And now… the internet and texting are destroying the ability of children to focus on anything for more than a minute or two. At least, that’s what today’s front page Times article entitled “Growing up Digital, Wired for Distraction” tries to tell us. In case you’d like to read it in full, along with accompanying videos, here is the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/technology/21brain.html?_r=1&hp
The short version is this: kids today are so caught up … Read more
Maya and I finished watching “Waiting for Superman” today. We have it on DVD because the father of Maya’s best friend is a documentary filmmaker and a voting member of the Academy (the people who choose the Oscar winners). I thought it would be interesting for Maya, who knows little or nothing about how schools are run, to see it.
As I expected, it is well done, but narrow in its’ focus. The argument as it is presented in the film is that inner city and lower income kids have only one way out: access to good schools with good … Read more
I don’t know about you, but standing outside in 40 degree weather when the wind is blowing is not my idea of a good time. Losing feeling in my hands is quickly followed by losing my sense of humor. An hour and fifteen minutes of standing outside waiting in line to see the latest Harry Potter film meant that I was ready to do violence to anyone who tried to be cute or smart aleck about, well, anything. This is not the best frame of mind to be in when entering a theater that is sure to be sold out … Read more
“I’ve sat down with people all over Iraq, and from Bosnia and Afghanistan and Turkey; and if you can get past the emotion, which isn’t always easy, you see that our beliefs are almost exactly the same.” That’s what my friend Brian, who is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army, told me last night when he was here with his wife Renee. They are in town for a few days while Brian attends meetings set up by the Army War College, which he is currently attending. Brian and I have known each other all our lives, so we share a … Read more
This was taken today at our store, (For those who might not know, we are partners in a hardware and locksmith store here in Manhattan) where Ben had his first cookie sale. Maya has had many over the years, and basically raked in the money from them, so Ben decided it’s his turn. That’s our friend Marcella in the middle, and although she and Maya are in the photo, they were not part of the sale, spending most of the time hiding secret messages for each other in the store and then giving each other clues on how to find … Read more
This little dude was sleeping in Riverside Park today, right in the area where the kids play every week. He was only about 3 feet off the ground, and we wondered why he chose such an unprotected, low spot to sleep. Maybe he got caught out too late and had to scramble for a limb – any limb, even one attached to a shrub rather than a tree? Whatever the case, we enjoyed looking at him. He’s kind of cute and didn’t seem disturbed at all by our tromping around and photographing him with flash. Hope he’ll find a better … Read more
It’s quarterly report time! In New York, the state law requires all homeschoolers to submit letters of their intent to homeschool each year. This must be done in July, along with the IHIP. IHIP stands for Individualized Home Instruction Plan. My IHIP consists of a letter stating that since we unschool, I cannot tell them in advance exactly what we will be learning. But I promise detailed quarterly reports. To the great credit of the Central Office of Homeschooling, they accept this without question. Today I wrote my first quarterly reports of the year, and the first ever for Ben. … Read more
“What does it take to produce a happy, motivated, creative human being?” This is the tag line at the end of the trailer for a new film titled, “Race To Nowhere” about the consequences of our high pressure, stress-filled school culture. This film was screened this evening at the 92nd St. Y here in New York, and a few of the NYCHEA members attended. I was not able to go (had a date with my husband and we went to see “The Social Network” also known as the Facebook movie) but am eager to hear what my fellow fringe parents … Read more
Been web surfing again. Looking for good education blogs, homeschool blogs, what have you. And am woefully disappointed. Have yet to find an education blog that discusses anything interesting or useful. Most of them are a big snooze. And the homeschooling blogs that are listed as ‘most popular’? Please! Nothing but boring day to day accounts. “Today we went shopping at Target. “T” had a dance lesson. “M” did fractions for the first time.” I’m in a coma reading this stuff. And what is with not naming your children in a blog? Or in a website? Do you think some … Read more
Today was not a perfect day in the land of the Milstein unschoolers. Maybe the planets are out of alignment or there are too many sun flares. Maybe I’ve been preaching too much about the faults of others and the universe said, “Enough! Let the children moan and the house be messy and let the food not please and let there be old candy attracting weevils in Maya’s bedroom!” Because that was basically my day. Oh yeah, and the guy who was supposed to come and give me an estimate on building loft beds and storage in the kids’ rooms … Read more