Yes, I’m griping
When I go to a homeschooling conference, I want to learn about homeschooling. Only. I do NOT want to learn about faith/family issues. If I did I would go to a faith/family conference.
Thank you.
Keer “Unplugged”
Where I spare my poor husband from listening to my rantings, where I share what is on my heart, where I share about my family, where I share about my God.
Me too.
Link | April 27th, 2008 at 5:39 am
Jeanne wrote,
You are singing my song!!!
Link | April 27th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I agree.
Link | April 27th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Tracy wrote,
LOL, I have to admit I’ve attended one seminar that was more along the lines of faith/family issues. But I liked it and went for a reason–it was about girls and I forget the specifics, but it was something I thought would be interesting and I try to be more proactive about with Rachel given certain issues.
So I got a few good ideas and tips to use. I’m pretty good at spitting back out what I don’t like. lol
BUT for the most part, I totally agree with you.
Link | April 27th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Dawn wrote,
AMEN!! This is a huge pet peeve of mine.
Link | April 28th, 2008 at 4:47 am
Tracy, yeah, I could understand the occasional workshop here and there. I just counted, and out of the 109 workshops at our conference this year, *42* are not about homeschooling. And then in the general sessions, those are about family issues as well.
It’s as though our conference is a family/faith conference with some homeschooling stuff thrown in.
Link | April 28th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Jamie wrote,
Uh, that is annoying! What a bummer!
Link | April 29th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Kathy wrote,
I agree with you, keer. I hadn’t really thought about it in those terms, but I think you’re right. I think there’s a problem there.
When we first started homeschooling our sons, we looked forward to attending the CHEA conferences in Southern California—very big, very exciting, and very heady–so many new ideas! Many sessions promoted faith and family issues from a very specific viewpoint, and I have to say that while I was intrigued at the time, and was (regrettably) influenced by them, looking back I believe it would be wiser for conferences like that to stick to homeschooling topics.
Specifically it was divisive and undermined the role of our own (very solid) church in our lives.
*Sigh*
Link | May 1st, 2008 at 7:33 am
Kathy, that’s EXACTLY it. These are from a very specific viewpoint as well. A friend of mine said that often the application is elevated over the principle, and that is precisely what I am talking about.
For example, I don’t mind so much workshops teaching me how to balance things, since those tend to be very generic. But I do take issue with workshops at *homeschooling* conferences that are on “Biblical womanhood” because those have a tendency to try to show what Biblical womanhood “looks like,” which may or may not be accurate.
My faith and family are totally interwoven with our homeschooling, so it’s not that I believe they should be separated. However, I get frustrated with being told that THIS is the proper way to have a godly homeschool.
Link | May 1st, 2008 at 8:48 am
Shauna wrote,
Ah, but they’re not even calling it a homeschooling conference! It’s the “Christian Family Conference.”
Link | May 5th, 2008 at 6:29 am
UGH YOU ARE RIGHT, SHAUNA!!!!!!!!!!! I guess I naturally assumed that when the state homeschooling organization is advertising its “state conference,” that it would be a HOMESCHOOLING conference. Sigh.
Link | May 5th, 2008 at 6:58 am
Molly wrote,
I don’t know how you guys manage to put up with that kind of garbage. Oh my gosh. Is somebody organizing a picket or something? Good grief.
Link | May 5th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Molly wrote,
I know it would be a huge task, but can somebody start a *new* state homeschooling organization?
Link | May 5th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Shauna wrote,
The analogy I’ve seen before in related discussions in the blogosphere is that it’s like herding cats; homeschooling isn’t enough of a common cause to really unify people. Look at how much dissension there is just within the homeschooling blogosphere!
There are a number of inclusive and secular groups in Colorado at the local level, and they seem content to do their own thing and host their own events, including curriculum swaps, speakers, and book fairs. I do what I can in my local area, where I’m developing relationships and more likely to have an influence. I might write a letter expressing my disappointment that an organization that provides such valuable resources and advocacy for homeschoolers is also pushing family- and church-related views that don’t represent mine, or write about it on my blog. But for the most part, state and national homeschooling groups have little influence on my daily life even in the best of circumstances.
Link | May 5th, 2008 at 12:45 pm