The Degrading System of Grading

The Degrading System of Grading

While grading students on a bell curve may make some sense in a college setting, it's a harmful system for measuring the comprehension and knowledge of younger students. The Bell curve was designed to determine where each student ranked in relation to the rest of the group, but each child has a unique mind that is developing at its own rate and understands things in its own time, and, therefore, to compare a child's ability to those of his peers defies common sense. 

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Why The Perfect Parent Does Not Exist!

Why The Perfect Parent Does Not Exist!

A new father proudly showed me his baby the other day. He was so full of glee as he began to tell me the many plans he had for his son. My mind fell back to a day, almost 18 years ago, when my first child was born and I quickly remembered my own plan, for I sensed, it was also his. My plan was simple: I would be the perfect mother and raise the perfect child. I didn't put it into those words at the time, but in retrospect, that was it. 

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How to Teach Children to Love Books

How to Teach Children to Love Books

I learned to read in the first grade. My teacher, Mrs. Gilman, was tall and dressed in a blouse and skirt--down to the knees--wearing black pumps and bright red lipstick. She was stern, but she had a friendly face. Mrs. Gilman taught me to read when I was six, and it unlocked the door to another world for me; a world of interesting characters where anything was possible. 

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FORMING GOOD HABITS IN CHILDHOOD

FORMING GOOD HABITS IN CHILDHOOD

Often, as harried parents trying to keep up in a frenzied world (at least I was!) the last thing we seem to have time for is reminding our young children to put their shoes away, to hang up their coats, to make their beds, to clear their dishes, to say, "please" and "thank you" yet, this is precisely the time to teach our children these things. We are instilling good habits in our children, and if we don't teach them good habits now, we will inadvertently teach them bad habits that they will struggle with as they grow older.

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Hacking Your Education by Dale J. Stephens

Hacking Your Education by Dale J. Stephens

I almost didn’t read this book. At first glance the book seemed a bit frivolous, and the author seemed too young, but I have a 17 year-old daughter who was homeschooled and extended the “no school” philosophy to college, so I decided to give it a quick read. This book has been surprising and I think it is worth reading, especially for goal-driven parents who have difficulty grasping the idea of a valid education outside the system. 

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Welcome

For years I’ve been asked to start a blog, but the days roll by, the months become a blink of an eye, and the years disappear. As a homeschooling, working mother whose duty is near an end, my days are a little less hectic than they have been for the last 18 years and the space for my blog has actually emerged. It’s heaven to be able to sit back and relax! If you are a mother of young children, the word “relax” probably no longer exists in your vocabulary, but I’m here to tell you that it will again one day, and that day comes ever so fast.

Having said that, officially, this is the start of my blog. I intend to do what most people with blogs do; to share my thoughts on raising and educating children with anyone who might be interested, to post relevant links to articles and books, to feature the writings of prominent thinkers in education, to share the wisdoms of more literate times, to address some of the follies about raising and educating children being promoted in mainstream media today, and to offer encouragement for those of you working hard to make a difference in children's lives, whether your own children or those of others.

My concern is for humanity, and my focus is on the children.