Professor Mom

The Old Schoolhouse Summer Reading Splash

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, one of my favorites:-), is hosting a summer reading program with Splish the frog.  Click on the graphic to go directly to Splish's blog.  There, you can get the details of the program as well as take a peek at the reading lists of kids and their moms.

Now for our reading list for the summer, lots of exciting reading on ancient times, some great, clean fiction, and books on everything reptilian (the latter interest was added yesterday after a garter snake sighting in our backyard!) 

Here we go!

• The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson (the REAL version with its rich language and pondering of immortality)
• Pinocchio by Carlos Collodi (another non-watered down version with many lessons on what being a person of good character means, this original goes far beyond the "don't tell a lie or your nose will grow" lesson that we associate with this story)
• Stonewall by Jean Fritz
• The Odyssey by Geraldine McCraughrean
• Abel's Island by William Steig (cute story about a mouse)
• The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Anderson
• Exodus by Brain Wildsmith (this author is great at giving life to history and the illustrations in his books are usually quite good)
• Joseph by Brian Wildsmith
• Punctuation Takes a Vacation by Robin Pulver
• Egyptian Diary: The Journal of Nakht by Richard Platt
• The Dragon of Lonely Island by Rebecca Rupp
• The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
• Sword Song by Rosemary Sutcliff
• Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (these books still touch me)
• Mystery of the Roman Ransom by Henry Winterfield (this is the sequel to Detectives in Togas, another great story.  These are set in roman times and do a good job of bringing the reader into the everyday life of ancient Romans.)
• The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit
• The 5,000 Year-Old Puzzle by Claudia Logan
• Pirate Island Adventure by Peggy Parish
• The Bremen Town Band by Brian Wildsmith
• Nouns and Verbs Have a Field Day by Robin Pulver
• Floss by Kim Lewis
• Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories by Dr. Suess
• Anacondas by Valerie Weber
• Garter Snakes by Doug Weschler
• Snakes of the World by Manuel Areste (this is a 'grown-up' book, but the graphics are well-done, so I thought I would throw this is.  I'll be reading this to the boys.)

There you have it... Happy Reading!

 

Why is Homeschooling Growing, Anyway?

A January 4th article on USAToday's website discussed the growth of homeschooling in America as understood by the Department of Education.  I spent some time reading through the comments at the bottom of the article.  As always, the comments broke out into 2 camps, for homeschooling and against homeschooling.  Two pieces of this discussion stuck out in my mind.  First, the number of comments from people which hinted at homeschooling being a lazy choice.  Second, the way character matters were glossed over as simply an religious issue for evangelical Christians.  These types of comments are due to ignorance of what homeschooling involves and why involved parents choose to homeschool, respectively.

I was astounded at the number of comments I have seen that are trying to equate homeschooling with laziness.  I am not sure what the commenters think homeschooling is, however it is quite clear that they don't understand it in nature or in practice.  It would be MUCH easier for anyone to send their children to school, where they are taught, supervised and fed throughout the day.  Many parents who choose to homeschool do so after careful consideration of their choices.  Rather than accept a status quo that may not live up to their expectations, they choose to take the responsibility into their own hands (a position that is admirable; personal responsibility is critical to a strong society.)  They realize that, in order to do what is right for their family, its value and its lifestyle, they will take the reigns and handle it themselves. 

Homeschoolers have taken a serious and critical piece of their children's lives back.  They are giving up their own free time and/or career advancement to ensure that their children receive the character education, academic rigor, and life experiences that garner a love for learning and a love for the good.  They spend time researching the best curriculum for their children.  They have their children involved in extra-curriculars and classes to supplement what they are doing at home.  They are creating activities and projects that make the lessons come alive for their children.  They are involving other worthy adults in their children's lives as role models, especially as students move into the upper grades.  They do all of this and also manage to care for a home, finances, marriages, etc.  just like someone who isn't homeschooling.  Using the term "lazy" to describe homeschoolers is simply inaccurate. 

In addition, religious reasons and moral reason are lumped together quite often when discussing the reasons parents choose to homeschool their children.  The research confirms that religious reasons are cited as the top reason for homeschooling (see the National Home Education Research Institute's website here and the National Center for Education Statistics here).  Faith is incredibly important.  However, the choice to homeschool is typically made based on a combination of factors, all intertwined.  Many parents are very concerned with the value system in which their children are being immersed in the public school setting.  This can have its base in religion, but it also concerns values that span denominations, such as respect, responsibility, integrity, and even basic safety and civility issues.  By any measure and with few exceptions, the school systems are not creating the best environment for academic rigor, strong character, or the joy of learning for its own sake.  By their nature, the schools also cannot provide the personalized educational experience that a parent can.  There are simply too many children and too few adult role models.  A more thorough analysis of the "whys" of homeschooling could provide information not just for those who homeschool, but for pointing the schools in a more positive direction, as well. 

One point before I close, basic freedoms are the very foundation this country was founded on.  Parents are  entitled to choose the best education possible for their children.  They may find that in their local public schools which has excellent teachers (and there are some excellent teachers out there), they may find it in a private education that grows their child's faith, or they may find it in the one-on-one educational setting that emphasizes family and in-depth study that is homeschooling.  These decisions must be made at the family level. 

Not everyone needs to choose homeschooling.  The message here is that it is a choice, and one usually made after careful considerations and often made at some personal sacrifice.  Parents choose to take back this responsibility for many reasons, and analyzing those reasons at a more granular level may give the school system some ideas on how to make their own service more effective and meaningful.  Government oversight does not equate with educational excellence.  I encourage anyone interested in homeschooling for themselves, or simply out of curiosity, to do their homework and form a learned opinion of what homeschooling brings to table of education.

Books or the Screen? New Research On Reading

Modern technology has a definite place in education.  Research, communication and even writing and editing tools open the world up for young academics.  However, new research into digital media and its use in education suggests that real books are still a better choice for reading and comprehension. 

Anne Mangen, an associate professor at the Center for Reading Research at the University of Stavenger in Norway, has conducted research on the benefits and drawbacks inherent in digital reading modalities.  She notes, "Several experiments in cognitive psychology have shown how a change of physical surroundings has a potentially negative affect on memory. We should include this in our evaluation of digital teaching aids. The technology provides for a number of dynamic, mobile and ephemeral forms of learning, but we know little about how such mobility and transience influence the effect of teaching. Learning requires time and mental exertion and the new media do not provide for that." (Emphasis mine.)

Mangen describes how the clicking and scrolling which are a part of digital media delivery interrupt a child's focus.  I would liken it to asking a child to multi-task while their brain is trying to learn.  As a reader's brain works to decode the text and comprehend the message with all of its nuances, throwing in an interrupting event every couple of paragraphs forces the brain to work redundantly to "catch up" again.  Instead of a smooth, steady and progressive flow of information, it becomes stilted.

To give you a more concrete idea of this process, try to read a book with your children in the room with you.  How many times did you reread the same sentence or paragraph either because you had to find your place, or because you can't remember what you just read? 

Hypertext stories, which are becoming more prevalent as high-speed internet is more accessible in the school and the home, includes not only text, but also videos, sound, hypertext (links to additional material) and pictures.  While supplemental or descriptive material can add to a learning experience, such as with an online encyclopedia, the constant navigating and renavigating in the hypertext story format can also diminish the brain's ability to concentrate for a substantial length of time.  This format also interferes with the use of imagination in reading.

"The digital hypertext technology and its use of multimedia are not open to the experience of a fictional universe where the experience consists of creating your own mental images. The reader gets distracted by the opportunities for doing something else," Mangen says.

What do we, as moms, take away from this research?  How can we apply the right blend of book resources and new media resources to our children's education?

Three recommendations from Professor Mom:

• Never give up your books.  Even without the scientific back-up, we know that books are a source of brain development, growth, and magic.  I would suggest that every home should have a large collection of books that children can touch and browse and fall in love with.

• Don't discount the wonders of modern technology.  Technology provides us with many amazing tools for learning that didn't exist even 15 years ago.  From researching penguins on the internet to emailing with a penpal in the Mediterranean, the World Wide Web opens up a world of knowledge to our children.

• Use balance.  As with almost everything in life, moderation is the key.  Children's brains need to work hard everyday so that nuerons develop appropriate connections.  Minds need to be stretched and girded up with stories of value and integrity.  Imaginations need to be fueled by words (and, yes, sometimes boredom!) 

Provide an environment that takes advantage of the learning tools that technology gives us and taper those tools with the resources that make the brain work hard.  By creating a balanced approach to learning, you can provide your children with a well-rounded learning experience.

The University of Stavanger (2008, December 22). Storybooks On Paper Better For Children Than Reading Fiction On Computer Screen, According to Expert. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 29, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081219073049.htm

Acorn Squash Smoothie (or is it soup?)

Eating healthy is absolutely critical to functioning well as a mom.  Not only does the proper nutrition enhance our immune systems and prevent disease, it also enhance our well-being and energy levels.

To that end, I am always trying new recipes that combine lots of good foods, especially vegetables.  The other day, my cupboards were bare (at least for me because I have to eat gluten-free - that's right - no wheat:-()  I was making acorn squash as the vegetable for dinner that night.  I decided to experiment with what I had on hand.  So, this is what I threw into the blender:

1 cooked acorn squash (minus the tough skin), a couple of handfuls of spinach and enough organic chicken broth (not the sodium-free kind... we all have to live a little sometimes) to let the blender do its job.  After blending it to a thick soup-like consistency, I poured it in a glass and heated it up for about 30 seconds. 

The result?  A nourishing and surprisingly satisfying dinner that was quick, easy and low-cal.  I know you are going to laugh, but it really tasted great!  In our frigid Wisconsin winters - one degree below zero at last check - a warm drink can really boost the spirits as well.  Happy blending!