To Homeschool or not to homeschool?

As our family continues to grow, there are many things that we now have to think about. Every little decision we make could really have a big impact on our children's lives. We've learned from other people's mistakes that it is best to give careful thought and prayer to everything that will affect our family.

During our parenting class at church we have learned of some very disturbing facts about kids that up to that point we were somewhat oblivious to, such as the way kids are treated in school by their peers and the kind of education they are receiving from public schools.

Many parents are desperate for a solution and run to the pastor or church elders for counseling, but what many don't realize is that the problem is not so much their children themselves, but their children friends and all the people who have an influence over them (a.k.a. teachers, counselors, coaches, mentors, tutors etc.)

We entrust our kids to all these strangers who have so much authority over their students, yet fail to inquire as to who these people are.

If you have to find a babysitter for your child, you make sure you have references and background checks before you entrust her with your child for a couple of hours, so why wouldn't you do the same for their teachers who will spend over 36 hrs a week with your kid?

Courtesy of Google images

Personally, I think it is the lack of responsibility on the parents end, or perhaps a sense of complacency. Maybe it is the fact that they have their trust on the wrong entity (the school system) as opposed to the One who deserves it (God, of course).

This is why I am writing this entry. I hope that if you do read it, you do so with humility, as this might be a wake-up call to do what's right by your child(ren). 

Growing up I attended both, public and private schools. In all honesty, public school life was one of the things I detested the most as a student. Private school was always something I looked forward too. When my parents couldn't afford it anymore, I would go back to public school. It wasn't until High School that I truly appreciated how fortunate I was to be in a private school that kept me out of trouble. I have no doubt that if I were in a public high school during my first 3 years, I would have ended up either in jail, in a hospital or as a teenage (incompetent) parent. The county in which I resided at the time held the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the U.S. (and they were proud of it, as a matter of fact, they were proud to hold the record for the youngest expecting mother,  a 10 yr old girl).

When I transfered to public school during my last year in High School, I couldn't believe what a horrendous place it was. I was used to attending "Chapel" every morning before breakfast, however, in public school I couldn't even pray in public. I was used to wearing a (clean, wrinkle-free) uniform, but public school was more like a fashion runway. I was used to studying every two weeks for a biweekly assessment that accounted for a big portion of my grade, and staying up all night studying with a few of my classmates once a month for a major exam. On the other hand, in the public school I was given permission by my teachers to sleep in class during the lecture since I had covered that material during my freshman year. 

I graduated at the top of my class (of 500) with Honors and a 4.2 GPA (Is that even possible???) and was given a grant for college. Had I stayed at my previous school, I would have probably graduated with a 3.1 GPA or lower, as I was merely an average student.

When my wife and I were married we had different opinions as to how we would educate our children, I of course wanted to send them to a private school, but she wanted something completely wacky (or so it seemed) - to homeschool them.

To home what? - Yes, the concept was completely foreign to me... After a number of arguments on this subject, she finally made sense and presented me with some very staggering, compelling and unquestionable facts, which I will present to you here. 

Truth is, the school system is flawed!!

I will try to present the evidence, I believe it will make a case for itself. I tried to focus on the "Academics" aspect of it, however, the other issues are just too important to ignore. So I will begin by setting the foundation as to why I wouldn't send my kids to school and will leave the "educational" benefits of homeschooling for a later post.

Courtesy of Google images

Needless to say, at this point I am totally in favor of homeschooling, so I will not be making a case against it, although I have done a good amount of research on the top arguments against homeschooling, so if you wish for me to address them, it will be on a more personal level. This post is pretty long as it is without adding all the pointless arguments against homeschooling. 

I will also post a link to some articles that cover each topic in more detail for your reading pleasure.

To top the list we have the issue of violence. (see here for more)

We are all aware of all the violent crimes that have occurred in schools in recent years, some worse than others, but to name a few - Gangsters, mass murderers, and bullies, which brings me to my second argument.

Courtesy of Google images

Bullying: 23 per cent of elementary students reported being bullied one to three times in the last month bullying statistics say.

In a recent study, 77% of the students said they had been bullied. And 14% of those who were bullied said they experienced severe (bad) reactions to the abuse.

Well, let me just redirect you here so you can read the countless offenses and repercussions of bullying

Drugs, sex, alcohol, STDs, teenage pregnancy, abortion and rape are self explanatory. 

Courtesy of Google image

Academic performance and quality of education and overcrowding: It's no secret that homeschooled children are more equipped than public school children are, given the fact that parents focus their efforts on an individual rather than a number. In an average class there are at least 25 students per 1 teacher. There is simply not enough time to dedicate to each child individually. NOT one size fits all, so why are all of them expected to meet the same academic standards?

It is true that a teacher has a degree and some parents may not, however, over half of all teachers have failed basic literacy and numeracy tests. On the other hand, parents must relearn all subjects before teaching them to their children.

Children are no longer accountable to do their homework, pass tests or even attend classes, as teacher offer plenty of makeup exams, retakes, and extra credits to make sure everyone passes.

Teacher Unions: I know I will face a lot of criticism from a lot of people about this one, nonetheless, it's important to address it. The typical teachers union contract is loaded with provisions that do not promote education. These provisions drive away good teachers, protect bad teachers, raise costs, and tie principals’ hands.

There is one site that explains it better than I could.. 

Courtesy of Google images

Newer school curricula is starting to focuse more on Saving the planet, going green, being more tolerant toward Homosexuals, lesbians, transgender and bisexual peers, as well as muslims, atheist and agnostics. Also on pilates and yoga instead of P.E. and not so much in American History but rather Hispanic history, Black history, Native American History, and Women's Rights (not to undermine either one, but such subjects did not forge the US from its inception).

Food, OBESITY and Peer Pressure: Research presented at a meeting of the Annual College of Cardiology last year determined that kids who eat lunches served by their schools are almost 60 percent more likely to be overweight or obese when compared to children who bring their lunch from home.(see more)

Obese children often face more bullying than anyone else leading to depression and in many cases suicide. Many other children (especially girls) are pressured by their friends and the media to maintain a certain image, thus experiencing various psychological eating disorders that will hunt them for a very long time.


Religious instruction is forbidden - Scratch that - Christian Values are forbidden, as other beliefs are promoted (i.e. Islam).

I will end with this (and hope to hear your feedback).

The banning of prayer in assemblies affected moral standards:
Before prayer was removed from schools, polls among educators listed the top offences in public schools as:

1.	Talking
2.	Chewing gum
3.	Making noise
4.	Running in the halls
5.	Getting out of turn in line
6.	Wearing improper clothing
7.	Not putting paper in wastebaskets

After prayer was removed from schools, polls among educators listed the top offences in public schools as:

1.	Rape
2.	Robbery
3.	Assault
4.	Burglary
5.	Arson
6.	Bombings
7.	Murder
8.	Suicide
9.	Absenteeism
10.	Vandalism
11.	Extortion
12.	Drug abuse
13.	Alcohol abuse
14.	Gang warfare
15.	Pregnancies
16.	Abortions
17.	Venereal disease

(Taken from the book: America: to pray or not to pray? By David Barton, 1988, you can read more about this here...)


And to clear up the misconception of what homeschooled vs homeschooler is - watch this vid..

Savory Ideas

Roast Beef Wellington with Tangy Green Beans

I had a roast in the freezer and wanted to jazz it up a bit, so I decided to make it Wellington style. Here is the recipe, and a picture, I did not take a  picture of mine, but it looked something like this.

Serves 6

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
One 3-pound beef tenderloin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (To taste)
1 pound/450 g button mushrooms
3 large shallots, finely chopped (Onions would work too)
One 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 pound fresh thin green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons butter
Juice of one key lime 

pinch of oregano

Method:

To prepare the beef and mushroom mixture:

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Add the beef to the hot pan and cook until brown on all sides but still very rare in the center. This will take 8-10 minutes total. Transfer the beef to a plate and refrigerate until it is cold. Set the pan aside (do not wash the pan).

Place the mushrooms in a food processor and blend for 10 to 15 seconds or until all the mushrooms are very finely chopped. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same frying pan over moderate-high heat.

Add the shallots and sauté for 1 minute or until the shallots are tender, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the finely chopped mushrooms and sauté 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the mushroom mixture is dry. Set the mushroom mixture aside to cool completely.

To assemble and bake the beef:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each pastry sheet into a 16x10-inch rectangle.

Brush 2 inches of one long side of one rectangle with some of the beaten egg. Place one long side of the second rectangle atop the egg-coated edge of the first rectangle, overlapping the edges by 2 inches. Press gently to seal.

Spread half of the mushroom mixture lengthwise over the center of the pastry. Place the beef on top of the mushroom mixture. Spread the remaining mushroom mixture over the top of the beef. Fold the pastry over the beef, overlapping the pastry on top of the beef.

Brush the pastry ends with some of the beaten egg, then fold the pastry ends over the sides and top of the beef. Turn the pastry-encased beef over and onto a heavy baking sheet so that it is seam side down. Brush some of the beaten egg over the pastry. Score the top of the pastry decoratively with the dull side of a knife.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through and a meat thermometer registers 130°F when inserted into the center of the beef for medium-rare doneness. The temperature of the beef will rise as it rests.

Let the beef rest for 20 minutes. Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Reserve the pan juices. Simmer the wine in a heavy based small saucepan over a high heat for 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Pour in the reserved juices from the beef. Simmer 1 minute. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, to cook the green beans:

Boil the green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 3-4 minutes or until they are crisp-tender. Drain. Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the beans and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper, oregano and lime juice.

To serve:

Cut the beef and pastry crosswise into thick slices. Transfer the slices to plates. Spoon some wine sauce over the beef and serve with the green beans.

Rearranging Spaces

I have been home all day trying to figure out how to rearrange our new home. Marie has been working all day (we exchanged roles hahaha) and I am trying to surprise her with a new look, a more inviting, intimate and cozy setting (which is what she likes). I don't think I was very successful, since the apartment still looks quite messy, but I guess that is just a part of the process. I cannot wait for her to be back and tell me what she thinks of it. I would take some pictures, but I am sure she would want to either move it all back the way it was, or simply rearrange my "arrangements" haha =). In any event, I will update this post later with the end product. Oh, and by the way, does anyone else feel they have collected too many pieces of furniture? I sure feel that way, and hey, I've only been married for a month, go figure!