a handful of painfully ambiguous questions like "what's your ideal work environment?" with answers that are so positive it is difficult for anyone to actually determine what's best for them. Each answer will be randomly assigned to one of these characters and after the quiz is completed the answer will pop on the screen. It's brilliance at it's finest.
My results? I'm pretty sure I'm Emile. I know, I know -- I should be Remmie. I mean, there must be something wrong with me if I choose NOT to be the main character right?? Nonethless I think I'd be Emile -- comfortable, a bit naive, loyal to family and authority figures, with the tastebuds of ... well of a rat. Seriously...I'll eat just about anything with no complaints. Of course I have things I prefer but I'm the girl who doesn't really complain about hospital and cafeteria food. I'd make a horrible restaurant critic. All the "end notes" for food and drinks that people talk about are like a foreign land to me. End notes? It's a grape...it barely has A note much less multiple notes!
I'd have this ap up in no time...except for my exceptional lack of knowledge of HTML. One small problem...I'll have to see about working on that -- in between solving the economic crisis and changing diapers.
So there you have it: Which Rat Are You???
The ap will have a handful of painfully ambiguous questions like "what's your ideal work environment?" with answers that are so positive it is difficult for anyone to actually determine what's best for them. Each answer will be randomly assigned to one of these characters and after the quiz is completed the answer will pop on the screen. It's brilliance at it's finest.
My results? I'm pretty sure I'm Emile. I know, I know -- I should be Remmie. I mean, there must be something wrong with me if I choose NOT to be the main character right?? Nonethless I think I'd be Emile -- comfortable, a bit naive, loyal to family and authority figures, with the tastebuds of ... well of a rat. Seriously...I'll eat just about anything with no complaints. Of course I have things I prefer but I'm the girl who doesn't really complain about hospital and cafeteria food. I'd make a horrible restaurant critic. All the "end notes" for food and drinks that people talk about are like a foreign land to me. End notes? It's a grape...it barely has A note much less multiple notes!
I'd have this ap up in no time...except for my exceptional lack of knowledge of HTML. One small problem...I'll have to see about working on that -- in between solving the economic crisis and changing diapers.
So there you have it: Which Rat Are You???
Monday, March 9, 2009
Gratitude
Because I often lose sight of my reasons for thanksgiving...a visual list.
For baby roars flying around corners from a little who has found another piece of his voice, found another clue to his place
For small hands wrapped around weed flowers, presenting them with such pride to mama
For off key voices shouting loud in song to God for right teaching
For leader husband willing to go down on knees to comfort babies, scrub floors and teach classes full of waiting eyes that God is power and powerful.
For full and new and enough mercy each morning -- to conquer the battles that lay waiting in shadows. New each day so none has to be stored, none saved for "what-ifs" and "in-case".
For baby roars flying around corners from a little who has found another piece of his voice, found another clue to his place
For small hands wrapped around weed flowers, presenting them with such pride to mama
For off key voices shouting loud in song to God for right teaching
For leader husband willing to go down on knees to comfort babies, scrub floors and teach classes full of waiting eyes that God is power and powerful.
For full and new and enough mercy each morning -- to conquer the battles that lay waiting in shadows. New each day so none has to be stored, none saved for "what-ifs" and "in-case".
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Haute and Modern
Rarely do I use this blog as a place of advertisement except instances where I have fallen in shopper's love with a particular vendor. This occasion is no exception. I was recently invited to two baby showers within a month of each other -- a rare occurrence since most of my close friends are working on baby #2 if not 3 or 4. Typically I am strict registry purchaser. After leaving my own shower for Jack laden with mountains of baby blankets, onesies and overalls and without boring, yet essential things like bottle nipples and liners, breast pads and baby butt paste, I have made it a rather deliberate point to only purchase those things the new mom or bride-to-be requests -- even if I think some of the items are...well, ridiculous (but that's an entirely different post). However recently I stumbled upon a wonderful online boutique stocked with items I couldn't resist; once I found this I didn't care that the mommies didn't register for the items! The owner of the boutique is a stay-at-home-mom with kids about the same ages as Jack and Sam; in fact one of her sons is in Jack's preschool class. Anyway, the boutique is called Haute & Modern. (click the title to link to the website). See below for some examples of stuff I purchased. I really cannot say enough positive things about Dana and the company: top quality material, wonderful eye for design, excellent customer service and prompt attention throughout the entire purchase process! If you need gifts and are tired of the same boring things, check out Haute & Modern!!
This is the ribbon onesie, matching bloomers and matching burp cloth.
Close-up of ribbon onesie
Close-up of matching bloomers (love the eyelet lace at the legs!)
Close-up of matching burp cloth (excuse the sideways view -- forgot to edit photos!)
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
A few things I know
There are a few things I know for certain; most are contained within the 66 books of Inspired Word. The others, like no one should plant silk flowers in the front yard -- they are NOT a replacement for real flowers -- while not in the Book, perhaps may have merit if I look hard enough. I digress...
Some things I know: My God loves me with a love that is so unique that it is unreproducible. Loves me enough to call me child, loves me enough to sacrifice his Child -- a part of himself -- so that our child/parent relationship would be made righteous -- having the quality/characteristic of right. Don't we all desire to have the quality, the characteristic of Right? And really isn't that only accomplished when our relationship with Him is in tact?
My God says what he means and means what he says. Telling us to be patient in affliction, to be anxious in nothing, to present everything to Him -- that's a tall order. But let's consider this -- how many products, how many strategies, how many self-help books/programs/vitamins exist to quell that feeling of anxiety? And how quickly does that anxiety fade when we, in everything present our requests? Not in laundry list of "I wants" but in prostrate, broken and humble fashion, how quickly does that peace that passes understanding find us? Just one example made clear in recent days to me...
And for now, the last thing I know is that the previous things I know are a good thing. Because I also know that I am a mess, like the underside of a tapestry that isn't quite finished. I know that any particular day the story of my life reads as confusing as a novel that begins in medias res. I know that many days I choose to save face rather than obey commandments, that much like a child, I stick out small hand to touch just one more time that which I've been warned to avoid. I know that when I lose focus, even briefly, I lose balance and lessons learned become distant and I find myself struggling, in vain, to right it all. But because of the other things I know I can say with certainty that I must truly be a new creation, no longer Valerie but Christ in Valerie's skin. Good thing...
Oh and one more thing -- little boys are magnetized to attract dirt -- while not scientific fact, the sleeping mudballs resting upstairs right now sure make a convincing case.
Some things I know: My God loves me with a love that is so unique that it is unreproducible. Loves me enough to call me child, loves me enough to sacrifice his Child -- a part of himself -- so that our child/parent relationship would be made righteous -- having the quality/characteristic of right. Don't we all desire to have the quality, the characteristic of Right? And really isn't that only accomplished when our relationship with Him is in tact?
My God says what he means and means what he says. Telling us to be patient in affliction, to be anxious in nothing, to present everything to Him -- that's a tall order. But let's consider this -- how many products, how many strategies, how many self-help books/programs/vitamins exist to quell that feeling of anxiety? And how quickly does that anxiety fade when we, in everything present our requests? Not in laundry list of "I wants" but in prostrate, broken and humble fashion, how quickly does that peace that passes understanding find us? Just one example made clear in recent days to me...
And for now, the last thing I know is that the previous things I know are a good thing. Because I also know that I am a mess, like the underside of a tapestry that isn't quite finished. I know that any particular day the story of my life reads as confusing as a novel that begins in medias res. I know that many days I choose to save face rather than obey commandments, that much like a child, I stick out small hand to touch just one more time that which I've been warned to avoid. I know that when I lose focus, even briefly, I lose balance and lessons learned become distant and I find myself struggling, in vain, to right it all. But because of the other things I know I can say with certainty that I must truly be a new creation, no longer Valerie but Christ in Valerie's skin. Good thing...
Oh and one more thing -- little boys are magnetized to attract dirt -- while not scientific fact, the sleeping mudballs resting upstairs right now sure make a convincing case.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Jack's Jobs
Late this past summer I decided it was time for Jack to take on some responsibility for his own care; after much pondering "Jack's Jobs" was created; he has a list of things to do on his Morning Jobs and another list on his Night Jobs. Here's a picture of his jobs for the morning.
All of Jack's jobs have, until recently, been done under the careful supervision of Mom or Dad. Now that Jack is quickly approaching 4 we decided that it was time for a little more responsibility. Thus began solo-job completion. Night jobs are still supervised as part of the bedtime routine; we decided that the solo-night jobs combined with the disappearance of the night-time pennies was too much change all at once. Plus Jack's not really big enough for unsupervised bathing yet. Morning jobs on the other hand are completely solo. I send Jack upstairs in the morning after breakfast with instructions to complete his jobs. It usually takes 30 minutes for them to be done completely but he's working and that's all that counts, right?! Of course in this I've had to let go of a few things -- the bathroom is a bit messier after he brushes his own teeth, the face towel isn't folded neatly on the counter after he washes his face and rarely is his bed made as neatly as I'd like, but he's doing it on his own! I don't want to discourage him so I don't make a big deal out of the things that aren't "just so" and this includes his choice of dress. Here's what he came down the stairs wearing this morning. (In case you can't quite tell what he's wearing a red/white Poland soccer jersey, brown plaid shorts, navy socks with a gray and hunter green stripe and navy velcro shoes) Don't you know it was hard for me to bite my tongue and to then congratulate him on a job well done!??!!
All of Jack's jobs have, until recently, been done under the careful supervision of Mom or Dad. Now that Jack is quickly approaching 4 we decided that it was time for a little more responsibility. Thus began solo-job completion. Night jobs are still supervised as part of the bedtime routine; we decided that the solo-night jobs combined with the disappearance of the night-time pennies was too much change all at once. Plus Jack's not really big enough for unsupervised bathing yet. Morning jobs on the other hand are completely solo. I send Jack upstairs in the morning after breakfast with instructions to complete his jobs. It usually takes 30 minutes for them to be done completely but he's working and that's all that counts, right?! Of course in this I've had to let go of a few things -- the bathroom is a bit messier after he brushes his own teeth, the face towel isn't folded neatly on the counter after he washes his face and rarely is his bed made as neatly as I'd like, but he's doing it on his own! I don't want to discourage him so I don't make a big deal out of the things that aren't "just so" and this includes his choice of dress. Here's what he came down the stairs wearing this morning. (In case you can't quite tell what he's wearing a red/white Poland soccer jersey, brown plaid shorts, navy socks with a gray and hunter green stripe and navy velcro shoes) Don't you know it was hard for me to bite my tongue and to then congratulate him on a job well done!??!!
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