Fall, 2005, issue of TOS

Here is the review of the Fall, 2005, issue of The Old Schoolhouse magazine that will appear in the Nov., 2005, issue of my free monthly e-mail HEADSUP homeschooling newsletter.

 

The Old Schoolhouse, P. O. Box 1701, Dandridge, TN 37725 (www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com). Yippee! Yahoo! The Fall, 2005, issue of this wonderful homeschooling magazine is out! Note the change of address. The publishers, Paul and Gena Suarez, and the editor, Jenefer Igarashi (Gena's sister), and their families have all moved from California to the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. There is so much material in this issue that I just cannot do justice to it all. In addition to all the usual features, there are sections on the new The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe movie from Disney (and an interview with C. S. Lewis's stepson Douglas Gresham); “Finishing the Race” on high school and college, including an interview with Diana Waring and articles on Higher Education, Interview Success, College Admission, Education Reform, Homeschooled Athletes, Getting into College, and the Civil Air Patrol; and family customs celebrating the twelve day sof Christmas. Also, you can read other interviews with Capstone Academics and Joanne Juren of the Eta Sigma Alpha National Home School Honor Society; articles about “What To Do When CPS Comes Knocking,” “Homeschool Valedictoria,” and a field trip to The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC (which we have visited twice and just love); and other information–just too much to include here.

excerpt from 10/05 HEADSUP Newsletter

Wayne Walker here.

     Because of other pressing matters, I have been sadly remiss about adding to this blog.  Here is the opening article of the 10/05 issue of my free monthly e-mail HEADSUP homeschooling newsletter.

 

HOMESCHOOL EDUCATORS ON ACTIVE DUTY, SENDING UPWARD PRAISES
Monthly newsletter of general interest, encouragement,
and information for homeschooling Christians
% Wayne S. Walker, 9024 Amona Dr., Affton (St. Louis), MO  63123
E-mail: wswalker310@juno.com; phones: (314) 638-4710 home, 544-1612 office
October, 2006; Volume 8, Number 3
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (PART 1)
1. HOMESCHOOLING PRO AND COM by Wayne S. Walker
2. WHAT IS YOUR ROLE IN PRESERVING HOMESCHOOL FREEDOM? by Zan Tyler (May 24, 2004)
3. PUBLIC EDUCATION VS. HOMESCHOOLERS by David Limbaugh (Aug. 30, 2002)
4. HOMESCHOOLING ROBS CHILDREN by Margaret W. Boyce (posted Sept. 17, 2004)
5. RESPONSE from various individuals
6. AIG AND HOMESCHOOLING by John Stear
7. A CRITIQUE OF JOHN STEAR'S “NO ANSWERS IN GENESIS” WEBSITE by Jonathan Sarfati
8. DISCRIMINATING, ELITIST, AND RACIST By Ann Zeise (12/11/99)
9. HOME IS NO PLACE FOR SCHOOL By Dennis L. Evans (September 3, 2003)
10. RESPONSE from FreeRepublic.com
11. HOME SCHOOLING: LEARNING FROM DISSENT by Catherine Luke, University of Victoria
12. POOR SPORTS: HOMESCHOOLED KIDS SHOULDN'T BE PLAYING HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS By Tom Danehy (Nov. 11, 1999)
13. SORRY, BUT…,  OK, MAYBE THE HOMESCHOOLING COLUMN WENT A LITTLE OVER THE TOP: It's Still a Crummy Idea by Tom Danehy (Published on Dec. 23, 1999)
14. NEA VS. HOMESCHOOLS: Union opposes nearly every aspect of parent-directed education By Julie Foster
15. HOMESCHOOLING: RISKY COURSE By Jason Alston, Daily Dispatch Writer
16. HOMESCHOOLING, FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS, S. W. Hubbard, Kittrell Home School Association
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1. HOMESCHOOLING PRO AND COM
by Wayne S. Walker
     There have arisen in our society certain issues about which people feel very strongly and which are the source of much debate.  Examples would be creation vs. evolution, pro-life vs. pro-abortion, and traditional Biblical morality vs. homosexual rights.  Although there are exceptions, generally speaking those who favor creation, pro-life, and traditional Biblical morality are identified as “conservatives” and those who favor evolution, pro-abortion, and homosexual rights are identified as “liberals.”  I seldom use those terms because they can be very fluid and mean different things to different people, but I think that most people generally understand how these terms are used with reference to the topics listed.  An Internet search will uncover a plethora of information on each of these subjects, some pro and some con. 
     Another such issue that has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years and elicited a lot of strong feelings is homeschooling.  My guess is that the majority of homeschoolers in our nation today would probably come from a “conservative” background and would take creationist, pro-life, and traditional Biblical morality positions, because so many of us are homeschooling for religious reasons.  However, this would not be true of all homeschoolers.  There are those who do come from what would be considered a “liberal” background and, therefore, would not agree with the conservatives on the particular issues mentioned.  However, one thing on which both “conservative” and “liberal” homeschoolers can agree is the right of parents to direct the education of their children.
     At the same time, not everyone in our society agrees.  Many people (and interestingly enough, most of them come from a “liberal” viewpoint, though perhaps not all) believe, and to listen to them apparently believe very strongly, that parents are simply incapable of providing a good education for their children by means of homeschooling and that homeschooling is bad for children because it isolates them socially.  This view is regularly expressed by the leadership of the National Education Association (the largest teachers' union and the “education” wing of the Democrat Party) and many in the mainstream media.  They claim that only by “going to school” can children receive a proper education and become socially adept.
     It should be quite apparent that this newsletter supports the right of parents to teach their children at home and affirms that home education is a win-win situation.  An Internet search will turn up tons of information that agrees with this view as well as material that does not.  Past issues have dealt with various articles that have appeared in opposition to homeschooling, but the focus of this particular issue will be centered on articles for homeschooling, articles against homeschooling, and responses to the articles against homeschooling.  The first couple of articles show the kinds of problems that homeschoolers still face.  Then hold on to your hats–off we go into the wild blue yonder of anti-homeschooling rhetoric, but it will always be answered with “a word fitly spoken.”
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