Friday, September 24, 2010

Let's go Shopping

Where do your kids do their school work?

CSN Stores has unique coffee tables that would be perfect in your schoolroom. With over 200 online stores CSN Stores is sure to have something you are looking for. So what are you waiting for head on over to CSN Stores to indulge in some back to school shopping.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Help Fight Cancer Support LIVESTRONG DAY

Alasandra's Homeschool Blog is going YELLOW for LIVESTRONG Day. I hope you will join me in wearing YELLOW October 2nd, 2010.

Another bigoted view of homeschooling

Homeschool isn’t the same as school according to Jacqueline Espinoza @ Daily Sundial.

According to Jacqueline Espinoza.
In today’s society there are two major types of education, public schooling and homeschooling. I believe that public schools provide a student with better education than homeschooling ever could.

Actually there are a plethora of educational choices available today. There are private secular schools, private church schools, on-line schools,  public schools and homeschools.

Then Jacqueline Espinoza blathers on about the credentials public school teachers have and questions if homeschool parents have the knowledge to educate their children. Apparently she failed to do any research before writing her ignorant diatribe on homeschooling as she fails to acknowledge the numerous studies that have been done showing that homeschoolers tend to score above the national average on both the SAT and ACT, the primary tests used by colleges in evaluating college applicants.

Jacqueline Espinoza goes on to say
Homeschooled students only interact with their parents and/or siblings that they see on a day to day basis. This does not allow a child to learn and practice social behaviors and cope outside of the home with others their age.

Apparently Jacqueline Espinoza has no clue that homeschoolers belong to homeschool groups,  join recreational sports teams, boy/girl scouts, theater groups and other organizations where they interact with their peers on a regular basis. Nope according to Jacqueline Espinoza we just sit home all day & night never laying eyes on anyone outside our immediate family.

I am really tired of bigots like Jacqueline Espinoza who write opinionated claptrap about a subject they know nothing about. She claims she knows ONE homeschool girl who felt very overwhelmed by all the new experiences in college, and whom nobody liked because she was quiet.  Ms. Espinoza I have news for you there are plenty of public school students who feel overwhelmed by all the new experiences in college. There are also numerous public school students who are shy and quiet and socially awkward. The vast majority of Homeschoolers are successful in college and have no problems transitioning from homeschooling to college.

I wonder if she claims her kids attend private school too?

Patricia Baker said...
Sorry, but I find you to be a little self-righteous. I send my kids to public school and I homeschool.

I may choose to take advantage of the wonderful teachers and staff at my local (and, by the way, quite wonderful) public school. I may choose to allow the boys to experience the opportunities our public school offers.

But, make no mistake about it ... around here the responsibility for my children's education starts and ends at home. That makes me a homeschooler.

They continue to learn as much (or more) from me in our every day activities and in our excursions as they do at school. That makes me a homeschooler.

I take sole responsibility for their school successes and failures. That makes me a homeschooler.

I sometimes question the motives or methods of those of you who choose to un-school. I would never say you aren't a homeschooler.

I might wonder why you participate in co-op if you are "home"schooling your children. But I would never stoop so low as to question what you call yourself.

If you want those of us who choose to send our children down a different path to respect your choice, maybe you should start respecting ours.

My Response ................

Patricia Baker, I respect your choice to send your child to PUBLIC SCHOOL and applaud you for being an involved parent.But you are not a homeschooler. You have no say in what textbooks your child uses, you do not grade his/her school papers, come up with lesson plans, keep transcripts, and meet the legal requirements for homeschooling in your state.

Frankly I am perplexed by PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENTS who insist they are homeschoolers. Ms Baker, do you claim you send your child to private school too?

Wanting to be clear on what homeschooling is in order to safe guard our freedom to homeschool from government intervention is in no way disrespecting your decision to send your child to PUBLIC SCHOOL. Homeschooling is an educational choice, just like sending your child to private or public school.  You choose the public school option which is fine, but you are NOT A HOMESCHOOL PARENT or a PRIVATE SCHOOL PARENT.