Messages By: luvncheers

I was reading of your son's negative school experience...sorry that has taken place in your public school experience for your son. I have decided to not homeschool my kidz. It was not a decision I made lightly as I did consider homeschooling at one time. I asked myself alot of questions as I did my homework of what it would take to homeschool. I noted early on that there is alot of sacrifice that goes into homeschooling and so I commend homeschooling parent(s). I was one of the influences in alot of my friends lives as they all homeschool their children and they have teased me once on why I was all elated about it and then I backed out and put them in school. I too felt a need to be my two kids number one teacher in life and I too wanted to prevent my children from being corrupted as I to have standards and want my children to have Godly influences in their lives too! I also did not want to make that important decision of my children future education out of fear either. I feel strongly on the need for my kidz to learn to stand up for their own faith and be the "salt in the world" as I knew eventually my children will have to re-enter the school system and engage this world for what it is at some point in their lives and I have a strong desire to help them be prepared for life's challenges. I have come to the conclusion that I am my kidz number one teacher and I am a powerful force of influence in their lives! My kidz , now ages 8 and 7, attend a public school system and have been since kindergarden and I am and always will be their number one cheerleader, supporter and teacher. I thank God for my kidz teachers, otherwise, I would have quite the lot on my plate. My son lastyear in grade two has had his first primary introduction to Evolution...he came home to my husband and I, with all the inquiring questions. So you see, I get to answer all his questions and help him to consider what he already knew in his grade two mind that how can this world begin with a big bang...he had the faith of our home instilled in his life already that there is a God and he questioned his instructions he was getting in school. Never underestimate what a child can learn in his home life and still attend school and be effective there too! We are always their number one teacher, whether they are homeschooled or not! To me the big difference is homeschooled children have different social experiences and homeschooling parent(s) have their work of preparation tougher...I only hope if you homeschool you have your support system the days you children are tough to teach or all the other dynamics that parents face in a day and the life of being not just a teacher, but a mother and wife and a sunday school leader or community volunteer etc. Life is busy and homeschooling is serious business and hard work that may be positive and negative effects on your kidz development!

Indeed there is definately more to education then Math, English, Spelling, Science, History! Indeed family and faith is of great priority in life. The basic elements of education is necessary and I hope as homeschoolers you will not underestimate that need for your child to succeed in such subjects. Skills are an asset to life and can be developed if you know what you are doing.

I chose to not homeschool so that I can free my life up to serve more, work part-time (administrative assistant in my home church) and be the learning supporter in my child's life. I suppliment my kidz education from what they get in school and I personally can only do that best if I have one less worry...educating their basics, like reading and writing with a good standard that is measurable and knowledge of the science that only points to the existance of God and giving my children the facts truthfully is my job and they will learn to discern and research and hence such educational tools are important and can be taught with excellent standards in school and homeschooling too, provided you yourself can teach them as there is much to consider, your chemistry teaching ability with your children, your teaching abilities in child development eg. are they at the level your child is ready to take in, does your child have hidden learning disabilities and are you aware of the level of knowledge they must aquire per grade level as you must adequately prepare them for post secondary education that is viable to their standard of living and their ability to choose a career. All that are very important in life too!

Homeschooling is a viable choice I believe in it. It is HARD WORK and you must be prepared to make sacrifices to your personal goals, and gain some teaching techniques as there are creative ways to teaching that are neat too! Public school is a choice and I believe in it too...there are some GREAT teachers out there and my children are blessed to have a new one every year! I am a full participant in their education as research shows strong parental involvement in schools and their children's progress and education creates successful students!

I am a public schooler of my two kids, grades 2 and 3. I am comfortable with it b/c I have them in a setting I put much effort into discovering. That setting is being compromised due to insufficient funds in our Valley's public school system and so small rural schools are being closed so that they can grow their educational dollars in the "bigger" schools. Creating more bigger schools to me is not the educational answer but it is a present system and it is what they have deemed as working educational solution...or is it? I am trying not to feel threatened by it. One of the moms I spoke with lastweek said she will homeschool her daughter if they close down our Rural Traditional School (Vancouver Island, Canada) and frankly for me I do not have that luxery and homeschooling is something I considered once and have made my decision not to homeschool. It is not a sacrifice I am willing to make. I love my children and I am there teacher in life, and putting them in public schools does not threaten or compromise that role for me.

My position on homeschooling is one of support as most of my friends homeschool. I feel I hardly get to see my friends that homeschool on a ladies night out level and I know their time is consumed.

Unschooling...I had no idea what to say to that until the show aired. My first thought was...is that LEGAL? Only in the USA maybe...it is just a term I am unfamiliar with. I have heard such philosphies on learning that the unschooled mom spoke of as we have a school here that is Private that literally "facilitate" the children that go there and they are not considered teachers and they also will not "pressure" a child to read if he/she is not ready etc. I have a friend that sends her son there. HM! Oh dear...I believe the desire to learn and apply what you learn is not innate. It must be cultivated and that takes a rich and educating environment, the right chemistry and skill. Learning can happen but it cannot also not happen! Learning is supported and that is the role of parents, homeschooling or not.

What I believe the public school provides for my children is plenty of oportunity to develop some of who they are ("some" I say is b/c I get the priviledge of playing a big part in that), public school aids in growing and developing future leaders. School's aid in children's ability to deal with all kinds of pressures, time, performances, peers, the good, the bad, and the ugly. It gives them much oportunity to stand the ground of what is good in this world and fight for what is right in the face of some oposition. It teaches them to adjust to new teachers year after year as well as getting to know new peers (depending on school size). My children are currently fortunate to have the same peer group in their class for at least this year as small schools are being shut down here. In light of my reasons to public school my kids, I face new challenges of yet attending another different school. When I talk about it with my children and I look into their eyes, I see how delighted they are not to have to wear their uniforms to school...ohhh, something I am not thrilled about as the uniformity of dress code in my opinion aids in learning as it removes that external element and helps them settle into what they are there for...to listen and learn. I have full access to their curriculum as there is a strong parental board at this school. My children are also confident that they will get along well in the new school as they say to me they will make new friends (sighh, this mama is feeling a little better at their encouragement).

I am pleased to send my kids to the public school and will adjust to the BIG school a couple blocks over if they close this wonderful Rural Traditional School of ours down...we are fighting it though and this kind of school attracts homeschoolers, however, in our battle to keep it open and publically funded, it has risked the losses of supporting student bodies that are needed to keep the school funded and publically open. We shall see by spring how this school fight ends!

Ahh, fellow Islander...Hello! I was aware of the Canadian Government funding...that is really nice of our government considering all the high taxes we pay here! That is an encouraging bonus for homeschoolers as it costs more to homeschool then to public school.  

No, unschooling is not a term I have heard my friends use. They consider themselves homeschoolers and their children would say they are homeschooled. I can see that homschoolers are unschooled in the literal use of the word. Homeschooler can registered under Regent Christian Academy where they get the benefits of skilled teaching programs in group settings, support of curriculum and other social acitivies. My daughter goes to the homeschool group gymnastics with my friend and her girls who are homeschooled. Indeed these resources are a bonus made wonderfully available here on Vancouver Island!

Rural Traditional School is new to the Island, as of 4 years ago. It is a charter school that is publically funded school (soon to become unfunded) and it falls under the "school of choice" category such as "French Emerge" (E'cole) schools are also "schools of choice" category and are publically government funded forms of education and anyone can attend those schools outside of their district designated areas. Rural Traditional has it's unique philosophies of education and one of them is uniformity...hence the uniform dresscode with school logos chosen and voted on by the school community of parents. We get the funding dollars all public schools get but less as we are smaller school.

My friend may very well homeschool, if all in this battle does not end well and we are forced to close our school doors.  I wish her well being a single mom, she will have to find a way to accomplish that role.

Is unschooling the same as homeschooling? How is unschooling different then homeschooling? Are they different? When I watched the show, I saw different philosophies in approaching learning and so in my mind unschooling, from what I heard the unschooled mom say regarding her views on unschooling and it sounded like the Private school here on the Island, The Waldorfe School. They "facilitate" learning with some structure (there must be some structure when teaching children as developmentally they do require it) but it is not performance based structure and there is no pressure or force to learn anything the child is not ready to take in and the grading system sounds different as well. It also sounds similar to the Montessori Program and that is by research a proven method that works well with children. Whether it is the same as Montessori program or different, that remains unclear to me. That is about all I know about Waldorfe School. So to me it sounded identical to the philosophy the unschooling mom talked about in her own home schooling "methodology."

I do know something about facilitating as that is my degree background and such styles suit adult learners not necessarily children. Again, this is based on the definition that directed learning is not facilitative learning and it is used with adults as it requires some level of critical thinking skills  as well learning adaptive skills already set in place in an adult brain. When one teaches adults they do not teach the same way or at the same level as they would with children. Adult learners are required to learn the material and how they learn it is up to them and adults need not a daily directive reminder to get the job done, however, children need that directive reminder and all the how to skills taught directively and with sensativity to they way they learn. So my issue is the unschooling mom on the show defining unschooling as this nondirective style learning that innately takes place and naturally blooms into something wonderful w/o structure and pressures in life...I am not convinced that is a method that will work with children and I know homeschooling moms who do not use that method of learning style as naturally, it does not suit the nature and mentality of children and who they are. So that, however wrong my definition is, was my definition of unschooling. It just seems to me there is terminology being used interchangably with no clear defining attributes? 

There are lots of educational philosophies being used...unfortunately interchangable or they vary only by a degree of differing pov. I was finding myself confused and fascinated by this topic of education and how it is changing and how it is also being redefined into something that is nolonger for the skilled teacher or educator. Not sure how good that direction is? too love and believe in the freedom and choice that we have in education here too!
 

Yeah this family needs alot of prayers. I am sure their self pride is preventing them from getting the financial help they need from extended family members (and they should not have to be in the position to have to help). Their pride has closed their heart and mind to wise and sensible living.  

The first thought that went through my mind is that is alot of kids to provide for. Businesses fail alot and that is no excuse to continue to have more kids. They definately need a better plan then the one they have!

It really is troublesome when people throw the term "God's Will" around like they have! It is their wrong definition of "God's Will" and it has also been their excuse for continuing to live the way they have!  

My understanding of God's will is it means the same for everyone who chooses to follow God. God's plan does not lead families in the ditch, humans do that on their own will!

The first thought that went through my mind is my own daughter who is only 8 years old. As a mother I will be able to connect with  Brianna's mother.

The scary reality is registering is a choice sex offenders can make and hopefully they are willing to be considered accountable to their community. Does this system really work? It's a sad truth to know and even grasp that they do not have to register as I am pretty sure it is not law for them to register yet. I'd be more concerned about the unregistered sex offenders! So what choices do communities really have as the offenders that are registering, what does that tell you about them!?

What I really hope to get from this show that is yet to be aired (Canadian viewer here) is how we as a society can equip our families, neighbourhoods and daughters and sons for that matter from becoming a victim of sexual rape/violence and molestation?

One thing for sure as parents both my husband and myself have taught and roled played somewhat (you don't want to scare them to live in this world) with our children about talking with strangers and what would you do if you were pulled into a car or put in the back of the trunk. There are things you can do! What is inappropriate touching and who is the only person that can touch their body and that is a doctor and that while they are still young as their parents we will always be present when they are with the Doctor. Good Family Physicians will always (should) ask for your permission before they do examine you and tell you what they are doing for you medically when they do examinations. Education is empowerment.

Understanding what sex offenders are capable of is also good empowerment. Getting into the mind of the molester sex offender is what I will be looking for in the show. Perhaps Dr. Phil will have preventative maintenance listed on his website as tools that we can use to equip us and our loved ones!?

Questions I have always wanted straight answers to on this subject is;

Does our less dress is best motto fasion society contribute to the minds of those who sexually offend?

Does pornography industry fuel and feed the ill minds of sexual preditors?

What if the fasion industry changed to a more less revealing but all the same pleasing motto, leaving much to the imagination, would that really help lesson the effects of offending?

Or is it all about control and power and the preditor/offender's need to graditify and victimize?

What is the fine line between molesters and rapist and rapist who kill? Is there one or is it like a linked chain going on a downward level of a slippery slope where some offenders go and others are more strong and do not kill their victims? I guess this question is also asking is this truly reversable or does it continue to get worse as the offender continues to offend?

I rarely if ever miss an episode and my hubby and I watch it together (dct recorded) and watch on our own time after our 'kidz' go to bed! Looking fwd to learning more on this topic.

Cheers, Nancy