The light at the end of the tunnel

April is here already! Time to check what needs to be finished and bring out some fun things to replace the things that are completed.

Thanks to all the people out there who post ideas, websites, opinions, opened their home for classes, etc., and that have helped us along our journey of homeschooling.

There was a great article in the Washington Post. If you have a chance read it. It will make you feel good about pioneering this great movement of parents choosing a better education for their children. http://virtualschooling.wordpress.com/2010/03/30/washington-post-lets-move-learning-online/ .

We decided to have our 9th grade daughter participate in an online High School Program this year. It was the schools first year. For the most part it has been wonderful. There have been issues with some content that I have voiced my concern about. Pictures that went with the text that I deemed inappropriate. Videos that were used as part of the "learning experience" that I thought my 13 year old didn't need to watch. Surprisingly I caught a lot of heat for my dissension.

I don't think that that schools should take all the heat for poor education in this country and for the decline of values. Parents who don't demand change or just let the status quo continue are to blame. The boat needs to be rocked if the strokes being taken are taking you and your family on the wrong path.

I know everyone wants OHSU to be successful. But ignoring issues doesn't make it a better place. Voicing concern in programs will only make it better.

At the end of the year I can put my stamp of approval on

Apologia Science books. - best curriculum. We learned so much and had a blast.

Draw Write Now - Great writing tool. My kids loved drawing and then looking up more facts.

Open High School of Utah - Opened a lot of doors of discussion. Look forward to adding their math program next year. Teachers were very attentive and responded quickly. They seemed more concerned on learning the material than deadlines. I really appreciated that. But you need to watch content. Videos and pictures might be more worldly than you would like. But if you are involved you can have great discussions.

We are still looking for that great Math program. We don't think one program fills in the gaps. So we will continue to change it up and use various tools in teaching in this area. Saxon is good - but dry. Aleks.com is wonderful - but the kids don't like everything online.

K12 has a great History program. We really enjoy the teaching of true History. American History had nothing deleted. History is History. Deleting facts and not teaching them doesn't change the fact that they happened. If we don't learn about our past we will just make the same choices and not learn or get better.

See my post on teaching Mediocrity.

This summer will be filled with Math and Reading, summer camp programs, an exchange student from Germany, 4th of July celebrations,EFY, and some relaxation.