The Six-Lesson School Teacher

America's School System has become adept at teaching a National Curriculum -- but it is one not too many of us realize until it is pointed out to us. I was startled several years ago to read through John Taylor Gatto's books, Dumbing Us Down and A Different Kind of Teacher.
Nominated both New York State and New York City Teacher of the Year in the early '90s, Gatto has an insider viewpoint. He also has a love for the dear teachers and students in our country, and a huge disdain for the system.
You can find the entire article here -- I this was an acceptance speech for one of his Teacher of the Year awards -- gutsy guy!

The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Socialization Question

My friend Darlene just sent this to my inbox:

How to Answer the Socialization Question Once and for All by Marsha Ransom

I am beginning to tire of the many articles, essays and responses I keep running across on what has come to be known as the "socialization question."
Homeschooling families, please listen carefully: What people refer to as socialization is a non-issue! It has become a buzz-word among the Official Homeschool Nay Sayers Society. When someone asks you the question ("What about SOCIALIZATION!?"), I suggest you begin by asking them, "What do you mean by socialization?" They will more than likely proceed with some variation on the following theme: "You know, having your kids spend time with other kids their age. Hanging out with their friends, stuff like that." At that point do not, under any circumstances respond with, "Oh my little Susie gets plenty of socialization! She's in 4-H and Awanas, and Sunday school and HomeSchool band and she volunteers at the nursing home etc.etc. etc. In fact she has so many opportunities for socialization that I hardly have time to teach her some days..YaDa YaDa YaDa." Why not? Because this is not what socialization really is!
Here is a more appropriate response: "Oh, I think the word you are looking for is socializing. Socialization is actually defined as the process by which the norms and standards of our society are passed from one generation to the next. I've never really thought that a complete stranger's six-year old child would be a good source of information on the correct standards of behavior in our family and in society as a whole. As for socializing, I remember from my school days that it was something you weren't supposed to be doing during class!"
We do not have to defend homeschooling based on false assumptions, false accusations, and false information. Please stop telling others about all the opportunities your kids have for "socialization" and start gently exposing them to the real issue here-- a lot of what kids learn from other kids in social situations is simply living according to "The Law of the Jungle." In our family, we have a higher set of laws to follow and I bet your family does too. Next time, don't be afraid to say so!

Marsha's book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Homeschooling, can be purchased through amazon or found in Sacramento's Public Library System

No School in Narnia

Just finished reading a great interview with C.S. Lewis' stepson Douglas Gresham in this month's issue of The Old Schoolhouse! Gresham elaborated on topics from growing up with C.S. Lewis to his role in the new The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe movie. His comments on homeschooling are fresh, enlightening, and doused with English wit.
A bit of the interview:

TOS: In earlier conversations with you, you told me that you were an ardent supporter of homeschooling. What is your opinion of homeschooling, and how did you reach that opinion?
GRESHAM: Homeschooling and why I advocate it is not a matter of whether the schools are good or bad, though obviously I would rather children went to good schools than to bad ones, if go to school they must. It is that as someone who has been trained and works in the the field of post-childhood abuse trauma, and has devoted considerable thought to the matter, I have formed the opinion that the entire concept of school if flawed. In fact, it is a terrible mistake.Look what we do: we observe what God has designed, a pair of parents, one of each sex, and two pairs of grandparents, often with a few aunts and uncles thrown in. In fact, a Family. This is the unit designed by God Himself for the specific purpose and ministry of raising each new generation.Then what do we do? We take the child and remove him from this carefully designed support group of parents and close family members, all of whom share a genetic bond with the child, and plunge him into a mass group of his peers, all of whom are as ignorant and as demanding as he is, with one adult stranger supervising. In terms of the psycho-emotional development of the child, this is complete madness.A child is best nurtured by having the one-on-one attention from each of the two parents for a specific period of time each day. Ideally, a child should be homeschooled by both parents sharing the task equally, though I do realize that this is not always possible. Bear in mind that I am not referring to idiotic parents, criminal parents, drug-addicted parents, or self-indulgent, self-obsessed parents, nor to anyone else who should never be graced (in my view, not God's, of course) with progeny in the first place. I am referring to normal, well-adjusted, good parents. And with our modern habits of sending children away from their home and families for the better part of every day, these [well-adjusted parents] are becoming more and more scarce as the vast majority of people are damaged or scarred emotionally and intellectually themselves by being exiled from their home and parents and placed in the hands of strangers at a young age.It is a trans=generational progression exacerbated by the fact that those who are damaged very often are not even aware of it. If I had known back then what I know now, my children would never have gone to school until they were at least 18 years old. Satan hates what God loves and God loves us, Mankind. The basic unit of Mankind is the family, so Satan has targeted the Family, and he has been pretty successful, mostly by using "good intentions." I think that "School" is one of his very clever inventions. As far as I am concerned, schools are for fish.

Considering Homeschooling?

Just stumbled onto this dynamic site!
http://consideringhomeschooling.org/index.htm
Here is a compelling quote:
As Christians we commanded to be salt and light in this dark world. We are commanded to go forth and take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are lost. How can our children fulfill these commands if they are not equipped to do so? How can we hope to even attempt to change our world for Christ if our future generations are being led away from Him by what they are being taught in the public education system?
Stop for minute and think. What if every Christian, pastor and Christian leader in our nation came together (including those fighting good causes like abortion, evolution, pornography, homosexuality, etc.) and said “Enough is enough! We are going to take back our children for Christ!” What is every Christian pulled their children out of the public education system and made sure they were brought back into the fold and received a Godly, biblical education? How long would it take before most, if not all, of the social ills which plague our nation began to heal or disappeared altogether? A generation? Two generations? Three? God has said, “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”(2 Ch. 7-14) That’s a promise straight from God and God does not break His promises!