The Path of Power

http://caec.coop/electric-service/how-power-is-delivered-to-your-home/

Great article on how power is delivered to your home! I used this to study electricity in physics.

If You're a Homeschooler, How Do You Socialize?

I was reading about homeschooling in Italy and I kept getting pricked by how good homeschooling was and how comparatively poor public school was (particularly in America.) It's a thorn in my side that homeschooling's illegal in 28 countries including Germany. I just had to vent. I had to get the steam out of my system. If you're not homeschooled, this post is not here to insult you, attack you, or offend you. It is here to convince you.

Well, let's look at public school (or even private school) socialization for a moment, shall we? You're in a classroom with a bunch of other kids your age, and little chance to interact with kids older or younger than you. You have to ask permission to go to the bathroom. You have to pack a lunch or eat what cheap food the cafeteria has for sale.

In public schools you'll be judged based on how you dress, who you hang out with, and how you act. The exclusive clique are ever-present, looming over any attempt of yours to reach out to people. If you don't suit the exact preferences of  a group of kids, you'll never be on the 'in' crowd with them, and have little chance to ever get to know them. If you settle into one clique that seems to suit you, you are immediately labeled, stereotyped, and judged by your label. Sit with the jocks and you're just another jock. Sit with the nerds and you're just another nerd.

The boundaries are frustrating, especially for those who care about being open and kind to everyone, treating everyone like they're important, and reaching out to anyone who might desperately need a friend. In public schools there are often left out kids; the loners. There are a shocking amount of suicides in public schools. Usually they kids who commit suicide are loners. Even more shocking are cases such as one in a simple, small-town school in the mountains of Colorado. Even in such a comparatively tiny, close community, a band of around six kids made a pact with each other that they would all commit suicide. That kind of 'socialization' was made possible because of a public school and the elements in it, and because of the rift created between parents and kids who spend all day away from home.

In addition, children in public schools are bombarded with bad influences. Teachers with bias. Teachers who are unkind or don't care about their students' education. Students who don't care about their own education. Bullying, school fights, drugs, sex and alcohol, swearing and crude behavior. A public schooled kid is constantly bombarded by these influences, and even if they resist behavior that goes against their religion, worldview, morals, conscience or upbringing, those influences will very often creep into the student's behavior, desensitizing them to what's right and wrong, clouding their judgement, and changing them.
Public school is impersonal. With so many students in a class the teacher can only get to know them so well. The teacher has a couple hours with them per day for one year of their life. What kind of an investment is that for someone who's training a student for the future, shaping what they know, how they think, and how they learn?

In a large classroom and larger school they are only another child in a sea of faces. How difficult does that make it to form personal, meaningful relationships with teachers and friendships with students?

Students are forced to work at the pace of everyone else. That means if you have a slow teacher, your class will drag out, and time will be wasted. In any class there are necessarily long pauses, waiting for everyone to leave the room, enter the room, open their books, catch up, and on and on. Students who are slow slow the class down. They feel pressured to hurry and work outside of their comfortable pace, just skimming by and barely learning, forgetting what they do learn. Intelligent students are slowed down, being taught what they already know over and over, and boredom sets in.

Often a whole day goes by in which the students haven't learned anything. Students goof on on phones during class. They doze in class. They talk during P.E. They chat while waiting for the teacher to get with the program. They are completely at the mercy of the teacher during class. If the teacher wants them to watch an arbitrary music video, they must do it. If the history teacher wants to talk about something that has nothing to do with the subject, they must listen.

Finally, after a long day riddled with wasted time, they return home with a load of homework on their backs. They have just spent 6-9 hours in a classroom, and now they will have to spend 1-? hours more on homework.

Traveling every day is exhausting. Everything they need for the day had to be packed daily and lugged around.

If a student has sports, band or a club after school (their main source of socialization, and a cliquey one, honestly), it takes up hours more of their time, and a student may not get home till dinner or after, and when they do, they’re often exhausted.

What happens to family time? The people in their life who are or should be most important are neglected. They spend only a few hours a day with them total. They lose one of the most valuable pieces of life when they spend so little time with their family. The precious image of the family is falling apart, and we wonder why?

Ok. I’ve been pretty harsh with public school. It might sound like I’m attacking or ‘hating on’ it. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m simply presenting it as it is. It has advantages which I haven’t mentioned. But I must be allowed to lay bare is disadvantages, which are so often being ignored and taken for granted. And I must present the advantages of homeschooling to those who have no concept of them. Listen to this.

Homeschooling is done in the home. It’s in a comfortable environment where students free to move about, sit where they like, work where they like. Many or most homeschoolers have several siblings with a variety of ages. They grow up with the responsibility to help with the younger ones, which is training for being a parent, for understanding others, for working with difficult people and for learning from each other. Their minds are opened to see that they can be friends with anyone, regardless of age. This is practical, hands-on experience that helps the children grow and become more mature.

Within a homeschooling family there are no cliques (or if there are, they are scarce). A family is a family. It’s smaller and closer-knit than a school. Each person knows the other on a personal level, and working together constantly forces students to get over their differences and learn to live in unity.

Often, homeschoolers attend a co-op. Moms and dads teach classes everywhere from high school physics to how to write a story to how to sing, and homeschooling students attend. In an area where homeschoolers are scarce, this may happen every 1-2 months. In an area thick with homeschoolers, this may happen once a week or more. This co-op has all the benefits of a day at public school and none of the downsides. Cliques virtually dissolve in a co-op. It’s a small, friendly environment. It can have 700 students or 6 students. It doesn’t matter. There are usually enough kids in a co-op for students to experience a variety of encounters and make a variety of friends. And yet, the very atmosphere breathes friendliness and openness. Everyone knows everyone. The moms love to talk to each other. The students make best friends and close friends and acquaintances. There is more social time and when the students are in class, they are actually learning and experiencing.

In homeschool, kids are nurtured and guided directly by their parents. Their parents know their needs and are there to talk to them. Their parents love them and care about their education. They can monitor the child’s schedule to keep them on track and see any changes that need to be made. When confused a child can take their every question to their parents.

A beautiful advantage is choosing your curriculum. For each class the student learns from a book, video, online course, or something different. Courses are custom-tailored to fit the student. Imagine if teachers could be custom-tailored to fit each student’s needs.
No more will students be dragged down or rushed. If a student is fact-minded, they can switch to a practical math book for algebra. If a student is creative and left-brained, they can switch to a free website like Duolingo to learn languages in a visually memorable way. If they’re distractible, they can watch history on a set of lively videos. If they’re brilliant, they can read a difficult, fast-paced physics book. If they are slower, they can take a simple, quick, easy-to-understand course on geography, and their mom can help them.

Not only can a student choose their curriculum. A possibly even greater blessing is that they can choose their schedule, especially as they get older and busier. Their parents may limit their schedule - for instance, be up by nine and get to bed by ten-thirty; some are stricter, some are looser -but the students are given amazing flexibility. If they want to get up early, work hard and fast at school and focus hard, they can be done with a day’s school work before noon. If they choose to sleep in, they can finish school in the evening or afternoon. If they need to take a field trip or a shopping trip, they can take one any time, and make up the work when they get home. If their friend spontaneously invites them over, they can go, even in the morning, and finish school the next day or in the afternoon. Traveling? No problem. They can take time for vacation even in midwinter. They could take three months off to travel and simply make up for lost schoolwork in the summer.

This gives the student freedom to volunteer, get a job at any hour, play outside when it’s nice out and work inside when it’s not, keep up with their friends, and become involved in any number of clubs, lessons, and social activities they would never have otherwise been able to do during school hours.

If a student slacks or gets behind on school, they are only taught by their mistakes. They learn responsibility and self-discipline like public schoolers don’t, because they must learn to master their schedule with wisdom. This prepares them for college and equips them to be adults working on their own. Rather than living under the shadow of a controlling parent, like some people might picture, they are taught to govern themselves with prudence.

In a homeschooling environment, something beautiful takes place. School and life become so intertwined that they are almost indistinguishable. Learning and life go hand in hand. A student whose hobby is art can add whatever art classes she wants, and get high school credit just for doing what she would normally have done anyway. Her hobby takes on a new level as she pushes herself and educates herself. A student who is a history geek and spends hours researching online in his free time finds that he’s learned just as much as or more than any public schooler would and that he qualifies for an extra credit of history. Playing outside with your siblings becomes P.E. Cooking for your family becomes a culinary class. Rather than growing an aversion to anything called ‘school’, students grow to simply love learning, and to see school as a chance to learn, not just an obligation.

Homeschoolers are not anti-social. As a general group, they’re not shy. In fact, homeschoolers are forced to be open to the world and reach out to people. They learn how to seek and find friends, rather than just sliding into a clique or picking a handful of friends out of a thousand others. Since they are not bombarded with people every day, people become something significant to them. Something special. Something to be noticed, appreciated, and given attention.

Homeschool students are involved. Often they go to church or youth group. Many go to such an event three times a week. They have relationships with their siblings that stand out in a crowd of teenagers who hate their siblings. Many teens dual-enroll in high school, taking a class or two for a semester or two in their local college, which further prepares them for the real world. At the store, on a walk, at the library, at the pool, there are so many chances for homeschoolers to meet and make friends.

Not to mention the internet. With the world wide web to connect them, homeschoolers can contact people from anywhere. The internet renders homeschoolers’  contact with the world unlimited. Whatever their interests, they can find people who share those interests.

They make friends within co-op. They make friends outside of co-op. They know their neighbors by name. They befriend their friends’ friends’ and their friends’ families. If any homeschoolers lacks in connections, it’s their own fault, not the fault of homescooling.

Homeschooling transforms life for the student. It opens their mind, pushes them to new limits, teaches them at an efficient pace, creates bonds between friends and family like no other. It is a gift from God. 

WE TRIED FOUR DIFFERENT CIRRICULUMS

I really haven't been doing all that badly on Beginning Algebra. No, really, I haven't. I mean, compared to medieval people I'm doing quite well. Compared to three-year-olds I'm a genius! I really am.

.         .         .

Anyway. Enough joking around - let's get real. I've tried four different cirriculums for Beginning Algebra. Pre-Algebra with Saxon math - never finished. Teaching Textbooks. Loathe at first sight. Tried an online course and actually got pretty far before finally crashing. It was always the same problem - started off a math book doing generally well and moving along quickly, while things were pretty easy. Then at some point hit a roadblock where it just got so hard and I kept making the same stupid mistakes. Math would begin to take hours every day to just finish one lesson, and I would try so hard to understand impossible concepts that I'd cry.

So! We switched to a book called Life of Fred. It's as serious as it needs to be. It's basically a math book for the creatively minded, for people whose brains can picture it but can't apply it. It got bad again - the good old cycle - and this time mom asked a friend, a math tutor, to help out. We went over and just sat with her and worked through a lesson of math together. It refreshed my mom and gave her a new perspective. Now she sits by me every day during math class and grades homework while I work. It's okay. I've survived thus far, and the book presents it in a story from which helps make at least some sense of the xy{setofallorderedpairs33y+77x=6pi).

Famous People Tag

Famous People Tag


So, rules I guess! :)

-Add the button and link back to the person who tagged you. 
-Answer the questions
-Tag some other people

 Bronze the Sling  who tagged me.

1) Who is your favorite singer/group

That's a hard one, as I have several. But I'll have to say Adam Young, who did Port Blue,  Sky Sailing,  and Owl City.  Of which I love all three!

2) If your favorite male actor was in the room with you right now, what would you do?

Probably several things. One, ask them why they are even in my house. Two, freak out and probably accidentally throw something at them in a bit of a fright.

3) What is a famous person you used to love, but (due to something they did in their life) you've suddenly changed your mind?

 Nobody really comes to mind.

4) Name one famous person who's name begins with a V.

Dick Van Dyke!

5) What's one of your favorite red carpet dresses?

I don't have one, I don't really watch red carpet events. Unless Oscars count, I'm not sure, in that case Jennifer Laurence's cream one.

6) Who's your favorite royal person?

 Aslan.

7) Who's your favorite child actor/actress?

 Not really a kid, but he's young-ish.  Will Poulter, who played Eustace on Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

8) Is there an actor/actress you actually like the private lives of?

Audrey Hepburn, she was an amazing person.

9) Do you think actors and actresses have improved over the last 100 years?

 Trick question?

10) What's the weirdest famous person name?

Honestly, I think Mr. T.  I don't know why but I tend to think it's a little odd for a name, but that's just me.

11) Do you think you look like a famous person?

Maybe, I don't know. All depends on the age I am and actually what mood I'm in. But I've been told I'm similar to Audrey Hepburn.

12) Share your favorite famous person quote.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way that she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows. And the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years.  - Audrey Hepburn.

13) Who is your favorite dancer?

 I don't know, I don't really know all that many people who dance. (sadly)  Most likely Dick Van Dyke again, he was an excellent dancer.

14) Why is your favorite actress your favorite one? When did you decide she was your favorite?

Audrey Hepburn was an inspiration, because instead of just being another pretty actress, she was a lady.  And not just anyone can be the kind of lady she was.  Because although talent can help someone as an actor/actress, she had the heart for what she did and what she believed in. And to be a lady is not something a person can fake, you have to be a lady at heart to be one.

15) Have you ever met/seen/been close to a famous person?

Probably at a Starbucks, but I didn't recognize them.  They're everywhere, and they are people like us, sometimes they just want a cup of coffee and a doughnut. :)

Tags:

http://squigglyrambler.blogspot.com/

http://elizabethlucymorgan.blogspot.com/



~Paradox

Geometry can be fun!

Hi there!

  For nearly every subject,  there are those who will either love it, or there will be those to loath it.  Geometry tends to be one of those subjects.  If you want a fun geometry project to do,  that does not require lots of supplies, well here's an idea for you.

 Supplies

Paper (card stock is better)
Poster board
Glue
Scissors
Measuring tape


 Build a one fourth inch, or if you have a small house, a one half inch scale model of your home.

 Measure out the floor plan, walls, and doors.  And on a very large piece of poster board draw out your home, with the walls and doors.
When this is done,  measure how tall your, walls are, and cut the paper walls to size, and glue the walls together to form the rooms.
 I found it easier if you make the wall a small bit longer then the end result, then you bend a small strip back and then blue on that bent piece.  Mark where the windows are,  if you don't want to cut them out. (I didn't)  And cut out the size and shapes of the doors.  Don't bother with a roof, you won't be able to see inside your house.

 Trust me! It can be fun!

Paradox

You can do it...if you're willing to try.

Hi there!


 For all and any of you who play a musical instrument, or want to play a musical instrument, then this post may help you in getting in gear for playing, or wanting to play, or learning how you can want to play one.


1.   Find an instrument you love the sound of.

 If you don't love the sound the instrument itself makes when someone else is playing it, then don't bother. Because if you don't like it, then you won't have any reason to want learn to play it.


2.   Find out if you can learn to play it.

 Sometimes it's very hard depending on what it is, because some instruments you have to be self taught in order to learn, or else pay a lot of money for lessons. But I personally prefer being self taught.  Or else just learn if you can play it, because some instruments actually have very specific requirements, such as a lot of wind instruments, like the clarinet. But you can learn to play anything if you have the desire to learn it.  Which brings me around to number three.


3.   Have the desire to learn.


 No desire to learn, often leads to not wanting to play at all, which can result in bad playing.  If you are in a band, or are simply learning to play an instrument that you don't care to learn, or don't want to learn. Try and find any positive thing you can about it. If it's violin and you don't like it, listen to violin music of all genres, people play violin music from classical to rock!  Just try to find a single song you like, with the instrument you play in it.


4.   Find a song you want to learn.


 Even if the song is above your current ability, it can give you extra motivation to learn to play. Which can lead you infinite possibilities. Aside from learning other things along the way, because when you can finally play that one song, (or multiple songs) you have reached a goal, and that achievement can bring a lot of happiness.


5.   Play for friends, family, guests!


 Don't be afraid to play music for others.  Music is one thing in life that everyone can share, and it doesn't matter what instrument you play.  Musicians of all kinds know that it takes a lot to learn to play, but the fact that you are taking that step to be able to accomplish it, is a feat in itself.  Sometimes people will recommend songs for you to learn, or at least give ideas,  music never ends.


6.   Play your heart out.


 Whatever instrument you play, it might be drums, it might be guitar, violin, flute, bass, cello, accordion, it might even be something like the bagpipes, or a harp.  All people who play any type of musical instrument know that it takes practice, and a willingness to learn to be able to play well, and enjoy the process.  Because,  many, many times, people have begun to play simply for the joy of hearing music.  And it's only afterwards that some become well known or famous.  But even then, some of them don't care, they play because music is a part of them.

 So play your heart out,  music is a language we all can understand.


7.   Actually play your instrument.


 I don't mean, pick it up and play it for a set time every single day so that you get the quota in.  I mean, play it for the sake of playing. If your heart isn't in your song at any point in your musical part of life, then why are you even bothering?  Learn to love music.  And learn to love the things that music can bring yourself, and others.



-Paradox

Write that book!

I'm taking a home-schoolers' creative writing class, and I'd like to share the more useful tip I learned about writing a fiction novel. Every author I've ever met has stressed the importance of writing daily. It doesn't matter if you feel sick or didn't get enough sleep, or if you just plumb have writers' block. As long as you write one page, two pages, or a chapter per day, you're doing something useful.
I try to work on my stories for just an hour every day, but even if I can't find the inspiration to write one of my stories, I have to write something. My writing may even be about how I don't feel like writing! Whatever my thoughts are, it just helps to get them on paper (or the screen). Sometimes I'll be rambling about something arbitrary and be struck with a story idea.
My conclusion is that if you are a writer, write every day. Set a timer and type words for half an hour. Get your feelings and emotions out onto the screen. I've learned the importance of steady, daily writing. Why not start now?