The Learning Curve

I sometimes take in proof reading to earn a few extra dollars now and again ($$$ goes into the "Buy Tim Horton's Coffee for Mommy Fund"). 

University level papers.

Supposedly.

It is a sad commentary on our culture when I recieve papers stating such things as...(okay...I added most of the nastier comments as I was writing this entry...)

1.  Canada's envolvement in the First World War started when Communist China bombed Pearl Harbour off the coast of Nova Scotia.  (from a paper titled "Canada's Envolvement in World War One" - yes, that was how "involvement" was spelled...)
Now, I am not proclaiming to be a History Expert by any stretch of the imagination BUT I do know a few things.  Even if you don't make it to the library on time and all the good history books are gone when you finally make it there, simply renting a couple movies would prove to anyone that...
a) Pearl Harbor was bombed during the SECOND World War, NOT the first!
b) It was NOT bombed by Communist China.  It was bombed by Japan.
c) Pearl Harbor is NOT off the coast of Nova Scotia.  Heck, Pearl Harbor and Nova Scotia do not even share the same ocean!  They are on opposite sides of the continent AND in different countries
d) Pearl Harbor is NOT the reason Canada became involved in the First World War...Period.  For further explanation, see a).
e) Computers come with a thing called "spell check".  Please make use of it.

2.  I don't believe in war so I think the point of my having to write a history paper about any war is fruitless and a waist of my valuble time and I wish to state that I am writing this paper under protest and that the only reason I agreed to write it at all was the fact that I would fail this class otherwise which I don't believe is fair and that some of us have other really important things to do with our lives than write papers about things that happened 200 years ago like World War One and...I could go on here but I won't.  This is well over half a page of stuff just like this.
a) It is a HISTORY paper.  Not a commentary on your beliefs.  Just the facts, ma'am.
b) World War One did NOT happen over two hundred years ago.  It did not even happen one hundred years ago.  Close...but not quite.
c) The rest of the paper went on to make random disjointed points that were little more than direct quotes she was claiming as her own but joined together in paragraph long single sentences with "and", "but" and "or".
d) When I pointed out that what she had was and would be considered poor writing and plagerism by her professors, she was NOT happy and refused to pay me.
e) I told her I hoped she was going to spend the money on something she really needs - grammar and spelling classes because if she hopes to make it beyond first year university, she is really going to need them!

3.  Cnda has 10 prov and 2 terr.  They r BC, AB, SK...(etc)  Cnda is a gr8 plc to liv bcuz we dont hve jst 1 kind of whether lyk other countries...it is even hard to copy this...It was FIVE pages of one giant text message, complete with slang and only three or four periods in the whole thing.  One giant RUN ON text message!!!
1) Canada does indeed have ten provinces, and you were correct in your listing of them from west to east.
2) For several years now we have had THREE territories - my 8 year old son has known that since he was four.  Any updated map includes Nunavut.  Heck, just typing in "Canadian Territories" into your google search engine will bring up that fact, I am sure.
3) Save the texting for your friends.  Even if this is a "rough draft" of your paper, this is NOT the place for texting.
4) Please act your age - you are 20 - and don't send "Mommy" to my door when you don't agree with the comments I've made on your paper to demand your money back for you.  Even Mommy was stumped by the fact that you handed me a copy of a text message and said "this is NOT what she handed to you was it?"

so there! (yes, I am sticking my tongue out here)

4.  I think this book was really good and found it really easy to read.  I expecially liked the part where the main charcter changed from being a nasty kinda guy to a real nice person.  And the part where Jim, the bartender, saves the little girl's life but ends up scarred was really sad but I can see where the writter wanted to point out that sometimes not everything good ends up being good for everyone and how events can make a person change for good or for bad...
a) Who was the author?  What was the name of the book?  I never did find out.  Of a report that was supposed to 500 words, she had less than a page...and not once was the title or author named.
b) When writing a review as such (or a report) don't use "I".  "(insert title here) written by (insert author here) was an easy read that told a story about how events in one's life can change a person." is much easier to read.
c) "kinda" is slang.  Avoid using slang.  It is "kind of".  Better yet, avoid the term completely.  "The main
character changed from a bitter, nasty person to someone who was kinder, gentler and more understanding of those around him.
d) This paper was written by a woman in her 40s.  She did get nasty with me when I made my comments
and told her where to improve her writing.  She also told me that "the professor was not concerned with grammar so why should I be". 

HUH?  I have yet to meet an ENGLISH PROFESSOR who is NOT concerned with grammar! (Besides, I know this professor.  He is ALWAYS concerned with grammar in the papers handed in.  This paper, as it was, would have garnered a "rewrite this as a second year university student and NOT as a fourth grader, please and thank you.")

5.   I don't realy like to watch the Simsons but it was kind of funny how they summerised the book "Lord of the Dance" into a 30 minute cartoon show and actully made it far more injoyable then the book.
a) Am I the ONLY person with spell check on their computer???  Honestly...It feels like it!!!
b) Lord of the Dance?  Sorry...It is NOT about Michael "All About ME!!" Flatley...The book is called "Lord of the FLIES".  Correct title of book is always worth bonus points.
c) The Simpsons does MANY episodes based on literary works.  I especially loved their version of "The Raven" by Poe.
d) HOW can you NOT enjoy watching The Simpsons????  (If I was the professor I would have deducted marks for that alone!!!)

Alright...Some of them were really poorly written pieces.  Horrid, to be exact.  And honestly, I know for several of the papers I see it is not the school system or the teachers to blame but complete and utter laziness.  Honestly, thinking you can get away with writing your paper in "text style"?  I know one high school history teacher who recieved an actual final draft "The GOOD COPY" as such, and the parents showed up to defend their daughter when he failed her!  (The principal sided with the teacher on this one!)

It is "minimal work investment".  I see the same work ethic when I go shopping or head to the local fast food outlet.  Minimal work.

And so many parents seem all to ready to help their children do "minimal work" rather than promoting "going that extra mile" and "doing your best, and then adding a little bit more".

And if we continue to raise children who only do minimal work and that is ALL that is ever expected of them, it just leaves me wonder what our country will be like in another 25 years.

Scary.

....(I have copies of these papers...simply because I wanted DH to read them as well to prove that I wasn't completely crazy in thinking some people just "don't know nothing"...)

Side note: Not all the papers are handed to me from "fresh from high school" students.  Some of the papers are written by 35+ aged students returning to school after an absense.  Some are returning to school after having already earned a degree in another area.  Most of them are written by students over the age of 30 who honestly should know better by now...

This week Carnival of Homeschool celebrates its FOURTH anniversary!

Don't know what the carnival is all about?

Well, each week homeschool bloggers can send in a blog entry.  And each week, a few of those blogs are selected and posted in one spot for your easy viewing.

It is a nice way to check out various blogs and views without having to sift through a million and two blogs that are out there and the blogs are always thought provoking, often humourous, and always educational.  Who knows.  You might find a new favourite blog...err...let's make that SECOND favourite!!!

I sent in a post for this recent carnival ..."If the Shoe(Box) Fits..."...so be sure to read that as well when you check out the other blogs posted with Carnival of Homeschool!

I especially enjoyed Michelle's contribution on putting kids to work...Now if I could only convince my mother-in-law that Squirt picking up his own toys at the age of 8 is not considered me being a slave driver...Ah, well.  She seems to have forgotten that her own youngest son was milking cows on his own at the age of three and carrying the two 5-gallon pails the mile back to town for her.

Anyways, enjoy the carnival!!!

I can't sleep.

I am going to blame Hubby.

Before heading off to bed himself at 9 pm, he said to me "Well, if we're going into the city on Saturday, I'll take you to the teaching store and you can pick up some things for homeschooling.  Will $300 be enough or do you want more?"

Is the man CRAZY???

For starters, I am quite happy with $300.

I am VERY HAPPY with $300.

BUT to go an add "or do you want more?" ???

The man either had way too much sun today (we've been on a hot streak here and tomorrow is going to be even hotter!) or he was into something he should NOT have been into!

But I am not going to complain.  It is just now my head is reeling trying to figure out exactly HOW to spend the $300 he offered me along with the $200 I have managed to save for school stuff. 

It is almost too much for me and I am all giddy like a kid on Christmas morning!  I feel like I've had three pots of Tim Horton's coffee!!!

I know I am going to get a few games.  Squirt LOVES to play games.  I saw a few on the last trip to the teacher store that I know he will LOVE - solar system, math, grammar games for my LGK (Little Grammar King). 

He is also fascinated with the human body so if I can find small models that he can take apart and view "how they work" for a decent price I will pick up a heart and a brain (sounds disgusting when you put it like that). 

I want to get some craft supplies and file folders as well - but I can get those any time so I am not going to really worry about them on Saturday unless I find something really neat or really cheap.

I am hoping to hit the fantabulous book store there as well and see if there's any books Squirt will like.

My head hurts just thinking about it.

Hopefully Hubby doesn't wake up in the morning and think "WHAT did I say to her???"

And I figured I would start a new blog.

Actually...the other one was giving me issues with my postings and pictures so I thought I would try a new one and see how that works. If I start having the same issues again then I will have to look at trying another forum so fingers crossed. I really like Blogger.

As the title says, it is about our homeschooling journey - the Learning Curve as we walk along this path - but I would like it to focus on other aspects of education as well...such as the things my son teaches me as well as things I learn along the road. It might contain the occasional rant -be forwarned...since turning 40 last December my patience has been tethered by a tiny fragile fraying little thread when it comes to the stupidity people exhibit.

We haven't started school here yet. We are waiting until the 8th of September and then we will plunge into school. Squirt is both looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time. He is looking forward to the learning aspects and getting back into some semblance of a routine but he is dreading the fact that once school starts he's not going to have the freedom and access to ps2 and ds that he's had over the summer as well as the fact that Mom has been pretty lax when it comes to things like cleaning his room and helping out with the chores. I just didn't have the heart to tell him he had to leave his friends and what ever games they were playing outside just to come in and help clean the house. I know...I was a BIG SOFTEE this summer.

Anyways, I have pretty much our whole year plotted out. Science is once again taking a big portion of our schedule simply because Squirt loves science - and I can incorporate reading, writing, math and even spelling into our science program. Plus I love science. It is so much nicer to teach something you are passionate about.

This year we are beginning our science with a fairly indepth unit on Animal Classification. We are utilizing dvds, power points and other visual aids as much as we are reading about animal classification. We are even going to build a spine so that he can see exactly why a vertebrate is so different than an invertebrate. I am really excited about this unit.

Once I have actually typed it up (it is a bunch of hand written notes right now) I will try to remember to post it here for anyone who might want to use it or at least give you some ideas for a unit of your own. I will try to do that with all the units we do this year.

Once we have completed that unit, we will start to examine the Five Classes of Vertebrates, examining each one fairly indepth and picking one or two animals from each class to examine even closer.

Now, Squirt has always been fascinated with bears - in a good way (maybe because I've always called him Little Bear???) He is leary of them but loves to watch them. This summer we happened to spend three weeks at the lake while Hubby worked from there and one evening a two-year old cub happened to wonder through our site. I noticed it right away (there is a particular smell bears have and I smelled the bear before I actually saw it) and motioned for everyone to get into the camper (Squirt had a friend spending a few days with us).

We gathered around the table and kept watch out of the window. He wondered through, stopped at the picnic table where we had been sitting and snacking on chips and pop while I made supper (yeah, I know...snacking before supper??? I slapped my own fingers...after popping another handful of chips into my mouth of course.)

Anyhoo...back to the bear...

This black bear cub (remember, he was only 2 years old and in bear time that is still a cub - a young teenager) climbed up onto the table and proceeded to finish off our bag of chips. In fact, the bag was stuck on his nose for a time as he licked every bit of greasy little bits and pieces from the bottom. THEN he stuck his nose into the cups that still contained rootbeer and drank what he could before knocking the cups over and lapping up what he was able to spill on the table. He even found the cooking forks we had used that afternoon to roast marshmallows and proceeded to lick off the remaining sticky stuff that I hadn't been able to burn off. He really seemed to enjoy that until he poked himself with one of the tines. Then he went to the edge of the table where I had set our little camp barbeque and proceeded to try to eat the potatoes I had cooking there - still in the foil and VERY hot.

Did you know bears do NOT like getting burned?

He let out a squeal and shook his paw and nose and left the barbeque alone after that.

Smart bear.

He proceeded to sniff through everything in the campsite but surprisingly didn't tear anything apart or knock anything over. He just sniffed. In truth, we are pretty clean campers. Pop cans get put away right away. Garbage is removed as soon as we are able to remove it. Our belongs remain neatly stacked by the camper when not in use. Food is stored away and safe. We know that we are in THEIR domain and try to live WITH them rather than attrack them. Bears are wild animals and wild animals are unpredictable.

Now, during this time I was thinking to myself..."TAKE A PICTURE! TAKE A PICTURE!" and then I remembered that morning Squirt, his buddy and I had taken a walk through Boundry Bog - a 20 minute drive from our campsite - and my camera was still in the truck. Of course. Just like it was in the truck when a fox cub came and sat down right at my feet...then took off when he realized PEOPLE!!! Just like it was in the truck when a moose wondered through our site.

Yeah, all the wonderful animal shots and my camera was never right at hand. Always in the truck. And when I finally remembered to bring it into the camper, the only time we saw animals was when we were in the...you guessed it...TRUCK!

Anyways, after the bear wondered off to better and more tasty horizons - like the local garbage recepticles where he was found completely emersed and upside down inside a garbage can - Squirt wanted to know more about black bears...and brown bears...and grizzley bears...and polar bears...and then he discovered the Spirit Bears! Oh, talk about GLORY!!! Learn more about Kermode Bears or Spirit Bears here.

Luckily, we had an electrified site and I just happened to have my laptop and external hard drive with me! Yes, we are modern campers. The only thing we don't have for camping is a satellite dish...and I refuse to go that far.

So we did a bit of research on bears with what little I had on the external because...of course...all the bear information is on the main computer not the external. But we were able to find out enough to satisfy Squirt for the time being...but he has been asking more and more about bears and I did promise him we would look closely at the Family Ursidae.

You so got to love when kids get so interested in something that they are constantly asking about it!

Okay...so there are moments when it gets downright annoying BUT in the interest of education, it is wonderful!

And so, back to the bear...

I suspect this was the bear's first year on his own and he was surviving the easiest way he could - by taking over the campground. Most of the people were careful - storing food away from where they slept, putting away food and garbage and such - but of course there are always those who seem to think the campgrounds are for them and then rant and rave when they return to their site and find it destroyed by a young and hungry bear in search of food. In fact, that is what happened in the campground.

A family had been tenting and fishing and had left everything out in their site while they went fishing. When they returned, their coolers were overturned, their fish catch from that morning had been eaten as was all the food they had brought for their weekend stay. Finding such an easy target, the bear continued to search their site including ripping apart their tent which happened to have all their snacks stored - chips, pop, chocolate bars, etc. They also admitted to the conservation officer who arrived shortly after they discovered what had happened in their absence that they had cleaned that morning's catch in their campsite because "the kids didn't want to wait around the smelly fish cleaning hut while we cleaned the fish."

Yeah, real smart campers. Read the pamphlets - they all say to NOT clean the fish in the campsite, to keep coolers in the vehicle and do NOT store food in your tent and do NOT eat near or in your tent. But perhaps this young family did not know how to read.

Oh...wait. I recall him mentioning he was a teacher. Sad...real sad.

Anyways, the conservation officers had up a couple bear traps but before they were able to capture the bear for transfer to somewhere less populated, the bear met an unfortunate end. Because he had grown accustomed to people, he was also not afraid of vehicles. Two days after he had wondered through our site he happened to wonder onto the highway where he was struck by a vehicle. Squirt was not happy to hear what happened. He wanted to see the animal captured and moved to a safer place.

So on that note, I will just say this...