Note: The edit password is 1234
This project was originally named Thinking Homeschoolers, however Thinking Parents sort of took over on its own. I can't change the name of the wiki page, so we are stuck with it.
The idea behind Thinking Parents is to give us an excuse to think and write about something other than curriculum decisions or the latest dumb ass statement from HSLDA. (If you are offended by the HSLDA comment you really shouldn't be here.) Every two weeks we'll release a new topic. Any homeschooler that wants to write about that topic simply does so on their own blog and provides a link here. This page will hold the index of topics and schedule of future topics. We'll create a separate wiki page for each bi-weekly topic to hold the links. The topics should be things that will require more than a pithy comment to address. If you want pithy commentary Daryl already has it covered. Creative writing type stuff is cool too. The less connected to homeschooling it is, the better. Although I could live with the occasional homeschool related issue. For example, using this to collect all the intelligent commentary on the CA issue might have been useful.
So to start, we need some topic ideas. Please add them below and the we'll start this up with the first topic that grabs our attention.
Schedule with due dates
April 15: Tax Day
April 30: National Spank Out or Prayer Day
May 15:\\ Write about a sound that you find comforting or that reminds you of home
May 30:\\ What would you be doing right now if you had no kids?
June 15:\\Write a 30 second elevator pitch for your Presidential candidate of choice
June 30:\\Losing My religion
July 30:\\ Does every kid need to go to college?
August 15: Do something that will never be noticed
August 30: Take a break. Don't write about anything.
November/December:\\ How do the recent votes to ban gay marriage fit with your holiday traditions and ideas of family?
January 2009 (First two weeks of Obama presidency):\\ How will you answer the new president's calls to service?
Potential Topics
How about writing about what, if anything, we plan to do differently in response to Obama's inauguration? You know, all those calls to service. -- Nance
11/14/08 - Nance:
I think we should write about the recent votes banning gay marriage -- how about for a Thanksgiving topic, reflecting on families and traditions.
8/29/08 - A few new ideas:
1. Opposite Day: Pick a topic you feel strongly about and try to write an article from the opposing point of view. Really think about the other P.O.V. and give it your best, most convincing argument.
2. Music Appreciation: Write about a song or an album (what us old fogeys had before those shiny CD thingys) that had a major impact on your life.
8/17/08 - JJ thinks some of Rick Warren's Saddleback questions of the two presidential candidates last night were pretty good. I catch myself turning them over in my mind and might write about a few on my own. Examples: "which Supreme Court justice would you not have nominated, and why" and "what's one of the most difficult and wrenching decisions you've personally made, and what was the process you used to make it" and something along the lines of "what's worth living for, what's worth dying for". . .
4/14-ElectricBarbarella would like to see:
"Political Challenge: Using only the candidates available HERE; categorically go through each one, listing all of the points you agree/disagree with and explain how you feel each one would be
an asset or hinderance to our country, should they win the Presidental seat".\\
I second Doc's choice of Religion/faith healing/death.
Another topic, "With Ben Stein's new movie, "Expelled" coming out, explain how you feel about the teaching of Creationism/Evolution/ID, in classrooms. Use the official movie website as the
launchpad for your argument. There is a study guide available on the site for you to use as a citation.\\ Conclude what you think would be the best solution for all involved". ~~Toni
Logo? I want a logo. - Doc
And Doc is right -- we need a logo -- one of those sidebar things so we can put it on our blogs. -- Nance
Referencing this case, is religion ever an excuse for letting a child die of an easily treated illness? (via Doc)
Are city wide public smoking bans a justifiable nanny state encroachment on property rights?
Are parents ever justified in not vaccinating otherwise healthy children? What action should the state take, if any, against these parents?
Are we ready for a black President? (Nance) Or a female? (Doc)
National Prayer Day -- same day as National Day of REASON, yes? -- and also National Spank-Out Day are coming up in a few weeks; last year I swore I'd be ready for them with a blog tour, swarm or more posts myself at least (but a wiki topic now seems the ideal thing!) -- JJ
Musical theatre as better learning than any kind of schooling -- "1776" for example, tracked the second episode of HBO's "John Adams" almost exactly ;-)
Horton Hears a Who: the movie
The following three are retreads from the Ecotone writing project that inspired this format. - COD
Write about an important or memorable tree in your life.
Write about a sound that you find comforting or that reminds you of home.
Write about the place on earth (or off it I guess) where you feel most connected to your ancestral past.
Here's something to ponder: Would you take $1.6 million from an organisation whose motives you didn't agree with?
Should books have a rating system similar to music and movies? - COD
Alasandra - Is our food safe? How about the food we feed our pets? Could the pet food recall happen again?
Suggestion: Perhaps several of these could be combined. Several have to do with the perceived "nanny state" -- rating books, smoking bans, vaccinations, etc. Or should we just check the appropriate box -- I am a bleeding-heart liberal Democrat so I believe in all of it, I am a Libertarian so I believe you better leave me alone, I am a Republican so I don't care just don't raise my taxes or I am an Independent so I don't know what I believe? :) (Yes, JJ, that last was for your enjoyment. And for DH's.) (Nance)
Does parenthood make you smarter? Or dumber?
Should everyone be allowed to homeschool?
Is television over? Should it bow out gracefully and accept the new Lord Internet?
What comes after postmodernism?
Write about your favorite picture of someone else's child
What would you be doing right now if you had no kids?
Write a brutal assessment of your parenting from the POV of someone else, maybe your child
As a homeschooler, if you had a boss to complain to, what would you say?
What's something you feel obligated to do (as a parent, as a citizen, as a spouse, as a community member) that you don't want to do?
Write a stump speech to campaign for president of homeschooling.
Write a blog post as if you were guest-blogging for another blog of your choosing.
Do something that will never be noticed. Write about it. Scope undefined.
That's a dozen... I'll quit there. :) Great project. I will check back to see how you all are doing!
--Lydia @ littleblueschool.com
Tackle the issues from this Slate article on how to fix the worst of the Bush screw ups. - COD
Whatever happened to the Age of Reason? Is it time for a theory of de-volution? Story to read e.g (JJ)
I like the idea of doing something about the Presidential candidates -- but not all 4000 of them listed at votesmart! :) -- maybe after PA votes? Compare the three candidates' views on 3 topics? Or something like that. -- Nance
I also like the idea from Lydia to do something that will never be noticed. Hoping they would be nice things. . . -- Nance
What about this question: Is college necessary?
--Lydia @ littleblueschool.com
Religion -- if you had to pick one religion other than any that you are now (or ever have been) part of, which would it be and why? Your reasons can be serious and theologically deep, completely fanciful, and/or or based on mistaken ideas including total ignorance about your new hypothetical religion. (JJ)
And I'd like to add to the "do something that will never be noticed" idea by suggesting we write about community service or charity work or donating or volunteering or whatever you personally call it. Do you do it anonymously? Do you work locally or nationally? Do you think volunteering should be required -- maybe more of a ps issue? Or is it something you require your kids to do? Do you think Obama will inspire people to volunteer more? Is inspiration enough? Are incentives/bribes needed -- as he has proposed? Where would you like to volunteer but don't have time but will when you are old? Etc. -- Nance
