Ocean Grove

I found the most awesome school today! It's called Ocean Grove Charter, and it's technically a public school, but so very different from any other school I've seen. First of all, the parents are the teachers, like with K12. But that's where the similarity ends. The parents make individual plans for each child after filling out an "interests and abilities map" that tells the way your child learns the best. Then you sit with an advisor and they help you pick subjects, goals for the year, and you get to choose from sooo many different programs. (I haven't counted them yet.) They offer a decent explanation of all those different styles (Montessori, IB, Waldorf, etc) and then offer courses from certified vendors. They have an amazing range of subjects, including 20 foreign languages, piano lessons, band and orchestra, and leadership skills. Since it's a public school it's government funded, but the $1800 or so a year that goes to each child is a little more fluid than with most schools. The parents and kids get to decide where it's spent. I think that's why they have so many different options.
All I started out looking for was an umbrella school because that's the only way I can homeschool here, but I'm definitely going apply here. My son has been asking if he can learn Chinese (like Daddy), and Tagalog, and I've been looking for tutors or a good online curriculum. This school has actual immersion classes. I even asked what the catch was because it sounded too good to be true, but the secretary just laughed and thanked me.

Shawn is going to Indiana to pack our things. The question is, do I drive him to San Francisco in the middle of the night with all the kids, or pay the $75 parking fee and let him drive himself. It would save me the trip back too...and trying to keep track of my kids in an airport...worth it but can I afford it!

Sweatshops

This is my opinion from a discussion board this week. In order to completely understand it you would need to view these videos (easily available online): China Blue (first, and it's by PBS, google the video, about an hour), Globalization is Good (second, also google, by Johan Norberg, about an hour), and Nicholas Kristof's article "Where Sweatshops are a dream." There's an accompanying 4 minute video with that one.

It'll take a while, but it's so worth it. Isn't it wonderful to LEARN? Yes, and we should all do it more often. Try it out, it'll stretch your brain.

Contrast China Blue’s view on sweatshops with Norberg’s view. After reviewing the two sides, what is your opinion? Why? What arguments would you offer against or in support of Kristof's (Where Sweatshops are a Dream) opinion on sweatshops?

The producer of China Blue viewed sweatshops to be horrid and inhumane places. They made it seem that sweatshops should be banned throughout the world for the human suffering they inflict upon people.

Norberg glorified sweatshops as an asset to a developing country, a sign of progress, and economic stimulation. He showed that sweatshops provide opportunities for further growth and wealth.

I side with Norberg, with a disclaimer- that I do not support tyranny and abusive practices, even in a sweatshop. That said, I believe they can be what Norberg said, an opportunity and a stepping stone. Some of them are not well run, and are horrible places to be. Hopefully, people can be educated well enough to know that helping your employees helps your company. I would support sweatshop reform in the form of classes, workshops, or seminars that show managers and owners just how and why treating their employees better will increase production more than threatening and docking pay.

I loved Kristof’s piece because he put into words (and video) all the heartache I felt when I walked the streets of Manila and had to shake my head at children no older than my own when I ran out of money or food to give them. They weaved in and out of jeepneys, cars, and trikes like stray cats, handing out envelopes in the jeepneys that said something to the effect of “Please help. I need money for food for my little brothers.” Are they faking it (they really have a nice house somewhere , right) and working the streets as con artists? Not likely. I have never seen so many people without an arm (or both), leg, or with some other debilitating injury in my life. I have never seen so many children sleeping on sidewalks. Sweatshops are not meant to take children out of school and put them to hard labor. They are meant to take children and people off the streets and give them useful and productive labor that will empower them and enable them to make their lives better than they are now.

Blog Watching

I’ve been observing blogs. Okay, I’ve been surfing the net for hours and hours, but really, I was looking for what it is that interests me in a blog. The ones where I feel I can either identify with the experiences of the blogger or where I wish to be more like the blogger are the blogs I am most likely to read. An expert in their field, or a dedicated amateur, is next provided I am interested in their area of expertise. There are a couple of cooking blogs I like (specializing in crockpot and budget meals), a few homeschooling blogs (discussing TJed), I may find an organization or gardening blog, possibly an herbal blog- but I doubt it. Other than that I like blogs by friends and family members, and people of like minds or similar goals. Entertainment is secondary to connectedness, and I feel like I’m definitely keeping in touch with my sister if I read her blog…the problem is others may not feel like they’re keeping in touch with me. (But if I tell people I know about my blog then I have to try to keep things pertinent and interesting, watch my mouth in order to be politically correct, and I’m obligated to be consistent about blogging- all of which could be a pain.) Similarly- I feel like I’m close to people I’ve never actually met, and who may not know I read their blog. Maybe this is why blogging grew into such a popular pastime (and is it a passing fad?). It helps people feel more connected to the world, with little to no risk of drama, rejection, or favor-asking.

About Me

This didn't fit in the "About me" section, so I'm putting it here:

I am usually a stay-at-home mom (with occasional short bouts of temporary jobs). My husband is a linguist in the military. He just joined. I imagine we’ll be moving a lot.

I homeschool my son, at his request, and will most likely homeschool his two younger brothers in ensuing years.

Religion is the basic premise of life for our family. We like going to church too. I’m LDS. I grew up LDS. I love it. My husband is already planning several missions for when the children are gone. General Conference is my favorite time of the year. And it comes twice! 

I like to cook healthy meals, and don’t use much in the way of meat, sugar, or packaged foods. However, I love to bake, especially desserts, and it takes a lot of restraint to keep myself from making large amounts of rich sugary desserts. I substitute with honey and whole wheat where I can, and succumb to my sugar cravings when think about it too much. My mother has a good cookbook that helps me out. My mother-in-law makes some of the best food I’ve ever tasted.

My mother and grandmother taught me to use herbs for nutrition and healing. I love herbs. Except the bitter ones- but I still use them…heavily camouflaged with honey.

I love to sing. I sing all the time. I don’t like pretty much anything on the radio, so we sing in the car instead, or listen to the “Standin’ Tall” tapes. I like to play the piano. I don’t have one at the moment however, and I don’t even know if I can read music anymore. I am also an old-movie addict- according to my husband. I rarely watch anything made after 1960, except Veggietales and some animated (mostly Disney and Pixar) movies. My children help make me more cultured I suppose. I never would have seen “Finding Nemo” without them.

I love to read. I probably have too many books, but I can’t help it. I buy bookshelves whenever I find a good deal, and the boys all sleep in one room (I never did see a reason for a child to have their own room) so we can have a library. I love libraries. I think I’m going to have to start putting bookshelves in the pantry. It’s a large pantry.

Ladakh

I'm taking an online college class right now called International Foundations. We just watched a video about Ladakh. I've been trying for the last several days to embed it on my blog but I just haven't figured it out. I loved the traditional Ladakh culture. The video shows how technology and modernization aren’t necessarily helping everyone. It was interesting and sad to watch. Based on the book by Helena Norberg-Hodge.

Since I can’t embed it apparently, I’ll just include the link: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7846941319183318053&ei=-BP5Sbj2MqD-qAPb3e0f&q=Ancient+Futures:+Learning+From+Ladakh&hl=en# . I’m not sure if it works, but googling Helena Norberg-Hodge Ancient Futures will take you to the same (hour long) video.

Really though, my husband assures me that it doesn’t have to be that the more technology a country has the more its values deteriorate. I realize that I’m blessed to have the technology available to me that I do, and that I’m really more productive and know more than I would, but sometimes the simple life seems…well, so much less complicated. I love learning new things, but mourn the downsides of “progress.” Oh well, in all things there must be opposition.

Homeschooling progress report, or, How am I doing so far?

Well- so far our homeschooling is going pretty well. We aren't using any particular curriculum at the moment, and I haven't started reading out of the classics yet either, because I don't have any of my things here- including books. Except A Tale of Two Cities which I think I'll save for later. What we have been doing is writing letters to people every morning (short ones, which I have yet to mail), doing some math problems and then getting to play multiplication computer games, tons of reading and some singing. My 7 yr old is very good about reading to his younger brothers, and all of us like singing time. In the works are a garden and some cooking lessons, more art lessons, and he's asked if he can please study history. Hey, who am I to deprive him of history? Science is a bonus on the weekends because his Dad has a BA in chemistry...the only class I ever failed. They love doing science projects together.

Writing is our biggest struggle because he's convinced that he hates it, as well as spelling. So I'm going to back off and buy a few games I love to play. Some of my very favorite games are Scrabble, Bananagrams, Boggle, and Scattergories. I love word games. My son loves to do anything I'm doing, including word games, and he's not half bad at it :). Maybe we can foster a love of words, writing, and spelling (and confidence) through games. It's at least worth a try. Besides, the awesome thing is that I can use these games as a reward for getting chores done quickly or as a bribe.

We're slowly getting started and establishing a schooling routine.

Weekend Fun

So, this weekend was interesting. I’ve been learning about the fine art of yardsaling. I don’t know if it’s a real word, but it is a real art. The trick is balance. You have to be able to recognize good deals while not going overboard and becoming a pack rat- or in the case of already being one, supporting your pack rat habit J. But making a list of the things you need and sticking just to that doesn’t work so well either, mostly because you need to be able to recognize a worthy buy when you see one. A worthy buy= something you need and will use + a good deal + you can afford it. If affording it means you have to trim a little somewhere else and it’s worth it to you to do so, go for it. But you can only do that so much. Anyway, this weekend was spent trying to save money, and we did pretty well, but I still need to learn when I don’t really need something.

I’m also working on cutting my food budget in half. My husband says it’s not possible, making it an all-the-more-attractive goal. That would make it $275 per month for a family of 5. If I have a garden it should be relatively easy (and I can have one year round here!) as we generally spend $50 a week on produce, but I don’t have one yet. I’ve been looking through a couple of my favorite sites, http://crockpot365.blogspot.com and www.5dollardinners.com. So one of my mini projects this year is crockpot cooking. That is, cooking dinner in the crockpot at least 3 nights a week. For the moment, it’s every night. I don’t have my pots and pans yet. So I’m getting a good start :).

We liked fajitas in the crockpot- very easy. And we liked the 16-bean soup. The pasta in artichoke sauce didn’t turn out so well, but the kids loved it. And, of course, I had to try refried beans because I have 25 lbs. of dried pinto beans in the pantry. They turned out okay, but need more salt. Then I wanted some rice to go with it…that didn’t work. The brown rice cooked so long it started to go bad. But I’m a glutton for punishment- I’m trying it again on high instead of low.

I know, I know, what a very interesting weekend eh. But I’m learning and progressing and the kids had fun. Writing actually does help me keep myself more organized. Now, why I’m posting my writing on a blog I have no idea. Maybe it keeps me more accountable- even though no one really sees it. :)