Mostly cleaning......I've also been trying to do more baking foods from scratch. I'm only inspired to do baking though, not cooking. I guess largely because no one but me would eat any supper type foods I might make. Tonight I made Lemon cake, on a whim. I had a few lemmons and didn't want them to go bad. So I searched the handy dandy internet, and came up with this: http://www.joyofbaking.com/LemonFrostedLemonCake.html
My current goal is to read all the books I took out of the library before I got sick. I had to renew them all because my eyes hurt while I was sick, so I couldn't even read.
I really enjoyed Family Matters:Why Homeschooling Makes Sense by David Guterson. This one is so interesting because it's not a typical book listing all the great reasons to homeschool. It's written by a high school teacher, who homeschools his 3 boys while teaching the neighbors kids, so he has his feet firmly in both worlds. It was written in the 90s, but it covers completely different topics than I've seen in any other book-ones that would be useful even if you don't homeschool.
It discusses Guterson's theories on why American's hold public education so near and dear to their hearts, despite knowing the fallbacks and shortcomings. To ponder the notion of not sending our children to school is seen by many as un-American. Guterson feels we are unable to objectively examine schools for what they are because we are blinded by our memories. And the fact that School tests, quizzes, essays and assignments don't measure learning so much as they measure the child's "approximate degree of adjustment to life at school". He also discusses socialization and what it is that non-homeschoolers worry about regarding homeschooled children and socialization. Counter arguments are made for common misconceptions and the value that homeschooled children get from forming relationships with people of all ages throughout the community. An interesting idea that schooled students are so far disconnected from their own parents and their parents work lives that some students seek a close relationship with a teacher, to form a relationship with an adult mentor since their own parents are away from them the majority of their lives. Guterson feels that the social lives of schooled children are both dangerous and unhealthy, and that homeschooled children do have peer pressure but are less peer obsessed.Guterson states that in creating schools we've removed learning from life and believe that learning can only take place inside of a school building. He covers learning theory and the fact that schools do not take advantage of what we have learned about it and feels that educational reform should happen through strengthening families. Ideas for ways for public schools and homeschoolers to work together as a team are explored.
I just finished Anne Rice's Called Out of Darkness yesterday. It's about her return to her original Catholic faith. The first half was slow for me, I imagine if you grew up Catholic in the 50s and 60s it would be much more enjoyable. But I was curious what prompted the woman who wrote all the Vampire and Witch fiction, an atheist for years, to return to belief in God.
I'm currently reading:
Parking Lot Rules by Tom Sturges.
Debra Bell's The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling. That one I'd like to order when we are back on our feet again, it's a really great resource, and the first homeschooling book that I've read that seems to present a balanced view. Usually the negatives are briefly mentioned, and the entire rest of the book is homeschooling glowingly described. In this book she discusses the cons in a realistic way. I like that.
I have several books by John Holt to read. Those are books on educational philosophy.
My current goal is to read all the books I took out of the library before I got sick. I had to renew them all because my eyes hurt while I was sick, so I couldn't even read.
I really enjoyed Family Matters:Why Homeschooling Makes Sense by David Guterson. This one is so interesting because it's not a typical book listing all the great reasons to homeschool. It's written by a high school teacher, who homeschools his 3 boys while teaching the neighbors kids, so he has his feet firmly in both worlds. It was written in the 90s, but it covers completely different topics than I've seen in any other book-ones that would be useful even if you don't homeschool.
It discusses Guterson's theories on why American's hold public education so near and dear to their hearts, despite knowing the fallbacks and shortcomings. To ponder the notion of not sending our children to school is seen by many as un-American. Guterson feels we are unable to objectively examine schools for what they are because we are blinded by our memories. And the fact that School tests, quizzes, essays and assignments don't measure learning so much as they measure the child's "approximate degree of adjustment to life at school". He also discusses socialization and what it is that non-homeschoolers worry about regarding homeschooled children and socialization. Counter arguments are made for common misconceptions and the value that homeschooled children get from forming relationships with people of all ages throughout the community. An interesting idea that schooled students are so far disconnected from their own parents and their parents work lives that some students seek a close relationship with a teacher, to form a relationship with an adult mentor since their own parents are away from them the majority of their lives. Guterson feels that the social lives of schooled children are both dangerous and unhealthy, and that homeschooled children do have peer pressure but are less peer obsessed.Guterson states that in creating schools we've removed learning from life and believe that learning can only take place inside of a school building. He covers learning theory and the fact that schools do not take advantage of what we have learned about it and feels that educational reform should happen through strengthening families. Ideas for ways for public schools and homeschoolers to work together as a team are explored.
I just finished Anne Rice's Called Out of Darkness yesterday. It's about her return to her original Catholic faith. The first half was slow for me, I imagine if you grew up Catholic in the 50s and 60s it would be much more enjoyable. But I was curious what prompted the woman who wrote all the Vampire and Witch fiction, an atheist for years, to return to belief in God.
I'm currently reading:
Parking Lot Rules by Tom Sturges.
Debra Bell's The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling. That one I'd like to order when we are back on our feet again, it's a really great resource, and the first homeschooling book that I've read that seems to present a balanced view. Usually the negatives are briefly mentioned, and the entire rest of the book is homeschooling glowingly described. In this book she discusses the cons in a realistic way. I like that.
I have several books by John Holt to read. Those are books on educational philosophy.
3 comments:
How did the cake come out? Did all your kids eat it? I know Tom wouldn't because it isn't chocolate. I like lemon cake.
Jacob is a little rascal searching and conquering the pizza.
Me, Justin, Timothy, and my Mom all liked it. It smelled wonderful baking! I didn't even bother to ask Leanna or Tom if they wanted any, Tom wasn't home when I made it anyway. Jacob would happily eat it if I'd let him, I have no doubt!
justin looks so cute in that pic!
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