So, I was talking with my friends about this Homeschooling stuff...cuz, well, they are who I go to for EVERYTHING. Well, one friend says, "I would never do that to my children!" like if I decided to homeschool my pre-schooler I would be doing her harm and making her childhood miserable. Now, I have a few reactions to this
1- I don't look at it ass doing something TO my children, but rather FOR my children. Maya is MISERABLE in school...almost every ounce of me says she isn't ready to be there.
2 - Why are some people so judgemental of homeschooling? I get that it seems "weird" or "extreme" to some people, but seriously, how does it affect you if I, an educated, loving, caring mother, want to teach my kids myself instead of sending them to public schools where the teachers are already overwhelmed? You would think they'd be happy that there were less kids in the class, the same tax dollars, and the same number of teachers. Seems like a win-win for everyone...so why so judgemental?
Nov 25, 2009
Nov 24, 2009
You CAN Homeschool AND work outside the home! Go Figure!
"Dateline: 11/21/01
by Ann Zeise
> I wish that I could stay at home and teach
> her myself but I'm a single parent and I have to work.
There is really no reason that homeschooling can't be done completely on weekends and holidays. Do the math...
Many states have some such day and/or hours per year sort of requirement that is close to 1000 hours a year.
OK -- so there are 52 weekends each year, and you and your child are probably awake, say, 14 hours a day, give or take. That's 14 x 2 x 52 or 1456 waking hours in a year's worth of weekends.
Now, if you can reasonably expect to do a little "educational" stuff on workday nights, like reading books together, playing a board game, watching some educational tv, doing something like attending a scout meeting or 4-H club, then you can EASILY homeschool your child as a working single parent.
Think of yourself more as a business manager or coach as that is how homeschooling works best anyways. Don't feel you have to act or behave like a school teacher. School teachers behave the way they do because they have 24-32 kids in front of them. They have no choice. A manager or coach has one to just a handful of people to manage. They explain what needs to be done, makes sure the "team" has the proper training and tools, and then lets them get on with their job.
Do delegate some of the educational responsibilities. The child should agree to do some things on her own when you aren't around. They should agree to read, do some "projects" in the way of art or building models and such. If your child is young, the babysitter can be expected to encourage creative activities and not plop your child in front of a tv all day. If the babysitter speaks another language, have her teach your child her language. They can bake and garden together; whatever. A teen should be expected to do some housework and have dinner ready when you get home from work.
On weekends I know you need your time to get so many chores done you don't think homeschooling would be possible, but the actually time you spend "instructing" can be fit into the normal flow of your household. Spend a little time explaining a new concept, and then let your child work on a few problems while you work on your own projects. Keep touching base.
Instead of hiring a tutor, hire a maid and then you get to get rid of the onerous chores and get to do just the "fun stuff." I know you are thinking I'm nuts, but I was a single working parent at one point, and I did just this. I hired another single mom, who was glad for the extra money, to come in for about 3 hours a week, clean the bathroom, the floors and the kitchen. It gave me so much more time to spend with my daughter it was worth it!
"Unschool" -- incorporate learning into everything you do. If you have decided that this Saturday you are going to work on your car, then that's the day you teach "basic auto mechanics" to your kid. If its your shopping day, have your child help to plan nutritious meals, shop for the best buys (explaining what parts of the plant or animal the food comes from), and later on help cook. (That covers health science, economics, biology, and the physics of cooking -- even handwriting, if they wrote out the list!)
You don't have to cover ALL the subjects every day yoursef! My mother has such lovely handwriting I delegated handwriting to her. We used to visit with her about once a month, and so she would teach Scott a few more lovely "Palmer method" letters. (Scott's older now, so those lessons aren't the focus any more, but Mom does like to tell him WWII stories and he's willing to listen to those now.)
Delegate some instruction to the scout leader, to the soccer coach, to the Sunday school teacher, to the children's theater director, to the piano teacher. Even your vet can teach your kid about the life cycle of fleas!
So, find a good sitter, enlist relatives and friends to instruct your child occassionally on whatever it is they like best, do just a little each night, "unschool" on the weekends, encourage your child to read a lot and have materials around for 'projects,' and, yes, you can homeschool -- and relatively cheaply, too.
Check out Working & Single Parents for essays by others about the concerns of single parents and those living on limited incomes."
source: http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/articles/112101.htm
by Ann Zeise
> I wish that I could stay at home and teach
> her myself but I'm a single parent and I have to work.
There is really no reason that homeschooling can't be done completely on weekends and holidays. Do the math...
Many states have some such day and/or hours per year sort of requirement that is close to 1000 hours a year.
OK -- so there are 52 weekends each year, and you and your child are probably awake, say, 14 hours a day, give or take. That's 14 x 2 x 52 or 1456 waking hours in a year's worth of weekends.
Now, if you can reasonably expect to do a little "educational" stuff on workday nights, like reading books together, playing a board game, watching some educational tv, doing something like attending a scout meeting or 4-H club, then you can EASILY homeschool your child as a working single parent.
Think of yourself more as a business manager or coach as that is how homeschooling works best anyways. Don't feel you have to act or behave like a school teacher. School teachers behave the way they do because they have 24-32 kids in front of them. They have no choice. A manager or coach has one to just a handful of people to manage. They explain what needs to be done, makes sure the "team" has the proper training and tools, and then lets them get on with their job.
Do delegate some of the educational responsibilities. The child should agree to do some things on her own when you aren't around. They should agree to read, do some "projects" in the way of art or building models and such. If your child is young, the babysitter can be expected to encourage creative activities and not plop your child in front of a tv all day. If the babysitter speaks another language, have her teach your child her language. They can bake and garden together; whatever. A teen should be expected to do some housework and have dinner ready when you get home from work.
On weekends I know you need your time to get so many chores done you don't think homeschooling would be possible, but the actually time you spend "instructing" can be fit into the normal flow of your household. Spend a little time explaining a new concept, and then let your child work on a few problems while you work on your own projects. Keep touching base.
Instead of hiring a tutor, hire a maid and then you get to get rid of the onerous chores and get to do just the "fun stuff." I know you are thinking I'm nuts, but I was a single working parent at one point, and I did just this. I hired another single mom, who was glad for the extra money, to come in for about 3 hours a week, clean the bathroom, the floors and the kitchen. It gave me so much more time to spend with my daughter it was worth it!
"Unschool" -- incorporate learning into everything you do. If you have decided that this Saturday you are going to work on your car, then that's the day you teach "basic auto mechanics" to your kid. If its your shopping day, have your child help to plan nutritious meals, shop for the best buys (explaining what parts of the plant or animal the food comes from), and later on help cook. (That covers health science, economics, biology, and the physics of cooking -- even handwriting, if they wrote out the list!)
You don't have to cover ALL the subjects every day yoursef! My mother has such lovely handwriting I delegated handwriting to her. We used to visit with her about once a month, and so she would teach Scott a few more lovely "Palmer method" letters. (Scott's older now, so those lessons aren't the focus any more, but Mom does like to tell him WWII stories and he's willing to listen to those now.)
Delegate some instruction to the scout leader, to the soccer coach, to the Sunday school teacher, to the children's theater director, to the piano teacher. Even your vet can teach your kid about the life cycle of fleas!
So, find a good sitter, enlist relatives and friends to instruct your child occassionally on whatever it is they like best, do just a little each night, "unschool" on the weekends, encourage your child to read a lot and have materials around for 'projects,' and, yes, you can homeschool -- and relatively cheaply, too.
Check out Working & Single Parents for essays by others about the concerns of single parents and those living on limited incomes."
source: http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/articles/112101.htm
Ahh...Homeschooling...
On this "becoming me" trend...I want to become the kind of woman who homeschools her children. Certianly it'd be cheaper than the $13,000/year private school tuition (times two!), right? But, how could this possibly work? Would it be possible for me to do it on my days off, and Daddy to do it on his days off? I assume the lesson planning responsibilities would fall mainly on my shoulders, but, I would be okay with that...assuming he would, at least in some related way, follow the lessons, or at least the general concept.
I wonder if we could make it work...must research.
BTW...I want to live this woman's life... http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeschooling/2008/10/yes-im-a-homeschooling-freak-of-nature/ She rocks.
I wonder if we could make it work...must research.
BTW...I want to live this woman's life... http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeschooling/2008/10/yes-im-a-homeschooling-freak-of-nature/ She rocks.
Nov 22, 2009
Yoplait...have no fear.
There will be no business lost to me! The yogurt...unsuccessful. Now, there are many points at which this process could have gone horribly wrong, perhaps I didn't scald the milk enough...perhaps I didn't let it cool long enough...perhaps it wasn't a good idea to use expired trix yogurt as "culture". Perhaps the fact that Mr. Man turned off the oven light before he went to bed...really can't blame him...he didn't know I had an experiement going. ;) Anyway...I will NOT be the kind of woman who makes homemade yogurt. Off to add yogurt to the grocery list! :)
Nov 21, 2009
Becoming Me!
OK. I have decided. They can write blogs. I can write a blog. Right? Right. Julie did it in Julie and Julia. (No. Still haven't seen the movie and I am already stealing the idea.) So. My idea is. To blog me becoming me. You know, all those, "I wanna be the kind of woman who..."s that we torture ourselves with? Well. Now. My mission impossible...I am going to (did you notice how I didn't say "I am going to TRY to"? Good, eh?)...I AM GOING TO become all those women. And, if after trying, I decide I don't like that woman, I will unbecome her. So...today...I will become the kind of woman who...writes a blog! :) And...actually...today I became the kind of woman who Makes Homemade Yogurt. Yes, you heard that correctly. Today, I attempted to make homemade yogurt. MANGO flavor at that! Tomorrow I will know if I will continue to be the kind of woman who makes homemade yogurt. TeeeHee...
Tomorrow...I will become the kind of woman who................
Tomorrow...I will become the kind of woman who................
Nov 18, 2009
$11.73 bfast at McDonalds
WHY is this necessary when we have a house full of food? HOW can I make him understand that this is not sustainable for us and our budget?
Christmas is Coming
Busy Holiday Season this year...
Dec 4, Kerstonbijt at School
Dec 5-6, Joa Family Xmas in Chicago
Dec 11-17, Disney World
Dec 24-26, Martin Family Xmas at my house
Dec 26 or 27, Loperena Family Xmas
I'm already tired. ;~)
Dec 4, Kerstonbijt at School
Dec 5-6, Joa Family Xmas in Chicago
Dec 11-17, Disney World
Dec 24-26, Martin Family Xmas at my house
Dec 26 or 27, Loperena Family Xmas
I'm already tired. ;~)
Nov 9, 2009
Bella and Her Boyfriend
So, I'm sure I've talked about this enough that you all know that Bella has had the same boyfriend since the beginning of LAST school year...right? His name is Marc, and he's the cutest little thing. (That's Marc on the right.)
So anyway, at P/T conferences, B's teacher was telling me about how he holds her hand when it's time to walk from one activity to the next...he will brush the hair out of her face for her...he pulls her chair out for her when it's time to sit down...like seriously...shit my HUSBAND doesn't do for me!!! So, we were at his bday party this afternoon, and Bella got hurt (bit her tongue) and came into the party room crying. Well, of COURSE...Marc was about 30 seconds behind her, and just stood there watching her to make sure she was okay. he would NOT leave her side until she stopped crying and smiled. It was SOOO sweet. Then his mom gives me a gift bag with a bday gift for Bella in it...we didn't even have a party...but she said they were out shopping and Marc saw it and HAD to get it for Bella for her birthday. It was a Disney Snowglobe with Dopey and another dwarf...OMG...she doesn't ever need to date...she's found Mr. Right...at 6 years old! <3
So anyway, at P/T conferences, B's teacher was telling me about how he holds her hand when it's time to walk from one activity to the next...he will brush the hair out of her face for her...he pulls her chair out for her when it's time to sit down...like seriously...shit my HUSBAND doesn't do for me!!! So, we were at his bday party this afternoon, and Bella got hurt (bit her tongue) and came into the party room crying. Well, of COURSE...Marc was about 30 seconds behind her, and just stood there watching her to make sure she was okay. he would NOT leave her side until she stopped crying and smiled. It was SOOO sweet. Then his mom gives me a gift bag with a bday gift for Bella in it...we didn't even have a party...but she said they were out shopping and Marc saw it and HAD to get it for Bella for her birthday. It was a Disney Snowglobe with Dopey and another dwarf...OMG...she doesn't ever need to date...she's found Mr. Right...at 6 years old! <3
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