Next time you complain about the school bus commute to school, or the traffic going to work, think about these villagers in Colombia and how they only have two options to get to civilization, a two hour hike around a deep gorge, or this zip line...   School children in Colombia  have to ride zip lines suspended 1330-feet about the Rio Negro to school everyday. In addition to farmers using it to transport goods, “the 12 steel cables that connect one side ... Read More

"This campaign to equalize test scores among unequal students is utopian and unattainable, and amounts to a scam by the education industry." ~ Pat Buchanan We pour all kinds of money into education, but is it working? Are the young people learning? Pat Buchanan says... In a ranking of 50 states and D.C. by how much each spent per pupil in public schools in 2005, New York ranked first; D.C. third. The state spent $14,100, and New York City just a tad less. And ... Read More

After the Jasper in the tree crisis, I didn't have time to breathe, have a cup of tea and just relax, we had to rush off to Heather's as she asked me to take her photo before going to her Homecoming Dance at her school. (Same school her mom, dad, and I graduated from). She was needless to say, glamorous! This one turned out to be my favorite. With friends... Cammy in the picture too of course! Dad gives her a sweet send off... Britney remarked ... Read More

Today was Erin's 16th Birthday. I got to watch her play volleyball for the first time! Happy Birthday, Erin! ... Read More

Today, the day after Labor Day, as our usual, Laura and I began school. This is her 11th year. Our time ran past the President's speech. Oh darn! Not that I felt it was a big deal one way or another. I don't think we really had intended to watch it. Especially when it was leaked out what was attached to it, given to the teachers. For example, it is suggested that students in grades 7-12 should, before the President’s speech, write their responses ... Read More

While John was here, Laura only had one soccer game scheduled. So we definitely took the time so he could see a game to watch Laura, Erin, and the Granite girls play. A goal! At least he got to see them win! ... Read More

In our household, homeschooling makes us very flexible with times for classes. I wasn't homeschooled and the morning came early on my senior year. We had to catch the bus a little after 6 am. In England they are considering giving high-school teens a late start for classes, starting around 11 AM. Dr Paul Kelley, of Monkseaton High School in North Tyneside, said continuous early starts created "teenage zombies" in the classroom. He said research showed allowing teenagers to begin lessons at 11am had ... Read More

Too many references to Hitler to ignore.... The first part in the following video are children singing praises to Obama, the second part, singing praises to Hitler.   ... Read More

Laura's soccer came to an end today with the final tournament game. They won 4-3! For more photos of the two years Laura has been playing with this fine team, look HERE.   ... Read More

When you hear the word "jihad" what do you think of? I can guess what most think of, and it only takes one Danish cartoon to conjure up all kinds of unpleasant images on our newspapers and television news reports. After looking the word up, it has many significances, but there is a disturbing class in California giving it attention with only one meaning.  An Islamic "jihad" is an effort by Muslims to convince "others to take up worthy causes, such as funding medical research," ... Read More

  Today, September 4th, Laura and I started our school year. Yesterday though, I went into her room to discuss an event coming up, and noticed her calendar was still on August. I went to turn to the month of September to see the date of the event, and she exclaimed, "Don't turn the calendar!" I looked at her questioningly, "Why?" She smiled and admitted, "I'm in denial." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  :) Denial or not, we had a great start to our school today. Algebra, Spanish I, New World History, just to ... Read More

  One evening, some weeks ago, this young, lovely and usually shy & demure Elise came into our home, went down the steps into Miquel's room, woke him up out of a sound sleep, and asked him to her Jr-Sr. Of course he agreed. A Jr-Sr is like the end of the school year's formal affair. Elise opens the wrist corsage Miquel ordered for her; sweetheart roses and carnations with a ribbon to match her dress. They pose here in full sun, (I think ... Read More

Laura and I started our homeschooling classes this week. (I always start in the traditional way I grew up and wait till after Labor Day). We have really  had a good start. This year is slightly different, in that we added Spanish to her list of subjects. (Again, I began in the 8th grade as well). I don't know if she realizes it, but she has a sparkle in her eyes as I teach it to her, and, she is reminding ... Read More

"Barb, tell Mr. King we want to go play dodge ball." My classmates seemed to think I was a teacher's pet and could influence the teacher to let us out of class early for a game of dodge ball. We had hours and hours of fun in our school playground, and yes, quite often a request from me to explain how well we did in class that day, would result in the nice English teacher allowing us to play a quick ... Read More

I read this headline and almost skimmed over it, then it hit me, "Huh?" Increasing? Like there is SEX in school to begin with??? And now its increasing? I know I've been out of the loop with all this homeschooling I am doing, but, come on! Where are the parents' outrage? Am I the only one shocked by such a headline? The article from the Washington Post starts like this: Sex at School Increasing, Some Educators Say "Perhaps the most shocking thing about students having ... Read More

Starting the week of Oct. 17, in Jackson, Kentucky, students will get every Friday off! I find this news very surprising! What do YOU think? News Story Here ... Read More

"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." ~ Mark Twain We started school today. There seems to be a trend in Maryland to start school before Labor Day, but when I went to school, it didn't begin until the Tuesday after the Labor Day Monday. I have determined not to join the rest of Maryland, and stick with the idea that school should begin with said Tuesday. The first day went just fine, it's good to get back to a ... Read More

It might be starting to sound like I am really 'down' on the system we have here in the US. I suppose I am. I KNOW that it is one of the many reasons I decided to homeschool. It seems that in one Ohio school, where they have 490 female students, 65 of them are pregnant! That is an amazingly outrageous ratio. I think when I was in high school, we had 'one girl who got in trouble' and chose to ... Read More

I take a small pride in having an excellent memory. I usually remember personal things, I always wished I could remember what I read even better. On a recent trip to MSN site, I saw the "What Do You Remember From School?" Quiz, and took that as a challenge. I got an A PLUS! Take the quiz» HERE ... Read More