Homeschooling Illinois - Legislation and Learning (HILL)

Been tied up lately

2006-03-17T13:34:00.000-08:00

My father was very sick and passed away last week. I'm hoping to have more time to blog real soon.

My youngest has also been having problems with recurrent ear infections and persistent Bells Palsy. That too has been taking up a great deal of my time. He has an MRI next week under general anasthesia and then will probably have tubes placed in his right ear sometime in the next couple of months.

The Cost of Universal Access to Quality Preschool in Illinois: A Report to Gov. George H. Ryan's Task Force on Universal Access to Preschool

2006-02-14T21:12:00.000-08:00

After very minimal research I found out that the State of Illinois has already looked into universal preschool. The title will take you to the report where you can read the report completed in 2003. It was highly enlightening. I didn't believe the current Governor's price tag for Preschool for All. This report has confirmed my suspicions. Under the plan looked at the Universal Preschool would be phased in over 10 years, serving 10% more of the target population each year. If the program was implemented over the ten year period at completion, in the year 2012, the price tag was estimated to be 440.8 million dollars. So, if the Governor's program is serving "all" as suggested, then how could they do it for 135 million over 3 years? I'll let people read the report and come to their own conclusions.

"Preschool For All"

2006-02-14T09:43:00.000-08:00

It's time for me to dial up the state legislators, again. I have never called my legislators as often as I have during Gov. Rod Blagojevich's term as governor. I might add, that of all the politicians offices I have called over the last 15 years, whoever answers his calls has been consistently uninterested in what I have to say.

Governor Blagojevich has decided that the taxpayers of Illinois should foot the 135 million dollar bill for the first three years to offer preschool for all 3 and 4 year olds. It would make Illinois the first state to do so.

I have numerous objections to this program. Illinois cannot afford it and we already pay for preschool for "at risk" preschoolers. Preschoolers with delays or who are low income are eligible for preschool. If government schools can't get the job done in 13 years, then how in the world is two more years going to help? The logistical issues surrounding this are huge. Many of these preschoolers will need transportation which is expensive and these are small children to be put on buses. Then there is the issue of where the preschools will be located. There will be a need for new structures or a remodeling of old structures. Someone will have to hire and train the new teaching staff. The list just goes on and on. I'm thinking 135 million isn't going to pay for all of this. The plan is for a minimum of 2.5 hrs which means that parents have to figure out what to do with the kids the rest of the day and gets us back to the transportation issue. On the surface, this may sound like a great idea. To really make it work, it would take a lot more money and a lot more practical approach to serve the needs of working families. Illinois just doesn't have the money to pay for this.
Here is a link to a Chicago Sun Times Article: Gov to propose preschool for all kids 3-4 yrs. old

A bit of a controversy

2006-02-09T19:40:00.000-08:00

There is a bit of controversy going on over at the ILHS Announce List on Yahoo groups. It's over one of the hot button topics in Illinois Homeschooling and I think on more of a national level too. This involves K12 Inc.

Apparently Chicago is thinking about using the K12 virtual program. See this article from the Chicago Sun Times titled, "Virtual Academy idea may become reality."

Here's where I differ from many of the vocal opponents of this plan. I think all parents have a say in how to educate their children. I, a homeschool mom of four, do not have the right to tell you how to obtain the best education for your child. I believe in parental educational choice. I am increasingly frustrated with some homeschoolers who are "against" programs that allow children to complete their public school education from home. They are schooling at home, but they are not enrolled in a private homeschool. I've heard all the arguments about people aren't bright enough to know the difference between homeschooling and public school at home. I think some of that is just ridiculous. I know there are a few who don't get it. I do not think that gives others the right to try and cut off a parent's choice to choose public school at home.

In my career as a nurse, I saw many children with cancer, sickle cell, burns etc who had to stay at home to do their public school at home. A program like K12 inc would have made a huge difference. Instead, the families had to struggle with teaching plans that weren't meant for anyone other than the person who wrote them. This on top of a child struggling with a serious, sometimes deadly illness was just too much stress. Then caretakers had to deal with scheduling for a teacher to come for a minimal visit where not much was accomplished in addition to ferrying the child back and forth to clinics, hospitals, and labs and working around home health care providers.

The dropout rate at some of the high schools is astounding. Dropouts are no longer the traditional dropout. They are kids who are afraid to be in school and their parents cannot afford to place them in a private school and are not homeschooling them. There were two shootings recently across the street from the high school I graduated from. I thought that school was dangerous when I was there.

Last night the topic at my Girl Scout meeting was mostly about the violence the kids see every day at school. They've seen violence their entire education. A substitute teacher "smacked" a girl at the local middle school. There was a fight at the local middle school where a fish tank was broken and five children not involved in the fight were injured. A fourth grader took a gun to a local elementary school and was showing it to kids. Just another week in central Illinois. One of the girls said she doesn't want to go to high school. Who can blame her? No one is looking out for our children.

I am not going to lash out against charter schools whether the work is completed at home or in a brick and mortar building. I am not going to be against K12 inc if they can do a good job with educating children who need an education. I am for parent choice in education. I will now step down from my soap box.

The Story of Science

2006-02-09T09:44:00.000-08:00

Last night, after our Girl Scout meeting at a local bookstore, I purchased the Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way for my seventh grader. I was poking around on the internet looking for teaching resources and found an errata page for the book. You can find it here(scroll down and there is a link to a word document). Now, if I can just find a way to incorporate all those errors into the book. The only idea I have is post-it notes.

I was unable to find any teaching materials for this book. If anyone knows of any please drop me an email or a comment.

Little Hands Making Little Gifts

2006-02-07T15:12:00.000-08:00

This is going to be for my son's speech therapist who is expecting a baby. I thought a gift would mean more if I found something that he could make. I did all the cutting and then he did the rest. My daughter made a matching one. The baby is very sick and I thought it would be nice for the mom to have two. That way she could leave one at the hospital and not worry if it disappeared.

And along came February...

2006-02-02T19:40:00.000-08:00

Where did January go? I've been working on the Chinese New Year stuff for the homeschoolalong and all of the sudden, it's time for the next topic. We are moving on to the Olympics for February.

Do I have a plan? Uh, no. I'm sure one will come together. That's the joy of owning a heck of a lot of books. You can slam together a unit study without ever leaving the house. I also joined Enchanted Learning.com. Sometimes, it's nice to just print stuff out.

So, if anyone knows about any good stuff for the Olympics, leave me a comment.

Not much blogging here...

2006-01-26T19:35:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy week. Our third child had a birthday this week, followed by a Dr. visit and shots. I'm also getting ready for the knitting Olympics. We'll be on the road over the weekend to see family to celebrate the winter birthdays.

I've discovered the wonders of educational television coupled with the use of the dvr player. It's very easy to use. I was never one of those people that programmed a vcr. I already feel like I've gotten my money's worth for the extra 5$ for the family stations and the $8 for the dvr. I've been recording the Magic School Bus and now, I'm trying to record Zooboomafoo tonight. It's not one of my favorites, but the kids will zip through their school work tomorrow so that they can watch it.

I checked the HSLDA website

2006-01-23T09:56:00.000-08:00

The story titled, "Illinois Homeschool Family Dragged Into Court" remains unchanged. I think they should update the story and make it a little more reflective of the case. If the word through the grapevine in Illinois homeschooling circles is correct, then this story is inaccurate. I responded to Mr. Somerville's comment on my previous post about this, however, he has not left any more information. I really wish someone from HSLDA would be tell interested parties what is really going on.

I went shopping...

2006-01-19T15:12:00.000-08:00

at our local Barnes and Nobles and came home with these. It's a really fun way to work on fine motor skills. I love them all, but I'm particularly fond of the paper folding one. My little guy really looks forward to doing these. Of course there was the emergency trip to Target because I couldn't find any kid scissors. Never mind that we own more than 15 pair between Girl Scout activities and home school activities. I could write a book on disappearing school supplies.

Scissor skills

2006-01-19T15:11:00.000-08:00

Here's coloring...

2006-01-19T15:10:00.000-08:00

it works on color names, coloring skills and our worst subject, following mom's instructions.

A book on paper folding for wee little people!

2006-01-19T15:09:00.000-08:00

Peek-a-boo

2006-01-19T15:08:00.000-08:00

2006-01-19T15:05:00.000-08:00

How cool is that?

Ah - hah

2006-01-18T13:41:00.000-08:00

I received a google alert that led to the HSLDA website. The heading on the website was "Illinois Homeschool Family Dragged Into Court" and the article went on to describe the incident. The family was the Walters family from Joliet. I searched and could find no mention of the incident anywhere else. Without corroboration I was hesitant to blog about it. It was brought up on Illinois homeschool email groups/yahoo groups and no one really had any information other than what came from HSLDA.

Today I received an email from a yahoo group and someone reported meeting the mother. It was reported in that email that it was a complaint about homeschooling with a non-custodial mother to the school district. The person on the email reported that the incident was not over yet.

If this story is true, than HSLDA left an awful lot out in their little ditty on their website and caused a great deal of angst in the Illinois homeschool community. Of course, I am rooting for the family involved and am sorry they are going through this and hope it is resolved.

If anyone can verify what is going on in Joliet, please let us know. I think many Illinois homeschoolers are anxious to hear what is going on.

The Young Scientists

2006-01-17T17:58:00.000-08:00

We're studying molecules this week and chemical reactions. So we got out the Test Tube Adventures kit and modified it to meet our needs.

Homeschoolalong Blogspot

2006-01-15T21:42:00.000-08:00

The blog is barely off the ground and the first topic is China/Chinese in honor of the Chinese New Year that is rapidly approaching.

A Homeschool Along???

2006-01-13T09:38:00.000-08:00

In my other blog world (knitting), we have this really fun thing we do called a knitalong. People sign up and we all work on something related to a theme. My favorite last year was the Who Wouldn't Love a Handknitted Gift knitalong. I have found the coolest blogs and learned the neatest things doing knitalongs. This year I've already joined two. I think it would be really neat to have a homeschool along and I'm looking for ideas. I especially like the knitalongs that have prizes, so we'll have to see about prizes. I've never won a prize, but a girl can dream.

Here are some ideas, A Chronicles of Narnia along. The kids could read the books and do some sort of project. Then pictures, written things etc could be submitted.

Simple Machines along where the kids could build or design contraptions and send something in.

Self-portrait along where the kids could do their portraits in all different mediums and send them in.

So, how about some ideas and some people who would like to participate? Does anyone still read this after my extended hiatus?

Catching Up

2006-01-10T14:24:00.000-08:00

Where does the time go? I was hoping to participate in the Carnival of Homeschooling and then we all got sick. We were sick after Christmas so I decided we'd take an extra week off to enjoy ourselves. Then we were really sick and decided that we wouldn't survive another vacation week. Yesterday we jumped back in.

It's that time of year when I evaluate what is working and what is not. For my seventh grader I'm thrilled with Steps to Good Grammar by J. Weston Walch Publisher. We've tried it all and this is the first thing that has truly worked for her. Sequential Spelling is also working for her. I'm using the Story of the World with both the 7th grader and the 2nd grader. That was money well spent. I've learned so much that I didn't know or didn't remember. I use Singapore Math and I love it. We just finished primary with the 7th grader and are moving on. I took it slow and used tons of supplements that Singapore puts out.

In the second grade material class, I'm still happy with Miquon math. I also use Singapore Primary Math with it. I love First Language Lessons and I've read that there is a second book coming out. I was resistant to the format of that book for a long time. I finally bought it because nothing else was working and it has worked fantastic for my second homeschooler. We use a workbook from Sam's for Reading, I think it's the Complete Book of Reading.

Goals for 2006:
1. Work on writing
2. Do more formalized science
3. Try to keep better records (I fall off the bandwagon every year)

I'm going to try and post goal updates each month to keep myself honest.

Still alive...

2006-01-08T07:06:00.000-08:00

barely. After the holiday rush of finishing all the presents, wrapping and shopping we all got sick... twice. First we had something with a fever in the days after Christmas and then we had the worst flu that I have dealt with in 10 years. Four of us were sick at the same time. This has led to a few observations.
1. It was really smart to buy a window fan with an exhaust setting. I was able to air out the house without freezing out the occupants.
2. Always have a flu pack in a box ready to go. My husband and I were too sick to drive and we had gone through all the clear liquids and light foods with the first wave of sick children.
3. The best friend in the world is the one who will be late to her mother's birthday party to pick you up sprite, graham crackers, pedialyte etc.

I hope your year has started out a bit more smoothly than ours.

Remember that big bucket of yarn?

2005-12-13T23:14:00.000-08:00

Well, I've knit 17 scarves now. 5 went to the fundraiser for Megan. I was pleased to hear that four sold and Megan's mom, Michelle, was thrilled to get to keep number five. Blogging will remain slim as I throw myself into full holiday tizzy. There is knitting to be finished, ornaments to be made, Girl Scout parties to be thrown, gifts to deliver and many more things I've forgotten. There's also that bit about educating the children. I probably should remember to feed them to. Happy Holidays!

Still Snowing

2005-12-08T21:46:00.000-08:00

Let it Snow!

2005-12-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

Birthday Treats!

2005-12-07T10:41:00.000-08:00

I'm taking the day off...

2005-12-06T12:56:00.000-08:00

It's my birthday.

Homeschooling Trend Growing in America

2005-12-04T21:57:00.000-08:00

This is the first part of a series of articles on homeschooling from the Salem Times-Commoner. It is interesting that this story developed when someone from the Times-Commoner was sent to photograph a field trip at the fire station. It was assumed that the children were from a school. When it was discovered that all of the children were homeschooled, it led to the development of this series.

Spunky had another great idea!

2005-12-02T05:51:00.000-08:00

She is hosting the awards. You can click on the button to head on over to her blog and check it out. I can't wait until the nominations are posted with links so that I can find new homeschool blogs.

A big thank you to Ron of the comments for nominating my knitting blog for the homeschool arts blog award.

I nominated Siri's blog: Knitting Iris for Best Homeschool Photo blog.

It's that crafty time of year

2005-12-01T21:50:00.000-08:00

Today we had our first snow that "stuck" and the roads were too slick to go anywhere, so we worked on these window clings. It was a very fun project. If anyone has some neat holiday ideas, please share. I've got to keep these little people occupied.

The military part of HONDA has been slipped into a DOD bill

2005-11-30T13:32:00.000-08:00

You can visit the link in the title of this post and head over to Cobranchi's blog for more information.

HB 3031 Amendment to the Children's Mental Health Act of 2003

2005-11-27T22:25:00.000-08:00

I've just added this bill into the sidebar. My mother found a letter to the editor in the Springfield State Journal Register about this bill. She read it aloud to me and then sent me a hard copy. I hope to contact the author and be able to reprint the letter here.

The author of the letter was very concerned that the new bill, which is intended to fix some problems with the 2003 Children's Mental Health Act would not be effective. The bill calls for a parental consent provision. This needs looked at closely. I've read about cases where sending the child to school was considered consent. In some cases, a parent is considered to consent unless they send a note saying they do not consent. Unfortunately, parental notification about these things so parents can opt out tends to minimal.

Hopefully, I'll have more information next week.

The blogging may be slim!

2005-11-27T22:10:00.000-08:00

I'm working my way through this pile of Christmas knitting. You can see my progress on my other blog, Garden of Color

If you live in the Champaign, Mahomet, Seymour, Mansfield..... area

2005-11-23T14:59:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, December 10th there is going to be a fundraiser from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at the Mahomet-Seymour High School Field House. Seven year old Megan has been diagnosed with Leukemia. The community is pulling together to raise some money to help the family.

The event is called "A Family Christmas Festival for Megan". The volunteers who are putting this together are asking for baked goods, crafts, stocking stuffers for the Secret Santa Shop, silent auction items and volunteers for the day of the event.

There is some really nifty stuff planned. I will post more when I have more information. If you would like to donate or help, you can reach me through the HILL email address (homeschoolillinois [at] insightbb [dot] com) and I will pass your name along to the appropriate volunteer. I'm going to be donating some hand-knitted items for the craft sale. Who really needs to sleep this close to Christmas?

Getting Ready for Turkey Day

2005-11-21T09:20:00.000-08:00

My son made this in preperation for turkey day in Sunday School. He wrote down what he was thankful for on the feathers. I thought this was a nifty little project.

New Homeschoolers

2005-11-21T09:04:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year once again. Parents have had it with the school system and are thinking about pulling their children out of school. I'm starting to see questions on the yahoo groups and email lists from parents trying to figure out what next.

Here are a few of my favorite resources if you are thinking about homeschooling:

How to Write a Low/Cost No/Cost Curriculum by Borg Hendrickson - a lot of this book is about what your educational goals are for your child. It's an excellent way to figure out what you want to teach, even if you don't want to write your own curriculum.
The Sonlight Catalog
Home Learning Year by Year by Rebecca Rupp

If you have a favorite book that helped you get started, please leave a comment.

A 13 part project from First Language Lessons

2005-11-17T11:37:00.001-08:00

This is part of a second grade project we've been working on with First Language Lessons. Everyday my husband helps my son design an illustration for a line in a poem and write out the line of the poem with the illustration.

January

February

March

April

May

June

First Language Lessons

2005-11-17T08:51:00.000-08:00

I looked at this book for a well over a year on the bookshelf at my neighborhood bookstore. I really like the Story of the World and the Well-Trained Mind but I wasn't sure I would use this resource. I'm just not into "scripted" lessons.

After trying many other resources for my oldest son, I decided to go ahead and give it a try. The local bookstore gives a 25% discount to educators and I'd taken much more expensive risks in the past. I've been very pleased with how it has worked out. I actually own two copies now because I've been known to misplace First Language Lessons and it makes me crazy when we get off track.

I tend to not use the script word for word. I do cover the content in the lessons. I've been amazed at how quickly my son memorizes the poetry and I've been very pleased with the selections. My son has a lot of trouble writing and he retains the oral lessons well. I read in the back of the Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading that a second book will be coming out and I'm very pleased about that. We're into the second grade content now and it was well worth the price for just one year of English.

Project Time

2005-11-16T19:30:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a fun Christmas project, like fiber (wooly), and can let your kids use sharp implements (felting needles) then look at Trish's instructions for cookie cutter felted ornaments.

This is presently a one person blog...

2005-11-15T19:19:00.000-08:00

and the one person is sick. Sick enough that she sucked it up and went to the Dr. Sick enough that the Dr. drew labs. So, I am "calling in sick". How many days can you skip blogging before you need a doctor's excuse? Be back soon.

2005-11-13T12:12:00.000-08:00

Another shrew came to breakfast. It's been quite some time since one of these has been in the house. Living outside the city has its downside. We had left the live trap out from the last shrew visit. It was a good thing. All my children were accounted for and there were noises coming from the lower level. I removed the live trap to the driveway for my husband. I don't do wild animals. If you are wondering why we don't call an exterminator, they don't do wild animals. I already tried.

It’s Time

2005-11-11T14:41:00.000-08:00

It’s time for me to take a break from this blogging business and attend to all the pressing matters we have going on around the house.

I love to put my thoughts and research and links up but it’s taking up time that I can’t spare right now. I’ll still be watching and reading homeschooling news and reading others’ blogs for their goings on, along with all the usual stuff that goes on in the homeschooling world. But not –trying- to put up coherent thoughts anymore. It’s ‘breaking my brain’ as my kids would say. And after not getting dates right and thoughts completed just yesterday, I know it’s time.

So, with that, and to be fair to Kara and her participation on the blog with all of the technical do hickeys and posts that she’s spent a lot of time on, it’s time right now for me to focus fully on the home and hearth.

Didn't Quite Finish That Thought

2005-11-11T05:24:00.000-08:00

And it is important. As I noted here and didn't point out again regarding the Kane commentary about the family, they are NOT homeschoolers. Racist NON-homeschoolers.

Sustainable Illinois Farms

2005-11-11T04:48:00.000-08:00

Don't know how or why I ran into this, but thought it might be of interest to many homeschoolers. As we generally oversee what goes in their brains and in their stomachs. We have many homeschooler friends who participate in this or have chickens in their back yards for the eggs and the chicken. (Brings to mind the Ruby character-Renee Zellweger, and the fate of the rooster in the Cold Mountain movie. As someone who was chased by a rooster with mile long spurs visiting someone as a little girl, I cheered her on.)

Thought I'd put it up now even though it's not a great time of year to be checking them out for some produce, unless you're looking for some good tasting eggs, as opposed to the horrid, factory eggs in most groceries.

Thank You, Mr. Kane

2005-11-10T04:54:00.000-08:00

For speaking up with your commentary about the racist Gaedes family and Bill Maher's ignorance of homeschoolers:
Home-Schooling Can’t Be Any More Dangerous Than Our Public Schools

I love good common sense!

Finally-A Focus on GOOD Socialization

2005-11-10T04:24:00.000-08:00

And not on school socialization. (Which can be good, but is usually bad when you horde up a bunch of youngsters and tell them not to move or speak unless they have permission. )

World Net Daily has a piece about a new Berkeley Study covering, in part, the social and emotional development of little ones in regards to preschool.

A new study on the effects of preschool on children, which finds attendance harms kids' emotional and social development, is being used by a homeschool organization to help encourage parents to educate their children at home.

Cognitive abilities were increased somewhat as social/emotional development suffered for many. Reading quickly through this, it appears that white, middle class children suffered in terms of socialization most, while Hispanics were not affected adversely and assumedly not beneficially either? From the WND:

On average, the report finds that the earlier a child enters a preschool center, the slower his or her pace of social development, while cognitive skills in pre-reading and math are stronger when children first enter a preschool program between the ages of two and three.

No kidding! Many homeschoolers had that figured out when they kept the kid home.
In the press release:

Cognitive results for African American children are mixed, the researchers said. High attendance rates are associated with gains in language and pre-reading skills, but not with any discernible improvement in knowledge of numbers and math concepts.

And their socialization? And all the other non-white, non-hispanic and non-African American? Gotta read this study.

From Berkeley's Press Release:

Most surprising, according to the researchers based at the University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford University, is that the social skills of white, middle-class children suffer- in terms of cooperation, sharing and engagement in classroom tasks - after attending preschool centers for more than six hours a day, compared to similar children who remain at home with a parent prior to starting school.

And to the Illinois governor and the Chicago Sun Times and the AZ governor with her National Plan and all the other governors looking for campaign donations, you should pay attention to this also noted in the release:

A growing list of state governors is making large investments to offer free, publicly-supported preschools for all children, echoing advocates' claims that this will boost the early learning of most children.

"So, the report's a bit sobering for governors and mayors - including those in California, Florida, Georgia, New York, North Carolina and Oklahoma - who are getting behind universal preschool," Fuller said.

I suspect this will be another study ignored. Kind of like the study of teens that said they physically need more sleep and think better later in the day, but since that didn't suit the school institution, it was put by the wayside for most.

It's a bit of a no-brainer when you're living and breathing homeschooling, but maybe the 'establishment' is coming around.

The HEART of Homeschooling is Correct Communication

2005-11-09T05:15:00.000-08:00

This was great, I thought. A homeschooling article about a group in Illinois. That bubble was burst by the time I finished reading the article.

This group sounds like a nice cooperative effort for local homeschooling families.

“It’s kind of likening it to the pendulum swinging from the days of the one-room schoolhouse when they had all the kids of all the different grade levels together, learning together, and we kind of segregated them into their own age classes, and the home school movement is kind of taking it back to that, and I think the educational community is realizing that it is a more efficient way to teach the kids when you have kids of different ages and different abilities (together), because they are able to help each other and work together, and you can have more of that cooperative learning that does take place,” Thrower said.

We had one of those one room schoolhouses down our country road. My dad used to go there with his siblings. ("In snow up to his knees up a hill the whole time in subzero weather." *Just remember we have no hills here; only rises.) It was long empty when they consolidated all the country schools into the town school. And so it went....

Back to this article:

The students who are a part of the HEART program also participate in several community service activities such as Meals on Wheels and Relay for Life.

Good stuff! We'll be doing some volunteer work with homeschooling friends on Friday. Seems to be involved in a lot of homeschoolers' lives.

And this is typical for teen homeschoolers and community colleges. More good stuff!

Thrower said Kishwaukee College offers a program to all high school-age students in the county which allows them to take two college-level courses a semester for half the cost of regular tuition. Thrower said many home-school students participate in the program.

But this part here has me stumped. **Update on 11/10: It's been removed. BRAVO!

Thrower said, before parents decide to home school their children, they must meet certain state requirements and have their children take standardized tests to determine their academic grade level. She said she advises parents to contact a home school support group to receive more information about home schooling.

Parents do need to meet certain state requirements in withdrawing their kids from public school. Transfer notification from public school to private school (homeschool).
If the kids have never been in public school, they don't have to meet any state requirements except to be taught the branches of education taught to children of corresponding age and grade in the public schools, and where the instruction of the child in the branches of education is in the English
language; And prove such if questioned by public school authorities (truancy officers from the Regional Office of Education.)

And they most certainly do not have to take standardized tests. Period. Unless it's required to get back into public school. That's kind of the whole point with many homeschoolers in IL that the parents can determine whether they want to test their kids or not while homeschooling.

Worth a follow up.

Family and Home Network

2005-11-08T03:56:00.000-08:00

Has a new resource in a discussion board led by homeschooler, Jeanne Faulconer.

Information about logging in is available here. Great articles such as Homeschooling and ADHD and for information in dealing with the single income, there is this article and more:

Affordability Survey: Family Finances

Much more at the site. Check it out!

Stop by Spunky's and read her new miranda warning

2005-11-07T21:33:00.000-08:00

Spunky has been covering the ninth circuit court of appeals latest ruling on the rights of parents vs. public schools. She has a post earlier in the week on the same issue. It's highly recommended reading.

Get This Right

2005-11-07T05:40:00.000-08:00

Homeschooling has nothing to do with public school at home. And I'm wondering if this is intentional.

This is the second time and the second state and the second journalist in a week who seem to have a very limited vocabulary in explaining alternative public education.

As if homeschoolers don't have enough problems with the mixing up of public school at home and homeschooling. (Take a look at the NHEN forums to see a prime example of that.)

Here's what was in the articles.

Article one is a CT. article. (This one scared me to death with what they had in store for the "home schooled" until I checked with a very reliable CT source who said it's all about public school:

Recognizing that the transition from being sick or being home schooled is difficult for some students, North Haven will purchase two classrooms for the seven high school students currently enrolled in the program.

and

The students have a special education teacher who works closely with all the students, and then social workers and psychologists are also brought in to work with the students. Currently there are five girls and two boys, all at the high school level.
The building is being built offsite and then brought here. It will have two classrooms and with office space for testing and private matters.
“The students have been very optimistic and patient about the new building. It must be hard for them to be in this building with us,” Querfeld said. “We're hoping to have it by January.”

Article two is about a Wisconsin boy who got out of the classroom and wonder of wonders, did well. But he was NOT HOMESCHOOLED:

Jeremy began being home schooled through the James Madison High School program. Taking away the anxiety he felt in the traditional classroom environment was just what he needed to succeed academically. His grades improved to the 94 percentile and he found a summer job he loved, which also helped bolster his self-image and his confidence.

Across The Fence's Rhonda Robinson Is Blogging

2005-11-07T05:13:00.000-08:00

I'm looking forward to her blogging thoughts. She somehow manages to knock pertinent family/homeschooling issues into an article with well researched back up. I LIKE that!

I think Rhonda and I are both familiar with the small farming communities who still have the art of Across The Fence down. (Or it could be called Everyone Knows Almost Everything About You (Including everything you didn't want them to know. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing when they're your neighbors and friends and will be there for you in a pinch no matter what.)

Welcome neighbor, to the blogging world!

Some Natural Science Resources

2005-11-06T09:27:00.000-08:00

Just catching up with subscriptions and such and wanted to pass them along.

Project Feeder Watch

Project FeederWatch is a winter-long survey of birds that visit feeders at backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locales in North America. FeederWatchers periodically count the highest numbers of each species they see at their feeders from November through early April. FeederWatch helps scientists track broadscale movements of winter bird populations and long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance.
Project FeederWatch is operated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in partnership with the National Audubon Society, Bird Studies Canada, and Canadian Nature Federation.

If you don't have the $15 to enroll and record your observations; there are great resources available on the Cornell Lab site in identifying those feathered friends outside your window.

2006 Arbor Day Poster Contest for 5th graders (9 or 10'ish?)

Join over 75,000 fifth grade classrooms and home schools across America in
the 2006 Arbor Day National Poster Contest sponsored by Toyota!

Toyota?? Oh, well, it's a cool project. There are some free educational resources available on the Nat'l site, as well. Activity Guides And the blah, blah blah standards. National?! [Don't want to look. Just know it's something I wish we didn't have; particularly on a national level. Knew I should have just taken a nap instead. ] Anyway, the state contact is here.
And here's Illinois' information:

Reinee Hildebrandt
IDNR
ORC-Forest Ecology, 1 Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8771

Hmmm...investigating further (should have taken that nap), I see that only homeschoolers who are in a club or association can participate? And if you're not in one of those, you can't? It has that same aroma (burning piles of leaves for the asthmatic) that HSLDA's HR 3753's Section 10 has.
Well, Journey South isn't tainted and neither is the Cornell Lab. It's a family/education thing with those groups. And pondering further with the current federal legislation staring at us, it's amazing how HSLDA's agenda seems to fit in so nicely with the school-ish agenda. Independants lose.
With no intention of going on the above tangent, I'm going to quit and go take that nap.

Rainbow Resource Dent and Damaged Sale

2005-11-04T14:10:00.000-08:00

These items are not used, and most have only slight damage such as bent corners. Prices have been greatly reduced.We will have a large variety of items that will be in random bins to sort through.WHEN: Saturday, November 12, 2005, 9am-3:30pmWHERE: The Christian Center, Lower Level4100 N. Brandywine, Peoria, IL. All sales are final - No returns.Cash, Check, Visa/ Mastercard/Discover cards accepted.
Questions: Call 1-888-841-3456
www.rainbowresource.com

Directions: Hwy 74 to Peoria. Exit at War Memorial. Go east on War Memorial. At the first stoplight make a left. Then make an immediate left onto Brandywine. The Christian Center is less than 1/10th of a mile on the right.

Grab your hat and mittens and head for the planetarium!

2005-11-03T12:25:00.000-08:00

I received this announcement through my local homeschool group.

David Leake of the Parkland Planetarium made this announcement

The Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society will be at the Staerkel
Planetarium this Sunday from 7-9pm to do some Mars viewing with club
telescopes. Mars comes relatively close to the Earth every 26 months
and this will be the closest we'll see Mars until the year 2018.
Naturally anything that's close is bright and looks large through the
telescope. The event is free but weather permitting. The telescopes
will be outside the planetarium and to the west, so dress warm! We're
not sure what to expect this time (with it being colder) but we
entertained well over 1000 people in Meadowbrook Park during the last
close approach of Mars in 2003. The planetarium will be open as a "warm
area," but no shows will be scheduled.

Universal Preschool or The Cradle Robbing Trend

2005-11-03T03:48:00.000-08:00

At the Office with blankie stowed on the couch

Home Education Magazine's November/December issue has a feature about Universal Preschool written by Diane Flynn Keith.

The Chicago Sun Times had a ditty on the need for Universal Preschool because of the lack of school readiness for some kids. Here's a hint about the Sun Times bias. Their title is 2 years of preschool seen as key along with describing the angst of the classroom teachers regarding the The readiness gap.
I have yet to see an anti-universal preschool letter up in the SunTimes letter section. I know Diane sent one and I know I sent one. Diane has some credentials under her belt, so you'd think.....They did find room for a paid pro-UP proponent along with the usual 'parents cause the problems' letter. (It occurred to me that the school system failed the parents the writer was speaking about, but yet the parent should have confidence in the same system? In the hard copy that letter was featured with the 'good' kindergarten class picture above it.)

So, Illinois Action for Children's president is excited because Illinois Action for Children, on behalf of the Chicago Early Learning and Literacy Council, secured a first-ever Early Learning Opportunities Act federal grant for Illinois. And she of course laid out the usual next step is to ensure that our elected officials will continue to invest in our children. Now it's time to fully engage leaders in doing what is right for children: making high-quality early education available to all 3- and 4-year-olds.
Lady, this will shock you, but little ones fresh out of a diaper or not, can be highly educated and FREE at home. I like this reminder from an Oklahoma watchdog group.

There is also has an article in the Link. HEM has great resources and information about unpreschooling along with some writings about this Universal Preschool issue directly under Diane's article. Lots of good reading, but check it out because it is NOT going away.

See the sidebar to the right to see the money flow push for UP in Illinois.

Across The Fence With an Article Worth Reading

2005-11-02T04:40:00.000-08:00

Rhonda Robinson has written for the Illinois Leader and has the Across the Fence/Against the Tide column in The Link. (I just got my first hard copy of The Link. No kidding, it's free!)
She is a great researcher and I always glean some more information from her articles. Check out her newest article on No Mercury, No Autism, No More Lies.

The power of the pharmaceuticals (Eli Lilly comes to mind in particular) and their influence on FDA is alarming. Here's what was noted in Across The Fence regarding this:

The lack of concern for public health and safety within the pharmaceutical companies, and the conflicts of interest and political corruption within the FDA, has become evident over the last year with the deadly side effects of arthritis medicine and antidepressants. The pharmaceutical industry was slow to respond, they admitted the deadly effects only when forced out into the public eye with multiple lawsuits.

How much more resistant to public scrutiny are they when it comes to immunizations? There, they not only have a captive clientele they want to preserve, but they have the cover and security of a government-sanctioned mandate, with the power and tax dollars to back it.

It should no longer come as a surprise to us that drug companies do not have our best interest at heart. They are a business, not a humanitarian effort, which must consider cost and profit. Fatalities and injuries are just part of the cost of doing business within the pharmaceutical industry. Payouts for vaccine damages reached $1,189,700,000 in 2000.

We vaccinated our kids. With no known problems from it except for the aches for the day afterwards. We did not do the chicken pox vaccine despite our pede's recommendation for it. He wasn't too keen on the homeschooling issue either, but oh, well. Our choice and our family decision just as it is for every individual family. You weigh the options and decide what you're comfortable with for your children's well being.

Podcast Craze

2005-11-02T03:56:00.000-08:00

It is definitely intriguing but I haven't checked it out yet. I just know it will be one more thing I will really like about educating at home (or wherever we might be). We're already overwhelmed with too much great stuff.

But surveying my family; 3 out of the 6 kids have some sort of IPod dealie and they love it. 5 out of the 8 of our family have been listening to the Teaching Company's Famous Romans series that we checked out of the library and loving it! (Those Romans were brutal but history does seem to repeat itself. We're thinking our current government could use a Cato the Younger to stay true blue in integrity. Maybe a whole gaggle of 'em.)

I digress. I know that Kim from Relaxed Homeskool uses podcasts. Podcasts are on my overwhelming list of more cool things to do or check out. From the Ipod Garage:

And it isn't just universities grammar schools are doing it too, like Musselburgh grammar school. It is used as a great teaching tool because the students have to work together to write and edit a script, and record and edit the podcast. They are learning incredibly useful, real world skills that way.

This is also a great thing for homeschoolers, Finding good material for homeschooling can be hard, but with the basics in place using university lectures can be very good for learning something or finding out what still needed to be filled in.

Now that video is a major part of the equation those classes where a demonstration is most effective you can do that too. It would be great to podcast a science course and show those old film loops from the '50s to get a point across. I remember film loops like where the Tacoma Narrows bridge oscillated in the wind and finally snapped or what happens when you drop Lithium, Sodium, Potassium and other first column elements into water or how waves act and interact.

Andrea from AtypicalLife is Featured

2005-11-01T03:05:00.000-08:00

In Home Education Magazine regarding blogging.

I was getting a little concerned wondering if someone had run off with my HEM for Nov/Dec before it hit my mailbox when I finally looked under the right stack yesterday. (I did some quick cleaning the other day for company and hid my paper piles even from myself.)

It was a great article and hopefully will inspire more homeschoolers to blog. I think Andrea's point below is true. I'm grateful for any new insights and perspectives about homeschooling hitting the rest of the world along with supporting our homeschooling world.

But most of all, blogging has done wonders for the homeschooling community. The longer you blog, the more you find yourself seeking out other bloggers, leaving comments at their blogs. People visit your blog and leave comments, with a link to their own blog, and the circle widens. Many bloggers have found out about methods and curricula they never knew existed. The power of a wide circle of bloggers has also known no bounds. When one of my favorite bloggers, spunkyhomeschool.blogspot.com, idly mentioned having a homeschool blogger convention featuring blog posts on homeschooling, the idea quickly grew. In the end, Spunky highlighted over blog 50 entries and authors back in April, 2005, and the entry still gets read.

Good Sleuthing

2005-10-31T06:44:00.000-08:00

Which unfortunately seems to be important in determining who is homeschooling and who is accountable to the public schools. One would think that was the media's job. Go figure!

Big announcement: the scary mom and her children are not really from the homeschooling world. It was discovered and disclosed on the American Homeschool Association Political Action list by a California lady who's seen what blending and the mixing up of homeschool/public school does to homeschooling autonomy.

Funny how many times homeschooling didn't have anything to do with the hate and abuse stories that get pinned on homeschoolers.

'The Crazy, Mixed-up Zoo' Wins Awards

2005-10-31T04:19:00.000-08:00

Again and again.

9 year old Alex Talley (Missouri) with his sneacock, a girrotamus and zunkeys knows how to win awards. Three consecutive first-place wins for his grade level in the local Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest, hosted by the PBS (Public Broadcasting Service). I see Peoria and Chicago are represented in the awards, too. Great little books from all!

A friend had reminded me of these helpful links from PBS. Great resources on the PBS site. Links such as Games for the Brain and Math Mol (for molecular modeling). PBS is one of those great educational sites where you wander around and then wander off into some more cool sites until eyes strain and then you let the kids take over the computer to check it out.

Where's The College Beef For HR 3753/S 1691?

2005-10-29T06:15:00.000-07:00

Or What was the Purpose of Clarification Again?

SEC. 4. CLARIFICATION OF PROVISIONS ON INSTITUTIONAL AND STUDENT ELIGIBILITY UNDER THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT OF 1965.

(a) Clarification of Institutional Eligibility- Section 101(a)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)(1)) is amended by inserting `meeting the requirements of section 484(d)(3) or' after `only persons'.

(b) Clarification of Student Eligibility- Section 484(d) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1091(d)) is amended by striking the heading and inserting `Satisfaction of Secondary Education Standards'.

Along with a real stink pot piece of legislation from Section 10:

5) The graduate has provided the Secretary concerned with a third-party verification letter of the graduate's home-school status by the Home School Legal Defense Association or a State or county home-school association or organization.

Looking at this again after reading this article,Colleges Welcome Texas Homeschoolers. It's an interesting history of the state of Texas and homeschooled students getting into colleges. In the excerpt below, there's also some history about federal financial aid which has already been documented in opposition to the HR 3753/S 1691 and the 2003 version of the same. Here's what the Heartland Institute has to say:

Fighting for Equality

THSC serves as a liaison between colleges and universities and the homeschooling community. Homeschooled students receive guidance in developing transcripts and meeting the admissions requirements for Texas colleges and universities, while admissions offices are informed of legal requirements regarding admission of homeschooled students.

Obtaining federal financial aid was overly cumbersome for homeschooled students until recently. In 1998, Congress clarified the law regarding federal financial aid, stating homeschool graduates were eligible for aid without having to take an additional test other applicants were not required to take.

Here's a link to the Department of Education letter addressed to Financial Aid Professionals with the clarifications. And here is the link to the 1998 amendments to the Higher Education Act.
Interesting is that HSLDA said No Problem as well, back in January, 2003:

We are thankful for the revisions in the Handbook and the new "Dear Colleague" letter. We believe that this will clear the air and enable homeschoolers to easily gain admission to colleges based on the merit of their excellent academic programs and will also enable homeschoolers to freely obtain student financial assistance without any further unnecessary and illegal barriers.

And if it's illegal, what's the deal with fussing it up with more legal verbiage and "clarifications"? Just follow the law. Let's get rid of this invasive bill! HSLDA is demanding more government intervention via their legislation; particularly Section 10 along with HSLDA's financial gain (as laid out in part 5 above). This article from Washington University (St. Louis) about homeschoolers in college has a great quote from a homeschooler:

Sharp feels that her application process did not differ much from that of her fellow college students.

"College applications were the same for me as for everyone else-a pain!" exclaimed Sharp.

A Beautiful Thing

2005-10-29T05:22:00.000-07:00

That Rosa Parks did for us all many decades ago.

This was a great column about what the Gaede twins are missing out on with their learned rascist ways.

I caught an interview with the twins on television the other night. They were dancing a kind of jig around a swastika on the floor. One of them, when asked about her devotion to Hitler even though he had murdered 6 million Jews, responded that she didn't believe it had ever happened. She didn't think there ever were 6 million Jews. Then she smiled.

I have had a dull headache ever since watching them. I have been wondering what could be done to save these girls.

History revisionism is a sad way to go. Apparently if you want to hate, you're going to hate. Maybe they'll be enlightened when they grow up.

The other morning I decided to explore online and see if I could find anything else out about their mother and her beliefs. The mother has a Web site. On it she gives advice to other parents who would like to home school their children. She recommends using textbooks published in the 1950s or earlier.

I don't think that website has seen much homeschooling traffic. Hate is hate whether you homeschool or not.
I like old books too. But not for the same reason they do. I like primary sources such as the Federalist Papers or the Constitution or what Abraham Lincoln really had to say. Or the story of Rosa Parks as given by her and her comrades and other folks fighting for equality.

They did splits on the floor. Soon faces were transformed. Smiles were wide. And at the next stop the young men gathered their things, thanked all who tossed a few bills their way and got off. We were still clapping as the train moved on. I wondered if the Gaede twins had ever had such an experience. Had ever seen such a beautiful thing.

I had to think not.

2005-10-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

I'm back from vacation. This is a picture from the Elk and Bison Prairie at Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky.

Strange War

2005-10-28T05:25:00.000-07:00

And some definite ego involved, but it's fun to watch the perspectives fly by.

The unholy matrimony of the HSLDA and US Army has been dissolved, at least on the GoArmy website.

It took this here blog to publish a huge rant about the spiritual armies of the HSLDA and for a writer of Home Education Magazine to drop a note to the appropriate US Army department for them to at least take down the HSLDA ad that was on their website. This is what it looked like

She wrote up something a couple of days ago that was offensive enough to me that I didn't bother blogging it. But people should take a gander. She definitely has HSLDA on her radar. (It's on the 26th and I see she changed the obnoxious title and I don't know how to hit that particular post, so good luck.)

A Homeschooling Knitter

2005-10-28T04:50:00.000-07:00

Had to blog this.
Her story's already quite a yarn

At only 13, Phoenix Bess is a triple threat coming from Mathews County, where she lives with her parents and two brothers.

She dances with the American Youth Ballet Company in Williamsburg, is an extra in the soon-to-be-released movie "The New World" and has her own line of specialty knitwear.

Phoenix calls the line "Knitty Girl." Items can be viewed and purchased on her Web site - www.knittygirl.com - and will soon be available in several upscale local boutiques.

With all this going for her, she's still a tad shy and defers to her mother, Beth Bess, to handle some trickier questions. Phoenix allows a chuckle when asked whether her mother is really also her partner, as she's described in a news release written by Beth Bess.

"Oh, yes," Phoenix says. "We work together on the designs."

But the teen offers that she taught her mother how to knit, after learning the craft from another Mathews resident known for her handicrafts, Rosalie Brown.

I've learned a few skills from my kids too.
Very cool story from a homeschooling family apparently living life to the fullest.

Teens Have a Voice

2005-10-27T05:01:00.000-07:00

Very cool! This is in Ft. Worth, but worth noting to me because of the voice these teens officially have with the officials. Looks like they're treated like people there instead of annoying pests.

FORT WORTH - Anthony Butorac had a long list of things to do Saturday,including helping with a YMCA fund-raiser and lending a hand to Habitat for Humanity.
Even so, the 17-year-old plans to skip those events to attend this
weekend's annual Youth Town Hall meeting at City Hall.
And he hopes other people his age will join him.
"We want to make sure youths have a window to express their opinions," said Butorac, a home-schooled senior. "You get to propose your ideas in front of people who can make a difference -- the City Council.

My teens have told me so many times how badly they are treated in stores by clerks. You'd think that all shops would have an official policy about catering in the best possible way to teenagers and the fact that they just might spend every last cent they have in those stores. Sizable market, I would say. (Said teens also mentioned recently that they're broke.)

And Dr. Phil Says

2005-10-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

Last week Under the No Room To Compromise Section:

Dr. Phil brings up research. “The truth is, the research shows there is absolutely no disruption of social development and evolution in children who are home schooled up through the eighth grade,” he tells them. “But that presupposes that the parents are willing to make the time commitment, the money commitment, the lifestyle commitment to provide that academic environment for the child at home. And then to take them to participate in extra-curricular activities of their peer group. Like the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, the church groups and socials, and sports and choirs and things like that. Once kids get to high school, social development is important. They become more independent. They want to interact on their own. They’re post-pubescent. And so they don’t do well in a home school environment in high school as they do socially in a public or private school.”

As for who's right, Dr. Phil sides with Jylana's position. “The truth is, he's not going to be some nerd who’s scared of his own shadow if they’re home schooled, if you do a good job with the home schooling, and you get him into the extra-curricular activities after the fact.”

I was pleasantly surprised with what he said. Wonder why he assumes that the magic 'age' of "high school" is the time where they suddenly need to 'hang out' with the classmates in the classroom. (What kind of socialization is that again where they have to have a pass to pee? Oh, yeah...school ready socialization) That age is a great time to find good mentors, apprentice, try out some community college classes and hang out with other teen homeschoolers and their public/private school pals when they're free.
But it was good to see a psychologist approve of homeschooling to the extent he did. As one Psychiatry Fellow in Ohio stated when wanting to conduct a homeschooling mental health survey:

It is no secret that some in our society (most especially those in the mental health field) are either suspicious of, or, in a number of cases, quite hostile to the idea of homeschooling.

Careful What You Wish For

2005-10-26T05:35:00.000-07:00

I don't know much at all about this AllKids health care plan that the gov is promoting, other than he is notorious for promoting and pushing expensive projects with no money or every one else's money. Hope this works out for folks like the Evans family, but I'd be wary.

Tracie Evans also told committee members how she and her husband Michael have been married for over 18 years and for the last 15 years, he has worked as a community organizer with a not-for-profit while she home-schools the children. Their four children, Michelle (15 years old), Alisha (14 years old), Janell (13 years old) and son Aaron (11 years old) lack the health insurance they need because the cost of private insurance is out of reach, yet their income is too high to be eligible for state health insurance. Aaron has asthma and they currently pay out-of-pocket for the children’s doctor visits at a nearby clinic.

This also caught my eye below. Somehow, the expansion and involvement of the federal government in this project along with 'it's good for the economy' is also relevant. The "ripple effect":

According to the new Families USA study, All Kids will capture approximately $37 million from the federal government in matching funds for covering more children eligible for Medicaid and SCHIP and for speeding up the payment cycle for all doctors who treat children in the state’s children’s health insurance programs. The $37 million in new federal funds from All Kids will have a direct impact on the state’s economy, since the funds are used to pay doctors, hospitals, clinics and other health-related businesses. Providers then use the payments they receive to buy goods and pay salaries which, in turn, adds more money to the economy that can be spent on other goods and services. Using a U.S. Department of Commerce input-output model, Families USA found this ripple effect, also called the “multiplier effect”, is estimated to generate $87,561,000 in new business activity and $30,769,000 in wages in the first year of All Kids.

Health care is the second-fastest growing industry in Illinois, and among the fastest in the nation. Over the past five years, the health care industry has created nearly 40,000 new jobs in Illinois.

Big government and Big Bureaucracy is definitely rippling and rampant. Just a little concerned about where all this is heading.

Blast Off

2005-10-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

Fun stuff!

"I think it was cool," he said. "I want to do it again."It was the first time Jayshua, a home-schooled student, had participated in the program, and it wasn't a tough decision for a science class, said Darrie Nelson, Jayshua's dad and teacher.
"He likes space, he likes things that fly, he's just starting to get into that stuff," he said.
The was the third time the Rueb family attended the event.
Though the Rueb children, Michael, 11, and Logan, 9, also are home-schooled, the activity was one of pure adulation for them this time around. It also helped that the rockets worked. Last spring, Bonnie Rueb said, most of the rockets blew apart rather than heading skyward.
"It's an inexpensive fun, and how often can you do something this cool that's scientific for six bucks?" Rueb said. "And it's good for the kids to interact with the university students."About 12 UWSP students are in the Society of Physics students, and each fall and spring the students offer the program to pique youngsters' interest in sciences. The group is supervised by Greg Taft, associate professor of physics. There will be two more programs in the spring, one for home-schooled students and another for other interested kids.

We did some rocket science with our flight/outer space fixated kid. I was gathering up materials that we've used over the years for a homeschooling seminar and ran into the Estes Educator publication that we received years ago.

I remember doing this with my siblings. I think it was Big Bertha that had a payload. The egg wasn't so successful, but the mouse trip to the central Illinois clouds was. I'm sure the disgusting critter was gratified but I didn't hang around to find out when it exited. Hate mice!

A Military Homeschooling Mom Responds to HSLDA

2005-10-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

Please read the 10/24/05 response to a comment by Valerie Bonham Moon; site owner of The Military Homeschooler .

Don't forget the post immediately below that by Mary McCarthy regarding www.goarmy.com/hslda/Both are worth a good read; including the citations and references.

Haven't Seen This Before in Illinois

2005-10-24T06:51:00.000-07:00

Interesting. But surely they offer this any time and not just a year before they might choose to go the public high school??

Test offered
Lake Zurich High School is offering the Explore Test to incoming eighth graders Saturday.
The test is given to private school or home-schooled students who plan to attend Lake Zurich High School in fall 2006.
The test runs from 8 a.m. to noon in the school's library. Call Cathy Jones at (847) 540-4117 to reserve a spot. Students should bring a pencil and a calculator

The Chronicles of Narnia

2005-10-21T19:45:00.000-07:00

We are getting ready to embark on a family study of CS Lewis's series the Chronicles of Narnia. I bought the 31 CD set at Borders during teacher appreciation week. As we take off on our long drive to spend quality time on vacation we will be listening to the audio tapes. I thought I would share some of my research for the unit study.

Harper Children's Teaching Guide

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Movie Educational Material

Teachnarnia.com This is a link to purchase an ebook for Catholic teaching guides to The Chronicles of Narnia.

Information Please links to the Chronicles of Narnia Online quizzes, timeline, crossword puzzle, etc.

The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe AP Vocabulary

A Voyage into Narnia

GoArmy Dot HSLDA

2005-10-21T15:37:00.000-07:00

Mary McCarthy, a long time homeschooler, wrote up a well researched piece about the Armed Forces, HSLDA and the connection between the two.

I'm married to a Navy veteran and am very proud of his service and the experiences he gained from that.

But what I'm seeing in this article while the Army is short of recruitments is troubling. Particularly when HSLDA wrote up a brand new section 10 regarding military recruitment and homeschoolers. All that with their name included in the legislation as a paid entity to determine who is a homeschooler and who is not.

A Whistleblower's Story

2005-10-21T06:29:00.000-07:00

There was a recent interview by John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute with Allen Jones, a whistleblower. He was blowing the whistle on the pharmaceutical companies' handouts to key officials in Pennsylvania. The Rutherford Institute is representing the Rhoades family from Indiana in their lawsuit against their school district for giving their daughter a mental health survey (Teenscreen).

Could this pharmaceuticals'/key state officials' back rubbing happen here in Illinois? One would have to think that would be possible. (Understatement of the Year)

The mental health worker explained that the test results indicated Chelsea had OCD because she responded that she liked to help clean the house and social anxiety disorder because she responded that she didn’t party much. The worker told her that if her condition got any worse, her mom should bring her to the mental health center for treatment.

Remember that the Ilinois House House has already passed a Resolution last year calling for screening of all children with the use of the TeenScreen survey.

A bit of a Surprise

2005-10-21T05:49:00.000-07:00

In reading up on News and Commentary and the piece about HSLDA having a link on the go army site, I was a bit startled reading the comments.

Who'd have guessed that one of HSLDA's representatives is an anti-war hippy. Maybe HSLDA had a booth set up at the Washington Anti-War Rally a few weeks ago [tongue in cheek]? I picked this particular anti-war site because of the picture of the signs. It seemed appropriate if one only changed the word to homeschools from schools. I'm going to have to keep reading because it's a puzzle putting these pieces together of Section 10 of HSLDA's proposed HR 3753/ S 1691 and HSLDA's (or some? of HLSDA) involvement with the military. Irregardless, I have yet to see an answer as to why the HSLDA link is on a goarmy site.

Kudos to DeKalb County Builder and Developers Ass.

2005-10-19T05:53:00.000-07:00

Glad they're thinking about the taxpayers and their bang for their bucks (additional $16,000 fee/dwelling!?! It pays to stay on the farm sometimes.)

Members of the DeKalb County Builders and Developers Association have told city staff they don’t want to play impact fees.
Out-of-step with neighboring communities, area builders have denounced the city’s proposed fee, saying the formula used to develop it is flawed.

City staff proposed a more than $16,000 single impact fee per dwelling, with all costs melded into one, rather than separate fees for schools, parks, roads and other city services. The services are provided for a new development and its residents. The new fee is three to four times the prior rate.

In a letter to the commission, the builders said, “The household population charts...are outdated and grossly overestimate the number of school-aged children in new construction.” They also said the U.S. Census Bureau data “shows gross overestimating” and added that DeKalb’s method doesn’t allow for students who will attend parochial schools or will be home-schooled.” They also said DeKalb staff plan to use impact fees for items that are not allowable.

The formula for this plan was devised by a Northern IL University fella. I thought this was entertaining regarding the University's past benefits gained.

Pat Bragg, a school board member many years ago, warned that the district once overestimated its expected student population and had to sell Roberts School, which now houses NIU’s School of Nursing. “Don’t overbuild,” said Bragg. She also said she was married to an NIU faculty member and added, “I’m suspicious of university research;” the comment prompted laughter from the large audience.

In the Land Of Lincoln, we are all being over-fee'ed. What is the deal with non-representation of 'the people' but going for the money instead? Joyce Morrison covered this a bit in this IL Leader piece:

A referendum vote showed over 70% of the people opposed building two new schools but it was ignored by the school board and school superintendent as they just couldn’t resist grant money. Like many other small districts, we are now saddled with new schools we didn’t need at a cost that far exceeded the grant.

Great History Lessons

2005-10-17T05:50:00.000-07:00

Couple of articles caught my eye today about learning history.

Outside Minooka, there was a Civil War reenactment at Dollinger Farm above the I&M Canal.

Tracy and Bryon Swan of Braidwood brought their three home schooled youngsters, who were studying the Civil War, as part of American history.

We've been to these enactments and there's no way you couldn't pick up some piece of history even if you didn't check out the camps and just watched the battle reenactment. I liked what one of the participants said about the history lesson:

Reenacting is an avocation, said Jerry Kowalski, who this year helped run the event and commentated during the battle. In his navy blue uniform, broad brimmed hat and boots, he commands a striking figure as General George Thomas, a major leader for the Union in the Civil War.

"We do it to preserve history, to honor our ancestors," said Kowalski, acting as Thomas, "We teach our children so they don't make the same mistakes."

This retired history teacher in St. Charles, Missouri appreciates the importance of history too. Wish I'd had him as a history teacher. I didn't really like studying history until my husband had us traipsing around Civil War battlefields in Vicksburg, Gettysburg and in Virginia. Cannon balls in house walls got my attention and fascination.

For Donald Wescott, teaching history has served as a vocation, hobby and ministry.

He explains his interest in history and his interest in homeschoolers.

"Education has become so homogenized and bent toward other purposes, with all this testing stuff going on," he said. "People like me study history because we're fascinated; dates in history, for example, are only something you can hang your hat on. History should teach students how we govern ourselves, how to comprehend the society they're living in and the importance of contributing to it. If you don't understand these things you won't recognize that somebody is stealing them from you until they disappear."

Wescott started teaching home-schooled children after a friend asked him to tutor her child who was having a problem with history. The next thing he knew, three or four more children were showing up.

"The home-school mothers I know are resourceful and competent," he said. "When they need help, they find it. There is no end of educational opportunities for their children including a county orchestra, choirs,field trips and more."

It's nice to have someone in his position who gets it about the homeschooling lifestyle.

Dyslexia — A Beautiful Difference

2005-10-16T05:30:00.000-07:00

It doesn't seem unusual that homeschool news continually has news about kids and young adults who were given choices in public school that didn't work for them.

I'm glad there aren't reliable surveys to be found on this subject (with privacy issues and all). But I'd wager a guess that most homeschoolers tried the brick and mortar public schools before they realized that homeschooling worked for them. I wish we'd figured it out before our older kids were schooled.

This story is about the first Miss International Sarah Wall, from Minnesota who received the induction in Chicago in July.

Her story began when she was 5 years old, she said. After failing
kindergarten, teachers gave her parents two options for her: repeat or be placed
in a special education class.
Her parents chose a third option.

Wall was homeschooled until she entered college — eventually graduating with a degree in apparel design and manufacturing. She said the reasons for her success were early identification, a very supportive mother and a positive outlook on dyslexia.

My hope is the homeschooling community (actually all families) reject the tightening web of oversight demands; front door and back door. I hope that parents are always be able to take their children out of educational environments that don't work for them and homeschool.

Very Excellent Compilation

2005-10-15T06:19:00.000-07:00

Of some Foundations Of Freedom for Social Policy, Research, Legislation regarding home education.

Some of the issues addressed include Citizenship or Lawyership, Curfews, Hanging On To What Makes Homeschooling Distinctive, Parental Rights and Responsibilities, Homeschooling and Privacy Issues, and a very important document called Homeschooling Freedoms At Risk

By the way, there's an interesting conversation about homeschoolers and privacy issues going on right now. Lots of perspectives, information and food for thought.

Fire Department Field Trip

2005-10-15T06:04:00.000-07:00

It is Fire Prevention Week . Sparky says so.

These homeschooling field trips are always big hits. Something about 3 and 4 year olds, big trucks and big guys. Probably something about big hoses and fighting that no no called an out of control flame too.

Lego and Little Tikes and every other toy manufacturer knows that firemen and fire trucks work wonderfully in the little peoples' hero adventures in their imagination. Rightfully so.

Girls Love Dolls

2005-10-15T04:27:00.000-07:00

That's what I thought the American Girl craze was among homeschoolers.

"American Girl has won the trust of millions of conservative families,"Sharp said. "It's very popular among the home school movement because of the values the company followed."

I hadn't really thought about the values part of it. As related in the books, the dolls weren't getting pregnant via pre-marital hanky panky or STD's or such, for sure. That's a good thing. But we weren't buying American Girl stuff because of the company's values?!? Who could generally figure that out in this day and age?

What we got out of the sets of books were historical references from a girl's perspective along with the dolls, clothes and other accessories that lots of girls love to play with. I dunno about all the rest, but some of these groups sure do have their name plastered all over the homeschool news.

HEM NewsCom on the Presumed Decider

2005-10-14T06:47:00.000-07:00

Excellent questions raised about who should decide and who does decide what is best for our children.

I think this is the core of Ms. Steine’s objection. In this case either we see children through the lens of the state, or through the lens of the family. This is not just a homeschooling issue, but an issue for all American families, including the children of the officials elected, appointed, or hired to serve us (not to oversee us, but to serve us, as in ‘public servant’). In the ordinary course of events, who should be the arbiter in deciding what is best for children: parents or government employees?

Worth a good look. This was all related to testing issues in Alaska; a state with very minimal regs for homeschoolers.

It's that Partner thang with governmental agencies that has a very Camzotz-ish edge.

Another College and Homeschooler

2005-10-14T06:26:00.000-07:00

Or should we say UnPosh? Nah, she's just not an Ivy Leaguer, but it sounds like she's had a pretty interesting life.

She's a world-class traveler. Her main goal in life was to meet Davy Jones of The Monkees, and she did. She's been on stage, in the spotlight, since she was ten years old. She became engaged on a gondola ride in Italy. But now Jennica White is known as a new resident director for Missouri Southern.

White grew up in Catoosa, Okla., where her parents home-schooled her and her brother until they were seniors in high school. During this time, she participated in Community Theater, having the lead role in many of the performances, her favorite being Repunsal in the adaptation of "Into the Woods." White, a vocal music performance major, now spends her last days of her senior year at Southern preparing to repeat her role as Repunsal, as her senior solo recital is quickly approaching.

When her time is not spent practicing for her recital, White can be found in her new home in McCormick Hall. As resident director, White is in charge of keeping in line all the girls in McCormick and the apartment units.

Oh, Posh

2005-10-14T06:06:00.000-07:00

From the Yalie Daily News, I guess we could expect no less?

Also new is "Scene's Fashion Faux Pas," our valiant effort to unspool the white sneaker shoelaces and pink polo threads of Yale's fashion miscreants. Alas, fear not Group IV majors and home-schooled wunderkinds -- you'll be name-dropping Arcade Fire lyrics and sporting velvet blazers in no time!

Wonder what Group IV majors are? Think maybe I'd want my kids to be part of that group too after reading the self described vapidity of the Yalie Daily News promotion.

The Gift of ADHD

2005-10-14T05:17:00.000-07:00

Another article pointing out the Gift of individuality and creativity for children.

In Thom Hartmann's book Attention Deficit Disorder: A Different Perception (1997), he describes how Thomas Alva Edison, who invented the lightbulb and about a thousand other things, was characterized by an easy distractibility. He was known to have forty different inventions in progress at one time. He would work on one until he got bored with it and move on to another one as inspiration hit. Another word for distractibility is "flexibility," and it can be put to use in groundbreaking innovation and productivity.

Here's T. Edison's quote about his schooling experience:

I remember that I was never able to get along at school. I was always at the foot of the class.

Back to the article:

For example, what adults often think of as goofing off can be one of the most important activities for any child, but particularly a creative child. If your child is diagnosed with ADHD, you may recognize that he does not have the same attention span and focus of other children, but you must also acknowledge his superior creativity that, as a parent, you are entrusted to nourish and nurture. You do not do this by getting him to conform to the demands of traditional ideas of achievement. You nurture his creativity by making allowances for his differences and unstructuring his life accordingly.

I've always appreciated the time given to our kids to just goof off. Goofing off by creating intricate Lego structures or drawing as they're watching a program. Or building the Mega Track of all go cart tracks. Or building a snow fort. All that goofing off seemed to have more value sometimes than some of my brainstorms about their official education.

Son's Doodles

2005-10-13T22:16:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Honey Crisp Apple Pie made from apples purchased at the orchard. The orchard is also home to the pumpkin patch.

2005-10-13T22:14:00.000-07:00

Illinois Pumpkins

2005-10-12T22:43:00.000-07:00

Please tell me that is an ant swarm and not a termite swarm!

2005-10-12T22:40:00.000-07:00

Illinois Skyline over the pumpkin patch

Interesting Timing for This Military Blurb

2005-10-12T05:11:00.000-07:00

Army plan uses incentives to meet recruit goals
From the AP

WASHINGTON – The Army has a master plan for recovering from this year’s painful recruiting problems that includes new financial incentives for enlistees, greater use of computers, a new way for recruiters to make their pitch and a proposed finder’s fee for soldiers who refer recruits.
The plan was assembled after Army recruiting began falling severely short of goals. The Pentagon announced Tuesday that for the year that ended Sept. 30, the Army was 6,627 recruits short of its goal of 80,000. It was the Army’s first shortfall since 1999 and its largest in 26 years.

Sounds like the Amway program. Greater use of computers? Do they get to take one home and send it back when they're done too?

Here's what caught my eye and was a bit surprising since homeschoolers are usually overlooked for so many issues.

• Put more effort into recruiting people who have begun their college careers but not yet earned a degree, on the assumption that some would be interested in taking a hiatus to try military service. Also, target those of high school age who are being home schooled – a potential market the Army has largely ignored.

But here homeschoolers are noted (our little bitty homeschooling minority) in a military issue. Amazing that AP would be rubbing shoulders with HSLDA? Could it be?
Five ways to get recruits and somehow homeschoolers are one of them.

Send a Monarch to Saltillo

2005-10-11T05:28:00.000-07:00

*************************************************
Symbolic Migration Reminder
*************************************************
Symbolic Migration Deadline in 4 Days
* Just a quick reminder that you have 4 days to meet the October 14 deadline!

*************************************************
Symbolic monarchs are beginning to fill up the mail room at the Journey North headquarters. Just as the live monarch butterflies are staging in overnight roosts your little paper ambassadors will soon be on their way to the sanctuaries in Mexico. Don t miss the excitement of this year s migration! Follow the instructions for making and mailing each precious package. For a safe journey, please review, complete and enclose the Checklist with your butterflies:

* Migration Checklist, Fall 2005

One of the butterflies sent to us from a Mexican student last year.

Foreign Languages

2005-10-10T21:41:00.000-07:00

I found this foreign language stuff today through the Usborne Internet Linked books. It's free if you don't use it during school hours. They have French, German, Spanish and WELSH. We're going to mess around with the Welsh because my daughter loved the book, A String in the Harp. It's free except during the hours of 9am - 4pm. I'm guessing that's UK time. I'm sure I'll figure it out.

BBC Schools

2005-10-10T15:21:00.000-07:00

This looks like a good portal to find all the nifty activities on the BBC site. Has anyone seen a US or Canadian site like this?

Fun for Science

2005-10-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

Well, we were once again working on our Usborne Internet Linked books. This time we were doing science and we were sent here. It's science clips from the BBC. We did a lot on plants. It had an interactive bit, a quiz, and a labeling section. That's a lot more fun than workbooks.

OLD-FASHIONED TREATMENT

2005-10-10T05:52:00.000-07:00

Many homeschooling parents have already figured this one out.

I've seen some horror stories of some boot camps for kids in the media. But I've had friends who have sent their kids to something like this Missouri Ozarks camp in this article and it helped.

This article got my attention because it said the camp homeschools some of the boys, while others go to school

Some of the boys are home-schooled at the ranch; others attend Blue Eye schools. After school, the boys rotate each month through vocational areas where they learn skills such as welding, small engine mechanics and carpentry. They also raise the trees they will sell at a fundraiser Friday and Saturday at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield.

Interesting in their use of whatever works for each kid. But below is the part that I've often wondered about and this couple seems to have experienced and understand watching these kids grow up without the drugs.

The boys are weaned from the drugs with permission from their parents and family doctors.

"If it was indicated, we'd put them back on the medication, but in 23 years, that hasn't been needed," says Ken Ortman. Hyperactive children and teenage depression have always existed, he says.

"It's not in any way a disorder. Here, we go back to a culture where everyone was useful in their home, where parents found a niche for every child because everyone had to carry their own weight," he says. Each boy has responsibilities from cooking to tending the livestock.

The statement below is where I've often wondered what brilliance our society has been hiding under a cloud of -classroom seat time maintenance- medication.

The children with ADHD are extraordinary, Ortman says.

"They are strong-willed, and they'll be the leaders and entrepreneurs of the future. We need these people," he says.

Mr. Ortman seems to have that figured out along with many homeschooled parents who have taken their kids out of the classroom and taken them off the drugs.

Our latest art resource

2005-10-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

This years first Scholastic order has arrived. I did well! I picked up the Usborne Intro to Art for 9.95. It's a hardcover. I had my daughter read the first two pages and then write a summary. She then worked on the internet link. Her first link was the artist's toolkit. I finally had to tell her to stop working on it and we'd come back. We needed to get to some other subjects. I'm waiting the Introduction to Music that is internet linked from the library to see if it is worthy of full price because Scholastic doesn't have it right now and I'm really pleased with the art book.

Having a Bad Day or Many in Forest Park

2005-10-09T06:16:00.000-07:00

Every time I see phrases like Healthy minds, bodies and souls referring to something about public school oversight (let alone the Illinois Childrens' Mental Health Act), it makes me shudder.

This was sent along from the Forest Park Review . Read and weep.

As we enjoy the holidays, we have more time at home with our children to observe their mental and physical activities.

Apparently it's come to the Time where parents observe their kids' mental and physical activities as opposed to say.....Living and Loving

During these holiday breaks our homes and communities experience more of student’s antisocial behavior. Student’s disruptive behaviors in the home, school, and community may include temper tantrums, cursing, bullying, fighting, disrespect for authority, conduct disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity, depression, and other behaviors that severely disrupt student’s daily functioning and adversely affect their academic, social, and emotional learning.
Our happy holidays can be painful for students with social, emotional, and physical issues that are increased by memories of negative experiences every day and especially during the holidays.

Wow! I couldn't resist looking up this author's name after wondering where in the world she was coming from.
Apparently she had run for the Proviso High School District School Board last spring. She lost. And after reading this, her latest column, the families in that school district should be grateful for that loss in respect to their mental health. But as an aside, there appears to be some nasty stuff happening with that school district so maybe that's where all her personal angst and litany about students' behavior at home came from. (With the usual grumble of being tired of hearing abuse stories as related to homeschooling.)

At any rate, what she pointed out as the symptoms and solution is typical of the mindset and the Plan of the proponents of mental health screening for all children and families. What she states below is true and in line with the grant money from the feds:

The CMH Act requires the development of a coordinated system of mental health services for students ages 0-18 and youth ages 19-21. The Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership (ICMHP) developed a preliminary strategic plan on September 30, 2004 that provides short and long term recommendations for prevention, intervention, and treatment. A partnership between the Department of Human Services (DHS), the Department of Public Aid (DPA) and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has developed a statewide system of screening, assessment and support services (SASS) for children, including adolescents, experiencing a mental health crisis.

And what she emphasizes is crucial to these people: assist to improve classroom management, student discipline, school safety, and school climate and culture among other institutional habits. How homeschoolers will fit into this is the big question. Particularly considering the general mindset of public school officials, the involvement of primary care providers in the screening and the assumptions about the 'socialization' of homeschooled kids.

No way, I'm not buying into those statistics

2005-10-08T13:37:00.000-07:00

I found this when poking around the web for more links to post on the Homeschooling Freedom blog. It's on the Homeschooling News and Muse blog. Scroll down to "If you repeat it often enough..." and then scoot over to Insight on the News.
Here's the quote,
"It's difficult to get exact numbers, but about 80 percent are evangelical Christians and 20 percent are nonreligious," said Ian Slatter, a spokesman for the Home School Legal Defense Association in Purcellville, Va."
So where does that leave me? I don't fall into either of those categories. A Catholic homeschooler definitely doesn't not fall into the evangelical Christian grouping and not the nonreligious either. There are all kinds of other religions homeschooling.
The article is from 2004.
So what's your take? Put in the comments if you think this was a misquote, HSLDA really believes that, or any other thoughts you have on the quote.

More info on Barnes and Nobles Educator Week

2005-10-07T09:15:00.000-07:00

I just received a letter from my local Barnes and Nobles. At the Champaign B&N on Thursday October 20 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm all purchases (by educators) will be 25% off. If you are an educator you can get both stuff for the classroom and yourself for 25% off. There will also be free stuff and local businesses will have booths set up.

The Progressive Homeschooler has blogged about some B&N books that she really likes for her homeschool. Go on over and take a look.

Magical Mystery Tour

2005-10-07T06:09:00.000-07:00

Or Great and Spontaneous Homeschooling Moments

Last week we went with other homeschooling friends to the freebie noon lobby concert that was fantastic, as usual. The day before, we had already been treated to a morning concert by the great Blues man Taj Mahal during the Wall to Wall Guitar Festival happenings on campus. A total of $13. 50 for three of us to hear Blues in the Morning. Great stuff!

When I was looking at the festival schedule online, I saw that there was a bus that was going to be parked outside the Center that looked interesting. The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus. We planned accordingly to stop by there and see what's what. And we're so glad we did. And we so wished we'd known to schedule a session with them and the local homeschoolers. Next time! (My friend's and my only concern was that we moms really, really wanted to do the recording session too. )

And they have a songwriting contest going on for any budding songwriters out there. Wouldn't be the first time a homeschooler won a contest (slight understatement).

Across the street on the other side was the Spurlock Museum that we'll be visiting later this month to check out the Balinese exhibit.

Opportunities are endless in homeschooling. In this case, wherever we looked, we were falling into wonderful experiences for our family. Actually, it's hard not to find learning adventures. People always tell me that they could never homeschool because it's too difficult. They have no idea how darn easy it can be.

Glad I finally got this written up because it reminds me that I wanted to get that John Hasbrouck cd.

Borders Coupon

2005-10-06T07:43:00.000-07:00

Coupon date is 10/10 to 10/13