MorningStar’s Home Education News

 Police Stations Being Built in Public Schools

By Mimi Rothschild

The Detroit School District announced that they will increase police presence in public schools and even go as far as setting up mini police stations.  While police officers and metal detectors are nothing new in public schools, mini stations are and they are the first step towards the convergence of prison facilities and public schools.

While on one hand it is good that police officers are around to keep children safe from the daily dangers of public school, but on the other hand having a police station inside a public school speaks volumes of the violence and chaos that takes place in public schools. 

Why deal with public schools anymore?  What’s next for public schools?  Actual prison cells inside the school?  It’s pretty ridiculous.  Home schooling allows students to learn in SAFE environments where parents can instill values that are important to them.  Also, home school students often outperform their public school counterparts in tests and grades.

Read more about police presence in public schools here.

Read about the benefits of homeschooling here.

 The Boston Herald recently reported that over 500 illegal weapons were found on Boston Public School grounds last year.  Is that scary or what?  It gets worse though.  The report also states that student assaults have jumped up from 13 percent from the previous year.  Public Schools in Boston are no place for students to learn.  Read some of the disturbing quotes and experts from the article below.

“No kid is going to be focused on learning when they’re focused on protecting their own life,” said City Councilor Stephen J. Murphy, chairman of the public safety committee.

“15-year-old India Jessamy described an environment at Roxbury’s New Mission High School in which weapons are the norm, from girls concealing butcher knives in Timberland boots to the boy who pulled out a gun last October and stashed it in a drawer between classes.”

“School isn’t about learning,” said Jessamy.

“For every weapon taken, there’s one that’s not,” said Brian Simoneau, attorney for the school police union.

How can any student succeed in such an atrocious and dangerous learning environment?  These student are just trying to survive, no actual learning is taking place.  Public schools can no longer protect students nor educate them; it is time for parents to pull their kids out!

What are the public schools like in your town?

Read the rest of this startling article on Boston’s Public Schools here.

By Mimi Rothschild

In 2007 it seems as if everyone is close to a child that has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, but what exactly is ADHD/ADD?  How do you know if your child is suffering from this disorder?  How do you teach a child with ADD/ADHD, especially if they are homeschooled?

Learn the answers to all these questions and more in the helpful article below which I came across last night.  Please let me know what you think! Thanks!

ERIC EC Digest #E569, September 1998

Defining Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD)

Attention deficit disorder is a syndrome characterized by serious and persistent difficulties in the following three specific areas:

1. Attention span

2. Impulse control

3. Hyperactivity (sometimes)

ADD is a chronic disorder that can begin in infancy and extend through adulthood. It can have negative effects on a child’s life at home, in school, and within the community. It is conservatively estimated that 3 to 5% of our school-age population is affected by ADD.

The condition previously fell under the headings “learning disabled,” “brain damaged,” “hyperkinetic,” and/or “hyperactive.” The term attention deficit disorder was introduced to describe the characteristics of these children more clearly.

Diagnosing ADD/ADHD

According to the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., rev., American Psychiatric Association, 1994), to arrive at a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD, the clinician must note the presence of at least six of the nine following criteria for either Attention Span or Hyperactivity/Impulsivity.

Attention Span Criteria

Pays little attention to details; makes careless mistakes.
Has short attention span.
Does not listen when spoken to directly.
Does not follow instructions; fails to finish tasks.
Has difficulty organizing tasks.
Avoids tasks that require sustained mental effort.
Loses things.
Is easily distracted.
Is forgetful in daily activities.

Hyperactivity Criteria

Fidgets; squirms in seat.
Leaves seat in classroom when remaining seated is expected.
Often runs about or climbs excessively at inappropriate times.
Has difficulty playing quietly.
Talks excessively.

Impulsivity Criteria

Blurts out answers before questions are completed.
Has difficulty awaiting turn.
Often interrupts or intrudes on others.

Establishing the Proper Learning Environment

• Seat students with ADD near the teacher’s desk, but include them as part of the regular class seating.

• Place these students up front with their backs to the rest of the class to keep other students out of view.

• Surround students with ADD with good role models.

• Encourage peer tutoring and cooperative/collaborative learning.

• Avoid distracting stimuli. Try not to place students with ADD near air conditioners, high traffic areas, heaters, or doors or windows.

• Children with ADD do not handle change well, so avoid transitions, physical relocation (monitor them closely on field trips), changes in schedule, and disruptions.

• Be creative! Produce a stimuli-reduced study area. Let all students have access to this area so the student with ADD will not feel different.

• Encourage parents to set up appropriate study space at home, with set times and routines established for study, parental review of completed homework, and periodic notebook and/or book bag organization.

Giving Instructions to Students with ADD/ADHD

• Maintain eye contact during verbal instruction.

• Make directions clear and concise. Be consistent with daily instructions.

• Simplify complex directions. Avoid multiple commands.

• Make sure students comprehend the instructions before beginning the task.

• Repeat instructions in a calm, positive manner, if needed.

• Help the students feel comfortable with seeking assistance (most children with ADD will not ask for help). Gradually reduce the amount of assistance, but keep in mind that these children will need more help for a longer period of time than the average child.

• Require a daily assignment notebook if necessary:

  1. Make sure each student correctly writes down all assignments each day. If a student is not capable of this, the teacher should help him or her.

  2. Sign the notebook daily to signify completion of homework assignments. (Parents should also sign.)

  3. Use the notebook for daily communication with parents.

Giving Assignments

• Give out only one task at a time.

• Monitor frequently. Maintain a supportive attitude.

• Modify assignments as needed. Consult with special education personnel to determine specific strengths and weaknesses of each student.

• Develop an individualized education program.

• Make sure you are testing knowledge and not attention span.

• Give extra time for certain tasks. Students with ADD may work slowly. Do not penalize them for needing extra time.

• Keep in mind that children with ADD are easily frustrated. Stress, pressure, and fatigue can break down their self-control and lead to poor behavior.

Modifying Behavior and Enhancing Self-Esteem

Providing Supervision and Discipline:

• Remain calm, state the infraction of the rule, and avoid debating or arguing with the student.

• Have pre-established consequences for misbehavior.

• Administer consequences immediately, and monitor proper behavior frequently.

• Enforce classroom rules consistently.

• Make sure the discipline fits the “crime,” without harshness.

• Avoid ridicule and criticism. Remember, children with ADD have difficulty staying in control.

• Avoid publicly reminding students on medication to “take their medicine.”

Providing Encouragement:

• Reward more than you punish, in order to build self-esteem.

• Praise immediately any and all good behavior and performance.

• Change rewards if they are not effective in motivating behavioral change.

• Find ways to encourage the child.

• Teach the child to reward himself or herself. Encourage positive self-talk (e.g., “You did very well remaining in your seat today. How do you feel about that?”). This encourages the child to think positively about himself or herself.

Other Educational Recommendations

• Educational, psychological, and/or neurological testing to determine learning style and cognitive ability and to rule out any learning disabilities (common in about 30% of students with ADD).

• A private tutor and/or peer tutoring at school.

• A class that has a low student-teacher ratio.

• Social skills training and organizational skills training.

• Training in cognitive restructuring (positive “self-talk,” e.g., “I did that well”).

• Use of a word processor or computer for schoolwork.

• Individualized activities that are mildly competitive or noncompetitive such as bowling, walking, swimming, jogging, biking, karate. (Note: Children with ADD/ADHD may not do as well as their peers in team sports.)

• Involvement in social activities such as scouting, church groups, or other youth organizations that help develop social skills and self-esteem.

• Allowing children with ADD to play with younger children, if that is where they fit in. Many children with ADD have more in common with younger children than with their age-peers. They can still develop valuable social skills from interaction with younger children.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., rev.) (DSM-IV-R). Washington, DC: APA.

Suggested Reading

Bender, W. (1997). Understanding ADHD: A Practical Guide for Teachers and Parents. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Fiore, T. (1993). “Educational interventions for students with attention deficit disorder.” Exceptional Children, 60(2), 163-73.

Gardill, M. (1996). “Classroom strategies for managing students with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder.” Intervention in School and Clinic, 32(2), 89-94.

Hallowell, E. (1994). Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood through Adulthood. Tappan, NJ: Simon & Schuster.

Hartmann, T. (1993). Attention Deficit Disorder: A Different Perception. Novato, CA: Underwood-Miller.

Reeve, R. (1996). A Continuing Education Program on Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Reston, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.

Rief, S. (1997). The ADD/ADHD Checklist. An Easy Reference for Parents and Teachers. Reston, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.

Robelia, B. (1997). “Tips for working with ADHD students of all ages.” Journal of Experiential Education, 20(1), 51-53.

Schiller, E. (1996). “Educating children with attention deficit disorder.” Our Children, 22(2), 32-33.

Contact your local school psychologist, examiner, or personnel in charge of assessment and diagnosis in your school district for specific information and local programs.

Copyright ©1996-1998
ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/go/http/www.eric.ed.gov/

By Mimi Rothschild

Robert Jacobson, senior editor of eSchool News online, wrote an eye-opening article on virtual schools and discusses how virtual schools could dramatically transform America’s education system. Laboratories of Reform: Virtual High Schools and Innovation in Public Education, a new report from Education Sector notes that “Virtual schooling is driving the same sorts of transforming changes in public education as Apple’s iTunes has been producing in the way people collect and listen to music.”

Will virtual schools and online learning save America from public schools current abysmal state? Absolutely! The MorningStar Academy, a private, accredited online academy for home schooling students, is leading America into the new world of online education and preparing students for the Digital Age. The 21st century is much different than the 20th century; therefore, a 20th century approach to education (i.e. America’s public school system, traditional private schools, traditional charter schools) won’t prepare 21st century students for the 21st century workplace.

Home schooling using online academies is considered to be the best of both worlds. Many believe it is the best approach to educating the next generation of lawyers, doctors, teachers, bankers, scientists, engineers, technologists, etc. Because technology is easily accessible, other countries can be more competitive in the global village and evolving workplace. Home schooling online academies will prepare students for the 21st century workplace because students learn within the realms of technology and receive quality educations. Most public schools do not prepare students for the 21st century workplace; they’ve barely prepared Americans for the 20th century workplace and if they continue to operate without significant reform it will be the reason why the American economy cannot compete on a global scale in the years ahead.

To read Robert Jacobson’s article click here.

By Mimi Rothschild

As if public schools weren’t dangerous and chaotic enough. Public schools now have to deal with dodgy teachers lurking in the classrooms waiting to pounce on vulnerable students. Of course, the majority of public school teachers are not a threat to students, but the number of crimes being committed by teachers against students seems to be increasing. There appear to be more and more stories these days which would suggest this notion:

• Seth Canata, 33, a former history and boys track coach in New Jersey, faces a maximum of five years in prison for official misconduct and criminal sexual contact with a former female student.

• Twenty-five year old Amber Marshall pled guilty “to reduced charges stemming from having sex with two male students” (nwi.com). Marshall was sentenced to almost six years of formal probation and day reporting.

• Sixty-one year old Ronald Sherman, a former Dixie High School teacher in Utah, is being charged with five counts of sexual battery for “allegedly touching four female students in his ceramics class during the past school year” (The Salt Lake Tribune)

• Cathy Heminghaus, 47, a former Ferguson Middle School special education teacher can only hope to receive probation after pleading no contest to 25 counts after being accused of performing sex acts with her students. At worst she will receive a sentence of life in jail plus 150 years.

I could write about other horrendous crimes public school teachers have committed, but I think my point has been made. An environment where students should feel safe to learn and pursue knowledge is now a jungle where students are just trying to survive. Public school students have to deal with violence, bullying, gangs, overcrowded classrooms, and one-size fits all curriculums, now they have to deal with abusive teachers? Who can public school students trust if they can no longer trust or feel safe around their teachers? I’m not saying this is the case with every teacher, but more and more teachers are taking advantage of their power, like in the cases mentioned above.

Home schooling students don’t have to deal with any of these issues. Why should students have to deal with the jungle that is public school? Home schooling offers students the chance to receive a world-class education and to be safe too. Home schooling students greatly benefit from their education which is why it is becoming more and more popular each school year.

By Mimi Rothschild

Hello all, this is a short post, but I thought I’d share this great article I read. Duane Sheppard, a retired educator with almost three decades of experience in the public school system, wrote a compelling article on home schooling and home schooling’s increasing popularity. I find Mr. Sheppard’s article to be extremely fascinating because he gives home schooling such high marks even though he worked for almost thirty years in public schools.

Mr. Sheppard recently watched his home schooling grandson graduate. He notes that home schooling is not a new trend. “Though it may seem like a recent trend, home schooling is nothing new. George Washington, Queen Elizabeth, Theodore Roosevelt and Sandra Day O’Connor were home schooled. However, a couple of decades ago, this option still seemed like a fringe choice.” He meticulously documents home school’s progress, home school’s tremendous success, reasons to home school, and home schooling benefits.

I urge everyone to read this article and also write a comment about your home schooling experience. Tell me why your family chose to home school and what it has been like so far. I’d also love to hear from people who are considering home schooling their children.

Read Duane Sheppard’s article here.

By Mimi Rothschild

Children all over the United States and Canada are being bombarded in their own public schools by a slew of marketing messages from corporate America. Public school students can no longer walk down the hallway, ride the bus, or even open up their textbooks without being subjected to a message that essentially tells them that they need to buy something.

“Corporations in the Classroom” is a one-hour documentary that profiles the increasing covert influence that big business is exerting on public school children in America and Canada. Marketing to school age students is estimated to be a 2 billion dollar industry. The film raises questions about the lack of regulations that are in place that would protect our children from the aggressive corporate marketing campaigns that are often masquerading as classroom lessons.

The problem that I see with this new “curricula,” that is being perpetrated on our children, is not necessarily the idea that corporate sponsorships are inappropriate ways to fund education. Just like public television has brought millions of people excellent programming through corporate sponsorships and fundraising efforts, it is not inconceivable that appropriate advertising could be used to pay for quality education.

The problem is that it is being done in the public schools where the taxpayers are already paying for the education. If corporate sponsorships were to replace the taxpayer funded system, there may be a new level of accountability that would improve the school system.

As home schoolers who are forced to pay for our local schools even when we have rejected them as unworthy of our children, eliminating the taxpayer funded public schools would give home schooling families significantly more money to invest in their home school children’s education.

A new school system that was funded by private enterprises would mean that the quality of the schooling would rise because families would have choices in where they send their children. The fundamental principle of our free market system is that when people are free to create businesses that offer services or products then those businesses are forced to offer the highest quality product because of the competition they face from other businesses trying to do the same thing. That competition is what makes the price go down and helps increase the quality. In our public schools, there is virtually no competition except for the rich who can afford a five figure tuition. The illegal monopoly that our public schools enjoy over education is what makes it so poor. Eliminate the monopoly, allow enterprise to flourish the way it does in every other industry and that is one of the solutions to our failing public educational system.

View “Corporations in the Classroom” here.

By Mimi Rothschild

America is at the crossroads in many different facets of life. Religion, or difference in opinion on religious issues, acts as the catalyst that has propelled America to this new era of hostility between Christians and Atheists.

According to Rachel Zoll of The Washington Post Christopher Hitchens has published another anti-Christian book entitled “God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything” that has reached the top of the best-seller list. These sort of weightless attacks have become common over the last few years.

The spiritual battle in America is increasingly becoming more and more evident each day, especially in America’s schools. Zoll questions the future of America’s public schools because of the rapid growth of Christian homeschools.

Be sure to check out the debate between Hitchens and Reverend Doug Wilson, author of “Letter from a Christian Citizen,” on Christianity Today.

Other hotly debated topics that normally divide between religious lines include abortion, which the U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld a ban on partial-birth abortions.

To read more of Zoll’s compelling article click here.

By Mimi Rothschild

Patricia Kokinos, a teacher and an assistant principal for more than 25 years paints a dark picture of the public school system in America. “Angel Park” is a fictional novel that was inspired by Kokinos career as an educator and her experiences in fighting for school reform. The novel describes the dismal state that public schools are in and the urgent need for public school reform.

Kokinos was rejected from a number of publishing houses because they did not agree with her belief that a novel should be written on the downfall of public schools in America. She finally decided to print the novel herself through the independent publishing house iUniverse. I’m glad she did!

“Angel Park” is now receiving national media attention and is a finalist for the Foreword’s Magazine Book of the Year Award. Read more about Patricia Kokinos book.

My children have benefited from a great alternative to the public school system: homeschooling. Christian homeschooling has provided my children with wonderful and individualized educations. Kokinos boldy tells us how and why public schools fail students. I, and many of you, can tell the world why homeschooling provides our children with world-class educations that give them a head start in their lives.

By Mimi Rothschild

It’s a short post, but it’s something.  Possibly the hottest conservatively-minded politics and culture blogger, Michelle Malkin has linked two news stories that should make your blood boil.

The first, from the Edmonton Sun paints a picture of absolute terror as sixth graders were subjected to a staged gun attack.  One of the teachers donned a ski mask and pulled on the locked door of the classroom, frightening the sixty-nine students in the room, who were crying and hiding under tables. 

The second, from Fox News details the shocking story of an 8th grade class which was forced to watch Brokeback Mountain, a tale of homosexual lust.  The film depicts a drawn-out homosexual sex scene, frontal nudity, among countless depictions of adultery, violence, foul language, and other unsavory images.

“It’s no wonder homeschooling is so popular,” mused Malkin.  No wonder indeed.  Between this, sex-change lessons, and innumerable other offenses, the public school’s track record is spotty at best.