Saturday, May 21, 2005
Community College Denies Homeschooler
You have to wonder what is going through these people's heads when they have such arbitrary rules. It's time Brookdale Community College enters the 21st century when it comes to home-schooled students. High school students who are sophomores and above are able to take courses at Brookdale, but my daughter, who is home-schooled, has met with nothing but obstacles.
Read more...Posted by gary at 5/21/2005 08:25:00 AM | 0 comments
Homeschooling: Is it right for your family?
This report from the Baltimore Times reviews the rules in Maryland.
According to the Maryland State Department of Education the number of families who homeschool their children increases each year. For parents who are dissatisfied with their child's progress in a traditional classroom, homeschooling can be an attractive alternative. However, there are many things to consider before making the decision to assume full responsibility for educating your child. This week Education Matters concludes its series of articles on the homeschooling experiences of Robin Winternitz. Winternitz is the mother of twin sons and has successfully homeschooled Jacob and Taylor for four years.
Read more...Posted by gary at 5/21/2005 08:21:00 AM | 0 comments
Thursday, May 19, 2005
WA Home-school children participate in marine data collecting
Doing real work in the real world; that's a the way to learn.
PORT TOWNSEND -- A sleek, high-tech Mary Beth leaves Port Townsend Boat Haven on a sunny Wednesday afternoon with nine alternative-school students aboard.
Bucking in high winds, the 43-foot research vessel enters Scow Bay, passing eight bald eagles picking apart a carcass on a sandy spit off Indian Island.
A white cloud of alarmed sea gulls hangs over Rat Island, perhaps disturbed by an unknown predator.
Seal heads bob to the surface, the doglike mammals floating in glistening waters as the research boat cruises by.
Students' curious gazes spy countless moon jellyfish swirling in the currents stirred by Mary Beth's powerful prop.
Read more...Posted by gary at 5/19/2005 07:36:00 AM | 0 comments
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Kansas Evolution Hearings - Free Audio
Regardless of where you stand on evolution, it couldn't hurt to listen to the Kansas hearings yourself rather than have them filtered through the media. Audible.com is offering all five days of this (about 4 hours each) free for the download. As you may know, most �reputable� scientists (those who refuse to consider intelligent design) would not participate in this charade. Therefore, it is mostly the testimony of scientists and teachers in favor of the change.
It is very enlightening to hear how minor the proposed changes to the Kansas School Board Guidelines are.
Read more...
Posted by gary at 5/18/2005 03:55:00 PM | 0 comments
Socialization of homeschoolers a non-issue
This is such a non-issue they devoted an entire article to the subject.
BRISTOL, Tenn. � Fourteen-year-old Kayla Freeman has heard it before � that those who learn at home must be social dunces who don�t feel comfortable meeting new people and don�t have any friends.
In her three years as a homeschooled student, however, she�s found the opposite to be true.
Read more...Posted by gary at 5/18/2005 07:32:00 AM | 0 comments
No shortage of activities for homeschool communities
Most homeschoolers know there isn't a problem finding extracurricular activities.
BRISTOL, Va. � A group of Boy Scouts from Troop 108 crowded around a table to plan an upcoming cycling trip.
While they tried to figure out who would bring hot dogs and what they would eat for breakfast, the teenagers made jokes and whispered secrets.
Read more...Posted by gary at 5/18/2005 07:31:00 AM | 0 comments
From private school to homeschool?
I don't know what prompted this story. Is it all about money?
BRISTOL, Va. � Some critics of homeschooling argue that the practice hurts public and private schools.
Public schools get less government funding due to homeschooling, they say.
Virginia and Tennessee base part of their funding formulas on the number of children enrolled in school divisions.
Read more...Posted by gary at 5/18/2005 07:27:00 AM | 0 comments
Avon's calling...and that's great for home schooling
It seems to be a growing trend for homeschoolers to start a home business.
For James, Jennifer and Jessica Sanders, being home schooled means exciting trips to the Indian River Reptile Zoo, visits to the Canadian Canoe Museum and working alongside their mother selling Avon products.
As part of their home schooling education, Marie Sanders thought up a creative way to teach her children about business by getting them to participate in every aspect of selling Avon beauty products.
Read more...Posted by gary at 5/18/2005 07:22:00 AM | 0 comments
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
College students discuss benefits of home school
This puts a positive spin on homeschooling by interviewing the homeschooolers themselves.
Home education is rapidly expanding across the nation and in your hometown. Because home education is radically different from the public school system, people often wonder how the two compare.
To find out how a home-school education prepares young people for college, I asked four current college students about their experiences as lifelong home schoolers.
Read more...Posted by gary at 5/17/2005 07:37:00 AM | 0 comments
One family's homeschool
A peek in to the McRae family homeschool. Some mention in the article about the socialization skills (or lack therof) of each kid.
BRISTOL, Va. � Lying on his stomach in his bedroom, 20-year-old David McRae quickly tapped the keys of his laptop.
The King College senior, double majoring in political science and history, worked on a 20-page research paper about Scotland.
Read more...Posted by gary at 5/17/2005 07:34:00 AM | 0 comments
Homeschooling increasing in New Zealand
The obligatory mention of socialization aside, this story has some good insights for those new to homeschooling.
The holidays are well and truly over and across the country kids are back at school in their thousands.
But for some, school is only as far as the room next door or the kitchen table. At the last count (2003), almost 6500 children were being home-schooled in New Zealand. That's against 764,654 in school.
Read more...Posted by gary at 5/17/2005 07:28:00 AM | 0 comments
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Homeschooliong Pioneer
The personal story of an early homeschooling pioneer is chronicled here.
Twenty years ago, Brent Bradley couldn�t convince Christian publishing companies to sell him teaching guides for his homeschooled children.
Now, such companies market and provide entire catalogs for families like his.
Because of homeschooling�s growth, opportunities and support for such families also have blossomed.
Read more...Posted by gary at 5/15/2005 08:43:00 AM | 0 comments
Test scores show homeschoolers better prepared for college
This story is mostly about the better than average test scores of college-bound homeschoolers.
It�s tough for Emory & Henry College freshman Joel Font to find free time in his weekday schedule.
Besides maintaining a 3.5 grade-point average, he volunteers as a tour guide for the college admissions office, plays on four of the college�s eight intramural sports teams, sings in the school choir and participates in Bible studies.
He has thrown himself into his college experience, never mind that it�s the first school he�s ever attended.
Read more...Posted by gary at 5/15/2005 08:22:00 AM | 0 comments
