Today's tip is from LBS, my friend in Houston. She suggests looking at curricula online to get ideas for the kids' reading in various subjects. For instance, I've been looking at the book lists on the History Odyssey site to help me figure out what Iulius and Lucretius might be able to read for history at their specific levels. Then I can get the books at the library.
I've also started to look at the graded book lists at local charter schools to get level-appropriate ideas. I've found that homeschooled kids tend to read a whole lot more than schooled kids, so we need all the suggestions we can find!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Video Wednesday
I really liked posting the video last week. There are a ton of funny homeschooling videos on youtube, so I thought I would share another with you. I do realize that the song is a Christian rock song and that there are things that don't apply to many of us, but, as I always say, inclusive (secular?) homeschoolers and religiously motivated homeschoolers are more alike than different!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
A change and some definitions
After some consideration, discussions, and a lot of resistance, I have changed a part of the title of this blog.
I really like using the word "secular" when talking about non-religiously motivated homeschooling. "Secular" basically just means "of or relating to the worldly or temporal" (Websters Unabridged Dictionary). When talking about our homeschooling support group, I like to use "secular" simply to distinguish our group from the religiously based groups. Many members of our support group are deeply religious, but choose to homeschool for reasons other than their spiritual beliefs and choose to belong to a non-religious group.
When I first set up our website, one of my friends told me that I should use the word "inclusive" instead of secular because I would be alienating the families who are religious but don't want to base their homeschooling on a religious structure. I pretty much poo-pooed her concerns (sorry AG). Then, in a discussion with another friend on Friday, she mentioned that a lot of people won't even consider joining a "secular" homeschooling group because they interpret that word to mean "anti-religious." As much as I despise etymological relativism, I'm now bending to popular will.
I am going to try my best, from now on, to use the term "inclusive homeschooling" instead of "secular homeschooling."
This now leaves me in a conundrum, however -- what term do I use instead of the terms "Christian" or "religious" when denoting homeschoolers other than inclusive ones? Although I believe that inclusive homeschoolers and religiously motivated homeschoolers have more commonalities than differences, I do believe that there are a few fundamental, important differences (which is why I specifically denote that inclusive homeschooling is a revolutionary act). What would be a good short-hand term to use instead of "religiously motivated?" Or is that the best term available?
Discussion please.
I really like using the word "secular" when talking about non-religiously motivated homeschooling. "Secular" basically just means "of or relating to the worldly or temporal" (Websters Unabridged Dictionary). When talking about our homeschooling support group, I like to use "secular" simply to distinguish our group from the religiously based groups. Many members of our support group are deeply religious, but choose to homeschool for reasons other than their spiritual beliefs and choose to belong to a non-religious group.
When I first set up our website, one of my friends told me that I should use the word "inclusive" instead of secular because I would be alienating the families who are religious but don't want to base their homeschooling on a religious structure. I pretty much poo-pooed her concerns (sorry AG). Then, in a discussion with another friend on Friday, she mentioned that a lot of people won't even consider joining a "secular" homeschooling group because they interpret that word to mean "anti-religious." As much as I despise etymological relativism, I'm now bending to popular will.
I am going to try my best, from now on, to use the term "inclusive homeschooling" instead of "secular homeschooling."
This now leaves me in a conundrum, however -- what term do I use instead of the terms "Christian" or "religious" when denoting homeschoolers other than inclusive ones? Although I believe that inclusive homeschoolers and religiously motivated homeschoolers have more commonalities than differences, I do believe that there are a few fundamental, important differences (which is why I specifically denote that inclusive homeschooling is a revolutionary act). What would be a good short-hand term to use instead of "religiously motivated?" Or is that the best term available?
Discussion please.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Let's Get Started Again
The weather is finally getting cooler here in the Desert Southwest and our park days have started again. Although we've been going full force on our lessons since August, I haven't had the gumption to start up this blog again. It's not that I don't have ideas -- I have a million of them. I think it's just that I don't know where to begin. I've decided, then, to start with another person's ideas. It's an obvious choice. Enjoy!
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