29 March 2012

Sale! :)

Blue Rose Pottery was having a sale.  I can't seem to stop myself from buying pottery on sale.  Hoarders will do a show on me someday and go, "This lady NEEEEDS a bigger house!  Because her pottery is awesome!"  and the primetime TV viewers will be enthralled as I describe each piece of pottery, where I bought it, a little about the history of the particular pattern, and why it's important to keep it in a *certain order* with the other pieces.  Yep.

This time I let Woodjie and Rose take a look at some of the discontinued/discounted patterns and pick some things they like on the computer screen.  Doggone it there were no cups left for Rose, so I got her a plate.  I figure a white or blue mug, or a glass, would work well with this style.  The children were thrilled.  Rose has selected the Old Fashion style and Woodjie picked Vesta.  What's really odd is that D was able to figure out which patterns the children would pick later without any help.  It was uncanny.

Here I had thought the children would pick one of the geometric/modern styles and they get all stereotypical "boy" and "girl" pattern on me.  Have to admit they are sharp, though.  I am figuring these are um, Easter presents.  Yeah, that's it.  Patrick and G are wondering where are THEIR Easter presents.  The pattern they like is a little extra-artistic.  You know, the hand-signed by the artist type Jungle Flower stuff.  Umm... one bowl in this pattern is $46.  Before shipping.  Sorry.  Can't do it.  Pick another present.
I spent some of my 31st birthday money on these little dessert plates.  Most of them I just snapped up on super-sale for a little variety around the house.  Yes, that is where the Snap Circuits usually go.  We've got to play with those some more tomorrow, come to think of it.  They are so fun!

This is the Desert Coral pattern.  Sort of a Southwestern look.  Painted in Poland. I'm sure lots of Swedish stuff is made in Nevada  to sort of balance this out.  I dunno.  It's cute though. 

28 March 2012

GO AWAY.

Dear Scott and Friends:

I'm tired of you showing up at my house several times a year.  Sending me pictures in the mail.  Notes on my door.  Just actin' crazy!

I told you I DO NOT WANT YOU HERE when we first met almost 15 years ago and you still come around.  You must either think I'm some kind of Sugar Mama with tons of cash lying around, or that I am interested in the chemical concoctions you keep sellin' to everyone in the neighbourhood.  You have the little old ladies up and down the street all fooled.  But I am not interested in you.

Twice yesterday I had to deal with you and your stupid little clipboard.  Both times I told you "I. Am. NOT. Interested." and to go away.  I know... I just know... this is not the last time I will hear from you.  I know the economy is bad and you really want a sale.  But what's it gonna take... I'm starting to think whatever I have to do to get you to go away might be worth the jail time.  You are worse than the Mormons and every neighbourhood kid doing a "fundraiser" shakedown at my door combined.

It really bothers me that I can't legally block you from contacting me.   I don't think anyone is going to do anything about it - ever - if you show up uninvited yet again.  It's sales.  Somehow that isn't harassment.

You're pretty creative about it, though.  The drug baggie you left at my door was the oddest attempt to get me to contact you.  You basically left me bits of my own yard in the bag - evidence of your trespassing.  With a note about my weeds and a "call me so I can help" sales pitch. 

I'm sorry.  If I were fat (pretend this is hypothetical), would I want you taking my picture and sending it to me in a bag with a note along the lines of, "Look what a big butt you have, I can help with that?"  My goodness.

I don't care if you "noticed" my moles.  Or my dandelions.  Or my weeds.  My neighbours already "notice" these things and guess what?  I don't live in a homeowners' association area so if they don't like it, they can call you to spray crap on THEIR lawn. 

I've been reading up on your sales techniques and those of your competitors.  You use Google Earth to make sales and study demographics?  Scotts Lawn Care, duuude... the more you keep contacting me the more you are creeping me out and getting me angry.  Surely there is an app for that.

26 March 2012

Some Assorted Photographs

This is Woodjie.  We've turned in the simple picture word cards he was using for "work" time to the preschool.  Quite a jump to the kindergarten skill books he now has on loan.  He isn't really doing these on his own, but I have him count the number of fishes, dots or apples and then hand him the card with the number word on it.  Ok, so I cheat on his preschool homework, so sue me.

Guess which bed belongs to an Elf, and which one belongs to an Emperor.  They both sewed their pillowcases themselves.  Note also that neither child will sleep with his head near the HEADboard.  They absolutely will not do it.  They put their pillows by the footboard and sleep that way, too.  Like bats.  Sort of.

This is a recent picture of me and Rose.  I am the larger round person.  Pretty accurate depiction actually.  See how I take up the WHOLE picture and am sort of looming over Rose.  She is smiling because she likes being loomed over.  Ok, what she actually said about the picture is, "I are talking to you.  You so proud a me."  :)

The chess tournament bag and violin collection near the door.  The violin used to take up a LOT less space when we rented a  half-size violin.  Elf was so little and cute.  Now, it's big old clompy violin time.  Ok, not really.  But the new violin sure seemed big at first.

The Riccar Pristine in all its glory.  I bought this just before my hernia popped and can no longer lift it.  It's sad.  Every time I want to vacuum something, I have to call the homeschooler over to bring it to the room I want to work in.  Guess he will never go to public school unless I get money to hire the housework out... yay.  It's reviewed here and wow.  The review is exactly right except no, it doesn't really cost $999.95.  Really?  Someone buys it for that much before taxes?  I bought mine new for about $700.  My last Riccar vacuum lasted over 10 years and was used extremely frequently. Scary thought... in another 10 years my homeschooler will be almost 21.  I'm thinking I may have to trade DOWN for a lightweight model by then.  :(  But these vacuums are the best.  Only thing is, you have to buy special bags for them and when you need to fix the vacuum, you must bring it to a special Riccar dealer.  Wal-Mart type vacuums are simply not the same.  Plus I find their belts fray and smell plastic-y and need changing all the time and the vacuums just don't clean as well.  Also the vacuums I've bought from W-M bust completely and utterly within a year.  Not even worth repairing.  Though I had an older (OLDER) Eureka I liked very well for a good while.  I will admit to being a dish and vacuum snob.  Yes, I will.  I am starting to notice that all the really awesome vacuums weigh about 50 pounds though and I'm not sure why that is.

If you go into the dealership with this card, you could win a Ford Fucus!  Just what you always wanted!

Blechh.  "Easter" Mellowcreme Candy and the Mellowcreme Pumpkins at Halloween time are NOT the same.  These bunnies and ducklings are disgusting.  Sometimes I think I will just throw them out.  Other times I find myself just handing one or two to small people who walk by the computer where I keep them (why?  Because everything is near my computer).  I always feel guilty after I hand these out as snacks after "I have it bunny" is requested.  "Mmm!" Woodjie says.  "Ee good."  Ee bad and I really should throw them away.  But that would be wasteful.  Ever have stuff just kick around like that and you can't quite decide what to do with it?  Thankfully when this conundrum happens inside my refrigerator, the item starts to rot and then I feel better about pitching it.  Maybe you did not want to hear that.

25 March 2012

NEW Curriculum!

Have you already figured out what you're doing next year in your homeschool? Our local parent-educator group is having a HUGE curriculum fair in April, so it's time for me to start sorting through the stuff I have and figuring out what I want for next year:

Mathematics 

I love Teaching Textbooks!  So I can tell you right off the bat that Algebra 2 will be purchased at the convention. This is the most expensive item on my shopping list, but Emperor is beyond me now math-wise and it's worth every penny to have the explanation to each problem handy.  Have you checked out their website or looked at a sample?  I love it so much I wholeheartedly recommend it, and no, I'm not paid/compensated for that unbiased opinion. 

Science

For science, I have a full set of fifth-grade level ABeka teacher, test, and text books.  D bought the whole set for $3 at a local thrift store last year.  Make an X through Pluto and voila!  Updated and revised version.   I will probably buy something to go with a unit or two, something fun to do or see.  A kit or something along those lines.  I am bringing a list of the science units we are covering and an open mind!  We finished the fourth-grade level last year. 

English 

Ugh.  I'm guessing maybe I will solve the problem of "English must be studied each year" by telling him HE can pick the curriculum and then when it's boring or hard it will be ALL. HIS. FAULT.  Oo.  Seriously considering this option.  Emperor selected his own history/social studies curriculum last year and he hasn't peeped once in complaint.  It's all done and the next level is all lined up for next year.

Ok.  Writing this out has helped me out a lot.  I will steer him to the Critical Thinking booth (because he loves those) and let him pick stuff with a consultant's help.  Woot.

Social Studies/History

I'm set.  Story of the World stuff all the way through.  I might find some fun kit or supplemental book (yes, I'm bringing a list of the units we'll be covering!) at the fair.  Emperor has enjoyed his year finishing up the Ancient World and working on Roman history. 

Reading

Not sure.  I'm going to be blunt with you; I overpurchased last year.  Not that any of you can associate.  We never even got to the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit units, so I have those to do next year still.  I really don't need much more but might get a nice reading book of some kind. 

After the conference, I'll finish reorganizing my sidebar and making posts about what we're doing next school year.

24 March 2012

Conrado Fundraising Tournament

by Ken Fee
 
Conrado has been in pain for 5 years and needs our help to raise $3000 for an operation that may help. The original cost of the operation is $6,000, but the doctor has reduced the cost by 50%. Without health insurance, the situation does not look good!

As many of you know, Conrado has supported the Kansas City Chess Club over the last 10 years and is a friend to many of us!

I will personally match any donations made to help Conrado. I also plan to play and donate my rating points! Please help to support our good friend!    

Saturday and Sunday April 7th and 8th.

G/90: 6SS. Open and Reserve Sections based on attendance.

The Kansas City Chess Club, 7667 NW Prairie View Rd. Kansas City, Missouri 64151. We are located on the 2nd floor of the Davita Medical Building. Pizza Hut and LC Hamburgers are walking distance for lunch.

EF: $50 for both days. $25 for Saturday or Sunday. Additional donations are also accepted! 100% of all entry fees will help Conrado!

Raffles will also take place for a $500 1 Year Master Warrior Membership and $500 1 Year of Chess School. Tickets are $50 each.

Registration: 11:30AM-11:45. Rounds: Saturday 12 noon/3:15/6:30 and Sunday 11 /2:15/5:30. 15 minute breaks between rounds! We will pair the first round at 11:50AM. The clocks are started at 12:00 High Noon! Half point byes available for any round.

Chess Book Prizes donated by Ken Fee

Memberships: USCF and KCCA. Sold onsite.

ENT: Ken Fee, 1537 Baker St., Liberty, MO 64068. kcchess@gmail.com www.kansascitychessclub.com 816-399-3703

Free Coffee and Internet

23 March 2012

Truth in Reporting

A recent article cites Kansas City, Missouri, School District as advocating a schoolday curfew.  That's pretty well-documented.  So is the Hickman Mills School District's support.  Basically, those districts are in the 'hood and they don't care whose rights they have to trample on; they want their danged per-pupil money any way they can get it.
But Liberty and North Kansas City school districts?  They're generally known as being homeschool-friendly.  And yet they're listed in the article as being in support of the curfew.

I'm thinking it's either a great big misunderstanding or a baldfaced lie.  I haven't heard back from NKC district yet, but I have heard back from a school board member in Liberty Public Schools.  He said the district has "not taken a position on this issue" (nice political talk, that) and that he doesn't know where the article is getting its information.

I could draw you a diagram, but this is a family-friendly blog.

Meanwhile, funny... the paper in question gets advertising dollars from KC School District.  Check out the sidebar; depending on where you're browsing from, you'll likely see a KC schools banner somewhere that links back to KCMO District's website.

The ad revenue also seems to be influencing the editorial cartoons.  Check out this innnnteresting entry from March 21.  "You're never truant when you're homeschooled!" it proclaims, presumably in response to the stink homeschoolers are making over "truancy" checks.  Well... this isn't your Mama's homeschool. Remember the good ol' days when homeschoolers were assumed to be frumper-wearing prudes who did nothing but learn Bible verses all day?  Not any more. 

KC Curfew Update

Some background here

Update:

Tabled for a few more weeks.  Then they'll vote on the same reheated proposal again.  If homeschoolers cause a commotion while the TV cameras are rolling, they'll table it for a few more weeks yet still.  If the newspeople lose interest, it will pass.  You just watch and see if I'm not right.

KCMO School Board Member Crispin Rea noted recently that attendance needs to improve for the district to regain accreditation with the state.   It's all about what the schools need, and he is unconcerned about people under 18 being able to move about the city freely and unmolested by police.

People under 18 don't vote anyway, so who cares what they think? 

Everyone knows parents who object to a daytime curfew, or laws that would have the EFFECT of a daytime curfew, are just out of touch with the reality of the truancy situation.  Don't they understand that city schools are losing money in the city and they want it back?  Shut up with your concerns because on paper we have exempted all homeschoolers from this law.

And we NEED a new law with some "teeth" because KCMO cut funding for attendance/truancy officers.  It's just easier to have the police do their jobs for the schools.  Cheaper for them, too. And parents who might have said FU to the schools can't say it to a pair of handcuffs and a court-ordered fine!  Finally, schools getting the power they deserve.  And the cops and the mayor and the City Council will back them up.  Just who do you think you are taking an unapproved personal day, anyway?  We tell YOU when you should have your kid in school.

America is a great country with liberty, justice, and the right to public education.  We can't have liberty and justice if the children don't get a good education!  It's important we back the city up on this proposal.

But those homeschoolers, though... they keep causing trouble.  They showed up at the last City Council meeting and were crazy enough to say things along the lines of, "people under the age of 18 should be able to enjoy the sunshine in this city without being interrogated," and, "My kids are not criminals!"

Homeschoolers are such a pain in the rear

Thankfully the mayor doesn't side with them or represent them.  The police have made it clear they don't like them and support the proposal.  Basically?  Everyone in government hates them, but they keep clogging up City Hall and running their yaps. 

When are they going to shut up?

19 March 2012

For Elf.

Elf is pretty excited about this letter addressed *just to him.*  (I covered his address and name on the letter so that all-ya'll stalkers wouldn't show up at his door.)  Apparently he will save a bundle if he bundles his car and home insurance with Nationwide Insurance.  It's a special offer because he's United States Chess Federation (USCF) member.  I don't know how chess and insurance go together, but "when things work together, they just work better."

Wow!  Elf will have to consider this offer.

Doggone it, though, if at the age of 11 he does NOT own a car or house.  I hear it's a buyer's market, but real estate isn't quite into the 55-cents to a dollar price range just yet.  He was too enthused about this business opportunity to just recycle this important notice.  Elf made sure that his father was aware of all the particulars of switching to Nationwide Insurance.  Dad could save up to 20%, did you know that?  Dad?  Dad?  Do you need to use this paper?

18 March 2012

Senior Skip Day is DANGEROUS.

Excerpt from a letter from our school principal:

"Also, please note that there is no senior skip day.  This has many obvious dangers to it with a number of people on their own all day."

SERIOUSLY????

Most seniors are 18 or close to it.  They will graduate in May.  Taking one day off JUST before graduation is DANGEROUS?  And they can't all be "on their own" for one day?  Is that how poorly we parents of Cityname North High School have parented?  Our kids can't be "on their own" for one day?  And the dangers are obvious?

I am suuuuch a negligent parent.  Because guess what.  My son is "on his own" when I have important doctors' appointments and not only that, he watches four younger siblings, THREE of whom are autistic.  My bad for doing that.  So negligent of me.  There are "obvious dangers" to my child being on his own.  All day.  And watching his siblings, too!

What was I thinking?  Crazy me was figuring that my adult son could be trusted.

I dunno; this attitude from the principal really cheeses me off. But look... the letter continues:

"In addition, the district loses state aid for these absences.  We simply cannot afford that.  As it is, the seniors will have one less day than normal due to starting their year one day after the sophomores and juniors this year." 

It's "one fewer" day grammatically because it is a measureable number, but no matter... here we see the real reason the powers that be don't want you to skip, people.  It's all about your butt in that chair.  Sure, teachers get treated like human beings in schools, but you young adults don't have a union so you do not have any choice about anything once your parents enroll you.  Teachers get things called "personal days."  You?  Unless you are coughing up a lung, you'd better flippin' well forget having a weekday away every now and then.

Sigh.  As the TV show I used to watch as a young girl proclaimed, "Kids are people too!"  Awww... I miss seeing shows like Wonderama.  They are much less glitzy than today's I suppose.  Anyone else also remember Romper Room?  Dating myself here.  In answer to the trivia question presented in the video, Nixon is president.  :)

16 March 2012

Do You HomeSCHOOL?

Woodjie is moving on to elementary school next year.  I begged his preschool teacher to please flunk him!  I'm worried about his going on to school.  So I have a lot of questions on the "meet the staff" night.

The program they want Woodjie to attend is one of those "push the kid into the regular class as much as possible and get him away from needing extra/expensive help" types.  They start out with lots of help... and then... slowly... back away.  By the end of the year, the kid should be in regular ed "with some support" which of course varies from kid to kid.

Way cheaper than the $60,000/year academy they ship some of the severely autistic kids to... and way better for the kid in the long run.  If he makes it.  In theory, everyone wins.

But I have some concerns.

First off, the kid doesn't read or write.  He can write his first name with a lot of prompting and the last three letters take up about half the page.  He can count to ten.  He recognizes letters but refuses to write them.  "You have to wait," he says, holding up his "stop" hand.  I've been waiting a long time.  So I think the little guy might have a lot of trouble keeping up.

One of the teachers from the severely disabled-type program I went to check out told me her program is not for Woodjie.  Really, don't worry about it because they frequently see children who don't even know their letters entering kindergarten in regular education.

You're kidding.  How could they not know their letters?  They really should be reading and writing a bit by then, don't you think?  I mean, most kids should, right?

Ohh, well, she told me, some parents just never send their kids to preschool or day care.  So they don't get exposed to reading and writing.

?!! My children are "exposed" at home to reading and writing... but please tell me you don't picture my 10-year-old homeschooler as not knowing his letters...

"Ah, but you homeschool," she told me.  These people don't.

What on earth to say to that??  I think I asked about field trips or something.  Have you heard of "bean dip?"  On the MOMYs board, when someone talks about how it's a bad idea to have so many children or homeschool, you just remark about how GREAT the bean dip is!  Additional comments about fertility/homeschooling lead to your going, mmmhmm the bean dip is awesome!

So anyway.  I guess I'm glad my son won't have this lady for a teacher next year.  But I'm thinking more about this... do most teachers really think children have to go to school to learn?  Or have they been pretty good at hiding their distaste for people who don't use daycares and preschools around me until now?  When non-daycare/preschooled children show up "behind" in their kindergarten classrooms, are the parents considered lazy until proven otherwise?

And here's the real question: why do I care what they think?  It does bother me that someone might think that I'm just a lazy parent who never cracks open a book, and therefore my children have trouble with language.  Maybe I am just an elitist snob and want to be known for my bookishness and it's a pride issue.  But I don't know.

The ladies who run the program Woodjie will likely attend seem nice enough.  One of them was Elf's kindergarten teacher years ago!  And Elf had a lovely year in kindergarten.

If you have an extra prayer to spare, please pray for Woodjie's kindergarten placement!  For various reasons, I don't feel homeschooling is the best choice for him right now.

Cult of Personality


A bad fashion warning from the 1980's not to follow our leaders without using our heads.  If we do, we'll look back years later and go, "Whyyyy was I wearing a mullet and neon green?  And jellies?  Jellies?"  Ok, I kind of miss the bleached jeans look though.  Ever do that one?  Get a really dark pair of jeans and a spray bottle of bleach.  Crumple jeans up and spray.  Let them sit for 5 minutes and wash normally.  Totally rad look.  :)

14 March 2012

The Ends Justify the Means

That's what some people in Kansas City would like us to believe.  They seem to think that if they can enact a daytime curfew on children that suddenly, the sun would shine, crimes would decrease and oh!  The crapful schools they run would magically become re-accredited because the happy children will sit attentively at their desks under this proposed law.

Homeschoolers apparently turned out in droves to protest this idea, so it's been put off a whole flippin' week so they can dawdle about and pick their bums.

Well... the real reason is probably to twist a few arms and make sure the votes are solid. 

And you know, they might persuade a few fence-sitters to reconsider their position on the matter in a week.  See, it's getting warmer out.  In a week, there will be new statistics to present.  New shootings.  New burglaries in "problem" areas.  New truancy rates.  Stuff like that. Who knows?  Maybe the powers that be can manufacture a good crisis just like one that *somehow happened* to occur last time a curfew was being considered.

Because yeah.  Guys with guns go to beddie-bye at 9 pm after curfews are enacted. 

Allow me to take a jump into what might sound like utter paranoia at first blush.  The city needs these curfews because they need those kids off the streets.  They need the kids off the streets so that it appears that the schools are doing a good job with the children. 

Recently increased "compulsory attendance" ages, and the extremes some are going to enforce them are nothing more than forced compliance with the playacting.  We all know that if schools were really that great, most children would want to attend.  No, seriously.  That's not a cut on public education generally. 

See, Elf knows he has a choice each and every morning.  He chooses to get up early to go to school.  He's been told about a million times that if he doesn't like it, he can talk to Dad about coming home.

And so far?  It isn't perfect, but he likes going.  The teachers are kind and the assistant principal is genuinely looking out for him.  Guess why?  The school here is nothing like the schools in Kansas City.  Is this really a system we want to force ANY human being into?  Where is the outcry on this?? 

Where is it?  News reports from Canada?  Seriously?? 


12 March 2012

Happy $pring!

I guess it is a good thing I do a general maintenance check before running the a/c and the furnace each year.  The furnace/air conditioner guy had apparently removed about a ton of nesting material before getting to this.  Allegedly it is a mouse that chewed through several of my electrical wires in the unit.  All I know is, it SMELLS VERY BAD.  Hopefully the smell will be all gone before we run the a/c this summer.   Yewh. 

11 March 2012

I Wish You Were Dead

... is the message Kalanit Levy is going to hear when she finds out her parents sued for "wrongful birth."  They claim they would have aborted the kid had they known she had a form of Down Syndrome.  Boo-hoo, they need $3 million!!  And the judge in the case doesn't want pictures of the "parents," Ariel and Deborah Levy, circulated because they've been receiving death threats.

Irony much?

Now, true... the test to detect Downs Syndrome in utero was botched. And I'm thinking if Kalanit died because of some medical mishap because they didn't know she had Down Syndrome, I'd feel truly sorry for the parents and be very cool about the $3 million verdict.

But "wrongful birth?"  And juries go along with this now?  Sickening.

09 March 2012

The Cheesy Baby

Mac n' cheese.  From back in the day when we had no idea Woodjie was allergic to milk and egg.  There is a full glass of milk in the sippie, too.  He loves mac n' cheese.  A lot.
We are trying to explain allergies a little bit to Woodjie.  He will go to elementary school next year and it's just a little more than possible he'll be exposed to the evils of "friends with snacks" and "the class party" eventually.  Now Rose sees how convenient it is that Woodjie doesn't have to eat certain things and will say she is "allergic" to foods she doesn't like.  Rose has no allergies, so tough.  She cannot argue with the fact that I had her blood tested, but she can pout and go hungry every now and then.

Woodjie doesn't remember the joys of mac-n-cheese or scrambled egg.  Now he is starting to say, "I no wike at.  I lergic."  Um, no.  Are you kidding?  You LOVE this stuff, Woodjie.  It tastes really yummy.  But you can't HAVE that because you're allergic. 

"I have it... wike?"  No.  You are ALLERGIC.  You cannot have it.  Here.  Have an Oreo.

"Yay I lergic I eat a OREO!!!"

Well, ok then.

06 March 2012

News Roundup

Goooood grief.  I'm not sure about the credibility of this... but... getting your front teeth knocked out is sexxxy in "coloured" culture.  It is called a "passion gap."  If you're brave, you'll go read the article that describes how to knock your teeth out and why it's such a hot trend in places like South Africa.

I am a xenophobe, personally, so I think it's a disgusting trend.  I'll warn you ahead of time that the article has language in it that I am not personally condoning, K?

**

In other news, I think we have all learnt this week that it is not nice to call someone a s--- because she thinks birth control is a right.  I would be kinder and say she's just a "delusionary little princess" if she thinks contraceptives are the big crushing medical expense most families need to face in the real world.  Wow, three thousand dollars for this important "medical" care over the course of four years?  I'm weeping for ya.  I'm sure transplant and cancer patients are too, sweetie.

I guess during an election year, people with special needs who would live without families in institutions the rest of their lives without extra help from the state are just not important demographically.

I'm not even getting into how this debate makes me feel as a conservative Christian.  As a special needs mom, though?  As a lower-middle class mom who has to pay for her own root canals?  There is a real disconnect from reality in this whole farce we call a "debate."

**

Forbes.  Um, not exactly a "let's revolt and have an anarchist government" sort of publication.  A recent article posits that just as slaves fared better under slavery than they did after their initial taste of freedom, so too are students better off in the public schools than learning on their own.  But we need to free them anyway.

"Abolition of slavery was not postponed until there was a clear vision for how to integrate millions of former slaves into society. Mass recognition of the fundamental evil of the institution demanded immediate action. Freed slaves embarked into a hostile world of profound deprivation and misery."

See, if I were alive during that time I should *like* to think I would want slaves freed after some provision for their well-being were made.  To my mind it is cruel to remove the few supports these people had so suddenly, but that's war for ya and they weren't the only ones.  But is the writer intimating that if public schools were to disappear tomorrow that we'd have "profound deprivation and misery" in the educations of millions of young people?

Just... sort of a strange article.  I can't quite pidgeonhole it.

**

I had no idea that when I was in school, I learnt to read and write because some dude in an office made up some standards!  I mean, you can't have education without curriculum.  And you can't have curriculum without standards (?? apparently yeah).

So. Therefore, we need Common Core and we need it now.  Because even if those standards are bad, we can't have good curriculum without them. 

"It seems to me a bit of a silly shell game to walk around talking about how standards don’t matter when every educator knows that quality standards can be a crucial ingredient in improving education."

Every educator knows this.  If you don't know this, you must not be an educator.  Because every educator knows that quality standards can be a crucial ingredient in improving education.

I swear, just for fun, go google your local school district's "mission statement" and report in the comments.  See if it's in English.  I mean real English that people speak outside of educational committees.  :)

04 March 2012

Our Weekend

Rose's new 'do.   I think I did a cute job.  Of course when we washed and dried her hair again, it's become apparent that there is one really LONG bit that will need to be styled again.  Meanwhile I try to be creative with it or say that she is going to grow a 1980's style "tail" on top of her head.  Remember those?  Hideous.  Glad that style is over.  :)

Elf placed FIFTH in the Lead Bank 2012 Midwest Junior Championship, K-6 division.  He's so proud.  Patrick also did well in the tournament and placed SECOND in the K-12 division. 
D says if we get too many more trophies, he will have to buy a new piano.

The trophy table at the championship.  It was a big tournament with five rounds and kids from other states as well.  So my children got to play several people they had never seen before.

02 March 2012

Curfew in Kansas City?

Less than two weeks from now there will be a vote on this proposal.  Any school-age child can be interrogated at the park or shopping center or... oh, just anywhere in Kansas City including the sidewalk in front of your house.  No crime needs to be committed for the cops to put YOUR kid into the paddywagon and bring him in downtown.  The officer simply needs to suspect that your child is truant.

First off, "compulsory education" is an oxymoron, but leaving that aside for the moment, there are about a dozen and one problems with this proposal.  I live about three blocks from Kansas City and parts of Kansas City are part of our school district.  Stay with me, now...

Today, my public-schoolers don't have school.  (It's Professional Development day, which means teachers are doing their dopey workshops and celebrating diversity and stuff.)  Kansas City School District (KCSD) schools are in session.  Were the law in effect today, my teens could be accosted for going to the park about a mile away from my house.

Guess what?  We also have spring break during an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT WEEK than KCSD.  And sometimes we call snow days and they don't.  Add to that the fact that our district has ten elementaries, bunches of middle schools and high schools that all have DIFFERENT start and end times and you can see where an officer might be confused as to what time "school" is really in session when he's thinking of picking up some random kid.

And I don't think my district is the only KC-area district with a few differences in attendance dates and hours than KCSD.  Nevermind that KCSD faces *immediate takeover* by DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) and DESE may decide to divvy up the district piecemeal to five *different districts* in the very near future.  Five different districts which may have different start and end times even within their borders.  Five different districts that have long weekends at different times.  (I'm counting about six in our district alone this year that are probably different from KCSD.)

I'm thinking cops have other things to do than carry ten different district schedules, and also worry about whether they're going to pick up the wrong kid sometime whose parents will start a stink in the media.  I haven't even gotten to this idea of homeschoolers being left alone just yet in my post, and I've been rambling for a while now.

HSLDA is currently collecting stories from homeschoolers who have been harassed or bothered in some way during the "school" day because of homeschooling.  They're encouraging members and other concerned people to email LegalC@hslda.org and promise to keep stories confidential unless specific permission is given to use publicly.

Sometimes it isn't even about homeschoolers.  Sometimes it's about American citizens of all ages having reasonable rights.  I wrote HSLDA and told them that as of right now, I've *never* been harassed by police or school officials for homeschooling.  And I'd like to keep it that way.

Bringing Garbage Home

Some people up the street were throwing this table away. It was in pretty bad shape and one of the legs was off. I've glued the leg back...