-=> Quoting Mark Towne to Regina Finan <=-
 MT> Yes, Julie gets monsterous headaches at school.  Like I said, it is
 MT> 'her' idea about homeschooling, and I would be happy to work with her
 MT> on homeschooling.  She really likes the idea.  -=> He does great at
 MT> home. -=> The family
 
 Headaches are caused from the stress that she probably feels she can not
 perform to her, teacher, or your expectations or her ideas as what she may
 feel are your expectations of her.  Once she is homeschool they should
 totally disappear within a few days to a month.  It depends on whether
 the stress is totally caused from school or whether some of the stress
 is caused from her feeling inadequate to perform the work.  She must
 understand that homeschooling is not running away from learning.  It is
 simply a different approach to learning in a atmosphere that should
 harvest her potential.
 MT> Interesting.  I am amazed at how kids with the right environment, can
 MT> make sound choices and good decisions.  -=>  I like that.  Friends are
 MT> not the center of their life -=> anymore.  They
 It is not necessarily the right atmosphere as you know that some schools
 have good atmosphere, but it is the direct result of the family atmosphere.
 Homeschooling teaches children to think for themselves.  To have a say
 in what they study and how they do it.  To ask questions that actually
 get answered or help in finding the answers themselves.  As a teacher with
 30 kids or so it is nearly impossible to give this kind of training to the
 children. Let alone answer questions.  The teachers are spending most of
 the time giving directions, disciplining, going to assemblies, and every-
 thing else, instead of actually teaching.  My estimation is approximately
 2 hours a day of real learning.  
 MT> You make some very good points.  Thank you for the advice.  I find it
 MT> rather queer, that homeschooling program availability is not widely
 MT> known, by the general population.  I guess it would not serve the
 MT> "public-ed" cause very well, if resources and means were widely
 MT> advertised. 
 It is the Educational Bureacrats the keep homeschooling from becoming
 popular.  Parents are taken to court, and given programs that must be
 followed to the tee.  Rules are being made in many states making it nearly
 impossible to do it unless it is for religious reasons.  Without enough
 children in school the schools do not get accredidated or loose federal
 funding.  They will also be seen for what they are.  Not all school
 districts are bad, but many do not give your child what they need.
 Parents are actually afraid, because the system says that if you are
 not a certified teacher you can not do it.  This is hogwash.  We teach
 our children how to walk, talk and socialize.  Heck we even teach them
 their ABC's before they get to school.  The programs they use in school
 sound much more complicated than they really are.  Things such as
 borrowing in math are now called regrouping.  Sounds more complicated
 than what it actually is.
 MT> I am going to have to get (as you say) the State requirements for
 MT> homeschooling,...and a *laundry-list* of resources and programs, which
 MT> I can research,..and choose from. 
 Sounds good.
 MT> I am getting "stoked" (as my teenage son would say).  Sounds like this
 MT> could be fun,...after we become accustomed to homeschooling. 
 MT> Thanks again,
 It should be fun before that.  My kids named their school.  "The Learning
 Place".  They put together all kinds of things in a box for art and
 went to the store and bought things they felt they would need.  Pencils,
 paper, pencial sharpener, and Maps.  It was fun just getting it all 
ether.
 Regina
... All I need is a Wave and a board to surf it on.
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