FJ Homeschooling

[JesusFightClub]

Kelly of Generation Cedar's LOVED article! forbes.com/sites/billflax/2013/01/22/want-to-tell-the-state-to-stick-it-homeschool-your-kids/

I read this and it was the most incoherent thing I've read which wasn't from Taryn. Do fundies have a decoder we do not? And is it necessary to spell quite so badly? "Flag-waiving" would have embarrassed a Daily Mail journo, and that is saying something. Also, principal and principle are not the same. If you're going to tout the benefits of home-schooling it helps if you, yourself, can use spelling and grammar.

Anyway, I wondered what special skills FJists could bring to the field in the world of homeschooling (WHICH EVERY DECENT PARENT SHOULD BE DOING, GET IT). I can do a reasonable grounding on Marxist theory from a Trotskyist perspective, though I can also explain Stalinist, Maoist, and non-Leninist perspectives. Anarchist theory, I can do in a simple form. I'm strongest on platformism and can explain about Makhno. Irish dissident republicanism, I'm getting to be not half bad on. I can explain the difference between the various IRAs and why that happened too.

If it's really needed, I can talk about the RAF (Baader-Meinhof Gang) and their particular political perspective. Japanese political violence, I also know a bit about.

I am sure the bloke who wrote the article was DESPERATE for people like me to be SAHM and bring up the next generation of kiddies. So I wanted to know what interesting topics you can all bring to the table.

[Minerva]

I can do science, though that's all but forbidden if we're talking about going full blown fundy SOTDRT.

[JesusFightClub]

NO SCIENCE! IT ARE FILLED WITH EVILUTION

[Bookworm89]

I can teach history (like actual history, not the right wing cut out certain presidents and religions, everything from a christian viewpoint history that my sister teaches...). History is not written in stone contrary to certain people's beliefs, it depends on which side you are reading it from (i.e Native American culture, reading it from European viewpoint or the native's viewpoint...). For math or science I would have to hire a tutor though...

edited because I am tired and grammar and spelling are not my biggest strengths.

[Minerva]

NO SCIENCE! IT ARE FILLED WITH EVILUTION

[Jiraffe Jirl]

I'm only in my second year of undergrad, but I could probably teach a fair bit of American politics and basic political theory. It would at least be better then the Glenn Beck political "science" these SOTDRT kids receive.

I also volunteer to teach historical context, analogies, storytelling & the concept that everything does not have to be taken so damn literally from an ancient book. Surprisingly none of the major homeschooling conferences have taken me up on my offer for a seminar. Huh.

[Ellimenopy]

I can teach information skills, political theory and history, literary theory focusing on Marxist and feminist readings, political geography, and, um... zoology. I had a hard time focusing my interests in college. :whistle:

[jenny_islander]

I can use my critical thinking skills to choose the course materials that can best help me teach my children practical skills and a basic understanding of reality, even if that means (for example) picking a science textbook that was written by an atheist. Or an American history textbook written by somebody with a "Muslim" last name! I'll be happy to give any SOTDRT student remedial tutoring.

Oh, and I can spell.

[YPestis]

I could probably cover high school math (with a refresher course in calc), biology, and chemistry classes. Chemistry lab I may need some extra help as i sucked at it and avoided it as much as i could in college. I've taken physics in college and high school but I don't feel confident enough to teach it.

Honestly, I don't feel confident teaching any if the history and English courses I had high school. My high school had a great social studies program and gave us a great education. I haven't taken an English course since high school so I'd suck teaching it. Also, despite being a reader, I didn't like the majority of the books I read in English class. If I had to homeschool my kid, I'd probably outsource any humanity class beyond 8th grade.

[Mama Mia]

I don't have a particular subject matter I'm particularly skilled in - BUT - I can do a really good job of taking a particular interest/area/time period/event and designing an integrated curriculum around it.

For example I could take U.S. History in the 1800's or Dance or Social Justice or Greek Mythology or Dr. Seuss or Small Scale Local Farming and come up with a month long series of activities covering math, science, art, cooking, literature, geography, politics, crafts, etc. I enjoyed doing this to fit required subjects to the different sorts of skills that children have.

My hands hurt and it's very late, so I am not going to edit any horrible spelling or grammar problems.

[FairyPrincessK]

:think: Ooh. I could teach a course on folklore and canon formation. I can also teach most international relations theories, critical thinking, essay composition, biology, feminist and gender theory..oh. wait? You don't want those things?

[OkToBeTakei]

I could teach swearing. I'm ace at that.

[FairyPrincessK]

Right, should we form a co-op for the tricky subject of godless heathenism? Week 1: there are other religious beliefs out there week 2: Why creationism doesn't make sense Week 3: The bible is not always meant to be taken literally (and some people don't take it at all!)

[miffy]

Irish dissident republicanism, I'm getting to be not half bad on. I can explain the difference between the various IRAs and why that happened too.

My paternal line is anglo irish, as in 'West British'. :-?

[miffy]

I can teach

History (preferably post 1200 but I know a thing or two about mycenaean Greece)

Space Exploration

Spelling

NOT MATHS

Australian Politics

Cat Herding

[uber frau]

Knitting.

Also such ebul things as medical science, evidence based practice and a bit of international politics (from a sustainability and social justice perspective).

[OkToBeTakei]

I can teach

History (preferably post 1200 but I know a thing or two about mycenaean Greece)

Space Exploration

Spelling

NOT MATHS

Australian Politics

Cat Herding

:lol:

[Fargood]

I don't get the desire to homeschool. I have a post graduate degree and consider myself marginally intelligent, but I'm not arrogant enough to presume that I have the education and professional know-how to instruct my children on everything they need to know in life. My expertise is in law, seven years training as a lawyer doesn't make me qualified to teach math, science, history or pretty much anything other than law.

Now, I realize that I live in a place that has a decent public education system, so I may be somewhat naive; however, I find the exaggerated self-importance of many homeschoolers disturbing. Even if I was forced to homeschool due to school violence, a child's chronic illness or some other catastrophic reason, I would seek out help for many subjects, other than the very basics. My life has taught me not to presume I have all the answers and that there is always someone out there with more talent and more intelligence from whom I could learn.

The fundie homeschoolers that I see -- it's almost as if they want so badly to be seen as the smartest or the best that they isolate themselves and their children from even a critique by accidental comparison with the outside world. It's an intellectual insecurity with their position that is so crippling that it affects every part of their life, as though they have an addiction they're hiding.

[Aisling]

I could throw a bit of Ovid at their little heads. I could scrub up on my Latin just to make it extra sparkly, I'm sure I have my old textbooks somewhere....

[Aisling]

ETA: and a bit of Irish lit.

[RosyDaisy]

I could throw some proper grammar, history, and some computer knowledge at them.

[Anne Tudor]

I could probably teach someone how to read, and teach someone who already knows how to read to read farther or deeper. I would be able to discuss books. I could do a fair job in basic theology of world religions, Jesuit spirituality. I have a BFA in Painting and Printmaking, and Art History, so I could point out things there. I've worked as a healthcare recruiter for a not for profit for some time now, so I would be able to help put together a resume, give tips on how to get a call, what to do if you are the one making that call; I've been training staff for years how to do those things, and how to organize their time. I'm an artist (not my job), and I am just now having my photographs start to be accepted for gallery shows, so I could offer that as something I know how to do. I'm traveled and have lived in Asia and Europe and the US. I like food and am an adventurous eater. (That's a skill!)

I always saw school as a way or a platform to satisfy my curiosity about something. I don't think satisfying curiosity is high up on the list of the Fundamentalist home school agenda. A brochure is not going to cut it.

Many years ago I worked for a wealthy Scientology family who home schooled their five kids. I was actually hired to teach art to them, but mainly I ended up doing a lot of vacuuming. :lol: Their whole school was a box with laminated cards. I was constantly afraid I was going to expose those kids to something outside of the box, ha ha. I figured I wasn't cut out to be a teacher but in retrospect I think it's very telling that they hired an inexperienced teenage girl who wasn't going to rock the boat to educate their kids.

[JesusFightClub]

I could throw a bit of Ovid at their little heads. I could scrub up on my Latin just to make it extra sparkly, I'm sure I have my old textbooks somewhere....

Was he the one with all the shagging, Aisling? That would be super funny.

[ILoveJellybeans]

I could teach preschoolers, I even have the relevant qualifications.

I dont think I would ever homeschool my future kids, I dont think I could, especially if I decided to have as many as some of the people we talk about on here have. I like my alone time, dont think I could be around my kids every second of every day for over 18 years, having them in school would mean I could spend some time with other adults or get housework done without kids needing looking after.

[formergothardite]

I can bring glitter and glue to make crafts. That is pretty much it.