Unlike Fox news, I have a tendency to look at multiple sides of an issue or debate. Yes, I have my preferences and personal opinions. Heck, sometimes I even see things as black and white. With that said, I strive to look at alternate viewpoints and consider their arguments and perspectives. I may not agree but there's a good chance that I can learn something. It seems easy and comfortable to stick to one side of an argument. Dealing that way with others can lead to strong arguments, a lack of cooperation and having two people that dislike each other because their need to be right is stronger than their need to get along.
What does this have to do with public schooling versus homeschooling? This is a reminder to myself that while I prefer public schooling, especially for my kids, that my perspective isn't the holy truth. I know a number of homeschool parents and kids that do better and worse with the process. The same could be said for kids in public schools.
With all that said, my goal is to provoke constructive discourse. I prefer public schools and others may not. There's good and bad to both sides. A topic for another day is how to get two parents with opposing views to work together.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Removing Bias regarding my kids education
As a single dad, I want to be aware of what my kids are studying school, receive progress reports, meet regularly with the teachers, and be reasonably sure that my kids teachers aren't talking about me behind my back or hindering my relationship with my kids.
It baffles my mind that a judge ordered that a relative of my former spouse that admitted that she's hostile towards me will spend over 40 hours a week educating my kids, with no direct supervision or oversight. In schools, there's other teachers, administration and student around. In a homeschool environment, there are no such safe guards.
Somehow I have to swallow my pride, and dis-ease regarding the dissolution of my former marriage and work daily or weekly with this person regarding the education of our children. Perhaps this is a way of improving my negotiating and conflict resolution skills by staying intimately involved with an former spouse so I can keep tabs of what our kids are learning or not learning, great. I'd much prefer that the kids are in public school, where I can have access to what's going on with their education without dealing with teachers that are hostile or, at best, biased against me.
Future topic: Where is the oversight if the kids get sick or need specialized attention that professionals at a school can provide that mom or auntie may simply ignore?
It baffles my mind that a judge ordered that a relative of my former spouse that admitted that she's hostile towards me will spend over 40 hours a week educating my kids, with no direct supervision or oversight. In schools, there's other teachers, administration and student around. In a homeschool environment, there are no such safe guards.
Somehow I have to swallow my pride, and dis-ease regarding the dissolution of my former marriage and work daily or weekly with this person regarding the education of our children. Perhaps this is a way of improving my negotiating and conflict resolution skills by staying intimately involved with an former spouse so I can keep tabs of what our kids are learning or not learning, great. I'd much prefer that the kids are in public school, where I can have access to what's going on with their education without dealing with teachers that are hostile or, at best, biased against me.
Future topic: Where is the oversight if the kids get sick or need specialized attention that professionals at a school can provide that mom or auntie may simply ignore?
Friday, July 22, 2011
Outlet for Obsession
So It Begins...
I have spent much of the past 6 years researching and experiencing the life of being a homeschooling dad, despite wanting my kids to participate in public schools like so many other kids. Homeschooling was not exactly by choice since my previous wife became so obsessed with making sure out kids stayed out of public school that she sued me for divorce largely due to our differences of opinion over how to educate and socialize our two elementary school boys. The battle is still being fought In the meantime, I want a healthy outlet for my obsession over this matter. Who knows, maybe I will find other parents who face similar challenges. (I know I'm not alone in this)
This blog will be my evolutionary work in progress. I'm open to answer questions or hold civil conversations regarding homeschooling, co-parenting with your significant other who has very different opinions, or other related subjects. Here goes my new adventure. Enjoy and participate.
I have spent much of the past 6 years researching and experiencing the life of being a homeschooling dad, despite wanting my kids to participate in public schools like so many other kids. Homeschooling was not exactly by choice since my previous wife became so obsessed with making sure out kids stayed out of public school that she sued me for divorce largely due to our differences of opinion over how to educate and socialize our two elementary school boys. The battle is still being fought In the meantime, I want a healthy outlet for my obsession over this matter. Who knows, maybe I will find other parents who face similar challenges. (I know I'm not alone in this)
This blog will be my evolutionary work in progress. I'm open to answer questions or hold civil conversations regarding homeschooling, co-parenting with your significant other who has very different opinions, or other related subjects. Here goes my new adventure. Enjoy and participate.
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