New Week, New Composer

This week is Frideric Handel and the oratorio.  I adore Handel.  Every time I hear the Hallelujah Chorus I cry.  It is one of THE most beautiful pieces ever written!  Handel declared, "I did think I did see all of heaven before me and the great God Himself!"  I feel that way when I hear it.  I always have, even as a child, without being told anything about it, I felt it.  Now that I'm an adult, I can almost see the the Messiah Himself surrounded by seraphim and the rest of the heavenly hosts singing His praises.  I share with you today the most famous chorus of the most famous oratorio ever written.  Don't forget to stand.  The little guy and I did.

Let Children be Children!

My husband calls it "Academic Bullying." And he's absolutely right. Kids are pushed so hard these days that there is little down time. Little self time. Little time to be the children they are and just play. And that includes teenagers! Too many adults have forgotten that their children have only a small period in their life to be children, to play, have fun, and just learn to RELAX. Children should NOT be busy all the time! They should NOT be studying all the time! They should NOT be under so much pressure with so many expectations on them that they are on medications for anxiety and/or depression. Mom! Dad! Stop trying to live vicarious through your children. Listen to your children. Let them be kids. Let your children ... PLAY!!!

"Anyone who looks honestly at the experiences of students at Sudbury model democratic schools and of unschoolers—where freedom, play, and self-directed exploration prevail—knows that there is another way. We don't need to drive kids crazy to educate them. Given freedom and opportunity, without coercion, young people educate themselves. They do so joyfully, and in the process develop intrinsic values, personal self-control, and emotional wellbeing. That's the overriding message of the whole series of essays in this blog. It's time for society to take an honest look."

The Decline in Play and the Rise in Children's Mental Disorders

As child #5 has chosen to attend the high school and will begin this Thursday, I found myself back to homeschooling a little one!  Day two of official Kindergarten for #6. Aside from the normal reading, math, and science, B-Man is studying music.  He takes piano lessons every week from an amazing teacher and friend, practices every day, and really enjoys classical music and learning about the composers.  For the next few weeks we are studying the Baroque Period (1600-1750) and three of the most famous composers.  This week is Johann Sebastian Bach.  Bach signed all of his compositions, "S.D.G." - Soli Deo Gloria - "to the glory of God."  We listened to Invention in A Minor on the CD that came with the book and then we watched a video of  Toccata and Fugue in D Minor being played by Hans-Andre' Stamm on the Trost Organ in Germany.  It was built in 1730 and 70% of the pipe organ is the original material.  The artistry of the organ itself is enough to move me to tears!  Then to think that there is a very good chance that J.S. Bach himself played on this magnificent instrument?!  It's been a good homeschooling morning!

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Weekly Wrap-Up: My Son Who Overcame!!!!

For this week's wrap-up I am going back to last Friday night.  Our Senior had one more class complete to be a high school graduate.  Last Friday night he gets this huge smile on his face and said he was done FOREVER.  That's right, I am now the proud parent of TWO high school graduates!!!!

Tuna's story is an amazing one of determination and overcoming.  I hope this inspires someone who really needs to be encouraged.

My son was born with a unilateral hearing in his left ear and fluid behind the right.  I knew at six weeks that he couldn't hear well, but the doctor ignored me (the first of many fights with doctors through his life).  When he was 2 1/2 a neighbor told me about the early intervention program through the public school system.  My son, had a 95% overall hearing loss; 50% was the deaf ear and the other 45% was from the fluid that needed a prescription to clear.  If the doctor had listened and sent him for the test (HMO required doctor referral), he would have had full hearing in the right ear.  Sorry the doctor said.  He then went to speech therapy 2-3 times a week for 2 years, something that wouldn't have been necessary if the doctor had listened in the first place.  As a further result of the hearing loss, he had auditory processing disorder.  He heard in one ear, but the sounds and words would get dropped along the way.

I also had a feeling the he had a form of Autism and a stomach disorder.  More arguing with doctors who danced around and hinted at munchausen by proxy.  We changed doctors again.  This one picked up on my son's behaviors the first time we met and referred him to the Dan Marino Center for Autism at the Miami Children's Hospital.  He was diagnosed with Asperger's at eight-years-old.  We, however, had been dong therapy for it at home though since he was about four.  Always look in the eyes, stop looking away, look at people when they speak to you and when you speak to them, etc.  He was also diagnosed with OCD and ADHD.  We could not medicate the ADHD because the medication caused seizures.

BUT WAIT!  THERE'S MORE!

He actually caught our rabbit!

As if that wasn't enough, he was diagnosed through another specialist with dyslexia, but with words.  We attended eye therapy every week and did "homework" therapy for 2 1/2 years.  He was also diagnosed with Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome.  Most simplified, he would get stomach migraines that would last from 2-4 weeks.  During this time he would survive on ONE peanut butter and jelly sandwich a day, nibbling a little bit at a time.  CVS can be deadly and one little girl we knew nearly died from it when she was about six.  His gastroenterologist dropped his as patient because he missed an appoint.  My cousin's ten-year-old daughter was killed in a car wreck five states away and we went to her funeral.  I kid you not.

Fast forward years later.  At the end of fifth grade he was re-evaluated by a children's hospital where we live now.  They confirmed all of his diagnosis, but said that he had achieved more than ever would have been expected from him already.  They attributed this to homeschooling.  He was unmedicated, but we lived by the belief "Legtimate causes, no excuses!"  He learned to control his ADHD, OCD, and Asperger's through shear will and determination ... and a loving supporting family.

We were told not to expect him to be able to do a full high school load.  He proved them wrong, even choosing to take an extra science class this year.  He has worked with an electrician who couldn't believe he had labels because he had a "better understanding and working knowledge" and did "better work than most professional electricians".  He has dealt with many adults who don't believe his labels.  Last year he no longer qualified for special assistance from the public school (we never used it except for yearly testing).  They told us that at this point, he wouldn't even be diagnosed as Asperger's.  HORRAY!!!  He continued to homeschooled through high school where he has completed all of the standard classes, plus extra classes, and will be receiving a full regular diploma from an accredited high school that we use as our umbrella school.  Crossroads Christian School is just absolutely amazing and have been so good to us!!!  I highly recommend them.  I AM SO PROUD OF HIM I COULD BURST!!!

Through everything he has remained loving and kind, never holding a grudge against those who hurt him or teased him.  I believe it is his relationship with JESUS that has made the difference.  My son has overcome mountains with the faith of a mustard seed.  He is a true inspiration in my life, and I love him more than words can ever express.

Linked to: Weekly Wrap-Up: The One With the Crazy March Snow

IT'S LIKE CHRISTMAS!!!

Okay ... I get a bit excited when school books arrive.  But as I've already admitted,

I have an addiction.

As much as I enjoy pulling out the books that my previous children have used, new ones in the mail are just joyous!!

I have more coming, but this is what arrived yesterday.  I've spent yesterday afternoon and this morning doing lesson plans for the new ones so we're all set to go in a couple weeks.

Let's see ... for my SENIOR we stuck with Power Basics.  Physics worked wonderfully for us last year.  It was enough to give him a good understand of the basic fundamentals of physics without overwhelming him.  I strongly suggest these for those amazing children who are busily conquering mountains!  This year we will be doing Chemistry and School to Career.  According to CBD.com, it,

"Give students the skills they need to succeed on the job!"

• Helps students transition from school to career
• Provides helpful information to assist students in getting a job
• Covers the skills needed for success on the job
• Addresses workplace communication, evaluations, and challenges

I spent an hour going through it.  I'm going to use this with my other children when they get older.  It gives a lot of practical advice and the workbook activities present possible situations for the student to consider and learn how to respond in order to prepare them for the workforce.  I can't wait to use it!

Our senior will also be doing Math-U-See's Stewardship (he did great in MUS Geometry and wanted to stick with their program).  Again, spent time looking through it and I wish I had something like this before entering the real world.  I love that there is a devotional for each lesson to teach the Biblical principles along with the "mathy" practical side.

The senior is also doing Easy Grammar again, a tried and true staple,  but we are trying the Progeny Press study guide for The Scarlet Letter.  I am interested to see how this works for him.  I am really hoping that we will be able to do three more books for a more rounded out English IV.  I want him to know that he CAN do this.  We're going to take a full quarter for the book.  I may have our 8th grader do it as well later on, but I believe he'll be able to do it in about 3-4 weeks.  We've never had a study guide that had us look up Scripture and use it to analyze the book.  Can't wait!


Our 6th and 8th graders will be doing History Speaks...Bill of Rights.   It's a unit study.  They learn each right and then read about actual cases/situations where these rights came into question, such as the Brady Bill.  They analyze each situation and draw conclusions using what they've learned.

Finally we have Learn to Write the Novel Way.  This is put out by KONOS and it directs the student in how to write a book.  Of course the length of the book will depend on each person and their age, but this gives .  My 8th grader has been wanting to write a book for quite some time and has even started a few, but he gets stuck.  I came across this by accident while perusing CBD and thought of him.  It had two five star reviews.  I really hope he likes this.  He sounded excited when I told him I was ordering it.  My daughter isn't interested in writing a book, but she's going to do the exercises to write short stories and poems instead.  At the end of the year we're going to have their books published at a local printer.  It says it's a full year of English Composition and that no other grammar is needed, but we are doing this in addition to Rod and Staff's grammar program.  We LOVE LOVE LOVE Rod and Staff Grammar.

13 DAYS AND COUNTING!!

School is almost here!!!

Yes, yes.  I am an addict.  Here is a list of signs that you may use to check yourself for homeschool addiction.  It is not complete.  Feel free to add your own symptoms (or call me with them).

1.  You start making plans for the next year before finishing the current one.
2.  Lesson planning is fun and you have tables and Excel files to prove it.
3.  Your house has enough books in it to start a public library.
4.  You have enough homeschool books to start a private school.
5.  You get excited for the school year to end, but  jump for joy when the new one begins.
6.  School supplies are fun to shop for.
7.  Your school supplies are color coded for each child.
8.  Art supplies are the BESTEST!
9.  You get a rush when ordering school books for the new year.
10.  You get another rush when the boxes arrive.
11.  Your favorite curriculum is as warm and cuddly as a teddy bear.
12.  You consider your yearly reporting/portfolio as a work of art.
13.  You spend your free time studying homeschool curriculum.
14.  The thought of your last one finishing school gives you a tinge of sadness.  Fortunately for me, we have a three-year-old!!!

Expecting books next week!!!!  YIPPIE!!!!!!!

A Reminder of Why I Homeschool

It's from 2009, but I've just come across it ... by accident ...

HOME-SCHOOLING: Outstanding results on national tests

I miss these days when the table was full of homeschoolers!
Their ages now are 20, 17, 16, 13, 11.
And of course now we have the three-year-old
who isn't in the picture.

 The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) estimates there are more than 1.5 million children being taught at home. Furthermore, the DOE estimates that home-schooling has been growing at 7 percent a year for the last 10 years.

Two related questions many people ask are, “Why has home-schooling become so popular?” and “What is motivating parents to take on this daunting responsibility?” In the most recent report by the DOE, parents gave three basic reasons for choosing home education: to provide religious or moral instruction, concerns about the school environment, and dissatisfaction with academic instruction at other schools.

Regarding the third reason, there is new research showing that the average home-schooler who takes standardized achievement tests is doing very well. The study, commissioned by the Home School Legal Defense Association and conducted by Brian Ray, an internationally recognized scholar and president of the nonprofit National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), is called “Progress Report 2009: Homeschool Academic Achievement and Demographics.”

The study included almost 12,000 home-school students from all 50 states who took three well-known standardized achievements tests — the California Achievement Test, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and the Stanford Achievement Test — for the 2007-08 academic year. The students were drawn from 15 independent testing services, making it the most comprehensive home-school academic study to date.

This one is now 13.

The results reinforced previous home-school studies conducted over a period of 25 years.

Five areas of academic pursuit were measured. In reading, the average home-schooler scored at the 89th percentile; language, 84th percentile; math, 84th percentile; science, 86th percentile; and social studies, 84th percentile. In the core studies (reading, language and math), the average home-schooler scored at the 88th percentile.

The average public school student taking these standardized tests scored at the 50th percentile in each subject area.

Beyond academics, there were significant results regarding achievement gaps. It is common knowledge that gender, as well as parents’ income and education levels will greatly affect a public school student’s academic results. Public schools have invested greatly to try to close these achievement gaps. The study, however, shows the achievement gaps found in public school were greatly diminished for the home educated.

For example, home-schooled boys scored at the 87th percentile and girls at the 88th. Household income had little impact on the results of home-school students: Children of parents with an income between $35,000 and $49,000 scored at the 86th percentile, whereas children of parents with an income over $70,000 scored at the 89th percentile.

These two are now 16 and 11.

As one would expect, the education level of parents did affect the results. For example, home-school students of parents without college degrees scored, on average, at the 83rd percentile for the core subjects. When one parent had a college degree, those students scored at the 86th percentile, and when both parents had a college degree, those students scored at the 90th percentile. There was virtually no difference, however, between the scores of students whose parents were certified teachers and those who were not.

In summary, the results were slightly better than the most recent large academic study regarding home-schoolers (the 1998 Rudner study), and the average home-school test results continue to be 30-plus percentile points higher than their public school counterparts.

In my opinion, there are two main factors for these outstanding results: the educational environment where learning takes place, and the individualized, one-on-one instruction. Most home-school students are directly taught by their parents, who love their children enough to make the sacrifice to stay at home to make sure their child is taught in a safe and loving learning environment. Second, one-on-one instruction emphasizes the best interests of the child rather than the best interests of the group.

In a sentence, home-schooling is a recipe for academic success.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/30/home-schooling-outstanding-results-national-tests/#ixzz2RbtwVk00 

A History Lesson - 14th & 15th Amendments and Some Neglected Truth About American Slavery

As I was writing up the curriculum for the state of Kansas I learned something new in history which isn't taught in school. Kansas was the first state to pass the 15th amendment. Which is a fun thing to know, however, I also learned... that when the Republican congress passed the fifteen amendment to the Constitution that 11 northern states had no problem ratifying it. They were ALL Republican states. Four states would not ratify it. They were ALL Democrat states.

Furthermore, the southern states were fighting against allowing freed slaves to vote and the four Democrat states of the north were helping them in this fight. In order to ensure suffrage to the freed slaves, the Republican congress passed a law which required any state to be readmitted into the Union to ratify both the 14th and 15th amendment (the 14th amendment made the freed slaves legal citizen status). The democrats fought it tooth and nail, but lost.

Then I remembered Anthony Johnson. Now Anthony Johnson is the reason slavery was made legal in the U.S. to begin with. He lived in Virginia and came over as an indentured servant. He later bought his and his wife's freedom and then brought over five indentured servants of his own. They were all black (contrary to what is taught in schools, many Africans came here willingly as indentured servants, the same way many white people came here). Now there were some slaves in the colonies, but the legal status of being "owned" by a master did not exist, and many of those slaves were Native American and also white. *

One of Johnson's indentured servants, John Casor, wanted to buy his freedom, but Anthony Johnson fought in court the right to keep him forever as his slave. The court sided with Johnson and Casor became the first legal slave in the Americas. Interesting note is that Casor came as an indentured servant and thereby had a RIGHT to buy his freedom. It was Johnson, his black master, who went to court to take away that man's right.

So there you have it. A truth that is willfully ignored in school, a black "master" was the first one to formally fight for the right to legally own a slave.

*The first slaves in America were actually white and made up 1/2 to 2/3 of the population of the original colonies. The Royal Company of Africa when created to import black slaves AFTER it was determined that there weren't enough WHITE slaves to do all the work. After the abolition of the African slave trade, slaves were brought in from China and India. And we can't forget the Native American slave trade. Just as many Native Americans were sold on the auction block as there were Africans, many times Native Americans were traded for the Africans. The Native Americans were then sent off to work sugar plantations on the islands because when kept in the colonies they escaped. I won't even START on the Trails of Tears because there were MANY of them and there isn't nearly enough focus on what can only be called attempted genocide in America. These FACTS are important when we discuss the history of slavery in America, as are the FACTS that while the history books try to rewrite history, the TRUTH is that both African and Native American waring tribes sold each other into slavery.***


http://current.com/groups/learn/92619535_first-state-recognized-slave-was-owned-by-anthony-johnson-a-black-man.htm   http://www.africaresource.com/rasta/sesostris-the-great-the-egyptian-hercules/the-forgotten-white-slaves-part-ii-nehesy/   http://intercontinentalcry.org/written-out-of-history-the-untold-story-of-native-american-slavery/