Where does creativity come from?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNwMut3-z1Y

Here is a great link about creativity.
Have a good Thanksgiving.  We will spend the whole week with our extended family--another benefit of homeschooling and telecommuting!

what will it take for radical education reform?

What if they built a school and nobody came?

Is that what it is going to take for "a radical rethink of our school systems" (words borrowed from Sir Ken Robinson)?  In many neighborhoods (even good ones), people decide to "choice out" of their local school.  Homeschooling is only one of many ways.

Will everyone have to abandon the public education system before there are radical changes made in the way we educate our children?  Watch some of Sir Ken Robinsons' stuff to get inspired about what education can and should be.  (http://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U, http://sirkenrobinson.com/skr/)  I just wonder how we can get to a place where the majority of our children (not just a small minority) are taught in safe and loving environments that encourage and reward creativity and thinking outside the box.

What about those families who teach their kids that evolution doesn't exist?

I say, let them.

The homeschooling parents who are teaching their kids this information were probably educated in a traditional public or private school.  Attending a traditional school did not keep these parents from developing their extreme views.  There are all types of extreme views and kids are going to hear them from their parents, whether they are homeschooled or not.  Finally, with all the media out there, it is harder and harder for people to isolate themselves (or their kids) from mainstream ideas---whether they are good or bad.  So, I say let parents teach what they want to teach, within the confines of the state homeschooling regulations.  Their kids will eventually develop their own views--perhaps to their parents' chagrin.

"Oh, you homeschool? I could NEVER do that!"

That is one of the hardest things for me to hear.

This is my response:  "Homeschooling is not easy, but it's not as hard as you think!  Separating yourself from the institutional education system is liberating!  Oh, the things you can do!  Oh, the places you'll go!  Oh, the things you'll learn! You can select your neighborhood based on housing and livability, rather than being limited by the school district.  You can go on vacation in the off season--or take a day off during the week.  You can go to the museum, zoo, etc. when there are no crowds.  You can eat a leisurely breakfast, while reading aloud to your kids.  You can spend your evenings relaxing, or doing fun, family-centered activities instead of homework dictated by someone else.  You can get the amount of sleep you need--and so can your kids."

You could never do that?"

What people also mean sometimes is: "I could never be with my kids all day!"  My response to that is (if they are still listening): "Right now, not only do you spend the hardest time of the day with your kids (4:00 pm til bedtime), but that time is controlled by the school through homework.  Your kids' teachers get to be with them while they are fresh and creative.  You get to be with your kids when they are drained, over-stimulated and have been cooped up all day.  The effects of being in school all week even creep into your weekend and cause stress there."

Now, don't get me wrong, homeschooling is not stress-free. Some days are great, some days are torture.  But, isn't life in institutional schooling like that, too?  The big difference is that self-imposed homeschool stress is more manageable.  Stress doesn't feel so bad when you know that it is under your control.

So, come on...give it a try and never say "never."