Comments on: Homeschooling and the Great Swine Flu Pandemic of 2009 http://principleddiscovery.com/2009/05/04/homeschooling-and-the-great-swine-flu-pandemic-of-2009/ If the foundations be destroyed, what shall the righteous do? --Psalm 11:3 Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:53:02 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Watching the Cubs from Bahgdad http://principleddiscovery.com/2009/05/04/homeschooling-and-the-great-swine-flu-pandemic-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1084528 Watching the Cubs from Bahgdad Mon, 25 May 2009 08:09:47 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=1173#comment-1084528 [...] I’ve never been in a war, or even close. For reasons of both generational timing and family culture, our family has included preachers, teachers, doctors, artists & engineers, but few soldiers. My father served briefly as an army paramedic stationed in Georgia, but saw no action outside fighting off some fire ants and picking up after an accidental helicopter crash. My uncles served briefly before I was born, so I never saw them in uniform. My mother’s father signed up for the end of the Great War, but was sidelined while still in training by the 1918 flu pandemic. [...] [...] I’ve never been in a war, or even close. For reasons of both generational timing and family culture, our family has included preachers, teachers, doctors, artists & engineers, but few soldiers. My father served briefly as an army paramedic stationed in Georgia, but saw no action outside fighting off some fire ants and picking up after an accidental helicopter crash. My uncles served briefly before I was born, so I never saw them in uniform. My mother’s father signed up for the end of the Great War, but was sidelined while still in training by the 1918 flu pandemic. [...]

]]> By: Dana http://principleddiscovery.com/2009/05/04/homeschooling-and-the-great-swine-flu-pandemic-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1080379 Dana Wed, 06 May 2009 13:20:59 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=1173#comment-1080379 Quite true. But I still think the tendency would be to get overwhelmed trying to do something you didn't really understand (especially with older children) and basically reinforce the notion that homeschooling if for ex-teachers and saints. Everything is more doable with a plan and a support system. Quite true. But I still think the tendency would be to get overwhelmed trying to do something you didn’t really understand (especially with older children) and basically reinforce the notion that homeschooling if for ex-teachers and saints.

Everything is more doable with a plan and a support system.

]]> By: Mrs. C http://principleddiscovery.com/2009/05/04/homeschooling-and-the-great-swine-flu-pandemic-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1080366 Mrs. C Wed, 06 May 2009 11:49:10 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=1173#comment-1080366 Teaching your child at home on a long, forced break isn't "homeschooling" in a sense because you didn't sign up for it willingly. But it is "homeschooling" in that it's a parent going through a learning process on what works in teaching her particular child. We went through a horrible sort of transition period to homeschooling, though we didn't know it at the time. Elf would be in school only three hours a day (did you know that if you have a 504 plan you can write almost anything in there if the school agrees? He was only required to attend school for *three hours*). The school would send home all the work he didn't complete/ refused to do and all the work he was missing I had to teach myself. Which means I did almost all the academic stuff anyway. By the time I started homeschooling in name as well as practice, I had a fair idea of what I was doing. I would imagine school closings would give parents a good idea of what they're "in" for if they last more than a few weeks and they are diligent about trying to teach. I hope it doesn't come to that, most particularly for the older children out there. It's one thing to jump in suddenly with a six-year-old, as I did. I've been homeschooling two years and have ZERO clue how I would teach my eldest son's AP World History or engineering classes or ...well, whatever strange math they're doing. Right now, I think the swine flu fears may be overblown, but then I have also been hearing for some time about the way pigs are kept in other nations. Teaching your child at home on a long, forced break isn’t “homeschooling” in a sense because you didn’t sign up for it willingly. But it is “homeschooling” in that it’s a parent going through a learning process on what works in teaching her particular child.

We went through a horrible sort of transition period to homeschooling, though we didn’t know it at the time. Elf would be in school only three hours a day (did you know that if you have a 504 plan you can write almost anything in there if the school agrees? He was only required to attend school for *three hours*). The school would send home all the work he didn’t complete/ refused to do and all the work he was missing I had to teach myself. Which means I did almost all the academic stuff anyway.

By the time I started homeschooling in name as well as practice, I had a fair idea of what I was doing. I would imagine school closings would give parents a good idea of what they’re “in” for if they last more than a few weeks and they are diligent about trying to teach.

I hope it doesn’t come to that, most particularly for the older children out there. It’s one thing to jump in suddenly with a six-year-old, as I did. I’ve been homeschooling two years and have ZERO clue how I would teach my eldest son’s AP World History or engineering classes or …well, whatever strange math they’re doing. Right now, I think the swine flu fears may be overblown, but then I have also been hearing for some time about the way pigs are kept in other nations.

]]> By: Shawna http://principleddiscovery.com/2009/05/04/homeschooling-and-the-great-swine-flu-pandemic-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1080018 Shawna Tue, 05 May 2009 17:13:30 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=1173#comment-1080018 Oh and California is in the midst of state testing--some schools done, some not. We had two weeks--this is the second week... and honestly, I think my son's teacher is more concerned w/her testing than the possibility of swine flu... and being in southern Cal, Ventura county--a large agricultural county-- we have a large Mexican American population that travels freely back and forth to Mexico. I would think a small bit of vigilance on the part of teacher would be go. My son actually brought his own #2 pencils to school for state testing last week, rather than accept the ones the school hands out (brand new, sharp, No.2 pencils) and then collects at the end of the tests and redistributes the next day, etc. And he thought of that on his own LOL Oh and California is in the midst of state testing–some schools done, some not. We had two weeks–this is the second week… and honestly, I think my son’s teacher is more concerned w/her testing than the possibility of swine flu… and being in southern Cal, Ventura county–a large agricultural county– we have a large Mexican American population that travels freely back and forth to Mexico. I would think a small bit of vigilance on the part of teacher would be go.

My son actually brought his own #2 pencils to school for state testing last week, rather than accept the ones the school hands out (brand new, sharp, No.2 pencils) and then collects at the end of the tests and redistributes the next day, etc. And he thought of that on his own LOL

]]> By: Shawna http://principleddiscovery.com/2009/05/04/homeschooling-and-the-great-swine-flu-pandemic-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1080014 Shawna Tue, 05 May 2009 17:07:52 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=1173#comment-1080014 Ummmmmmm, yeah... school closure = school break. Not going to continue the stuff at home; let them learn from life, let them de-stress, take a few filed trips, enjoy some family time, catch up on sleep, nurture their friendships. I hardly think the little tikes will be worse for the wear should they get an unexpected school break :-) Two schools near us have closed... so I am watching things closely. Ummmmmmm, yeah… school closure = school break. Not going to continue the stuff at home; let them learn from life, let them de-stress, take a few filed trips, enjoy some family time, catch up on sleep, nurture their friendships. I hardly think the little tikes will be worse for the wear should they get an unexpected school break :-)

Two schools near us have closed… so I am watching things closely.

]]> By: Susan Gaissert http://principleddiscovery.com/2009/05/04/homeschooling-and-the-great-swine-flu-pandemic-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1079907 Susan Gaissert Tue, 05 May 2009 12:34:39 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=1173#comment-1079907 Thank you for the post, Dana. I'm always interested in the 1918 flu, because my father had it. He was five or six, and obviously he survived. Relatives told me he was weak for a long time, like years, afterward. And he developed Parkinson's Disease at about age forty, which some medical researchers think could have been due to brain changes from the fever associated with the flu. Fascinating stuff. Thank you for the post, Dana. I’m always interested in the 1918 flu, because my father had it. He was five or six, and obviously he survived. Relatives told me he was weak for a long time, like years, afterward. And he developed Parkinson’s Disease at about age forty, which some medical researchers think could have been due to brain changes from the fever associated with the flu. Fascinating stuff.

]]> By: Twenty Items of Interest (v.56) | Caffeinated Thoughts http://principleddiscovery.com/2009/05/04/homeschooling-and-the-great-swine-flu-pandemic-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1079756 Twenty Items of Interest (v.56) | Caffeinated Thoughts Tue, 05 May 2009 05:37:09 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=1173#comment-1079756 [...] Home Schooling and the Great Swine Flu Pandemic of 2009.  Dana has video embedded on the 1918 Flu [...] [...] Home Schooling and the Great Swine Flu Pandemic of 2009.  Dana has video embedded on the 1918 Flu [...]

]]> By: Dana http://principleddiscovery.com/2009/05/04/homeschooling-and-the-great-swine-flu-pandemic-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1079708 Dana Tue, 05 May 2009 03:16:21 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=1173#comment-1079708 <em>Why would we tell our children of an event in history where American humanism lost?</em> Interesting question, Julie. At almost the height of our trust in science, science failed us. Just as we thought we could conquer the world, something as small as a virus could leave us baffled. But even lions, if they kill enough, earn their spot in our stories. Major motion pictures help, but I knew more about those two lions who killed enough people to interrupt the building of the railroad in Africa. Thank you everyone for your thoughtful comments. Why would we tell our children of an event in history where American humanism lost?

Interesting question, Julie. At almost the height of our trust in science, science failed us. Just as we thought we could conquer the world, something as small as a virus could leave us baffled.

But even lions, if they kill enough, earn their spot in our stories. Major motion pictures help, but I knew more about those two lions who killed enough people to interrupt the building of the railroad in Africa.

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful comments.

]]> By: April http://principleddiscovery.com/2009/05/04/homeschooling-and-the-great-swine-flu-pandemic-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1079679 April Tue, 05 May 2009 00:46:55 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=1173#comment-1079679 I don't know about the public school kids, but we're taking advantage of the lack of field trips to go see the King Tut exhibit without crowds. I don’t know about the public school kids, but we’re taking advantage of the lack of field trips to go see the King Tut exhibit without crowds.

]]> By: Kristina http://principleddiscovery.com/2009/05/04/homeschooling-and-the-great-swine-flu-pandemic-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1079668 Kristina Mon, 04 May 2009 23:52:16 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=1173#comment-1079668 Dana, Here in Kentucky, the schools were closed for a long time in the fall because of a wind storm that knocked out power for a couple weeks. Then, we had an ice storm in January that knocked out power for another couple weeks. The state allowed the schools to "forgive" the days instead of having to make them up. This was a special deal that the state was able to do because it is written in our constitution for them to be able to do it in case of an emergency such as this. Many schools are close to being out, anyway. My nephew only has two weeks left of school (in Oklahoma). It might be worth it for the states that have early let outs like that to just cancel the days. But, then they would have to admit that school doesn't need to be that long. ;) Dana,
Here in Kentucky, the schools were closed for a long time in the fall because of a wind storm that knocked out power for a couple weeks. Then, we had an ice storm in January that knocked out power for another couple weeks. The state allowed the schools to “forgive” the days instead of having to make them up. This was a special deal that the state was able to do because it is written in our constitution for them to be able to do it in case of an emergency such as this.

Many schools are close to being out, anyway. My nephew only has two weeks left of school (in Oklahoma). It might be worth it for the states that have early let outs like that to just cancel the days. But, then they would have to admit that school doesn’t need to be that long. ;)

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