They might get some of the details wrong, but when it comes to your essential character, your parents will always know you better than you will ever know yourself.
Archive for the ‘Homeschooling’ Category
Parents Know
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009The New Texas Math
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009This is a question on my son’s math homework today:
The density of iron is 7.874 grams per cubic centimeter. Estimate the space that would be occupied by 50 grams of iron.
a) 16 cm3 b) 35 cm3 c) 350 cm3 d) 400 cm3
I realize that it has been a long time since I did any algebra, but this seemed like a very simple problem to me. Taking it step-by-step…
1) You start with this equation: 7.874g/1cm3 = 50g/Xcm3
2) Isolate the variable by multiplying both sides of the equation by Xcm3…
Xcm3(7.874g/1cm3) = Xcm3(50g/Xcm3)
X7.874g = 50g
3) …and then dividing both sides by 7.874.
X7.874g/7.874g = 50g/7.874g
X = ~6.35
His teacher says the correct answer is c) 350 cm3. Am I missing something very simple here, or is the teacher wrong and the correct answer not listed?
Triton? Mark? Will one of you guys (or someone else) double check my junior high algebra for me?
Santa Claus, Reefer Madness, and Other Fairytales
Friday, January 23rd, 2009Rabi Simeon b. Elazar said: Adam can be likened to an Israelite who married a proselyte woman, and he constantly sought to impress upon her mind the following regulations: “My daughter, eat not bread when thy hands are unclean, eat not of fruits which were not tithed, do not violate the Sabbath, do not get into the habit of making vows, and walk not with another man. If thou shouldst violate any of the commands, thou wilt die.” Another one, who wished to mislead her, did those very things before her that she had been told were sinful: he ate bread when his hands were unclean, partook of fruits which were not tithed, violated the Sabbath, etc., and thereby caused this proselyte to think that everything that her husband told her was entirely false, so she violated all his commandments.
Babylonian Talmud, Trans. Rodkinson. pp 8-9
I am reminded of parents telling their children that Santa Claus brings presents, teachers telling their students that Marijuana brings madness, and politicians telling us all that single-payer health care brings health and happiness to all. After so many obvious lies, why in the world should anyone believe another word?
Marshall Fritz Has Died
Thursday, November 6th, 2008Marshall Fritz, president of the Alliance for the Separation of School and State and founder of the Advocates for Self Government, died of pancreatic cancer on Tuesday, November 4th. At least he didn’t have to watch America choose which anti-freedom, anti-family candidate they wanted for PotUS again.
In honor of Mr. Fritz, go read his obit, take the World’s Smallest Political Quiz, and sign the Proclamation.
Stupid Is As Stupid Is Told He Is
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008From a discussion re Brooke Adams’ column in the Salt Lake City Tribune:
WWJD? said… ”Minors need protection ‘because they are deemed too unsophisticated to protect themselves or to consent to sexual activity,’ ” the court said **********
Then why in heavens name are they passing out condoms in junior high and high schools?!?!?!?!?!?
SandD said… Because minors need protection in view of the irresponsible choices they often make regarding sexual activity amongst themselves. We don’t want them to contract a deadly disease or conceive a child as a consequence of their poorly made decision.
Gee, do you think maybe they might make even more irresponsible choices if they continue to be shielded from the consequences of their previous irresponsible choices? Accountability begets responsibility.
Subway Apologizes
Thursday, May 29th, 2008To HSLDA [Home School Legal Defense Association]:
We at SUBWAY restaurants place a high value on education, regardless of the setting, and have initiated a number of programs and promotions aimed at educating our youth in the areas of health and fitness.
We sincerely apologize to anyone who feels excluded by our current essay contest. Our intention was to provide an opportunity for traditional schools, many of which we know have trouble affording athletic equipment, to win equipment. Our intent was certainly not to exclude homeschooled children from the opportunity to win prizes and benefit from better access to fitness equipment.
To address the inadvertent limitation of our current contest and provide an opportunity for even more kids to improve their fitness, we will soon create an additional contest in which homeschooled students will be encouraged to participate. When the kids win, everyone wins!
—Subway restaurants
There was a very simple solution to this problem that would have achieved Subway’s goals without excluding anyone, but Subway has chosen the way of “separate, but equal.” That’s their right, of course. Since they only went half-way with this, I’ll only go half-way too. I’ll go to Subway if there’s nothing else around.
Technorati Tags: subway, hslda, homeschoolers, home schools, homeschooling
No More Subway
Sunday, May 25th, 2008There’s a lot of talk online about Subway excluding homeschoolers from their “Every Sandwich Tells a Story” writing contest. Having seen many a similar e-rumor, I thought it would be wise to confirm this one before passing it on.
Here’s the confirmation from subwayfreshbuzz.com:
This accomplishes two things for Subway:
- It eliminates needless profits. I like going to Subway because it’s relatively healthy fast food. Unfortunately, I won’t be eating there again until they make a well-publicized apology and change the contest rules.
- It makes public school students feel better about their inability to spell common English words. Basket, for example.
This image was captured from Subway’s web site. I didn’t modify it except to crop it shorter.
Technorati Tags: subway, homeschooling, home schools, writing contests
Speaking of Crazy…
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008A group of third graders in Georgia plotted to attack their teacher.
A group of third-graders plotted to attack their teacher, bringing a broken steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape and other items for the job and assigning children tasks including covering the windows and cleaning up afterward, police said Tuesday.
I can see one or two kids going off the deep end now and then, maybe a handful of kids fantasizing about hurting their teacher, but this is scary. These aren’t high schoolers or even junior high kids. These are third graders! Between television, public schools, drugs (and I don’t mean anything illegal), humanism, and Darwinism, what in the world have we done to our children that they have become capable of this?
Technorati Tags: children, public schools, school violence
Tetsaveh 5768 – Oil for the Lamp or Fuel for the Fire
Wednesday, February 13th, 2008Exo 27:20-21 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.
Sometimes I wonder if I am completely insane, because of all the crazy stuff I see in Scripture. Do you see the parable of the talents in this passage? The gifts of the Spirit? Homeschooling? Mentoring and apprenticeship? I see all of those things, and I wonder if I’m hallucinating.
There are several different metaphors in those two verses. The beaten oil is deliberate refinement in the Holy Spirit. The location outside the veil in the Tent of Meeting implies a process that takes place within the family or community in the presense of God (behind the veil) and his Law (in the Ark) and under the light of his Spirit (the Menorah). Aaron and his sons represent family and community leaders, especially spiritual leaders. Finally, tending the oil is encouraging spiritual development through teaching and leading. All of that gives a picture of the role God intends for every person to take in relationship to the next generation and to those under their authority.
Yeshua told a story of a man with three servants. The servants who put their master’s resources to work for profit were rewarded. The servant who buried his master’s gold so that it wouldn’t be lost was stripped of what little he had and thrown out of the master’s house. God asked the Israelites for freewill offerings of precious metals, gemstones, and fabrics, but he commanded them to bring the oil, and commanded the priests to maintain the oil in the Menorah. He gave them only two options: produce the oil or be thrown out of the camp.
God has given everyone resources which they can employ in his service. We all have a gift, a calling, a special skill that can be made available to the Spirit. Paul listed some of those gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, but he did not intend for us to take that list as comprehensive. I firmly believe that teaching and prophecy should be included, as well as musical talent, mechanical aptitude, writing, and every kind of artistry and craftsmanship. With the right refinement, all of those things can be fuel for God’s Light in the world.
Like its organic counterpart, this fuel doesn’t come straight off the trees, ready to use. It must be harvested, pressed, and refined. Nor does it suffice to pour it into any lamp or onto just any fire. It must be channeled into the right reservoirs and tended by God’s appointed authorities. Parents, first of all, and then pastors, educators, priests, and people of all kinds of skill and talent are to instruct their successors in serving God and using their spiritual gifts to the profit of God’s kingdom. Men with special skill in the engineering of homes and office buildings must mentor apprentices into building to God’s glory.
Also like olive oil, it is counter-productive to isolate a single ingredient. Each person is a complex interaction of flaws and talents, and we need to seek a balance. While one of us might have a more beautiful voice than others, that isn’t a license to ignore character development in favor of breathing exercises. Olive oil is valued for its scent, flavor, color, and combustibility. It isn’t enough to achieve maximum caloric output. It must be an attractive, multi-dimensional output that allows God’s character to show through us.
As the keepers of God’s orchard–and we are all keepers and trees–he will hold us responsible for how we managed his oil. Are you a talented musician who can play any instrument he touches? Then use your talents to encourage other musicians to use their talents for God’s glory. Are you a leader who can take the full measure of a man in minutes? Then identify the potential leaders around you and mentor them into righteous, productive leadership of God’s people. You are the priests in the tabernacle of your family and community. You are the people supplying the oil for the Menorah. God has not asked for volunteers. He has commanded every single one of us to produce or be cut off.
Update 02/13/2008: One clarification. You are commanded to develop and use your spiritual gifts for the Kingdom. The Cohanim (priests) are commanded to coordinate and encourage your gifts. That you are responsible for teaching and fostering those gifts in others is an implication, but not necessarily a command.
Update 02/17/2008: So I’m not completely insane. The sermon at church yesterday was strikingly similar to what I posted here. It was based on Exodus 28:33-35 and John 21:15-17, and it emphasized teaching and living Torah, but the general idea was the same.
Technorati Tags: community, family, mentoring, tetsaveh, parsha tetsaveh, torah, menorah, olive oil, holy spirit, gifts of the spirit
Are You Smarter Than…ahhh…ummm…huh
Sunday, December 2nd, 2007What else is there to say?