Norway is a tiny country with pretty much one race of people. Does not at all compare to the US and its size and diversity. Norway is the size of one of our states. So your comparison would be more akin to a "US state standard" rather than a national one. It's one thing to ask the states to increase their standards and give them ideas or a gentle push in the right direction, it's quite another to enforce mandates that are near impossible to free yourself from of they don't work. My point here was missed entirely. There is a huge difference between federal standards and federal control. NCLB paved the road to total control. CC may look different and may be harmless and actually quite good at first glance but its another step down that road. Ignoring the signs and comparing the US to places like Norway is ignoring historical precedent and frankly comparing apples to oranges.

I agree with this. At that age, memorization should be for things like math facts, grammar and spelling rules, etc. Keep content areas like science and history fun, exciting, more lighthearted. They will do much better later on in high school when memorization of the laws of physics or the exact dates of battles for example are expected. And they will not approach theses subjects with dread but excitement because they remember it in stories or fun science experiments, exploration and crafts etc.

Agreed. Agreed. Agreed. The major objection here is the centralized control of the education of our children. NCLB, RTTT, or CC...doesn't matter. This is not a partisan issue and its not really about increasing standards. The 10th Amendement is such an important and fundamental part of the constiution and is consistently and increasingly disregarded. It amazes me that this isn't sending up red falgs for more people. I see the states like labrooms...if something is tried in say CA and its a sucess, then great! ...lets petition our state to adopt something similar. If it fails, then thank goodness my state isn't tied to that bad decision. If things aren't very good where I live, I can move to another state where conditions are better. But if the whole country adopts an idea and it fails...everyone fails. Sometimes everyone wins, and that's great, but if NCLB is any kind of typical measuring stick for federal intervention in local education, I would say that the odds of failure are rather high. If things like education are completely handled on a local or state level, then at the very least I can get in my car, drive down the road or an hour to my state capital and make my voice heard. If i were to attempt the 16 + hour drive to DC and somehow make it past all of those lobbyists on K street...somehow I think I my list of concerns won't even get a passing glance. I am not anti-federal government...it certainly has its place. But there is a larger picture here. We are really talking individual rights and freedom vs centralized control. And when it comes to the education of my child, I would like them to respect my freedom and that of my neighbors and local school district.

I want to do something similar. Hope you get some replies.

I agree with this.

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I would have to agree with this assessment of public education and it's hidden intentions. Although I don't think teachers have any part in this or any say in any kind of reform for that matter. The education of children should be solely in the hands of parents and teachers, not some group of government officials and administrators. Either way, my child is one of those who has fallen way behind because he wouldn't fit into that box nicely. He is smart and gifted but he feels differently about himself thanks to so many years in ps. Hope I have time to change that.

I'm interested too since my ds (12) is the same way. We plan on doing lots of breaks because he can't sit still for very long. And lots of hands-on learning. That's all I've got at this point ;)

Okay, you have convinced me ;) ds will be taking the placement test soon so we can get started. And congrats to your kiddo btw! I bet he is so proud of himself.

I am always trying to find books like The Historian and The Thirteenth Tale. I second Wilkie Collins The Woman in White. Also anything by Kate Morton (The Forgotten Garden is fantastic) or Kate Mosse. KM has a trilogy (Labyrinth, Sepulcher, and Citadel) -which are excellent! I'm reading The Winter Ghosts by her as we speak ;) I have a good friend that really likes Tobsha Learner, which is supposed to be in the same vein. ETA...anything by Anne Rice. Vampires or witches, or even mummies....that woman is just amazing.

I know that home schoolers are protected in the state constitution. Not sure if a suspension would matter. I would contact the OK Homeschooling Legal Defense. http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp?State=OK They will tell you what state law is, how to go about it, help explore alternatives and withdrawal procedures, etc. They were very helpful to me years ago when I pulled dd out.

Oklahoma!! Homeschooling is a protected right in our state constitution...think it may be the only state. Tons of support and resources. Tulsa and OKC are really nice, very affordable and the job market is better when compared to almost every other state. I'm in Tulsa but I grew up in OKC. I would never go somewhere else.

From my understanding More Roots has what it says...more roots. So you can just add them to the first set. I will be purchasing both soon. Looks like a fun intro...hoping ds thinks so ;)

We are are after schooling...for now. I want to bring ds home next year but he isn't so thrilled. He initially wanted to because he had been held back twice and attending a school that neither of us liked. However, we just changed school districts and they promoted him a grade. So, for the time being, he seems to be liking school and of course, making friends that he isn't too keen on leaving. But next year is middle school. *cringe* This is exactly when I pulled his sister out years ago for a few years...but she didnt crave the socialization like ds and only wished to be left alone with her library of books ;) He may not do well with the daily isolation, even with lots of friend time and outside activities. But then again, that may be exactly what he needs. So we shall see...

Dark is Rising series was one of my dd's favorites at that age! It truly made her fall in love with fantasy. This reminds me...I promised her yeeeears ago that I would read them. ;)