tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535845931584340826.post2543773558874816988..comments2023-10-25T04:57:49.062-07:00Comments on Bending the Twigs: Science Nearly Eliminated from Bay Area Government-Run SchoolsCrimson Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03254830856234479999noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535845931584340826.post-61199701431856925332007-11-10T20:14:00.000-08:002007-11-10T20:14:00.000-08:00Great post! And I agree that there are certainly ...Great post! And I agree that there are certainly parents who are not able to teach these areas, but elementary school? Elementary science is not rocket science.<BR/><BR/>People seem to have this horrid fear that homeschoolers teaching their children creation is going to jeopardize the future of science somehow, but the secular school system doesn't seem to be doing much better.<BR/><BR/>We do 120 minutes a week....and that is one on one. : )Hanley Familyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07363108115499781703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535845931584340826.post-17903464309063819242007-10-27T22:33:00.000-07:002007-10-27T22:33:00.000-07:00I think you've brought up an interesting point abo...I think you've brought up an interesting point about parents lacking skills. It's not an insurmountable obstacle as parents can make up for it by hiring a tutor and/or enrolling their children in enrichment classes such as those offered by science museums. Outsourcing is how I'm planning to deal with art & music instruction in our homeschool since I am very weak in those domains. But a lack of skills can definitely hurt a parent's ability to judge whether the school is providing adequate education. They may very well assume that the regular school curriculum is fine and therefore not seek out special enrichment classes.Crimson Wifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03254830856234479999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535845931584340826.post-29164850771284355092007-10-27T09:19:00.000-07:002007-10-27T09:19:00.000-07:00Great post! I too have noted the scores our studen...Great post! <BR/><BR/>I too have noted the scores our students earn in science (and math) abysmal compared to those in other countries. Science gives context to math…so maybe lack of science education is impacting our math scores too. Though my son attends school, we have chosen to after school in two subjects history (to offer a less US-centric curriculum) and science…for the reasons you indicate. We are lucky to be able to do this. <BR/><BR/>But, to expand a bit on your point…there are not only parents who lack inclination or time but also those, typically in lower income brackets, that may lack the skills as well as the time. <BR/><BR/>I just finished reading, The Missing Class, by Katherine Newman, which brings up all of the unfair components of The No Child Left Behind Act….i.e. almost mandatory after schooling under the guise of “parent involvement” if a child is expected to remain at grade level. This is obviously undoable, not only for the middle class, two income family but REALLY impossible for two parent, four jobs family in the working class.Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04349247004635678939noreply@blogger.com