HSLDA!!!!! Our district is getting more and more strict and pulling cr@p like this as well. First, I would write a letter to the super outlining PA law re: the specific areas of frustration. 1. The law does NOT specify how many samples to include per subject AND those samples are not what should determine 990 hours or 180 days (otherwise we'd have to submit an entire year's worth of material). We document DAYS...not hours (for this very reason). 2. You should not be required to turn in portfolios to the schools. Law specifically says to the superintendent's office. I WOULD fight this. If the super wants to distribute them to the respective principals, fine. I would also have the district take it up with your evaluator. After all, she DID approve your portfolio. I'm sorry you are dealing with this. Our district is getting a bit too over the top intrusive, too.

Yes and my kids are ticked b/c all their ps friends have off. Oh well...we are going to the beach for the day on Thursday so I can't afford to take Monday off as well. Although, I am counting Thursday's trip as a field trip. :D

Praying, Nance. Staying home from church with a sick little girl today so I will spend some time in prayer for you. :grouphug: I had 3 losses in a row before we had our 7th. It was excruciating. Praying this one ends in a baby...not a m/c.

Take the battery out...NOW! You don't want that to get wet. While it is opened, try drying it with a hair dryer on LOW (and hold it about a foot away from the laptop...you don't want to fry the insides). My kids spilled a little bit of milk on my Macbook and the trackpad and keys acted funky for a day. Once it dried...it was fine.

Thank you! Claire, I think your ideas/suggestions are a very good place to start! It is similar to what we have been doing but we all just got out of the habit and now...oh the whining! "but I have worked hard all day on schoolwork..you want me to do chores, too?" Puh-lease! Cue the violins. :glare: Anyone else?

Yes. This. If you can look at Creation as a myth or just symbolism or whatever then you can also look at the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the same thing and then where does that leave us? Either the Bible is 100% TRUE or it is not. We cannot pick and choose. Just my opinion...and after the Bill Nye thread I'm a bit nervous so :auto:

I realize this is not quite as exciting as the Bill Nye thread ;) but I could use some advice/suggestions before I go crazy. Thanks!

So YECs do not think? Please. BUT, I will say that I agree with the 2nd paragraph. And not to turn this thread political....it IS what is happening in our government (teaching people not to think, systematically taking away their rights...). Christianity doesn't teach people NOT to think. Sigh. I think I need to take my non-thinking self to bed.

I would never say you aren't a real Christian if you don't believe in a Young Earth/literal 6 day creation. Never. To do that would be to put myself on the same level as God. *shudder*. I hope I didn't give that impression in this thread?

Can you explain this further? God explained Himself pretty well in Genesis...when He spoke everything into existence. Do you mean processes SINCE then? Just curious...not mocking or anything...for real. :001_smile:

Hmmm...ok. (and no fight...just asking questions). So, evolution doesn't say how life started? So how DID life start (from an evolutionists perspective)? Doesn't evolution say that we evolved from apes (to put it quite simplistically)?

:iagree::iagree::iagree:. (except for cats into dogs...i like cats) Thank you for stating this so much more eloquently than my non-intellectual would have allowed me. ;)

Okay, so, evolution. Big Bang (all of a sudden we have something from nothing), now there are living cells which evolve into multi-celled organisms, into higher-level multi-celled organisms, into apes (yes leaving out lots of steps along the way), and eventually into humans as we know them today. Is this wrong? (serious question...I've already been called un-intellectual and worse here tonight so ignorant will not bother me in the least, lol). I love to learn...so yes point me in the direction of some brief texts to explain it. :D

I'm ok with being wrong...if I am. And I don't think we have to worry about Creationism being introduced into our public schools. And unfortunately this has far more wide-reaching implications than just science education. Personally, I can't wrap my brain around how creation and evolution can co-exist. But, that's ok. I don't have to. And I certainly don't think less of anyone who does (or think them less of a Christian if they are). For me...God did what He did in 6 literal days. Now, I will admit to also believing that since those days of creation living things have modified and adapted to changing conditions (or not adapted and died off as the case may be). But I have yet to see evidence of any living thing changing from one being to another (like a frog becoming a monkey or a cat becoming a dog) without man's interference. My religious beliefs (worldview) effect how I see the world just as your beliefs (worldview) effect how you view the world. So I understand where you are coming from..and can respect it.

Sorry...Shaking My Head (blame the teens in my house...) :tongue_smilie:

Actually, that is not correct. I associate with all sorts of people (atheists, people of varying religions, of NO religion, conservatives, democrats, etc.). We are all sinners in need of Savior. The people I don't choose to associate with are people like you who seem to think it is ok to insult those who have differing opinions. And I'm intolerant? SMH. I'm praying for you, Jennifer (though you will probably take that in a very condescending way...it is not meant to be).

I'm not really sure what to say to that except arrest me...and a planet full of people just like me. My "blasting" your comments (not you specifically btw) has everything to do with the insults that had already been posted and nothing to do with you or anyone else as individuals. I apologize if that was what was understood. Now, you all must excuse me while I go and plan my lesson on Creation for tomorrow's science class.

Wow. I don't believe I have ever SLAMMED another member on this board quite so boldly. I happen to respect the variety of opinions here. My anger in this thread is at those who are very boldly and unashamedly bashing those of us who believe in Creation. I believe I was being MATURE (look that one up) in wanting to know what it meant before going off on a post. But now that I know... I'm so glad we sicken you. And I is also verry hapy that I is not intellectual b/c I beleeve in God. Can you imagine a similar thread on this board? Imagine a thread where the Creationist Christians were boldly BASHING the atheists, evolutionists, Muslims or whatever group (b/c we are a very diverse group here). Yikes. I shudder to think where THAT one would go. But I'm guessing THIS is tolerated. :glare: Wow. Unbelievable. FWIW...Bill Nye can believe what he wants. I really couldn't care any less about his opinion of Creation science. What I do care about is that this board used to be a place where we could all debate in a mature and civilized way...w/out calling names. Sigh.

I agree. Teaching evolution ONLY is wrong. It's indoctrination. If it were not...Creation science would also be taught. There are many, many scientific (yes I did say that) findings that point toward an Intelligent Creator. Believe what you will. A belief in evolution and against a Creator has implications that reach far and wide. How about this for instance? If all life just "happened" to come into existence by some big bang then we really don't have any purpose here. Life has no meaning. Life has no purpose. We are born. We die. AND, inherent in the belief in evolution is the belief that one life is somehow more important than another. Evolution doesn't only have a detrimental effect on science education but on LIFE in general.

Before I go and blast this...please explain "RR"?

Detrimental effects on science education? Are you serious? So b/c we teach Creation somehow my children's science education is somehow negatively effected? B/c we teach that there is a God who created all things and is still personally involved in our everyday life my children are somehow not receiving a proper science education? I find that offensive. Be careful where you go with this. I think evolution is a load of you-know-what...but I would never go so far as to say it has a detrimental effect on science education. Bill Nye can believe and teach what he wants. When he starts making value judgements...sorry...that ends it for me. But...I think he has enough of a following that my opinion won't amount to a hill of beans.

I believe what he said was something along the lines of if parents want to believe in Creationism that's great but please don't ruin your kids by feeding them the nonsense (my paraphrase obviously). And no, I don't applaud him. I find it extremely disrespectful to ALL parents. If a public school official had done something like this we'd be outraged! Can you even imagine if this were opposite? Somebody says that Evolution is bogus and we'd be doing ruining our kids by teaching it to them? I can only imagine THAT kerfluffle! In fact...didn't we just have a similar kerfluffle not too long ago with a certain AiG gentleman? Bill Nye is obviously not a Christian. I used to appreciate his science videos anyway. We teach Creation and young Earth here and my teens are studying worldview (including the THEORY of evolution)...it's not like we hide it from them. But this has me shaking my head. He has insulted my intelligence. But I have bigger things to worry about...just wanted to chime in b/c I'm feeling feisty tonight and couldn't help myself. :D

I am using Sequential Spelling with my ds9 and dd7. My ds9 is a struggling reader while dd7 is a bit ahead (so they are on approx. the same level although she much better fluency). Anyway, both are doing well. I like how it uses "patterns". Some kids so really well with spelling taught this way. I am considering using it with my ds11 and ds14 as well b/c both have difficulty spelling basic words. It might be worth a try. The words don't follow a typical grade level so there are tough words introduced very early on (might make an older child feel less "behind", kwim?).

We fell out of our routine over the summer. I wanted to take time to train and re-train my kids in how to do basic chores (some had been slacking and not doing chores 100%). It never happened. :glare: I got lazy...I admit it. Now we are back to school and my house is back to CHAOS. Kids have "forgotten" which chores they are to do. My teens are simply not caring about their schoolwork (you know the attitude...get it done as fast as I can with the least amount of effort?). My younger children are falling into bad school habits as well. I'm being pulled in 7 different directions. My ds11 (he's famous around here now ;)) is AGAIN trying my last ounce of patience. Ds14 is doing the same...not getting work done, horrible attitude, yelling at everyone, and is just not really a nice person to ANYONE here at home. He wants to go back to ps...it's not happening. He gets angry when I question him about schoolwork (you don't TRUST me? he says...um...no...not really...your work ISN'T done). Ugh. I need to establish order, routine, chore routines, school routines, etc. I am writing a contract for all the kids. That's the first step. It will outline the rules, guidelines, privileges and loss of privileges for not following the contract. I don't know what I'm asking. Perhaps some suggestions for re-establishing order? I'm just so sick of feeling like the kids are running the show. They're not...but they try...and it drives me crazy! Any helpful suggestions would be so much appreciated.

$3.55 when I was out last night. Tonight it was $3.74 at the same station. :glare: