FIMBY - Community - Comments

Renee, We're thinking of

shelli — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:48:09 -0400

Renee, We're thinking of homeschooling too. (If our finances allow it.) There are two families in our subdivision who are homeschooling, and I know two other families planning to do it as well. I agree with you. I think no one will love my child like I do or know his needs like I do. My husband teaches college at a community college, and he says all the students he has who were homeschooled are some of the brightest, most well-rounded students he has. And furthermore, they are usually high school students doing joint-enrollment (getting early college credit)! Kudos to you!

Maine Art Glass Studio...

renee — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 04:43:33 -0400

Maine Art Glass Studio... funny you'd ask. I've had it on my list of places to go for some time. I thought originally I'd plan a visit on one of your trips. But Cori has organized a field trip where the kids get to create a piece of art glass. We're so excited! And I'm hoping to get some awesome photos (colored glass and sunlight is so beautiful) *smile*. But maybe we should go when you come this weekend anyway??

The proverbial one 'blog'

Karen — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 04:35:09 -0400

The proverbial one 'blog' leads to another: I checked out the lemon juice link on your post, where I wandered to the link-of-the-day bugs post. Immediately thought of your bug-infatuated family. Have you been to the Maine Art Glass Studio?

Yes, thanks for reminding

renee — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:17:10 -0400

Yes, thanks for reminding me. I saw that on the book signing table tonight. It was a fantastic lecture by the way, such a gift that I was able to go.
--
Renee

And don't forget Botany of

Wayfaring Wanderer — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:08:33 -0400

And don't forget Botany of Desire! I would love to have attended a lecture given by Michael Pollan. Omnivore's Dilemma is on my list.

I have been meaning to get

claudia — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:38:59 -0400

I have been meaning to get back to this post since last week. I didn't have time to read it that day. Boy, am I glad I did. Wonderfully said!!

I think a lot of people just don't have a clue. It's kind of amazing that they acknowledge the problems with public education, but think nothing of throwing a young impressionable mind into the lion's den. One of our family members actually said to my husband, "well, you can't just lock them up in the basement with a Bible." No, but I can prepare them for the battle by arming them at an early age with the moral values and knowledge of truth necessary to withstand the flaming arrows of this crazy world we live in.

If your kids are anything like mine, they are confident, intelligent, considerate, and more well mannered than most kids their age. We can only pray our children's generation will be the ones that help to make a difference in this world.

"This gals children are

Andie — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 07:28:46 -0400

"This gals children are having certain values instilled into them from someone else, and not necessarily a set of values that fall in line with hers."

Wow.

Renee, You enrich my spirit

casey — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:13:23 -0400

Renee,
You enrich my spirit and make me tingle with your words on homeschooling today. I am not as secure in my thought and reasons for homeschooling as are you. Your words I will revisit and meditate on.

peace,
casey

One of the things that

Spring — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:20:23 -0400

One of the things that helped me in realizing that I didn't' have to sacrifice interest, and creativity, and spontaneity in my kids' education, was the statistic that it only takes @100 hours each to learn math, reading, and writing to function as an adult. Kids spend about 1,050 hours in school every year beginning in Kindergarten, which is now usually a full day. If our kids become teenagers who are loving, and helpful, who are friends with each other and us, with their creativity and love for learning in tact, they will be ok. There is plenty of time.

Now having said that, I have a much more structured "school day" than Renee, but we are done by lunch, my kids still love to learn. (The morning is not all spent at a table either. We play math games in front of the fire, dig for bugs in the backyard, plan healthy meals etc.)

Thanks Renee, for helping me to relax, and enjoy this season with my kids, and for reminding us that that in itself is a priority!

well said there

Rich — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:25:12 -0400

well said there Renee..
Regarding "a", and comments such as:
"But this is the future now. They learn this stuff early."

the following thought popped into my little bean:

Life is being done TO most people who choose to fall in line with what most public school systems offer.
This gals children are having a certain values instilled into them from someone else, and not necessarily a set of values that fall in line with hers.
That's a primo reason that we homeschool, along with a myriad of other perfectly logical reasons.

What you are doing, is teaching your children to live life according to a gentle, compassionate, God inclusive paradigm: not plugging them into the 'educational' Matrix, so that they can be PHD's
If they're meant to be PHD's, they will, but many children are losing their childhood nowadays..at a high cost to everyone.

mho
R

Mom, No worries (I know you

renee — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 04:28:19 -0400

Mom,

No worries (I know you haven't been). Although it appears we're very laissez faire with our kiddo's education you can see that we do in fact have a plan and we're not just letting them craft all day, but almost *smile*. Thanks for your unending support in all our weird and wacky life choices. You're the best Nana and mother a daughter could ask for.
---
Renee

Hero?? That comment made my

renee — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 04:22:19 -0400

Hero?? That comment made my night Emily because I look up to and esteem YOU! You were one of the first people (through your example) that encouraged me to consider thinking of myself in terms other than wife and mother. Don't get me wrong I LOVE being those and that is what I mostly am. But I'm also a photographer, writer, gardener... When I met you I remember you talking about being a writer (that you were one) and that really got me thinking about what else I could be, besides domestic diva. So all of that to say - you are one of my life heroes and a great encouragement to me to pursue my other dreams and passions alongside my roles of wife, mother and homeschooler.

--
Renee

Wonderfully said. I'm glad

Kirsten — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:39:28 -0400

Wonderfully said. I'm glad you brought clarity to this subject for your readers. I'm not sure if there is anything more important than teaching your children how to be creative thinkers, it's so important in the real world. Kudos to you and yours!

Kudos Renee! My mom/mentor

Melissa Freeman — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:44:38 -0400

Kudos Renee! My mom/mentor had a very similar homeschooling model. In my homeschool/high school age years, we had a home school fine arts program with an 80 person choir, full orchestra, drama and tasteful dance programs. When my institutionally-educated friends were planning for prom and senior skip day, I was studying in Leipzig through the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program. For what is worth, the only aspect of my high school education that could have been a bit better was knowing more about colleges that would have been a great fit for me. Now, at 28, I work with an organization called My College Options (www.mycollegeoptions.org) that helps students connect to colleges and universities that provide opportunities best suited to their expressed strengths and interests within their student profile. I would encourage any home educated student to visit the site and introduce themselves to the college admissions process. Once My College Options has presented college matches, parents can explore admissions requirements and campus atmosphere to prepare their children for the application process.

Keep up the great work developing highly adaptable learners!

Did I ever enjoy reading

Karen — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:34:10 -0400

Did I ever enjoy reading this blog. I have always had faith and confidence in how you're educating my grandkids and this just builds on my understanding of where you're coming from. Thanks for laying it out so clearly.