A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste

[oscar]

My brother does not have any diagnosed learning disabilities, but we had to read aloud to him all the way through his second year of high school. He went on to graduate college with a perfect 4.0 GPA and three majors in math, statistics and political science - it just took a little longer than usual for academics to click with him.

This woman's youngest son is dyslexic and struggles with reading and writing. I can understand why she might want to keep him from being bogged down by his deficits while seeking to build his strengths. But, looking at the VT science grade expectations (http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/p ... e/gle.html) it seems like she is at best minimally compliant with 7-8th grade standards.

S7-8:45 (DOK 1)

Students demonstrate their understanding of Processes and Change over Time within Systems of the Universe by...

Identifying and labeling the location of the sun in our solar system and its relationship to the galaxy

The sun is many thousands of times closer to the earth than any other star. The sun is located near the edge of a disc-shaped galaxy of stars.

Mrs. White is not only shortchanging her kid's science education, but she is also teaching him it is OK to aim for the minimum.

[dairyfreelife]

A science lesson for a 13 year old is colouring? COLOURING?

When my son was 13 a science lesson at his school involved him blowing things up. It was 'neat', apparently.

Agreed. I did actual experiments. Charting variables when burning items, dissecting things, etc. I was beyond shocked at her lesson for her teenager. For crying out loud, I did something similar with FIRST GRADERS! They enjoyed it, but they were six/seven. I read to them (because a couple students could not read yet and one had special needs) and then we had a discussion about it. The point was to see if they knew the names and order of the planets. We discussed the rotation of the planets as well.

Even if he has some special needs, they are't severe and the child can still learn at the same rate as his peers. This mom is just L-A-Z-Y! I don't like math, but if I homeschooled a child, I would teach it anyway. I can't skip it or only do the easy stuff because I am not a math person. And the comment about her daughters is just sad. She's doing it on purpose so they will have no options. I am worried for her children. It's educational neglect. I know homeschool laws in some states are lax, but is there nothing that can be done about this? This is why I think homeschool laws need to be more strict. It makes me :cry: for her children. They don't have much hope.

[pimpom]

"cells, molecules or any other terms that are foreign to my daily life."

Well, yes, apart from the fact that they are IN you and keep you ALIVE you know....stupid woman.

[Extricated]

Er...science really isn't about what you believe. It's about what you can demonstrate. I believe I am the greatest genius in the world today, but nobody believes me because I haven't been able to demonstrate it....yet.

It can be demonstrated that you aren't. ;) However some things just haven't been figured out yet. Those things are left to theories which vary depending on your views of what is and isn't possible. If I asked you to demonstrate what happened to the dinosaurs you couldn't although you could tell me some different things that scientists believe happened to the dinosaurs and you could rule out that Superman didn't come and use them as punching bags.

Facts should be taught as facts but when there are only theories presented I think it's not only acceptable but beneficial to teach as many credible theories as possible to give children the drive to discover more and possibly the desire become scientists themselves.

[alphaeta08]

Wow, I also thought her kid must be, like, five. Or younger. Look, science wasn't my favorite subject in school, but even I can admit that it's important and can be pretty freaking cool when taught by a good teacher, i.e, not this lady.

[emmiedahl]

Her science curriculum is woefully lacking, but unfortunately, so is my children's science curriculum. I think we have to hold public schools to higher standards before we can start in on the homeschoolers.

I am a little annoyed that she thinks teaching astronomy absolves her from teaching biology. They are so unrelated, and people need to understand both. When my son was homeschooled and her son's age, we started with elements and molecules, then studied cells, then anatomy. I thought it was a good idea to study the components of our physical existence from smallest to largest because then, you learn the bones with knowledge of the cells that build them, and the molecules that build those (etc). We then learned about geology followed with astronomy. You cannot really understand one field of science without minimal knowledge of the others.

[lilah]

coloring activities for 13 year olds? WHAT THE FRESH HELL?! (also I wonder if he colored in a Pluto since mom can't be arsed to research jack)

I work in a title 1, highly low income population school and I am working on a solar system project for my 5th graders (10/11 year olds). Many of these kids can't read on grade level but I am working with them on research projects where they look up facts on the internet and in books, paraphase them in their own words and share them with the class. And I worried that wasn't rigorous enough

[fundies_like_zombies]

Scary!! Lol there must be some educated fundies somewhere!

Do any of the bloggers have higher education or go to college?

[keen23]

My 3rd Grader is doing "Earth Sciences" this year. They started with types of rocks, and are now on plate tectonics and the Ring of Fire- her vocab words included the term "pangea." The second half of the year they'll work on weather and then Astronomy. While it's not a ton of time spent on each subject, it is a nice beginning class overview. And this is from Arizona, one of the worst public school systems in the country.

[AnonyGirl]

That is a horribly embarrassing excuse for a science lesson. Maybe for a 3 year old.....but a 13 year old?!

I was home schooled K-12. BUT - our family prizes education. My parents and grandparents all hold high degrees (masters, PhDs, etc..) and have prestigious careers. I was raised rather fundy, but our education was stellar. Detailed transcripts were kept during high school, and I studied full year courses on Biology and Chemistry.

Scary!! Lol there must be some educated fundies somewhere!

Do any of the bloggers have higher education or go to college?

I am what most here would probably consider fundy-lite. But, I'm starting college next fall to get my degree in Business Management. :D Yes, a real university! I think it's really important to be highly educated. And work to support yourself....I don't expect to mooch off my parents for the next ten years. I'll probably live at home while I go through school, because it saves money and I really do enjoy being around my family. But I'll be paying my own way. My sister wants to be a nurse. My brother is joining the military. We're not the typical "fundy" family.

[O Latin]

I sort of understand how she feels about science. I like people, which is part of why I study history. I have trouble understanding science because it's too...I don't even know what the right word is. Distant, maybe. However, I do understand that science is part of every aspect of my life and I'm glad there are science-oriented people in the world to do things like build my computers and make sure my cold medicine has the correct ingredients so it doesn't kill me and a zillion other things that I can't think of off the top of my head. The world needs those people. I just don't want to be one of them.

I agree that project sounds silly for a thirteen-year-old. Then again, I remember doing projects that mostly involved cutting things out and gluing them well into high school.

[PBrooke]

Here's a Daily Show clip she's like:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-o ... -it-up-to-

I was going to link this myself! It cracked me up the other day - it really deserves its own thread.

[ladypuglover]

coloring activities for 13 year olds? WHAT THE FRESH HELL?! (also I wonder if he colored in a Pluto since mom can't be arsed to research jack)

Say what you will but I for one refuse to let go of Pluto. I don't care if he isn't a planet, he is still a member of the family and without him I can't sing any of the planet songs. Pluto got a raw deal. :(

[emmiedahl]

My son has done some coloring activities in high school, mainly for his anatomy/physiology class. It is a good way to reinforce your memory. We used the Biology coloring book when I hsed (and I am currently in the market for cheap hs curriculum, so I might get the A/P one). It is a good supplement, although by no means a comprehensive science education.

[Bella99]

The AP coloring books were suggested to me as a good memnonic tool for my A&P class by more than one medical professional. What she is doing? Please, when I took astronomy in high school we spent an entire week on the layers of the sun alone and there was no singing involved. Although we loved us some Carl Sagan. ;)

[maybeizfundie]

:( That is sad.

Just cell-life alone, is such a fascinating and amazing topic. And it gets more fascinating every year, as new aspects are discovered. It's just plain cool. Sad to deliberately avoid learning about it.

Although, I have to say, in highschool level bio (public school) coloring sheets and work pages were pretty standard. Good for memorizing terms and placement. When my sister started med school and was struggling with anatomy, she discovered that there are some "coloring books" designed for just that purpose.

[Witsec7]

The AP coloring books were suggested to me as a good memnonic tool for my A&P class by more than one medical professional. What she is doing? Please, when I took astronomy in high school we spent an entire week on the layers of the sun alone and there was no singing involved. Although we loved us some Carl Sagan. ;)

At 13 my DDs public schools science class was making a Dobsonian telescope, and then as a big surprise they had a star party with Dobson himself!!

[MaroonMandy]

:( That is sad.

Just cell-life alone, is such a fascinating and amazing topic. And it gets more fascinating every year, as new aspects are discovered. It's just plain cool. Sad to deliberately avoid learning about it.

Although, I have to say, in highschool level bio (public school) coloring sheets and work pages were pretty standard. Good for memorizing terms and placement. When my sister started med school and was struggling with anatomy, she discovered that there are some "coloring books" designed for just that purpose.

To me, there's a huge difference between using a coloring book or sheet to help you remember stuff when labeling and using a coloring sheet as the end-all be-all of a science lesson.

[O Latin]

Man, I think I might have liked science better if I'd had some of the awesome classes you all are describing. When I was 13, we spent an entire year of science class taking notes out of the textbook because the classes were too crowded and our teacher was too frustrated to actually, you know, teach us anything.

[Austin]

Say what you will but I for one refuse to let go of Pluto. I don't care if he isn't a planet, he is still a member of the family and without him I can't sing any of the planet songs. Pluto got a raw deal. :(

Plus it totally messes up with the mnemonic. We'll never know what our "very eager mother" sent us nine of!

I read this book a couple of months ago and found it both interesting and very funny: How I Killed Pluto and Why It Deserved It, by astronomer Mike Brown.

[emmiedahl]

Man, I think I might have liked science better if I'd had some of the awesome classes you all are describing. When I was 13, we spent an entire year of science class taking notes out of the textbook because the classes were too crowded and our teacher was too frustrated to actually, you know, teach us anything.

Ditto here. We did one dissection in my four years of high school, and even then it was five people to one fetal pig. I remember being pissed because we were assigned to the groups with no choice, but I lost points when a partner hacked off part of the liver.

My son has done no dissections in high school at all, despite having completed a year of AP Biology. I just asked him. There are not enough labs in the brand new high school building that was built less than two years ago and has plush administrator offices with skylights. The only labs are for chemistry class.

[Bella99]

O Latin, I'm still glad I picked that class. Mrs. H. managed to get a van to take us to NASA and used to throw star parties at her house.

Austin, here is the new memnonic is "My very exciting magic carpet just sailed under nine palace elephants."

1. Mercury

2. Venus

3. Earth

4. Mars

5. Ceres

6. Jupiter

7. Saturn

8. Uranus

9. Neptune

10. Pluto

11. Eris.

Go Team Science!

Emmie - that sucks, we were dissecting frogs back in middle school IIRC!

[Austin]

Austin, here is the new memnonic is "My very exciting magic carpet just sailed under nine palace elephants."

1. Mercury

2. Venus

3. Earth

4. Mars

5. Ceres

6. Jupiter

7. Saturn

8. Uranus

9. Neptune

10. Pluto

11. Eris.

And thank you ever so much, dear, for pointing out my elderly state! :D

j/k

[Bella99]

Scoot over on the old lady bench, back in the day we were taught "Mary's violet eyes made John sit up now period."

[Austin]

Scoot over on the old lady bench, back in the day we were taught "Mary's violet eyes made John sit up now period."

That one sucks :lol: