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Abigail Finally Sees Importance of K-5 Ed


GeoBQn

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Abigail writes a post about education that would probably make my retired teacher father weep.

abigails-alcove.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-new-love-for-elementary-education.html

I'm a Jane Come Lately to the joy of elementary school teaching. By my nature, I'm a secondary school teacher. High School Government, Art, and AP English--easy. My husband could teach college Organic Chemistry while in a headstand. This is the stuff that we talk happily around the table at dinner. My daughter was the one who knew how many times a single strand of DNA could wrap around the world in second grade, but still didn't know how to read.

How does she know she's a "secondary school teacher" when she has no children that age and doesn't have a background in education? And I think it's sad that her didn't know how to read in 2nd grade--that was the age when I was hiding a flashlight under my pillow so that I could read American Girl books in bed after my parents tucked me in.

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Oh, I was so excited for a moment thinking Abigail had put her kiddies in school. You know, she did just get a full size fridge. I thought, maybe, a general state of rationality was overtaking her mind.

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Oh, I was so excited for a moment thinking Abigail had put her kiddies in school. You know, she did just get a full size fridge. I thought, maybe, a general state of rationality was overtaking her mind.

If her second grader can't read, public school would probably put her in a special reading program, which would piss Abigail off because her kid is smart. (And I am sure she is. But she is not learning)

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She really is something else. Choice quotes from this post:

I can't be patient and kind with my kid/student, until I've figured out how to feed my own soul first.

Of course not, because everything is always about you, isn't it? No matter what it is, it all comes back to Abigail and what she needs.

I'm a big picture girl. I couldn't get excited about teaching Elementary School until I put together WHY grades K-5 are so critical.

Abigail, WTF? It really took you THIS LONG to 'put together' why BASIC EDUCATION is so important for your children? What is wrong with you?!

I'm a firm believer that every kid needs skills in math,reading, science and art!

Wow! No kidding!

The whole time I was watching my techie son as a 1 to 5 year old, I kept saying "That's my NASA guy!" The kid is so into Math and Technology it's awesome. Now NASA doesn't exist!

I don't even know what to say.

So I can say from the outside "Okay, Alex. Focus in on that Science and Math. Get good grades. Go to MIT. Intern in the Summers at NASA." There is NO FIRM RECIPE for success in the new economy. Maybe my son will got to MIT or Caltech. Or maybe he skips college altogether to go to a Virtual Gaming Start-Up in Austin, Texas at age 18.

Or maybe he won't get to do any of that because you're a crappy teacher and you think it's cute that he can't read. Your children are not geniuses. From what you describe on your blog, they're actually behind.

A few things I noticed: the whole post is about Abigail. It's about the pros and cons for her in being an elementary teacher, how she feels, how she can manipulate her kids' interests and abilities, how she's come to terms with it. Her kids' actual educational success takes a backseat to her experience.

She is way too focused on what amaaaazing career-related things they're going to do in the future. Abigail, back off. Focus on giving your kids a solid educational foundation, and then let THEM decide what they're going to do re: university, career, etc.

Clearly she does NOT like teaching elementary education, and she is not good at it. This post is all about trying to convince herself otherwise. If she writes enough, uses enough exclamation marks, and projects enough onto her children, she might start to believe it.

Abigail, for God's sake, send your children to a decent school. Let people who are trained and experienced in elementary education teach them. Supplement their education as much as you want at home. Enjoy those few hours you'll gain when they're out of the house. Get caught up on the chores, nap with your toddler. You'll have more energy and I guarantee your kids will be happier and learn more. Stop thinking only of yourself and your pride, because right now you are stunting their educational development.

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Who cares how long it is? Does she know G and C are triple bonded? What a ribosome is? Real stuff.

Being behind is only a sign of her teaching skill. Even a genius will stagnate with bad teaching. Singsingsing, I don't homeschool because I'd hate it. Even if my kids would have 1000x better education from me, I won't do it because I'd be miserable.

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Who cares how long it is? Does she know G and C are triple bonded? What a ribosome is? Real stuff.

Being behind is only a sign of her teaching skill. Even a genius will stagnate with bad teaching. Singsingsing, I don't homeschool because I'd hate it. Even if my kids would have 1000x better education from me, I won't do it because I'd be miserable.

Yes, I agree with you. I guess one of her kids might actually be a genius, but they'll be lucky to go anywhere and reach even half of their potential with Abigail as their teacher. And I worry that if one of her kids turned out to be average or below average, she'd never accept it. There's nothing wrong with being below average - you can still have a successful career and a fulfilling life - but Abigail needs to believe that her children are all genius superstars and I feel like that's going to end up being very damaging for them, even if they are exceptional.

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Abigail, for God's sake, send your children to a decent school. Let people who are trained and experienced in elementary education teach them. Supplement their education as much as you want at home. Enjoy those few hours you'll gain when they're out of the house. Get caught up on the chores, nap with your toddler. You'll have more energy and I guarantee your kids will be happier and learn more. Stop thinking only of yourself and your pride, because right now you are stunting their educational development.

It would also give her kids a chance to get educated consistently, and not take extended breaks when Abigail is suffering too much from morning sickness to teach.

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So let me get this straight: A's original plan was to sort of skip the drudgery of reading, punctuation and long division, and head straight to organic chemistry, molecular biology and advanced physics? Well of course you can learn about Newton's first law without being able to solve a simple equation or convert nanometers to kilometres without having to bother with the concept of powers and scientific notation! Of course you can calculate how many grams of silver are required to react with 2 moles of chlorine to form silver chloride, even if your mom was too posh, oopsies, needed to nourish herself to teach you basic algebra!

Love our public school. Some of the teachers are fantastic and were able to teach my kids in ways I'd never have known. My youngest would probably be happy at home playing Minecraft but that's not how you become a functioning adult.

Also: when you're kids are not in school (private or public) it's easy to delude yourself into thinking they are the brightest stars in the sky. What a bummer when you see other kids doing better than your little Einstein.

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She talks about her daughters going into business like she thinks it's okay for women to work. Unless, of course, she assumes none of her daughters will marry and have kids, which I doubt.

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Gah, just when I think Abigail is growing on me and I've been too hard on her she posts something like this.

I really, really, really can't stand women who think just because they can check the box of "homeschooling" their children are automatically smarter and more successful than public school students.* It's like they think they are entitled to the accomplishments of the homeschooled kids who win the Scripps spelling bee just because they are in the same "club." Their kids may be years behind at reading, but the tests are "biased." Their children don't need to know math facts because they are "independent thinkers." It is such an obvious sign of the parents' glaring narcissim and entitlement.

I also know a 16 year old who goes to the top ranked high school in the nation. She is technically a genius. She has classmates who are 12 years old and juniors in high school. Like Sheldon Cooper-smart. They are all still expected to know how to read, take notes, and turn assignments in on time. You know, so some day they can actually harness their talents out in the world?

So totally agree about what AuntCloud said. It's easy to pretend your kids are above everyone else when you avoid every objective measuring tool of comparing them to the general pop. The parents get to sit on their delusional thrones, and the children unfortunately suffer.

Sorry for ranting, but I'm dealing with this right now with someone and it hit a nerve.

* I don't think all homeschooling parents are this way at all. Just a very judgemental, vocal minority that I seem to keep running into and are driving me bat crap crazy.

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So her kid knows a fact, but not a process of decoding, from which she can educate herself and truly learn? That's nothing ti be proud of.

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She really is something else. Choice quotes from this post:

I don't even know what to say.

Ummm, I know dozens of people who currently work for "NASA." I wonder what they do all day if their organization doesn't exist? Even though the Shuttle Program ended, we are still sending astronauts to space, there are still satellites to launch, etc.

STEM degrees still lead to a wide variety of job opportunities and while nothing is guaranteed, the internship programs are still actively recruiting graduates. In fact, NASA's pathways programs are still highly sought after internships. But then again, the kid is under five years old, I was obsessed with lincoln logs at his age and did not even consider a degree in architecture.

ETA: Wait, this person has a law degree? She has $100k in student loans and is a stay at home mom....wow, just wow.

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Abigail just commented on Erica Shupe's blog: largefamiliesonpurpose.com/2011/01/scheduling-routines-you-cant-have-your.html

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Abigail just commented on Erica Shupe's blog: largefamiliesonpurpose.com/2011/01/scheduling-routines-you-cant-have-your.html

WTF did I just read?

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Abigail just commented on Erica Shupe's blog: largefamiliesonpurpose.com/2011/01/scheduling-routines-you-cant-have-your.html

Wow, it really is all about Abigail isn't it?

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Abigail just commented on Erica Shupe's blog: largefamiliesonpurpose.com/2011/01/scheduling-routines-you-cant-have-your.html

Holy shit! Abigail is really Taryn. She's punking us!

post-1580-14451998597964_thumb.jpg

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My husband is an artist! I maintain a bizarre narcissistic blog! My kids can't read! We're so unusual! That's why we can't keep to any kind of schedule and have no food security! REALLY!

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You know, I read that post and I thought, "this sounds toooo much like Abigail to actually be Abigail". But then I went to the link.....could she have been hacked? Or is she just extra manic right now?

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You know, I read that post and I thought, "this sounds toooo much like Abigail to actually be Abigail". But then I went to the link.....could she have been hacked? Or is she just extra manic right now?

Ding ding ding . . . I think you've got it. She wrote a long, inane, rambling comment, right after posting that long, inane, rambling blog entry about her kids' education. The comment and the post are actually remarkably similar in tone and content. It's definitely her, and yeah, she's in one of her 'manic' phases right now (I'm not trying to actually diagnose her with anything, but her posts definitely follow a manic-depressive pattern).

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I am not a fan of homeschooling-she is someone that needs to stop it and send her children to public school. The blog is all about her I feel sorry for the kids.

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It's interesting when the crazies find each other and could there be two that are more opposite?

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