New Heathen Cards!!!
Heathen Business Cards for BlogHer
Since it is Wednesday, I guess this can count as an almost Wordless Wednesday post, lol.
I am going to BlogHer later this month (YEAH! WOOHOO!!) I knew I needed to make new business cards to give out at the event, but I didn’t want to just have plain cards. I finally decided to get these cute little mini cards. The front of them have different designs and have a heathen message while the back has all of my contact info. They even came in little plastic boxes so I don’t have to worry about them getting squished in my carry on when I’m traveling to Chicago for the conference.
Thoughtful Thursday
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”
-William Butler Yeats
2+2=4
Several days ago, I participated in an online homeschooling event. This event was hosted by a website and included speakers on a variety of homeschooling topics via streaming audio. There was a chatroom for listeners to be able to chat to each other and type questions for the host and speaker. I am not going to mention the name of the website because quite honestly, I do not feel the need to give them any publicity. Read on and you will see why.
The host was a Christian homeschooling site. I still decided to attend because I had been told that most of the information would be good for a secular homeschooler as well. For some of the speakers, that was true while for others, the talk of religion was mildly annoying. For a few, the religious indoctrination of the talk was just too much for any academic homeschooler to bear.
One of the last speakers of the event talked about reasons people homeschool and what motivates them to keep going. He said homeschooling is a conviction for a few and a preference for others. To be honest, I should have stopped listening about two minutes into his talk. His manner of speaking was already bordering on religious fanatic – you know the type, the ones that make others think that all homeschooling families are right-wing, religious, nutjobs. Yup, that was this guy.
I decided to approach the session from an academic standpoint. I wanted to learn the reasoning behind thinking that religious instruction must be included in homeschooling. An academic mind like me could remove her personal beliefs and discover this reasoning without being offended, right? Well one would think, but you know it gets a little difficult when non-religious homeschoolers are constantly being degraded during the discussion. Let’s just hit a few of the gems this speaker bestowed upon the listeners……
Speaker: Anyone can teach 2+2=4, only Christian homeschoolers can explain why.
He was referring to evolution and chaos theory when he said this. He said if you teach evolution, the world is chaos and has no order. Therefore, if you teach evolution you don’t understand that the world is an orderly place. Instead you see the world as a chaotic environment without patterns. This results in no way to teach the orderly patterns of mathematics. A Christian homeschooler understands that 2+2=4 because God made it that way.
Heathen Mom Response: What the hell? I’m sorry, but what does simple addition have to do with religion? My three year old understands the equation 2+2=4 because of the example, “if you have two apples and I give you two more, how many will you have?” She happily counts up to four and is very proud to find the correct answer. She didn’t need the explanation that God made it that way. She would probably look at me like I was insane if I said that.
Speaker: secular, humanist, atheist worldview
He used this phrase a lot, like too much. He used it to describe public school education and anyone who doesn’t homeschool from a religious view. He used it as a degrading phrase.
Heathen Mom Response: Please find a thesaurus before your next speaking engagement. You sound like a man with limited vocabulary when you have to use the same words over and over. Those words are not negative – so a little less attitude and disgust when you say them are in order.
Speaker: If you aren’t using a religious view you might as well send your children to public school. It would be easier for you.
This was in response to a comment that I made in the chatroom. I pointed out that many people homeschool for academic and not religious reasons.
Heathen Mom Response: There are many more academic opportunities that are available to my children as homeschoolers. I choose to homeschool to allow my children to reach their potential. My goal for homeschooling is to help my children be at a level that allows them to be successful in college and encourages them to be lifelong learners.
Speaker: Academic success should not be the goal of homeschooling. Creating servants for God should be.
He talked a lot about what the purpose of homeschooling should be. He felt the only reason to homeschool was for religious reasons and nothing should be taught that goes against religious viewpoints. He felt that learning without God resulted in just useless facts and the only true learning was biblically based.
Heathen Mom Response: I pointed out that some students who were only taught from a biblical point of view can have a harder time in some college courses. Refusing to expose children to academic subjects can place them behind their peers. A good example is the theory of evolution. I have seen college students who were only taught ways to disprove evolution, biblically of course, become upset that they don’t have a true understanding of what the theory of evolution really is.
The speaker talked about the number of religious students who lose their faith as a result of attending a “secular, humanist, atheist worldview liberal college”. I wonder what percentage of those students who abandon their religious upbringing were ones who were only allowed to learn things from a biblical point of view? My hypothesis is that percentage is high. I understand that attending college exposes you to a lot of new material and viewpoints. That is actually one of my favorite things about college. I would assume that if you were always taught things from a biblical point of view, attending a non-religious college would be a bit of culture shock. I can see how that could lead to questioning faith and even possibly leaving the religious beliefs behind. It could seem like you were lied to by not being allowed to learn other viewpoints.
Speaker: You are leading your children to hell if you don’t use a religious view for homeschooling.
Heathen Mom Response: I am going to be honest; this is the point of the speech that just completely pissed me off.
It is closed-minded thinking like this that resulted in me naming my blog Heathen Homeschoolers. It amazes me that so many religious homeschoolers feel the need to condemn all of those who choose to use a secular point of view. The fact that ‘secular’ is often used as a “dirty” word infuriates me.
Despite what many religious homeschool proponents will have you believe, the number of families using a secular approach is growing. A Heathen Homeschooler uses a secular/academic approach to homeschooling. I would love to see the number of Heathens grow dramatically over the next few years. It is time for the religious nutjobs who think they are the face of homeschooling to understand that they do not represent all homeschoolers.
I am Heathen Mom. I am proud to homeschool my children using a secular approach. We focus on academic instruction and feel that religious instruction has no place in academic studies. We feel that if a family chooses to incorporate religious instruction it should be in addition to academic studies.
My family is not unique.
There are Heathens everywhere.
Summertime
Does anyone else find that summertime is insanely busy? Things sure have been crazy around here.
My nephew gave a week’s notice that he was getting married….joining the Air Force…..and becoming a dad. Yup, that was a lot to swallow in one conversation. In under a week I had to find a wedding gift, going away gift and a yeah you are having a baby gift. I keep reminding myself that this is probably a good thing. He has been floating from job to job during his adult life. Joining the military will make sure he has a steady job for awhile at least. He is at basic training now. Hopefully it is going well.
My kiddos have had a variety of summer activities so far. Library, summer camps, play dates, etc have taken over our calendar. Not that I am complaining, I love all the extras that summer adds to our crazy life.
I also started playing a computer game. It pretty much took up all of my spare time. This addiction, I mean hobby has been a fun way to fill in the gaps in my schedule. Too bad it took over my online time as well, lol. I have decided that the game has to be an evening activity after I have done everything on my calendar including my writing here on Heathen Homeschoolers. I hope to write at least3-4 times a week or more throughout the summer.
What does your summer schedule look like? Is it as crazy as ours?
The joys of a staycation…..ahhhhh
As I had written earlier, I was feeling a bit under the weather and starting to feel bummy about it. I finally decided it was time for a staycation, you know a vacation without leaving your house. I took a break from blogging, homeschool, homeschool group planning and pretty much anything else that could be placed on the back burner.
Instead of doing all the things that I should have been doing, I played more with the kids, played outside, read a few books, watched a few good movies, vegged out and even played a new computer game.
What a difference just a little over a week makes! I am feeling better both mentally and physically. My back still hurts some, but it is just a bit worse than what is my normal – so I can deal with it better, oh the joys of having a kidney disease. This staycation was also great for my mental health. It allowed time for me to evaluate some aspects of life and form a plan.
You know where I have been lately, now it is time to tell you where Heathen Homeschoolers is going and discuss a few housekeeping issues……..
~~If you sent an email during my staycation, I will be returning all email over the weekend. Thanks for your patience.
~~Some of you have already found the forum I created. An official announcement is coming this weekend after I place a few conversation starters and start a few groups. That’s right…..I’m bringing back our community feature!! WOOHOO!!!!!
~~I am creating a links page that will list Heathen friendly homeschooling blogs. If that describes your blog or a blog you love to visit, please email me to have the site considered for listing heathenmom at heathenhomeschoolers dot com
~~I am also starting a page that will be listing non-religious homeschool materials. Please send your material suggestions to the same email listed above.
Thoughtful Thursday – Tuesday Edition
If you think in seasons, plant cereals.
If you think in decades, plant trees.
If you think in centuries, educate your children.
-Chinese Proverb
Ok, I know it’s just Tuesday, but I ran across the quote and it really hit home today. I haven’t been feeling so great recently and really needed a pick me up. This quote reminded me that everything that I’m doing now is for the long term success of my children. It helped me remember why I have continued to do things with the children while I have been under the weather.
Moms are human too
For the last few days I have felt a bit under the weather. I still think it is just because it is getting warmer here. I always seem to have problems adjusting to the heat of summer. Having PKD (polycystic kidney disease) makes it easier to become dehydrated. It usually takes me a bit to adjust my fluid intake to my summer level.
Yesterday made me feel worse though. I had issues when I went to do my regular lab work. By issues, I mean I passed out cold. Freaked the lab girls out and woke up to some doctor I didn’t know discussing if I should be sent to the hospital. UGH! I’m assuming it was my lack of eating that made me go splat.
I spent the rest of day just feeling like crap. My head felt like it was going to explode and let’s just say the tummy issues were not pleasant. All this from a bit of dehydration and skipping meals reminded me that as a mom, I must take care of myself or I’m useless for my family. I think it’s a reminder that most moms need from time to time.
I’m feeling a bit more human this morning. I’m hoping to get some work done around the house today. It’s amazing how much piles up when mom is out of commission for a few days. I will also remember to take care of myself. I’m already not looking forward to the lecture from my doctor at my appointment next week. I really want to make sure I’m feeling better before I go see him.
Blog wise, I have some work to do as well. I am going to announce a few exciting changes this weekend. Today is Saturday, so a science Saturday post is in the works. First I must go bake some muffins for the kiddos.
Manage Cholesterol ~ Stroke Awareness
Tip of the Week 3 – Manage Cholesterol to Prevent Stroke
Next time you think about burgers and fries, think about this…There are many things – including foods high in saturated fat – that can cause arteries to become blocked through the gradual build-up of cholesterol, called plaque. Cholesterol is a soft, waxy fat (lipid) that is made by the body. It is found in the bloodstream and in all of your body’s cells. Your body needs cholesterol to form cell membranes, some hormones and vitamin D. Cholesterol is also found in some foods, such as eggs, meats and dairy products. Cholesterol or plaque build-up in the arteries can block normal blood flow to the brain and cause a stroke. High cholesterol may also increase your risk for stroke by raising your risk for heart disease, a stroke risk factor. There are two types of cholesterol low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL).
- It’s important to understand your numbers because they are key measurements of your stroke risk.
- For most people the combined HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol) should fall below 200.
- Maintain a healthy cholesterol level by eating a diet low in saturated fat and incorporating exercise into your routine.
- Ask your doctor how you can improve any numbers that are not in normal range.
Information provided by National Stroke Association.
Almost Wordless Wednesday ~ Testing
Caution: One test does not fit all
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’m the coordinator for the standardized testing offered by our local homeschool group. Just because I’m the coordinator does not mean that I advocate testing at a young age. I personally think that some parents put far too much emphasis on testing.
These parents tend “to put all their eggs in one basket” so to speak. If Child A does not score (insert unrealistic percentile for an average student here), then they did not have a successful year. One test cannot measure the success or failure of an educational year.
Coordinating testing this year has shown me that parents need to be better educated about what the score reports are really saying. Too many assume that 98th percentile is the same as scoring a 98% on a basic test. It isn’t the same people. I am planning to send a note explaining what the scores are really saying with the score reports when they arrive in a few weeks. Hopefully the note will help a few parents stop the silliness of testing madness.
Controlling Blood Pressure ~ Stroke Awareness Month
Tip of the Week 2 – Control Blood Pressure to Prevent Stroke
Did you know…High blood pressure is the number one cause of stroke? Yet, nearly 60 million Americans have high blood pressure, and almost a third do not know they have it!
· Have your blood pressure checked at least once a year – more often if you have a history of high blood pressure, have had a heart attack are diabetic or are overweight.
· Know your family medical history, if high blood pressure runs in your family it’s important that you ask your doctor about how to control your blood pressure.
· If you have high blood pressure it’s important to follow the recommendations of your doctor, which may include changes in diet, regular exercise and the use of medication.
Information provided by National Stroke Association
Promoting Stroke Awareness