Comments on: American Homeschoolers Beat Oxford Brits http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/ Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:49:09 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: firebird http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-16978 firebird Fri, 24 Dec 2004 14:07:33 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-16978 Ho ho hey hey we dont need the NEA. Do we need anymore reason the eliminate the Dept of Education and return to home schooling? Ho ho hey hey we dont need the NEA. Do we need anymore reason the eliminate the Dept of Education and return to home schooling?

]]> By: jim hathorn http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-16614 jim hathorn Thu, 16 Dec 2004 18:15:07 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-16614 My daughter requested to homeschool when she was to start middle school. I homeschooled her for the next two and half years until she wanted to return to the public school system. She completed college this past spring and now she works for Gonzaga University. I am extremely proud of her. My daughter requested to homeschool when she was to start middle school. I homeschooled her for the next two and half years until she wanted to return to the public school system. She completed college this past spring and now she works for Gonzaga University. I am extremely proud of her.

]]> By: Andy http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-16030 Andy Mon, 13 Dec 2004 18:42:19 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-16030 RHB, you hit the nail. The important thing any student at the very least is the 3 Rs. It doesn't matter how educated one may be, without critical thinking, the kid is just a walking encyclopedia -- able to sprout facts without discerning the truth therof. With the ability to apply critical thinking comes the opportunity to absorb any subject. According to the book of Proverbs, wisdom is worth far more than knowledge. RHB, you hit the nail. The important thing any student at the very least is the 3 Rs. It doesn’t matter how educated one may be, without critical thinking, the kid is just a walking encyclopedia — able to sprout facts without discerning the truth therof. With the ability to apply critical thinking comes the opportunity to absorb any subject.

According to the book of Proverbs, wisdom is worth far more than knowledge.

]]> By: RHB http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-16017 RHB Mon, 13 Dec 2004 17:08:11 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-16017 Yessss! A decided victory, and a case for home schooling, to impart the knowledge and thinking ability essential to be an educated person, vs the non-academic mush that passes for education since the '60s when the current schooling system was created. As I like to point out, as a former high school teacher in an education reform effort: 'the human mind is an organic computer of potentially infinite capacity. Unless it is loaded with quality academic "software" to create an "operating system for thinking and reasoning ability, and establish an academic data base of facts and knowledge on which to draw when arriving at a rational conclusion based on data input from the senses, it cannot function any better than an electronic computer lacking software. This is true whether then individual is entering college, a technical school, vocational school, the workforce, or getting along in life after high school graduation.' Yessss! A decided victory, and a case for home schooling, to impart the knowledge and thinking ability essential to be an educated person, vs the non-academic mush that passes for education since the ’60s when the current schooling system was created.

As I like to point out, as a former high school teacher in an education reform effort: ‘the human mind is an organic computer of potentially infinite capacity. Unless it is loaded with quality academic “software” to create an “operating system for thinking and reasoning ability, and establish an academic data base of facts and knowledge on which to draw when arriving at a rational conclusion based on data input from the senses, it cannot function any better than an electronic computer lacking software. This is true whether then individual is entering college, a technical school, vocational school, the workforce, or getting along in life after high school graduation.’

]]> By: Grace Marzioli http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-16016 Grace Marzioli Mon, 13 Dec 2004 16:42:32 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-16016 As a State Champion debater and a current competitor on the college parliamentary debate circuit, I could think of nothing more intimidating than going up against the Oxford team in front of Thomas Henry Bingham. I am proud of the Patrick Henry team. They must have balls of steel, and debate skills to match. -Grace As a State Champion debater and a current competitor on the college parliamentary debate circuit, I could think of nothing more intimidating than going up against the Oxford team in front of Thomas Henry Bingham. I am proud of the Patrick Henry team. They must have balls of steel, and debate skills to match.

-Grace

]]> By: SCSIwuzzy http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-16000 SCSIwuzzy Mon, 13 Dec 2004 15:11:50 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-16000 scarshaped, I doubt many people think that all public schools have failed, and that all students therin are disenfranchised. But when the schools are failing, parents need options. Luckily for you (and for me, mostly) we were in districts that made the more extreme options unattractive. scarshaped,
I doubt many people think that all public schools have failed, and that all students therin are disenfranchised. But when the schools are failing, parents need options. Luckily for you (and for me, mostly) we were in districts that made the more extreme options unattractive.

]]> By: scarshapedstar http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-15731 scarshapedstar Mon, 13 Dec 2004 06:12:11 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-15731 I'll grant that my parents taught me more than my teachers up to about second grade, but when would a dentist and a lawyer have home-schooled me for AP physics and spanish literature? C++ and Java? Calculus I, II, and III? Of course, I went to a magnet school, but it was <i>Louisiana's</i>, for crying out loud. Nevertheless, I don't think I suffered terribly under the yoke of our "failed" educational system, with my measly 1510 SAT and enrollment at Georgia Tech, which my parents - having worked rather than home-schooled me - can afford to send me to. I guarantee you my graduating class could have beaten these kids, by the way. I’ll grant that my parents taught me more than my teachers up to about second grade, but when would a dentist and a lawyer have home-schooled me for AP physics and spanish literature? C++ and Java? Calculus I, II, and III?

Of course, I went to a magnet school, but it was Louisiana’s, for crying out loud. Nevertheless, I don’t think I suffered terribly under the yoke of our “failed” educational system, with my measly 1510 SAT and enrollment at Georgia Tech, which my parents – having worked rather than home-schooled me – can afford to send me to.

I guarantee you my graduating class could have beaten these kids, by the way.

]]> By: John http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-15729 John Mon, 13 Dec 2004 04:37:38 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-15729 Ok. this is obsessively self-congratulatory, but I attended Christian high school and middle school and a pseudo-christian college in Georgia, and I was national speech champion last year. The kids from the small schools were always the most fearsome in my experience (rhetorically speaking). The never learned they couldn't rise above the crowd. Ok. this is obsessively self-congratulatory, but I attended Christian high school and middle school and a pseudo-christian college in Georgia, and I was national speech champion last year. The kids from the small schools were always the most fearsome in my experience (rhetorically speaking). The never learned they couldn’t rise above the crowd.

]]> By: Betsy Rose http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-15728 Betsy Rose Mon, 13 Dec 2004 04:11:01 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-15728 Is home schooling the answer for all kids? Should we just dismantle public education and have all parents just take care of it on their own? Public schools in certain parts of the country certainly have "challenges" to overcome, but what percentage of parents will produce kids qualified for Patrick Henry? Do you think a few may "fall through the cracks?" Is home schooling the answer for all kids? Should we just dismantle public education and have all parents just take care of it on their own? Public schools in certain parts of the country certainly have “challenges” to overcome, but what percentage of parents will produce kids qualified for Patrick Henry? Do you think a few may “fall through the cracks?”

]]> By: actus http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-15725 actus Mon, 13 Dec 2004 02:05:10 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-15725 I wonder how much of the performance of home schooled students can be explained by their better student/faculty ratios. I wonder how much of the performance of home schooled students can be explained by their better student/faculty ratios.

]]> By: SCSIwuzzy http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-15723 SCSIwuzzy Mon, 13 Dec 2004 00:47:47 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-15723 Granted, if the students could already read, write and spell at an adequate level, would the teachers have to take much time out to help them cram for the tests? Granted, if the students could already read, write and spell at an adequate level, would the teachers have to take much time out to help them cram for the tests?

]]> By: Francene http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-15720 Francene Sun, 12 Dec 2004 23:23:32 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-15720 Rick said: <i>No child left behind is all about standards. Expecting schools to actually teach. It should not be about funding. I’m in favor of teacher literacy and mathematical skill testing. I am in favor of comprehensive testing based upon what verbal and math skills have been aquired in each year of school. Yes, i am a throwback. I expect schools to turn out students who can actually read, write, spell, and compute.</i> I completely agree with you, Rick. Sadly, I hear too many teachers who want their students to acheive that excellency bemoan the fact that they have to spend too much time teaching their students how to take the tests, rather than teaching them the actual reading, writing, spelling, and math skills that would truly enable them to excell on the tests. What am I missing here? If my 4 sons were still in school today, I would definitely be a home-schooling mom. Rick said: No child left behind is all about standards. Expecting schools to actually teach. It should not be about funding. I’m in favor of teacher literacy and mathematical skill testing. I am in favor of comprehensive testing based upon what verbal and math skills have been aquired in each year of school. Yes, i am a throwback. I expect schools to turn out students who can actually read, write, spell, and compute.

I completely agree with you, Rick. Sadly, I hear too many teachers who want their students to acheive that excellency bemoan the fact that they have to spend too much time teaching their students how to take the tests, rather than teaching them the actual reading, writing, spelling, and math skills that would truly enable them to excell on the tests. What am I missing here? If my 4 sons were still in school today, I would definitely be a home-schooling mom.

]]> By: Rick http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-15718 Rick Sun, 12 Dec 2004 23:11:38 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-15718 actus- Failure to win a competition may or may not be a failure in the absolute sense. Failure to read when trying to enter college is a failure in the absolute sense. Somewehere along the line, someone should have realized that the youth could not read (yes, I have a specific example in mind) before he wound up trying to get into my AFROTC group. He was a wonderful person, but the system had failed to equip him with the basic skills necessary to succceed in college. At least he was smart enough to get help from us, instead of coasting by in college as well and graduating with no skills except the ability to play ball until he got injured and was left completely by the wayside. actus-
Failure to win a competition may or may not be a failure in the absolute sense. Failure to read when trying to enter college is a failure in the absolute sense. Somewehere along the line, someone should have realized that the youth could not read (yes, I have a specific example in mind) before he wound up trying to get into my AFROTC group. He was a wonderful person, but the system had failed to equip him with the basic skills necessary to succceed in college. At least he was smart enough to get help from us, instead of coasting by in college as well and graduating with no skills except the ability to play ball until he got injured and was left completely by the wayside.

]]> By: Rae http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-15717 Rae Sun, 12 Dec 2004 23:08:02 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-15717 La Shawn, our oldest daughter is heavily considering attending Patrick Henry. She wants to be a journalist and is very excited at the prospect of attending a college that is so focused on academics and honoring God with our knowledge, instead of honoring our knowledge with sprinklings of God. I will pass on the cool news to her :) P.S. I haven't been around much lately as I was relegated to the public computers while we awaited our new one to arrive. So good to read your thoughts :) La Shawn, our oldest daughter is heavily considering attending Patrick Henry. She wants to be a journalist and is very excited at the prospect of attending a college that is so focused on academics and honoring God with our knowledge, instead of honoring our knowledge with sprinklings of God.

I will pass on the cool news to her :)

P.S. I haven’t been around much lately as I was relegated to the public computers while we awaited our new one to arrive. So good to read your thoughts :)

]]> By: Rick http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/comment-page-1/#comment-15716 Rick Sun, 12 Dec 2004 23:07:13 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/12/12/american/#comment-15716 Oh, and your essay on When Worlds Collide was wonderful. The "religious" liberals get upset when we talk about morals, because they cannot grasp the immorality of torturing the unborn, but the can wax eloquent about the "rights of the mother". Oh, I mean "rights of a woman to choose" (if she were a mother, she would not murder her child). Oh, and your essay on When Worlds Collide was wonderful. The “religious” liberals get upset when we talk about morals, because they cannot grasp the immorality of torturing the unborn, but the can wax eloquent about the “rights of the mother”. Oh, I mean “rights of a woman to choose” (if she were a mother, she would not murder her child).

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