In which I merely link to several posts (or articles) of interest for your perusal:
This article took me by surprise. A columnist admits she knows nothing about homeschooling? And get this: she asks homeschoolers what it is all about.
Long ago thoughts on what makes a good leader. If you were delivering the sermon, what would you keep? What would you change?
A little about my own contact with HHS.
Hmm…maybe I’ll have to send my children to public school after all. Not!
Yikes. Mr. Aswhood is certainly not a Huckabee fan. I had to share, given the origins of the e-zine (emphasis mine):
Civilized Revolt is an online magazine that offers a variety of conservative commentary on political, social and cultural issues of our day. It began in September 2006 as a sister publication of Virtue Magazine, which was started in December 2004 by students in Dr. Michael Farris’ online Constitutional Law course.
On Germany:
The law used by the German Constitutional Court to equate homeschooling with child endangerment may be revised soon. About time? Hardly. It shall merely be spelled out more clearly that failure to comply with compulsory education laws alone is enough to lose custody (p. 3)…and that the state must act swiftly to avoid endangering the children (p. 4). (pdf, in German)
And a few carnivals:
I received the John Dewey Award from the Carnival of Education. Hmm…
The Christian Carnival has taken a field trip to the Renaissance.
And, last but certainly not least, a genuine hero is honored in the carnival whose submission deadline I slept through: the Carnival of Homeschooling.
Feel free to comment on any, all or none of the above topics. Or just share how the new year is going. We got off to a rocky start here, but things have smoothed over. At least I think we are all healthy again.
Principled Discovery is a place to stop and discuss news and information related to faith, family and particularly education. Pour yourself a cup of tea and join the conversation! 
The homeschool article in the Almanac: “…and those wanting to learn more about this ever-increasing education program.”
“If wishes were fishes…”
Homeschooling isn’t a “program”. It’s an educational option just as public or private schooling is an educational option. http://ncsw.homeschooljournal.net/2006/09/20/are-homeschool-advocates-literalists/
Score:
German Govt. - 10
Parental Rights - 0
Losers of the match: German Children
I sent Lorraine Gregus an email, thanking her for admitting ignorance on the subject of home education, and finding ways to inform herself. I don’t know that I have ever read an article where the author didn’t make the usual assumptions.
I would say something snarky about receiving a ‘John Dewey’ award in education, but I will instead leave you to bask in the glory and adoration of your fans. :p
Congrats- you do good stuff here!
Annette, I agree. But the journalist started out admitting she knew nothing….that took me by surprise. She isn’t a homeschool, and I’m sure is still looking at it very much through public school eyes. I did, too, until sometime after I actually started.
I agree, LOTP. That makes it frightening, even for the American missionary family who is homeschooling and has been asked to leave.
Thanks, Sunniemom. I am enjoying the irony of my Dewey Award. It is sitting here next to my Nobel Prize I got in a previous Carnival of Education.
Dana,
I applaud the journalist for her honesty and her piece. I was thinking that maybe when trying to explain homeschooling to the media that maybe one thing that *homeschool parents* might want to get across is that homeschooling is not a “program”, but a valid educational “option”.
I understand. : ) I was just more forgiving than I would have been doing what many of them seem to do…like that recent NYT article condemning homeschooling for its “lack of supervision.”
Well since you are sharing links, here is a fun one sure to give you homeschooling/unschooling laugh!
http://theparentingpit.com/2008/01/16/a-must-for-every-homeschooler-unschooler/
How the year is going? Well… for ONCE, I may actually get my ENTIRE LIST checked off for school today! Perfectionists unite to celebrate with me!!! Right after you get your own lists checked off!
Thanks for the link, Shawna!
And congrats, sprittibee!!!! The last time I checked everything off my list was when I just scribbled it all out and started over. : )
Sprittibee,
Good for you! Your list was as long as the tax code.
Dana,
Thanks for linking to me again. Twice in one week may go to my head.
I think we need election sermons now, but I am curious how they would be different than 1694. We seem to be very issue driven, rather than principle focused.
Glad you are all feeling better!
I was trying to find an email link on your blog but failing that, I have a wild idea about a way to subtly support German homeschoolers. The German Information Center USA (which is run by the German Embassy in Washington DC) is holding its annual essay contest. Topics include various ways that German ideas or German immigration has influenced the world or the US.
My idea is for lots of American homeschoolers to submit essays to this contest. My hope is that every mail day would bring in several entries of well written essays from children schooled at home. This is a bit like your postcards idea from before Christmas. It isn’t an impassioned protest letter or an online petition. It is just a reminder that American homeschoolers are watching. Maybe a reminder that lots of them are watching.
The essays would be on the topics from the contest. This isn’t just a way of sending veiled letters protesting the treatment of homeschoolers in Germany. It is a way of countering the idea that homeschoolers can’t have good educational results or are existing in a parallel society.
I have more details about the contest and my idea at my blog. If you like this idea, please share it with other homeschoolers via any blog or email list that you like.
Yeah, trackbacks are working! I have been pondering that issue since you first mentioned it–I realized I hadn’t been seeing them either. This morning I woke up and realized the Anti-spam thing. Duh. Is that what fixed it?
Yep! I turned it off and now it works. How do I turn Akismet on? Or would that be much help? I guess I’ll find out just how much the captcha was keeping out!
Dear Dana,
Yesterday I started looking at my FACE materials. I light bulb clicked on in my head and I read them as if for the first time. Things that did not make sense to me in the past were suddenly clear and illuminated. I don’t know, maybe I had to undergo intense pain and suffering to be able to get the gist of the Principle Approach! Anyway, I wanted to send a note to you because I feel like telling someone who understands—and you are associated with the PA to me; you have also always impressed me with the ultimate scholarliness of your writing. (Besides, how could I not bring this personal news to place called Principled Discovery?)
I look forward to staying with the PA. I remember the PA message board you sent me to once (I still have the link.) I started today with just a study of the word, ‘principle’ for myself and the children. I (finally) feel elevated after a day of lessons, instead of empty or hungry for more. I know that is one difference the Principle Approach makes.
Thanks for reading!
Best regards,
Allison Costa