I found this little poem at  “one room school houses”  and thought it would be useful in a grammar or copywork lesson.   Perhaps it could be memorized or even put to music.

Three little words you often see
Are Articles-a, an, and the;
A noun is the name of anything,
As school or garden, hoop or swing.

Adjectives tell the kind of noun,.
As great, small, pretty, white or brown.
Instead of Nouns, the Pronouns stand
-Her head, his face, your arm, my hand.

Verbs tell of something to be done;
To bear, count, sing, laugh, study, run.
How things are done, the Adverbs tell,
As slowly, quickly, ill, or well.
Conjunctions join the words together,
As man and woman, wind or weather.

The Prepositions stand before
A noun, as of or through a door.
‘The Interjection shows surprise,
As, ah! how pretty! oh! how wise!
The whole are called nine Parts of Speech
Which reading, writing, speaking teach.

~Author Unknown

It has been nearly 30 years since I attended my first homeschool meeting and initially considered the idea of homeschooling my children. While listening to Christian radio, I heard popular radio host and father of 10,  Rich Buhler,  discuss his own family’s homeschooling journey.  Rich Buhler  described this educational option with enthusiasm and joy.   I was quite interested in exploring this further and found the whole idea of teaching children at home quite intriguing.

Although folks have been homeschooling since the beginning of time,  the modern homeschool movement began in the late 1970′s.  Parents discovered that they could indeed educate their own children, and soon realized that those who were taught at home generally excelled far beyond their public school counterparts. Those precious mothers teaching around their kitchen tables could almost always do a better job and produce more excellence than the “professionals.” I am grateful to these pioneering homeschoolers who paved the way for us today.  Although homeschooling was not technically illegal in most states the public schools treated many parents as criminals. Homeschooling was risky and not for the faint of heart. These Homeschooling parents faced threats of jail time and having their children removed from their home. Some were arrested; many were taken to court.

Nevertheless, these early years of homeschooling were exciting and extraordinary. Parents had to figure every out themselves. These pioneers were so brave and tough and even though they faced much persecution from society, they did not give up. They crafted their own curriculum, formed their own support groups, did their own research,  and prepared a course of study tailored to the needs of their individual children.

If you are considering homeschooling, I hope you will keep these folks who paved the way for us in mind. I hope you will thank them for being brave and extraordinary by taking advantage of this wonderful educational option.
When you decide to homeschool independently, you are continuing the tradition that these early homeschoolers began and you are protecting homeschooling freedoms for future generations. On the other hand, if you sign up for a public school at home program, (charter school etc.) you are not legally homeschooling and are supporting the agenda of the Department of Education and the government schools who are working diligently to eliminate true independent homeschooling altogether.  Hoping and praying you will consider joining us in  this wonderful journey of independent homeschooling.  Blessings,  Anne

I received this poem in an email from A Thomas Jefferson Education. I thought it was a good one for our little girls to read or even use for a copywork lesson. ~Anne

My Mother Says

My mother says she doesn’t care
About the color of my hair,
Or if my eyes are blue or brown,
Or if my nose turns up or down.
My mother says these things don’t matter.

My mother says she doesn’t care
If I’m dark or if I’m fair,
If I’m thin or if I’m fat.
She doesn’t fret o’er things like that.
My mother says these things don’t matter.

But if I cheat or tell a lie,
Or do mean things to make folks cry,
Or if I’m rude or impolite,

And do not try to do what’s right…
My mother says that these things matter.

It isn’t looks that makes us great;
It’s character that seals our fate.
It’s what’s within our hearts, you see,
That makes or mars our destiny.

And that’s what really matters.

Author Unknown

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkenss of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

~Alfred, Lord Tennyson
A Thomas Jefferson Education

picture credit

I received this poem from Glenn Beck in my email today; as I read it,  I recalled the following quote from Helen Keller. “I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.” Our world is so upside down, my friend often reminds me that it is “a mad max world.”  Even knowing that our God is ruler, King…and still on the throne,  I often feel overwhelmed and helpless.  I feel as though I must do something…something to stop this downward slide.  Homeschooling is my contribution…but still I must do more. With the power of the Holy Spirit,  I can change the world simply by changing myself. May the Lord give us courage this year.  Courage to buck the culture and stand for  those things that are good and lovely and pure.  May we have the courage to continue homeschooling even though our friends have joined hands with the government  in order to raise and train their children.  May the Lord have mercy upon our America, and our families.  May He forgive our sins and heal our land.  God Bless you and many blessings this  New Year  ~Anne

A man decided that he would change the world.
But, he wasn’t successful.
So he decided to change the country.
But, he wasn’t successful.
So he decided to change his community.
But, he wasn’t successful.
So he decided to change his street.
But, be wasn’t successful.
So he decided to change his family.
But, he wasn’t successful.
So he decided to change himself.
AND HE WAS SUCCESSFUL.
AND HIS FAMILY CHANGED AND THEY AFFECTED THEIR STREET.
AND THE PEOPLE ON THE STREET AFFECTED THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY AFFECTED THEIR COUNTRY.
AND THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY AFFECTED THE WORLD.

picturecredit

glennbeck

I received this list from Townhall Magazine and thought I’d share it here on Educators At Home. No doubt some of these titles are quite challenging for many of us….especially me…but if we read them the way that Mortimer Adler instructs us to in   How to Read a Book, perhaps we will have a measure of success with some of these titles.  As the main teacher in our family,  keeping myself reading and informed is a huge part of staying inspired and motivated.  My children benefit when I’m reading good books because my enthusiasm spills over to them.  When I read my Bible, my family benefits.  When I’m eating healthier, they also benefit and do the same.  If I read, I’m not quite as dull because I’m inspired to pass on whatever I’ve learned.  Perhaps if you’ve experienced the same in your family, you will find this list helpful.  Some of these titles, I’ve read in the past and others are on my bookshelves right now.  Please comment on this list if you would like,  and tell me what you have enjoyed reading in the past.  Blessings to you as you train and disciple your children and Happy New Year!  ~Anne

1.   The Road to Serfdom by F.A. Hayek – Conservatives believe that individuals are best able to take care of themselves, and liberals believe that people need a government to take care of everyone.

2.   The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison & John Jay –   For anyone wanting to understand the Constitution, “The Federalist Papers” are required reading. 

3.   Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell – One of the most crucial sets of tools in the adroit conservative’s arsenal is a basic understanding of economic theory

4.   Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville – The definitive document on the emergence of a unique American character, society and system of government

5.   The Bible-No matter your faith tradition, the Bible is the book that more than any other shaped American values and founding documents

6.   Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand-  Ayn Rand’s opus described a futuristic society in which the most productive people are simultaneously exploited and vilified by those who aren’t successful.

7.   Common Sense by Thomas Paine- Perhaps no other books so encapsulates the American spirit of liberty that “Common Sense,” first published in 1776.

8.   The Conservative Mind by Russell Kirk- Gives readers the best possible history course on conservatism.

9.   Animal Farm by George Orwell- Even though Orwell was a democratic socialist, he was an ardent opponent of full-blown communism and understood the injustices and atrocities that occur under any sort of dictatorial regime in which power is concentrated int he hands of a few. 

10. Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman- The United States government was founded upon the classically liberal Enlightenment principles of limited government, personal freedom and inalienable rights, but such a classically liberal society cannot function properly without economic freedom

11.  The Conscience of a Conservative by Barry Goldwater-  “The Conscience of a Conservative” is a “conservative how-to” Lays out conservative principles on nearly every important issue facing America at the beginning of the 1960′s and today.

12.  The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith – Published in 1776, “The Wealth of Nations” is the foundation of modern economic theory.

13.  Free to Choose by Milton and Rose Friedman – A powerful introduction to the basic precepts of free market economics.

14.  1984 by George Orwell – In George Orwell’s dystopia, individualism is subordinated to a collectivist state, The Party, a centralized government hell-bent on controlling its people, maintains omnipresence through four agencies charged with controlling money, the press, foreign affairs and criminals, and Big Brother is always watching you.

15.  On Liberty by John Stuart Mill- Mill discusses the important theoretical concepts behind man’s moral and economic freedom from the government.

16.  God and Man at Yale by William F. Buckley Jr. – William Buckley was once an undergraduate student at Yale and was appalled by what he witnessed within the Ivy League institution’s hallowed walls.

17.  Second Treatise of Government by John Locke – A manifesto of basic conservative principles-private property, natural rights and limited government based on consensual laws.

18.  Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke – If you’ve ever been interested in why French wartime policy has failed repeatedly, read Edmund Burke’s “Reflections on the Revolution in France,” published in 1790

19.  The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis – Articulated in 31 letters from an experienced demon named Screwtape to his prodigy in training, a lesser “tempter” named Wormwood, C.S. Lewis illustrates man’s ultimate downfall: corruption and immorality.

20.  The Brothers Karamazov – A Murder mystery that becomes a study of what happens when man lives without restraint, when he lives without passion or when he chooses to lives purely.  A story of man’s relationship with God, how he views God and how he struggles to find answers to the everlasting questions.

21.  The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Conservatives get a taste of what was most right-and most wrong with America as the country went through the growing pains of adolescence.

22.  Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg – Dissects the myth that fascism is an exclusive phenomenon of the Rights and builds a strong case that the opposite is true.

23.  Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton – Published in 1908 as a defense of traditional Christian faith by way of a deeply personal testimony.  The author’s charming with and deep sensitivity to the human condition illuminate the truths of Christianity.

24.  Bias By Bernard Goldberg – The media found their mainstream media whistleblower in Bernard Goldberg.

25.  Slouching Towards Gomorrah by Robert H. Bork – Former Supreme Court nominee discusses the destructive pattern of modern liberalism and where it is taking America.

To Read the entire article please read July 2011 Townhall Magazine

(Be sure to turn off the website music before beginning this video)

It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so.

It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas—oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it- overspending… the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma—the gifts given in desperation because you couldn’t think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church, mostly black. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes. As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler’s ears. It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn’t acknowledge defeat.

Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.”

Mike loved kids-all kids-and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That’s when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition—one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.

The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.

As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn’t end there.

You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more.

Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.
May we all remember Christ, who is the reason for the season, and the true Christmas spirit this year and always. God bless.

Hello  Everyone!  If you have been trying to visit our site over the last week or so and received a message saying that it was not found here is why:  It’s a long story but I’ll try to make it brief.  About 9 months ago I moved Educators At Home to a new more robust server.  The person I was leasing the server from sold me a years worth of hosting which I paid for in advance.

Well,  last week the server went down and I thought  it had crashed and needed a reboot.  Well turns out that the person did not pay for the server and they shut us down.  I tried desperately to get the service reinstated, but this is where the story gets very convoluted. The person I purchased our hosting from was sub leasing from a company called “Wild West Hosting” who sub leases from a company in Chicago.  After hours and hours of tracing IP’s and hosting companies I was told that “because I wasn’t the original person who set up the account,  I could not get my data back because technically it did not belong to us.”  Unfortunately, all of our system backups were on the server and not local; big mistake.  I’ve been rebuilding the site from an old backup I had locally that was about 9 months old.  This has been a learning experience for me as  I’ve had to custom build MySQL database files to make the old backup compatible with the newest version of Word Press.

Needless to say many of Anne’s and my recent posts are gone but not forgotten.  It will take us a while to rebuild the site, but from the ashes we will build a better site.   Our online store will be getting an upgrade and some new content including e-books.  I’m also considering a TechnoDad Podcast for computer and other issues.  In addition we also may be looking at increasing our sites footprint into more social media.

So come back and visit often and watch for more improvements daily.

Thanks for your support
TechnoDad

Our society has it’s priorities out of order. Our university professors,  politicians,  school teachers, and even our churches do not value the “Stay-at-Home” mother. Sadly, training up future leaders is not considered an important job. Loving and serving a family, keeping a home together, and teaching children is looked down upon. This author of The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, must have understood the high calling of motherhood.

Blessings on the hand of women!

Angels guard its strength and grace, In the palace, cottage, hovel,

Oh, no matter where the place;

Would that never storms assailed it, Rainbows ever gently curled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle,  Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy’s the tender fountain,  Power may with beauty flow,

Mother’s first to guide the streamlets, From them souls unresting grow–

Grow on for the good or evil, Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle  Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission, Here upon our natal sod!

Keep, oh, keep the young heart open, Always to the breath of God!

All true trophies of the ages,  Are from mother-love impearled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle,  Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!

Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,

And the sacred song is mingled With the worship in the sky–

Mingles where no tempest darkens, Rainbows evermore are hurled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle, Is the hand that rules the world.

William Ross Wallace (1819-1881)