SB 136 4000 homeschoolers at Feb 15, 2011 hearing!

The kids and I were one among the thousands of homeschoolers that were at yesterday's committee hearing regarding SB 136. I don't think Sen. Maloney had any idea that his bill would draw such a large crowd in opposition. Security estimates that there was 4,000 people there.

We were one of the few that were allowed into the Howlett Building to attend the homeschooling summit in Howlett Auditorium. Prior to entering into the auditorium there wasn't a crowd. So we had no idea what was brewing outside.The lady behind us, who took our picture, was separated from her husband. He had dropped her and some of the children off and went to find a place to park. By the time he parked and came back to the Howlett Building they would not let him in because it was full.

At the summit we listen to HSLDA lawyer Scott Woodruff. He basically gave us a summary of some of the things he was hoping to address to the committee at the hearing. Some of what Scott Woodruff had to say can been seen in this youtube video.

Prior to Mr. Woodruff testimony you are able to hear some of the testimony of a truant officer that spoke in favor of the bill. Listen to him carefully it's scary!

Everyone that was at the summit was not able to get into the hearing room. As a matter of fact, to avoid having to go through security again, they took us through the tunnel system from Howlett building to the capitol building. I had no idea what I would face once we got into the capitol building. The second floor where the hearing room was so full that we had to go up to the 3rd floor. It was on the 3rd floor that I was able to take this picture.

Local homeschoolers that were able to get into the hearing room said they got there at 8:30 and went straight to the hearing room. Not only that but once they got into the room they had to stay because if they left, even to go the bathroom, their seat was given to someone else. Even though I wasn't able to get to the room itself I was able to sign an attendance slip and let them know I was there and oppose SB 136.

During the hearing the group, in the hall, did break out into song and sung the national anthem and a few other songs, but shortly after that security came by and told everyone they had to be quiet or they would be kicked out. 

There was some confusion on why we were being told to be quiet, but it turns out that because of the crowd of people they decided to leave the hearing doors open to allow those outside the room to hear. Of course that meant only those right at the door could hear. Seeing we were so far away from the door we gathered our information during the hearing from facebook. There was no real way to know what was going on otherwise. At one point we did made our way down to the second floor and believe that we are seen in photo taken by STOP SB 136.

picture taken by STOP SB 136

After the hearing we were able to go into room 212 and that is when I took this picture.

Some news media outlets are reporting that SB 136 has been dismissed, but that simply is not the case. There was NO vote yesterday and Sen. Maloney has NOT withdrawal the bill. He just doesn't want it to go further right now because he wants to amend it.

HSLDA is asking anyone in Illinois that does not want this bill passed to contact their senator and ask them to tell Sen. Maloney to withdrawal -not amend- SB 136.

Some of the things I find disturbing, by sides the bill itself, is what other homeschoolers are saying certain people said to the crowd there. For example Sen. Lightford  said "I don't understand why anyone would want to spend all day with their kids"; The truant officer as he was leaving the hearing made a comment how all the kids there at the hearing were truant.

I don't know what is more upsetting the senators remarks or the truant officers. Really in my opinion they are pretty equal. In regard to the truant officer remarks don't kids that "go" to school take field trips to the capitol building? Yes we were there to lobby our cause. But I also took the time to show my kids around the capitol building, I explained to them how bills are passed. We went into the gallery of the Senate and House. The House was in session so we got to see law makers at work.

After that we had lunch and then went to the State Museum. We even stayed last night and this morning toured Lincoln's Home and Tomb before driving home. There was more to our trip then just being at the hearing. I don't know how that would be consider truant. My kids got to see first hand how government works and visit national historic sites.

I think my sister, whose in the army and currently station in Iraq, said it best when she posted on my facebook wall yesterday "wish I could be there.. I would want to show up in uniform and asked them why do i wear this uniform to fight for freedom if your just trying to take it away from parents!!"

ACK!!! NEW Co-Op-Group!

I and another local mom both are feeling that our local homeschool group isn't full filling our needs, wants, or desires for a group. It's a fine group but we both can envision something else.  It's come clear to us that this group will not blossom into what we envision. So we've decided to start our own group from the ground up.

We already know that this group will be welcoming to all homeschoolers regardless of race, creed, or beliefs. This is one aspect we do like about our current group. The next few months will be planning, advertising, and just getting some of the leg work done like "guidelines, rules, etc".

We are hoping to be able to offer the children classes and be a functioning group by January!

For those of you that have started groups or have been involved in the planning process do you have any tips, advice, or anything else that you feel is helpful?

Thanks!

Nikki

Are they behind? Homeschooling vs. Public Schools

A while back I gave my opinion about Public Schools, Homeschoolers, and Socialization. Now I feel as if it's time to give my opinion about comparing homeschoolers to public schooler in general. This like the other post is a bit of a rant! Let's just say you have been warn!

I love my kids and like most moms I think my kids are the best! I'm often very proud of what they can do, and perhaps time to time will boast about their accomplishments just like any other mother would do. I will also at times will compare what my kids are learning here at home to what some of my friend's children are learning at pubic and private schools. I do this really for myself and not as a means to say my kids are smarter, more advance, etc.

Honestly, I'm really sick of those types of generalizations. It makes my stomach turn in disgust. As my regular readers will know my son, Superstar, is recovering from ITW Surgery. Over all he's doing good, but does have a bit of a break down in the afternoons, evenings, because he's overtired. I made mention these break downs in a live internet chat recently. I even mention  that at one of these break down moments Superstar flipped out crying that he didn't want to die.

You see he was complaining that his leg itched and we offered to blow-dry it for him. DH told him how blow drying it would take the water away and that's when he lost it and started to say "I don't want to die". When asked why he felt that he said "I need water to live, so if you blow dry it away I won't have any". Cute I know! When I mention this in the live internet chat a poster came on and said something along the lines. Got to love those homeschoolers they are so smart!

Really? I just wanted to say hey, hold on, wait a moment.... My kids are not smarter just because they are homeschooled! Sure homeschooling has it advantages, sure test scores for homeschoolers tend to be better; but lets be honest, homeschoolers are NOT any smarter then those in public schools. Let's get of our high horse and have a reality check!

Public Schools are NOT evil! I sent my kids to a public school and I would do it again tomorrow if I felt that was best for them. I have no real ills again public schools. As a matter of fact I have a vested interest in how my local schools do because I still pay taxes for these schools. I care about what is taught, how things are handled, who the schools employ, because I still support these schools via my tax dollars. Let's not throw out the baby with the bath water okay! Sure, they aren't perfect, but how can they be? Even homeschooling is not perfect! Nothing is perfect...

I have seen homeschoolers posse questions like "Is it normal for public school children to be so far behind?" Behind compare to what? To what your little Johny or Janey is doing? I thought I read in the parent manual, that came the day the kids were born, that we aren't suppose to compare our kids to other children. That they all develop and learn at their own rate, blah, blah, blah.

We tell ourselves that. We say we shouldn't compare, but then they hit school age and it all changes. All of the sudden it's my kids can do this, mine can do that, we can explain how quantum physics work at the ripe age of 7. We can write a paper, have proper grammar, we can....the laundry list goes on and on and on.

IN GENERAL homeschoolers get annoyed when their kids are compared to public school students, especially if their child seems "behind". (Behind compare to what exactly?) If a person was to compare a homeschool child to a public school child and the homeschooler seemed "behind", the homeschooler would automatically tell you "Well we learn at our own pace. We have plenty of time to 'catch up', etc". In other words it's okay, no biggie. BUT at the same time if the homeschooler is "ahead" then it's a in your face attitude: Homeschooling rocks, My kids are so much smarter, etc. These were GENERALIZED statements. I know NOT all homeschoolers feel this way, but I'm seeing it more and more and I'm disgusted with the attitude.

Perhaps some of it's a natural defense to defend our children and our parenting choices. Perhaps some of it's just plan pride. There is nothing wrong with either one of those things, but lets keep in mind how we feel about those things, when talking about public schools and public school students. Let's get off of our high horses, accept people for who they are, and learn to help each other grow and not stand around comparing and gossiping about how so much better we are because of...

Yes my kids are homeschoolers! Yes my kids have areas they exile in, but they also have areas that they struggle in. Yes I'm proud of my kids and will boast about their accomplishments. However I want to be clear my kids are NOT smarter just because they are homeschoolers.They are smarter because I am their mother! (FYI: that's a bit of a sarcasm there.)

Honestly, the statement my son made about dieing and water was made because that is his personality. It HAS NOTHING to do with the education he has gotten or where he goes to school. I know my son, and I know, he would have made that statement even if he was in public school.

If he was still in public school I know that response to that statement would not have been "Oh public school kids are so smart"; The response would have been something along the lines of "What a sweet kid" or "Poor thing, to have so much worries right now"; or "I hope he feels better soon". Or my personal favorite "LOL-Kids really do say the darndest things don't they!". They would have a chuckle and moved on, not make a statement about his education or where he went to school.

I just wanted to end with if you are going to compare your child's education to other child's education keep some things in mind.

• 1) Not all schooling methods are equal
• 2) Not all curriculum are equal.
• 3) Not all homeschooling curriculum are equal
• 4) Not all schooling methods follow the same scope and sequences
• 5) Each child is different and despite what they are expose to will learn at there own pace.
• 6) Not all schools have the same priorities
• 7) Not all homeschoolers have the same priorities.
• 8) What seems like a valid comparison could actually turn out to be comparing apples to oranges.
  

Box Tops For Education

Did you know that homeschoolers can use these?

From Box Tops For Education Website Under eligibility:

It is also available to home school associations, containing any class with students from Kindergarten to 8th grade, in the United States organized and operated primarily for educational purposes and have 15 or more students.

I brought it to the attention of our group facilitator today. She's going to call the number to make sure we understand the rules, etc. If it does turn out to be go then I'll be one responsible to collect the box tops for education and send them, etc.

What's even cool is I did my normal grocery shopping today and now I have 20 box tops, translates to $2.00. With talking to the facilitator today we estimate that we could easily collect $100 worth of box tops if not more.

That $100 could help pay our facility fee (we have to pay the church a rental fee), or it could be used to help supplement the cost of field trip. Trips we have been wanting to do as a group, but have found that the cost per person is just to much. Really we would have freedom to use the money the way that we feel would benefit the kids and the group the most.

We are just learning about all the particulars, but I wanted to pass this on, because perhaps your homeschool group could benefit.

Where did I learn about this cool tip? It was something I got from PEAH'S Homeschool Curriculum Savings

What products? General Mills, Betty Crocker, Huggies, Cottenelle, Scott Tissue, Kleenex, Feminine products (Kotex), Ziploc bags, Hefty Garbage bags, and many more. Here is a whole list of products.

I really hope we can use this! And that you could too!!

Pizza Hut Book-It is STILL OPEN!

It's still NOT to late! If you were wanting or thinking about doing Pizza Hut Book-It with your kids there is still time!!! I know that when I originally posted about Book-It in February, I said the time to register is today. This was because Pizza Hut has been known to have limit enrollment period and generally ends over the summer.

I just learn that enrollment for the 2009-2010 school year is still OPEN! The 2009-2010 program starts next month. Now, I should be clear enrollment is STILL open, but FIRST come FIRST serve situation. Once supplies are gone enrollment will be closed.. So if this is something that you want to do for your kids be sure to do it today!

UPDATE 9/23/2009: I just learn that enrollment is NOW Closed for the 2009-2010 school year. You can visit Pizza Hut's website to sign up to be on the email reminder list for the 2010-2011 school year.

Homeschoolers and College

The post "(Catholic) Homeschooling 101?" started a discussion about college admissions and homeschoolers. It came to my attention that each individual college had it's own rules when it came to homeschoolers and college admission policies. I know that the state laws regarding homeschooling varies state to state. Do the college rules vary because of the state laws? Or is something else at play? One of my readers seems to believe that the college rules have very little to do with the state laws and after surfing the web I'm in an agreement with her.

First thing I learned is that thanks to the 1998 Amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965 colleges and universities that receive federal funds are prohibited from requiring homeschoolers who seek federal financial aid to take a GED or an ability to benefit test.

The Second Thing I learned is that the National Center of Home Education has a rating system for college admission policies. It is a 4 tier rating system.

1. Tier 1- Admission policies similar to National Center for Home Education’s Recommended College Admission Policies: These colleges typically required a parent’s transcript, general standardized achievement testing, and/or the review of a portfolio of the potential student’s materials in place of an accredited diploma. (List of tier 1 colleges)
2. Tier 2- GED required in place of, or in addition to, any of the Tier I requirements: Many of these colleges based this admission criterion of a GED on a federal requirement for financial aid in the Ability to Benefit. However, this federal requirement no longer applies since the passage of our home school amendment to the Higher Education Act of 1998. (List of tier 2 colleges)
3. Tier 3-Standardized achievement test scores (i.e. SAT II) required from home school, but not traditional high school, graduates: Colleges who ask homeschoolers to take extra standardized exams, and colleges requiring home schooled students to score higher than traditionally schooled students on standardized achievement tests or entrance exams. (List of tier 3 colleges)
4. Finally there's the 4th Tier. Colleges in the 4th tier do NOT accept homeschoolers. Out of the hundreds and hundreds of colleges on the list, there was only 1 college that will not accept homeschoolers. One college out of hundreds!!

Of course none of this information should replace anything you have been told by a college's admissions office. You need to contact the college or colleges that you want to go to and talk to someone from the admissions department. Many colleges have admission counselors that solely work with homeschoolers. So when possible you will want to work with that counselor.

My kids are several, several, years away from college. I was interested in where the discussion was going and so I did some minor research on it. Personally, I think it's great that several colleges are listed in the tier one category.

Those listed in the tier one category aren't necessarily better then any of the other colleges; they are just ones that fully accept homeschoolers and acknowledge that homeschooling is a legitimate schooling option. I say that because they don't require homeschooler to provide any more info then your average public school student.

EDIT ADD: I've also noticed that the list is not a complete list of colleges but it's a start. Just another reason for why you should contact your colleges admissions office.