"The Dangers of Homeschooling" by Broken Lens Production

Homeschoolers talking about how dangerous it can be to homeschool. Be warned. Watch, learn, and laugh.

Favor: Help Spread the Word!

Dear Readers and Bloggers,

As you know, the 2012 Philippine Homeschool Conference will be on May 19. It's just a few more weeks before that event! So let's gather forces and spread the word by telling people about it! We can e-mail the e-flyer to our friends or post it on our walls in Facebook and tag our friends. (Click here to view and save it.)

And on the sidebars of our blog/s, let's put conference ad:





Grabe the code!



<a href="http://www.hapihomeschooler.com/ target="_blank"><img src="http://hapihomeschooler.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/sample-conference-ad1.gif"></a>

Thank you so much! And see you at the 2012 Philippine Homeschool Conference!

You Might Be a Homeschooler If...

Another great homeschooling video from Blimey Cow! And I could totally relate! So yes! I am definitely a homeschooler! And proud of it!

Famous Homeschoolers: C.S. Lewis

He was known to his family and friends as "Jack"—a nickname he coined for himself when the neighborhood dog, Jacksie, died. Born in 1898, he grew up in Belfast, Ireland, until his family moved to the outskirts. His mother died when he was 9 and he and his brother were sent to a boarding school. He withdrew a year later, then went to another school. This was where Jack renounced the Christian faith of his childhood and became an atheist. After serving for some time in WWI, Jack went on to be a professor in Oxford where he taught English Literature for 29 years. It was in Oxford where he gathered with a group of other writers and established the "Inklings." It was in Oxford where he re-thought Christianity and became one of the most influential Christian writers in history. His books are mostly apologetics—in defense of the Christian faith. Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters are but two of them. His most famous books, however, are The Chronicles of Narnia. Jack was none other than Clive Staples Lewis.

Resources:

C.S. Lewis

Into the Wardrobe

Famous Homeschoolers: Mark Twain

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, born in 1835, somewhere in Florida, Missouri, was a very interesting and creative baby. When he was several months old, he would pretend a pin was pricking him and he would yell and yell, just to see have someone come running. The Clemens family eventually moved to Hannibal, Missouri, where Samuel spent his childhood. When he was 11 years old, his father died suddenly. Samuel had to quit school (he was in Grade 5 then) and start working for a newspaper company. He did not stop learning, though, and often spent time reading and studying. He started writing as well, first publishing his own paper and then, eventually, his first book. In 1856, Samuel moved to Cincinnati, which renewed a boyish dream of his: to pilot a steamboat. He convinced the pilot to take him on as apprentice, and, 17 months later, got his license. As the steamboat was one of the major means of travel back then, Samuel would interact with the travelers, hearing their imaginative stories, some of which were true and some of which were not. Much of these became the backbone of his future plots. His most famous works include The Prince and the Pauper, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and Huckleberry Finn. He didn't publish his books under his real name, though. He used a pseudonym: Mark Twain.

Resources:

Online Literature

Famous Homeschoolers: Leo Tolstoy

In 1828, a baby boy of Russian nobility was born to Countess Maria Volkonsky (who died a couple of years later after giving birth to his younger sister) and Count Nicolay Ilyich Tolstoy. He grew up romping the fields and going on outings with his siblings and friends, often accompanied by his father and grandmother. Their house was a bustling, busy place, as the family often entertained guests for several days at a time. When friends or family members would come for a visit, they would put together plays, sing Russian and Gypsy songs, play the piano, and read stories and poetry aloud. This baby boy grew into a young man in the presence of many forms of literature, as the family home boasted of over twenty thousand books in over thirty different languages. He would often sit in his father's study, where he would listen to the Count read. Sometimes, the Count would let him recite memorized passages from Alexander Pushkin. When he was 13, after the death of his Aunt Aline (who became the children's guardian after the sudden death of their father, followed by the death of their grandmother), he traveled with his brothers to Kazan where he started preparations to enter Kazan University. He studied Arabic, Turkish, Latin, German, English, French, history, geography, and the literary works of famous authors. He did not finish college, as he did not agree to the conventional school system. A few years later, he began writing. Two of his most famous books are Anna Karenina and War and Peace.

Resources:

Online Literature

Homeschool Kids Brandish Swords

Don’t worry! No real danger here!

In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul advises us to put on the armor of God to aid us in fighting spiritual battles. Towards the end, Paul writes that we are to use “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (emphasis added). The sword—a weapon knights used to attack the enemy with—was a very vital part of their armor. Knights would not be so foolish as to travel without it, knowing that many dangers roamed freely across the land. They knight would usually keep it polished and sharp, ready for use at a moment’s notice.

In the same way, we are instructed to use the Bible as a sword to defeat our enemy, Satan. Just like the knights in the olden days, we must keep our swords (the Bible) polished, sharp, and ready for warfare. We must constantly keep in check our knowledge and consistency in hearing and obeying God’s Word.

The HAPI core came up with the idea of a Bible fest to encourage and challenge the children and parents to become more active and purposeful in reading and studying the Scriptures, as a way to actively apply Paul’s admonition. Last October 2011, in CCF, the Swordfight! Bible Challenge 2011 was held, with several parents and children from different associations as eager participants.

The families were divided into 6 groups. Each group was assigned to a station where volunteers (homeschooling parents and formerly homeschooled kids) officiated the games to ensure a smooth program flow. The activities were a wide range of puzzles, question-and-answer problems, fill-in-the blank challenges, mind-wracking trivia that covered many events, topics, verses, and characters all the way from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

Prizes were given to the early registrants and other early birds. Awards were also given to various parents and children. Other items were raffled off, such as Bibles with a sword etched out on the front cover, books on character building, puzzles for kids, evangelistic tool kids, etc. Each kid who participated received a certificate together with a sword-shaped ballpen as a memorabilia.

Six colors, six teams

Armor of God Bibles for raffles, prizes, and giveaway

Sword-shaped pen for memorabilia

Team Noah

Team Moses

Team Abraham

Team Daniel

Team Joseph

Team Jacob

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12
(Theme Verse of Swordfight!)

Famous Homeschoolers: Charles Dickens

In 1812, a wee baby was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. He grew up with an older brother and several younger siblings. He attended school from time to time after their family moved to Kent County, although he was already an avid reader, having learned at home. He was described as a very good and apt pupil. When he was not in school, he would create plays and stories and recite poetry with his siblings. He was well-read at a very young age, with a sharp ear for conversations that helped him develop his characters in such a way that the readers could find out all about the individual personalities through simply reading the dialogues. Several of his characters were shaped by the people around him as he was growing up. Several stories and situations came from his own experiences. Among his well-known works are The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, and A Christmas Carol.

Resources:

Online-Literature

Victorian Web

Famous Homeschoolers: Hans Christian Andersen

He was born 1805, the only son of a washerwoman and a shoemaker. They were very poor, but his dad brought him to the local playhouse, developing his creative side by making him his own toys. He went to school occasionally, but spent most of the time reading and studying by himself. His fondest memories were that of his father's work bench, which held many books and songs. The boy grew up to be tall, lanky, and awkward, with a love for singing and dancing, and an vivid imagination. Though he began writing at an early age, it was only in 1827 when first poem was published, and launched his career as a writer. His fairy tales of fantasy became popular around the world for their moral lessons. Some of his well-known works include The Little Match Girl, The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, The Emperor's New Clothes, among many others.


Resources:
Danish Net
Endicott-Studio
Online-Literature

Homeschool, Defined

We, as homeschoolers, have often felt the distinct line between the conventional mindset and the homeschool mindset. As we venture out of our homes and mingle with those who come from conventional education backgrounds, as we step out of homeschool paradise, start college, get a work, the words we hear are almost the same, "Welcome to the real world!"

To this, we often respond with nods, polite smiles, and soft laughter.

But wait! Is it true that homeschool is not the real world? Is it something that strangely distinct and differently apart from what everyone else sees?

A real world, in a conventional mindset, is a world where everything is normal and regular and ordinary. It's a world where almost nothing changes. Where things have been as they have been ever since the world began. It's a world of trains and bus stations, crowded sidewalks and polluted air. It's a world where everyone is busy, where everyone always has someplace to go. It's a world of gigantic skyscrapers that blot out the blues of the sky. It's a world of straightened desks and chairs, of rulers and other forms of measurements, of precision and strictness. Creativity does not always exist, and if it does, it is strictly kept to the minimalistic level. Black and whites and tints of grey make up what they call the "real" world.

We as homeschoolers, as human beings then, if they will not allow us to be homeschoolers, claim rights to this "real world." We say we are a part of it too. Nothing can be more real than the lives we lead, than the tangible things we touch and see (and I speak for everyone—the conventional student in his classroom, and the homeschooler on his mother's kitchen table). They may be two different dimensions, but as I see it, they are both very much (and equally) real.

If the world of homeschool is disallowed to be a part, a faction, of the real world, if it must be defined by the conventional mindset, then by all means, make it a fantasy world. A world after the likeness of Narnia, Middle-Earth, and Neverland. Let the children laugh and play and defeat pirates. Let them go on adventures and discover things for themselves. Let it be a place where animals talk and rivers dance. Let it be a world of poetry, literature, and prose. Let the flowers and trees be made of adjectives and adverbs and a wonderful mixture of colors. Let the grass come in a thousand shades of green. Let the bridges be made of books and music. Let words soar and swell like the wind. Let creativity run through the veins of all who romp in the fields. Let each sunrise and each sunset outdo each other in beauty. Because that is the kind of world we live in. That is homeschool.

Blimey Cow's "Seven Lies about Homeschoolers"

Meet Josh, Jordan, and Kelli (Josh's wife) Turner. They have a current project called Messy Mondays in which they release a new video every first day of the week. Their videos contain many different and cool topics most addressed to youths, such as “Ten Ways to Get the Right Guy to Like You,” “What They Don’t Teach You in College,” and so much more. Their videos are often always funny, witty, and entertaining.

One of my favorite videos is about homeschooling in which they tackle several myths and misconceptions that people have about us homeschoolers. It's funny, true, and says what we want to say to the world out there about homeschooling.



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HAPI Homeschool Kids Fair

HAPI—Homeschool Association of the Philippine Islands—held a Homeschool Kids Fair last May 21, 2011. The program was divided into three parts with around 75 kids as participants.

First, the parents and kids could roam around the exhibit hall for a few minutes and view the kids' displays and purchase the food and jewelry that were for sale. Many kids brought their arts and crafts and school projects. There were displays of origami, photography, science inventions, paintings, sketches, handicrafts, miniature houses created by recycled materials, etc.

For the second part, the kids showcased their talents. Some kids sang and others danced. Some did both at the same time. There were also a few groups and individuals that played musical instruments, varying from the violin to the flute to the guitar.

During the last part of the program, the kids and parents went back to the exhibit hall where the winners of prizes were announced and certificates were given to all the kids that participated.

Below are some snapshots of the event, specifically of the displays and the kids as they performed.

Pictures by Jemstone Photography