Monday, January 24, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
School Choice Expo - Today!
There is a school choice expo going on at the Florida State Fair Grounds today! For more information, see this website.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Public School Insanity
Yesterday, NaplesNews.com reported that the Collier County public schools will offer a Religious Freedom Day on January 19. Representatives from various groups will have literature available for students. According to the article:
Among the organizations having district approval to participate in Religious Freedom Day are the Unitarian Universalist Church, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), the Islamic Center of Naples and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Organizations had to notify the Collier County School District by Jan. 10 if they wanted to participate in the event.Read the whole thing here. Do you want your kids to be exposed to this?
Friday, January 7, 2011
Is Your School A Failing School?
Do you know how well your neighborhood public school is doing? The State of Florida ranks schools. Find out where your school stands at this link.
Of course, this tells you next to nothing about any specific classroom or teacher. But it is something.
Of course, this tells you next to nothing about any specific classroom or teacher. But it is something.
Paideia School Open House
If you are interested in classical Christian education and live in the Tampa Bay area, The Paideia School is having open houses January 12 and January 19 at 8:45 a.m. For more information, call 813-988-7700.
On Intentionality
The message of this post is simple: Be intentional.
You have education choices. Perhaps too many choices. Maybe you long for the days when you could unthinkingly send your kids to the local public school, leave the education up to the professionals, and not worry about it. As a parent, you have many options, but not thinking is not one of them.
The days of unthinkingly sending your child to the neighborhood public school are (or should be) over. What if the local public school teacher is not competent? Would you know it? Have you observed the classroom setting? Do you know your child's teacher on a personal basis? Do you know her temperament, her teaching style, how she interacts with the children? How well does she manage the classroom? How well does she discipline? What is her attitude toward Christianity? Is she a believer? Is she hostile? You need to know these things before you let your child set one foot in a public school classroom.
But in the same vein, you must be intentional and involved in the private school setting as well. These same questions must be asked of the private school teacher. Be intentional. Be involved. And if your involvement is not welcome, that in itself is a tip-off that something is really wrong.
What about the home school? Can parents be unintentional even while directly teaching their children at home? You betcha. Many home school parents rely on textbooks, workbooks, and computers to do the teaching. Then, they fail to adequately test the child to be sure he or she has truly learned the material. What is more, at the end of the year, they do not ensure that their child's portfolio is closely scrutinized periodically by a classroom teacher to ensure that the child is performing adequately. As a result, many home school children perform at a subpar academic level.
Adding to the challenge is the fact that every parent believes her little Johnny or Suzie is an absolute genius. The vast majority of children -- I hate to break it to you -- are not. They are average. This means that you as a teacher lack objectivity. You must gain it in another fashion. You must hold yourself accountable for how well you are doing. You must give others permission to hold you accountable.
Think about it! We all insist on holding the classroom teacher accountable for doing a good job. In the school setting, teachers are observed and evaluated. In the same vein, you need to ensure that others hold you accountable for doing a good job. Have you heard the horror stories about homeschool children who attempt to go to a day school only to find that they are two grade levels behind? I have. Be intentional. Find a teacher who will review -- truly review -- your child's portfolio. Even better, pay to have your child tested to be sure he or she is on grade level. (If you need help in these areas and live in Tampa, Patsy Hinton of The Paideia School can assist you in this regard.) It all boils down to intentionality.
That's all I am trying to say here. You are responsible for the result. Be intentional and accountable. No matter what decision you make, make an informed decision.
You have education choices. Perhaps too many choices. Maybe you long for the days when you could unthinkingly send your kids to the local public school, leave the education up to the professionals, and not worry about it. As a parent, you have many options, but not thinking is not one of them.
The days of unthinkingly sending your child to the neighborhood public school are (or should be) over. What if the local public school teacher is not competent? Would you know it? Have you observed the classroom setting? Do you know your child's teacher on a personal basis? Do you know her temperament, her teaching style, how she interacts with the children? How well does she manage the classroom? How well does she discipline? What is her attitude toward Christianity? Is she a believer? Is she hostile? You need to know these things before you let your child set one foot in a public school classroom.
But in the same vein, you must be intentional and involved in the private school setting as well. These same questions must be asked of the private school teacher. Be intentional. Be involved. And if your involvement is not welcome, that in itself is a tip-off that something is really wrong.
What about the home school? Can parents be unintentional even while directly teaching their children at home? You betcha. Many home school parents rely on textbooks, workbooks, and computers to do the teaching. Then, they fail to adequately test the child to be sure he or she has truly learned the material. What is more, at the end of the year, they do not ensure that their child's portfolio is closely scrutinized periodically by a classroom teacher to ensure that the child is performing adequately. As a result, many home school children perform at a subpar academic level.
Adding to the challenge is the fact that every parent believes her little Johnny or Suzie is an absolute genius. The vast majority of children -- I hate to break it to you -- are not. They are average. This means that you as a teacher lack objectivity. You must gain it in another fashion. You must hold yourself accountable for how well you are doing. You must give others permission to hold you accountable.
Think about it! We all insist on holding the classroom teacher accountable for doing a good job. In the school setting, teachers are observed and evaluated. In the same vein, you need to ensure that others hold you accountable for doing a good job. Have you heard the horror stories about homeschool children who attempt to go to a day school only to find that they are two grade levels behind? I have. Be intentional. Find a teacher who will review -- truly review -- your child's portfolio. Even better, pay to have your child tested to be sure he or she is on grade level. (If you need help in these areas and live in Tampa, Patsy Hinton of The Paideia School can assist you in this regard.) It all boils down to intentionality.
That's all I am trying to say here. You are responsible for the result. Be intentional and accountable. No matter what decision you make, make an informed decision.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
2 Million Homeschoolers
According to this report, there are over 2 million home schooled students in the United States. Home schooling is a viable option for Christians who are called to it. As Holly Brown said at Navigating the Education Maze in November, however, be sure you are called to it. Home schooling takes a tremendous commitment. Fortunately, there are a large and growing number of resources available to assist parents.
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