Pagan Homeschooling

Rating:
Summary: A must have for any pagan with kids, homeschool or not!
Review: As a parent, I honestly tried to like this book. I read almost anything directed at pagan parenting. My problem with it is that I do not feel Home Schooling is in line with the modern pagan movement in any way. I am sure it will be well met by pagan folk who want to yank their children out of public schools much the same way members of other religions do such that their children are not exposed to the ways of others. But one of the central concepts behind the pagan movement is that we should be exposed to other cultural and religious experiences (including the main stream). Looking back at my experience in public school, I can remember very few things that I learned. But I do distinctly remember that it was in the public school that I met my first member of the Jewish faith and I have been better for the friendship that developed. It is where I learned ASL so I could talk to a young lady who was deaf and I am better for that experience. It is where I met my first friend who was other than white and where I met folk from walks of life other than that of my Mother and Father. Come to think of it, public school was where I met my first Pagan. I am sorry, I honestly tried to like this book. The author means very well, but it is just wrong to deny a child a multi cultural experience like public school. Doing so just does not seem pagan.

Rating:
Summary: I tried to like this book.
Review: As a parent, I honestly tried to like this book. I read almost anything directed at pagan parenting. My problem with it is that I do not feel Home Schooling is in line with the modern pagan movement in any way. I am sure it will be well met by pagan folk who want to yank their children out of public schools much the same way members of other religions do such that their children are not exposed to the ways of others. But one of the central concepts behind the pagan movement is that we should be exposed to other cultural and religious experiences (including the main stream). Looking back at my experience in public school, I can remember very few things that I learned. But I do distinctly remember that it was in the public school that I met my first member of the Jewish faith and I have been better for the friendship that developed. It is where I learned ASL so I could talk to a young lady who was deaf and I am better for that experience. It is where I met my first friend who was other than white and where I met folk from walks of life other than that of my Mother and Father. Come to think of it, public school was where I met my first Pagan. I am sorry, I honestly tried to like this book. The author means very well, but it is just wrong to deny a child a multi cultural experience like public school. Doing so just does not seem pagan.

Rating:
Summary: Very handy resource
Review: Depending on your philosophy of life and education, you may wish to educate your child outside the mainstream school system. This does not mean that your children are being denied socialisation with peers or members of other generations, nor does it mean that they're being denied proper information about the world - unless you're a sloppy parent who prefers not to examine their own beliefs and behaviours. Home education means education for the whole family, including parents, who have to learn to be open to relentless questioning, to facing down their own fears and sense of inadequacy, and to encouraging their children's natural curiosity and lifelong love of learning.

In my school, I knew only one person of another religion, and as she was in another year, socialising was pretty much taboo. What I learned about healthy socialisation, I learned from my multigenerational family and neighbourhood, from clubs and groups outside of school, and from the kids from other schools I played with in the afternoons and on weekends. Home educating a child opens up all manner of possibilities - visits to Hindu temples, mosques, churches, synagogues, Buddhist temples, and a wide variety of other religious centres and groups with family and friends; visits to museums, art galleries, and learning centres with family and friends; building community by asking neighbours to help kids with various activities, such as gardening, sports, cooking, poetry, carpentry, etc.; discussions about ethics, belief systems, and why people behave the way they do; wider reading; turning maths into a sport; taking each subject at your child's own pace. Home education is a major undertaking, and if you're fortunate enough to be able to stay home with your child(ren), and if you're open-minded enough to take the time and make the effort to expose your children to the Big Wide World, it can be immensely rewarding. This book provides handy tips and ideas for doing so within a non-traditional spiritual framework, and is one good resource for the Pagan home educating family.

Rating:
Summary: very good
Review: Give me a break, Mr. Dobbs. Homeschooling is not a "pagan" thing at all. Homeschooling is giving us a chance to give our children the education that they deserve and are not receiving in todays world. Half the stuff we're learning is so out of date and incorrect it isn't funny. The other half is useless. I mean, come on. I don't need advanced chemistry if I'm just going to be homemaker. Now, if I had decided to grow up and be a chemist, that would have been right up my alley. But I didn't, and I really resented learning things that had no bearing on my life although everyone does need some knowledge of a wide range of subjects. Today's education is sadly lacking. The teacher no longer has the time to teach our children correctly for fear of not stuffing enough down thier throats to make sure that they pass tests that no longer correctly gauge where our children are at. And with all of the violence and drugs in shcool anymore, it's not an environment conductive to learning. That is why, Sir, people, not just pagans, are taking thier children out of school. For the first seven years of my son's schooling, he's going to a charter school, because they start teaching things when they should and how they should. My son loves it and he knows and has learned so much more than I ever did at his age. This is giving him much needed companionship with other people as well. When he reaches 8 grade, he'll have the choice of either being homeschooled or going to a public school if that is his wish. My other son, I'm already homeschooling because that's what he wanted. That's why I got this book. It's jamm packed with tons of wonderful ideas and everything. I love this book.

Rating:
Summary: It's about time!
Review: that someone writes a book for the pagan homeschooling parent! Thank you! I am always looking for ways to add pagan friendly ideas to our curriculum!

Mr Dobbs, perhaps you have the benefit of a great school system. We do not. My son was in public school, I worked with him at home as well. He was passed into the 6th grade the same year that he was tested to be reading at a 2nd grade level; in one year of homeschooling I was able to bring his reading to grade level! My uncle also teaches at a neighboring school system, he says he is under increasing pressure to pass the kids; whether they understand the information or not. My older son was supposed to take a New Testament "history" course in his school this year (other options are offered but they are all full so he had to take it.) And in Union County, TN there is litigation right now over a similar matter. In the public school system where I was there were (maybe) 20 african american kids, maybe 50 of hispanic orgins, some catholics (not many) and the vast majority of children were white southern baptists. Not much for diversity. With no public school system to limit our time I am able to take them to neighboring areas where they can experience more diversity in culture and religions! Please don't limit yourself to thinking that your experience is going to be the best experience for all! My children now test above the average students their age in this area, they have studied courses not offered through our system (gymnastics, dance, guitar, drums, karate, etc) and they are much more accepting of different paths than the local children are. Blessings!

Rating:
Summary: A must have for any pagan with kids, homeschool or not!
Review: This book is an incredible resource. I don't homeschool. I'm fortunate enough to have a terrific elementary school 2 miles from my home and my older kids are in a wonderful high school honors curriculum. Like I said, I'm fortunate. What I use the book for is not the pages and pages of homeschooling resources and contact info which I'm sure other people will find useful but for the tips, crafts, and ritual information I can use with my children in their daily lives and in our family life. I based my daughter's menarche ritual on material in this book and I've spent rainy weekends with my youngest, trying out different fun ideas and talking about how a particular craft relates to my beliefs. I hope to see many more books like this from the author and her publisher.

Rating:
Summary: About Time!
Review: With so many of us homeschooling, thinking about it, or just looking to add more spirituality to what our kids get in School, it is About Time for a book like this!

This book is so full of information, it will take me months to just check out all the resources let alone try all the experiments, crafts, and games. Her suggestions on learning with the Elements and Festivals were fantastic.

It has great information on learning to network and how to decide if homeschooling is for your family. I really enjoyed reading about the author's experiences and those of the other homeschoolers she polled. She certainly did her homework on this one and I'm going to definitely get more of her books.

Rating:
Summary: About Time!
Review: With so many of us homeschooling, thinking about it, or just looking to add more spirituality to what our kids get in School, it is About Time for a book like this!

This book is so full of information, it will take me months to just check out all the resources let alone try all the experiments, crafts, and games. Her suggestions on learning with the Elements and Festivals were fantastic.

It has great information on learning to network and how to decide if homeschooling is for your family. I really enjoyed reading about the author's experiences and those of the other homeschoolers she polled. She certainly did her homework on this one and I'm going to definitely get more of her books.