Liberated Education

The Epic of Gilgamesh

2011-08-29T09:59:00.000-07:00

After completing study of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, our Story of the World moved back to Mesopotamia. Since we have been also reading integrated literature, I decided it made absolute sense to study what is possibly the oldest piece of known literature, The Epic of Gilgamesh.

Fortunately, a children's version of the Sumerian legend is available, a picture-book trilogy by Ludmila Zeman; Gilgamesh the King, The Revenge of Ishtar, and The Last Quest of Gilgamesh. Since it was unavailable at my local library, I decided to go ahead an purchase it, and I'm glad I did. Though large modifications were made to the story, such as the glaring change of the Sumerian Inanna to the more commonly-known Babylonian counterpart Ishtar, the work did an excellent job in capturing the essence of the epic in both words and illustration. Both my kids (ages 6 and 8) enjoyed the story, and came away with some familiarity with one of the world's oldest stories.

I have through the course of homeschooling reminded my children of the phenomenon of the same stories being told and retold, so it was especially enlightening for them to see this occur in even the world's oldest stories, as Utnapishtim's flood story (which predates and clearly mirrors the Biblical flood story) is included in this children's version of Gilgamesh as well.

Math Fact Mastery

2011-08-23T15:51:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post about two excellent math fact mastery programs to use as a supplement to a standard math curriculum.

The first is the most universally useful, a web site called XtraMath. I spent my first two years of homeschooling searching for a web-based math fact program to keep my child's fact mastery sharp. You'd think this would be a simple proposition. In theory, the technology should allow for a superior option to even the old standard of teacher-given timed fact tests. Instead I encountered site after site of awful flash animations, gimmicky games, and sites with obnoxious glitches and sound effects.

Finally I ran across a recommendation for XtraMath at A Well-Trained Mind forum. Following the link, I found exactly the kind of math fact program I had been looking looking for. XtraMath is clean, crisp, and user-friendly. It covers all four basic operations and tracks daily progress. It modifies fact drilling based on the student's performance. It has no annoying sound effects, no pop-up ads, it reliably works, and it is FREE. What a service to students everywhere, whether they are educated in a traditional or non-traditional setting.

The second program I found extremely helpful is Times Tales. This is a DVD for higher multiplication and division facts only, but appeals to visual/auditory learners. Let's face it - in a pinch, if a student forgets an addition and subtraction fact, it can always be calculated fairly quickly. Since this is not the case with higher level multiplication and division, the mind that is more inclined to remember stories and mnemonics can benefit greatly from this program.

Let me be clear: it is campy and the illustrations are truly awful, and the tone is more condescending than I'd prefer. This did initially turn-off my almost-9-year-old daughter. However, when she saw her results after giving it a fair chance, she ceased the eye-rolling. A story-oriented individual or audio/visual learner can use their strengths to "calculate" a forgotten multiplication or division fact by recalling the story and/or images. It doesn't take long to remember these simple tales.

Mummies, Mummies, Everywhere

2011-08-15T13:02:00.000-07:00

The theme of the day today - MUMMIES! What is more fascinating to an elementary school child than a corpse having its brains extracted through its nostrils, organs bathed in cinnamon and stored in canopic jars, the remaining body wrapped and sealed in a golden sarcophagus, preserved in mystery for thousands of years?

Not much!

Even my generally squeamish daughter took avid interest. This study goes along with our study of Ancient Civilizations this year, using Susan Wise Bauer's Story of the World, Volume I as a primary spine. (As of this posting it has been quite some time since I posted - I'm going to backtrack and add some entries retroactively with the intention of posting more actively this school year.)

I wanted to share the resources we used as part of this subject, for those who might be interested.

The first is the haunting picture book I am the Mummy Heb-Nefert by Eve Bunting and illustrated by David Christiana. The book may be more aptly described as poetry than a children's picture book. Poetic language portrays the life and internment of Heb-Nefert, wife of the pharaoh's brother. While the poetry's examination of life, death, and legacy may have been somewhat lost on my children, the beautiful illustrations and narrative were not.

Next on the list was my first use of this year's subscription to Evan-Moor's Teacher File-Box, which I got a great deal on through the Homeschool Buyers Co-Op ($70 for the year.) Some of Evan-Moor's materials are a little too busywork for my taste, but they have some great materials as well. Due to several recommendations I had intended to purchase their History Pockets for the kids this year, and for a lower annual cost the subscription gives me access to a much broader array of materials that I can in turn print on card stock, which I prefer. Also I've found that some of the materials designated in the grades 4-6 range are perfectly appropriate for my 1st and 3rd graders. Today's assignment, in fact, included a mummy craft activity, wrapping a mummy in gauze bandages and then placing it beneath flaps to demonstrate the multiple coffins that were placed inside each sarcophagus. The activity was designated for grades 4-6, but I found even my 1st grader could do it, though with imperfect result.

Pictured above in the background is the 1st grader's version of the Evan-Moor project (my 3rd grader more appropriately layered the coffins to more accurately demonstrate the internment of mummies.) In the foreground is a mummified carrot. This carrot was mummified in a "Tombs and Treasures" summer camp over a year ago at our local science center. We opened it for the first time today, revealing a preserved if very shriveled-up baby carrot, much to the fascination of the children.

The study concluded with the not-very-educational but super fun activity of the children wrapping each other up like mummies. This activity, of course, was of their own invention, and I permitted the sacrifice of time and toilet paper in order to foster their enthusiasm for today's history subject.

Life, the Universe, and Everything

2011-08-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

While I can't claim to possess the humor and wit of Douglas Adams who coined the term "Life, the Universe, and Everything" in his thematic parody of finding the ubiquitous Answer, curiosity regarding the nature of life and existence is no joke.

My grand plan for this year's schooling involves beginning a several-year cycle of studying world history, beginning with ancient civilizations, as a chronological approach to the study of history popularized in independent education circles by Susan Wise Baeur, author of The Story of the World. In this study, children as young as six are exposed to the study of history, starting at the beginning. While children this young retain limited knowledge, a framework for future understanding of the world is established by addressing questions such as:

What is history?
How is it studied?
How can we really know what happened long ago?
What is the evidence?
What conclusions can be drawn from that evidence?
How did history begin?
Are historians always right?

In essence, this approach to history with young children is to begin at, well, the beginning.

This is distinct from the current American public school model, which is to focus on community and local history, expanding outwards.

Knowing that this is my plan moving forward, I thought it would be apropos to do a summer unit study on prehistory - to read and discuss with my children the absolute beginning of everything that ultimately leads to the beginning of the world's story, which in Bauer's The Story of the World, is presented as a narrative.

And here you are faced with it. The big Evolution vs. Creation argument. How controversial.

I personally am what is called a theistic evolutionist. That is, I believe in a divine Creator, that ignited the spark that Banged Big, and wrote the laws that set the universe (or universes) in motion. Evolution, as it were, being a natural byproduct of this creation. It is as real as the evidence suggests, I believe, but it does not invalidate my belief in divine creation.

So, we read it all. We read creation myths. We read Genesis from the Children's Illustrated Jewish Bible. We read the Life on Earth: the Story of Evolution by Steve Jenkins (an excellent book, a library find that I'd like to permanently add to our personal collection). We read EyeWitness books about dinosaurs and early man. The kids created cave drawings in a makeshift cardboard "cave". We even went to see Sue, the infamous T-Rex who fortuitously happened to be on display at the local US Space and Rocket Center. A veritable smorgasbord of prehistory wonders in two short weeks, on which my children's little minds might feast.

I have found it interesting that many parents want their children exposed to only Creation or Evolution, and rarely both, save for the purposes of invalidating one of the two worldviews. This exclusion appears to me to be more popular among the Creationists, as if fearing the evidence satanic deception that may taint their young one's minds.

So I found it particularly interesting that both my children, the Spirited One and the Pragmatic One, have a natural desire to accept a measure of the creationist view at face value.

The Spirited One, age 8, appeared to accept the scientific basis of evolution as truth, though unshaken regarding her belief in God.

Very on topic, during these studies we also watched the Discovery Channel show Curiosity, featuring Stephen Hawking. The episode we watched asked the question Did God Create the Universe? The episode crescendoed to a triumphant conclusion that celebrated the reveled truth of atheism. This deeply troubled my Spirited One, and she sat perplexed and haunted by the presented argument that God did not exist. I told her it is, indeed, possible that God does not exist, but I also demonstrated to her how the logic presented by Stephen Hawking was deeply and fatally flawed. Ultimately, she would have to examine the evidence, what she can sense both intellectually and spiritually, and decide for herself. That freedom, I could tell, was both troubling and comforting. I could offer her no final answer, but nor could Stephen Hawking dictate it to her.

Meanwhile, my Pragmatic One, age 6, upon reading The Story of Life, declared defiantly, "These evolution mutations make no sense! I think God just created everything at once."

I looked at her and said, "Well, a lot of people agree with you. I don't, but that's OK. We'll learn together so that when you're older, you can decide for yourself."

And that is the kind of education I want for my kids.

The School Room

2011-07-30T16:04:00.000-07:00

For the last two years I have used my dining room as our school room. For the past two years, I have desperately tried to retain the illusion that this dining room is, in fact, a dining room.

We completed all work in a manner that would allow the evidence of learning to be swept away into cabinets and drawers in the event of company or a holiday meal. I even went so far as to purchase a large bookshelf for my office across the foyer, that I might be spared the embarrassment of visitors beholding the untidiness of papers, projects, and books that are inevitable in the home of any homeschooling family.

This year, however, I've resigned myself to the fact that our home is an unapologetic place of learning. It began when I realized my daughter (who is learning cursive this year) would need a cursive reference constantly available. Should I print out a cursive alphabet and laminate it onto a card that can be tucked neatly inside a bookshelf?

No. Enough. When I ordered my daughter's Handwriting Without Tears curriculum, I also ordered large classroom-style cards.

I didn't stop there. I kept surfing the web. I ordered two large maps - one of the world, and one of the United States, of the dry-erase adhesive variety, that I could plaster directly on my walls. I ordered educational posters. I selected "Gifts of Ancient Civilizations" posters, knowing that this year would begin our formal study of world history. I purchased a small end table that matched our furniture that I might place our lovely globe (a generous gift from Grandma) out in the room where my children actually learn, instead of squirreled away behind my computer on my desk like a decoration.

I cleared the knick-knacks off the hutch, and placed them elsewhere in the house, and used that luscious horizontal space for everyday book and folder storage, and a laptop recharging station. I mentioned I wished I had a rustic wooden caddy for colored pencils and scissors, and my husband built one for me.

Holiday meals and guests will, for the foreseeable future, be entertained in the company of our schoolroom menagerie.

And I embrace that fact.

Increased Blog Activity

2011-07-27T14:54:00.000-07:00

August will begin our third year of homeschooling and hopefully some regular activity to this blog. After spending quite a bit of time archiving old work and deciding what to keep, I concluded that posting regularly to this blog will add an additional level of record I feel obligated to keep, in the event that I should ever encounter any legal trouble for our decision to home school. Alabama law is vague on the subject, and I've always felt that due to my very informal covering, it is wise to keep ample records of work completed by my children.

So here we go.

Our 30 Seconds of Fame

2010-11-21T22:41:00.000-08:00

Tonight my daughters and I appeared on the local television station, WAAYTV, in a story about local homeschoolers.

The reporter, Rebecca Shlien, is an acquaintance of ours from the Jewish community. We were both attending Shabbat dinner at the home of a mutual friend when the host announced "If anyone has any story ideas for Rebecca, let he know! She has to come up with two a day."

While I did take that opportunity to suggest a story about area homeschoolers, I can't claim credit for the story being aired. Apparently a few days after that evening, Ms. Shlien actually received this story as an assignment from her supervisor. Homeschooling is fairly popular in Huntsville, so it doesn't surprise me that the local television station would, at some point, want to run a human interest story on the local education trend. The timing, however, proved quite serendipitous.

We were delighted when Ms. Shlien contacted us and asked if we would allow her to come into our home and film some homeschooling activities and interview us. I felt this was a great opportunity for my kids, to see how a story is filmed, edited, and aired first hand. I also took the opportunity to coach my oldest in interviewing skills and etiquette. Make eye contact. Speak clearly. Anticipate possible questions you might be asked ahead of time and think of what you might say. She presented herself beautifully, and although the footage of her "interview" was not used in the final piece, it was a great educational experience all around.

And I must confess I was relieved to find that when the piece was aired, that not only did I appear to be a normal and articulate mother with civilized children, but Ms. Shlien presented homeschooling in a fair and favorable light.

Learning Through Experience

2010-11-16T23:40:00.000-08:00

You've no doubt heard it said that learning is a multi-sensory experience. The educational philosopher John Dewey often wrote of the importance of connecting concepts with real-world experiences.

In our latest installment of American Girl books, my 2nd grader read of Josefina, a girl living with her father and sisters on a rancho in New Mexico prior to the Mexican American War. In the books, a severe storm devastates the family's flock of sheep, and Josefina's savvy aunt comes up with a plan to weave the rancho's wool stores into blankets that can be in term sold for money to replace the lost sheep.

Everyone, including 9-year-old Josefina, is instrumental in the plan, from gathering plants for dyes, dying the wool, spinning it into yarn, and weaving it into blankets to be sold. It is one of the many reminders in the series that children lived their lives very differently in history.

It might seem implausible to a child that such a young girl would be capable of doing such labors - until you make that child do it herself! Granted, a small plastic loom and cotton craft loops are a far cry from the work of a girl living on a New Mexico ranch in the early 19th century, but a struggling to get a few stubborn cotton strands woven properly provides an opportunity for understanding that cannot be gleaned from reading alone.

To quote a Chinese proverb:

     "Tell me, and I will forget.
     Show me, and I may remember.
     Involve me, and I will understand."

Opportunistic Science

2010-10-21T19:55:00.000-07:00

The other night my husband came home from work with some dry ice used to ship some temperature-sensitive electronics to his workplace. A true homeschooling father, he couldn't believe that his coworkers were not equally eager to make off with as much dry ice as possible in order to educate and entertain their own kids.

So the payload was all his. He came home to find not only our own kids, but another homeschooled neighbor enthusiastically ready to behold the wonders of sublimation. Dry ice skittered across the counter. Spoons screamed. Mad scientist brews were made. Bubble worms emerged from bottles. Bottles were made to blow their tops. Laser pointers put on a show in swirls of carbon dioxide.

My daughter emphatically declared that her father should be employed by the science center where she takes monthly homeshcool science classes.

Unfortunately, I don't think that gig will pay the bills.

Lapbooks

2010-09-19T14:29:00.000-07:00

"Lapbooks" are a popular trend among many homeschoolers. Apparently these folder-projects are called such because they are a "book" that fits in one's "lap"

I personally find the term a bit peculiar (don't all books fit in one's lap?), and around our home, we simply use the term "project", but no matter what you call them, they are fun way to break up the routine. While I do reject a lot of the project frenzy of public school, I do think it is valuable for my homeschooled children to have the experience of making a plan, manipulating materials, and assembling a project as a completed product.

Some lapbooks, like the one pictured above, are made from templates. I find this particularly useful for my 2nd grader, as it gives her a starting point. The templates also provide her with guidelines that prompt good questions to ask about the subject, in this case, literature, such as the nature of conflict and change in a given story. Activities can be included in the lapbook as well that prompt the child to become familiar with using a book's index, glossary, and table of contents.

The above templates were made freely available at homeschoolshare.com.

An American Girl Review

2010-09-14T23:11:00.000-07:00

For my 2nd grader's social science curriculum this year, we have opted to use the series of juvenile historical fiction, the American Girl books. At first I went into this rather blindly, knowing only that my daughter had an interest in reading the books, and confirming with the children's librarian that the books were historically accurate. But beyond that, I've been pleased beyond all expectation. The books are not only accurate, but are told enchantingly from the perspective of a nine-year-old girl in each series. We chose to begin chronologically, with Kaya, the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) girl, moving on to Felicity of the colonial era, and so on.

What I really like is the history is handled in a very well-rounded way without being eye-rollingly politically correct. The books cover some of the shameful parts of American history, and also the stuff we're proud of - but it also shows how much of it is really a mixed bag. All the books (at least the ones we've read so far) have an ongoing theme of change - what is changing in the big picture - America - as well as what is changing in a girl's life at 9-10 yrs old in terms of relationships, desires, growth, etc. Some have other themes as well, such as liberty in the first Felicity book, in the background we start to hear about the start of the American Revolution, but more central in Felicity's life is her efforts to liberate a horse from an abusive neighbor, even though she has to break some rules to do so. The character in the next book becomes best friends with a girl who is from a Loyalist family, while her own is high profile Patriot family, and to some extent we see both sides of even THAT story, that is generally treated fairly one-sided in American schools. The books neither beat-up on America nor paint it as an infallible entity.

All the parents in the books that I've seen so far have opinions and explain their views to their daughter, but ultimately respect their daughter making her own choices. And the girls all so far respect their parents, even if they at times break rules or push boundaries.

I've also loved the way the books treat female roles. In every book so far we've seen a very accurate historical account of what a female role would be historically. Two things come out of that - the girl or other female characters either by choice or circumstance break out of that role (in a believable way), while at the same time the "traditional" women in the book are depicted as equally strong and capable women who contribute a great deal to their communities and families, and worthy of respect.

The girls themselves are strong, spiritual, kind, and competent. They have the appropriate failures of a child and of a human being, but the reader really gets a strong sense of how much burden and responsibility that girls were once expected to have. They developed real skills. In some ways, we are shown how people in history respected children more than they do now. Even in a society where women did not have equal rights and children were "seen and not heard", these girls were expected to be competent, capable, articulate, and to contribute to their communities in vital ways.

Junior Ranger Program

2010-08-25T13:02:00.000-07:00

Last week, we joined another homeschooling family for a fun-filled family vacation to the Great Smoky Mountains. While there, all four of our girls (ages 5, 6, 7, and 10) became "Junior Rangers" by participating in Junior Ranger Program. The program is designed for children ages 5-12, divided into four age groups: 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12, and is available at most national parks and recreation areas. Some states sponsor similar programs at state parks as well.

Participation begins with the purchase of a Junior Ranger Handbook ($2.50 at Great Smoky Mountains National Park). The child must complete several steps, including participation in a ranger-lead program, one bag of litter pickup in the park, and the completion of eight out of twelve age-appropriate activities in their book. Some activities require travel and observation in the park, while others require interviewing a ranger. There are also a few are easier "filler" activities that can be done during downtime with just a pencil. Activities included things like leaf identification, learning about the meaning behind the Park Ranger badge, and going on a nature scavenger hunt.

The girls get a private session with Ranger Mary Jo at Cades
Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Properly completing all the activities takes some time. We spent three half-days in the park in order to complete the whole program, which included visits to three major areas in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Clingmans Dome, Laurel Falls, and Cades Cove). Some activities we were unable to complete as they required visits to alternate areas, but with those three areas we managed to complete the necessary requirements. Completion results in recognition from a park ranger, the swearing of the Junior Ranger oath, and the child is given a certificate and plastic badge.

I'll be honest - with the exception of the enthusiastic youngest, most of the kids were in general, lukewarm about completing the program, but they all definitely learned something, and the program inspired us to have more focus and direction as we toured the park. The kids' participation definitely opened the door to direct personal educational interaction with rangers, and there were moments of enthusiasm for all four of the kids, even if they were a little dismissive about some of the less-exciting paperwork-type activities. I felt the activities were just challenging enough for each age group - requiring some effort from the kids without being dauntingly difficult for a short stay in the park. It would be challenging to legitimately finish the program during a single day in the park (especially if you are facing some inclement weather, as we did), but a 2-3 day visit should be sufficient.

Renewbot - Your Library Hero

2010-08-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

If you're like many homeschoolers, you use the public library.

A lot.

Most "normal" people might hear the library check-out limit of twenty or thirty books and think (as I once did) - That's crazy! Why would anyone EVER need to check out so many books?

Well consider children's novels (thirty-minute reads) and early readers for two kids, resource books, research materials, along with anything I want to check out for myself as long as I'm there, and the list adds up quickly.

I am so intimately familiar with multiple branches of the Madison County Public Library, that I've come to think of it as the poor-man's public school. There's a father with two children that I see homeschooling his two children at the downtown main branch so often, I nod at him in recognition. The youth librarian knows who I am, and I've given up on using my childrens' library cards. After a point, the multiple library cards just complicates things.

I can't claim to be the most "on it" person, so on more than one occasion I've handed over hefty fines the library. I've been at peace with it, since I imagine the library needs the financial support, but my husband hasn't been exactly thrilled with handing over a sizable check for books we don't even get to keep.

Enter RenewBot - Your Library Hero! I was alerted to RenewBot by fellow blogger, homeschooler, and forum-buddy Beckie from Spookiez Spot. I've been using it for a while now and let me be the first to say, this tool is amazing. It not only automatically renews my books two days before they are due, but e-mails me if the books are nonrenewable, either because of a hold or because I've exceeded the allotted number of renewals. Additionally, when I request holds, RenewBot emails me when the holds are processed and awaiting me at the library of my choice.

RenewBot is compatible with many libraries nationwide. I highly recommend it. I only lament that the site probably will cause a large loss of revenue for the public library. I may still have to make a donation at the end of the year, just to balance my karma.

The First Day of School

2010-08-09T12:16:00.000-07:00

Today marks the first day of school for Huntsville City Schools, and though as a homeschooling family we have no need to follow a traditional school calendar, it is in many ways a "first" for us, too. The first day of the season with no summer activities, lemonade stands, or knocks on the door.

This summer was my first summer as a homeschooling mom. As a homeschool educator, it doesn't take long to learn why school curricula are so repetitive, or why schools and teachers like to emphasize summer reading lists and mathematics practice. Kids can lose their momentum fast, and it doesn't take long before you find yourself needing to review previously mastered material. As damage control, I decided to continue homeschooling through the summer.

However, I also made it a conscious policy not to let my plans to homeschool through the summer interfere with any summer fun enjoyed by friends and neighbors in public or private school. Aside from all the fabulous summer camp opportunities that I feel are especially beneficial to my home-educated children, I'm fortunate to live in a hopping neighborhood with a high population of schoolchildren.

Needless to say, our "homeschooling" this summer ended up being reduced to 1-2 hours a day, if that. By mid-July, I had pretty much given up, and kept it simple with basic math drills and reading.

The start of the public school calendar for us rang in a new school year as well. Calendars were made, and posted. Folders were organized, and we even purchased a brand-new bookcase designated for our school materials. Even a first-day-of-school-picture was taken.

Happy schooling!

Weapons, Religion, and Public School Policy

2010-06-24T06:56:00.000-07:00

Some of you are no doubt familiar with the story last week of a Rhode Island public school banning the hat of second-grader David Morales. In order to participate in the school's "crazy hat day", David had decorated an army-themed hat with little plastic toy army men. The school banned the hat due to the school's zero-tolerance policy for weapons, because the toy soldiers were carrying tiny plastic military rifles.

When we read a story like this, it is easy to dismiss it as the rare insanity of an errant administrator. Surely this kind of decision-making is not common in public schools?

I myself was the victim of a bizarre public school ruling when my daughter attended public school in Kindergarten. Sensitive to the fact that my daughter was one of the few Jewish children attending her public school in Alabama, I asked her teacher if I could come into the classroom to share a bit about one or more Jewish holidays. I assured her up front that everything discussed would be in an age-appropriate, secular/cultural context. I also offered her a choice of several holidays, including Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which could have easily been reduced down to a brief lesson on different calendar systems and the sharing of some cultural items and foods.

Her teacher, however, did not feel comfortable with me bringing any remotely religious content into the classroom. After some discourse, I decided to drop the matter, out of respect for the school's desire to maintain a secular environment, as much as I disagreed.

Yet that December, I found my daughter utterly inundated with Christmas imagery and symbols. Truly, I had no problem with this aside from the utter hypocrisy of having Jewish celebrations banned from this classroom while my daughter remained exposed to Christmas revelry unabated. Still, understanding that Christmas is for a large portion of society a secular celebration, I remained silent until I saw the schedule called for a viewing of "A Charlie Brown Christmas."

Now, I love Charlie Brown. I love the Christmas special. It's classic, and I have no issue with my children being exposed to this endearing piece of 20th century American culture. But the show has an undeniable Christian message, with Linus getting up on stage and telling the miraculous story of the birth of Jesus Christ.

I contacted the teacher and emphasized up front that I had absolutely no objection to this film being shown to my child, but that considering the religious content and the constant exposure to Christmas imagery, I could see no reasonable objection to me coming in and reading a Hanukkah counting book to Kindergarteners and letting them spin some dreidels.

After much hemming and hawing, the teacher did eventually permit me to come in and present some non-religious Hanukkah items. She also, much to my great objection and regret, cancelled the viewing of "A Charlie Brown Christmas."

This is the tragedy of the modern American classroom, which is increasingly becoming devoid of common sense. This is the tragedy of the American public, that has grown so hypersensitive, it demands an emotionally and intellectually sterile environment for its children. No one group, I think, is devoid of guilt in this phenomenon; the pacifist that is offended by army men, the Jew that is offended by the Christmas tree or Easter flowers, the Christian that is offended by Harry Potter books or paperboard witches at Halloween. The family with no mothers and/or fathers that wrings hands over the potential trauma of their child having to endure a Mother's or Father's Day activity. Health awareness has even put a stop to the sharing of birthday treats at many schools, and recess is increasingly being replaced by structured physical education activities.

It is without end. What began as an attempt to expand diversity in the classroom is rapidly transforming into something that excludes all practical diversity in favor a secular, predictable, safety-sealed educational experience.

Teaching Independence

2010-06-11T22:58:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have had self-sufficiency on the mind, lately, relating to topics of independence and liberty; the more you can do for yourself, the more free you are. My husband and I grew up in many ways rather coddled by good, caring, late 20th century middle-class parents that cared a great deal about our self-esteem and safety. So warned was I of the perils of strangers, that until the age of sixteen when I was forced to speak to strangers while working my first job in retail, I was too nervous to order a pizza over the phone. Now, we parent as part of a generation of parents that does more to serve their children than ever before. My husband and I are trying to grow more self-aware about our own failures to encourage our children's independence.

Last week, I had in my care four girls - two of my own, and two of a friend's - ranging in age from five to ten. With these thoughts on my mind, when my seven-year-old came to me asking to purchase the latest direct-to-DVD Barbie film release, I had an epiphany.

"If you want it badly enough, get out your piggy bank. It'll probably take most of what you have saved." I said.

She obliged without complaint.

"Now count it out," I said. As she counted out the coins, I reminded her here and there about denominations and skip-counting. "It'll probably be about fifteen dollars, but you'll need extra for the tax."

I then prompted the ten-year-old friend to explain to the others what a tax is, and how much it would likely be.

"Can we get candy to go with the movie too?" my five-year-old asked.

"You have a piggy bank too. Get it out. You probably don't want to spend more than three or four dollars on candy."

After they bagged their money, they all piled into my minivan and I drove them to Wal-Mart.

"If you want the movie and the candy, YOU get it." I stated as we drove to the store. "You will find the items you want to purchase, you will look at the prices, you will take the items to the front and pay for them. You will then lead us back to the car. I will follow you, but I will not help you. If you need help, you can ask a worker."

To my amazement, this experiment thrilled the girls beyond belief. They were literally starved for independence. They even stated with giddy glee "We are SO independent! This is awesome!"

I was pleased, but also horrified at myself. What the hell had I been doing for my kids that they could have been doing for themselves? Am I that lazy and cautious as a parent?

There were only two times I had to step in during the whole experience.

The first was at the check-out counter. Under the duress and pressure of waiting in the check-out line, the girls (understandably I thought) choked when it came to counting out the pocket change and dollar bills necessary to pay the clerk. My seven-year-old did the best thing she could independently do - she gave the entire bag of money to the Wal-Mart cashier, hoping the employee would count out the correct money for her.

The cashier, a woman probably in her early twenties, looked dumbfounded.

"How much is in here?" she asked.

"More than enough." I said, standing behind all the girls and out of reach, "Just count it out."

The cashier looked at me as if I had just presented her with a calculus exam. I muscled my way past the girls, and I held up each coin and dollar bill, reminding them how to count out the correct amount of money. Of course, when we got back to the car, I was sure to point out to them that the cashier was confused by money-counting - and couldn't do her job. A great illustration as to why we expect them to learn to do it.

The second time I had to step in was when the girls got disoriented in the parking lot. Rather than allow a gaggle of girls to wander around in a parking lot aimlessly, I pointed them in the right direction until we found our way to the minivan.

"I never pay attention to where we park!" the ten-year-old exclaimed.

"Me neither!" said my seven-year old.

Of course they don't. Because thus far I have been leading my daughters around like sheep. My friend had been leading her daughters around like sheep.

I decided right then and there, that it's time to make some changes. This wasn't just a one-time experiment, but a philosophy that from that day forward will guide the way I see my own children, my scouts, and any other child I am in a position to influence.

The Value of Summer Camp

2010-06-05T21:59:00.000-07:00

My kids just finished an exciting week at Pine Ridge Day Camp, and the fun has just begun. In addition to finishing up this week of swimming, horseback riding, hiking, caving, arts & crafts and more, in two weeks we will be attending a Girl Scout gardening day camp, where I will also be in the role of counselor, as well as a week and a half of day camp at the local science center. Next year, I hope to begin to introduce them to their first experience at resident camp as well.

While I firmly believe that quality summer camp, whether resident or day, can be a valuable experience for all children, I feel summer activities provide especially valuable opportunities for homeschooled children, as well as their parents. In addition to the obvious benefits of being able to try new experiences independently, homeschooled children get the opportunity to experience the day-to-day routine of the group experience, without having to commit to the grind and problems of public school, or the long-term expense of private school. Because camps are so varied, this experience can be catered to the interests and needs of the child, and also give the homeschooling parents and students a break from each other.

If you are homeschooling, I urge you to look into what types of camp experiences might be available to your child. There are many opportunities available, including camps that share your religious values, and camps that welcome your presence and involvement if you desire. Many camps offer scholarships or funding for families who need assistance, through scouting organizations or churches, and some religious-oriented camps in the form of vacation Bible school, offer these experiences for free.

When a child is ready, overnight camp is a fabulous independence-building experience for any child, and the memories, and sometimes skills, acquired there can last a lifetime.

Summer Schooling

2010-05-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

School gets out early here in North Alabama, with most schools letting out at the end of May.

Here in homeschool-land, it had been my intention to continue schooling with the summer, with a lighter schedule to keep the kids fresh when it comes to basic mathematics and writing, perhaps letting the rest of it slide.

This will be my first summer as a homeschool mom, and as another homeschooling friend and neighbor forewarned, it has thus far been impossible to homeschool in our neighborhood.

Of course, I am grateful for the gaggle of children that roam the streets. They are, in fact, the only reason we chose to live in a suburban development when we moved to Alabama. We'd probably be hermits living on the mountain if we had our rathers, but eschewed our fantasy homestead for now in favor of skate-worthy sidewalks, neighborhood picnics, and neighborhood friends for our children. So far, we haven't regretted the choice. I'd be lying if I said the constant doorbell ringing did't grate on my nerves at times, but I am happy my children have neighborhood friends, especially now that we are homeschooling. While homeschool families are usually larger than average, we are blessed with just two, and living far from extended family, many of our friends and neighbors have become a surrogate extended family of sorts.

Still, educational setbacks can set in staggeringly fast, and now having had some experience teaching my children, I now understand why schools spend so much time in fall review. Lost time, and between friends and camps, I hope to sneak in a little education to keep us up to speed.

But for now - off to the neighborhood Memorial Day gathering!

Science Rant

2010-05-01T21:23:00.000-07:00

Science at the elementary level should get back to the basics; make observations, learn to identify basic attributes of reality, and foster curiosity about the natural world. Memorizing every bone in the body or trying to explain climate change to a child who has no context with which to process or consider the information is a waste of valuable time. Time is a commodity, and it should not be wasted in the course of providing an education.

I am increasingly coming to the conclusion that elementary school science has become a platform for agenda in the public school system. I have seen it in public school science curricula, and more recently, in the curriculum put out by the Girl Scouts, "Journeys", in which girls are exposed to topics such as global warming, carbon footprints, and endangered species, and encouraged to "raise the awareness" of others.

As a general rule, children do not have the sufficient maturity or mathematical understanding to truly learn about these things in any meaningful way. Climate on a global scale is a wildly complex subject not even fully understood by modern scientists. Watch an episode of "Storm Chasers" and you'll see demonstrated quite clearly how much of what is not known about science is still trying to be desperately tracked down by a bunch of scientists and enthusiasts in a truck who experience failure more than success even in the process of gathering data.

I'm more than happy to share with my children and my scouts the idea of environmental stewardship. I'm thrilled if they learn to more wisely use the resources by putting paper in the recycling bin or, for the love that all that is holy, turning off the water and lights that are not in use, and not leaving the door wide open during the peak of Alabama summer.

But these things are fundamental life skills and basic lessons of good citizenship and respect for others. They are not "science".

The other side of it is this emphasis on the learning about the complexities of science that ultimately have no real meaning prior to the development of critical thinking skills and context.

This criticism of science is not restricted to the public school arena. I have seen it in private school, or even in homeschool science curricula. Everyone seems to be jumping on this bandwagon in terms of framing elementary level science lessons in this manner.

The key to educating a child - especially a young child - is to give them the tools they will need to expand their own knowledge. The most effective educator is not simply a provider of knowledge, but a mentor that guides the child to eventually seek that knowledge for herself.

In the photo above, my daughter using an antique balance and counterweights to compare the weights of seashells she found on the beach. She was guided to independently categorize shells based on self-selected criteria.

Science Centers and Community Support

2010-04-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

Our family is proud to boast membership at Sci-Quest, Huntsville's most premiere science education center for children.

By "premiere" I mean the center is located in a large unused warehouse-like building at a satellite campus of the local community college, but this tin man has a heart. My children enjoy monthly homeschool science programs there as part of our homeschooling routine, summer camp sessions, and mostly functional exhibits.

Functional is key.

Our membership also grants us access to many other network science centers throughout the country. So far, we have taken advantage of this perk to visit two other centers that are essentially on opposite ends of the science center spectrum; the McWane Science Center in Birmingham, Alabama, and the Emerald Coast Science Center in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

McWane is the arguably the local granddaddy of science centers. Boasting four floors of exhibits ranging from aquarium-quality marine life exhibits to high-end robotics, this center has a lot to young kids to observe and experience. Anyone who frequents children's museums will quickly pick up on recurring themes, as exhibits repeat from one venue to the next, but McWane pretty much has it all.

On the other end of the spectrum, Emerald Coast Science Center is one of the sorriest excuses for a science center I've ever seen. The living organism exhibits consisted of what look liked my neighbor's pet turtle and a couple sad-looking fish, and many other exhibits were dirty, broken, or stuffed with trash.

Both McWane and Emerald Coast had many broken exhibits - both exceeding by far the number of broken exhibits at Sci-Quest. Emerald Coast was the worst perpetrator, though perhaps it could be forgiven due to being obviously underfunded, but McWane, while clean and well-kept, also included a number of broken exhibits. Sometimes, these fixes seem like they would be exceedingly simple. (An aside, our family once saw an exhibit at the Creative Discovery Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee, that illustrated "how much is a million". One of the larger numbers was missing a zero, basically making the entire exhibit erroneous due to a simple typesetting error!)

Sci-Quest has remained relatively liberated from this problem, which I can only attribute to the large amount of community support it receives. Each exhibit is sponsored by a corporation, family, or individual that commits to its maintenance and repair. I'm sure this is largely made possible by the disproportionate number of engineers in our city (1 out of every 13 adults), but here is an example of how much of a difference community support can make.

We have not done it yet, but it is our resolution to adopt an exhibit ourselves, and when we do so, I will be posting about it in this blog. In addition to supporting the center, what a fabulous project for homeschooled children!

Road Schooling

2010-04-25T20:23:00.000-07:00

My family had the opportunity this week to take advantage of our freedom to travel in the middle of the school year - not an organized home school event such as our recent trip to Birmingham, but as a private family getaway. My husband's work took him to Eglin Air Force Base, including a paid for off-season condo on the beach in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. For a mere $10 additional fee per day, the family could join him, and with no attachment to a school schedule, we did just that.

I did bring on the trip a large box of our schooling materials, but aside from daily math and writing lessons, the bulk of this was ignored in favor of outings and beach trips. Over the course of the week, my children collected shells on the beach (later to be used for a science measurement exercise), learned first-hand about bio-luminescent plankton, saw dolphins swim in the wild, played in the surf and learned about tides, saw jellyfish in the wild, boarded an ocean-going vessel for the first time in their lives, visited a science center, touched a baby alligator, stopped in our state capital city, and visited the Air Force Armament Museum and learned about historical aircraft and weapons from their engineer father. Could the same have been accomplished during a week in a public school classroom, or even during a typical week of education at home?

When I first began writing this blog entry, the term "road schooling" came to mind, although a quick Google search revealed that I'm far from the first person to coin the term. The article "Road Schooling" for the Education of a Lifetime by Carol White shares more about the experience than I can in recounting our one week getaway, but our experience, especially so soon after our Birmingham trip, really afforded me the opportunity to expand my horizons in terms of what true freedom means when it comes to educating my own children.

Travel is always an excellent way to learn. Even as an adult, I know lessons become etched into my mind through experience. What was once a vague awareness of Mediterranean culture and geography crystallized into reality once I spent two weeks in Turkey, Israel, Greece, and Cyprus. I could only logically conclude that this phenomenon is only magnified in children, who even more frequently than adults misperceive reality based upon what is gleaned from text or other media.

Of course, long-term road schooling is not something that is practical or feasible for every family, but whether travel can be for a day, a week, a month, or a year, travel broadens the mind faster than any curriculum or method I can imagine.

I have often heard my friends with children in public school lament that they are bound to a school schedule, and strict attendance requirements make traveling on their own time difficult. Pressure from the schools drops heavy because attendance equates to funding in the world of public education. While I certainly do not advocate any decisions that diminish a child's education, the bottom line to me, as is always my theme; liberty! It goes without saying that if you homeschool, you have the liberty to take your child, where you want, when you want.

But I affirm that if your child is in public school, you have that liberty as well. Your family is your own, and your family's time is a precious commodity. As a parent you decide what is in the best interest of your child. Do not make excuses, the choice is, ultimately, yours. I beseech all parents out there, homeschooling or not, to take the opportunities you can to expose your child the greatest of classrooms that has no bounds. If you must deal with consequences, deal with them, but do not deprive your children of unique and rare experiences that come along because you fear school administrators and social workers. This is not to suggest that truancy should be trivialized - do the responsible thing, but do not let life pass your family by because government schools try to shackle your time in their never-ending quest for maximum funding. Your time, your freedom, is yours.

Creation Science at DeSoto Caverns

2010-04-07T17:44:00.000-07:00

Today I share with you our visit to DeSoto Caverns in Childersburg, Alabama. This visit was the first stop on our three-day homeschool group adventure in the Birmingham area.

At the caverns we participated in an educational program. Apparently we were the first group they had ever presented with this program. School groups rarely go there for reasons I will make clear in a moment.

The kids got to be "junior paleontologists" unearthing a faux mastodon (complete with a "bone" trunk. Yeah.) They also unearthed bits of "planted" real fossils that the kids got to dig up. This was all actually in the cave. The kids had a blast doing this - digging, then sifting, then categorizing and identifying the findings. The kids even found a couple real (non-planted) fossils, being the first group there I'm sure helped.

About 15 minutes into our "dig" we are stopped because a tour was coming through to see the "light show". So we are invited to sit down and watch the "light show".

The cave went dark and we were informed that it was time for their "Easter light show". It's seasonal. Apparently they do Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day and "Creation" when there is no holiday.

In normal civilization a warning would have been issued to those who suffer from light-induced seizure disorders, because what followed was a headache-inducing flash of light and color and spewing-water-from-stalagmites. The flashing kept tempo (sort of) with a muffled recorded voice telling the story of Easter with echo-y crappy music in the background. At some point, there was an LED cross that lit up.

Now dear readers, I would like to state here that I have only respect for my friends of the Christian faith, and I am not mocking specifically the cave-tribute to Jesus but.... it was a REALLY TACKY cave-tribute to Jesus. All I could see in my head was this insanity being on an episode of "The Simpsons" with Ned Flanders taking his family on a really hyper-religious road trip.

After the "light show" I'm thinking about the faux mastodon with its bone "trunk" and I'm thinking "These guys are TOTALLY gonna be young-Earth creationists". So I start reading their laminated "educational" cards about mastodons going extinct "a couple centuries ago". The guy leading the "educational event" later made comments about stalagtites growing at ridiculously fast rates (but only when no one's looking, mind you. Apparently once the caves are "exposed to air" they stop the crazy growth which is why no one has observed it.) There was also a comment about a T-Rex fighting a woolly mammoth in a battle to the death.

Thank goodness my kids were too young to notice any of this. They still did get something out of the sifting and the identification and the categorizing of objects. Good for them. I was relieved that all the other families in the homeschool group were also rolling their eyes at the light show and the fictional information about prehistoric creatures and other erroneous "education".

After this the kids panned for gems (planted gems, very fun), and went through a fence maze. Even though it was wet and freezing, everyone really enjoyed themselves.

I have to say, it was a good time, and in spite of my theological differences with the proprietors, all the employees there were very friendly and helpful. Something I will never forget but, I can't say I'll be going back there anytime soon.

For those of you out there that are young-earth creationist parents that live in or will be visiting north-central Alabama, you now have a must-see educational destination to add to your list.

Homeschool Field Trips and Travel

2010-04-01T14:11:00.000-07:00

Last week, my family and I attended our first trip with a homeschooling group. We found out about this trip through Everest Academy, a cover school based out of Birmingham, Alabama. The trip itself was organized by Nancy Melkerson, an absolutely fabulous veteran homeschooling mom and fellow Girl Scout leader from Auburn. Nancy took it upon herself to not only reserve the Girl Scouts' Kanawahala Program Center for our use as an economical accommodation, but also made field trip arrangements at several educational sites local to Birmingham at little or no cost. Thanks to Nancy's expert planning, for under $200 my entire family of four enjoyed three days and two nights in Birmingham and visited De Soto Caverns, the Birmingham Botanical Garden, the Birmingham Zoo, the Birmingham Museum of Art and the McWane Science Center, including special educational programming at many of the sites. You can't beat that!

I'll be posting separate entries summarizing our experience at some of the sites, but I wanted to first post some initial thoughts about homeschool group educational experiences in the form of field trips and overnight travel.

With the number of homeschooling families growing, there are increased opportunities for homeschooled children to take advantage of fabulous educational programming and opportunities offered all over the country alongside other families. Museums, state and national parks, research centers, and more, often have excellent daytime programs at great rates for schools, and these opportunities are equally available to homeschool groups if people take the effort to pool resources and plan. Even some more corporate entities such as cruise lines and other destinations welcome homeschoolers as an opportunity to tap into a demographic that can provide revenue during their off season. Disney World has even started marketing "Home School Days" during their slowest months of October and January, attempting to entice homeschoolers to the parks with drastically reduced rates and educational program offerings at EPCOT. By traveling as a group, often families can enjoy even greater savings.

But finances aside, travelling with other homeschoolers is a great opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people and make new friends. I, for one, really enjoyed the opportunity to socialize with some new people, and loved watching my children learn and play with children from outside Huntsville. Nancy even arranged for us to have archery lessons at the Girl Scout camp followed up by a marshmallow roast, and I know Everest Academy is planning a a "School at Sea" group trip this summer to Mexico at an amazing price, which will include not only the typical cruise offerings but some on-ship educational opportunities for the children. We may not make it this summer, but it's definitely on our "to do" list!

We're still newcomers to the world of homeschooling, and these unusual experiences for our family is one of the benefits I'm enjoying the most.

Teachable Moments

2010-03-16T23:02:00.000-07:00

One thing I have come to cherish about educating my own child are the little unplanned "teachable moments".

Today I had such a moment during my 7-year-old daughter's science lesson. The science lesson was a basic exercise in observation and measurement, and included the assignment of weighing five small objects on a kitchen scale and recording their weights in a notebook.

One of the objects my daughter selected was a small box of orange Jell-O. The box weighed exactly 95 grams, which in and of itself caused my daughter to gasp in amazement. It weighed so much more, after all, than the quarter or the pencil. Glancing over her shoulder, I pointed out to her the small numbers on the corner of the Jell-O box that indicated a net weight of 85 grams.

"Why do you think the box says it weighs less than the scale does?" I asked my daughter.

She bit her lip. "The box might be wrong?" I have already trained her to have a healthy skepticism of packages and advertising.

"That's a possibility." I said. "It could be wrong. But usually packages are pretty accurate when they tell you how much the stuff inside the box weighs."

Picking up my emphasis on the word inside, she perked up. "The box probably weighs extra!"

"Maybe!" I said. "How much extra, do you think? If the Jell-O plus the box weighs 95 grams, but the Jell-O itself only weighs 85 grams, how much do you think the box weighs?" We had just practiced "completing the ten" in math, along with word problems, so I was really hoping she'd get this.

"10 grams!" she said.

"Let's find out if you're right!" I tore open the box and dumped the Jell-O powder into a bowl. Anything in the name of education. Besides, if anything deserved a fruity gelatinous dessert reward, this certainly qualified.

I gave the empty box to my daughter to place on the scale and held my breath, hoping I wouldn't be forced to explain margins of error.

Fortunately, as if on cue, the number 10 appeared on the scale. I let out a sigh of relief.

"I was RIGHT!" My daughter squealed triumphantly, her face beaming with pride.

I'm not sure which of us was more excited.

I know all parents can experience moments like these no matter how their children are educated, but home education certainly affords more opportunities.

Aside from increased opportunity, there is also a fundamental shift in mindset that comes with the decision to take responsibility for the education of one's own children. I considered myself a relatively engaged and involved parent when my child attended public school, but I do have to admit there was a large part of me that considered her education somebody else's job. Adding to that the burnt-out exhaustion that comes 6:30 am alarms, buses to catch, arbitrary projects to keep up on, permission slips to sign, homework to do, I can't honestly say I was actively engaging my daughter in critical thinking exercises as much as I would have liked.

Would I have had her weigh a box of Jell-O if she were still in public school? If she for some reason had, would I have extended the experience by reading box weights, asking questions, and stopping to make an unplanned bowl of Jell-O just to prove the answer?

I don't think I would have, and I am so very grateful that today, I did.

Curriculum Selection and the Free Exchange of Ideas

2010-03-14T21:27:00.000-07:00

My seven-year-old daughter recently completed her phonics program, conveniently coinciding with her self-realization that she is capable of true, independent reading.

This, of course, opens up a wealth of opportunities for learning. No longer is her learning limited by her five physical senses, but the awakening of a sixth mental sense enables her to independently absorb and process information in a whole new way.

The past week I have simply allowed her to revel in her newfound superpower by giving her ample time to read simple chapter books and other library selections at her reading level. Absent our usual phonics lessons, however, and armed with her ability to read, I realized we would be best served if I devised a concrete plan as to where her education should progress from here. We have both been satisfied with her math curriculum, but everything else had thus far taken a back seat to phonics.

The whole process of curriculum selection has been something I have found daunting from the start. While I am not a firm believer in the absolute necessity of a firm curriculum for homeschooling, I do find some structure helpful. Selecting one, however, proved to be more difficult than I anticipated. Up until now, it has been natural to procrastinate in order to allow my daughter to focus on learning to read, supplemented by a solid mathematics curriculum and the random exploration of social studies and science.

While shopping curricula, I encountered two major obstacles to making a choice. The first, with all due respect to my Christian friends, is the incredible abundance of Christian-based curricula available. Some of these curricula are by all accounts excellent. We are Jewish, and even though many non-Christian homeschoolers modify these materials for their use, I did not really wish to take it upon myself to determine which curricula might be adaptable to my beliefs and which might not.

The second obstacle is that many secular curricula replicate public school at home. The same flawed educational philosophy that is burdensome in a classroom is even less relevant in the home environment, where time-management and testing strategies intended to address issues of classroom management are completely unnecessary.

Additionally, many of these curricula, whether of the secular or religious variety, are in my opinion unnecessarily commercial. They are packaged with piles of expensive books that could be just as easily borrowed from the library, binders of materials that could just as easily be digitized, and consumable materials that can in many cases be obtained more economically by simply looking around one's home. On the other side, many of the more economical curricula lack quality and substance.

Sorting through it all can be a nightmare, and the free access of information on the internet is a double-edged sword. Anyone can publish on the internet, which results in piles of garbage, but also a few independently produced jewels that would have been virtually inaccessible prior to the advent of the world wide web. Not only can an independent educator produce a quality curriculum without access to publishing resources, but he has the capacity to make his case for his curriculum, and a potential buyer has an opportunity to preview content and discuss it with other homeschoolers online. Independents in this and many other media fields are no longer relegated to obscure catalogs, but can now present themselves to the world for scrutiny. They sink or swim on their own merits rather than remaining at the mercy of publishing or media industries.

The math curriculum I have been using thus far is created and sold digitally by such an independent educator, and after much searching, I finally have made my choice as to which general curriculum we will use. First Step appears to be similarly excellent, and though it lacks professional typesetting and editing, its values and approach to education appear match my own.

I can only surmise that this freedom also plays into the dramatic increase in popularity of homeschooling over the past decade. With so much information so freely available, the pedestal of the establishment comes crashing down. We do not have to accept the educational philosophy of the state, or even listen solely to the music that the recording industry arbitrarily chooses to publish. Ideas are now on a more even playing field, empowering us to make freer and more informed choices, not only related to education, but to virtually every aspect of our lives.