What's so great about public schooling?

 

Preparation for what?

There are those of us who have to put their children into the public school system—there are just no other choices available!

Please don't feel in any way condemned or unnecessarily burdened by what I write here. If you are already doing all that you can, then dwell under the shelter of His wing and enjoy peace.

I am also very aware of the many teachers, counselors, etc. who are a part of the system in order to be light and salt—you must go with God's peace, so please don't take what I am about to write personally—you may even find yourself nodding in agreement.

   

My daughter has two acquaintances from church who also just happen to be certified teachers, trained in college to educate children in the public school system in America.

Funny thing, both of these women will not put their children into school, they will be homeschooling them.

  

The story goes that they became teachers to make a difference—to reach a small portion of the tender young minds for good—but it hasn't taken them very long to realize that their efforts are lost in the gigantic machinery of the demagoguery of this godless age.



A derelict public education

Whenever a local government needs funds, it always sites school funding as a major issue—why? Could it be that almost everything else in the budget is considered expendable except for "education" as we have come to understand it?


"Sacred cow" is a moniker we apply to anything that must not be touched, no matter how awful the situation may become, whatever the cost. I am told that there are many of these sacred cows roaming around in most Hindu parts of the world, even when the children cry from empty stomachs, these animals must pass by, and the very food that would satisfy these starving children is fed instead to them! 

Public schooling has developed into just such an animal. It is untouchable, no matter how dreadful the system with its lack of moral principles has become; regardless of the many school shootings, the bullying or even the scandalous s*xual exploits between teachers and their adolescent students.

It doesn't matter how many times young people emerge from these institutions unable to figure change at the cash register. It doesn't matter that colleges now offer remedial instruction courses in basic skills for the incoming freshman students who hold in their hands a graduation diploma stating they have successfully "passed" all their academic lessons.

  

Independence Day!

So what's so good about all that? If children are supposed to go to school to become educated, moral, capable and competent citizens, why then are we so satisfied with just the opposite? Crime, disrespect and ignorance are more rampant than ever before—just ask your favorite retired police officer.


An Ivy League college student was asked to name the first president of the United States, he insisted it was Abraham Lincoln.



While visiting with relatives during her high school graduation celebration, a young lady was chirruping excitedly about an upcoming pyrotechnic display for the 4th of July. When asked if she understood the meaning and purpose of the holiday—she simply had no clue! She always thought that the day was set aside to celebrate fireworks!

Children learn a lot in school, to be sure.

• They learn to become insensitive, tough and hopeless.

• They learn to think of their parents as outsiders that are out of step.

• If they are taught about God at all, He is merely an afterthought; He has nothing to do with art, literature, math, science, history or any other area of study. 

• They soon learn that friends are more important than anything else in life, including familial ties or personal moral convictions. They learn that serious relationships are quite disposable. 

• That despondency is unavoidable in a cold, vain, material world  

• They learn to sear their consciences by shopping or gaming or "medicating" through the use of recreational drugs and alcoholic binging and abuse.

Schooling teaches parents a number of things.

• Parents learn that bright, sweet preschoolers must indeed turn into sullen, disagreeable miscreants by the tender ages of 9 and 11. 

• Good parents are those who go along with everything the school subscribes to their families. Evening fellowship time must be taken up by homework. Vacations are subject to the school schedule, no matter how fantastic the opportunity. Dad and Mom learn they are under secret surveillance by their youngsters, who are taught to become informers of any parental "misbehavior".  

• The family paycheck must be spent on the newest fashions, fads and trinkets, even though they will end up in next year's trash heap, they must be purchased or their children will be subject to sanctioning by "the pack".  

• No matter how long they have lived, or how many things they may have learned, and especially how much they love their precious children and have their best interests at heart, mothers and fathers must submit and take their place as irrelevant dunces (or even malevolent abusers) when their advice is compared to that of teachers and other "professional” counselors. 

• In the end, parents learn the lesson that children are expensive, unpleasant nuisances.

The classroom must and will become an arena of conflict between the old and the new—the rotting corpse of Christianity, together with all its adjacent evils and misery, and the new faith of humanism. John Dumphey, in The Humanist

Our goal is behavioral change. The majority of our youth still hold to the values of their parents and if we do not resocialize them to accept change, our society may decay. Dr. John Goodland, in a late 1980's report for the National Education Agency

Every child in America entering school at the age of five is mentally ill because he comes to school with certain allegiances toward our founding fathers, toward our elected officials, toward his parents, toward a belief in a supernatural being, toward the sovereignty of this nation as a separate entity. It's up to you teachers to make all of these sick children well by creating the international children of the future. Harvard professor, 1973

I think that the most important factor moving us toward a secular society has been the educational factor. Our schools may not teach Johnny to read properly, but the fact that Johnny is in school until he is sixteen tends to lead toward the elimination of religious superstition. The average American child now acquires a high school education and this militates against Adam and Eve and all other myths of alleged history...

When I was one of the editors of the Nation in the 20's, I wrote an editorial explaining that golf and intelligence were the two primary reasons why men did not attend church, perhaps I would now say golf and a high school diploma.

Paul Blanshard, contributor to The Humanist

If parents are extremely vigilant, they may be able to overcome many of the obstacles to reaching their children's hearts. It is conceivable that they could volunteer at the school, tutor the child before and after school, give them alternate sources for identity—it can be done!


But most of us are pretty tied-up with the business of living.

Fear of God—the beginning of wisdom

Why not bring the children home—and teach them there? Why not include them in real life, and teach them about it as we live it?

Why not introduce them to the God who alone is Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient? Is it possible to rediscover the Creator who is not an afterthought, but the very center of every educational discipline?

Why not allow the children to enjoy learning for its own merit, without dangling the "carrot" on the end of the stick?

Why not teach children to think of their parents and siblings as their "teachers" and "friends" respectively?


Why couldn't it be possible for home to be the very best place on earth?

Obviously the schools are not Christian. Just as obviously they are not neutral. The Scriptures say that the fear of the Lord is the chief part of knowledge; but the schools, by omitting all reference to God, give the pupils the notion that knowledge can be had apart from God. They teach in effect that God has no control of history, that there is no plan of events that God is working out, that God does not predetermine that which comes to pass...

The public schools are not, never were, can never be, neutral. Neutrality is impossible.

The big lie of the public schools is that the God of the Bible is irrelevant. The textbooks don't ever mention Him. Everyone assumes that children do not need to know anything at all about God, God's law, and God's Word in order to become educated people. This is Satan's own lie." Robert Thoburn, author of The Children Trap, Difficult Principles for Education

The next time you feel like giving up on your decision to homeschool, look deeply into those trusting, sweet, innocent eyes and savor the joy of discovery your child shares with you along your family's educational journey.

Answers to some questions...

Bossy Flossy

I love answering questions. I still have them myself, and I am so grateful when someone helps me with a few answers!

I recently received these three e-mails in close succession, and they are so similar that I am sure there are many more just like them.

The first:

...We have four children so far 10, 7, 2, 8 months. I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed with homeschooling lately and was thinking a curriculum that the children can do on their own would be best because I am so busy with the little ones. We are very busy in the kitchen due to food allergies. We are changing our diet to heal our allergies so this causes me to cool a lot. But when I was looking at your sight I am reminded that I love simplicity in school. I would love to keep the costs down, I think the thought of spending 500.00 + per year is hard for my husband. I guess I just don't feel like I can do it all. I am overwhelmed with laundry, housework, dishes, school. I am big on the 'life is learning' approach but get into the rut of just letting them play because I am too bogged down with the day to day stuff... How do you make sure you are giving  your kids the best day to day and also keep the house together...I am in need of some direction!...

...the second...

...We have five children (ages 13, 7, 6, 2, 3 months) and we homeschool. I am struggling with keeping up with everyone's school while corralling a very busy and strong 2-year-old and keeping the baby on a good nursing schedule...How do I keep up with everything? I feel like from the moment I get up I am frantically pulled in ten different directions until I collapse into bed at night. How do we get more peace on our home (and in my mind)? How do I keep up with everything and everyone? Please share your advice. Thanks so much!

...the third...

I am the mom of six biological and three recently adopted sisters. The laundry went from being a sore spot in my life to down right awful. Most of our children are young but everyone does help with the laundry but it just seems to always be out of control. Any ideas for organizing would be appreciated! Right now the younger children do not keep clothes in their rooms but in baskets in my room. The older children do their own laundry. It sounds like it should work but there is still laundry everywhere and storing cloths to pass down are gotten into constantly by the babies looking to play dress up with something new while the rest do school. Really, laundry and dinner time just about throw me over the edge.

Let me say first that this job of being a mom, a housewife (that is, a wife who keeps house for her man), and a teacher is just about the most challenging in the whole world! But God is in it—His pleasure is with you that lay down your lives in His service, for the discipling of His precious little ones!


I will share here a few suggestions, some may apply, most will not, simply for the fact that we are all so very different—let the peace of God lead you. 

Mother reading to her child

Take things one-day-at-a-time. I know we are all supposed to have these elaborate goals and plans—I guess I look at my life as though each day I am given manna from heaven, just enough for that day. God told the Israelites that they could not keep the manna over for the next day (except for the Sabbath) or it would become wormy and offensive. 


Well, that's what my detailed plans usually turn to—a wormy mess. It's not because planning is evil, just that He is not taking me on this trip of homeschooling so that I can raise educated idiots; He is teaching us all to trust Him for everything—especially educational success. 


I know that many states require detailed plans, if I were in that sort of situation I guess I would create a plan, but if we deviated from it, I would not be upset—just ask your favorite teacher how much of their plans actually get accomplished!


Use open-ended curriculum such as the McGuffey's readers and Ray's arithmetics. I don't mean to be harping here—I am sure there are other nifty things out there. I just have found that, for the price and the Christian and moral impact, there isn't anything I have found that is more large-family-mother friendly. 

It's discovery time

Enlist the help of your older children. I know—who hasn't already thought of this, right? Seriously, it can save your life to have your oldest child sit and read a story book aloud to a younger sibling, or even to sit and create with play-dough. We allow our oldest children to act as "teacher-aides". This reinforces what your children have already learned; this will build confidence and prepare your oldest daughters (16-18 years old) by equipping them to one day homeschool their own children.


Use a timer. Especially if you have a small house, you can create "space" in your life with this little device. Divide your morning into 15-30 minute intervals, have the children run around for 15 minutes, clean their rooms for 15 minutes, sing songs for 15 minutes, color for 15 minutes. Small children especially have no idea how to keep things in order. Of course, there are times when you want them to be able to organize their time for themselves, but not when you have a bazillion things to do!


Get realistic. You can't do it all—I don't care how many vitamins you take. I most certainly refuse to do it all. I rarely have outside activities, for instance. I don't take on crafts that I don't currently have time for—perhaps someday I will, but not in this season. I don't spend a lot of time trying to impress other people with all of the activities my children are involved in—outsiders don't have to try and find socks and shoes for everyone every time we go out. My dentist asked me if I have pets—I told her that if I did someone or something would get neglected—she understood perfectly!


Meals are simple. Clothes are simple. Furnishings are simple and easy to keep (dark colors and patterns abound in my house!). 


I don't try and give everything to my children, just give them everything I am.

A mother teaching

Concentrate on the basics. You would be so shocked at just what a child can learn on his own—it flusters demagogues when children defy all of their "scope and sequence" charts without all of their promptings. 


I read once that a young child who was being raised and educated by her homeless father (they lived in a tent by the river) tested far above her grade level. Her curriculum?—an old set of encyclopedias. 


If you are challenged for time, use it for teaching your children to read and communicate effectively, along with math fundamentals. The balance can be "autodidacted", with your close supervision and encouragement, of course. Notebooking can help you keep all of this free-learning on track.


Corral the kids. Allowing a mass of young humanity the run of the house will ensure a constant, chaotic mess. Keep the little ones to a single area at a time. I already mentioned the timer—this helps in the corraling. For very tiny ones, a gate is also helpful.


Give boundaries for toys, and you won't find them all over the house. Remember to encourage your little children to play the game of "clean-up" (i.e.- picking up blocks and putting them into their container) in a simple yet very enthusiastic way. You may be quite surprised at how quickly even preschool aged children will catch on and really enjoy doing this.


Take time to work on attitudes and obedience before you tackle homeschooling. This goes a long, long way. If your child refuses to take out the trash, how are you going to get him to finish his sums without a fight? Establish who is in charge in your house, and you will find rest and peace. Meditate on and memorize the scriptures in Proverbs concerning child training. Teach them to your children—reprove disobedience and reward obedience. There are also plenty of references in the New Testament as well. 

Lending a helping hand

Get a handle on your house. Get rid of the clutter—and I am not just referring to things that are broken or damaged. There may be too many nice things laying around, as well. I love Don Aslett and his book Clutter's Last Stand. He uses humor to help us understand that anything can be clutter, as long as it detracts from life. Even a brand new car can be clutter—if the upkeep takes more time and money than it is worth! So can a new sofa, especially if it is white (oh my, I just can't imagine what such an item would look like after one week in my house—or how much of my hair I would still have!). 


Simple does not mean austere. There is an elegance that can be enjoyed when we have fewer things. I personally enjoy a little bit of embellishment here and there. The trick is to be picky—only allow things of great meaning and lasting value as adornments. Strike your own balance according to your family's tastes.


Find a place for everything, and centralize. Put craft supplies in one place, tools in another, baking supplies in one or two cupboards to create a "baking station".  We have one place for shoes, another for socks (this actually helps sometimes during the mad-dash before an outing!).


Get a handle on media. I don't allow video games in my house, period. I know that I am probably not on the "cutting edge" here—and I don't mean to judge anyone who does. I just have found them to be a real impediment to the training of my children. Any type of media can become a distraction—talking on the phone, texting, surfing the net, watching television, etc. It is so entertaining that we don't realize where the time is going—and even if we are not the one specifically engaged, I have noticed how it is an interruption to everyone in the whole house. If your children are already "hooked", take the time to get them free, while they are still young. They will thank you the rest of their lives!


Instead of trying to get it all done at once, be satisfied with doing a few things daily. What I mean is this: it will be much better to spend 15 minutes a day teaching your child phonics than to spend two hours teaching him once a month. A few minutes doesn't seem like much, but it will quickly add up! 


And now for LAUNDRY AND CLOTHES...

Laundry time for the lady who lives in a shoe

I know what a huge burden this one area of our lives can become. Besides food, keeping people clothed is one of the biggest portions of a homemaker's job. 


After wrestling mounds of clothing for the last 28 years or so, I'll simply share some of my conclusions and practices, which may or may not help!


First of all, I have come to the conclusion that laundry is one of those things that never gets completely done—and I accept that. 


I know, we're supposed to hang up clothes as they come out of the dryer—that's what all of the extra buttons are for on my fancy, new set of machines. All the good intentions I've ever had just never gave me enough time and energy to even pay attention when a load was done—even with a loud buzzer (you won't tell anyone, will you?). 


My clean laundry is kept very clean, and safe, in three large baskets atop my washer and dryer, until they are folded and put away. This is a wonderful thing—these baskets are not sitting on my couch begging for attention—attention that is often given by the toddler as she dresses up herself, her dolls, or the nearest pet (if you have one). This is my first bit of advice—find a way to safeguard your clean laundry, or it will quickly turn into dirty laundry!


I also would recommend not having each child do his/her own laundry. There are already too many things for me to keep track of, and making sure Junior actually puts his dirty underwear in the right load so that it doesn't turn either pink or gray is something I don't want to have to think about. 

It's time to do the wash

All of our wash is brought to the laundry room and sorted into three baskets (no hampers in bedrooms or bathrooms smelling up the house and becoming receptacles for trash, toys, shoes, etc.); one for whites, one for colors and one for darks. Simple. 


Then loads of wash are taken from these pre-sorted baskets. I should have told the designer of my washing machine that he could have saved a lot of money by giving me just a heavy-duty cycle and three temperature choices—because that's all I use! Besides laundry detergent, bleach is my only other additive (for hard water, I suggest a bit of borax in the mix).


We try and switch laundry three times a day—at mealtimes mostly. But this isn't always the case. I actually switch laundry whenever I feel a little uneasy about life—it's sort of like a nervous tick I have. This way, the laundry can get switched quite often during times of stress—it somehow comforts me and gives me the feeling everything will be alright if the washer is going—great system, no?


We try and fold and put the clothes away daily—but there are times when we don't. This is why I have a door on the laundry room—so I can shut it and pretend the clothes don't exist, at least until we run out of towels and underwear—but this is not an efficient way to do things, because when we go in search of clean underwear and towels, all of the other clean clothes end up on the floor so that people can track mud on them as they enter through the garage—so you might just ignore that part and plan on putting them away daily, as we do (sort of). 

Neatly folded shirts

It's just a mound of work, no matter how you look at it. You can do all sorts of things—like minimizing how many changes children can have out at one time, making them wear outfits for more than one day, etc. I have probably tried every trick in the book—it's still just a lot of work, but it doesn't have to be drudgery.


When the children were all pretty young, I used to have "clothes-folding parties" where I would pile the laundry in a huge mound on the floor, have them stationed around it, and read a book aloud while they (supposedly) folded. It worked sometimes, but we sure did have fun reading a book together, and they worked really hard when I was finished and actually did fold the clothes in the end. 


I do not regret that I have had so much laundry to do—the children who wore it were so very much worth it all!

Embracing pain

The birth of Christ

Tough, isn't it?

If we are looking for the "idyllic" life, it doesn't exist on this earth. There is no sheltered, undiscovered country where discouragement or sorrow is unheard of in any form. Pain lives and moves among us—no one is immune to its effects.

The other day my dear husband and I went bowling for the first time in a few years. It was fun for the both of us, but not as fun as it was for the fellow a few lanes down.

I watched with great admiration as he played—barely able to walk, his legs twisted, his arm frozen in a bent position at his side—stand sideways and send his bowling ball down the lane. He had such joy, such satisfaction on his face each time he hit a few pins. He was having a great time, a better time than anyone in the whole, crowded bowling alley, even though he never made one strike.

In the novel Hinds Feet on High Places, by Hannah Hurnard, we read of the journey of poor little Much Afraid. She desired with all her heart to be free from the Valley of Humiliation in which she lived—to follow the Good Shepherd into the glorious high places. So He brought her up into the foothills and set her on a journey to the heights. Amazingly, He also gave her two companions to aid her in her journey, and their names were Sorrow and Suffering.

I read this today in the devotional Streams in the Desert:

Fighting depression

The cry of man's anguish went up to God, 
'Lord, take away pain: 
The shadow that darkens the world Thou has made,
The close-coiling chain 
That strangles the heart, the burden that weighs 
On the wings that would soar, 
Lord, take away pain from the world Thou hast made, 
That it love Thee the more.'


Then answered the Lord to the cry of His world: 
'Shall I take away pain, 
And with it the power of the soul to endure, 
Made strong by the strain? 
Shall I take away pity, that knits heart to heart 
And sacrifice high? 
Will ye lose all your heroes that lift from the fire 
White brows to the sky? 
Shall I take away love that redeems with a price 
And smiles at its loss? 
Can ye spare from your lives that would climb unto Me 
The Christ on His cross?'


I read this and was reminded of something I read about a Mrs. Dippolito, the mother of 20 children, some of whom were mentally challenged.

She is full of gratitude for all of the children God has given her. She has total trust in God for all things, and understands that in this life crosses always occur along with happiness. This is integral to her attitude toward family life. She has the realistic and hope-filled approach that since everyone will have crosses, why not multiply the joy as much as possible? To her, the more children, the more joy!

We all experience pain in this life—no matter how perfectly we try to prepare or live, it will always find us. And when it does, we have choices to make; will we try and shield ourselves, tightening the cloak of our own self-preservation around us, or will we let go, open our arms, and embrace it? Will we count it all joy?

Jesus opened His arms, and He let His pain cleanse and heal everyone of us. Now, no matter what the situation, there He is, in the midst of each of our circumstances.

The flagellation of Christ

   He is despised and rejected of men;
   a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:

   and we hid as it were our faces from him;

   he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

   Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried

   our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken,

   smitten of God, and afflicted.

   But he was wounded for our transgressions,

   he was bruised for our iniquities; the

   chastisement of our peace was upon him;

   and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:3-5)

If we embrace the cross, as He did, a wonderful thing happens; we are released. Despair loses its power over us, and joy soon takes its place.

Just as little Much Afraid's companions, Sorrow and Suffering, finally reveal their true names, Peace and Joy, so we find that the pain we strive so desperately to avoid becomes the very vehicle which leads us to the greatest treasure of all—Jesus!

This is the Christianity that has lasted, and is eternal. Death is swallowed up in life, God's kingdom is by His Spirit, and in restful trust—His power is greater than the sum of all our earthly strength.

A time to laugh...

I thought everyone would enjoy a laugh.

Sherry

Creole black-eyed peas

Kim over at In a Shoe is looking for some different bean/lentil recipes—to make the ol' grocery budget stretch!

Black-eyed peas

I love black-eyed peas—they have a sort of nutty, earthy taste that set them apart from other legumes. My Gramma always served a dish of them at Thanksgiving in honor of my Grampa, who grew up in Mississippi, which gives them special significance to me. Therefore, I just had to share my favorite Black-eyed pea recipe!





Creole Black-eyed Peas

1 lb (when dry) cooked black-eyed peas
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1-2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cups corn
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion in a small bit of oil. add the other ingredients. Simmer until hot and flavorful, or stick in the crockpot after lunch on low so it's ready for dinner!

Serve with cornbread and butter.

Rice 101 and some recipes

Rice in the field

Most of us in America associate rice with ethnic cuisine. For many of us, it is hard to imagine it as much more than a pasty carbohydrate that is merely a base for a more flavorful sauce.

This is why we grab the pre-flavored packets from the grocery store—it keeps us from having to figure out what to do with this mis-understood grain. The only problem is that these products also contain all sorts of "mystery ingredients", and they are also much more expensive than the rice itself.

But rice fills the stomachs of most of the population of the world. It is more than just a "filler"—it is the fuel for life!

Here in North America, there is not only the problem of how to cook and use it, there is also the question of what type of rice we should buy. Brown, white, converted, quick-cooking, basmati...how does one really choose the best?

First, it is important to understand the nutritive value of rice. Interestingly, this grain is associated with a disease which was once common in Asia—"beriberi". A doctor living in Asia once noticed that sailors of the lower class who ate only refined, white rice on voyages developed this debilitating, often fatal disease, while sailors of a higher class who ate nuts, meats and other foods with their rice did not. It was finally discovered that the lack of the vitamin thiamine was the problem.

Rice, in its whole grain form, besides carboyhydrates, contains a valuable protein (although not a complete protein, see this link), calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin E, and most of the B vitamins. Most of these nutrients are stored in the bran and germ of the grain, very little nutrition is found in the "starch" or "white" portion. The Asian sailors were eating refined rice—minus the nutritious bran and germ—and so were becoming diseased.

Brown rice

Plain white rice sold in America is "fortified" to prevent diseases like beriberi from happening. After being stripped of the hull, bran and germ, the grains are subjected to various treatments of corn protein, calcium, iron salts and synthetic vitamins. This is why it is not recommended that white rice be rinsed before cooking—the vitamins could be washed down the drain!

But there is still another major form of rice—parboiled. Parboiled rice is boiled in its husk, then milled. The heat treatment causes most of the B vitamins to be integrated into the starch portion before the germ and bran are stripped away in the polishing process. Accordingly, parboiled rice is 80% as nutritional as brown rice.

So as far as nutrition goes then, it is:

#1—brown rice
#2—par-boiled rice
#3—white rice
#4—quick-cooking and instant rice (due to additives added to make it quick-cooking or instant)

As for taste and texture, each is quite different.

The worst for taste and texture is the white, refined type. Lots of folks don't even cook this type without a steamer—it tends to turn out like a mushy mess. As for taste—at least the common types sold in America—it doesn't have any of its own!

Parboiled rice tastes just a little bit better than white (along with some of the original constituents of the grain still in place, small amounts of milk may be added in the refining process). The texture is absolutely better—it doesn't turn out mushy or pasty.

Brown rice is delightfully delicious. It is nutty and even slightly sweet. Of the types commonly sold, short-grain brown rice is a little more sticky than long-grain, but there is a price difference between the two.

Basmati rice

As for cost, common white rice is cheapest, par-boiled is next (Zatarain's and Uncle Ben's are two common brands, Riceland sells a bulk bag at Sam's Club), and brown rice is most expensive (there is a good store brand at Safeway that is not as expensive as the health food store).

Of course, there are also different grains which the white, parboiled and brown can be derived from—some are more flavorful than others. You can find out more about this here.

Here are a few versatile pilaf recipes that will save you money while delighting your family. Any of the different types of rice can be used, just keep in mind the different liquid-to-rice ratios:

White rice—2 cups of water to 1 cup grain
Parboiled—2.3 cups of water to 1 cup grain
Brown—2.5 cups of water to 1 cup grain.

*Brown rice takes longer to cook, so adjust accordingly!

Mexican Rice For a Crowd

Use the following ingredients:


(2-3) table spoons cooking oil
Garlic
(3) cups rice
(7-8) cups water
(2-3) table spoons chicken broth powder, or 3-4 chicken boullion cubes
(3-4) table spoons lemon juice
Cilantro—dried or fresh (diced)

Saute garlic and rice in oil. When rice is golden, add water all at the same time. Throw in the chicken element, lemon juice, and cilantro. Bring to boil and simmer until water is completely gone.

Fried rice

You could vary the ingredients—add some corn, diced tomatoes, green peppers, or Mexican seasonings. This is a perfect accompaniment for a simple bowl of beans—add some tortillas or corn chips, salsa and sour cream and you have a complete protein and first-rate dinner!

For Asian rice, begin the same as above, only add green peppers and finely-diced onion at the beginning, skipping the cilantro. You could even add some peas, or mix in some scrambled eggs and soy sauce.

Special Rice

Use the following ingredients:

Cooked brown rice
Oil
Chopped green onions
Diced apple
Cinnamon
Rasins

Saute all ingredients. Add salt to taste. This is wonderful for breakfast!

"How to use a McGuffey's" series

I have moved parts three and four of this series over to my new blog, McGuffey's World. Follow me over!

Sherry

Some fun and useful links

I thought I would list a few nifty sites I have come along in the recent past:

Jostie Flicks—this is a "must view" if you love to laugh! These videos are done by a Christian homeschooling family of 11—too fun!

Donna Young Handwriting Fonts—these are free, and perfect for creating your own copywork pages!

Ellen McHenry's Basement Workshop—lots of nifty science notebooking stuff—too much to list (you could get lost in her basement!)

The Toymaker—lots of free paper toys to print and create (ht: Freely Educate)

Schoolhouse Rock—These were originally advertisement-long spots that were shown in-between Saturday morning cartoons (I used to endure the main shows just to watch these educational toons). They are all educational ditties—dealing with multiplication, grammar, science and history! My kids love them as much as I do—we played them for hours the other day while doing some major home repairs, and now they are humming and singing about verbs, adverbs, skip counting by 3's, electricity, etc. My sister sent these to us a number of years ago, but they can be purchased for a fair price, much worth the plastic they are produced with! (I don't receive any money from Amazon for any purchases made through my blog)

How to use a McGuffey's, Part 2

McGuffey's Pictorial Eclectic Primer

Some interesting questions have recently come up.

First, I would like to explain the differences between the two sets of McGuffey's reprints that are now available.

The first is the "original" readers published by Mott Media. Can I say that I love these? They are printed with a sturdy binding, and the pages are thick for longevity and practical everyday use.

I believe it is their simplicity that make these books so endearing. The Primer begins with fairly crude pictures to accompany some basic words that are familiar to young readers. I was put off at first because things were not arranged according to phonics rules, but rather go from the simple to the complex. After using them for a while, I see the genius in McGuffey's thinking. My daughter absolutely loved the lessons, since they didn't seem "dumb" to her. We went very slowly, repeating each portion multiple times over several weeks. The results were quite remarkable—as I now have an encouraged, excited reader/writer on my hands!

The other books are amazing to read as well. My eldest daughter went from barely reading to fluency using the first reader. Subjects covered vary—but they are never trivial or boring. The Professor chose primarily to wisely deal with matters of the heart and morality—even including a story with an orphaned babe being taken in by an old gentleman bachelor! There are lessons with warnings dealing with laziness and the dangers of strong drink as well.

The vocabulary words presented in the first two readers are helpful. Again, there is no particular rhyme or reason to their inclusion, on the surface, but if they are used in oral reading and spelling, along with some basic copy work and dictation, their usefulness soon becomes apparent. It is almost magical to witness how these materials communicate with young fertile minds. I found that the hard work of learning was actually being accomplished by my children, and I only had to present the lessons and enjoy the process as I witnessed the wonderful transformations.

The advanced readers are very challenging reading. All of the readers are extremely Evangelical in nature; confession of sin, salvation through Jesus Christ, etc. are marvelously emphasized. This is continued in the 3rd and 4th books of the series, with apologetics for the Bible also included. My daughter is working diligently through these and finds them replete with nourishment for the mind and soul!

The guide written by Ruth Beechick was very helpful to me, although I found that I had to adjust many of her thoughts and ideas to fit my children and our particular educational circumstances. If I had followed her suggestions verbatim, I would have become quite frustrated.

The 1879 revised edition (above).

The originals are the only ones that can actually be attributed to McGuffey directly. The later versions, and there were many, were revised by different people, even his brother had a hand in some revisions.

Which brings us to the second set of McGuffey readers in publication today. These are commonly called the "revised" set, originally edited in 1879-1881 (there were revisions as late as the early 20th Century, which are hardly recognizable as McGuffey's, but these are not currently in print, that I am aware of). I own two sets of these; one antique (actually printed in 1920), the other a more recent, and less refined, facsimile which I purchased new.

My antique set is so beautiful—the leather bindings are deeply engraved and detailed; the colors of the covers are darker and brighter. The text is slightly raised and one can see the fine lines of the illustrations, as opposed to the muddied ones in the facsimile. Needless to say, the children do not have access to these at all, although I keep them in a slipcover on my desk and refer to them when writing up my lessons.

The 1879 revised edition that was recently printed is the set that my children use. I love these also. It is true that these are the least directly Evangelistic, but they still contain references to God and have many passages from the Bible. The lessons are moral and very engaging—a refreshing change from the meager offerings of these modern times.

The Primer not only uses simplicity, but also helps present the principles of phonics. For instance, the first lessons deal with short "a" words, the next lessons introduce short "o", and so on. This may be somewhat easier for the 21st Century mind to deal with.

The illustrations throughout are delightful. I enjoy viewing them myself—so I know that my children take pleasure in them.

There are not any modern guides to these available, and I personally felt quite lost until I discovered The Eclectic Manual of Methods—this book explains not only how the revised readers were meant to be used, but the arithmetics, grammars, etc. You can download this from the link above, and it can even be printed up and comb-bound. The Ray's and McGuffey's helps I sell on my blog contain a few suggestions that I fashioned after the ideas found in this manual.

Excerpt of a McGuffey Illustration.

Since I am working on the plans for my own young learners, I am currently compiling a general guide to using the McGuffey's series together in an eBook format. I have a few images and some helps in place—but I will include some scripture passage suggestions for the lessons—I hope you will pray for me so that I will be able to find the time to put these resources together for you all! I also have another blog that I am developing which I hope to gradually fill with anything and everything we find interesting that was published during or about the "McGuffey" era of our history, both, The Guide to McGuffey and the blog will be about education and life—McGuffey's World.

I am not sure which set of readers is the best—they both have their merits. I am glad I have both! As of this writing, one could secure the original set, with speller and the Beechick guide, for between $70 - $109 (per set), before taxes and shipping.

The 1879 revised set can be purchased for about $69.

Dollar Homeschool has done a great job compiling all of the McGuffey's Eclectic Series and putting them on CD. The cost, compared to purchasing the actual books, many of which can no longer be obtained or found, is economical (the readers, with speller and extra books, $39). But if one wants to print and bind their own books from the CD, the price becomes the same or much more.

I often find myself lost in these little books—I am so glad I get to do the lessons, too!

I would like to leave you with a quote spoken originally by Dr. David Swing of Chicago and published originally in the book, A History of the McGuffey Readers by Henry Hobart Vail.

Much as you may have studied the languages or the sciences, that which most affected you was the moral lessons in the series of McGuffey. And yet the reading class was filed out only once a day to read for a few moments, and then we were all sent to our seats to spend two hours in learning how to bound New Hampshire or Connecticut, or how long it would take a greyhound to overtake a fox or a hare if the spring of each was so and so, and the poor fugitive had such and such a start. That was perhaps well, but we have forgotten how to bound Connecticut, and how to solve the equation of the field and thicket; but up out of the far-off years come all the blessed lessons in virtue and righteousness which those reading books taught; and when we now remember, how even these moral memories have faded, I cannot but wish the teachers had made us bound the States less, and solve fewer puzzles in 'position' and the 'cube root' and made us commit to memory the whole series of the McGuffey Eclectic Readers. The memory that comes from these far-away pages is full of the best wisdom of time or the timeless land. In these books we were indeed led by a schoolmaster, from beautiful maxims for children up to the best thoughts of a long line of sages, and poets, and naturalists. There we all first learned the awful weakness of the duel that took away a Hamilton; there we saw the grandeur of the Blind Preacher of William Wirt; there we saw the emptiness of the ambition of Alexander, and there we heard even the infidel say, "Socrates died like a philosopher, but Jesus Christ like a God."

How to use a McGuffey's, Part 1

Illustration from 5th McGuffey's (revised)

Here is a question that I received recently from a reader regarding the use of McGuffey readers:


I wanted to know if you could give me some tips on how you use your McGuffey readers. I have a set of them but do not know how to use them with the kids. It seems like a silly question but I have read through them a bit and I am confused about what to do with them. I guess I need an instruction manual. I appreciate any help you can give. I hate to see them just sit on my shelf. I would like to use them with the kids this fall.

First, let me say that I totally understand how this reader feels. I can remember thinking these books were really nifty, but I had no idea as to how to use them. They were written in a time when the methods of learning were universal and understood. We have lost these principles as educational philosophies have changed over the years (and not for the better).

It is sort of like the 25-pound sack of flour sitting in my baking cupboard. It takes the application of a recipe and other ingredients to produce the desired outcome.

The ingredients required for a batch of first-rate language arts is as follows:

• Reading with narration (primarily oral, then written)
• Copy work
• Dictation
• Sentence creation
• Recitation
• Original composition

This is how I tackle each lesson:

1. I read it for myself.  This is my favorite part. I love the lessons—I learn new things and become encouraged and blessed—I can't wait to share with my children! In this way I am familiar with the content of each lesson so that I can bring out the finer points that may be missed, etc., such as the moral of the story, or even some historical facts that may be needed to gain a better understanding of what is being read. It also helps me when I am either hearing or reading the narrations I require. If time is short, and the child is not competent enough to write out the narration, it can be "cartooned" by splitting a page in equal portions and have the child draw out the events in the lesson in sequence, to be labeled later.

2. I choose a section for copy work. For the younger set, it may only include the vocabulary words and a short section—perhaps a sentence to begin with, then a paragraph. I write these out as an example so that they have something to follow. Poems are copied in their entirety. Older children may be required to copy much more. This is the method used continually—the immersion and familiarity gained through this practice helps imprint language on the minds of children. 

I also like to assign a portion of God's Word which applies to each lesson, lots of times scripture will come to my mind as I am reading, but I also use the concordance to look up appropriate passages. 

3. I choose sections for dictation, sometimes from the speller. This is how proper spelling, punctuation and grammar are reinforced. 

4. Often the poems or portions of the lesson are read aloud to all as a practice for public reading and speaking, and I am requiring that many parts, or all, of the poems be memorized. 

5. I have the child either read and spell the vocabulary words (using Charlotte Mason's suggestion of "imprinting" the words in the child's mind), or assign them to be used in original sentences.  

6. There are times when an original composition will be suggested by the lesson, especially in the more advanced readers (3rd and 4th in the original series—1849 Mott Media, 5th and 6th in the revised—1855 and above). 

The Manual of Methods is the place to go to understand more closely some of the intent of the authors. Here is also a link to my other blog, McGuffey's World, which contains quotes from 19th century sources speaking as to the importance of copy work.

This is an amazingly simple way to teach language arts, and is also so inexpensive!  All that is required is a few good copy books and pencils. 

1836 copy book

Of course, you could create copy work pages by using a school font and a word processor, to encourage better handwriting. 

Here is just a little example of what treasures there are to be found (from the revised, 1879, 2nd reader):


Beautiful faces are they that wear 
The light of a pleasant spirit there; 
Beautiful hands are they that do 
Deeds that are noble good and true; 
Beautiful feet are they that go 
Swiftly to lighten another's woe.

Brushing up on basic grammar helps me—I keep a secretary's guide or two around the house as an aid when I am stumped. We also spent some time together this last year in the Harvey's Grammars, which helped everyone quite a lot. 

It also helps to teach the children how to set up a page—noting the number of the lesson and the date across the top of the page, then skipping a line to begin the work. Also, to have rules about the writing assignments, such as to respect the margin lines, and to keep things neat—no stray marks or doodling, and complete erasure of all mistakes. 

As a mother of many children, these books have helped me to simplify instruction without compromising on content. 

Here is a link to the Manual of Methods, which helped explain a lot for me.