Late but interested is better

Am I Common Core aligned? No, of course not.

Today, homeschool was informal. I let them watch Cars before school (I was having a slow morning), then we played with salt dough for while. After the movie we had a prayer, recited the Pledge of Allegiance and then we did some arithmetic problems in salt dough (no deep thinking, just the standard algorithm). After that we did a short reading lesson from a primer that is most definitely not Common Core aligned (long live the McGuffey Series and Mother Goose).

Now they are eating popcorn while I make pizza crust for tonight's dinner and do some cleaning.

I'm of the opinion that children should be pushed as far as they can go individually go academically, but until they are about eight years old, at least the better half of their academic day should be play time and personal interest.

Why blunt their brains by killing their curiosity in the name of education? No. Late with a strong desire to learn is better than early and disinterested.

Mother Goose. Not educational, possibly violent, not Common Core approved.

Teach Common Core! Says Korihor.

Inspired by Green Eggs and Ham, by Doctor Suess (which would probably be outlawed under Common Core standards for being too much fun).

"Teach Common Core!
Says Korihor"

That Korihor, that Korihor!
I do not trust that Korihor!

You must teach them Common Core!

I will not teach them, Common Core.
I will not teach that, Korihor.

You must teach them here, at school.

It will not teach it here, at school
I will not teach it. It's not cool.
I will not teach them Common Core,
I will not teach that, Korihor.

You must teach this in your home.
You must teach this as you're shown.

I will not teach that in my home.
I will not teach it as it's shown.
I will not teach it here, at school.
I will not teach it. It's not cool.
I will not teach them Common Core.
I will not teach that, Korihor.

But they must think within the box,
En-tre-pre-neur-ship is the pox!

"Within the box"?
This is a pox!
Not at home,
Not as I'm shown,
I will not teach it here, at school,
I will not teach it, It's not cool.
I will not teach them Common Core.
I will not teach that, Korihor!

They will, they must
Take this test.
Test them, test them!
S'for the best.

I will not
make them
take this test.

You must test them,
and we'll see,
We can make them
more like ME!

I would not, will not, test them, see.
This is not good! You let them be.

They must not learn "within your box".
Common Core, here, is a pox.
I will not teach this in my home.
I will not teach this as I'm shown.
I will not teach it here, at school.
I will not teach it, It's not cool.
I will not teach them Common Core.
I will not teach that, Korihor.

The Change! The Change!
The Change! The Change!
You must teach Man's Climate Change!

No Climate Change! No test, you see!
The test's no good. You let them be!

They must not learn "within the box"
Common Core, here, is a pox.
I will not that in my home.
I will not teach this as I'm shown.
I will not teach it, here at school.
I will not teach it. It's not cool.
I will not teach them Common Core.
I will not teach that, Korihor.

Hey,
It's the Law.
It's now the Law!
You must, you will, follow the Law.

It is not, can not be the Law.

You don't believe that it's the law?

You've circumvent the House and Senate,
Went around the parents' tenet
No proof it works. No peer review.
We can see what's taught ain't true!
Not in our homes! Not in our Schools!
Not as it's shown! We have some rules!
You can not break them, or you'll see,
Just how angry we can be!

You will not teach them Common Core?

I will not teach them Common Core!

You must, you will
Dumb them down.

I would not, will not
Dumb them down.

Now I know that you're a clown!

I would not, will not dumb them down.
I am a parent, not a clown.
I will not teach this, it's no law.
I will not teach this tripe at all.
Won't give the test! It's not the best!
You do not see! Now let them be!
They must not learn "within the box"
This Common Core, here, is a pox.
I will not teach this in my home.
I will not teach this as I'm shown.
I will not teach it here, at school.
I will not teach it. It's not cool!

I will not teach them Common Core!
I will not teach that, Korihor.

Will not teach it.
So you say.
Then we might take your kids away.
Teach them,
or you'll lose I say!

Say that again!

(Imagine something that would frighten a bureaucrat)

EEP!

Alright! Okay!
You may teach them your own way.
And I was wrong, you are no clown,
You do not need to dumb them down.
And if it's voted 'gainst the law
I must not bring it back at all.
So if you teach, and if you care
Common Core will not be there.

You may teach outside the box.
En-tre-pre-neur-ship is no pox
You may teach, as pleased, at home.
You don't have to teach as shown
It will not be taught here, at school.
If by laws it's not the rule.

Please go away now, Korihor.
And thanks for dropping Common Core.

I Am Homeschooling My Children

That's it! I've made up my mind, homeschool is in my children's best interest.

It's healthier:
I choose the meals, they can get as much sleep as they need, their exposure to pathogens is not as extensive, AND THEY CAN RUN OUTSIDE AND PLAY WHENEVER THEY NEED IT!!!!!

image lifted from a blog on wordpress

It's Academically Better:
As their instructor (and mom) I can ascertain their individual strengths and weaknesses and tailor the lesson plans to fit. They will not be held back by a one-size-fits-all approach. If they are strong and interested in math, I can give them more math and broaden their horizons by introducing related subjects. If one of them needs extra practice on grammar, we can slow down the pace on that subject.

It's Better For Social Skills:
It's seems counter intuitive that homeschoolers would have better social skills, but the freedom from desks and schedules give us a greater opportunity to meet other people and hold real conversations. My children will be required to use good manners, become skilled in speaking with adults and other age groups, learn to listen when others speak, and disagree respectfully when hearing an opposing viewpoint.

Supirior Academic Skills:
I do not actually have all day to stand and lecture, so they will need to become skilled researchers and students. After the basics in Reading, Writing, and Math, they will be primarily responsible to use the textbooks and do the learning for themselves. I'm there to check the work, offer guidance, and make sure their education is balanced; but ultimately success is their own doing (hmm, just like it was when their grandparents were in school).

Classics! Classics! Classics!
It is impossible to live with me and not be familiar with the King James Bible. They will be reading classic literature: Shakespeare, Dickens, Poe, Doyle, Hemingway, etc (I got stuck in an American Literature class for losers once in high school, and we never read anything above sixth grade level. I thought my brain would die and rot. There will be no such punishment for my children).

History. Real American History:
We will cover both the bad and (most especially) the good of the American experience, not just the "History of the Evil White Man".

Real Science:
I called a teacher out once for this is high school (he was cool about it and even gave me extra credit). Teaching and test questions that confuse the difference between theories and facts drove me crazy then, and it bothers me to this day. I have no problem with teaching a child about the Theory of Evolution, theory of the Alaskan Land Bridge, or the theory of manmade climate change (ha ha). As long as my children understand that these are theories and not established facts, and that there are other scientific explanations for life on Earth, how indigenous people and species arrived on the American continent, and what causes major climate changes and weather patterns.

Religion:
I full well intend to indoctrinate my children. It is my right and responsibility to transmit the values I love and live by to my children. No school can teach them faith, love, or honor; much less the Ten Commandments.

May my children become their best selves. May they grow to contribute to society in a positive way. May they love freedom and responsibility. May I stand before God at the last day, confident that I executed my duty to my children.