homeschoolinginbuffalo Blog Posts
- Why Do We Scrutinize Parents?"Oh, you must be a parent from the generation that lets their kids ride the subway alone?" This is, of course, a reference to Lenore Skenazy, an advocate of free range parenting. I responded "No, but I am of the generation that lets her k...
- Fight for 15 in Buffalo: Wage Board Show My Kids Democracy Works!As you recall, we attended the Fight for 15 rally a view weeks ago. Today we attended the a public hearing of the Wage Board and then sat through almost the entire hearing.The goal is to get fast food workers up to $15 and hour. We came t...
- Fight for 15 in Buffalo: A Real Lesson in Economics and Social JusticeThis morning we went to a Fight for 15labor rally. Despite the dirty looks from onlookers (not those participating) and whispering that it was no place for kids, we brought the kids because it we want them to understand the real economic power struc...
- Give Me Half of What Buffalo Public Schools Spends Per Student
on May 18, 2015 in
Buffalo homeschooling I came across a news story about a controversial tax credit proposed in NYS so that some students could choose to go to private schools. The concern is that private school tuition cited in the article is getting to be approximately $8,500. ... - Why Do We Distrust Teenagers?
on May 7, 2015
Earlier this week, when I was trying to get our midday family meal ready (yes - one of the luxuries of homeschooling and a Dad with odd work hours), I was listening to NPR and heard this story:With Pressure To Succeed, High School Suicides RiseIt was... - A Modest Education ProposalThis recent news article caught my attention regarding possible public boarding schools coming to Buffalo. I have a better proposal which would include some infrastructure projects perfect for getting construction workers back to work from the...
- Hollywood's "Left Wing" Agenda (spoiler if you are going to see Night at the Museum 3)I am terribly fascinated by all the hype that the there is a left bias in Hollywood and the main stream media. Perhaps, I have spent too much time reading Manufacturing Consent, but it seems to me that there is a corporate agenda at work which...
- Not in Buffalo: Looking Globalization in the FaceAfter our great experience last year with my friend in a different part of Guatemala, we decided to go to Antigua to explore more Mayan culture and, of course, some Spanish colonial history. Aside from the rich educational experience, our sec...
- Daytime Curfew? In Buffalo?Update:I found out this from my Council person: Thank you for expressing your concerns, I agree there are a number of issues that would need to be worked out for this to go forward. The daytime curfew ordinance is still in discussion phase and...
- Not in Buffalo: How many times can I say "no, gracias"?When we spent any amount of time in central park in Antigua, Guatemala, I continuously needed to say "no, gracias" to the very numerous products and services being offered. Americans are not used to being approached and often are either offende...
- Not in Buffalo: Skip the Book and Go to the VolcanoThere have been a couple of other posts about our month in Antigua, Guatemala. Here I would like to highlight our visit to an active volcano, Pacaya. When we went there was no flowing lava only gas and heat. There had been lava only...
- Not in Buffalo: Getting Hands-on with Traditional WeavingAfter our great experience last year with my friend in a different part of Guatemala, we decided to go to Antigua to explore more Mayan culture and, of course, some Spanish colonial history.For a hands-on activity, the kids wanted to take a weaving...
- Not in Buffalo: I think we've covered the Mayans!After our great experience last year with my friend in a different part of Guatemala, we decided to go to Antigua to explore more Mayan culture and, of course, some Spanish colonial history. After loads of church ruins and museums, we decided t...
- Public Transportation CurriculumWhen we are out and about late afternoon, it is difficult to fight the sinking feeling when I see the all too familiar yellow buses. A little bit of the feeling is the resource intensiveness of the super security to go a short distance versus t...
- Do you ever get tempted to send the kids to school?I am embarrassed to say that every year (sometimes more often) I consider school for the kids. It isn't because I think they are missing something. We have been at homeschooling long enough that it is obvious that they are doing just as w...
- Really Covering Citizenship - School Board Election TimeTonight we attended a session with the candidates for the Buffalo Board of Education at the Merriweather branch library. First of all, for those of you not from the state of New York, yes, school board elections are in May, not in November with...
- Mandating Kindergarten and the Continuing Wrong Direction of EducationThis morning my fibromyalgia was bad and I woke up very bored and too stiff to do much, so I put on the news despite that fact that I am always on guard for a corporate/materialism agenda. One of the stories was about the Board of Buffalo Schoo...
- Expanding our Horizons in Guatemala Meets Escaping Buffalo in JanuarySeveral months ago, at the age of 34, I got my very first passport. I was always nervous to travel abroad. I am sure part of it was the propaganda about traveling to certain places. However, most of the time I think I was intimidate...
- When Defiance Turns into an ExperimentFor the longest time I have been strict about sunscreen and sun hats. I have always said they were necessary from nine to five between March and September and ten to four the rest of the year with adjusting to nine to three during standard time...
- A Crash Course in Citizenship and BusinessWhat better lesson in citizenship than using the court system?As urban dwellers, we live in a traditional Buffalo double with lower and upper apartments. For us it has turned out to be an economical way to live in one of the best urban neighbor...