Notes for today: blogging to learn & then some

I mentored a homeschooled boy a couple of years ago who had a lot of work to do in the language arts area.  In a very short time, we (his mother and I) managed to turn him into a very good writer.  He was soooo good in fact that his college essays were primarily the factor that got him into college.  How did we do it?  We encouraged blogging.  So when I came across this site today, I had to recommend it to you.  

Stop homeschooling preschoolers!  Let them play and they will learn.    At most, get them some games that are educational in nature. 

The first step to winning a debate is to always respect your opponent.  I don't think we can call what was on TV last night a debate.  ...And then there's rule #4.  Don't confuse passion with hatred.  I think maybe we should bring debating back into childhood education. 

Another case of schools over-reacting: "A few weeks into the school year at Jordan Middle School, school officials took note of Colman's medical history, information that eventually was shared with another Jordan parent whose two children have classic cystic fibrosis and are predisposed to chronic lung infections. "The school district freaked out," Colman's mother said."  And asked him to transfer to another school.  The family is homeschooling until the issue get's straightened out.  Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/Boy-in-school-flap-over-cystic-fibrosis-3944802.php#ixzz29ZRI0xY2  Once again, people have to realize that schools are not interested in what is best for the individual student.  Sometimes what is best for the school, school districts, etc, can be very detrimental to the child.  This is why the option to homeschool is so important. 

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Vocabulary for homeschoolers or people who slept through Grammar Class

About three years ago, when my kids were about 12 and 15 I overheard an argument. One said "Its pronounced QUEW-EE-YOU"  the other said "It's pronounced "QUAY-AWAY".  This went on for a while, so I walked up and say what word are you arguing over.  They showed it to me.  It was:

queue [kyoo] Show IPA noun, verb, queued, queu·ing. noun

1.a braid of hair worn hanging down behind.

2.a file or line, especially of people waiting their turn.

3.Computers . a FIFO-organized sequence of items, as data, messages, jobs, or the like, waiting for action.

I chalked it up to a homeschool mistake.  

I had a similar incident the other day with my daughter. We were watching the Dragon-con parade and I couldn't see the sign that a group of black colored elves were carrying and asked her to
read it.  The sign said "Darkened Facade", or something to that effect.  Only she read the word "Fay-Kayed" I had her repeat her self a few times till my brain picked up that she meant facade, but as most 16 year olds would do... when I corrected her, she argued with me.  I finally mumbled "homeschooler" and moved on to the next conversation.

 In my defense, there are some important words that I taught my kids at an early age.  Our very favorite words to teach kids (before they could wrap their small mouths around them) were:

• Facetious: not meant to be taken seriously or literally: a facetious remark. 2. amusing;
  humorous. 3. lacking serious intent; concerned with something nonessential,
  amusing
• Rhetorical: A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in the form of a question that is asked in order to make a point and without the expectation of a reply.
• Scarcasm:  A harsh or bitter derision or irony. A sharply ironical taunt; sneering or cutting remark.

If you know my sense of humor, you understand why it was important for my babies to know these words so they would not grow up confused.  I remember my son at age 5 asking if that last statement "was facetious or rhetorical." 

Speaking of which, another set of words we all need to understand is:

Hyperbole: deliberate exaggeration used for effect: he embraced her a thousand times
Metaphor: a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance (but leaves out the word 'like').

(hence follows too much information for the average person)
Because I can't understand how so many writers could be in a tizzy over a wrap lyric. The big news is that Female wrapper Nicki Minaj has endorsed Mitt Romney, (which neither side wants) When Nicki Minaj says " I'm a Republican voting for Mitt Romney, You lazy b-s F-in up the economy".  She proceeds the verse with raps about how loaded, ...errr rich she is.  She follows it with the statement that she chill's (hangs out) with zombies out in Miami.. and then adds a bit of an incantation.  It's all ridiculous at face value!  But if you look at it like the poetry it is... (yes it is), you will see that first she says she's richer than all the other rappers, then she points out just how rich by saying she's a Republican voting for Mitt Romney...  Ok.  I don't get the Zombie part, but if I did the research, I gather she's still bragging about how utterly awesome she is like all rappers do.  Out of all the dozens of writers who wrote on this "breaking news", only one person got it. 

"Nicki Minaj Is Voting For Mitt Romney Because Everything She Raps Is Definitely True ...Considering that this is coming from a woman who has (at least) three rap personas, and in her next breath brags about "hanging out with zombies," this can hardly be considered a genuine endorsement. Could be that the Harajuku Barbie's fourth persona's a Republican voting for Mitt Romney, or that she just wanted something to rhyme with "zombie," or she thinks it's hilarious that anyone would waste their brainpower on overanalyzing this?" (from Jezebel site)

I know the average homeschooler probably doesn't analyze rap, but you'd be amazed how many grammar and poetry elements you can discuss through music. 

Metaphor

A comparison which does not use the words like or as. Metaphor example: "Life is a journey.

Read more about Elements of Poetry: Examples and Techniques by www.poemofquotes.com

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Dear Sarah Burge.... Really?

Dear Sarah Burge, 

I just wanted to point out a few other things you could have done with the $10,000 voucher you just gave to your seven year old daughter for breast implants.  By the way, this kind of superficiality is the kind of thing that makes me so glad that we homeschooled. I'd hate for my girl to be infected with this bug.

1.  Start a college fund, so she can feel good about her mind and not worry so much about her body.
2. Buy her a treasury bond or put it in a high yield saving or stock account. Teach her how to invest and double her money.  That way she will grow to be independently wealthy and not need to use her looks to make money.
3.  Take her on a trip.  Tour Europe, Italy, or Africa so she can expand her knowledge of the world.  This will make her less superficial.
4. Donate the money to a charity in her name, or better yet, use the money to help her start a charity, so she will end up with a big heart instead of big boobs.

Get the point?

The only thing dumber than giving a 7 year old a voucher for a boob job is wasting good money on it.  It would be better to invest in her future mind and heart.  Not her future body.



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Dear Brangelina, Keep Homeschooling but.....

Dear Brangelina, Keep Homeschooling but..... Don't pick up the mantle as good will ambassadors for homeschooling like this article on the New American website suggests.

I do love the fact that more and more celebrities are trying homeschooling on for size, but to become a leader in the movement would add the issue of these celebrities laying out instructions for how to homeschool.  For example, Angelina and Brad homeschool with the help of tutors. ( John Edwards children were homeschooled similarly. )  While there is nothing wrong with hiring a tutor when you need one, the last thing I would like to see is for every homeschooler to feel pressured to hire a tutor to help with their kids.  This is financially impossible for many.  For others it is impractical as the child does not need thehelp.

I think I would dislike "homeschooling according to Brangelina" as much as I dislike HSLDA telling me how to vote. 

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Dear Judy Blume: Double Fudge is Double Dumb

Dear Judy Blume,

First of all, I love you.

I read my first book by you over 30 years ago, and have been a die-hard fan ever since.  In fact, I purchased a few book of yours for my daughter when she turned 11.  So imagine my surprise when I read the synopsis the book "Double Fudge".  Based on the synopsis, the book over exaggerates all of the worst stereotypes there are about homeschoolers from not having friends to not being "socialized. 

Really???

I am very disappointed.  May I suggest a new book looking at a realistic view of homeschoolers.  You are a writer, I would think you'd be a reader too.  If you were, you would know how much homeschoolers have accomplished, and how worldly they are.

Just as an example, right now, I am home alone as my almost 15 year old daughter is away for a week at the college she hopes to attend in the future.  While it may be a girl's college, she will be just turning 17 when she enrolls, and it is her choice (she's free to change her mind).  She had no problem walking away from us to spend a week with complete strangers, and has only texted me once the entire week.  My son (almost 17) and his two cousins of the same age are on an adventure as they went on a business trip with my husband who will be working, so they are exploring a new city.  Sure, my daughter bursts into songs spontaneously, but only because she is a singer with  plans of doing musical theater, and we have very few TV and electronic restrictions, so she is not mesmerized by the site of a TV.  My son has never licked or bit anyone.  Your portrayal of the homeschoolers in the book Double Fudge is downright insulting.  I'm hurt and disappointed.



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