Paul Graham wrote a great essay Why Nerds are Unpopular, which, encapsulated at its simplest, says smart secondary school students aren’t popular because they’d rather be smart. From observation and personal experience, I agree with Graham’s essay. And I’m even happier that Neil won’t have a secondary school experience where being smart is a social…
Category: Education
Whither Kelly
Last month, I registered Kelly for public school. It was remarkably stressful. In his kindergarten year, I vaguely remembered having registered Neil for school in February, and knowing he’d gotten into the district’s science magnet school in April. But this year when I called the school district in February, they told me I wouldn’t be…
In Praise of a Good Teacher
My experience with Neil’s fourth grade teacher was more than disappointing, and as a result, I started schooling him at home that spring and summer. Neil astounded me with what he could do once expectations were raised: not only was he an enthusiastic mathematician, he was a capable illustrator, a diligent scientist, a phenomenally persuasive…
Charlotte Mason and the Boy Scouts
As a boy scout, Neil completes merit badge requirements. I’m still new to how the process goes, but when I bought him the books for several merit badges, I was surprised to discover how very well they would fit into my homeschooling curriculum for him. For instance, the Astronomy merit badge requirements will function beautifully…
Charybdis and Scylla Academy
Last year, I discovered for sure that I wanted to teach Neil myself through the middle-school years and possibly beyond. Since I’m not doing this through a public school program or through an umbrella or charter school, the California State Department of Education requires me to register the school as a small private school. And…
Neil’s Short and Quick Middle School Experience
Last year in early autumn, Neil had completed the Key to Algebra course which had been our only tool to give him math at his level in fourth grade, and was whizzing through the Key to Geometry course with frightening ease. When I broached the “what next?” question with his 5th-grade teacher, Mrs. Weir, I…
PC PE TV
Neil’s been at odds with his PE teacher all year, which hasn’t been a major concern for me. But every so often, he comes back with stories or assignments that strike me as really off the mark. For instance, last year, one of the children in the class injured himself during PE. The PE teacher…
Al Gore Moves Into Legos
Last Saturday, Neil’s robotics team had its annual competition at nearby Gunderson High School. The theme for this year’s challenge was based on alternative energy: with their Lego robots, each team had to complete various tasks, including getting “uranium rods” back to home base, installing a solar panel on a house, and “harvesting” (ethanol-creating) corn….
Singapore Maths
It was with some reluctance that I sent Neil back to the institution that is public school this year, but we were lucky enough to get the one good teacher that was willing to challenge him. Unfortunately, I underestimated the influence of the great schools bureaucracy. In short, when it became clear Neil was quickly…
Family Haiku Night
Neil dislikes his P.E. teacher. From his accounts, though, I can’t see anything that should concern me. She seems to have a boot-camp style of teaching, so Neil complains that she doesn’t care about him. I asked him whether she hated just him, or whether she hates everyone equally. He confessed she hates everyone equally;…