MICHIGAN HOMESCHOOL PROM CRUISE!

Last Friday the Inaugural Michigan Homeschool Prom took place on the Elegant Detroit Princess Riverboat.

Kazz is 16 years old, considered a Junior, but is about to graduate from college with an Associate of Business Degree; so the standard "Senior" prom isn't something that would fly in the Homeschooling world. That is why this prom is a Freshman - Senior Prom. Homeschool Alumni under 21 can also attend as well as friends of homeschoolers.












There were teens in attendance from all over Michigan and Northern Ohio. Kazz and his friends are pictured above at the Detroit Renaissance Center. Kazz and his girlfriend, Beka, are to the right on the deck of the ship. The rest of the crew are pictured below in our yard. What a gorgeous bunch of unsocialized homeschoolers! LOL





Brian and I found out a while back that it is becoming more and more common for homeschooling teens to attend a Statewide Homeschool Prom. We decided that it would be a fun thing to plan a Michigan Homeschool Prom too, so that is exactly what we did. It went so well that we are now officially the Michigan Homeschool Prom sponsors. If you build it, they will come...and they did! :o)


If you know of homeschooling teens who live in Michigan or Northern Ohio who would like to attend the 2010 Michigan Homeschool Prom Cruise on April 30th please feel free to let them know. They can join the Facebook site for updates.



The view from the boat was absolutely amazing. We passed under the Ambassador Bridge twice during the cruise portion of the evening. We began the cruise when it was daylight and it ended after the sun had set so we were all able to get a lot of opportunities for sunset photos. Brian and I took advantage of that.



Here are some highlights of the dancing that occurred that evening. All of this fun took place with clean modern music too...who would have thunk it? :o)

I can't get over how pretty the boat was and how smooth the ride was that evening. I had never been on a Paddle boat. I didn't really know what to expect, but it was a pleasant surprise to find out that I couldn't feel the boat moving at all while inside the ship.




When I looked outside I couldn't tell we were moving either. It wasn't until I walked outside that I could appreciate the movement as I enjoyed the evening, breeze. It was a night to remember, though it took me 2 days to recover. The toe right next to my left big toe was numb for those 2 days and I have vowed to wear comfortable shoes next year...and I'm going to stop chaperoning long enough to dance with my husband at least once also!

Hope you all can join us next year too! :o)

EDUCATING IN THIS ERA

The knowledge our children gain from using Computers, watching television, movies and clips online is more than most of us gained in all of our years of K-12 public schooling.

This is the new age. This video explains why homeschooling, with multi-media, hours and hours a day, works better than public/private schooling hours and hours a day. Our children can use the tools more often, for longer and with more leniency than any school in America is equipped to give their students.

THIS is why Homeschooling Works better than the failing American Schools. THIS is why teachers should be able to use their knowledge, love of teaching and energy to run their classrooms the way they see fit rather than adhering to bureaucratic standards that continue to squash the educational desire of modern day students.

Teachers Are Not Broken. The System is broken! Until our schools can teach full out with the technology of today, they're best foot forward is 10 steps behind their students.

THIS is why Homeschooling Works!

HOME EDUCATION STATS

I've been asked repeatedly for some hard data regarding Homeschooling vs. Public/Private schooling. I have posted the findings below. I believe that it all comes down to one-on-one teaching versus mass teaching. Somehow, humans just learn better when they are given all the attention they need to succeed. One of the things my friends who were teachers agree upon is that mo matter how wonderful the public or private school teacher is, they will always have this hurdle to overcome.

Here are the stats:

Because Homeschooling Works If it's not broken, why spend money to fix it?

How do homeschoolers measure up?

Home school students do exceptionally well when compared with the nationwide average. In every subject and at every grade level of the ITBS and TAP batteries, home school students scored significantly higher than their public and private school counterparts (Figure 1).

Because home education allows each student to progress at his or her own rate, almost one in four home school students (24.5%) are enrolled one or more grades above age level (Figure 2). It should be noted that home school scores were analyzed according to the student’s enrolled grade rather than according to the student’s age level. In other words, a 10-year-old home school student enrolled in 5th grade would have been compared to other students in the 5th grade, rather than to his age-level peers in the 4th grade. Thus, the demonstrated achievement of homeschoolers is somewhat conservative.

On average, home school students in grades 1–4 perform one grade level higher than their public and private school counterparts. The achievement gap begins to widen in grade 5; by 8th grade the average home school student performs four grade levels above the national average (Figure 3).

Another significant finding is that students who have been home schooled their entire academic lives have the highest scholastic achievement. The difference becomes especially pronounced during the higher grades, suggesting that students who remain in home school throughout their high school years continue to flourish in that environment (Figure 4).

Differences were also found among home school students when they were classified by amount of money spent on education, family income, parent education, and television viewing. However, it should be noted that home school students in every category scored significantly higher than the national average.

No meaningful difference was found among home school students when classified by gender (Figure 5). Significantly, there was also no difference found according to whether or not a parent was certified to teach (Figure 6). For those who would argue that only certified teachers should be allowed to teach their children at home, these findings suggest that such a requirement would not meaningfully affect student achievement.
Source

HOW MUCH TIME DO WE ACTUALLY SPEND CONVERSING WITH OUR CHILDREN?

Quote: "Public school children receive almost 11,000 hours of time in a secular school from kindergarten through their senior year compared with only 264 hours spent in meaningful conversation with their parents within the same 12-year period."

Oh my goodness. I thought that was bunk but then I began thinking. When Kazz and Brisan went to school, I was the mom who yelled at them to wake up in the morning, hurried them out the door to leave then when they got home I was the mom who bugged them to do their homework and scolded them when they resisted. I was hardly ever "talking with" them. I talked "at" them quiet a lot though.

I've come to the conclusion that this quote is correct!

Let's do the math.

Let assume that we as parents sit and talk with our children for 1 hour a day. I know that we don't do this daily but for the sake of arguement, let's throw up that number for consideration.

I know, I know! If we get 3 minutes of time here and there every day we are happy. If we get to sit and watch television with them we are happy. Oh my, and if we have dinner with them we are ecstatic! But, for the sake of argument let's say we actually do speak WITH our children for 1 hour EVERY single day.

1 hour X 365 days per year X 13 years =

4745 hours from Kindergarten thru Senior year

VS

the school giving them their version of life for 11,000 hours.

I bet if we were to tick off the amount of time we actually do have meaningful conversation with our children the total amount of hours would be so much less. This actually makes me so very happy to have them at home for their schooling. We do spend so much more time talking and getting to know each other. Food for thought.

KAZZ GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL LAST WEEK...WHO KNEW?!

Many people believe that homeschooling families stop homeschooling when their children reach High School age. They believe this because "Everyone knows" that if we don't enroll our children into an "accredited" school then they will not have high school credits logged onto their "permanent records." Oh my! (snicker) What's more is that we will not have a choice to enter them into the 10th grade or 11th or 12th because they "need" to have credits logged or the schools will not accept them!! Good Gravy!! Sakes Alive! (rofl)

Truth: Some public schools will not accept high school, homeschool credits. There are Many schools both in person and online that WILL accept homeschool credits and allow students to graduate their senior year with an accredited diploma if, for some reason, the family feels the need to forgo a perfectly legal, acceptable and REAL homeschool diploma.

For those of us who do not feel the need to follow the same road that the vast herd is following however, we hop over to that narrow road where we homeschool all the way through High School. We take the road less traveled and sing along the way. (Some of us whistle)

Sometimes, when walking a road less traveled, we bump into things that the ordinary Joe has never seen. Sometimes we experience an out of the ordinary life altering taste of the world that makes us smile and yes, even laugh at the normalcy we have escaped. We run...WE RUN...to find a living soul that will listen to our experience. We SPRINT to tell all we know so that others can wake up, feel, taste, and ENJOY the NEW WORLD we have discovered!

I sit here, panting. I've run to find you! Excuse me, I need to catch my breath! Will you sit with me? Listen to this that I have found.

Something very odd happened on my narrow road last week. I was walking the path, minding my family, when I stumbled upon a college door and opened it. Going about my motherly duties I entered the college counselors office with my 16 year old son at my side. He, traveling his own narrow road, met me at the intersection and sat with me to listen. Since his 14th year of life, he's attended college classes, you see. He has been experiencing all there is to offer on his journey. This, however, was a new sight to behold and the joy is that we got to experience it together. We both wondered what could be so new that we were called into the counselors office after all this time.

Then the college counselor spoke...

"Kazz, you need to declare a major. You will be graduating next year."

I sat upright. "He is not graduated from High School yet!" I said, from the depths of my still brainwashed soul.

She turned to look at her computer screen, then turned to me and said,

"He's on the Dean's List."

My thoughts raced. I didn't understand. 'What does that have to do with anything? WHAT does that have to go with ANYTHING AT ALL?! What is she saying? I'm lost. I 'm lost on my path. The weeds and brush are too high to see over. I can't get through! Where's that dog gone machete!?'

She turned to Kazz as I faltered in my mind. She asked, "Kazz, What is your major?"

I could hear my son. My young, narrow road traveling son, sat upright, looked her in the eye and said, "I'm a business major."

Without Pomp or Circumstance, and with a few... only a few strokes of the counselors keyboard, one of my children, My First Baby, is graduated from High School. He is no longer a school aged boy. He has his college ID, his driving license and his name placed on the Dean's List. His name, unknown to any of us, was on that list when he was Fifteen.

As we walked out of the college, the machete had done it's job. I could see the path clearly. In an instant, I understood completely what the counselor was trying to say to me. She too was trying to cut through the weeds and brush that blocked my path.

Do you see it?

"He's on the Dean's List" paraphrased means...

"You have finished what you started, my friend. He has arrived."

Can't I have just a few more homeschooling steps? I'm not quite ready to head to the next phase of his life....of my life.

HOMESCHOOL GEAR: NIKON BINOCULARS

We are homeschooling and raising 5 sons so the average school gear does not exactly apply to our family. When we buy gear we buy books and paper like the average bear but we also buy a lot of outdoor gear as well.

I'm always on the lookout for the best deals and this year is no different. This year we are using The Dangerous Book For Boys as our homeschool curriculum resource this year, so I am looking for all things boyhood.

I found an EXCELLENT deal on the Nikon Monarch ATB binoculars. These are the cream of the crop and usually sell for quite a pretty penny. Right now OpticsPlanet has them priced at only $50.00 with FREE UPS Shipping!




Whether you need a pair of Binoculars for Hunting, Bird watching or Sport viewing, this Nikon deal is an unbelievable value. They are 100% waterproof, fog proof and shockproof. They are rubber-armored and have the roof-prism design with the extended eye relief and central focus for viewing. The lenses are fully multi coated to boot!

I'm going to look around their site to see what else OpticsPlanet carries because they say the have the lowest prices guaranteed with Free UPS shipping. I love a deal!

HOMESCHOOLING THRU HIGH SCHOOL

It's no secret that we are homeschooling thru high school. Though, in the past many homeschoolers have chosen to send their teens to high school after homeschooling their elementary and middle school years, the new homeschooling family is using the teens years to get a jump start on college education. The teenager of the past, is now the young adult of today.

For more information about how to homeschool thru high school check out HSLDA online or read our story.

Happy Homeschooling!

HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE COMING SOON: ONLINE MUSEUM

The Stark Museum of Art in Orange, Texas, houses one of the nation’s most significant collections of American Western art. This museum struck me as interesting because The Stark Museum of Art provides lesson plans to help teachers combine the arts into their curriculum. These lessons will soon be available online and will be updated as new lessons become available.

The Stark Museum is located in Orange Texas and is closely related to the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation. Lutcher and Nelda spent their lives collecting American Western art and fostering the love of this art in others. The Stark Foundation was established as a non-profit corporation in 1961 by the two, to be operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. The mission now, for The Stark Foundation is to improve the quality of life in Southeast Texas by encouraging, promoting and assisting education, the arts, and health and human services.




The collections of Western Art, American Indian Art, Decorative Arts, and Rare Books and Manuscripts is bar none the most comprehensive in the nation. Their museum is a must see family vacation attraction for those exploring Texas.




Explore the site, wait for the lessons to appear and then go see the real thing. What a way to take a class.

Happy Homeschooling!

SOCIALIZATION...

As funny as that cartoon is, I will say that I don't believe it is true. Most kids, homeschooled or otherwise, are on an even keel speaking with one another.

I think that people who ask me about socialization are really asking me how our children are going to experience the things we did in public school. They are voicing their knee jerk reaction that somehow, homeschooled kids will miss out on being a kid.

Some of our favorite memories took place while we were in school you know. That first peck on the cheek, the first playground friend, the first crush. For many, if not most people, all of that took place at school.

I understand the knee-jerk "socialization" question. What they really want to know is if our kids will be able to have the neat experiences we all had in school.

To that I say, Yes. Our children will have that first peck on the cheek. Some of my boys already have. Yes, they will have that first crush and make those close friends. BUT...they won't be in a classroom or attending school when it happens.

In reality, we all had those experiences as happenstance in a school setting. No matter if we are at home, on a field trip, at our neighbors home, at park day, at a sports outing or even at the mall...our homeschooled kids get to be children and experience all the ups and downs of friendships and crushes just like "schooled" children. They just do it elsewhere.

Don't fret. Our kids get to be kids too. :-)

KAZZ'S HOMESCHOOL PROM!

Kazz and a hand full of his homeschool friends went to the Homeschool Prom together last night.

It was held at an elite golf club, catered and had a DJ that they thought was great.

Kazz, Marissa, Jake and Eric are pictured. She was the lone girl in their crew, though she was actually escorted by her boyfriend Jake. (middle)

After the Prom the kids were laughing and talking and just very positive about the evening. Apparently ALL 4 of them danced with the masses who attended. Even Marissa and Jake were switching dancing partners and having a great time.

I asked them how long it took for all the kids to get warmed up enough to actually get out there and dance to the music. They said, practically in unison...

"The first song came on and we all just went out and started dancing."

I said,

"Oh you 4 started the thing off right then."

They said,

"No, everybody there got up and danced."

I LOVE it! I remember that our high school prom was a dud. It took forever for people to get out there and dance. The couples stuck together and the cliques were all...cliquey.

Not our homeschooling crew! But you know, that's because they are so "unsocialized." tee hee

BIKES TO CARS...

KAZZ'S
BICYCLE STORY CONTINUES...

A moment ago Kazz walked into our home with a fuming expression on his face.

"Mom. Did dad do anything with my bikes?"

I know he was half hoping I'd say,
"Yes dear you didn't put them away so he hid them." But that was not the case.

The bikes are gone. These are the bikes that he bought last year after finally saving enough money to get the great hoopty doo bike he really wanted. He went to the store to buy the $300 bike and the guy gave him two for money.

WELL! He couldn't pass up two Haro's for that price!

They're gone...right out of our shed. Goners!

God knows I'm afraid to buy the kid a car!

WELL TOO BAD...

Here is Kazz and Brian coming home from getting Kazz's PERMIT! :-)