Home Education Week

I’m cutting it close getting this up, but over the next week homeschooling bloggers are invited to celebrate Home Education Week. Dana at Principled Discovery has written up a series of writing prompts, one for each day of the week. Here they are:

Looking Back Sunday, March 30

Share your personal history…before you were a home educator. What was life like? Think about things you miss and things you and your family have gained.

Profiling Home Educators Monday, March 31

Describe yourself, your family or one of your children. What is it like to be home educated in your family? What is “normal” for you?

April Fool’s! Tuesday, April 1

And we have likely all felt the fool in one way or another. Share your greatest challenge. Or one of those terrible, horrible no good, very bad days where the only thing there is to do seems to involve moving to Australia.

Recipe for Success Wednesday, April 2

It is also National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day! So share a recipe…figuratively, as in two parts love, one part creativity, or literally, as in a super quick, nutritious meal your kids scarf up. Think about what you do in the day, what helps keep it organized and you sane (or how you got past that need for organization and saneness!), and curriculum materials you find effective.

Show and Tell Thursday, April 3

Show off those talents. Share a story, a special moment, a piece of artwork. Any accomplishment, great or small, is fair game.

In Their Own Words Friday, April 4

Share your children’s home education experience in their own words. What have they said about their education? What are their likes and dislikes? Share some stories, some quotes, or turn your blog over to your children for the day.

Looking Forward Saturday, April 5

What are your goals for home education? What do you hope to instill in your children? Are you planning any changes to how you educate your children?

If you want to join in the fun you can post your links using Mr Linky, and see what others have to share with the rest of us as well! I’ll look for you there

What prompted this special week? The governor of Nebraska, followed afterwards by the governor of Florida, declared a week to appreciate homeschooling parents. I have to share the text of his proclamation, as it says some pretty impressive things about homeschooling in general. You might want to pull it out the next time you speak to a naysayer – or maybe your state, province or territory could be convinced to follow suit? Now that would be a wonderful thing, indeed!

WHEREAS, The State of Nebraska desires to promote excellence in education; and
WHEREAS, Dozens of studies confirm that children who are educated at home score significantly above average on national achievement tests; and
WHEREAS, Studies demonstrate that home-educated students excel in college; and
WHEREAS, Home education has a long history of success in this country, helping to produce such notable Americans as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Quincy Adams, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, John Marshall, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall
Jackson, Booker T. Washington, Thomas Edison, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt,
Mark Twain, Irving Berlin, Rembrandt Peale, George Patton, Douglas MacArthur, John J. Pershing, Standing Bear, Roscoe Pound, Edward
Creighton, Willa Cather, William Jennings Bryan and Bertram Goodhue, architect of the Nebraska State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Home education strengthens the family and promotes the highest standards of honesty and morality, which are essential elements in the preservation of a free society; and
WHEREAS, Home education promotes good citizenship and positive socialization; and
WHEREAS, The State of Nebraska recognizes the fundamental right of parents to direct the education and upbringing of their children; and
WHEREAS, Home educators view the cost of their children’s education as their own responsibility and do not add that cost to the burden of the state; and
WHEREAS, It is appropriate that home educators be recognized and commended for their dedication to excellence in education and for their significant and vital contributions to our society.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Dave Heineman, Governor of the State of Nebraska, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM the week of March 30 – April 5, 2008, as NEBRASKA HOME EDUCATION WEEK and I do hereby urge all citizens to take due note of the observance.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and cause the Great Seal of the State of Nebraska to be affixed this Thirteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord Two Thousand Eight.

~ Governor Dave Heineman

This work was created by Ruby of Freehold 2, and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.

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