" 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
I corinthians 13:2-3
This really resonated with me today. Really touched my heart and how I'm feeling lately.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Please consider donating to The Dream Project. My sister is there in Mozambique helping Julie and Michael. Its an amazing place and our family feels we should help in some way and the next best way to being there is to fundraise for them. My kids usually want to do a fundraiser like a lemonade stand to earn the money. Its a fun way that our little ones can make their impact on the world.
http://www.thedream-project.org/
http://www.thedream-project.org/
Monday, August 25, 2008
Giftedness
Common Myths About Gifted Students
Gifted students are a homogeneous group, all high achievers.
Gifted students do not need help. If they are really gifted, they can manage on their own.
Gifted students have fewer problems than others because their intelligence and abilities somehow exempt them from the hassles of daily life.
The future of a gifted student is assured: a world of opportunities lies before the student.
Gifted students are self-directed; they know where they are heading.
The social and emotional development of the gifted student is at the same level as his or her intellectual development.
Gifted students are nerds and social isolates.
The primary value of the gifted student lies in his or her brain power.
The gifted student's family always prizes his or her abilities.
Gifted students need to serve as examples to others and they should always assume extra responsibility.
Gifted students make everyone else smarter.
Gifted students can accomplish anything they put their minds to. All they have to do is apply themselves.
Gifted students are naturally creative and do not need encouragement.
Gifted children are easy to raise and a welcome addition to any classroom.
Truths About Gifted Students
Gifted students are often perfectionistic and idealistic. They may equate achievement and grades with self-esteem and self-worth, which sometimes leads to fear of failure and interferes with achievement.
Gifted students may experience heightened sensitivity to their own expectations and those of others, resulting in guilt over achievements or grades perceived to be low.
Gifted students are asynchronous. Their chronological age, social, physical, emotional, and intellectual development may all be at different levels. For example, a 5-year-old may be able to read and comprehend a third-grade book but may not be able to write legibly.
Some gifted children are "mappers" (sequential learners), while others are "leapers" (spatial learners). Leapers may not know how they got a "right answer." Mappers may get lost in the steps leading to the right answer.
Gifted students may be so far ahead of their chronological age mates that they know more than half the curriculum before the school year begins! Their boredom can result in low achievement and grades.
Gifted children are problem solvers. They benefit from working on open-ended, interdisciplinary problems; for example, how to solve a shortage of community resources. Gifted students often refuse to work for grades alone.
Gifted students often think abstractly and with such complexity that they may need help with concrete study- and test-taking skills. They may not be able to select one answer in a multiple choice question because they see how all the answers might be correct.
Gifted students who do well in school may define success as getting an "A" and failure as any grade less than an "A." By early adolescence they may be unwilling to try anything where they are not certain of guaranteed success.
Adapted from College Planning for Gifted Students, 2nd edition, by Sandra Berger.
Gifted students are a homogeneous group, all high achievers.
Gifted students do not need help. If they are really gifted, they can manage on their own.
Gifted students have fewer problems than others because their intelligence and abilities somehow exempt them from the hassles of daily life.
The future of a gifted student is assured: a world of opportunities lies before the student.
Gifted students are self-directed; they know where they are heading.
The social and emotional development of the gifted student is at the same level as his or her intellectual development.
Gifted students are nerds and social isolates.
The primary value of the gifted student lies in his or her brain power.
The gifted student's family always prizes his or her abilities.
Gifted students need to serve as examples to others and they should always assume extra responsibility.
Gifted students make everyone else smarter.
Gifted students can accomplish anything they put their minds to. All they have to do is apply themselves.
Gifted students are naturally creative and do not need encouragement.
Gifted children are easy to raise and a welcome addition to any classroom.
Truths About Gifted Students
Gifted students are often perfectionistic and idealistic. They may equate achievement and grades with self-esteem and self-worth, which sometimes leads to fear of failure and interferes with achievement.
Gifted students may experience heightened sensitivity to their own expectations and those of others, resulting in guilt over achievements or grades perceived to be low.
Gifted students are asynchronous. Their chronological age, social, physical, emotional, and intellectual development may all be at different levels. For example, a 5-year-old may be able to read and comprehend a third-grade book but may not be able to write legibly.
Some gifted children are "mappers" (sequential learners), while others are "leapers" (spatial learners). Leapers may not know how they got a "right answer." Mappers may get lost in the steps leading to the right answer.
Gifted students may be so far ahead of their chronological age mates that they know more than half the curriculum before the school year begins! Their boredom can result in low achievement and grades.
Gifted children are problem solvers. They benefit from working on open-ended, interdisciplinary problems; for example, how to solve a shortage of community resources. Gifted students often refuse to work for grades alone.
Gifted students often think abstractly and with such complexity that they may need help with concrete study- and test-taking skills. They may not be able to select one answer in a multiple choice question because they see how all the answers might be correct.
Gifted students who do well in school may define success as getting an "A" and failure as any grade less than an "A." By early adolescence they may be unwilling to try anything where they are not certain of guaranteed success.
Adapted from College Planning for Gifted Students, 2nd edition, by Sandra Berger.
A funny story
So my husband and I last night were discussing what we were all going to dress up like for Halloween. After a few suggestions here and there I said," why dont we go as I'm a mac, I'm a PC? " He thinks thats a great idea. After thinking for a few minutes I look up at him and say, "But I'm NOT PC." He gets cranky and says, "Well Neither am I!" So I guess that idea is out....
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Unwrapping the Gifted
I found this very interesting especially knowing Tom's schooling history. I think his school years would have been so much easier had teachers had this viewpoint.
Varsity Academics
Posted: 20 Aug 2008 09:20 PM CDT
Hello from the Ice Cream Capital of the World!
On the morning of July 7, I had my TV on in the other room while I was getting ready for the day. I overheard an interview on the Today Show that Matt Lauer did with swimmer Dara Torres. The day before, she had managed to qualify for her fifth Olympics at the age of 41, even breaking an American record (for the ninth time in that event!) in the qualifying process.
Near the end of the interview, Matt asked Dara how she did it, noting his age and noting hers. (They know each other off-camera, it might be important to mention.) “When I turned 40,” he said, “I had trouble going up stairs. I was winded more easily.”
After describing her workout regimen and then outlining how she was proactively being regularly blood-tested to prove that she was doing all this cleanly, she said to Matt, good-naturedly and with a twinkle in her eye,
“And besides, you know, maybe I’m a little more athletically gifted than you are.”
It was funny! She pulled it off really well and I know she got a chuckle out of both Matt and I. And besides – it was true. She’s clearly far more athletically gifted than nearly all of us.
But then I got to thinking…
It’s never funny when someone – even good naturedly and with a twinkle in their eye – says,
“And besides, you know, maybe I’m a little more intellectually gifted than you are.”
Nope. That’s pretty much a party stopper. We feel offended. We can’t believe someone would have the gall to say something so arrogant. We lose respect for someone with such an “inflated ego.”
Not that I would advocate anyone go around actually saying that! I was just struck by how okay it felt to hear Dara say that – and how not okay it would feel to hear it the other way.
But we have different standards, dare I say a double standard, when it comes to athletics.
Before I go any further, I want to be clear that I’m not knocking athletics. They’re important, valuable, worthwhile, and a model means of developing talent. My own sister was a high school varsity athlete, and there was nothing like the thrill of watching her team win back-to-back state championships (my vantage point was from the Pep Band section ;o)
It’s just that I’m baffled by our double standard when it comes to varsity academics.
When it comes to sports, we don’t have any trouble supporting an individual’s pursuit of greater levels of achievement. We cheer them on, we donate to the Booster Club, we raise a fuss if the football team goes on the school district’s chopping block. (It never does, but you know what I mean.) And we should do all of that. Those students have talent that most of the rest of us don’t. It’s okay to celebrate the development of their athletic talent! And it should remain so.
And yet our students who excel intellectually are – sometimes, often times? – made fun of in school, teased for being bookworms and “walking encyclopedias,” not allowed to move ahead in the curriculum because they might begin to “think too highly of themselves” (or because it’s inconvenient for the teacher), and believed to be “okay as they are” – no need to push them any further in their talent areas.
So it’s okay to develop athletic talent, but try starting a gifted program in your school to develop intellectual talent and there’s bound to be someone (or many someones) who will be opposed on grounds that it’s “elitist” or “unnecessary” (they’re “already where they need to be,” after all). How can we justify putting money into kids who are already “succeeding” when we have so many other kids who – I agree – deserve our every effort to help them learn?
*sigh* Shouldn’t EVERY child be able to LEARN to their capacity in school of all places‽‽‽ Aren’t schools for learning?
Maybe we can use the vocabulary of talent development to help ourselves explain why it’s necessary to put effort into kids who have already met (or more typically far surpassed) grade-level expectations. The Olympics don’t inspire us because the bar is set at an average level. They inspire us because the bar is set quite high and each individual is stretched to his or her capacity, often amazing us and themselves in the process! Olympic athletes don’t achieve all that they do because they stayed with the crowd and learned how to swim in the same way average a-few-times-a-summer swimmers learned. They break records and accomplish what hadn’t been accomplished before (breaking a record nine times, for example), because they and their coaches focused effort on developing the talent that was already there. Good enough isn’t anywhere near good enough for them.
There are some of us out here who recognize that gifted children tend to have natural talent in one or more areas and we want to let them develop those talents to their fullest potential. We want them to be able to GROW. Do we expect gifted athletes like Dara to learn their skills in a heterogeneous group taught at an average pace? Of course not. At some point, in order to pursue what she was capable of, she had to break away from that and follow a far more challenging course.
We send all children to Physical Education classes because we want all children to learn about and develop their physical fitness. It’s important for all on some level. However, some children have greater levels of athletic talent, and they are selected for our athletic teams so that they can further develop their talent to its fullest potential. We don’t expect them to magically develop that talent further on their own or solely through P.E. classes. We recognize that they need advanced training to polish what they begin with and to stretch them to where they are capable of going. It is (or should be) the same for our intellectually gifted children who have greater levels of thinking ability and academic talent. We can’t expect them to magically develop those talents further solely through regular education classes. We must recognize that they need advanced training to polish what they begin with and to stretch them to their fullest potential.
It’s the same philosophy! Development of talent – any kind of talent – doesn’t happen magically or on its own!
Developing the talents of our advanced learners means releasing the constraints on our teachers, too. They’re up against some tough walls! Some of them are only allowed to teach a certain page on a certain day saying only the script from the book (whether the kids are ready for it, or not, or far past that point), making differentiation near impossible – or even, in essence, “against the rules.” Most teachers have a huge range of student abilities to accommodate within their classrooms. And nearly all of them have received little or no training on the needs of gifted students. When it comes to understanding and reaching gifted learners, the deck is stacked against our teachers.
“Confine plant forms to a container and you will know exactly the dimensions they shall reach. Confine your teachers to your restricting curricula and your paperwork and you will know exactly the dimensions they shall reach. And each budding branch and each extending child shall not extend far beyond the perimeters of their confinement. Space determines the shape of all living things.” ~ Bob Stanish ~
My challenge for you this school year: find a crack in the container and start chipping away! Otherwise we will know the only dimensions that we and our varsity learners shall ever reach.
Varsity Academics
Posted: 20 Aug 2008 09:20 PM CDT
Hello from the Ice Cream Capital of the World!
On the morning of July 7, I had my TV on in the other room while I was getting ready for the day. I overheard an interview on the Today Show that Matt Lauer did with swimmer Dara Torres. The day before, she had managed to qualify for her fifth Olympics at the age of 41, even breaking an American record (for the ninth time in that event!) in the qualifying process.
Near the end of the interview, Matt asked Dara how she did it, noting his age and noting hers. (They know each other off-camera, it might be important to mention.) “When I turned 40,” he said, “I had trouble going up stairs. I was winded more easily.”
After describing her workout regimen and then outlining how she was proactively being regularly blood-tested to prove that she was doing all this cleanly, she said to Matt, good-naturedly and with a twinkle in her eye,
“And besides, you know, maybe I’m a little more athletically gifted than you are.”
It was funny! She pulled it off really well and I know she got a chuckle out of both Matt and I. And besides – it was true. She’s clearly far more athletically gifted than nearly all of us.
But then I got to thinking…
It’s never funny when someone – even good naturedly and with a twinkle in their eye – says,
“And besides, you know, maybe I’m a little more intellectually gifted than you are.”
Nope. That’s pretty much a party stopper. We feel offended. We can’t believe someone would have the gall to say something so arrogant. We lose respect for someone with such an “inflated ego.”
Not that I would advocate anyone go around actually saying that! I was just struck by how okay it felt to hear Dara say that – and how not okay it would feel to hear it the other way.
But we have different standards, dare I say a double standard, when it comes to athletics.
Before I go any further, I want to be clear that I’m not knocking athletics. They’re important, valuable, worthwhile, and a model means of developing talent. My own sister was a high school varsity athlete, and there was nothing like the thrill of watching her team win back-to-back state championships (my vantage point was from the Pep Band section ;o)
It’s just that I’m baffled by our double standard when it comes to varsity academics.
When it comes to sports, we don’t have any trouble supporting an individual’s pursuit of greater levels of achievement. We cheer them on, we donate to the Booster Club, we raise a fuss if the football team goes on the school district’s chopping block. (It never does, but you know what I mean.) And we should do all of that. Those students have talent that most of the rest of us don’t. It’s okay to celebrate the development of their athletic talent! And it should remain so.
And yet our students who excel intellectually are – sometimes, often times? – made fun of in school, teased for being bookworms and “walking encyclopedias,” not allowed to move ahead in the curriculum because they might begin to “think too highly of themselves” (or because it’s inconvenient for the teacher), and believed to be “okay as they are” – no need to push them any further in their talent areas.
So it’s okay to develop athletic talent, but try starting a gifted program in your school to develop intellectual talent and there’s bound to be someone (or many someones) who will be opposed on grounds that it’s “elitist” or “unnecessary” (they’re “already where they need to be,” after all). How can we justify putting money into kids who are already “succeeding” when we have so many other kids who – I agree – deserve our every effort to help them learn?
*sigh* Shouldn’t EVERY child be able to LEARN to their capacity in school of all places‽‽‽ Aren’t schools for learning?
Maybe we can use the vocabulary of talent development to help ourselves explain why it’s necessary to put effort into kids who have already met (or more typically far surpassed) grade-level expectations. The Olympics don’t inspire us because the bar is set at an average level. They inspire us because the bar is set quite high and each individual is stretched to his or her capacity, often amazing us and themselves in the process! Olympic athletes don’t achieve all that they do because they stayed with the crowd and learned how to swim in the same way average a-few-times-a-summer swimmers learned. They break records and accomplish what hadn’t been accomplished before (breaking a record nine times, for example), because they and their coaches focused effort on developing the talent that was already there. Good enough isn’t anywhere near good enough for them.
There are some of us out here who recognize that gifted children tend to have natural talent in one or more areas and we want to let them develop those talents to their fullest potential. We want them to be able to GROW. Do we expect gifted athletes like Dara to learn their skills in a heterogeneous group taught at an average pace? Of course not. At some point, in order to pursue what she was capable of, she had to break away from that and follow a far more challenging course.
We send all children to Physical Education classes because we want all children to learn about and develop their physical fitness. It’s important for all on some level. However, some children have greater levels of athletic talent, and they are selected for our athletic teams so that they can further develop their talent to its fullest potential. We don’t expect them to magically develop that talent further on their own or solely through P.E. classes. We recognize that they need advanced training to polish what they begin with and to stretch them to where they are capable of going. It is (or should be) the same for our intellectually gifted children who have greater levels of thinking ability and academic talent. We can’t expect them to magically develop those talents further solely through regular education classes. We must recognize that they need advanced training to polish what they begin with and to stretch them to their fullest potential.
It’s the same philosophy! Development of talent – any kind of talent – doesn’t happen magically or on its own!
Developing the talents of our advanced learners means releasing the constraints on our teachers, too. They’re up against some tough walls! Some of them are only allowed to teach a certain page on a certain day saying only the script from the book (whether the kids are ready for it, or not, or far past that point), making differentiation near impossible – or even, in essence, “against the rules.” Most teachers have a huge range of student abilities to accommodate within their classrooms. And nearly all of them have received little or no training on the needs of gifted students. When it comes to understanding and reaching gifted learners, the deck is stacked against our teachers.
“Confine plant forms to a container and you will know exactly the dimensions they shall reach. Confine your teachers to your restricting curricula and your paperwork and you will know exactly the dimensions they shall reach. And each budding branch and each extending child shall not extend far beyond the perimeters of their confinement. Space determines the shape of all living things.” ~ Bob Stanish ~
My challenge for you this school year: find a crack in the container and start chipping away! Otherwise we will know the only dimensions that we and our varsity learners shall ever reach.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Flat Stanley's Travels
So last year we went to see an AMAZING play called Flat stanley. Below you can read the premise of his story.
This book/play is about a young boy named Stanley who is accidentally squished "as flat as a pancake" when a bulletin board falls on him. Stanley is very, very flat but otherwise fine. The story goes on to tell how Stanley discovers some real advantages to being flat. He can slide under doors, go down into sidewalk grates, and even fold himself up small enough to fit into an envelope and be mailed to California (from a city far away in the USA) for an exciting vacation.
Which gave way to the Flat Stanley Project. Which we use as a way to teach our kids about different communities and Geography.
Our pictures of Flat Stanley and his first travels. His first stop was Guam. HIs next stop is Victoria Island BC. Then we are hoping we can get my cousin to host him in Oman.
Below are the pics from Guam. They went hiking along the coast where some of the WWII Japanese hideouts and wreckage were. There is also an American Naval Base on the Island. If you didn't know. Guam is a territory of the US.
This book/play is about a young boy named Stanley who is accidentally squished "as flat as a pancake" when a bulletin board falls on him. Stanley is very, very flat but otherwise fine. The story goes on to tell how Stanley discovers some real advantages to being flat. He can slide under doors, go down into sidewalk grates, and even fold himself up small enough to fit into an envelope and be mailed to California (from a city far away in the USA) for an exciting vacation.
Which gave way to the Flat Stanley Project. Which we use as a way to teach our kids about different communities and Geography.
Our pictures of Flat Stanley and his first travels. His first stop was Guam. HIs next stop is Victoria Island BC. Then we are hoping we can get my cousin to host him in Oman.
Below are the pics from Guam. They went hiking along the coast where some of the WWII Japanese hideouts and wreckage were. There is also an American Naval Base on the Island. If you didn't know. Guam is a territory of the US.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Just a Walmart Rant!
Ok so today I am getting prepped for school to start in a week. Lots to do some rushing around, craziness. Last night I went to Walmart. Now I really dislike Walmart, but I needed to put together some backpacks for the kids for the VBS camp this week. They are doing donations for kids school supplies through City Team Ministries. Now I needed to go somewhere where I could get enough supplies for 4 kids inexpensively. Why 4? I have no idea, I just felt led to do 4 kids and lately when God talks I've been obeying. So 4 it was. Anyway, I pull into the driveway and realize why I NEVER go to Walmart. I HATE IT! Its like your driving right into the Ghetto. No seriously. Anyway so I go in, and there are so many people in there, its crowed, and its 9 at night. Its ALWAYS that way here. We have like 4 Walmarts for Vicinity between South San Jose/East San Jose/Mountain View and North Milpitas. This includes all the little cities in between. So not a lot to go around, so they are ALWAYS jammed packed. So I get what I go in there to get and with no shortage of shoving and toes being run over by shopping carts and trying to manuever between everything everyone has thrown on the floor. (people dig through everything and instead of putting it back on the shelf they throw it on the floor. Like it belongs there) Ok so I get the heck out of there and I'm thinking I HATE Walmart so much!!!
So, I'm sitting on the toilet today (yeah great visual isn't it??) And I'm in total school mode, sharpening pencils, colored pencils, getting the kids pencils boxes ready, making sure I have all the supplies we need and trying to plan our lessons. I happened to look up and I see this:
Does anyone else see a problem here??? The reasons why I hate Walmart even more, or advertisers in general.
Kids aren't suppose to be Rock Stars at school.
How about we advertise: Get your school supplies here so you can go to school and learn, so you wont be stupid and the only job you can get is at Walmart!
So, I'm sitting on the toilet today (yeah great visual isn't it??) And I'm in total school mode, sharpening pencils, colored pencils, getting the kids pencils boxes ready, making sure I have all the supplies we need and trying to plan our lessons. I happened to look up and I see this:
Does anyone else see a problem here??? The reasons why I hate Walmart even more, or advertisers in general.
Kids aren't suppose to be Rock Stars at school.
How about we advertise: Get your school supplies here so you can go to school and learn, so you wont be stupid and the only job you can get is at Walmart!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Stinkfoot...a REAL band :-D
This is a picture of stinkfoot. My husbands kinda sorta fake band. It started out as a joke and all of a sudden they started getting gigs, then the gigs just kinda kept coming their way. They are always asked they never offer. Its hysterical. I dont mind, I get to to be the hot groupie! :-D
You can check them out on facebook at http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5818786611
Friday, August 08, 2008
The public School System
These individuals with their comments are products of the public school system: All I really want to say to them is SHUT UP, YOUR STUPID. Except I'm not really a mean person......but I can be...I sorta have a temper :-D
13. No kid should be home schooled. They end up socially retarded relationally clueless. Which is far worse than not knowing the material in the books.
Submitted by: merryjoe
1:49 PM PDT, August 8, 2008
YOU ARE SOCIALLY RETARDED AND CLUELESS. The reason? If you had an educated bone in your body, you would know that parents who home-school attend MANY functions outside of the home. Home-schooled kids are more active in the community than Public Schooled kids. Why? Because they have MORE time to do it. They aren't taught to the lowest common denominator in school, but they can work at their own pace. So they have time for this stuff. They don't spend an hour in travel time to get to school. If you dont believe me, look at my flicker account and see how often we are out doing public service and leave our house. www.flickr.com/photos/kellyschaos
15. No, the education of a child is too important to let some moron just do on their own. Not that homeschooling doesn't work, but certification is necessary for some regulation. The real issue should be what it takes to become certified, not whether or not you need to be. http://tinyurl.com/6jb7l6 - has more on the appeals
Submitted by: Ricardo
1:46 PM PDT, August 8, 2008
You just called me a MORON. You dont even know me, so how can you honestly say that I, because I homeschool, am a Moron. You are obviously a Jerk. That was an educated answer. I read your comments and came to the conclusion because you call people you know nothing about Morons.
25. Although every parent should have the right to make decisions in their child's education, we - as a society - have to live with these children. The thought of a suburbran housewife, with no college education, downloading worksheets off the internet to teach their high schooler physics or Algebra 2, well. . . that's just scary.
Submitted by: C.
You assume that homeschool Parents = Wife only. Dads are just as involved. And just because I am a suburban housewife, with some college doesn't mean I'm ignorant. You imply that in your snide comment. You are obviously uneducated about how we homeschool. We do NOT download worksheets but attend a THREE day seminar and pick curriculum like a REAL school would. We have REAL curriculum with REAL text books. WOW what a concept! We are motivated to teach our kids, not by a paycheck, but because we WANT them to learn. WOW! Now isn't that a concept too!!!
**** SIDE NOTE! I have nothing against the public school system really. Its just annoying when individuals profess that theres only one way a child can learn and that HAS to be in a school room environment. People should really do their research and see that learning is done best when its in exploration and un-structured. Some kids thrive in structured environments, mine are bored in them. They dont do lectures. They are hands on, so for us, this is where they belong. =D
13. No kid should be home schooled. They end up socially retarded relationally clueless. Which is far worse than not knowing the material in the books.
Submitted by: merryjoe
1:49 PM PDT, August 8, 2008
YOU ARE SOCIALLY RETARDED AND CLUELESS. The reason? If you had an educated bone in your body, you would know that parents who home-school attend MANY functions outside of the home. Home-schooled kids are more active in the community than Public Schooled kids. Why? Because they have MORE time to do it. They aren't taught to the lowest common denominator in school, but they can work at their own pace. So they have time for this stuff. They don't spend an hour in travel time to get to school. If you dont believe me, look at my flicker account and see how often we are out doing public service and leave our house. www.flickr.com/photos/kellyschaos
15. No, the education of a child is too important to let some moron just do on their own. Not that homeschooling doesn't work, but certification is necessary for some regulation. The real issue should be what it takes to become certified, not whether or not you need to be. http://tinyurl.com/6jb7l6 - has more on the appeals
Submitted by: Ricardo
1:46 PM PDT, August 8, 2008
You just called me a MORON. You dont even know me, so how can you honestly say that I, because I homeschool, am a Moron. You are obviously a Jerk. That was an educated answer. I read your comments and came to the conclusion because you call people you know nothing about Morons.
25. Although every parent should have the right to make decisions in their child's education, we - as a society - have to live with these children. The thought of a suburbran housewife, with no college education, downloading worksheets off the internet to teach their high schooler physics or Algebra 2, well. . . that's just scary.
Submitted by: C.
You assume that homeschool Parents = Wife only. Dads are just as involved. And just because I am a suburban housewife, with some college doesn't mean I'm ignorant. You imply that in your snide comment. You are obviously uneducated about how we homeschool. We do NOT download worksheets but attend a THREE day seminar and pick curriculum like a REAL school would. We have REAL curriculum with REAL text books. WOW what a concept! We are motivated to teach our kids, not by a paycheck, but because we WANT them to learn. WOW! Now isn't that a concept too!!!
**** SIDE NOTE! I have nothing against the public school system really. Its just annoying when individuals profess that theres only one way a child can learn and that HAS to be in a school room environment. People should really do their research and see that learning is done best when its in exploration and un-structured. Some kids thrive in structured environments, mine are bored in them. They dont do lectures. They are hands on, so for us, this is where they belong. =D
HSLDA Article
HOMESCHOOLERS WIN LANDMARK CASE
Purcellville, VA—In a 3-0 decision the California Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District reversed its earlier ruling which would have required homeschoolers to be certified teachers in order to homeschool in California. “This is a great victory for homeschool freedom,” said Michael Farris, one of the team of attorneys who argued the case before the court and Chairman of HSLDA.
"I have never seen such an impressive array of people and organizations coming to the defense of homeschooling. The team effort was remarkable," he added.
Mr. L of In re Rachel L was represented by Gary Kreep of the U.S. Justice Foundation and the Alliance Defense Fund.
The court agreed to re-hear In re Rachel L in March after a public outcry of its previous February, 2008 ruling. Many new arguments were presented to the court in June. HSLDA filed an amicus brief on behalf of our 15,000 California members. The Governor and Attorney General of California also supported a parent’s right to homeschool before the court.
“Tens of thousands of California parents teaching over 166,000 homeschooled children are now breathing easier this afternoon,” said Farris.
Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is a 25-year-old, 85,000 member non-profit organization and the preeminent national association advocating the legal right of parents to homeschool their children.
Purcellville, VA—In a 3-0 decision the California Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District reversed its earlier ruling which would have required homeschoolers to be certified teachers in order to homeschool in California. “This is a great victory for homeschool freedom,” said Michael Farris, one of the team of attorneys who argued the case before the court and Chairman of HSLDA.
"I have never seen such an impressive array of people and organizations coming to the defense of homeschooling. The team effort was remarkable," he added.
Mr. L of In re Rachel L was represented by Gary Kreep of the U.S. Justice Foundation and the Alliance Defense Fund.
The court agreed to re-hear In re Rachel L in March after a public outcry of its previous February, 2008 ruling. Many new arguments were presented to the court in June. HSLDA filed an amicus brief on behalf of our 15,000 California members. The Governor and Attorney General of California also supported a parent’s right to homeschool before the court.
“Tens of thousands of California parents teaching over 166,000 homeschooled children are now breathing easier this afternoon,” said Farris.
Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is a 25-year-old, 85,000 member non-profit organization and the preeminent national association advocating the legal right of parents to homeschool their children.
Homeschooling in California
Court of Appeal Vindicates Homeschooling
JOINT NEWSFLASH -- August 8, 2008
From: Christian Home Educators Association of California and Roy Hanson's Private and Home Educators of California
We praise God for the great victory He has given us today!
Homeschooling Remains Legal!
The California Court of Appeal, in their unanimous opinion today, said, "California statutes permit home schooling as a species of private school education."
This ruling specifically overruled the Turner (1953) and Shinn (1961) cases, which gave private homeschooling families problems in the past.
Our prior concern about "independent study programs" (ISP) was confirmed when the court also stated, "It is apparent, however, that independent study is permissible only when offered by the public school system and supervised by a certificated teacher." [emphasis in original] Therefore, we continue to strongly recommend that each private school program, where one Private School Affidavit is filed for multiple homeschooling families, refer to their program as a "private school satellite program" (PSP). Please read our notice about this Important Information about ISPs or www.pheofca.org/SB777071017.html
We are thankful for the relationship among the five homeschool groups, Christian Home Educators Association of California, Private and Home Educators of California (part of FPM), California Homeschool Network, HomeSchool Association of California, and Home School Legal Defense Association, that have been working on a statewide basis to support private homeschooling. We are also very grateful for the all of the attorneys involved in this case who have work so hard to protect private homeschooling in California.
JOINT NEWSFLASH -- August 8, 2008
From: Christian Home Educators Association of California and Roy Hanson's Private and Home Educators of California
We praise God for the great victory He has given us today!
Homeschooling Remains Legal!
The California Court of Appeal, in their unanimous opinion today, said, "California statutes permit home schooling as a species of private school education."
This ruling specifically overruled the Turner (1953) and Shinn (1961) cases, which gave private homeschooling families problems in the past.
Our prior concern about "independent study programs" (ISP) was confirmed when the court also stated, "It is apparent, however, that independent study is permissible only when offered by the public school system and supervised by a certificated teacher." [emphasis in original] Therefore, we continue to strongly recommend that each private school program, where one Private School Affidavit is filed for multiple homeschooling families, refer to their program as a "private school satellite program" (PSP). Please read our notice about this Important Information about ISPs or www.pheofca.org/SB777071017.html
We are thankful for the relationship among the five homeschool groups, Christian Home Educators Association of California, Private and Home Educators of California (part of FPM), California Homeschool Network, HomeSchool Association of California, and Home School Legal Defense Association, that have been working on a statewide basis to support private homeschooling. We are also very grateful for the all of the attorneys involved in this case who have work so hard to protect private homeschooling in California.
Our communion wedding song
Its almost our 8 year anniversary. I've been thinking back on our wedding and looking at our pics. Its amazing to see where w are now. I would say we are a pretty darn good married couple....
A page is turned by the wind to a boy in curly grin
With a world to conquer at the age of ten
But as history unfolds and the storybook is told
He finds salvation but not at the hands of man
And the God of second chance
Picked him up and He let him dance
Through a world that is not kind
And all this time, preparing him, the one
To hold him up when he comes undone
Beneath the storm, beneath the sun
And now a man, here you stand
Your day has come
A page is turned in this world to reveal a little girl
With a heart that's bigger, as it is unfurled
By the language in her soul, that's teaching her to grow
With a careful cover of love that will not fail
And the God of second chance
Picked her up and He let her dance
Through a world that isn't kind
And all this time, preparing her the one
To hold her up when she comes undone
Beneath the storm, beneath the sun
And grown up tall, here you are
Your day has come
Beneath the air of autumn, she took him by his hand
And warm within the ardor, she took his heart instead
And high upon the mountain, he asked her for her hand
Just for her hand
A page is turned in this life, he's making her his wife
And there is no secret to the source of this much life
When the grace that falls like rain is washing them again
Just a chance to somehow rise above this land
Where the God of second chance
Will pick them up and he'll let them dance
Through a world that is not kind
And all this time, they're sharing with the one
That holds them up when they come undone
Beneath the storm, beneath the sun
And once again, here you stand
And once again, here you stand
Your day has come
A page has turned - Bebo Norman
A page is turned by the wind to a boy in curly grin
With a world to conquer at the age of ten
But as history unfolds and the storybook is told
He finds salvation but not at the hands of man
And the God of second chance
Picked him up and He let him dance
Through a world that is not kind
And all this time, preparing him, the one
To hold him up when he comes undone
Beneath the storm, beneath the sun
And now a man, here you stand
Your day has come
A page is turned in this world to reveal a little girl
With a heart that's bigger, as it is unfurled
By the language in her soul, that's teaching her to grow
With a careful cover of love that will not fail
And the God of second chance
Picked her up and He let her dance
Through a world that isn't kind
And all this time, preparing her the one
To hold her up when she comes undone
Beneath the storm, beneath the sun
And grown up tall, here you are
Your day has come
Beneath the air of autumn, she took him by his hand
And warm within the ardor, she took his heart instead
And high upon the mountain, he asked her for her hand
Just for her hand
A page is turned in this life, he's making her his wife
And there is no secret to the source of this much life
When the grace that falls like rain is washing them again
Just a chance to somehow rise above this land
Where the God of second chance
Will pick them up and he'll let them dance
Through a world that is not kind
And all this time, they're sharing with the one
That holds them up when they come undone
Beneath the storm, beneath the sun
And once again, here you stand
And once again, here you stand
Your day has come
A page has turned - Bebo Norman
My sweet husband....
I love you more today than on that spectacular day 8 years ago....and Tomorrow will be more of the same!
Day is fading, but baby, I don’t mind
‘Cause sunlight is dancing in your eyes
And time is frozen but somehow flying by
Here with your hand holding mine
It just feels right kissing on a Sunday
I’ll hold you tight as if it were the last day
With all my might, I will keep the world away
It just feels right kissing you on a Sunday
Time is racing to the sound of my heart beating
Can the dreaming escape this life
Unfair, maybe, but know that I’m not leaving
Right now, baby, life is kind
Make this moment last for a lifetime
Don’t let it slip away
Play it over and over like your favorite song
And we’ll fit forever in a day
Sunday by Bebo Norman
Day is fading, but baby, I don’t mind
‘Cause sunlight is dancing in your eyes
And time is frozen but somehow flying by
Here with your hand holding mine
It just feels right kissing on a Sunday
I’ll hold you tight as if it were the last day
With all my might, I will keep the world away
It just feels right kissing you on a Sunday
Time is racing to the sound of my heart beating
Can the dreaming escape this life
Unfair, maybe, but know that I’m not leaving
Right now, baby, life is kind
Make this moment last for a lifetime
Don’t let it slip away
Play it over and over like your favorite song
And we’ll fit forever in a day
Sunday by Bebo Norman
Thursday, August 07, 2008
The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference
...Robert Frost
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference
...Robert Frost
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Publishing my Black and Whites
Here are some of my black white pics I've done over the last umpteen years. I never actually get around to doing much of my picture taking (I have kids....) But most of these were from a class I had taken. LOVED IT! I learned quite a few fun tricks with the developer. I have some of these mounted to mounting boards so you loose some of the quality because I can't get the whole thing in the scanner. And I have to scan them so the originals look much better (i had to take them all out of the frames they are all hung in my office)
Taunting Lee!
Hey Lee you can save these pics of my iphone and just stare at it :-D And notice the iphone has spongebob reflected in it :-D
Mac Dog
I found this pic of Mackey Dog from Sinkyone a few years back. Its so cute and I had to post it!
Our House
We finally finished painting our house. Such a huge change from the crappy paint job the previous owners did. I still have to put out all my cute deco. I need some trelleses for my trumpet vines next to the bridge. You can see all the pics at my Mobile Me gallery http://gallery.me.com/kylar
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
My beautiful Niece!
Two videos of my beautiful niece whom I miss VERY much. Here's to the day we can move home and be close to our family! We love you guys and Miss you!
Becca in Motion 8/4/08
Becca's Summer
Becca in Motion 8/4/08
Becca's Summer
Monday, August 04, 2008
Whats up with me....
Listening to: Waiting on the world to change by John Mayer
My thoughts today: Thank God for unanswered prayers
My thoughts on God: Ummm I think he has more confidence in me than I do
Frustrations: Blogger is driving me crazzzyyy
My thoughts today: Thank God for unanswered prayers
My thoughts on God: Ummm I think he has more confidence in me than I do
Frustrations: Blogger is driving me crazzzyyy
Sunday, August 03, 2008
For My Baby Girl
Momma loves you. I will always be there to keep you safe. Never forget that God is always there for you to.
I love you.
your baby blues
so full of wonder
your curley cues
your contagious smile
and as i watch
you start to grow up
all I can do is hold you tight
knowing clouds will rage and
storms will race in
but you will be safe in my arms
rains will pour down
waves will crash all around
but you will be safe in my arms
story books are full of fairy tales
of kings and queens and the bluest skies
My heart is torn just in knowing
you'll someday see the truth from lies
when the clouds will rage and
storms will race in
but you will be safe in my arms
rains will pour down
waves will crash all around
but you will be safe in my arms
Castles, they might crumble
dreams may not come true
but you are never all alone
'cause I will always
always love you
when the clouds will rage and
storms will race in
but you will be safe in my arms
rains will pour down
waves will crash all around
but you will be safe in my arms
in my arms
In my Arms
Plumb
I love you.
your baby blues
so full of wonder
your curley cues
your contagious smile
and as i watch
you start to grow up
all I can do is hold you tight
knowing clouds will rage and
storms will race in
but you will be safe in my arms
rains will pour down
waves will crash all around
but you will be safe in my arms
story books are full of fairy tales
of kings and queens and the bluest skies
My heart is torn just in knowing
you'll someday see the truth from lies
when the clouds will rage and
storms will race in
but you will be safe in my arms
rains will pour down
waves will crash all around
but you will be safe in my arms
Castles, they might crumble
dreams may not come true
but you are never all alone
'cause I will always
always love you
when the clouds will rage and
storms will race in
but you will be safe in my arms
rains will pour down
waves will crash all around
but you will be safe in my arms
in my arms
In my Arms
Plumb
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Spongebob Saga
Ok today during our after nap tv time. We were watching SURPRISE! Spongebob. During this particular episode Gary leaves Spongebob because he neglects him. During the portion of the show where Spongebob is searching for Gary, a song plays. See attached link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY5UJzEcP7M
During the song I hear sniffling.
Mommy: Christian are you sad?
Christian: Oh mommy I just have tears in my eyes (in a very sad sobby voice)
Mommy: Are you ok?
Christian: Gary's lost and I just have tears mommy.
OH MY GOSH! SWEET! I have the sweetest little boy in the world. I almost cried. :-D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY5UJzEcP7M
During the song I hear sniffling.
Mommy: Christian are you sad?
Christian: Oh mommy I just have tears in my eyes (in a very sad sobby voice)
Mommy: Are you ok?
Christian: Gary's lost and I just have tears mommy.
OH MY GOSH! SWEET! I have the sweetest little boy in the world. I almost cried. :-D
Kelly's Bucket List
1. Kayaking
2. snorkling
3. a cruise
4. hot air ballooning
5. white water rafting
6. Go to Hawaii
7. Mission trip to Africa
8. Back packing through Europe
9. Mission Trip to Hondorus
10. Cross country trip from California to Niagra Falls
11. See Niagra Falls
12. Go to Disney World
13. Go to Mexico
14. Go to Guam and see Tara
15. Go to Austrailia
16. adopt a child
17. Meet Steve Wozniak and actually hold a conversation with him for longer than 5 seconds of "want a donut"
18. Run a marathon
19. learn to sing
20. teach my children to sign
a little funny :-D
So, today I was running around getting ready to take the kids to the pool and had decided I was going to finally bag up the pile of clothes that were laying on my bedroom floor for the Salvation Army (our neighborhood is boycotting Goodwill, long story). As I was putting some things away in the closet, I happened to move a section of clothing out of the way. You would not believe (or maybe some of you would??) what I found!! I found a game that I had bought for the kids for Christmas stuffed in the closet. Apparently I had forgotten I had hid it in there. Standing there staring at the game, I suddenly bust out laughing hysterically. I guess I will need to write myself a note to help remind me of my hiding place and put it somewhere safe.....but what if I forget where I put the note? :-D
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