Reasons I am glad we homeschool: Moral Decisions

Michele Cheplic, fitness blogger for families.com recently wrote about a controversial school fitness option… pole dancing, that is being entertained in European high schools. This school was not alone in choosing curriculum and educational options for students that border on lack of morals. Just this week in the news, there were stores about the musicals and plays such as “Rent” being hotly debated in Drama Club due to homosexual themes and adult content. Recently in Georia, a dance sqaud was retired for the year for very provocative moves. While some parents see nothing wrong with these decisions made by these … Continue reading

Reasons I am glad we homeschool: Humiliation

I just read an article by the education blogger about a family who felt humiliation might be the key to get their child to try harder in school. The family punished their kids for bad grades by making him stand on a corner for six hours with a placard announcing his bad grades and that his “future=shaky”. As homeschoolers we also have times when we feel a child is not putting forth his or her best effort academically. The thing is that lack of academic effort is usually a symptom of a bigger problem. As parents we must ask ourselves: … Continue reading

Reasons I am glad we homeschool: Cheating on tests

Were you aware that students print cheat sheets in a very small font, then tape them to the inside of a water bottle label. The water magnifies the text, and walla! They get an easy A? Were you aware that students scan a coke label, and then edit in a graphic design program to have information on the exam instead of the ingredients? Neither did I? Did you know that you can purchase a pen that you can tape cheat information in and each time you click the barrel, it reveals more information? I am amazed. Did you know you … Continue reading

Reasons I am glad we homeschool: Hit a Jew Day

I was upset back in elementary school when my son was smacked daily because his first name was Jackson as was the name of the school. However, imagining being a Jewish student on Hit a Jew day is beyond my comprehension. According to the Associated Press, “At least four students from a suburban St. Louis middle school face punishment for allegedly hitting Jewish classmates during what they called “Hit a Jew Day.” The incident happened last week at Parkway West Middle School in Chesterfield… The concern is a lot of kids knew about it and they didn’t take action or … Continue reading

Reasons I am glad we homeschool: Electronic monitoring

In a time of mass failure of standardized tests, and children finishing high school unable to read or do college level math, it seems that schools are spending more time and money worried about behavior and tracking kids than actually teaching them anything. In a case of innovation gone awry, a school district in Sutter California has mandated that students wear radio frequency badge/transmitters so the school can keep track of the children. The badges show the name and grade of the student along with a wireless transmitter that beans their ID number to a teacher’s handheld computer when the … Continue reading

Reasons I am Glad We Homeschool: Gateway Tests

It was just announced in Georgia, where I live, that 40% of 8th graders have failed the CRCT math test that allows them to move on to high school. (This number varies based on the reports and could be as high as 60% failure rate.)Sixth and seventh graders have failed the social studies test en masse. Many of the students who have failed the test are honor students. What is wrong with this picture? The Georgia CRCT test is designed to measure how much knowledge students have retained from what they learned. This test is used to diagnose students strength … Continue reading