Earlier this fall I started a five- part series of posts on how to teach our children to think critically. Rule number 1 was “be gracious” to those who hold contrary views. Why? Because somethings can’t be reversed. Posts, texts, tweets, are permanent, apologies and retractions notwithstanding. On to rule number 2. Ignoring this rule leads…
I don’t know about you, but I’ve ingested way too much digital content lately. Of course, the catalyst for why I’ve been overindulging was the election. That includes the analysis of the results, the implications of the results, and of course the back and forth of who is to blame or is to receive credit for…
I started my classroom career teaching elementary school. One morning I was wanting to explain to my students the effect our words and actions have on others. To illustrate this, I took a 2 by 4 piece of wood and with a hammer, pounded a nail into it all the way through to the other…
Do you sometimes feel like you’re on the receiving end of a firehose of information that just never stops? That the only way to control it would be to cut off the flow, to turn it off? But, because we want the information, we “can’t” or don’t want to disengage so we find ourselves resorting…
They’ve got mine, so I’m guessing they’ve got yours. They’re tracking our behavior, and our children’s too, if they’re on a device that goes on-line. When the whole world is running towards a cliff, he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind. ~ C.S. Lewis Wishing you the best…
Are you ready for the beginning of another year of home schooling? Scrambling a bit? I know the feeling. This time of year is a good time to remind ourselves why we’re home schooling in the first place- what our main focus or goal will be, what we hope to instill in our children. What…
Is there a way to mitigate against the polarizing, toxic culture we live in, the culture that daily imposes itself on our children? I think there is. The antidote is found in an ancient proverb: “The memory of the righteous is a blessing.” ~ Proverbs 10:7 What if, each week, you spent a few minutes reading…
Hello Home Schoolers! Did the testing deadline here in Oregon sneak up on you? Unable to find an examiner to test your student before August 15? You’re not alone, and we can help! Oregon’s administrative rule regulating testing states: (5) Children in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10, being taught as provided in section (4)…
Stressed that your third-grade student will not pass their test this year? Were the results of the practice test concern you? Perhaps your student already took the actual test and did not do well. Wish you could give them an extra year to mature and gain the academic skills needed to perform at grade level? Here’s what…
Hello home schoolers, Just a brief email to let you know that some home schoolers are being requested to turn in test results this year. There are three things to know and three things you can do. Administrative rules below are italicized and in smaller print. What you need to know: First, even if you…