Last night I happened upon a documentary on PBS called "The Education of Shelby Knox".
Here is the synopsis from PBS.org: As the nation reflects on the outcome of the recent presidential election, "moral values" is a factor often cited in George Bush's win. A look at the "red" and "blue" states paints a picture of "red" voters who embrace traditional religion and family life, and reject what they see as the erosion of American ideals and culture that the "blue" states represent.
Federally funded, abstinence-only sex education is part of the equation, sparking an intense national debate. Sex may be everywhere - in music, television, fashion and movies - one argument goes, but schools need to give teenagers the tools to resist peer pressure and say "no." Won't teaching about sex only encourage teens to try it? Opponents say that withholding information about condom use and birth control will only lead to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.
For more information about "The Education of Shelby Knox," visit shelbyknox.org.
Into the culture wars steps feisty teenager Shelby Knox of Lubbock, Texas. Although her county's high schools teach abstinence as the only safe sex, Lubbock has some of the highest rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases in the nation. Shelby, a devout Christian who has pledged abstinence until marriage herself, becomes an unlikely advocate for comprehensive sex education, profoundly changing her political and spiritual views along the way.
Texas public schools have had abstinence-only sex education since 1995, when then-governor George W. Bush signed a law making Texas the third state to follow the curriculum. The "abstinence-only" initiative gained national attention in 1996 when President Clinton enacted landmark welfare reform that included grants for abstinence programs. In November 2004, Congress included more than $131 million for abstinence programs in a spending bill, an increase of $30 million but about $100 million less than President Bush requested. A national evaluation of abstinence programs has been delayed, and is expected in 2006.
In the fall of 2001, Shelby, then a 15-year-old high school sophomore, budding opera singer and politically conservative Southern Baptist, joined the Lubbock Youth Commission, a group of high school students empowered by the mayor to give Lubbock's youth a voice in city government. "We get no [sex] education at all in school," says Shelby in "The Education of Shelby Knox." "Maybe twice a week, I see a girl walking down the hall pregnant... It's part of normal life at my school. If a student asks a teacher about sex, the teacher by policy is required to answer with 'Abstinence is the only way to prevent STD's and teen pregnancy.'... If they don't, they're in danger of losing their job."
Shelby attends a youth assembly called Love, Sex and Dating, held by charismatic local pastor Ed Ainsworth. "If they say there's no information at all in the schools, then they haven't listened to me," he says. "Safe sex? You have been lied to, kids," he tells them, warning them not to get hurt "physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially" by being sexually active. Ainsworth's seminar, with its religious references excised, is also given in 200 Texas junior high schools as part of a national movement called "True Love Waits," which claims 2.4 million teen "pledgers" since 1993. Shelby links hands with the other teens, promising before her parents and God, "On my wedding night, that night will be my first time."
Although committed to her personal vow, Shelby is not convinced that Ed Ainsworth's lectures constitute real sex education. "Every time we said we wanted sex ed, everyone said 'Sex Ed' was already doing it, but he's really doing something very different." The Youth Commission decides to fight for comprehensive, fact-based sex education in the town's public schools. Shelby takes up the campaign with missionary fervor and runs for "mayor" of the Youth Commission, but another teen, Corey Nichols, wins and she is devastated.
Two distinctly different personalities, Corey and Shelby spend the next year trying to advance their cause of comprehensive sex ed while attempting to outdo one another. As they bicker through a range of activities, Shelby increasingly defines herself as a hot-tempered activist. Corey, in contrast, emerges as the diplomat, a politician in the making who sees no good in confrontation, insisting instead on compromise.
Shelby finds herself in a difficult position on the home front, too. Her parents are supportive, but they are also concerned about the stress the campaign is putting on her, and by Shelby's increasingly liberal attitudes. When they suggest she quit the commission, Shelby explodes, "I'm not dropping out... I have power there."
On the public level, the youth group is getting extensive media coverage but little attention from school officials. After repeated requests, the school board finally allows them to present their recommendations. Although the school board listens, the members are not persuaded, and it becomes clear that the district will continue to implement its abstinence-until-marriage sex education in the city's high schools. Again, Shelby refuses to give up.
Shelby now allies herself with a group of gay students who have been denied the right to form a gay-straight alliance in school, feeling it will galvanize her campaign. This is not a fight that Corey and the kids on the commission, afraid of adding more controversy to their already contentious agenda, want to join. Soon after, the mayor of Lubbock announces that he is considering doing away with the youth commission because of a city budget shortfall. Corey shows his penchant for political compromise and saves the commission by agreeing to operate without funding and, in the process, abandoning the sex education campaign. An infuriated Shelby decides she can work more effectively outside "the system." Accusing Corey of betraying a cause he claimed to champion, she resigns from the commission.
By her senior year, Shelby is committed to working with the gay teens, who have decided to sue the Lubbock School Board. She has also declared herself to be a liberal Democrat, a turn that shocks her Republican parents. But when an organization whose slogan is "God Hates Fags" comes to Lubbock to protest the gay kids' lawsuit, Shelby, along with her mother, joins a counter protest, carrying a sign that reads "God Loves Everybody," and affirming a belief that will guide her into adulthood: "I think that God wants you to question," Shelby says, "to do more than just blindly be a follower, because he can't use blind followers. He can use people like me who realize there's more in the world that can be done."
Shelby is now a sophomore at the University of Texas in Austin, where she is studying political science. She continues her activism for comprehensive sex education. Visit our Update section, where Shelby answers questions about her life today. Send in your own question for Shelby. »
"The Education of Shelby Knox" is funded by grants from the David and Lucille Packard Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Brush Foundation, the Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation, the Columbia Foundation, the Lalor Foundation, the General Services Foundation, the H. van Ameringen Foundation, the Playboy Foundation, the Trull Foundation, the Independent Television Service (ITVS) and American Documentary, Inc.
I feel like I am a Shelby Knox!
The part of the movie that I felt was very relevant in my life right at this moment was when Christianity as an intolerant religion was discussed. Maybe I am completely wrong, but my understanding of Christianity is that it "should be" a tolerant religion. "Love one another." What happened to that? My belief is that God is the only judge. Let us just love one another and let him do the judging. Let's be tolerant of each other, as we are all humans, despite our lifestyle or our religious beliefs.
Thanks for listening. Check out the movie! You rock, Shelby Knox!!!!!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Neurologist Update
We saw Dr Fain, pediatric neurologist, today. This is our followup from our hospital stay a month ago :( Westin looks good and he thinks he will keep him on the medication for 2 to 4 years, based on his age. It is really a puberty issue and once puberty is done, the epilepsy probably will be too. Crossing our fingers!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Letter to the Editor was Published!
Published in the Kalamazoo Gazette on June 23rd:
Insulin pumps can be monitored; what's needed is a cure for diabetes
Monday, June 23, 2008
BY MICHELLE CURTIS
In the May 5 Kalamazoo Gazette there was an Associated Press article about the dangers of insulin pumps. I waited anxiously for the flood of e-mails and concerned calls, ``warning'' me that my son's insulin pump could be dangerous and cause death. Sure enough, by 9 p.m. I got my first call.
I think it is important, at this time, to explain why an insulin pump is used. My son was diagnosed when he was 2 years old, in 2000, with Type 1 diabetes. It is also known as juvenile diabetes as the majority of diagnoses take place in children.
Advertisement
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas, through an autoimmune malfunction, is attacked by the body and stops creating insulin. Insulin is used by the body to convert sugar into energy. Insulin is a hormone required to sustain life.
At the time of diagnosis he had been drinking heavily, urinating frequently and finally sleeping non-stop. I took him to the pediatrician on a Monday afternoon to find that he had also lost a considerable amount of weight.
Our doctor sent us to the lab and by 11 p.m. that night we were rushing to Bronson Methodist Hospital as our frail 2-year-old was in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a life-threatening complication of untreated diabetes mellitus.
We spent a few days in the hospital as his body chemistry was corrected with insulin and our family was taught how to give life-saving insulin injections. It was a brand new way of life. No more carefree living. We were checking blood sugars every couple of hours and giving shots at least 4 times a day. That's just the tip of the iceberg of diabetes care. Every day creates new challenges.
At night I find that in order to be at peace, I wake every three hours to check his blood sugar, just to know that he isn't too high or too low.
Every time my son wants to go outside and run around and play like other 10-year-olds, I find myself worrying about his blood sugar, almost wishing he would just sit still. Every change in activity changes insulin requirements. This leads to even more blood sugar checks and less sleep for mom.
Being 10 years old, he is going through growth spurts which can greatly increase insulin requirements.
Every time he gets an illness, especially a stomach virus, I have to play this strange game of trying to get a sick child to eat so that I can get his blood sugar elevated so that I can give him insulin, as the body needs it to stay out of DKA. Then it starts all over again. Many times with young children and occasionally with older children this leads to a hospital stay.
Six years ago, when he was 4 years old, I requested my son be put on an insulin pump. Pumping insulin, unlike injections, is more like what our pancreas would do naturally. The pump delivers very tiny doses of insulin continuously. Then when food is consumed that requires dosing, extra can easily be delivered.
This eliminates at least four insulin shots daily and replaces them with one infusion set insertion every three days. The infusion set puts a tiny Teflon or metal catheter under the skin. This is where the insulin is delivered. We have found that using an insulin pump has made life with diabetes a little easier and less scheduled.
The problem with pumping insulin is that if there is a problem with the delivery of insulin it can become life threatening. Insulin is a lifesaver to my son. Without it he will die. If blood sugars are not regularly monitored, at least four times a day, a problem with delivery of insulin can go unnoticed and DKA, possibly leading to death, can occur. In the reverse, if too much insulin is given, via pump or injections, hypoglycemia can occur resulting in seizures and possible death. So whether pumping or injecting insulin, Type 1 diabetes is dangerous.
The point I really want to make is that having Type 1 diabetes is dangerous. Let's not focus on the delivery method but rather getting a cure for this disease. Very little has really changed in the treatment of diabetes since the discovery of insulin in 1921 by Frederick Banting and Charles Best. We have great technology as far as delivery and management, but we really need a cure. Insulin is not a cure.
Michelle Curtis is a resident of
Lawton.
Insulin pumps can be monitored; what's needed is a cure for diabetes
Monday, June 23, 2008
BY MICHELLE CURTIS
In the May 5 Kalamazoo Gazette there was an Associated Press article about the dangers of insulin pumps. I waited anxiously for the flood of e-mails and concerned calls, ``warning'' me that my son's insulin pump could be dangerous and cause death. Sure enough, by 9 p.m. I got my first call.
I think it is important, at this time, to explain why an insulin pump is used. My son was diagnosed when he was 2 years old, in 2000, with Type 1 diabetes. It is also known as juvenile diabetes as the majority of diagnoses take place in children.
Advertisement
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas, through an autoimmune malfunction, is attacked by the body and stops creating insulin. Insulin is used by the body to convert sugar into energy. Insulin is a hormone required to sustain life.
At the time of diagnosis he had been drinking heavily, urinating frequently and finally sleeping non-stop. I took him to the pediatrician on a Monday afternoon to find that he had also lost a considerable amount of weight.
Our doctor sent us to the lab and by 11 p.m. that night we were rushing to Bronson Methodist Hospital as our frail 2-year-old was in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a life-threatening complication of untreated diabetes mellitus.
We spent a few days in the hospital as his body chemistry was corrected with insulin and our family was taught how to give life-saving insulin injections. It was a brand new way of life. No more carefree living. We were checking blood sugars every couple of hours and giving shots at least 4 times a day. That's just the tip of the iceberg of diabetes care. Every day creates new challenges.
At night I find that in order to be at peace, I wake every three hours to check his blood sugar, just to know that he isn't too high or too low.
Every time my son wants to go outside and run around and play like other 10-year-olds, I find myself worrying about his blood sugar, almost wishing he would just sit still. Every change in activity changes insulin requirements. This leads to even more blood sugar checks and less sleep for mom.
Being 10 years old, he is going through growth spurts which can greatly increase insulin requirements.
Every time he gets an illness, especially a stomach virus, I have to play this strange game of trying to get a sick child to eat so that I can get his blood sugar elevated so that I can give him insulin, as the body needs it to stay out of DKA. Then it starts all over again. Many times with young children and occasionally with older children this leads to a hospital stay.
Six years ago, when he was 4 years old, I requested my son be put on an insulin pump. Pumping insulin, unlike injections, is more like what our pancreas would do naturally. The pump delivers very tiny doses of insulin continuously. Then when food is consumed that requires dosing, extra can easily be delivered.
This eliminates at least four insulin shots daily and replaces them with one infusion set insertion every three days. The infusion set puts a tiny Teflon or metal catheter under the skin. This is where the insulin is delivered. We have found that using an insulin pump has made life with diabetes a little easier and less scheduled.
The problem with pumping insulin is that if there is a problem with the delivery of insulin it can become life threatening. Insulin is a lifesaver to my son. Without it he will die. If blood sugars are not regularly monitored, at least four times a day, a problem with delivery of insulin can go unnoticed and DKA, possibly leading to death, can occur. In the reverse, if too much insulin is given, via pump or injections, hypoglycemia can occur resulting in seizures and possible death. So whether pumping or injecting insulin, Type 1 diabetes is dangerous.
The point I really want to make is that having Type 1 diabetes is dangerous. Let's not focus on the delivery method but rather getting a cure for this disease. Very little has really changed in the treatment of diabetes since the discovery of insulin in 1921 by Frederick Banting and Charles Best. We have great technology as far as delivery and management, but we really need a cure. Insulin is not a cure.
Michelle Curtis is a resident of
Lawton.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
FINALLY Got 1st Denial of CGMS!!!!
So after two attempts for reimbursement for our sensors for our continuous glucose monitor, I finally noticed our our Explanation of Benefits that BCBS denied due to "not prescribed by doctor". That was easily remedied by faxing over a copy of the prescription. What will be their next reason for denial? I have a feeling this will be a long process!
On the neurologist front...We FINALLY have an appointment on the 25th to see Dr. Fain! I am currently reading "Seizures and Epilepsy in Childhood A Guide for Parents". I should either have LOTS of questions or none at all. We will see.
On the neurologist front...We FINALLY have an appointment on the 25th to see Dr. Fain! I am currently reading "Seizures and Epilepsy in Childhood A Guide for Parents". I should either have LOTS of questions or none at all. We will see.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Will we EVER see the Neurologist?
Jason has been panicking lately that Westin will run out of anti seizure meds before we get in to see Dr Fain, our pediatric neurologist. His script was only written for 30 days as it was supposed to be renewed at our follow-up visit. Problem is, our follow-up visit hasn't happened as Dr Fain was out sick. Today I called to see about getting another appointment. They were suppose to call me to reschedule but instead this is call number 2, trying to get something on the books. "They have to talk to the doctor to see when he can see us." So I call today to be told that Westin isn't a patient of Dr. Fain's. He isn't listed anywhere in their office. Dr. Fain has never billed him, yada, yada, yada. After I get irate from being told we never had an appointment that was canceled, etc, etc. I asked them to look him up with his last name as his first name as Bronson Hospital tends to get it backwards...ta da! Suddenly we existed! SO....then they were more than happy to help me. I got a script called in but no appointment. "The doctor isn't in today. He will be in tomorrow and then I (the scheduler) can ask him when he can see you." Ah, the saga continues. :)
Thursday, June 12, 2008
UGH!!! Website HORROR Story!!!
I spent HOURS today working on my new site www.HomeschoolKalamazoo.com I put in all sorts of links and such. After I did a spell check everything went wacky! When I uploaded it put things in wacky places and deleted all sorts of things. Could it have deleted something small? NO! It deleted my LONG list of local links! I called support and they showed me where I could find a back up but of course I lost all that work I did today.
My head hurts and I need to start dinner. What a waste of a day home, without Wieland interrupting. So if you look at the website, nothing has changed today, including the spelling errors. I am walking away from the computer before my head explodes!
My head hurts and I need to start dinner. What a waste of a day home, without Wieland interrupting. So if you look at the website, nothing has changed today, including the spelling errors. I am walking away from the computer before my head explodes!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Home Education Night presented by KAHSA
So last night my friend, Nikki, and I went to check out the Home Education Night at the Portage Library. We wanted to see how they presented it, as we are trying to put something together for the fall. It was so energizing. The event left me anxious to work on our own KHC homeschool group (Kalamazoo Homeschool Connection) and make it better. I am not saying that the event itself energized me, but it did get my creative juices flowing! It was a panel of experienced homeschoolers, there to answer newbie questions as well as questions from us "younger homeschoolers". The panel was mainly parents with children that had graduated highschool. I found myself almost sitting on my hands in an effort to contain myself. I wanted to be on that panel. There was a lot of perspective missing.
I was delighted to see another KHC member there. I wish that I would have made it a point to post the event to our group.
Nikki and I returned home and talked for quite some time, making plans for our own "Thinking of Homeschooling" night. I will be posting more details very soon!
I did make a connection with a man representing the Kalamazoo Homeschool Sports. I am hoping someone will get some information over to me so I can post it on the new homeschoolkalamazoo.com
I was delighted to see another KHC member there. I wish that I would have made it a point to post the event to our group.
Nikki and I returned home and talked for quite some time, making plans for our own "Thinking of Homeschooling" night. I will be posting more details very soon!
I did make a connection with a man representing the Kalamazoo Homeschool Sports. I am hoping someone will get some information over to me so I can post it on the new homeschoolkalamazoo.com
Monday, June 9, 2008
New Homeschooling Site for Kalamazoo
Today was the launch of www.homeschoolkalamazoo.com
It is a clearing house of information for homeschoolers in the Kalamazoo area. It includes a calendar with events from all sorts of sources including Kalamazoo Homeschool Connection and KAHSA.
Pass the info around. Check out the site. What can you contribute?
It is a clearing house of information for homeschoolers in the Kalamazoo area. It includes a calendar with events from all sorts of sources including Kalamazoo Homeschool Connection and KAHSA.
Pass the info around. Check out the site. What can you contribute?
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Why We Started Homeschooling?
First, if you are looking for an update from the neurologist, they canceled the appointment. The doctor is ill. I don't know when they will reschedule yet as they have to talk to the doctor. They wanted to put me with a different doctor, but for continuity, I declined, which seemed to throw the girl for a loop...**SHRUG**
So, today we (Westin and I) are home, enjoying the quiet. Wieland is spending the day with Nikki. I can't say it is all that quiet as I have been cleaning house to AOL Radio! So what is the schedule today? It started with breakfast and meds. Westin and I did a section of math about the relationship between fractions and decimals. I tried to take a walk but about 10 minutes into it I heard thunder and thought walking out in the field with a storm coming in might not be a good idea...great science experiment...but not a good idea :) I came in and got my breakfast and Westin and I did some Tangrams. Since then Westin did his chores and cleaned the bathroom. I spent way too much time, as usual, on childrenwithdiabetes.com ...oops! Seriously, I did clean the kitchen and vacuum the house in between checking the forum. I am going to write this blog and then we will do some more math. We got our language arts finished up for the year so we can hopefully blow through the rest of the math and be a little more laid back for the rest of the summer.
So, why did we start homeschooling? Back in 2000 when Westin was diagnosed with diabetes, Jason said, "I guess you will be homeschooling!" I said, "What!?" There was no way I would be homeschooling. I was anxiously waiting for the day that I could send him off to school and enjoy my days to myself, to go to lunch with friends, to go back to school, etc. Westin started in "Young Fives" at Paw Paw and moved to Kindergarten at Mattawan. All went really well. We had a little issue at "Young Fives" but K was fabulous. We had a wonderful teacher and the office staff was very helpful. It was only half days at that point and there wasn't much that could go wrong. It was when 1st grade started that things got crazy. The school suddenly realized they had a diabetic in the early elementary. Suddenly I wasn't qualified to train the staff, due to liability, and being in school all day left for a lot of hours where issues with Westin's diabetes could arise. I had issues with the woman in charge of care for Westin and the principal. Those were the main "offenders" as I see it. By the week of Thanksgiving, I was ready to pull him out. I was actually dreading sending him to school. After I pulled him out of school, I wrote this letter. I never sent it, but it did help me feel better to document it all.
When I pulled Westin out of Mattawan, I had every intention to put him back in school in 2 years when he would enter the Later Elementary. I figured he would be older and we would be dealing with all new staff. It has now been 3 1/2 years and we love it! I have NO intention of putting him back in school. I have always maintained that if the day comes that he wants to go to school, I will definitely send him, but I don't foresee it anytime soon. I also look forward to homeschooling Wieland as he is more open to the learning process. He hasn't been made jaded by the school system. He just has a different way about him, compared to Westin. Even with Westin not "wanting to learn" it is still enjoyable. I am blessed to have been given the opportunity to try it. Of course, until I decided that I was going to do this "homeschool thing" 100%, it was not so enjoyable. Until I decided to let go of the idea of sending him back to school, always feeling like we had to be on the same schedule and curriculum as the school, always feeling behind, I couldn't really love the process. Thanks to some great role models in the Kalamazoo Homeschool Connection, I let go of those expectations and freed myself of what education is suppose to be, according to the public school system. I started studying "unschooling" and embraced the idea that a lot of what our children need to learn is in "real life". We aren't anywhere close to traditional unschoolers, but we definitely do our own thing. There was this magical day when I started to think like a homeschooler. I saw learning experiences all around me. It was an amazing shift for a woman that grew up really loving school. I enjoyed the entire experience. I did well academically (it was actually really easy), I participated in sports, I had great relationships with my teachers and administration. It was a big shift when I came to accept that "regular" school wasn't really a necessary part of childhood.
Homeschooling definitely isn't for everyone! But if you think you are interested in it, check out some local homeschool groups, try out the lifestyle for the summer, or whenever, and see if you can make the switch. It can be a very rewarding experience for your entire family.
Where do you start? Well, first you need to know that it depends on your state. In the state of Michigan there is no reporting or testing. You simply just start. I did inform my school district that we would no longer be enrolled. Then I suggest taking a little time to "deschool"...hopefully it will help you and your family regain the love of learning.
The all important, at least I think, is finding a support group that fits you. I became very discouraged by what what available in my area when I first started looking for a group. There is a big group in the Kalamazoo area that I just didn't fit in with. I finally threw my hands up in the air and decided to start my own group. At that same time is when I found the group that worked for me. I needed an inclusive group. I found the variety of families in our group to be enlightening, refreshing, educational in itself. It was a wonderful mix of different beliefs and was exactly what I wanted out of homeschooling. I definitely wasn't homeschooling to protect my child from the world. I wanted to experience new things and other's experiences. So, don't give up. There are plenty of different kinds of groups and when you find the right one you will know.
I, along with a couple of friends, am putting together a "Thinking of Homeschooling" night here in Mattawan, probably in August. Watch this blog for further details. Also, always feel free to email me.
So, today we (Westin and I) are home, enjoying the quiet. Wieland is spending the day with Nikki. I can't say it is all that quiet as I have been cleaning house to AOL Radio! So what is the schedule today? It started with breakfast and meds. Westin and I did a section of math about the relationship between fractions and decimals. I tried to take a walk but about 10 minutes into it I heard thunder and thought walking out in the field with a storm coming in might not be a good idea...great science experiment...but not a good idea :) I came in and got my breakfast and Westin and I did some Tangrams. Since then Westin did his chores and cleaned the bathroom. I spent way too much time, as usual, on childrenwithdiabetes.com ...oops! Seriously, I did clean the kitchen and vacuum the house in between checking the forum. I am going to write this blog and then we will do some more math. We got our language arts finished up for the year so we can hopefully blow through the rest of the math and be a little more laid back for the rest of the summer.
So, why did we start homeschooling? Back in 2000 when Westin was diagnosed with diabetes, Jason said, "I guess you will be homeschooling!" I said, "What!?" There was no way I would be homeschooling. I was anxiously waiting for the day that I could send him off to school and enjoy my days to myself, to go to lunch with friends, to go back to school, etc. Westin started in "Young Fives" at Paw Paw and moved to Kindergarten at Mattawan. All went really well. We had a little issue at "Young Fives" but K was fabulous. We had a wonderful teacher and the office staff was very helpful. It was only half days at that point and there wasn't much that could go wrong. It was when 1st grade started that things got crazy. The school suddenly realized they had a diabetic in the early elementary. Suddenly I wasn't qualified to train the staff, due to liability, and being in school all day left for a lot of hours where issues with Westin's diabetes could arise. I had issues with the woman in charge of care for Westin and the principal. Those were the main "offenders" as I see it. By the week of Thanksgiving, I was ready to pull him out. I was actually dreading sending him to school. After I pulled him out of school, I wrote this letter. I never sent it, but it did help me feel better to document it all.
When I pulled Westin out of Mattawan, I had every intention to put him back in school in 2 years when he would enter the Later Elementary. I figured he would be older and we would be dealing with all new staff. It has now been 3 1/2 years and we love it! I have NO intention of putting him back in school. I have always maintained that if the day comes that he wants to go to school, I will definitely send him, but I don't foresee it anytime soon. I also look forward to homeschooling Wieland as he is more open to the learning process. He hasn't been made jaded by the school system. He just has a different way about him, compared to Westin. Even with Westin not "wanting to learn" it is still enjoyable. I am blessed to have been given the opportunity to try it. Of course, until I decided that I was going to do this "homeschool thing" 100%, it was not so enjoyable. Until I decided to let go of the idea of sending him back to school, always feeling like we had to be on the same schedule and curriculum as the school, always feeling behind, I couldn't really love the process. Thanks to some great role models in the Kalamazoo Homeschool Connection, I let go of those expectations and freed myself of what education is suppose to be, according to the public school system. I started studying "unschooling" and embraced the idea that a lot of what our children need to learn is in "real life". We aren't anywhere close to traditional unschoolers, but we definitely do our own thing. There was this magical day when I started to think like a homeschooler. I saw learning experiences all around me. It was an amazing shift for a woman that grew up really loving school. I enjoyed the entire experience. I did well academically (it was actually really easy), I participated in sports, I had great relationships with my teachers and administration. It was a big shift when I came to accept that "regular" school wasn't really a necessary part of childhood.
Homeschooling definitely isn't for everyone! But if you think you are interested in it, check out some local homeschool groups, try out the lifestyle for the summer, or whenever, and see if you can make the switch. It can be a very rewarding experience for your entire family.
Where do you start? Well, first you need to know that it depends on your state. In the state of Michigan there is no reporting or testing. You simply just start. I did inform my school district that we would no longer be enrolled. Then I suggest taking a little time to "deschool"...hopefully it will help you and your family regain the love of learning.
The all important, at least I think, is finding a support group that fits you. I became very discouraged by what what available in my area when I first started looking for a group. There is a big group in the Kalamazoo area that I just didn't fit in with. I finally threw my hands up in the air and decided to start my own group. At that same time is when I found the group that worked for me. I needed an inclusive group. I found the variety of families in our group to be enlightening, refreshing, educational in itself. It was a wonderful mix of different beliefs and was exactly what I wanted out of homeschooling. I definitely wasn't homeschooling to protect my child from the world. I wanted to experience new things and other's experiences. So, don't give up. There are plenty of different kinds of groups and when you find the right one you will know.
I, along with a couple of friends, am putting together a "Thinking of Homeschooling" night here in Mattawan, probably in August. Watch this blog for further details. Also, always feel free to email me.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Monday, a new day...the start of Summer (Home) School
Well, this was meant to take place last Tuesday but with the events of last weekend and the adjustment to the new anti seizure medication, we took last week off. Today we get back to work! While some homeschoolers take the summer off, we work all year. Why? We are a little more laid back and don't keep to a strict schedule, so why not? It isn't like we schedule around our school work, we do school work around our schedule.
So what will our summer school day look like? I can't predict tomorrow, well I might be able to, but today looks like this: It is almost 8am and everyone is still sleeping. I need to get Westin up so he can get some food on his stomach to take his medication. After breakfast and meds I think he will get his chores done (picking up the living room, emptying the bathroom trash, picking up his bedroom (well, room without a bed) and any dirty clothes laying around the house. Then we will do some tangram puzzles,
followed by some handwriting practice. Then he will need to complete 3 Language Arts assignments and 1-3 math assignments (depending on how long they are and how difficult) on http://www.time4learning.com/ That will probably be all. We might find a science experiment to throw in the mix.
Tomorrow is a work day, meaning Wieland will go stay with Nikki (friend that does daycare and also homeschools) and Westin and I will ride into town with Jason to the shop. During our time in town we will grocery shop and head to the Kalamazoo Public Library to see if we qualify for a library card as business owners in Kalamazoo. Then we are checking out our new read "Founding Mothers". So this will get added into our daily homeschool routine. After we get whatever needs to be done, done, we will come home and enjoy some quite time without Wieland. This will give us more time to do school work, clean house, enjoy the silence. :)
Well, off to summer (home) school!
So what will our summer school day look like? I can't predict tomorrow, well I might be able to, but today looks like this: It is almost 8am and everyone is still sleeping. I need to get Westin up so he can get some food on his stomach to take his medication. After breakfast and meds I think he will get his chores done (picking up the living room, emptying the bathroom trash, picking up his bedroom (well, room without a bed) and any dirty clothes laying around the house. Then we will do some tangram puzzles,
followed by some handwriting practice. Then he will need to complete 3 Language Arts assignments and 1-3 math assignments (depending on how long they are and how difficult) on http://www.time4learning.com/ That will probably be all. We might find a science experiment to throw in the mix.Tomorrow is a work day, meaning Wieland will go stay with Nikki (friend that does daycare and also homeschools) and Westin and I will ride into town with Jason to the shop. During our time in town we will grocery shop and head to the Kalamazoo Public Library to see if we qualify for a library card as business owners in Kalamazoo. Then we are checking out our new read "Founding Mothers". So this will get added into our daily homeschool routine. After we get whatever needs to be done, done, we will come home and enjoy some quite time without Wieland. This will give us more time to do school work, clean house, enjoy the silence. :)
Well, off to summer (home) school!
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