The word mantra has several definitions, but my favorite is “An often repeated word or phrase that is closely associated with something; a slogan, byword, or a watchword.” Do you have a mantra? Is there something you say to your kids that they will take with them and even repeat when they are grown? As the bible says, “train a child in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it”. My dad had several mantras. He often said, “The early bird catches the worm”, and “beans, beans, good for your heart….”, but … Continue reading →

Scrupulous means acting with extreme care. When dealing with the education of children, one has to be scrupulous. If children do not sense a modicum of care and concern, chances are, they will not be open to learn. Even when done unintentionally, one misplaced word can do a lifetime of damage. News report after news report tells of teachers that are truly unscrupulous (devoid of scruples; oblivious to or contemptuous of what is right or honorable)~dictionary.com. A quick Google search shows numerous teachers jailed on sex charges ranging from child porn to rape. Last year a local teacher made a … Continue reading →

Dictionary.com describes a selfish person as being devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one’s own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others. They are characterized by or manifesting concern or care only for oneself. Homeschoolers have been accused of having selfish motives. If you do not believe me, check out this blog and this one too. Yep, they think we are selfish. I am OK with that. The day I told my son’s teacher that I planned to homeschool my children; she outright accused me of being selfish. I was pulling a child out of school … Continue reading →

Rapport, according to dictionary.com is “a relation, especially one characterized by sympathetic understanding, emotional affinity, or mutual trust. “ Good teachers usually have rapport with their students. When my daughter was in Kindergarten, she started having problems in school. (Even though she had attended two and a half years of preschool) I began to dread Fridays, when she would bring home her weekly report. Her problems were always behavioral. She spoke too much, or out of turn. She fidgeted and did not pay attention. She distracted other children. The subject of ADHD came up. Then something happened in February of … Continue reading →

According to Dictionary.com, Mediocrity is the “state or quality of being mediocre”. To be mediocre is to be ordinary or moderate, and is often considered to be inferior to others. In my home, mediocrity is not OK. Mediocrity, however, is the goal of public education. There is a written set of minimum standards a child must meet, and if those goals are reached, then the system has done its job. Greatness still happens, but it is not the end goal. I have a theory. I believe that every man, woman, and child, holds within them a gift; a genius. Valorie … Continue reading →

Autodidact means self taught. An autodidact is a self-directed learner. One of the goals of homeschooling is a child who is an autodidact. A veteran homeschooler introduced me to the autodidactic theory. I was explaining how when I am curious about a subject, I tend to go into autopilot and I bury myself in the subject matter for anywhere from 24 hours to a month. When I feel satisfied that I have learned all that I can about the subject, I come out of my self-imposed exile, yawn, stretch, and seek the next challenge. “You’re an autodidact”, she exclaimed. “A … Continue reading →

Extreme means “going well beyond ordinary or average” (superkids.com). An example of an extreme action would be to throw away a dozen of eggs when only one is cracked. It has been said that homeschooling is an extreme form of education. Homeschooling parents are called extreme or radical. As parents, we have overstepped our bounds and taken the role of teachers onto ourselves. In taking our children’s education into our own hands, we have gone too far. But I have to ask, how can accepting responsibility for our own children be too extreme? Personally, I think that putting a child … Continue reading →