No such thing as a stupid question...

The person who came up with that saying was the person asking the stupid questions. The questions that are stupid are the ones people ask that have a logical answer if one were simply think about it.

Old Guy at the Park: "What school do you go to?" (asked after he got his a$$ kicked in chess by someone a quarter of his age!)

Very bright and well studied HS'd young man: "I am homeschooled. We all are." (motioning to the dozen school aged children playing chess in the middle of the typical school day.)

Old Guy: "What does that mean?" (This is not the stupid question I am referring to.)

HS'd young man: "It means we do school at home." (I was impressed that he said it without a hint of sarcasm in his voice!)

WAIT FOR IT..... Here comes the stupid question....

Old Guy: "Is that LEGAL?"

I know! Every homeschooler has been asked this question before. In certain circumstances I can see this PERHAPS not being an entirely stupid question. But as a general rule, when people are breaking the law they tend not to do it openly, obviously and proudly. Seriously, if we were breaking the law by homeschooling our children would we be gathering our school aged children at noon on a school day in a public park???

I promise people!! THINKING DOES NOT HURT!!!!!!

Deland Chess Park

We spent the lunch hour at the chess park in Deland today. It is a beautiful little space. It has around a dozen chess tables; all you have to provide is the pieces. (There is a rumor that the Beacon across the street has pieces but I didn't confrim that!) There is a great shade tree and a wonder waterfall that masks the typical sounds of Downtown Deland. There is even a large board built into the brick work near the entrance to the park. It would be perfect for a over-sized game of checkers.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from today...

I adore this picture but it didn't come out very crisp. I may need to borrow someone's toddler and stage this picture so I can retake it!!







Some of the action! :)








He looks really shocked and amazed doesn't he?? I think he was yawning! LOL

Idiots

I am trying to figure out what part of me feels the need to interact with idiots. I will be the first person to tell my fellow homeschoolers not to feed the animals!!! Don't engage naysayers, don't allow debate. Stand your ground. Your children, your choice! Plain and simple. Yet I still, every once in a while open myself up for a debate. Most of the time it is with people who are just curious or are truely interested in understanding why I would choose to homeschool my children. Then there is that one person....

Today I found myself in a debate with a person that still lives firmly in the 1960's. Someone who is completely clueless about the decline in the public education system. Someone who still believes that homeschooling is illegal and only done by society fearing fundies that lock their children in the basement and drill Bible verses into their heads so they can go forth and save the masses when they get older.

This was probably not the best day to engage me in a philosophical debate or question my parenting choices. Regardless I tried to remain calm and the only person who caught the two sarcastic remarks that slipped past my bleeding tongue was the cashier who was unfortunate to witness the event.

FTR, all 70 year old recently retired school prinipals should probably avoid me the rest of the week!!!

It's a new year...

...school year that is!

We are not changing from our ultra relaxed style but I do have a few things that we will work through as the year progresses.

Math - The boys are working through some Spectrum books just to solidify the skills they are picking up as they go along. Drake will start the Life of Fred series as soon as he gets long division!

Reading - Drake has just begun reading Harry Potter so that should keep him busy for a while. Who knows what Kyllian will pick up. I am hoping to get him reading some fiction this year but I am afraid he takes after me and doesn't care for much fiction!

Writing - I am starting Kyllian working through some Spectrum books for writing. Mainly because the kid's never puts pen to paper. Drake does all sorts of writing at the moment. I may start him on a research project after the first of the year depending on what he is interested in at the time.

Art - We will work through Artistic Pursuits (famous last words) this year. I may try to set up a mini co-op with a couple of families (anyone interested?).

Music - You know us. There is no shortage of music around here.

Science and Social Studies - We are doing the Florida Fun Literature Unit Study this year which has a science and social studies component. The SS component looks pretty strong but the science is a little candy coated so we will expand on that for sure as the need and desire arises. I am also planning 4 big field trips to go along with this program. Should be tons of fun!

Curriculum Recommendations from Your's Truely....

(FTR, If anyone chose to make a donation to my personal library of any of the books listed below I would not deny you of your good deed!)

Science

Cartoon Guide Series

• Chemistry
• Genetics
• Physics
• Environment

Coloring Book Series

• Anatomy
• Human Brain
  
• Marine Biology
• Physiology
• Microbiology
• Biology
• Zoology
• Botany
• Physics
• Evolution
  

Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments
Illustrated Guide to Astronomical Wonders
Unofficial Lego Builder’s Guide
MooCow Fan Club Magazine

History

Cartoon Guide Series

• History of the Universe 1
• History of the Universe 2
• History of the Universe 3
• Modern World
  
• History of the US

Coloring Book Series

• Geography
  

Learning Through History Magazine
Historically accurate RPGs
MooCow Fan Club Magazine

Math

Life of Fred
Living Math
Cartoon Guide to Statistics


Art

Artistic Pursuits
Unofficial Lego Builder’s Guide
Dover Coloring Books

Music

Drum Circle ;)
9-Note Recorder Method
Mel Bay Teach Yourself Series

Language Arts

Sequential Spelling
Starting from Square One (Phonics from AVKO)
Simply Grammar
Whatever their little hearts want to read

Foreign Language

Rosetta Stone
ASL

Volunteer Substitutes

I am going to keep this rant short and sweet as to not make my blood pressure go too high...

ARE YOU FREAKING SERIOUS!!!!!!

On one hand the idea of volunteer subs for the schools sounds like a good solution to the ever increasing financial problems in the Volusia County School System. I am sure that the vast majority of the volunteers will do a great job and they will have to go through the normal background screening, which I might add will come out of their own pocket.

On the other hand, do we value our children so little that we can't find the money to employ the professionals they freaking deserve?? The volunteers are only required to have a high school diploma and one day of training. Not that I am one to place a lot of importance on a silly piece of paper, but there is a lot of important things about managing a class room that simply can't be taught in one day! ONE DAY!!!! Not to mention the whole issue of actually TEACHING them something!!

I can not even begin to imagine how pissed off I would be if my children were enrolled in the public school system.

For the record, it is not that I think the volunteers will do a bad job. It is the fact that our government does not place enough importance on our children to pay professionals what they deserve to do a very important job.

What's next? Sharing textbooks? Oh wait, they already do that... Cutting extracurricular activities? Oh wait, they did that too... Doubling class sizes? Yeah, you guessed it... Four day school week? Being discussed... Extending walk zone to 3 miles? Also being discussed...

These are just some of the reasons I am amazed when people ask me why I homeschool!!!

Flute Building Co-op

Since there were so many people that weren't able to make it today. I figured I would post the assembly instructions for those of you that will get yours later.

The three main pieces are the body of the flute, the cork and the mouth piece (which also acts as the bird or block).







Place the cork, flat side down on a table.








Hold the body of the flute with the two holes that are close together towards the bottom.







Set the body on top of the cork.








Press down until the cork slides into the body. This takes a little elbow grease!







Carefully push the cork further in so it rests between the two holes. If it goes to far or tilts, push it out with a long piece of dowel and do it again.






Place the mouth piece on so it covers the first hole and the front of the mouth piece is even with the beginning of the second hole.







Use the leather, beads and feathers to decorate the flute if you want.







The mouthpiece is a very tight fit. If you need to you can sand down the body so it slides on easier. Be careful not to sand too much because you don't want the air to escape in the wrong direction.

Also, you will notice that a small amount of the body has been sanded back between the two holes. That is the air channel. If it is too small and you have to work really hard to get air to flow through you can file it down some with a metal file. Do this bit by bit because if you take too much away it will stop working.

Once all of that is done you can play with the placement of the mouthpiece. Move it forward or backwards very slightly (1/32 of an inch) and see how it changes the tone. Each flute will have it's own 'sweet spot'.

Remember not to blow into the flute. Instead you want to sigh. Blowing too hard with create a whistle. Think gentle. It takes a bit of practice to get it just right!

You shouldn't have to worry too much about moisture since these are plastic. Although the cork will retain moisture so if it starts to sound a bit off you may need to let is dry out a bit.

If you decide to paint them, be careful what paints you use and be careful to avoid paint building up in any of the holes!

The Fourteen Days of Homeschool

I know, everyone has seen this. Just bear with me....

On the first day of homeschool, my neighbor said to me, "Can you homeschool legally?"

Homeschooling is legal in ALL 50 states. Regardless of what your friend or neighbor heard in the news or what HSLDA's most recent "alert" aluded to.

On the second day of homeschool, the store clerk said to me, "Are they socialized?"

No, and that's the point!! Seriously people!! Look up the definition of that word!!!!!

On the third day of homeschool, a teacher said to me, "Who will give them tests?"

Well, I suppose I could but tests are a tool used to access the knowledge of a large group. We aren't a large group....

On the fourth day of homeschool, my doctor said to me, "What about P.E.?"

Unfortunately we don't limit our physical activity to the 15 minutes following lunch. I will really have to get on them to stop moving around so much!!!

On the fifth day of homeschool, my sister said to me, "YOU ARE SO STRANGE!"

I still don't get what this has to do with homeschooling.

On the sixth day of homeschool, my pastor said to me, "Why do you do this?"

Because I can and because it works.

On the seventh day of homeschool, my best friend said to me, "I could never do it!"

Well, not with that sort of attitude!

On the eighth day of homeschool, my mother said to me, "How long will you do this?"

As long as it still works!

On the ninth day of homeschool, my in-laws said to me, "Look at what they're missing!"

Sorry, but you are going to have to elaborate on that. I really don't see anything they are missing. Unless you are talking about the over medication, special ed classes, labeling, bullying, holding back, being told they are bad kids and an education system not suited to their individual needs.

On the tenth day of homeschool, my florist said to me, "What about the prom?"

One, they are 7 and 9. Two, prom sucked. Three, they have homeschool proms.

On the eleventh day of homeschool, the librarian said to me, "They'll miss graduation!"

Again...One, they are 7 and 9. Two, graduation sucked. Three, they have homeschool graduations.

On the twelfth day of homeschool, the reporter said to me,"Can they go to college?"

Duh!


OK, I didn't include the rest of the song because I don't like it. Maybe I will write my own ending....

Unschooling Cult....

Here is a term I ran across the other day. It is not quite the terminology I would have used but lets take a look at it from this perspective.

Here is the definition I found for 'cult'.

NOUN:

1. 1. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.
   2. A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.
   3. Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.
      

A religion or religious sect - Well, if you have spent any time around radical unschoolers, it can feel very much like a religion. Rules, beliefs, dogma and even punishments (usually in the form of stunting some creative process or love of learning in the poor defenseless children.)

Considered to be extremist - Most unschoolers would call their lifestyle 'natural' but to much of society, their lifestyle is extreme.

Living in an unconventional manor - that doesn't need any commentary

Under the guidance of a charismatic leader - All you have to do is surf a few of the main unschooling sites to find a few of these.

Exclusive or exceptional power to cure a particular disease - The disease here would be the squashing of the child's love for learning and natural curiosity. Many unschoolers will happily tell you that any formal instruction unless asked for specifically by the child will ruin them! Heck, some will go as far as telling you not to even suggest an activity!

Obsessive devotion to a principle - Two words... Radical Unschooler

Now I am confident that I am going to offend many people with this post. It is a risk I am willing to take. Chances are if you are offended then you are part of the cult. Those unschoolers that can laugh at what I posted are the open minded of the bunch and are the group of which I claim to be a part.

Are we unschoolers? Yes. Do I have a problem telling my 9 year old to take a break from looking up card tricks on YouTube and go read a book? Not at all! Am I concerned I am going to squash his spirit? If only!!!! (just kidding...sort of!)

Become more concerned with the journey than the umbrella you walk under!!

Related Post: What is the best way to homeschool?

Our Mission Statement

A recent thread on MDC asked us to write a mission statement for our homeschool. Here is what I came up with...

The Mission Statement of the Winding Paths Academy

I will strive to provide the following things for my children throughout our journey:

• to facilitate an education where the ability to locate, understand and utilize needed information is a more important skill then the ability to regurgitate a bunch of facts and figures.
• to facilitate an education that allows for the development of the skills and knowledge needed to be the adults they desire to be.
• to facilitate the exploration and 'grok'ing of the wider world.
• to not be bound to any specific method or educational ideal; instead, facilitating the achievement of these things in the manor in which is best for the individual child.
• and most of all, to allow the freedom to develop and grow and be the person they are meant to be.

A few notes:

First, I used the word 'facilitate' deliberately. I have never seen myself as a teacher. Instead, I see myself as a facilitator to learning. It might be a minor distinction to some, but it is important to me. To me the word facilitator allows me the joy of joining them on their journey instead of "overseeing" it.

Second, 'grok' is a Heinlein reference. If you haven't read the book then what the heck is the matter with you!!! Go pick it up. Or ask to borrow it; I have 2 copies (at least!)

Do you have to be smart to homeschool?

First of all, what does smart mean? It means different things to different people. Sure I could whip out the American Heritage but people would still argue about it!!

I know a few highly educated people that hold several degrees. Does this make them qualified to homeschool? Not necessarily! In fact these particular people are probably the last people that should venture into the world of homeschooling!! (I guess there is no question about my feelings on the statement, "Everyone can homeschool." NOT!!!!)

I also know a few people that never graduated highschool. Does this make them un-qualified to homeschool? Not necessarily!

The general public tends to associate fancy documents with intelligence!! That's not how it works folks!

I graduated highschool with an honors diploma, a 3.86 GPA and the president of the German Honors Society. I currently speak about 50 words of German (many of which shouldn't be spoken in mixed company!) and feel like a moron every time the boys and I sit down and work on History! A lot of good those fancy documents do me.

I attended college at a major state university and have enough credit hours for 2 Master's degrees. Although, I never actually earned a college degree because I was too busy taking all the cool classes and none of the "important" classes.

I consider myself a smart person.

What about this makes me smart? My fancy diploma? My IQ? My college credits? What about this makes me qualified to homeschool?

The ability to homeschool is less about the knowledge and education you have and more about your ability to find out the information that is needed. I prefer to think of the homeschooling parent as a facilitator of knowledge instead of a teacher of knowledge. If you know how to find the information and you impart that knowledge to your children then EVERYTHING else is obtainable.

It is not about how much you know. It is about how much you are able to find out.

To Teach or Not To Teach

Or in other words, The Role of the Homeschooling Parent....

As I have stated numerous times before, I do not consider myself a teacher and don't consider what I do "teaching". Instead I look at my roll in this journey as a 'facilitator'. I am there to guide.

The way I look at it, a teacher is a person that imparts information to their student or students. A teacher studies a subject, learns all they can about it and then instructs others in what they have learned.

This is not what I do. My job is to make sure that my children have the tools and means to learn and accomplish whatever it is they desire and to do so for themselves. A teacher is not required for learning. People learn things all of the time without the benefit (or hindrance, depending on how you look at it) of a teacher.

For an example, let's look at Drake's current topic of choice. He is all about Greek Mythology right now.

So, if I was a teacher I would spend the next few weeks studying and learning everything I could about Greek Mythology. Then I would sit Drake down and tell him everything I learned. After that, assuming he was still interested, we would try to fit in a project or create some artwork. If there was time, assuming there was some lingering amount of interest, we would take a field trip. That all sounds good except for the fact I have made Drake wait two weeks for information he craves right now. Heck, who knows what he will be interested in two weeks from now!!! This is passive learning. Delayed passive learning at that!

However, as a facilitator we would probably skip straight to the projects, art and field trips. We would keep the interest piqued while hunting down every book we can find. We would learn as we go. Drake would read everything he could on Greek Mythology and tell me about what he learned. In essence, Drake becomes the teacher and I, the pupil. Drake has an active role in his learning.

A passive learner retains only a small percentage of the information they are given. When the child takes an active role in learning, then information is internalized, assimilated and understood in a manor no amount of 'teaching' can match.

So to answer the question, to teach or not to teach...

I chose NOT.

What is the best way to homeschool?

So is there a "perfect" way to homeschool? Well, anyone that knows me, knows where I am going with this. For those that don't, let me continue...

YES, there is a perfect method to homeschool! Not what you were thinking I would say?? Hang on a minute and let me elaborate.

My method of homeschooling is the perfect way to homeschool!! It is the only method anyone should use. What is that method and why do I think it is so perfect? Well, it is perfect because my method will fit every learning style, fit into everyone's schedule and fill in any and all educational 'gaps'.

And what do I call this perfect homeschooling method??? Wait for it....

The Whatever Works Method (TM)

Okay, it isn't really trademarked, but I am considering it!!! Seriously though, people get so caught up in the "right" way to do things that they forget that every single solitary child is different. Just because Charlotte Mason worked for your dear friend Susie and her 5 amazing children doesn't mean that it will work for you and your children. Just because Unschooling is the perfect approach for Martha and her boys doesn't mean that it is the perfect fit for you. Find what works for your individual child and for your family and quit stressing over what to call yourself!!

So, at the risk of repeating myself, The Whatever Works Method (TM) is the perfect homeschooling method. Adopt it, Live it, BE it!!!! Hey, maybe I should write a book. Heck, everyone else is!!!!