CBS on homeschooling

I liked these vignettes on homeschooling. It's good to see people who want to stay home with their kids for, you know, academic benefit.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4447945n

See More Herpetology

When I say my kids love science, in no way am I exaggerating. From geology to chemistry to astronomy to biology to physics... they love exploring this world and all the ways to classify that experience. That's one of the reasons we really enjoy going to Camp Seymour. As exhausting as it can be on the parents, the staff there maximize the individual experience for the children. This is our second year going and it's so worth it.




This session was Creepy Crawly Day, where they studied earthworms and reptiles. They took the earthworms from the Living Machine they have at Camp Seymour, right from the compost pile, and then replaced them as they finished. It was a great object lesson in sustainable cycles and gardening, or it could have been; when the instructor asked how many people had a compost pile at home, every child raised her hand! That may be Homeschooler Rule #14: must have compost.



We moved on to lunch, (where a large fifth grade group's handlers reminded most of us why we have our children at home), and then made our way back outside to split into our groups. On to the reptiles! After a brief lesson, each child had the opportunity to hold every reptile.

All N-man wanted was to hold that black snake, the one he held last year. All day long, that's what he looked forward to experiencing again.

Here there be dragons!

The leopard gecko's name is Maynard. He was easily the class favorite, and the only one D-meister would hold.

Sibling assistance: An escapee explored the inside of N-man's sweater.

The stream is running again

I'd like to say "No, he didn't," but he so very did.

The C-family had come over and they were all out there, stream-tending. Each child came in wearing different degrees of dirt, but this was the clear winner of the group..

A grateful week

"What manner of man will this be, this possible Negro Presidential candidate of 2000? Undoubtedly, he will be well-educated. He will be well-traveled and have a keen grasp of his country's role in the world and its relationships. He will be a dedicated internationalist with working comprehension of the intricacies of foreign aid, technical assistance and reciprocal trade. … Assuredly, though, despite his other characteristics, he will have developed the fortitude to withstand the vicious smear attacks that came his way as he fought to the top in government and politics … those in the vanguard may expect to be the targets for scurrilous attacks, as the hate mongers, in the last ditch efforts, spew their verbal and written poison."

--Jacob K. Javits, "Integration from the Top Down" printed in Esquire magazine in 1958

Happy Halloweenies!