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ColoradoMom

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Posts posted by ColoradoMom

  1. I'm a non-worrier and I agree with your speaker. I've been at this 10 years now and it pays dividends to relax.

     

    To me homeschool is about going at just the right pace whether that is slow or fast - but if you are going at the right pace then you don't need to worry about where they are because they are always on their way to getting where they need to be.

     

    And edit to add: Why homeschoolers still believe that they must complete a grade level each year is beyond me. If it takes two then it takes two. If you don't complete a text and you like the text, then just pick it up again in the fall. Who are you competing against? In my opinion - individualized pacing is just about the most important advantage of homeschool, why would anyone throw that away?

  2. So, at 32% proficiency, that's *above* the national average? Scaaaaaaa-reeee....

     

    Yeah - what the heck is going on in the public schools? Honestly - my kid is just about the laziest out there and barely does 2-3 hours a day for school and can read and speak at college level in the 8th grade (which is his grade level right now).

     

    Whatever the issue is - it has nothing to do with money or hours spent in the classroom. People really need to stop with the politics and get to the bottom of this before the kids get any dumber.

  3. Sounds challenging...but whether or not it will prove anything for those who pass - I'm not so sure.

     

    The best preparation for college is a thorough understanding of the basics. I realize that as the years go on the basics become more comprehensive, but instead of adding more material to the scope, what they should do is divide biology up into discreet sections - like molecular biology, developmental biology, environmental science, and biochemistry. That way students learn only the facts that relate to each topic.

     

    In addition - taxonomy and evolutionary theories can be left out in my opinion - unless of course your student is interested in doing that in their scientific career and they realize that in high school. They can take that stuff later.

     

    The big concepts for biology are molecular and biochemical - so if they know cellular respiration, photosynthesis, replication, transcription, and translation they will rock college biology. Additionally, basic biochemical reactions and molecules (amino acids, carbohydrates, and lipids) go a long way for both chemistry and biology.

  4. I was lucky enough to have Temple Grandin for several classes when I was in undergrad at Colorado State. She made us go out to the farm and walk the chutes for cattle, load ourselves up in a truck, and crawl in the squeeze chute too. We even had to walk down into the dip tank (no dip, thankfully!) to see how the ramp made it easier for cattle to walk and kept them calm.

     

    Her classes were always fun! Very hands on...and she is EXACTLY like the character in person and she really does wear her "uniform" everywhere. Total cowgirl! :001_smile:

  5. I need to ask about the purpose of HSLDA -- aside from keeping itself alive of course. What is its primary purpose? A lobbyist for US Christian homeschoolers? A insurance provider for legal services related to homeschooling? Something one step short of a union for homeschoolers of a certain variety? I read their website but something is not adding up. More to the point ... aside from the work of its Federal Relations Department (the lobbying arm of HSLDA), I don't understand what HSLDA brings to the table for a Christian family who is prepared to, or would even prefer to, hire lawyers of their own if they faced a legal challenge.

     

    Perhaps you should research a little more - members receive the full report of their efforts every month in a magazine - they tackle many issues where homeschoolers are being discriminated against.

     

    http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/default.asp

  6. I've been a member for 7 or 8 years and I will continue to be one as long as I homeschool. My reasoning is that they have a very powerful lobby and voice - one that has helped out every homeschool family whether they care to admit it or not - whether they are Christian or not - so even though I am not religious in the least, I support their efforts.

  7. My son chose Japanese when he was 10 because he was a Naruto fan (BIG TIME!) and wanted to watch the cartoons in Japanese.

     

    Well, fast forward 3 years (yes, he's still taking Japanese because I bought all 3 levels of RS!) and now he won't even ADMIT to ever watching Naruto and thinks Japanese is "too feminine".

     

    He has since told me next year will be German ("a manly language" if ever there was one - his words not mine) but it was a hard choice with Russian running a close second.

     

    I'm happy with his Japanese progress and I think it was a good choice to learn an Asian language because it is so different. But I'll be happy to give him German next year as it will be much easier in my opinion. We never did get the Japanese alphabet(s) memorized...

  8. I'd just like to say (besides - thank God you are OK) that your DS who wrote the update is quite adorable in his online personality! He should be a writer!

     

    Anyway - he was the best man for the job and it's great that he recognized that and took charge of you! I love how he told us what he said to you to make you feel better - Oh my, what a great family you have! :001_smile:

     

    Welcome home and get back to 100% real soon! :grouphug:

  9. And see how neatly I fudged the facts by adding phrases like "it is holidays right now" (implying school time is different) or "he did swim in the sea" (implying that cleanliness was the goal of that swim). Wow - I lie even when I'm trying to tell the truth.

     

    :lol:

     

    Yeah, I'm with you there. I really can't tell people what our day is like - it is NOTHING like the "perfect" moms.

     

    And I do mean nothing.

     

    And as for waking up at 10 or 11 for school - I'd be happy if he got up by noon. He announced a few months ago that it shouldn't matter what time he does school as long as it gets done and my only argument was something along the lines of "Well Mister, in the real world..."

     

    Which made me sound like a public school teacher. :blink:

     

    So I relented.

  10. I am not bothered by public assistance but I believe there should be very strict regulations as to who gets it and for how long.

     

     

     

    1. I do not support giving any illegal alien public assistance - ever.
    2. I do not support more than 2 consecutive years of public assistance for any one family unless they jump through a lot of hoops to convince state officials that it is required. The hoops should be HUGE.
    3. I do not support rewarding single mothers for having more children to up their payments.
    4. I would find very creative ways to punish fathers who walk out on children. Very creative, embarrassing, humiliating, and difficult ways.
    5. I would make continuing education a requirement for any public assistance - basic skills, vocational, or college. Take your pick.

     

    With that said - I DO believe in helping people when they are down. They need it. But there is a difference between being down for a period of time and never having been productive EVER.

     

    Public assistance should always be viewed as a temporary solution to an insurmountable problem. Not a way of life and NOT a way to socially distribute other people's wealth.

     

    It should be entered into with a tangible way out in mind and every TAKER should end up being a GIVER at the end of their public assistance period whether that be through community service or a small extra tax on their paycheck for the same number of months they were on public assistance.

  11. I'm sure my chickens would eat dog food...I know my donkeys fight for it and they are strict vegetarians. (Or so they think...) ;)

     

    I only feed Flock Raiser which is 20% protein. They have been eating the waterfowl food for so long they won't touch the Layena so I stopped buying it.

     

    If I ran out of feed I'd throw them a loaf of bread and some salad. They'd figure it out. I really don't do that though, I just make them wait until the next morning when I can get to the feed store and then feed them extra.

     

    All my birds are on the chubby side right now - missing a meal won't kill 'em.

  12. :scared:I'm sorry, can we have you banned for that? :001_huh::glare::lol:

     

    Now where is that "report" button... :D

     

     

     

     

    Those are technically not related to spiders so much as scorpions so that picture does not belong on this thread. :toetap05: For so many reasons. :lol:

     

    They are pretty disgusting. I would definitely NOT be anywhere near them let alone holding one! :ack2:

     

    But I still want to know what kind of spider that first one was. I saw one as a child and tried to show my family and they thought I was nuts because it was gone when they came outside.

  13. You are kidding right?

     

    Lets see:

     

    Canada

    Dominica

    Fiji

    Gambia

    Ghana

    Grenada

    Guyana

    India

    Ireland

    Israel

    Jamaica

    Kenya

    Kiribati

    Lesotho

    Liberia

    Malawi

    Malta

    Marshall Islands

    Mauritius

    Micronesia

    Namibia

    Nauru

    New Zealand

    Nigeria

    Pakistan

    Palau

    Papua New Guinea

    Philippines

    Rwanda

    Saint Kitts and Nevis

    Saint Lucia

    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

    Samoa

    Seychelles

    Sierra Leone

    Singapore

    Solomon Islands

    South Africa

    Swaziland

    Tanzania

    Tonga

    Trinidad and Tobago

    Tuvalu

    Uganda

    United Kingdom

    United States

    Vanuatu

    Zambia

    Zimbabwe

     

    Like I said...you are kidding right?

     

    This does not include large English speaking populations in Cyprus, China, Burma, Belize and other places.

     

    There are also dependencies and colonies such as the Falklands, Gibraltar, St Helena etc.

     

    You're awesome! :D

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