Paris September 2018
4 years ago
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Some interesting quotes about education
Never stop learning! Here are some quotes about education from some of history’s brightest.
RISMEDIA, June 20, 2006—It is possible to store the mind with a million facts and still be entirely uneducated.
- Alec Bourne
An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't.
- Anatole France (1844 - 1924)
Education is the best provision for old age.
- Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC), from Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
- Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC)
Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.
- B. F. Skinner (1904 - 1990), New Scientist, May 21, 1964
The strength of the United States is not the gold at Fort Knox or the weapons of mass destruction that we have, but the sum total of the education and the character of our people.
- Claiborne Pell (1918 - )
Everyone has a right to a university degree in America, even if it's in Hamburger Technology.
- Clive James
The number of books will grow continually, and one can predict that a time will come when it will be almost as difficult to learn anything from books as from the direct study of the whole universe. It will be almost as convenient to search for some bit of truth concealed in nature as it will be to find it hidden away in an immense multitude of bound volumes.
- Denis Diderot (1713 - 1784)
The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.
- Diogenes Laertius
Education begins a gentleman, conversation completes him.
- Dr. Thomas Fuller (1654 - 1734), Gnomologia, 1732
Only the educated are free.
- Epictetus (55 AD - 135 AD), Discourses
America believes in education: the average professor earns more money in a year than a professional athlete earns in a whole week.
- Evan Esar (1899 - 1995)
Education... has produced a vast population able to read but unable to distinguish what is worth reading.
- G. M. Trevelyan (1876 - 1962), English Social History (1942)
Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater.
- Gail Godwin
A fool's brain digests philosophy into folly, science into superstition, and art into pedantry. Hence University education.
- George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)
Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.
- H. G. Wells (1866 - 1946), Outline of History (1920)
College isn't the place to go for ideas.
- Helen Keller (1880 - 1968)
The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.
- Herbert Spencer (1820 - 1903)
Friday, June 16, 2006
Cool link
A friend from one of the homeschool groups I belong to sent out this link:
Homeschool.com's Top 100 Educational Web Sites of 2005
I thought y'all might be interested in it.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Happy Flag Day!
This is the poster I remember from my school days. Happy Flag Day Y'all!
I am the Flag
by Ruth Apperson Rous
I am the flag of the United States of America. I was born on June 14, 1777, in Philadelphia. There the Continental Congress adopted my stars and stripes as the national flag. My thirteen stripes alternating red and white, with a union of thirteen white stars in a field of blue, represented a new constellation, a new nation dedicated to the personal and religious liberty of mankind. Today fifty stars signal from my union, one for each of the fifty sovereign states in the greatest constitutional republic the world has ever known. My colors symbolize the patriotic ideals and spiritual qualities of the citizens of my country. My red stripes proclaim the fearless courage and integrity of American men and boys and the self-sacrifice and devotion of American mothers and daughters. My white stripes stand for liberty and equality for all. My blue is the blue of heaven, loyalty, and faith. I represent these eternal principles: liberty, justice, and humanity. I embody American freedom: freedom of speech, religion, assembly, the press, and the sanctity of the home. I typify that indomitable spirit of determination brought to my land by Christopher Columbus and by all my forefathers - the Pilgrims, Puritans, settlers at James town and Plymouth. I am as old as my nation. I am a living symbol of my nation's law: the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. I voice Abraham Lincoln's philosophy: "A government of the people, by the people,for the people." I stand guard over my nation's schools, the seedbed of good citizenship and true patriotism. I am displayed in every schoolroom throughout my nation; every schoolyard has a flag pole for my display. Daily thousands upon thousands of boys and girls pledge their allegiance to me and my country. I have my own law—Public Law 829, "The Flag Code" - which definitely states my correct use and display for all occasions and situations. I have my special day, Flag Day. June 14 is set aside to honor my birth. Americans, I am the sacred emblem of your country. I symbolize your birthright, your heritage of liberty purchased with blood and sorrow. I am your title deed of freedom, which is yours to enjoy and hold in trust for posterity. If you fail to keep this sacred trust inviolate, if I am nullified and destroyed, you and your children will become slaves to dictators and despots. Eternal vigilance is your price of freedom. As you see me silhouetted against the peaceful skies of my country, remind yourself that I am the flag of your country, that I stand for what you are - no more, no less. Guard me well, lest your freedom perish from the earth. Dedicate your lives to those principles for which I stand: "One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." I was created in freedom. I made my first appearance in a battle for human liberty. God grant that I may spend eternity in my "land of the free and the home of the brave" and that I shall ever be known as "Old Glory," the flag of the United States of America.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Should I only write about homeschooling?
I have been reading a few other blogs and they all seem to talk about other things besides just homeschooling. I started to wonder if I should talk about other things too. I do have another blog and a MySpace blog. The first one is my venting site. I don't give out that address because I keep it as my own personal online journal. Whenever I get really frustrated with things going on in my life, I go there to vent. No one else reads it (as far as I know since I've never had any comments left on it), and I don't expect anyone to read that blog. The MySpace blog is just a place where I can have fun posting crazy things like different surveys I've taken. It's also a way for me to connect with friends of mine that I don't normally get to chat with. Most of those people are under 30, although I did connect with a friend from high school. I found this homeschool blog, and was only going to use it for homeschool stuff. I find though that I want to post other things going on around me than just the homeschool things we are doing, which really isn't much. I can only write so much about my homeschool schedule that I'm writing up for next year. Besides, who wants to read only about that?
So I decided that I am going to write about more things that just homeschool stuff. For instance, I sat here this morning watching the mockingbirds flittering around in my mesquite tree and my hanging flower pots that are hanging in it. One of them snatched something out of one of the pots and took it down to the ground. I'm hoping it was some kind of bug that was possibly eating my flowers. Another bird flew down to see what the first one had. I was really enjoying watching these four birds flitter around and have fun doing bird things. I can only enjoy this when my dogs are inside as they love to chase the birds away.
Before we arranged our computer desks the way they are now, I only got to look at a wall. Now I am able to look out the back window towards our creek and the occasional cow that resides on a neighbors property. Luckily, I can't see any of the gas wells that have popped up around me from where I sit. If I was to move to my right some, then I could see the eye sore that some land owner decided to put in.
Here is a picture of what I can see from my backdoor:
Unfortunately, from this view you can see the gas well off in the distance (it's a beige dot just above the 1st fence post to the right of the gate). Luckily I can't see it from where I sit. But this gives you an idea of the view. I need to take another picture but with no recordable rain in a while, the grass and every other living thing is suffering. I love living in the country though!
So I decided that I am going to write about more things that just homeschool stuff. For instance, I sat here this morning watching the mockingbirds flittering around in my mesquite tree and my hanging flower pots that are hanging in it. One of them snatched something out of one of the pots and took it down to the ground. I'm hoping it was some kind of bug that was possibly eating my flowers. Another bird flew down to see what the first one had. I was really enjoying watching these four birds flitter around and have fun doing bird things. I can only enjoy this when my dogs are inside as they love to chase the birds away.
Before we arranged our computer desks the way they are now, I only got to look at a wall. Now I am able to look out the back window towards our creek and the occasional cow that resides on a neighbors property. Luckily, I can't see any of the gas wells that have popped up around me from where I sit. If I was to move to my right some, then I could see the eye sore that some land owner decided to put in.
Here is a picture of what I can see from my backdoor:
Unfortunately, from this view you can see the gas well off in the distance (it's a beige dot just above the 1st fence post to the right of the gate). Luckily I can't see it from where I sit. But this gives you an idea of the view. I need to take another picture but with no recordable rain in a while, the grass and every other living thing is suffering. I love living in the country though!
Sunday, June 11, 2006
10 Science Questions
These came from a homeschool list and they received it from another list. I thought it was interesting.
In the USA there is much consternation over the fact that students are falling behind other countries in science. Sunday's paper had a list of 10 questions that various scientists felt every high school graduate should be able to answer.
What percentage of the earth is covered by water?
What sort of signals does the brain use to communicate?
Did dinosaurs and humans ever exist at the same time?
What is Darwin's theory of the origin of the species?
Why does a year consist of 365 days and a day of 24 hours?
Why is the sky blue?
What causes a rainbow?
What is it about diseases caused by viruses and bacteria that makes them often hard to treat?
How old are the oldest fossils on earth?
Why do we put salt on sidewalks when it snows?
Bonus question: What makes the seasons change?
The scientists acknowledged that most American adults would probably get only half of these right, so don't feel bad if you don't know all the answers.
In the USA there is much consternation over the fact that students are falling behind other countries in science. Sunday's paper had a list of 10 questions that various scientists felt every high school graduate should be able to answer.
What percentage of the earth is covered by water?
What sort of signals does the brain use to communicate?
Did dinosaurs and humans ever exist at the same time?
What is Darwin's theory of the origin of the species?
Why does a year consist of 365 days and a day of 24 hours?
Why is the sky blue?
What causes a rainbow?
What is it about diseases caused by viruses and bacteria that makes them often hard to treat?
How old are the oldest fossils on earth?
Why do we put salt on sidewalks when it snows?
Bonus question: What makes the seasons change?
The scientists acknowledged that most American adults would probably get only half of these right, so don't feel bad if you don't know all the answers.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
It's Saturday
Yay! It's Saturday. It means we can relax and enjoy our weekend. Maybe. Hubby is out mowing the grass. Hopefully we will be able to go to see the radio control planes today. I would like to go watch the planes. They are model airplanes but BIG planes. Not little ones. These people spend thousands of dollars on these planes. I've looked at the pictures on the website and they are amazing. I'm sure we could incorporate some type of learning thing into this, but I'd rather just go look at the planes, and watch them fly them.
I finished my sons daily schedule. Of course it can be modified but this will give him an idea of when he is suppose to be working on a certain subject and for how long. My next step is working out a schedule telling him what he suppose to be doing every day or each week in each subject. In my planning notes I have down how many pages he is suppose to be doing each day. I may just let him keep his own record of what he does each day/week. I have two different forms: one for daily academic record and the other is for weekly academic record. You use a daily one for each subject. You write down the date and what pages they did. On the weekly record (also one per subject) you write down the week(s) covered, what pages were done, and what the content or activity was. I like the daily one myself. When the kids did School of Tomorrow, they each had cards that they had to write down all that they did each day in each subject. It was a way for them to keep track of what they were doing themselves and to make sure that they stayed on track. All I had to do was check their cards to make sure that they were doing something each day. They were required to do several pages a day and this helped them keep track of that. I'll give my son an estimate of how much I want him to do in each subject and hopefully, he'll do more and not less like he's done in the past. If I notice that he's not doing as much each day or if he has been skipping some things, then he'll end up having his computer game time taken away. I really don't think we'll have a problem though since I plan on being more involved in his core subjects. After all, that's why I have the teacher's editions!
Hubby is done mowing. He'll go take a shower now and then maybe we can go watch the airplanes. I hope so. See ya!
I finished my sons daily schedule. Of course it can be modified but this will give him an idea of when he is suppose to be working on a certain subject and for how long. My next step is working out a schedule telling him what he suppose to be doing every day or each week in each subject. In my planning notes I have down how many pages he is suppose to be doing each day. I may just let him keep his own record of what he does each day/week. I have two different forms: one for daily academic record and the other is for weekly academic record. You use a daily one for each subject. You write down the date and what pages they did. On the weekly record (also one per subject) you write down the week(s) covered, what pages were done, and what the content or activity was. I like the daily one myself. When the kids did School of Tomorrow, they each had cards that they had to write down all that they did each day in each subject. It was a way for them to keep track of what they were doing themselves and to make sure that they stayed on track. All I had to do was check their cards to make sure that they were doing something each day. They were required to do several pages a day and this helped them keep track of that. I'll give my son an estimate of how much I want him to do in each subject and hopefully, he'll do more and not less like he's done in the past. If I notice that he's not doing as much each day or if he has been skipping some things, then he'll end up having his computer game time taken away. I really don't think we'll have a problem though since I plan on being more involved in his core subjects. After all, that's why I have the teacher's editions!
Hubby is done mowing. He'll go take a shower now and then maybe we can go watch the airplanes. I hope so. See ya!
Monday, June 5, 2006
Decisions, decisions, decisions
I have been trying to work out a daily schedule for my son for next year. I can't remember what time of day they say is the best for learning things. I seem to remember that early morning was good for math but can't remember the rest. I'm sure I'll figure out something though.
Another thing too is his Algebra. The book is for beginning and intermediate algebra. I'm not sure if most people do the whole book in one year or not. I'm doing it in two years. My only problem is that I am not sure where to stop at the end of the first year and then pick up for the second year. And do I skip a year to do Geometry then go back to the Algebra or what? I'm really confused. I'm thinking of just picking up in 10th grade where we left off in 9th with Algebra, then do Geometry in 11th. It realy doesn't matter since we homeschool and we are free to teach whatever we want, when we want as long as it includes the subjects that the state requires. But I don't want him to get around other kids who have already taken the subject. I don't want him to feel out of place. Although most homeschool people are more forgiving and understanding than public school people. I've already figured out where we are going to stop in the book, I just don't know when I'm going to teach him the rest of it.
I'm almost finished with my planning notes for my son's courses. I still have to do Algebra and Computer. I'm also coordinating the pages in the "humanities" book with his history lessons. I've already gone through and written down all the pages that have some type of "art" on them and put them next to the section of the history book they coincide with. Now I just need to write down some notes about what the picture/drawing is about and how it relates to that particular period in time. I don't want to get into too much detail from this book as I want to use it as a humanities book later on in 12th grade. Hubby used it in his college class, but I think I can use it for my son. Hubby has the workbook to go along with the book, I just have to adjust the lessons to my sons age level.
I'm really looking forward to next year. I don't know why though. I think it's because my son is older and I will be able to relate more to him than in the past. He's better able to make more knowledgeable statements I guess is why. I haven't been real involved in his lessons in the past. I plan on being involved this next year. Not so much with the writing part but with the reading and discussions. Because he doesn't like to read books, I will have to stay on top of him to read. Maybe we'll read the books out loud? That sounds kind of little kidish. But it may be the only way I'll know for sure that he is reading something. There will be other things he can do on his own though. Some of his courses are on the computer. He can do those and all I have to do is go back and look at what he did. I will have to keep a record though of what scores/grades he got on the different things though. I want to keep good transcripts of his courses and the grades he got. I will also keep some of his written work in case some "proof" is ever needed. Although some of the text books I have gotten are for older grade levels, I don't think there will be a problem. They are mostly just reading material anyway. The only one that new concepts are introduced is the Algebra. That one will be hard for me. I will pretty much be useless to him un less I can really understand what is going on. I'm hoping he will be able to pick it up on his own or can find an answer at the textbooks website or some other website. I hope we don't end up getting a tutor.
I find that I am having a hard time concentrating myself. I really have to force myself to read something and not just skip over most of it. I hope that's not an early sign of something worse. I want to stay focused and alert so that I can help my son with his school work. I want to be more involved in his learning process and help him through the times when he isn't able to understand something. Hopefully by my being more involved, it will help me with my concentration too. Maybe I should see a doctor about Adult ADD?
Another thing too is his Algebra. The book is for beginning and intermediate algebra. I'm not sure if most people do the whole book in one year or not. I'm doing it in two years. My only problem is that I am not sure where to stop at the end of the first year and then pick up for the second year. And do I skip a year to do Geometry then go back to the Algebra or what? I'm really confused. I'm thinking of just picking up in 10th grade where we left off in 9th with Algebra, then do Geometry in 11th. It realy doesn't matter since we homeschool and we are free to teach whatever we want, when we want as long as it includes the subjects that the state requires. But I don't want him to get around other kids who have already taken the subject. I don't want him to feel out of place. Although most homeschool people are more forgiving and understanding than public school people. I've already figured out where we are going to stop in the book, I just don't know when I'm going to teach him the rest of it.
I'm almost finished with my planning notes for my son's courses. I still have to do Algebra and Computer. I'm also coordinating the pages in the "humanities" book with his history lessons. I've already gone through and written down all the pages that have some type of "art" on them and put them next to the section of the history book they coincide with. Now I just need to write down some notes about what the picture/drawing is about and how it relates to that particular period in time. I don't want to get into too much detail from this book as I want to use it as a humanities book later on in 12th grade. Hubby used it in his college class, but I think I can use it for my son. Hubby has the workbook to go along with the book, I just have to adjust the lessons to my sons age level.
I'm really looking forward to next year. I don't know why though. I think it's because my son is older and I will be able to relate more to him than in the past. He's better able to make more knowledgeable statements I guess is why. I haven't been real involved in his lessons in the past. I plan on being involved this next year. Not so much with the writing part but with the reading and discussions. Because he doesn't like to read books, I will have to stay on top of him to read. Maybe we'll read the books out loud? That sounds kind of little kidish. But it may be the only way I'll know for sure that he is reading something. There will be other things he can do on his own though. Some of his courses are on the computer. He can do those and all I have to do is go back and look at what he did. I will have to keep a record though of what scores/grades he got on the different things though. I want to keep good transcripts of his courses and the grades he got. I will also keep some of his written work in case some "proof" is ever needed. Although some of the text books I have gotten are for older grade levels, I don't think there will be a problem. They are mostly just reading material anyway. The only one that new concepts are introduced is the Algebra. That one will be hard for me. I will pretty much be useless to him un less I can really understand what is going on. I'm hoping he will be able to pick it up on his own or can find an answer at the textbooks website or some other website. I hope we don't end up getting a tutor.
I find that I am having a hard time concentrating myself. I really have to force myself to read something and not just skip over most of it. I hope that's not an early sign of something worse. I want to stay focused and alert so that I can help my son with his school work. I want to be more involved in his learning process and help him through the times when he isn't able to understand something. Hopefully by my being more involved, it will help me with my concentration too. Maybe I should see a doctor about Adult ADD?
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