Home school program puts its curriculum on display
Published Tuesday, April 29, 2008
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From full academic courses to logic puzzles to a kit that teaches how to make root beer at home, the IDEA Curriculum Fair presented home school families with a plethora of options when it came to education.
The IDEA is a home school support program based in the Galena City School District. The program has 3,700 students statewide with 800 of those students from the Fairbanks area, IDEA Director Tim Cline said.
“The families realize they don’t have have to do it alone,” Cline said of the program.
The two-day curriculum fair takes place at the Westmark Hotel in downtown Fairbanks and wraps up today. The fair has more than 50 exhibitors, guest speakers and workshops for families using IDEA or who are thinking about adopting the program. David Matthews came from Barrow for the fair because he is planning to home school his children next year. He said teaching his children from home is appealing because he is concerned about what his children are exposed to in traditional schools.
“It’s a little overwhelming,” Matthews said of the scope of the fair.
Sandy Blewett, IDEA field representative for Fairbanks and Delta Junction, said the IDEA program is 11 years old and she used it to educate her two children.
“Learning became a lifestyle. They became excited about learning,” Blewett said.
She adds the ability to choose portions of the curriculum was a big positive point for homeschooling. Her children were able to take untraditional courses such as ornithology and a “Lord of the Rings”-based literature course.
“It tailors the learning to the interest of the kids,” said Lisa Preuit, a home school parent and vendor at the fair.
Preuit is owner of the Wasilla-based Critical Thinking AK, a business that sells supplemental materials, such as logic and critical thinking materials.
“It’s important, and I think overlooked in the schools,” Preuit said. “And it’s fun.”
For students to be enrolled in the IDEA program, Blewett said there are six conditions parents must agree to: A parent must be home, a parent must supervise progress, students must attend standardized testing, parents must create individual learning plans with certified teachers from IDEA, two progress reports must be submitted to IDEA every year and four samples of the student’s work must be submitted.
“We’re here to help parents educate children as they see fit,” Cline said.
Community Discussion
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I always thought homeschooled kids were too sheltered, but the opposite is true. They are very well adapted to any social situation and can relate to all people very well. Their confidence and self esteem is much greater then expected. The cirriculums used are intense and difficult. These are the leaders of tomorrow!
But who is going to teach the kid that being gay is an acceptable lifesyle choice, abortion is good, global warming is going to destroy the world in a couple years, the worlds terrorists are only defending themselves from evil America, ect, ect.
We send our children to private school. Our 7 year old was promoted from second grade to third grade after the first quarter. I seriously doubt that a traditional public school would have allowed this promotion or had the time, staff or resources to properly educate gifted child. Our kids can read/comprehend/ calculate well above their respective grade levels. Sacrificing the huge house, fancy car and flat screen TV was well worth it when I see that my children are years ahead of their public school colleagues.
Hey fox- I homeschool my 13 year old daughter, and teach her the things you listed. Well, I have explained that other countries will probably destroy the Earth with atomic weapons long before global warming heats up, but you see what I'm saying. We don't focus on the U.S.'s history (often falsely recorded in text books...) but on real life situations. The point with homeschooling is that you teach what you want and not follow an outdated curriculum that is mass produced for keeping kids complacent and obedient, more outside the box thinking, you know what I mean?
1xSpitRat..."I have explained that other countries will probably destroy the Earth with atomic weapons long before global warming heats up, U.S.'s history (often falsely recorded in text books...) you know what I mean?"
No, I dont understand what you are homeschooling, please explain?
1xSpitRat
Do you agree such issues are not appropriate in a public classroom when students come from homes with differing beliefs?
1) I think parents are the best teachers. Education should begin and end at home.
2) With a few exceptions, I think that public school has plenty to offer the majority of students - to learn about how to get along with people, to respect others, etc. And if you are instilling those values that you want your children to live by AT HOME, why fear the exposure to other things that public schools or even (GASP) the real world would provide?
All that said, I am glad that there is support for those who choose to homeschool their children - it's just not my choice.
I don't expect all people to agree with homeschooling, but I do appreciate that you respect a mother and fathers right to homeschool.
It is one of the highest priorities to teach my children to respect others even if they don't agree with them on issues of moral judgement.
fox- I don't agree that such issues are not appropriate in a public classroom- I wish that public schools would offer a much broader representation of society at all levels. Just give the information without attaching personal viewpoints.
YouMustBeConfused- I'm not real sure what you are asking about... North Korea, for one, is eager to own and control nuclear weapons, and is just one of many countries that does so. Al qada has some of the highest trained chemists and scientists in their fold and jihad is a real threat. These are imminent and real dangers we face in our lifetime.
U.S. History- Was Columbus a hero or a raper and pillager? Where are the women in history represented in standard textbooks? Often times the husband of a forward thinking woman in our country's history got the credit, so young girls really have no role models as printed in our books.
We go to homeless shelters and volunteer to feed the people and my daughter has a deeper caring for mankind than her peers. She doesn't assume that every person has a home or a car or a hi-def t.v. We tutor underpriveleged kids that often don't have reading parents. She knows about fairly traded products and has a conscience about what she purchases and who possibly sacrificed to get that product into America's retail market. We volunteer at a no-kill animal shelter and she has no illusions about what happens to shelter animals that don't get adopted. She asks everyone she knows to spay and neuter their pets.
My point is- real life is worth learning about and sitting in a classroom for 8 hours a day limits what you can see and do and puts undue pressure on kids as far as looking a certain way or thinking a certain way. We decided to get out and be a part of our surroundings and learn as we do.
spitrat,
I thought you were wacko by your first post.
Now I think you are smart.
1xSpitRat
>>I wish that public schools would offer a much broader representation of society at all levels<<
Things like expanded oil drilling on the North Slope is needed for Alaska and the nation, culling wolf packs is good game management, welfare reform, less federal government intervention in state issues, the problems that national health care will create, would that be acceptable? Maybe a little reading from the bible?
I don't think religion has any place in public schools, as the public does not subscribe to just one religion... leave that for your place of worship.
But everything else, yeah, let's talk about it and alternatives for each one. I felt that our public school, in our little town was too focused on consumerism and material wealth without considering that these ideals are not EVERYONE's goal in life.
Luckily, we can all choose for ourselves!
oh yeah- 2cold4me-- I may be smart but I hope I am wacko.
I think you are smart, too.
1xSpitRat, thank you for raising a responsible, non-spoiled brat! Kudos to you. I am getting less concerned about what ideologies the kids are being taught & more concerned that they are growing up as priveleged, entitled, self-serving slugs. I applaud you for taking the time & effort to raise a thoughtful, responsible child. More of those are always good regardless of religion or lack thereof.
1xSpitRat EXCELLENT. I, like 2cold4me, did'nt have much to go on in your first post. I like your understanding on history and Women. I agree that there is a race to have atomic weapons by many countries. The reality is that we are the only ones that have used them on another society. Do you think that muslims are trying to wipe us out or just Al Queda? I wish you well in you effort to educate your daughter. We need more outside of the box thinking.
Homeschooling is only as good as the teacher, just as it is in public schools. However, there are standards set for public teachers and there are no real laws written down about what makes a good parent, let alone a good parent/teacher. It is unfortunate that the only laws for bad parenting come after the fact, after the damage is done.
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